Trantwood Times
Love. Learn. Lead.
At Trantwood, we...
Kudos...
~Kudos to Karen, Brooke, Carolyne and the SOL examiners and proctors for their patience and diligence through the testing process. Lisa
~Thank you Catie Bartczak for analyzing student data and creating small groups for SOL remediation! -Melinda Pezzella
~Thank you to the PE Staff for handling all the “Springtime” drama and conflict, and for letting me use their office as my second office to talk to kiddos. Lisa
~Thank you, Tania, for covering my class so I could attend the student-led conferences for Sra. Rios’s homeroom! Kim
~Many thanks to Pam and Lisa for assisting with student behaviors so skillfully and willingly. LAM
~Thank you, Claire, for organizing a fantastic field trip to Back Bay! Kim
~Special thanks to Tania, Wik, Corradi, Haebler and Ashley for helping 4th grade review for SOLs! Catie
~Brooke thank you for helping us figure out the video troubles for STEM e-portfolios - Bartczak and Hawley
~Hawley thank you for always have a sense of humor at STEM when all we can is laugh. Catie
~Brooke, thank you for helping me write my Rigamajig grant. Tania
~Congratulations to Macy Henry, who's proposal was accepted to present Meeting Students' Needs and Increasing Ownership Through Schoology Completion Folders, at the VBCPS Digital Learning Summer Summit 2019! LAM
~Congratulations to Gina Lane and Megan Bailey, who's proposal was accepted to present Technology Toolbox for Art and Music Classrooms, at the VBCPS Digital Learning Summer Summit 2019! LAM
~Job well done testing team - Karen, Brooke, Carolyne and all the proctors, testers, chair sitters....it takes a village and what a joy to be a part of your village! LAM
May 20 - 24, 2019
Monday, May 20
- Gr. 3 SOL Reading Part 1
Tuesday, May 21
- Gr. 3 SOL Reading Part 11
- Staff Meeting, 3:00 pm
Wednesday, May 22
- Gr. 5 SOL Math Part 1
- KL OTB, pm
- Art Club, 2:45 - 4:00
Thursday, May 23
- Gr. 5 Math Part 2
- STEM Club, 2:45 - 4:00
Friday, May 24
- SOL Expedited Make ups
- ESL Parent Outreach Meeting
May 27 - 31, 2019
Monday, May 27
- Schools Closed
- Memorial Day
Tuesday, May 28
- Gr. 4 Math Part 1
Wednesday, May 29
- Gr. 4 Math, Part 2
Thursday, May 30
- Gr. 3 Math, Part 1
Friday, May 31
- Gr. 3 Math, Part 2
- Staff Party, Sue's house
Principal Packet Memos
~Social and Emotional Learning Design Fellows - deadline to apply, May 31
Maintaining High Quality Instruction through the Last School Day
As we proceed to the close of the 2018-19 school year, I would like to reaffirm the division expectation that high quality instruction based on the VBCPS Teaching and Learning Framework continues in every classroom. As the school year draws to a close and many instructional units have been completed, teachers are encouraged to utilize instructional time to engage students in inquiry based learning experiences that integrate content and foster the 5 Cs. Teachers may wish to utilize the many curricular embedded suggestions and resources for performance tasks and Problem Based Learning. Promoting student agency through the Teach disposition will ensure an environment highly conducive to student learning.
In the past, parent calls have expressed concern that students “watch videos” or “just play” the days after testing is completed. These final school days should be productive learning days for students.
Let's have a good and productive school closing as we work to “Finish Strong.”
Literacy Folders
In accordance with the state and division's literacy initiative, a literacy folder is required to be inserted in each elementary student's cumulative file to capture information regarding students' literacy performance and growth. The Virginia Department of Education Regulation VAC 20-131-80 states, "In kindergarten through grade 3, reading, writing, spelling and mathematics shall be the focus of the instructional program. Schools shall maintain an early skills and knowledge achievement record in reading and mathematics for each student in grades kindergarten through grade 3 to monitor student progress and to promote successful achievement on the third grade SOL tests. This record shall be included with the student's records if the student transfers to a new school." The folders are required for all K-5 students in Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS). Please note, the standards-based grading report card serves as the achievement record in mathematics for each student.
