Anchor Weekly
A newsletter for Alta Vista Staff~Week of May 18, 2020
Don't Forget! Next Week's Calendar
- Teachers/aides may start reporting back on Monday, May 18 to complete end of year procedures. See procedures & schedule below.
- Monday, May 18 at 9:30 am: Staff Google Meet meet.google.com/vmf-vvmz-zev
- Monday, May 18: Usage report due to Helton
- REQUIRED Wednesday, May 20: "We Care Wednesday" Phone Call to All Families
- Friday, May 22 at 3:30 pm: Final Grades Due
UPCOMING: Memorial Day Holiday on Monday, May 25
Captain's Log
This year has been a year like no other! One of the most challenging parts is the lack of closure. We left for Spring Break and never expected that we wouldn't be back to hug our friends and celebrate their achievements, big and small, along the way. Even though Texas is slowly opening back up, celebrating the End of Year is still a challenge. But one thing I know about our Alta Vista team is that you all are creative, problem-solvers, and wonderful at "stealing" great ideas and making them your own. I highly encourage you to consider a way you can bring closure virtually for you and your class. Here are some ideas. Whatever you decide, please send me an email. If I can "pop" in for a couple of minutes, I would love the opportunity and invitation!
At this time, I don't feel like it is responsible for the Alta Vista team to gather as a large group to celebrate all that we have accomplished and overcome. But I can guarantee you that we will be planning something epic when that time does arrive. In the mean time, know I'm send all of you virtual "hugs" and wishing you well!
Mrs. Helton's Week At A Glance
- Monday-Meetings
- Tuesday-Principal Meeting and EOY LPACs
- Wednesday-Friday: Design Thinking Institute
Staff To-Do List
- Teachers-Complete Usage Report for the Week of 5/11-5/15 (5/18)
- Assign Imagine Math Benchmark (Day before date of test)
- ALL STAFF-We Care Wednesday Phone Calls (5/21)
- Contact families of students with Excessive Absences to make up days (5/29)
- Log Google Hangouts Meetings with students (Ongoing)
- Prepare End of Year Awards and bag up student's personal items (5/22)
- Complete End of Year Closing Procedures (5/29)
- Return SpEd and 504 Accommodation Folders to Maynard/Salazar (5/29)
End of Year Closing Procedures
We need your help to wrap up the school year! If you are an aide and have some extra time, please consider helping in the following areas:
Packing virtual Field Day Kits on Monday, May 18 starting at 10:00 am (email Helton if interested)
Packing the library (email Spark/Olivarez for times) all week
“Undecorating” the main hallways (any time) (email Helton if interested)
Picking up devices from students & passing out year end materials (email Helton if interested)
Last Name A-L: Tuesday, May 26 from 8:00-4:00
Last Name M-Z: Wednesday, May 27 from 8:00-4:00
Late Pick Up (all students): Wednesday, May 27 from 4-6 pm
Technology Inventory Projects (email Boggess for times)
HERE is the Summer Closing Checklist that must be completed by ALL STAFF.
Imagine Math Benchmark for Week of May 18
Teachers will need to assign a benchmark for students to take within the Imagine Math platform. Teachers will need to assign the benchmarks for students on the MORNING or NIGHT before the following dates:
- Kindergarten teacher assigns benchmark for May 21st
- First grade: teacher assigns benchmark for May 19th
- Second grade: teacher assigns benchmark for May 19th
- Third grade: teacher assigns benchmark for May 19th
- Fourth grade: teacher assigns benchmark for May 18th
- Fifth grade: teacher assigns benchmark for May 19th
Students will enter the assessment upon logging into the platform. Some students will take Benchmark 2 (MOY) and others Benchmark 3(EOY) depending on if the teacher had them test
mid-year as asked.
This video walks teachers through a reminder of how to assign the benchmark.
Assigning EOY Benchmark K-5
Step 1: Login into Imagine Math
Step 2: Click Benchmark Roster
Step 3: Click Benchmark 2 and 3
Step 4: Click assign benchmark
We Care Wednesdays
We Care Wednesday #10-VERY IMPORTANT. Please try to contact ALL FAMILIES VERBALLY this week.
- Remind families that grades are due 5/22 so all assignments should be complete by 5/21
- Remind families that they will pick up personal belongings, awards, and Virtual Field Day Kit and return Ipads and hotspots during the week of 5/26 (schedule coming soon)
- Students should still complete SmartyAnts/Achieve/ImagineMath during the week of May 26 (because school is still in session thru May 28)
In the column for who you contact, please mark just the code (IE: A for Adult, S for Student). If you are texting actively with parents, use A. If you text but don't get a response, then indicate LM.
REMINDERS ON GRADES
- All test grades should be converted to daily grades.
- This document has directions on how to program TEAMS to drop the lowest grades so you have 6 grades for each subject.
- Reading/English are combined and Science/Social Studies are combined; this means you should have the SAME grades and the SAME average for these subjects so they average correctly for the 5th six weeks. If you are departmentalized, you will need to work with your team to make sure these grades are the same.
- Once you have dropped grades to have the 6 highest remaining, if any of these assignments are still a 0 because the work was not completed by May 22, then the students should receive an "Incomplete" for the 5th six weeks. This means you will have to continue to work with the family through the summer to get the final grades in. You do not want to have to do this!!
- For students that are 504 or SpEd, remember that they have been completing other online assignments and they have not been able to receive the full range of accommodations that they normally would in class. Please take this in consideration as you grade assignments.
- You will turn a list of all students that failed for the school year to Mrs. Helton on Friday, May 22. Failures should be kept to a minimum. There will be no summer school, so we will work with parents on the appeal process for grade level promotion.
If you have any questions about grades, you need to reach out to Mrs. Helton SOON so that you are not having to scramble on Friday to finalize grades.
TEA Engagement Reporting Requirements
Engaged-completed at least some assignments in math or reading
Not Engaged-you were able to talk to parents or student but student didn't complete any assignments in math or reading
Not Contactable-you were not able to talk to parents or student and the student didn't complete any assignments in math or reading
This will be part of your closing procedures and is due by Friday, May 22.
Tech Support & At Home Learning Assignments
Resources for Online Learning & Assignments for Teacher (including Phase 3 Assignments)
Grading Policy
Technology Support & Resources
- We are not passing out/replacing anymore tech devices next week. If parents are having tech issues, you need to have them come to AV ASAP on Monday to collect a paper packet to work through for grades and engagement.
Waco ISD Policies Regarding Instructional Continuity and Remote Working Expectations
See the document below regarding the WISD At-Home Learning Continuity Plan.
Region 12 Professional Development
Behavior Training
Self-Care for You!
What will life look like once quarantine is over? Thoughts that have been piling up over the last couple months of what we are looking forward to are seemingly getting closer and closer. Restrictions in the state of Texas have begun to be slowly lifted and businesses have the opportunity to begin opening at 25% capacity. This can be exciting for those of us who have been awaiting this moment but remember to put your health and safety first! Here are a few things to keep in mind while new changes are occurring:
Keep washing your hands: Continue to place emphasis on thoroughly washing your hands. Maintain the habit because this is one way to keep ourselves and others safe!
Give who you are visiting a second thought: Before you go for that long-awaited hug, stop and think about whether that would be beneficial for the person you are seeing and whether they are still at high-risk.
Notice if you’re getting too comfortable: Due to the gradual lifting of restrictions, it can be tempting to return to life as we knew it. Keep checking in with yourself about continuing to take precautions.
Y’all know what is best for you and your families, friends, and community. That being said, make sure to take care of your needs! Keep it up with those walks, reading, baking, or whatever activity has been your go-to self-care move!