The Shadowlawn Spark
Here's To A Wild Year! 2/13/23
Spark Of The Week!
Random Acts of Kindness Week
#BeARaktavist!
As we begin RAK week, we want to thank you for always being a UNICORN, especially on the days when you feel like you are at the CIRCUS. We appreciate you always making sure that our students are reaching for the STARS, and reminding them to always throw kindness like CONFETTI! We hope you enjoy the treat in your box!
Whitney&Lara
Responding to Assessments that Align to Learning Targets
Upcoming...
- February 13th-17th- Random Act of Kindness Week
- February 14th - Valentine’s Day/PLC's are Whole Group(All staff and faculty welcome!)
- February 15th-Half Day/Pizza Day
- February 20th- Presidents’ Day (no school for students and teachers)
- February 21st - National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
- February 23rd- Digital Learning Day https://nationaltoday.com/digital-learning-day/
- February 27th- March 3rd- Public Schools Week
- Suite 360 Paperwork Due 4/14/23
Just a reminder...
Suite 360
Easy Listening
MTSS
Synergy and Grading
Grades
*Grade book grades should reflect summative assessment data and vice versa.
*Grades should reflect performance on standards.
Guidance for Grading ESE Students
The ESE department has been receiving questions regarding guidance for grading students with disabilities. We are currently working on a guidance document and a corresponding training module. Please contact any of the ESE administrators if you need to talk through a specific situation. Can a Teacher Give Failing Grades to a Student With a Disability? All students with disabilities can meet general education standards when given access to those standards using accommodations and other individualized supports provided by the student’s IEP team. Accommodations are changes in how the student is taught and tested; they do not change standards. As such, general education standards may be met using instructional and/or independent level materials and reading passages. However, if the student is failing, consider the following factors: If the student is failing, the accommodations must be revisited in a timely manner. If the student is failing because they are not academically engaged, the teachers (general education and ESE) must troubleshoot to determine why the student is not engaged as soon as concerns arise. Interventions/accommodations to address this issue should be documented in the Present Level of Functioning and may include behavioral interventions and/or a Positive Behavior Support Plan. If the student is failing because they cannot access the curriculum, accommodations must be revisited to ensure access. Consider assessing a student through the lens of the UDL framework where teachers gather information about a learner's progress using a variety of methods and materials. If lack of mastery is resulting in failing grades, the lack of mastery may be due to the student’s disability. If this is the case, the IEP team needs to determine what task adaptations are necessary for the student to achieve mastery. For a struggling and engaged student with failing grades, consider assigning a “higher” failing grade (i.e. 59 “F” vs. 29 “F”). This puts the student in a position to recover as the student continues to progress with the appropriate educational support in place. Once the IEP team strengthens the student’s ESE services, accommodations, and annual goals etc., establish a plan to closely monitor the student’s progress on a more frequent basis. A quick response to address a missing assignment or poor grade is an integral step in supporting struggling learners. If there are factors that are not related to the disability such as poor attendance or lack of basic needs, and these factors are resulting in failing grades, convene the student’s IEP team to problem solve and develop interventions to address the concerns. NOTE: Students with disabilities should not be failing if academically engaged and appropriate accommodations are being used to level the playing field with general education peers. Students with disabilities may not be considered for retention if the teacher has not implemented the accommodations for instruction and assessments as previously described. If the instruction and evaluation accommodations were not implemented during the school year, differentiated instruction was not provided as outlined in the Individualized Education Plan. The student should not be penalized as this would be considered a denial of Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
February
Jeanne Griffin 2/11
Morgan Smith 2/14
Nancy Regas 2/19
Angie Cruise 2/23
Mariellen Parkes 2/24
SLE Focus On Learning!
Youth Mental Health First Aid... Very Important~
Submission form for Online YMHFA training and Relias Recertification
Thank you for working so hard to get 100% of CCDS trained by the end of June 2023! After completing an online YMHFA class or recertification, please stress the importance of filling out the Youth Mental Health First Aid Submissions form housed under the Climate and Culture icon on the OneClay portal within two weeks of the completion date. If this form is not filled out, CCDS will not have a record of the training.
YMHFA: Stipend information
YMHFA: If you attend and complete a Youth Mental Health First Aid training that is after hours or a weekend then you would qualify for a stipend. In order to receive a stipend for your attendance and completion of a Youth Mental Health First Aid training, please send an email to tamara.smith@myoneclay.net with your name, employee number, copy of the registration email (which includes the date and times of the course) and a copy of your certificate for processing within two weeks of the completion date.
Stipend information
Curriculum Council Information
PBIS Rewards
Linked in in the SWOOP matrix and a copy of the PBIS presentation. Please review the matrix with your students and continually refer back. Remember if you classroom operations are not tight then learning will not occur, so always take time to stop, refer back, model, and have students practice what you expect in your classroom.
SLE Focus On Learning
Communicating Clear Learning Targets & Success Criteria
FAST Assessment
7 Mindsets
Classroom Expectations
Sharing your classroom expectations is one strategy that can help ensure student success.
Contact Kevin Staefe