SLP Superintendent's Newsletter
Week of October 21, 2019
UPCOMING EVENTS
SUPERINTENDENT PATRICK JENKINS
The goal of SLPSD is to become a Triple A school district. Excelleing in the Arts, Academics and Athletics.
Become What You Believe....Yes WeCan!!
District 2019 - 2020 Theme: Become What You Believe!
Mission
Vision
LSBA LEGISLATIVE REMINDERS
DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM - ANGELA CASSIMERE
ACTION ITEMS
As the first nine weeks of the 2019 – 2020 school session has come and gone, just a heart-felt THANK YOU to each of you for the work that you have done and continue to do day in and day out to increase student achievement for our district’s students.
The second nine weeks brings the release of School Performance Scores. Each year’s release is that time when you truly reflect on the work of your teachers and students from the past year and strategically think about what else you can do to increase student achievement at your school. This year’s release will come during the week of November 4th. As we have done in past years, we will meet with principals ahead of the public release into School Finder (November 6, 2019). More information on the date and time of the district’s meeting will be forthcoming.
Just a few action items that will require your immediate attention….
In the coming weeks, your school’s liaison as well as members of the academic team will be reviewing with you data from this first nine weeks. As per Mr. Jenkins, please make sure that you or your assistant principal has carefully reviewed with each teacher his/her first nine weeks grade distribution for each course taught. A summary should be created for each teacher. Principals of grades K – 4 should email summary data to Ms. Ramica Robinson, principals of grades 5 – 8 should email summary data to Ms. Jonel Leger, and principals of grades 9 – 12 should email summary data to Mr. Spencer Arnaud by no later than November 1, 2019. Please be sure to copy your liaison and me on your summary emails.
Promotion in Jeopardy…please ensure that students have been identified (we will review your PIJ forms) and proper supports have been assigned for students on the list.
High school principals…please ensure that you have identified all students in need of grade recovery. Grade recovery forms for the first nine weeks are due by Friday, October 25, 2019. Ensure that grade recovery has been clearly communicated with parents and if a student refuses, please ensure that you have a parent signature to support the refusal.
In addition, please identify any senior who in need of any grade recovery. Senior assignments to grade recovery are a priority.
Discipline…Mr. Jerome Robinson is reviewing discipline data for the first nine weeks. Please ensure that data for ISS, OSS, Expulsions, etc., has been entered into JCAMPUS accurately. He will follow up with principals in the coming days.
Truancy…identify and notify Mr. Jerome Robinson of any truancy concerns at your school. Make sure that letters have been sent home to parents of students with excessive absences.
JCAMPUS…review JCAMPUS data and make any necessary adjustments with staff and students.
Student withdrawals..please ensure that there is documentation to support each student exit that you have for the first nine weeks. The district will randomly audit exit data during the week of November 11th. More information is forthcoming.
Professional Learning Assignment from Mr. Jenkins: Read Chapter 6 Principle 2 of Failure is not an Option; Also read pages 257 – 261 Resources 7 and 8
All principals…Administrator Institute of Professional Learning: Focus: Special Education Inclusion: Wednesday, November 6, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Pupil Appraisal Center
Finally…thanks to those principals that have completed the Interest and Opportunities survey. All principals must complete the Interest and Opportunities surveys by Friday, October 25, 2019.
New Options for Students Who Take the ACT
Every student deserves the best chance to succeed. That’s why we’re providing new options for the ACT® test beginning with the September 2020 national test date, so students can put their best foot forward. These options are designed to give students more choices and an improved testing experience while providing greater confidence that their test scores reflect their overall academic achievement and potential.
- Section Retesting
Once students take a complete ACT test, they will have the opportunity to retake one or more single-section subject tests to improve their scores. - Superscoring
A superscore is an ACT Composite score calculated using the highest subject scores from different test administrations. This will allow students to showcase their highest achievements on college and scholarship applications by combining their highest scores by subject into one Composite score. - Faster Results with Online Testing
On national test days, students will be able to choose between online testing and traditional paper testing to better align with how they learn today. For students testing online, they will get faster test results—as soon as two business days.
