Tuesday Tidbits March 5, 2018
Inspiring Passionate Learners
Important Dates
3-5- 5th Grade STAAR Science Benchmark
3-6- 4th Grade STAAR Reading Benchmark
3-7- 3rd Grade StAAR Math Benchmark
3-8 3rd Grade STAAR Reading Benchmark
3-8 Staff Celebration and Safety Procedure Review
3-9- Baked Potato Bar for Lunch in the Lounge
3-1 to 16- Spring Break
3-19- PLC Day/No School- Review ISIP, IM and Benchmark Data
3-21- Wonder Wednesday and PLCs
3-22- STEAM Family Night 6:00-8:00
3-23- 4th Grade STAAR Math Benchmark
3-26- 2nd & 3rd Grade TELPAS in Computer Lab
3-27 2nd & 3rd Grade TELPAS in Computer Lab
3-28-- Wonder Wednesday & PLCs- Review IM Data
Thirsty Thursday and BHS Spirit Days are every Thursday & PCE Spirit Days on Fridays.
Optimize Learning Targets
The verb OPTIMIZE has 3 senses:
1. make optimal; get the most out of; use best
2. modify to achieve maximum efficiency in storage capacity or time or cost
3. act as an optimist and take a sunny view of the world
How do you see these 3 definitions applying to the way we use the word 'optimizing' our learning targets? It has been so fun to listen to all of our probationary teachers share ways students are getting the most out of learning; exceeding their ISIP and IM goals, 'taking a sunny view' of their progress even though they're not quite there yet with mastery of some targets; achieving success with the modifications you provide. Our FALCONS are growing as learners and exuding more and more confidence. Our goal is to flood morning announcements and our Facebook page with evidence of students who are doing these things. You've worked hard and your students have too! Let's shout it out and brag for everyone to join us in celebrating these accomplishments.
Standing Up For Kindness
Check out of school Facebook page. Our 5th graders are leading a kindness revolution by saying no to bullying, teasing, name calling, and negativity by linking arms and saying "Be kind and respectful." We have empowered them to do this in class when students are being disrespectful to one another or you. Join me in empowering your kids to link arms and stand up for kindness and respect. Join your team leads as we are also holding ourselves to this same standard. We are linking arms and standing up for kindness and respect for one another.
You will have an opportunity to celebrate the ways you've seen students treating one another and you with kindness and respect.
Yesterday, I saw this man in Little Elm riding his bike up and down the bridge by the lake with a big smile on his face making the heart sign with his hands. It immediately made me smile and find hope for our world that’s filled with negativity. It reminded me of a book I read several years ago called Love Does by Bob Goff-
“Being engaged is a way of doing life, a way of living and loving. It's about going to extremes and expressing the bright hope that life offers us, a hope that makes us brave and expels darkness with light. That's what I want my life to be all about - full of abandon, whimsy, and in love.”
Love does is such a simple idea~ yet so hard to do alone. Let’s come encourage one another as we lead a kindness revolution for our students, staff and parents. Bob Goff said it beautifully~ “Grace works that way. It's a kind word from a gentle person. It's a force sometimes transmitted best hand to hand in a dark place.”
Whew! We don’t have to be the judge of anything! We get to just extend grace, love and kindness. Walls are being built to keep the ‘bad guys’ out. How’s that working for our country? What if we built a human wall of kindness around our school and community? I wonder what would happen… I wonder would the force being transmitted from hand to hand in a dark place increase respect, advocacy for one another, lifting others with our words, creating solutions to problem together? Would that bring light and restore our passion for teaching and inspiring our kids to be passionate learners who are world changers?
I’m ready to link arms with you as we lead out in a kindness revolution. Teamwork makes the dream workJ Life is too short to be stuck in the darkness of negativity. Let’s brainstorm a spark plan for ourselves! “It only takes a spark to get a fire going.” Martin Luther King Jr. said it so well~ “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
POM, TOM & SSOM
Celebrating the strengths we see in one another is so life giving! It's time to nominate our POM, TOM, and SSOM. You might be asking- what in the world is a SSOM? We have an amazing support staff serving our campus, from our front office staff, nurse, custodial staff, cafeteria staff, to our LSSP, Speech therapist and our diagnostician. Please complete the nomination form by Wednesday, and I will send the ballot out on Thursday.
TTESS Updates
Due to Eduphoria needing extra time to work out kinks in the Strive Summative documents, the district has adjusted the timeline for completion of summative conferences and documentation being submitted. The portion for administrators isn't working correctly. Please see the revised timeline and know we will submit your summatives back to you as soon as this glitch is resolved.
Probationary Teacher Self-Assessment Part II: Goal Reflection no later than March 9, 2018
And Professional Development Plan Due (Or at least two weeks prior to Summative Conference)
Probationary Teacher End of Year Conferences Completed no later than March 23, 2018
Probationary teachers and/or teachers whose contracts may be non-renewed/terminated must have the entire appraisal process completed by the third Friday in March of any given school year to meet timelines for board consideration.
Probationary End of Year Reports Completed (Eduphoria) no later than March 29, 2018
Completed T-TESS summative reports include summative conferences and electronic signatures for the teacher and evaluator.
Note timelines for late hires: ALL T-TESS End of year Reports must be completed no later than April 13, 2018
(Late hires are teachers hired after October 1, 2017)
ALL Remaining Teacher Self-Assessment II: Goal Reflection no later than April 13, 2018
And Professional Development Plan Due (Or at least two weeks before End of Year Conference)
ALL teachers must submit TSR II and PD plan regardless of eligibility to waive T-TESS Annual Appraisal
ALL Remaining End of Year Conferences Completed no later than April 30, 2018
Written summative annual appraisal report must be summited to teacher w/in 10 working days of end of year conference, and w/in 15 working days of last day of instruction.