As a reminder, the folders have a table on the front in which teachers should record the student's annual Spring DRA2 instructional level score. The Spring DRA2 and a spring writing sample should be stored in the literacy folder. For fourth- and fifth-grade students who are reading on or above grade level, their most current DRA2 should be stored in the folder. PALS teachers are putting the spring reports for all students that they tested in grades K-3. The K teachers are going to put the EDK assessments in the literacy folders. Teachers will place a checkmark in the table after inserting the spring writing sample, indicating the writing piece has been included in the folder. The literacy folder and table will provide evidence of literacy performance through the elementary grade levels. In addition, data from the literacy folder will assist teachers in planning instruction at the beginning of each school year to meet students' needs and begin small group reading instruction prior to the completion of the Fall DRA2 administration. The folder will remain in the cumulative file when a student transfers to another school within VBCPS; this includes students progressing from elementary to middle school.
Closeout of Schoolnet Assessments and Status of Certica Items in Schoology
VBCPS wanted to provide an update on the process for closing out Schoolnet assessments and the status of the movement of Certica items into Schoology. As a part of the closeout process, Schoolnet is extracting all tests (classroom, common and district assessments) from the 2018-2019 school year that were scheduled prior to May 1.
The Division Schoology team has been working closely with Certica and Schoology over the past few months to create a partnership so VBCPS can continue to utilize Certica test items embedded within many teacher and division-created assessments located in Schoolnet. Plans are moving forward to have the Certica item bank available within the Assessment Management Platform (AMP) in Schoology for fall 2019. Because of this new partnership, Certica has permitted Schoolnet to extract Certica items as part of the closeout process.
Schoolnet will provide our team with a QTI file for each test (including tests with Certica items) by the end of May. Once we receive all the QTI files, schools will be notified of the process for accessing that information. If a teacher desires a PDF or Word copy of any assessment, it can be printed from Schoolnet prior to June 30. If teachers would like tests from previous years or tests scheduled after May 1, they will continue to use the process outlined in the Jan. 10, 2019, memo titled Transferring Assessments From Schoolnet to Schoology’s Assessment Management Platform.
June 17, 2019 Flex Day
All teachers and teacher assistants may work a flex schedule for the staff day on June 17, 2019. Please make sure that all teachers and teacher assistants are aware of this option. They may begin working the extra time on May 16, 2019 and keep a log of the time worked. Teacher assistants, ISS coordinators, and library assistants may not work more than 40 hours in any one week. The time sheets will provide documentation to support the hours reported in WISE. The flex day applies only to the following group of employees:
o All teachers whose schedule ends on June 17
o Teacher assistants, ISS coordinators, and library media assistants
Security assistants are not eligible because of security needs of the building.
Eligible employees who do not choose to make use of the flex day and do not wish to report on June 17, 2019, may choose to take personal reasons leave with approval of the building principal.
Remaining Events At a Glance
June
- 3: Expedited SOL Make-ups
- 3: Gr. 2 Field Trip
- 3: Citizen of the Month, 2:00
- 3: School Planning Council, 3:15
- 4: Gr. 5 Science SOL
- 4: Gr. 2 Field Trip
- 4: SCA Installation Practice, 2:45
- 4: PTA Board Meeting, 6:30 pm
- 5: Gr. 5 Social Studies SOL
- 5: Grad Walk, 1:45ish*
- 6: Expedited SOL Makeups
- 6: STEM Competition, Convention Center
- 7: Expedited SOL Makeup
- 7: SCA Ceremony, grades 1 - 5 attend, 2 pm
- 10: Expedited SOL Make up
- 10: Young Author, cafeteria, 8:30 am
- 11: Expedited SOL Make up
- 11: Young Author, cafeteria, 8:30 am
- 12: Expedited SOL Make up
- 13: Expedited SOL Make up
- 13: Gr. 5 Moving Up Ceremony, Cafeteria, 12:45 pm
- 14: Early Dismissal
- 14: Fifth Grade Fun Day
- 17: Staff Flex Day
- 21: Report Cards Mailed Home
*date/time change
Congratulations to our Achieve 3000 Winners!
Pumping each other up to Rock the Test!
An adorable moment with Lily reading to a Kindergartener.
Dalton F. got to throw out the first pitch at a game between GNMS and LMS. All the players on both teams signed the ball and presented it to him.
Reflections Winners!
LouAnne Metzger, Principal
Email: louanne.metzger@vbschools.com
Website: http://www.trantwoodes.vbschools.com/
Location: 2344 Inlynnview Road, Virginia Beach, VA, United States
Phone: 757-648-4000
Twitter: @LouAnneMetzger