Jensen Ranch
April 3, 2020
Week at a Glance
On Pause during the suspension of in-school instruction.
Click Here for the Jensen Master Calendar. You have access to it on your Google calendar under the "Other Calendars" section under your "My Calendars" section. This is the year to begin using your Google calendar to keep up to date!
Reminders
Mon., 4/6 Grade Level Chech-Ins w/ Lisa
Tues., 4/7 Independent Check-In Sign-Ups Click Here to Sign-Up
Fri., 4/10 Staff Meeting @ 2:50pm-Option A
Wed., 4/8 Grade Level Chech-Ins w/ Lisa
Th., 4/9 Independent Check-In Sign-Ups Click Here to Sign-Up
Fri., 4/10 Independent Check-In Sign-Ups Click Here to Sign-Up
Fri., 4/10 Staff Meeting @ 2pm-Option B
4/13-4/17 SPRING BREAK!!
Staff Photo/Video Montage: Add Picture/video Today!
As I shared earlier this week, per Kadie Jew's suggestion, I am creating a Jensen Staff picture/video montage to share with Jensen families tomorrow. It can simply be a picture of you, you with your family, a pet, or you and your students. You can add a sign with a written message or you can do a 10-20 second video message. I hope we get everyone participating but it is voluntary. I will create another one in a couple of weeks as well. Click the button above to access the Google Folder to add your picture or video. Let me know if you need help!
Supporting Students w/ Daily Check-Ins: Class Availability
Paras will be reaching out to teachers and families/students this week to connect regarding starting student support check-ins. These will not look exactly the same across the board.
Click here for the list of students currently on the check-in list
Distance Learning Page on Jensen Website
Click here for resources to share with your families.
Assessment Data Entered into Illuminate
Thank you for getting your report cards completed and out to students yesterday! Please make sure assessment data gets entered into Illuminate in the coming two weeks now that report cards are finished.
Review of Recess Rules Over the Next Few Weeks
Playground rules also should be reviewed by the PBIS team and any additional staff that want to participate. Here is a link to the current rules as listed in the school handbook. At a minimum, we all need to be consistent in holding students accountable. School/playground rules can be found on pages 18-19.
Second Step Lesson Tracker
Click here to update the Second Step Lesson Tracker. A reminder to please update the tracker by the end of each month.
March 30, 2020 PD Day
Jensen Ranch teachers rock! We had 100% participation in the morning science PD for our TCI curriculum. I know you were feeling overwhelmed but you went ahead and committed to your grade level training. I was in the 4/5 PD and my impression is that once you get a chance to navigate through the resources and the organization of the materials, it will become a valuable tool in our transition to the NGSS curriculum. Thank you again for making this commitment to the morning time.
The afternoon time allowed for grade-level teams to plan and collaborate around distance learning and you all took advantage of that time in a manner that was most beneficial to your team. Please continue to work and plan together as a grade level. The continuity between teachers will help to minimize frustrations from home as we have many families with twins.
Suspended-Instruction and Distance Learning
Reteaching concepts is good. Introducing new content in a slow, steady, and effective manner is also important. Remember, we are all (teachers, students, principals, support staff, families, etc.) in new territory. We are learning together, and as we get deeper into the work, we will continue to evolve our teaching and learning to serve our students well. Be sure to monitor student progress using formative checks for understanding, adjust instruction and provide supports as needed.
Some Areas to Focus-On
Promoting/Re-building a strong sense of community We are doing this together, even though we are in different physical spaces; this is new for everyone, and we are all continuing to learn together…
Keep building Relationships, Relationships, Relationships
Some teachers are teaching in Google Classroom; some are using Google Meet; some are using Zoom, etc.
Some teachers are already calling families/students and checking in
Students and families find the virtual "face to face" class meetings very motivating. Teachers who have tried it expressed the same. Students are used to being in your classroom all day and having contact with you. Email and Google Classroom work, but it cannot replace a personal connection.
Thinking about ways teachers can continue to motivate and build deeper relationships
Increasing interactions between teacher/student
Need to help students overcome feelings of isolation
Establishing some clear and fair due dates/deadlines for completing assignments
Frequent check-ins and reminders are key.