Reminder: Suggestions for High Schools
During this morning’s district staff meeting, liaison supervisors noted having received several parental concerns/questions relating to several high school topics. As a result, I would like to offer several suggestions:
1. Work to ensure that all parents are aware of high school course offerings, high school assessments—CLEP, ACT, WorkKeys, LEAP 2025, etc. Maintain documentation of information presented to parents along with signatures/dates. Don’t just list a topic on an agenda—provide details and clarity to parents.
2. Work to ensure that all parents are aware of available dual enrollment offerings both academic and career.
3. Work to ensure that all parents are aware that district funds—Title I, Title IV, DSS, etc. are being used to pay for assessments such as CLEP, ACT, WorkKeys. Mr. Champagne provided guidance on this topic to all principals. Principals, please share this information and ensure that your school’s counselor is knowledgeable of these important facts.
4. Work to ensure that your school website is up to date and provides parents with beneficial information for all students—university and career pathways.
5. As reminded, all counselors should have a readily visible bulletin board that is up to date with scholarship information, FASFA, etc.
6. Remember to take the time to answer parent questions, if not sure of a response, contact the district office to ensure that accurate information is being given to parents and students.
7. Follow policy—currently, there is a district with 1,200 ZEROS on the ACT assessment index due to not following policy on WorkKeys. We have not one school in the district that can absorb not even 50 zeros and still be able to maintain a letter grade above an F. There is no way our district can afford to absorb 1,200 zeros and not be an F.
In addition, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! DATA CERTIFICATION! Superintendent Jenkins was required to sign a Louisiana Department of Education affidavit of understanding that articulates Beginning with the 2018- 2019 graduation cohort, no overrides to what exists in LDOE state data systems will be allowed in the data certification process for any EXIT that could have been corrected in the 2018 SIS cleanup regardless of the documentation provided to the LDOE. This means that as Tricia Thomassee contacts you regarding your school’s potential drops, you must ensure that you have the documentation to support the EXIT—no exceptions. No longer will you be able to dispute an exit code and/or provide a rationale in the data certification window. This will be discussed with high school counselors at our next meeting on October 23, 2019 after Career Futures.
Lastly, as always, when in doubt, please ask—do not assume. Graduation index, strength of diploma, GRADUATION, and all things high school are extremely important to students, parents, your school, as well as the district.
New: Timeline for Release of 2018-2019 School and Center Performance Scores
The 2018-2019 school and center performance scores will be released on November 6 in the Louisiana School Finder. Below is a timeline for when school systems will receive data and resources related to this release:
● Week of October 28: School system leaders receive individual, unsuppressed school system and school-level performance scores from Network Leader and participate in briefing calls.
● November 5:
○ Early childhood education program “Honor Roll” results publicly released.
○ School system leaders receive statewide, school-system, and school-level suppressed results that evening.
● November 6:
○ School system leaders participate in briefing call with Superintendent John White on statewide results at 10:00 a.m.
○ Superintendent White holds media briefing on statewide results and results made public in School Finder and the website at 11:00 a.m.
Reminder: Resources and Events at the Louisiana Old State Capitol
Please share with high school teachers.
Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, part of the Office of Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, has partnered
with the National Park Service to host an exhibition called Victory from Within: The American POW Experience through December 20.
Below, please find information on other related upcoming programs and initiatives:
● November 3 from 1:00 p.m.—4:00 p.m.: Free showings of "The Ghost of the Castle" and related activities
○ Recommended Audience: All ages
● November 13 at 5:30 p.m.: Part One: An American Prisoner of War Experience
○ Recommended Audience: High school students and above; not for sensitive audiences
● November 14 at 5:30 p.m.: Part Two: Victory from Within
○ Recommended Audience: High school students and above; not for sensitive audiences
Visit Louisiana’s Old State Capitol’s webpage for more information on all exhibits and upcoming events, including how to book a tour. Additional materials will be added to the site over the coming weeks.
Save the Date:
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Administrators Institute of Professional Learning: Focus: Inclusion—all grade levels
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please find attached the 2019 – 2020 Accountability Tracker that has been updated to reflect the current school year. The Accountability Tracker will be reviewed and discussed with administrators during the fall/winter High School Academic Audits conducted by Mr. Jenkins and team. Schedule is forthcoming.
