Westwood Weekly
Staff Newsletter - Week of November 4-10, 2019
Shout-Outs!
- Happy Birthday, Joni (11/4) and Patsy (11/7)!
- Thank you to Joni and Jon for taking classes for colleagues on Friday to avoid splitting the kids up, and to all those who took on extra kids earlier in the week!
- Many thanks to Semone for all you do - always willing to go above and beyond in support of the kids!
- Thanks for everyone who supported the Red Ribbon Week activities!
Highlights this Week!
All Month:
This Week:
Post On-Demand Writing Assignment (to be completed by 11/8)
Monday -
-Mobile Dairy Classroom Visit - see below for details (8:50 - 4th/5th; 10:05 - K-3)
-Hip-Hop Class (2:25, MUR)
-Initial IEP Meeting for AMC-Spink (2:30, D6)
Tuesday -
-K/1 Collaboration Day-tentative (7:25-2:37, Library)
-'Fiery Feelings' Soul Shoppe Workshops - schedule
-Camp Loma Mar Presentations (1:20-Students; 2:30-Teachers; 5:30-Parents)
-IEP Meeting for Elijah G-Mirner (2:30, D5)
Wednesday -
-JCL Tutoring (E4)!
-Care Team Meeting (10:30-12, Office)
-Shelter-in-Place Drill (10:50)
-Teacher Collaboration Day (1:55-3:25)
Thursday -
-Nancy at K-12 Principal's Meeting
-Lego Class (2:25, Library)
-Annual IEP Meeting for Tatiana R (2:30, D5)
-IEE Results Review for AF (3:30, D6)
Friday - End of 1st Trimester
-Walk Thru California (8-2, E4 - 4th Grade)
-Glitter Tattoos
-KidzToPros Coding (2:25, Library)
-PE Minutes Due by 2:37
Upcoming Events:
11/11 - Veteran's Day (No School)
11/12 - Turkey Trot Pep Rally; 1st Grade ARF Field Trip
11/18 - School Site Council Meeting
11/20 - Junior Achievement (3rd-5th Grade)
11/22 - ELAC Meeting (2:30, Library)
11/25-29 - Fall Break!
SEE NANCY IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE TO TEACH INTERVENTION FOR OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS
This Week in AVID
Academic language scripts are extremely effective for empowering students during collaborative conversations. They work even better when we make them a part of our daily routine, introducing them one at a time, according to our content needs. HERE is a list of scripts organized by specific tasks.
Jeanne Johnson - AVID Instructional Coach
Google Classroom Add Code: 7uwcLg or eavk628
AVID Resources have arrived and are available for reference and/or check out in the copy room. Take a peek!
PBIS Weekly Focus
Life Skill of the Month – RESPONSIBILITY – Responsibility is our Life Skill of the Month. Please review the “Be Responsible” column on our school-wide Common Areas Matrix. All staff members are reminded to Be Responsible by modeling the expected behaviors, including avoiding talking in the hallways. Teachers are also asked to please be on the playground on time for duty, and when the bell rings at the end of recess to help support the expectation to be ‘line ready’ as quickly as possible. Refer to Cool Tools for resources.
Handbook Helper
Teacher Grants (no strings attached) - DUE November 6th - Don't miss this easy opportunity to get some cash for your class! https://www.facebook.com/CalRTA/?sk=app_359014544128821
Assessment Reminders
- ESGI #2 ELA (Kindergarten only) - October 21-November 8
- ELA Standard Assessments (1st only) - note the updated 1st grade instructions are attached to the Weekly email
- Math Standard Assessment (1st/2nd Grade) - Grade 1 Grade 2
- Optional IABs (3rd-5th) - Ongoing
Post On-Demand Common Writing Assignment
Mobile Dairy Classroom Information
What Students Learn From Mobile Dairy Classroom:
· The anatomy of a dairy cow
· How milk goes from a cow to their school/home
· The agricultural technology used on dairy farms
· The many different foods made from milk
Each assembly teaches how milk and dairy foods are produced and how they contribute to healthy eating. When the Mobile Dairy Classroom assembly is combined with Dairy Council of California’s FREE nutrition lesson plans, which align to Common Core State Standards, students learn the full story of healthy foods—from the farm to the table—and how to make healthy choices for themselves.
Language Arts, Math and Science are integrated into the lesson, as well as healthy food and activity choices and agriculture’s contribution to our food supply.
To extend learning after the assembly, Dairy Council of California offers extension activities that are aligned to Common Core State Standards and downloadable from www.HealthyEating.org/MDC4Teachers.
Silicon Valley Math Initiative (SVMI) Update
As of 10/28/19 we have new passwords for accessing the Silicon Valley Math Initiative (SVMI) website. See the linked docs for guidelines for accessing the website and the new password. Please review and follow the guidelines for using their resources according to the agreement. Click to access SVMI Member Information for 2019-2020:
2019 SVMI Member Resource Access Information.pdf
2019.10.15_Navigating the SVMI website.pdf
New Username: SVMImember19
New Password: SVMIm@th247!
If you have questions, please contact your Math TOSA: Andrea Ward and Laurie Senter, Elementary Math
Professional Development Opportunities
ADEPT: We are offering and ADEPT training for teachers that have not been trained on the administration of this test. The office of English Learners will cover the cost of the substitute so your teachers can attend this training. Please see flyer HERE. The ADEPT is an oral proficiency assessment to determine student language growth. Results are used to modify ELD groups and determine what are the language structures that student needs to master to move to the next level of proficiency.
STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT Intradistrict Transfers 2020-2021
Secondary Intradistrict Transfers (October 15, 2019 – November 15, 2019):
The online application for secondary Intradistrict transfers (current grades 5-11) will be available at mdusd.org/transfers, October 15, 2019 – November 15, 2019. Transfer information will be available on the District’s website at: mdusd.org/transfers, through each site’s school webpage, and in each school’s newsletter!
Elementary Intradistrict Transfers (February 10, 2020 – March 10, 2020):
Please note the following changes to the Elementary Intradistrict transfers timeline: All Elementary Intradistrict Transfer applications will be available at the same time. Therefore, the online application for Intradistrict transfers (new TK/K and current K-4) will now be available at mdusd.org/transfers, February 10, 2020 – March 10, 2020.
Parent-Faculty Club Business
Turkey Trot Preparation - Please start thinking about how you might motivate your students to generate pledges for our Turkey Trot Fun Run fundraiser taking place on November 22nd! We are doing something a little bit different this year, and are looking for creative ideas to reward classes for reaching benchmark amounts 'per lap'. Let the brainstorming begin!
Looking for Class Talent - The PFC is looking forward to hosting our Talent Show (date TBD)! Signing up and doing a solo act can be daunting. We we want to encourage as many group acts as possible. Our coordinator, Sierra Kulak, is hoping with more time teachers may be able to use PE time or music class time to put together an act representing a grade or class - consider connecting it to a theme in your curriculum. And of course, we encourage more staff members to perform this year as a treat for our students and families.