Falcon Focus
February 22, 2016
Doing Data Right - excerpt from Educational Leadership
As we completed editing this issue of Educational Leadership on "Doing Data Right," I wondered how most of you readers would assess the situation today. Now that we have ever more digitized information at our fingertips, have we moved to an even higher level of stupidity, or have we learned our lessons about data? Are we, in fact, doing data right? Let's hear what some EL authors have to say about just how that is done.
Are you using data to guide improvement? Many educators are, according to a Gates Foundation study that reports that 93 percent of teachers surveyed are using digital tools to gather data and guide instruction. Sixty-one percent say data use is making them better teachers. At many schools, data teams and professional learning communities meet regularly. As Amanda Datnow and Vicki Park tell us, sharing responsibility, allowing healthy disagreement, and having a solutions-oriented approach can make all the difference in how effective these data meetings are. To get the most benefit from data, Richard DuFour adds, the uppermost questions a professional learning community must ask are, Why are we gathering data in the first place? and What actions are we taking as a result?
Click here to access the rest of the article,if you are interested.
Classroom Management Tools - Chapter 8
"We constantly encourage or discourage those around us and, thereby, contribute materially to their greater or lesser ability to function well." Rudolf Dreikurs
Teachers have a HUGE impact on the well-being of children. Thank you for working hard every day to help build their future with a positive and excellent educational foundation.
To Do's and Calendar Updates
- Month of February: K-4 ROCK Student Training - please schedule to have this complete. Farah will be collecting the documentation
- Week of February 22nd: Math CFA
- Week of February 22nd: K-4 Progress Monitoring
- February 25th: Reflections Reception for students that participated. The reception will be in the cafeteria at 2:00. We will make an announcement when students can come on down.
- February 26th: Faculty Luncheon hosted by Co-Curr
- February 26th: Please have your grades loaded before you leave for the day.
- March 1st: Play it Safe presentations in all classrooms
- March - Texas History Month
- Week of March 7th: K-4 Progress Monitoring
SAVE THE DATE: Keller University July 18th-21st!!!
Calendar of Events
Work in Progress!!!!
Response to Intervention
MOY Assessment Windows:
- Running Records 3rd and 4th: Feb. 1st - Feb. 29th
Please update each students blue literacy folder with their Running Record information and turn in a master copy to Farah. Farah will help with the documentation sheets.
Character Quality for February - Integrity
"Keep true, never be ashamed of doing right, decide on what you think is right and stick to it."
George Eliot
It's the Law - Compliance Documentation
The RtI documentation sheets and SPED/504 accommodation sheets will be turned in at the end of the year. So, thank you for keeping up with the data collection. Be looking for how to turn it in on the End of Year Checklist.
Here is an example that is used most often for RtI documentation. Lisa and Michelle have done a great job of providing resources for keeping up with the 504 and SPED accommodations. Keep in mind that this documentation is very important in SITS, SNAPS, parent conferences, compliance requirements, and SPED referrals. Thank you, again, for keeping them current.
Instructional Rounds - Next Steps
Pre-Planned Questions and Ideas to increase student discussion
Professional Development and Learning - Faculty Meetings, PLC's, and Kelly Leach Visits
- February 23rd: Faculty Meeting 3:30 - Agenda: Bright Bytes Survey Review and Documentation and next steps implementation of Tech TEKS, I-Station Resource/Instructional Training, Formative Assessment PD in prep for Six Weeks Planning this week.
Please bring your PLC journals and your laptops.
- February 25th: Kelly will update those that missed the writing training and resource review. She will also discuss guided reading grouping and record keeping based on updated Running Record data with third and fourth grade teachers. She will also begin scheduling upcoming Guided Reading observation and coaching sessions.
- March 1st: PLC meetings during co-curr - Math CFA Analysis
- March 10th, 24th and April 14th: Second round of guided reading walkthroughs and coaching sessions K-4.
Update your My Site
Ok - It looks like the sites are ready!!! Be sure that your My Sites are updated with your Glamourcraft photo and information by Monday, Feb. 22nd. All the new sites have gone live, so your updated information is appreciated!!!!
- Go to http://campusnew.kellerisd.net/school/fes-102/
- click the “Login” link on the home page
- and then click on “My Site”.
- then “Edit your profile”.
Early Resignation Notification Incentives
The first 100 professional instructional staff members – including teachers, librarians, nurses, counselors, and diagnosticians – to submit a resignation/retirement letter effective the end of his or her contract year will receive an incentive stipend of $750 on their final paycheck.
Film Festival - Note from Matt Hill
Many thanks for your continued promotion of the Film Festival through various methods on your campus.
Just a reminder that entries are due one week from Monday, Feb 29th.
Also please consider reminding your teachers that any videos they have made this school year with their students, or any videos their students may have made in class as part of a project, are eligible to be entered, either as student produced or class produced films.
This is a great opportunity for students and campuses to be recognized and work rewarded, and in many cases the videos already exist, teachers were just not aware they could be entered in the festival.
Thanks again and have a great week!
Matt