TOAST Weekly Newsletter
Week of January 11th, 2016-January 15th, 2016
Happy New Year Everyone and Welcome Back!
Building Subs at TOAST! By Jan. 22nd, TOAST will have our 2nd building sub start! Once BOE approved, we will have more information.
NWEA Testing Begins Jan. 11th, 2016 and Ends Jan. 29th, 2016 for ELA and Math
Just a reminder that NWEA testing for the winter benchmark begins Monday, Jan. 11th, 2016. A schedule for everyone was sent out before the holiday break. I have attached updated copies for you all. Please note, the Library and Computer Lab are used during this time to administer the benchmark.
**All Computer and Library will use a Push-In Model During the Testing Cycle.**
PTA Meeting
Monday, Jan 11, 2016, 06:30 PM
Thomas O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology, Albany, NY, United States
Hello for the TOAST PBIS Team:
Reminder: PAL Basketball and Cheer Squad Games Begin The Week of 1/11/16. See attached schedule. Scholars, families and our staff coaches love when you can come out!
Affirmation Boards Are Up!
This month we are focusing on the following CCLS for ELA:
R.I. (Reading for Information)
What does reading for information look like at each grade level?
**Each grade level will provide at least 3 examples that they have used for scholar mastery of this skill set and it will be showcased for other colleagues, parents, community members, etc. An envelope for affirmations will be positioned by each board. ( There will be separate ones for scholars at the primary grade levels that have sentence starters to support their affirmation posting)
Why are we doing this?
You all work very hard to make sure our scholars understand the content and material that the district provides as well as meeting the success criteria of the CCLS. This will allow you to share best practices with not only your grade level team, but the entire TOAST community as well as district colleagues. This also becomes another form of vertical teaming from within and allows you another opportunity to collaborate with each other. This is another platform to shine!
Where are the boards and which grade levels share a board?
All boards are located in the second level hallway between Mr. Horne's desk and the focus room
Shared boards: prek-k, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6
I am looking forward to seeing your exemplars to support each other, scholars and our families
All About TOASTer's Board Transforms
First Round of Scholars to showcase are due no later than Jan. 14th, 2016 so they can begin to be displayed by Friday, Jan. 15th, 2016.
Thank you for your time on this matter so we can allow our scholars who are on point have their time to shine!!!
Help Needed: TOAST Step Team and Soccer Club
TOAST Step Team (proposal submitted by a team of 4th grade scholars)
Soccer Club (proposal submitted by 6th grade scholars)
If you are interested in being the supervising adult for one of these scholar-led proposals, please see me and I can direct you to the scholar liaisons for their proposals.
TOAST's First Gospel Choir to begin after schools! Thank you to Mrs. Kardas and Mrs. Forte for leading this club. We have many scholars excited to begin! When I have more information on a specific start date, I will share with you all.
Looking at Stem through Hip-Hop.
This video below not only taps into the importance of STEM to the future of our scholars, but the heart of the message is making the material relevant and relating it to the culture of the scholars that sit before you. (Lovingly named Generation Z) By no means am I suggesting that TOAST teachers begin taking rapping lessons, but taking the time to slow it down and tailor the expected learning outcomes through multiple ways to show mastery is really what teaching is all about. ( I would love to sit down with some of you and create some raps though! It would be a great time and we can use it for our upcoming Talent show..:-)..)