Anchor Weekly
Week of July 20, 2020
Upcoming Events
- Monday, July 20: Leadership Retreat at Alta Vista 9:00-3:00 (Leadership Team)
- Tuesday, July 21: Virtual WISD Town Hall Meeting at 6:00 pm
- Wednesday July 22: Reopening Planning Session at 4 pm via ZOOM
- Monday, July 27: Teachers may start working in classrooms
Captain's Log
At a recent principal meeting, we were asked "what mantra did you tell yourself when you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed?" My response was a quote from Nelson Mandela-"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
Even on the toughest days, this quote reminds me of my why. Education...Alta Vista Elementary...empowering and educating students...this is how I make the word a better place. It's also a reminder that I must continue to learn and grow as well.
I know teachers are anxious to start working in their classrooms. The building will be open starting Monday, July 27 from 8:00-5:00 Monday-Friday. There may be a delay for the 3rd grade wing as contractors wrap up AC installation, projector mounting, and floor waxing (more information later). With the tentative delay to the start of the school year, you will still have plenty of time to prepare. Please make sure you are taking out your trash and being careful of our freshly waxed floors. If you have a piece of furniture that needs to be removed, please email me first and put a piece of paper on the item to be removed labeled "Remove." I will coordinate the removal of furniture with our custodial team. Do NOT leave it in the hallways.
Speaking of our custodial team, we have a new head custodian, Ms. Lessli Garcia. Please say hello. She is a welcome new addition to our school!
Waco ISD Town Hall Meeting
Waco ISD will host a live, interactive event on Tuesday, July 21 at 6 PM CT. Dr. Kincannon will be sharing the district's plans for what the 2020-2021 school year will look like and answering questions from families and staff. Dr. Kincannon will be joined by guest host Alfred Solano, president and CEO of the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and member of the Waco ISD COVID-19 School Planning Task Force.
To join the conversation, dial 866-383-2732 when the event begins or register to receive a call at wacoisd.org/townhall. The event can also be live streamed at wacoisd.org/townhall or via the district's Facebook page.
UPDATE School Reopening Planning Team
Dr. Kincannon submitted a plan for reopening school to the board on Thursday. The big items on this plan include:
- 100% Online Learning-students would stay at home 100% of the time and complete all work virtually
- 100% Face to Face-students would come to school every day and get 100% of their instruction face to face
- Delaying school start until September 8; staff would not return until August 19
Delaying school gives us more time to plan and prepare, communicate to families, and time for COVID cases to lessen if people are taking proper safety precautions. Because of these changes, please be prepared for a revision to your start date. Once the board has approved the new calendar, I will communicate these changes to you; they will affect ALL STAFF.
We will continue our weekly planning session as a campus each Wednesday at 4:00 pm. Starting this week, we will diver deeper into the "dirty details" of reopening while keeping everyone safe. Here is the meeting link: ZOOM
We are World Changers
Grade Level Summer Planning
Grade level planning may be done off site or virtually next week. Make sure you clock in using the right code. Two of the days will have a different code. Call Bonnie if you aren't sure.
For grade level planning, please complete the following:
- Review and finalize 6-week assessments, report card assessments (Kinder), and writing rubrics
- Work on the virtual lesson plan template for the first two weeks of school. Please drop your grade level plans into the PLC Folder and share them with Helton/Boggess/Alvarado.
Remember that your virtual lesson plan template serves 2 purposes. One-it is a plan for how to introduce content and tools if you have to start the school year teaching virtually. Two-if you are teaching face-to-face, it's a plan for you to support students as they learn how navigate the online tools with your support.
**Even though content is important, you need to consider how you will build classroom connections and support SEL needs during the first 1-2 weeks of school. Consider how you might do this while using online tools (IE: Create a video about your favorite things; upload a picture of something you're proud of; record yourself describing a goal you have for the school year).
If you have questions, reach out to Helton/Boggess/Alvarado/Orchard. We are all here to support you as you navigate new learning!
Screen & Go ~ NEW COVID Screening Process for WISD Employees
As coronavirus (COVID-19) continues, and its ongoing impact remains uncertain, the safety of our employees and your families continues to be our top priority. To minimize the risk of exposure to coronavirus and instill confidence in your day-to-day work environment, WISD will go live with Screen & Go on July 27 as our new screening tool. Temperature checks will continue to be administered at each site. All employees will complete screening before arriving at work each day. Please go to Screen & Go Guidance for more information: Screen & Go Guidelines.
Screen & Go is a simple, easy-to-use application that screens for potential COVID-19 symptoms, and can be accessed from your mobile phone so it can be used from anywhere — at home or on the go. Learn how to use the app by referring to the Screen & Go Step by Step.
Each day you will access the application by using the link or QR code provided to you: QR Poster & Code. After answering a few questions about how you’re feeling, you will get your results. If you are free of symptoms, show your confirmation screen and have your temperature checked in the office. If you’re displaying symptoms, be sure to contact your supervisor and your primary healthcare provider. If you have questions about using this screening tool, please contact Tammy Boyett in Human Resources.
Google & SeeSaw Training
All Elementary faculty (PreK -5) will be enrolled into the following modules thru Canvas by Waco ISD. You will receive an email link to enroll in a Canvas course.
Google Level I
Google Level II
Seesaw
NEW Waco ISD Online Teaching (Lisa Monthie)-this will teach you how to integrate the two platforms
Teachers will receive $500 for completing all modules by August 5.
If you already have your Google 1 or 2 Certification or if you are a SeeSaw Ambassador, it's still recommended you complete all of the courses. You will be able to go thru them very quickly and support other teachers that are still building their tech capacity. You can take the Google Certification test on your own, but it's not required.
It's very important that all teachers complete these training modules. Even if you are using Google Classroom, students will still have to login through SeeSaw. This is required so that WISD can provide evidence of attendance to TEA in a systematic way.
Training for NEW Social Studies TEKS
- FINAL DATE!! July 22
Safe Schools Training
Tech Videos
- Creating assignments with movable objects in SeeSaw
- Add a Video as a Multimedia Example
- Home Learning Activities
- Managing Skills and Tagging Skills in SeeSaw
- SeeSaw Pioneer and Ambassador Programs
In talking with people from WISD, it sounds like all students in all grades will need to login through SeeSaw. Teachers in grades 3-5 (or younger) can push out Google Classroom assignments through SeeSaw. This will allow the district to show TEA that students are actively engaged in a learning management system each day to receive credit for attendance. In having every student on SeeSaw this year, we will be able to really push all parents to get connected on SeeSaw and streamline our communication process. All messages to them can be pushed out via SeeSaw (instead of receiving multiple messages in multiple places).
Resource Spotlight
SEL Resources
- TBRI In the Classroom (Free thru August 31)
- FREE Second Step Next SEL Lessons by Grade
- No Place for Hate
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on how we prioritize SEL and connections during the upcoming school year!