BARBARA ROBERSON - SAFETY
SYLVIA BROWN, SUPERVISOR OF HEALTH AND NURSING
New: School Immunization Reporting Deadline
The Louisiana Office of Public Health (OPH) reminds schools that the yearly submission of student immunization data is due November 15. Louisiana Revised Statute 17:170 requires chief administrators of all schools in the state, both public and private, to transmit electronically immunization compliance reports to the Louisiana Department of Health. School staff responsible for completing the submission must use the school module within LINKS, the Louisiana Immunization Network. All students attending school in Louisiana must have either a complete immunization record or an immunization exemption on file with the school in order to comply with the school entry law. School officials may exclude any student from attending school who does not present the required documentation.
Beginning with this year’s data, the OPH will publish school-level data on the OPH website. Parents and interested persons will be able to look up individual schools to assess how well the school is complying with laws requiring complete immunization records for school entry.
Schools in need of assistance related to the completion of the immunization report and submission of data through LINKS are encouraged to contact parish immunization program consultants. Contact information is available at the OPH Immunization Program website.
THERESE ELLENDER - SUPERVISOR OF STEAM
Accidents
In an effort to expedite to student accident claims please make sure the attached form is filled out and sent in with the student accident form IF you believe the accident will warrant an investigation or it required medical attention.
Parents/guardians would only get a copy of the regular student accident report—the attached supplement is for our adjuster only.
2019 Career Futures Expo
The 2019 Career Futures Expo will be October 23rd at Northwest High School.
Reminder: Save-the-Date 2020 Jump Start Convention
Reminder: CLEP Preparation and Exam Funding
Reminder: Critical AP Classroom Action
● 89 percent have activated the APRO (registration and ordering) system and signed an AP participation form;
● 82 percent have created AP sections; and
● 48 percent of teachers have provided students with join codes to join individual classes, unlocking the new AP resources (Unit exams, Item Bank, Progress Dashboards, etc.).
To better support schools in completing these steps, the Department will host six recurring Advanced Placement Activation Webinars throughout the month of October that are designed to walk participants through the process of completing the AP Classroom activation process. Each webinar will last approximately twenty minutes with time for Q&A. Each webinar will be the same, so there is no need to attend each one unless participants have additional questions.
AP Coordinator Exam Order Training Dates
The preferred AP exam ordering deadline is October 4. Please register for one of the nine remaining Preparing and Submitting the Exam Order sessions for AP coordinators to prepare for the changes. The sessions will be offered at varying times on the following dates.
● October 31 at 3:00 p.m.
● November 6 at 11:00 a.m.
● November 12 at 8:00 a.m.
The final deadline for submitting AP exam orders is November 15.
2019-2020 Jump Start Updates
The Department has released several Jump Start updates, listed below, that provide detailed information for implementing various Jump Start programs.
● 2019-2020 Guidelines for Use of CDF Allocation
● 2019-2020 Jump Start Funding Guidance
● 2019-2020 List of CDF Qualifying Courses
● 2019- 2020 Jump Start Pathway Updates
Quest for Success Teacher Training
Quest for Success is an innovative, new, high school-level, career exploration course designed to prepare all Louisiana graduates for career and life success. Individuals who have not attended the two-day Quest for Success training and seek to teach the Quest for Success course should attend one of the upcoming training events. Registration is currently open for the following two-day trainings. Each training will run from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day.
● October 22-23 in Mansfield
● November 4-5 in Chalmette
Social Studies Fair
SEE ARCHIVED SEPTEMBER 2, 2019 SU NEWSLETTER FOR DETAILS
*ALL DOCUMENTS CAN BE FOUND IN THE PRINCIPALS E-BINDER.
SCIENCE FAIR
SEE ARCHIVED SEPTEMBER 2, 2019 SU NEWSLETTER FOR DETAILS
*ALL DOCUMENTS CAN BE FOUND IN THE PRINCIPAL'S EBINDER
TRESSA MILLER - DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
1. Fixed Assets- Beginning of Year Inventory counts are due to Charlie Latiolais by 9/30/19.
- Form A- Fixed Asset Inventory Verification Form (signed by principal),
- Form B- Fixed Asset Inventory Form for every room and area on campus (signed by staff),
- Staff Roster
2. You should be reviewing and approving the following bookkeeping reports monthly. And your bookkeepers should be submitting these to Angie Marks monthly by the 15th.