Giving clear and timely feedback so students gain an understanding that they are accountable for their on-line assignments (as they were with their in-class work) and there is support
Being caring, honest, and fair about assessment; we want to keep the learning going and as best as possible chart/track the learning so we know where they are in their learning when we return to school.
Supporting Students w/ Daily Check-Ins
Click here for the list of students currently
Need an Interpreter to Communicate with Families?
Employee Guidelines During Suspension of In-School Instruction
Sick Leave, PN and for classified only, vacation is still an option based on each employee’s personal circumstance. For example, if an employee is sick and unable to work, they can use sick leave. As with any workday, staff would put their absence in the subsystem, indicating “no sub required”.
Please remember that all employees are “disaster services workers” per Government Code 3100
Resources-Prepping for Distance Learning
On Monday, you are going to tell parents your plan for distance learning. As you figure things out over week one, you may want to try something different or new with your students as you go along. Allow for flexibility. Encourage families to create daily schedules and outline how much time students should be spending on lessons/activities. You may even want to send a live video stream of yourself to your class, do a class meeting online, send your class a premade video of you reading a story. Be creative, have some fun with this and most importantly, stay personally connected to your students to ensure they are engaged and you can provide support as needed.
We'll talk more about all of this Monday morning. This is a work in progress and we're going to get more confident as we go along. We'll hash out individual or grade level details during the day Monday. No need to panic! We got this!
You do not have to have the 14-day instructional lessons in place, you just need to know what platform or combination of platforms you are using for instruction:
- Packets (weekly, bi-weekly)-1st set need to be ready for Tuesday distribution 8am
- Google Classroom
- Classroom website
When will students get their lessons/instructions:
- Daily
- Weekly
- other...
You need to explain your daily check-in process with students and families for support. This is where you outline the method/methods you will be communicating with your students:
- Will you use Zoom to schedule appointments/video conferencing (whole group/individual)?
- Will you use Google Hangouts to schedule appointments/video conferencing (whole group/individual)?
- Will you use Google Classroom?
- Will you be available by phone or email.
You need to have a basic outline of how you will be monitoring the work progress of students and how students will be assessed. Since we are only out 2 weeks right now, you can likely hold off on big tests.
- Packets-those will be turned in (what day, where to?)
- Google Classroom-you can monitor assigned work and give assessments
- Monitoring of online programs that have been assigned-daily log-in, completion of lessons assigned, books read, etc.
How will you conduct Spring Conferences?
- You will follow-up with the relevant families and explain if it is in person at school, phone or video conference
IEP's
Jodee and Ken will update us on how those will take place. IN person/phone conference/video conference
Grade Level and/or Teacher Daily Check-in w/ Lisa
I'm going to be using ZOOM for our video conferencing with you individually or with your team.
It's free right now for us to use so we're going to try it out!
Zoom (an online communication platform) is temporarily lifting the 40-minute time limit on free Basic accounts for schools affected by the Coronavirus. It's much more reliable and better quality than google hangouts.
Here's the link: https://zoom.us/docs/ent/school-verification.html?zcid=1231&_ga=2.228851412.995105639.1583699918-735451631.1546545079
Your Plan for Distance Learning w/ Your Class
As you get everything planned out, you will add your plans here. If you as a grade-level team all do basically the same thing, it will make your lives so much easier and remove parents comparing assignments and workload:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1alZ_b5kpzfYX84SjXednwpf6Po1nC_8scVANxNzRDAY/edit?usp=sharing
Interpreter Services
To request an in-person interpreter, fill out the online Interpreter Request form (below) with the required information to submit your interpreter request.
A minimum of two weeks notice is needed for an "in-person" interpreter. On occasion, an interpreter can be found on shorter notice, but that is generally not the norm and should not be expected. An email will be sent on your behalf to request an interpreter within 24 hours of the first workday after your request has been received. You will be included on that email and will be notified via email when your interpreter request has been filled.
For last-minute interpreting needs, you and the family can use the Language Line. Click the link for the directions.
Prodigy Math Online Resource
If you are having trouble getting your Prodigy class account set-up, check with a colleague. Several staff members have been successful in setting it up!
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Follow-Up from our trainer Mike to me:
As promised I have sent out the teacher toolkit for your teachers and have sent them to their individual email addresses. Below are the links that I have shared with your teacher, hopefully, you find them helpful as well.