- 1. General Ledger Activity Report for the month
- 2. Bank Reconciliation Report
- 3. Outstanding Check Listing
- 4. Copy of Entire Bank Statement (including copies of checks and deposits)
August 2019 reports are due now.
JEROME ROBINSON - SUPERVISOR OF CHILD WELFARE AND ATTENDANCE/ATHLETICS
Rave Panic Button
SUPERVISOR OF ENGLISH-SPENCER ARNAUD
SUPERVISOR OF INSTRUCTION, SCHOOL CHOICE, & SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT- TRINA PRESTON
WorkKeys
Below is some very important information pertaining to WorkKeys 2.0 testing for the second quarter:
· The WorkKeys online testing window for 11th and 12th grade retesters in St. Landry Parish will be December 9 - 13, 2019.
· High schools may choose their retest dates, but the dates must be within the district’s window.
· Please submit your school’s WorkKeys schedule, along with a list of retesters to me by Friday, November 1, 2019.
· IMPORTANT: Students with the small group or test read aloud accommodations cannot be tested during this window. These students may be retested during the Spring 2020 accommodated paper-based window (March 18 – April 1, 2020).
Please be reminded that Bulletin 118 was updated in March 2018, and the administration of WorkKeys must adhere to the following policy:
· Students shall be subject to a 30-day wait period before retesting on WorkKeys assessments, during which time schools shall provide remediation using ACT WorkKeys Curriculum; therefore, students cannot begin a retest until at least the 31st day.
· Due to the 30 day rule, LDOE will no longer accept the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) for accountability purposes. According to Bulletin 111: Districts must provide student results for all WorkKeys tests taken by every student to ensure all results are considered; therefore, schools must submit the skills report for all of the submissions for accountability. Not doing so will result in the school getting zeros.
· In an effort to maintain uniformity throughout the district and to ensure compliance to the 30 day wait period for remediation,all St. Landry Parish schools must adhere to the retest dates outlined in the 2019 – 2020 District Assessment Calendar.
Please note that you currently have the ability to create groups and add students to your realm. All WorkKeys information has been uploaded to the STC Google Drive.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Reminder: Updated LEAP 2025 Assessment Guides for Grades 3 and 4
Day 1: April 27 ELA session 1; math session 1
Day 2: April 28 ELA session 2; math session 2
Day 3: April 29 ELA session 3; math session 3
Day 4: April 30 science session 1; science session 2
Day 5: May 1 social studies session 1; social studies session 2
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY FACILITATOR/WEBMASTER TRICIA FONTENOT
UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN
The United Way Campaign begins Monday, October 28, 2019, and ends November 1, 2019.
Please help us to have a successful United Way Campaign!
As soon as I receive the pledge cards from Ms. Lecompte, I’ll get those to you. On the pledge cards, she asks for payroll deductions or to pay with a credit/debit card. She doesn’t have a cash option listed. If staff members aren’t comfortable with making a payroll deduction, please still have them fill out the card and write in “cash” and the amount on the pledge card. Please put all the cash that you have received together and write ONE check made out to St. Landry/Evangeline United Way if you have any cash that has been collected.
The superintendent has approved you having jean days to include student and staff participation. Also, be creative…It’s the week of Halloween, so perhaps you could have students participate in Halloween themed activities and collect money for their participation to donate to United Way.
During the week of November 4th, either send the pledge cards and check to me or call me to make arrangements for me to pick it up.
Thanks in advance for your help in the 2019 St. Landry/Evangeline United Way Campaign!!!
Christmas Card Art Contest
Here is the link to the online application: www.slp.k12.la.us/apps/pages/Christmas_Card_Design_Contest.
The deadline for submission is November 15, 2019. All entries can be turned in to me at the school board office.
Winners have their artwork displayed on our district Christmas Card and they get a framed copy of their artwork.
Last Year's Christmas Card Contest Winner
Central Middle School
Principals' E-Binder
https://www.slp.k12.la.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=371733&type=d&pREC_ID=1651247
Login Credentials:
Username: slpsb
Password: principals
*Send me an email if there is something specific that you would like included in the e-binder.
Submitting Content for Administrative Reminders
Email: TOF9686@SLP.K12.LA.US
Website: www.slp.k12.la.us
Location: 1013 E. Creswell Lane, Opelousas, LA 70571
Phone: 337.948.3657