Your Teacher Toolkit: giving you access to videos, printables, and answers to FAQs. Make sure to bookmark this one!
Prodigy Champion’s Club application: join our exclusive network of teachers just like you, sharing best practices, discovering new ways to engage your students and earning rewards!
Share our Prodigy for Parents video with the parents of your students!
Here's today's recording as well: https://prodigygame.zoom.us/recording/play/gVMOpQzyGJXy9crRJWMM1PMaDRp-2VRztLD_UV-YE5ZS_d0XGriabAzEXl5Dle93?autoplay=true&startTime=1570823133000
Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.
Thanks and looking forward to working with you this year,
Matthew Gike
Elementary Assessment Calendar for 2019-2020
Please review the 2019-2020 Elementary Assessment Calendar and work with your grade level team as you work on your curriculum planning. This is a live link so if there are updates or changes it will be reflected on this document.
Free Mindfulness Meditation App for Educators
CVUSD TOSA Updates
Mark Your Calendars!
2019-2020
Mon., 4/6 Grade Level Chech-Ins w/ Lisa
Tues., 4/7 Independent Check-In Sign-Ups Click to Sign-Up
Fri., 4/10 Staff Meeting @ 2:50pm-Option A
Wed., 4/8 Grade Level Chech-Ins w/ Lisa
Th., 4/9 Independent Check-In Sign-Ups Click to Sign-Up
Fri., 4/10 Independent Check-In Sign-Ups Click to Sign-Up
Fri., 4/10 Staff Meeting @ 2pm-Option B
4/13-4/17 SPRING BREAK!!
Check the online school calendars for updates:
Jensen Ranch Master Calendar-families
Jensen Ranch Public Calendar-for staff
Reminders & Resources
PBIS and the PAW PLEDGE
Use the lesson plans in the staff PBIS Handbook as a guide and adapt as necessary to your grade level. Reinforce these lessons as needed with your students throughout the school year!
Resources:
Electronic Copies of JR PBIS Lesson Plans
SECOND STEP LESSON TRACKER
The lesson tracker should be updated by the last school day of each month. Once the 19-20 tracker is available it will be posted here.
PD OPPORTUNITIES FROM ED SERVICES
Please Click Here/TBD for 2019-2020 to see what professional development opportunities are being hosted by Educational Services & Special Education. Please contact the host of each event for any questions or additional information.
MYSTERY SCIENCE MATERIALS
Please see this link for the reimbursement procedure, budget amount, and materials list.
MTSS
CVUSD MTSS Team Drive of Resources 2019
RTI-From Amy Valvo
The book leveling website is amazing! Often times, we are unsure what level some of the books are in our classroom. Please use the link to search over 60,000 titles with my username and password. Extending Learners w/ Book Clubs
Resources:
This website will give you access to nearly 60,000 titles and their corresponding levels:
https://www.fandpleveledbooks.com/login.aspx
Username: avalvo@cv.k12.ca.us Password: rti
www.readworks.org and www.newsela.com (Both great, free resources for reading passages)
SOCIAL STUDIES FRAMEWORK-NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL STUDIES
https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/c3/C3-Framework-for-Social-Studies.pdf
TROUBLE TICKETS
https://help-cvusd.issuetrak.com/Login.asp
If you have an issue and it is still a concern but it has been updated to “Closed” status, please communicate with Jeanine. You may still need to update/resubmit the request or we may be
BEHAVIOR/SOCIAL EMOTIONAL
Second Step 19-20
The Six Tenants of Classroom Management
Ideas for Emotional Regulation in the Classroom
EL RESOURCES
OCCUPATIONAL RESOURCES (OT)
Occupational Therapist Support & Resources
NEW DIGITAL RESEARCH RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS: California State Library
https://www.library.ca.gov/services/to-public/k-12-online-content-project/
About Us
Email: lmaclean@cv.k12.ca.us
Website: https://jensenranch.cv.k12.ca.us/
Location: 20001 Carson Lane, Castro Valley, CA, USA
Phone: 1(510)537-6365
Facebook: facebook.com/lisamacleanprincipal/
Twitter: @JensenJaguars