May 21, 2018
A Communication Tool for the Seven Hills Staff
Speeding to Read Championship Assembly is on Wednesday, May 23:
- All students must have a signed permission slip on file to attend. These were due on Friday. Please work with parents who have not returned these on Monday to make sure you have everyone accounted for.
- Please let Q know ASAP who is not attending because the parents do not want them to go. We have to have a plan in place to support students who are not attending.
- Staff may wear hats and school appropriate shorts with the Speeding to Read shirts on Wednesday.
- All "special" staff (those staff without homeroom classes) will be assigned to a "buddy class" for the trip.
- All students need to be reminded of leader expectations on field trips before leaving.
- Please remind parents of what students need to wear, bring, etc. The information is pictured below.
Field Day on Friday:
Help us keep parents informed:
Parent Volunteers Needed:
K, 1st, & 2nd
- 8:15-11:10 a.m. - Kinder, 1st, and 2nd Grade Field Events
- 11:15-12:30 a.m. - Water Slide/25 min. per grade level, Popsicle
- 12:35-1:35 p.m. - Lunch/Fruit Snack/Restroom break
- 1:40-2:30 p.m. - Teacher Event Competition in gym
3rd, 4th, & 5th
- 8:30-9:30 a.m. - Teacher Event Competition in gym
- 9:35-10:50 a.m. - Water Slide/25 min. per grade level, Popsicle
- 10:55-11:55 a.m. - Lunch/Fruit Snack/Restroom break
- 12:00-2:35 p.m. - 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Field Events
Dear Parent or Guardian,
It’s that time again! Please remember to put sunscreen on your children for Field Day. They will need to wear school appropriate shorts and tennis shoes to participate. Good behavior and sportsmanship are expected at all times, or the student may be removed from competing in events. It will be a homeroom competition for all grade levels K-5th this year. You may want to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on outside and possibly a change of clothes and/or towel for your child since there will be a water slide. In case of last minute rainy weather, the schedule may change without notice. Students will be given fruit and a popsicle provided by our wonderful PTA during a break time. We will have water jugs available outside during their Field Day time or they can bring their own water bottle. If you are coming as a spectator, please make sure you bring a valid driver’s license to be scanned in the front office. If you are an approved volunteer with NISD and would like to help out on Field Day, please contact me at Amanda.Grounds@nisdtx.org. You are always welcome to join us!
Amanda Grounds
Physical Education Teacher
End of Year Awards, Parties, and Clap Out:
With reaching the summit comes the opportunity to celebrate public victories! J! Please read the information in this email and in the attachments carefully.
Awards Assembly Schedule:
- Kindergarten Graduation: Thursday, May 31 at 8:15
- 1st Grade: Wednesday, May 30 from 9:00 – 9:45 am
- 2nd Grade: Wednesday, May 30 from 10:00 – 10:45 am
- 3rd Grade: Wednesday, May 30 from 8:00 – 8:45 am
- 4th Grade: Wednesday, May 30 from 11:00 – 11:45 am
- 5th Grade: Thursday, May 31 at 6:00 pm
Awards Assemblies Location: The Gym
Specials Schedule on May 30:
We will still have a regular specials schedule on Wednesday, May 30. The times given should not conflict with lunch or specials schedules, however, the schedules are tight. We must stay on schedule and be efficient. Specials teachers, because he gym is being used for awards, please come up with an alternate plan for specials on this day. We have multiple ARDS on this day, and will need for teachers to have their planning period. Thank you so much.
Awards:
- In the Google folder linked here, you will find certificate templates for the awards assembly and optional class awards. We are still adding certificates to the folder. Please be patient. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_S9CqcSrWKFIDnox3Tp3xcD37c4gk85d?usp=sharing Please Note: make a copy of the certificates so that the master copy isn’t corrupted. J
- In the folder and attached to this email, you will find a guide to our end of year awards. This has been prepared to help guide your planning. There is absolutely opportunity to add, refine, etc. I just ask that each grade level remain consistent in practice. The medals are not open for change.
- There are many new staff members…teammates that are not new to Seven Hills, please partner with your peers for a wonderful End of Year Awards experience for students and for teachers!
End of Year Parties:
- On the purple calendar it indicates that the End of Year Parties will be on Wednesday, May 30. CHANGE OF DATE: End of Year Parties will be on Thursday, May 30 from 9:45 – 10:45 am. Yes, all parties will be at the same time. With Kindergarten Graduation and Early Release, this simply must be the plan. We will share the plan for lunch times soon.
5th Grade Students vs Seven Hills Staff Volleyball Game:
- Friday, June 1 at 8:00 am
5th Grade Clap Out:
- 11:15 am on Friday, June 1
- The clap out is similar to the Senior Memory Walk, except no caps and gowns and our 5th graders do the memory walking.
Please help share the information with parents.
Every attempt to capture all pertinent information for these events has been made. Perhaps there is something that has been missed or confusion remains. Just let me know, and we will work to resolve.
Seven Hills is Managing the Whirlwind and Focusing on the Wildly Important!
Commitments Yield Success!
"Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek."
-Mario Andretti-
Class Placement Protocols:
K-4 Classroom Teachers,
Thank you so much for your careful consideration of the framework and student information sheet. I have taken the feedback offered to make updates and revisions to both documents. It is time for the next steps in the process. Green folders have been placed in ILT member mailboxes. In these folders you will find:
- the protocol outline
- a grade level data chart
- the updated framework for your grade level
- a Lexia report indicating what level students are working in
We are ready to begin steps 2 and 3 of the protocol. Step 2 needs to be completed as a grade level, and must be turned in to me no later than Monday, May 21 in order to be prepared for PLCs on May 22. Step 3 is primarily a teacher completed task. That being said, if your team flexibly groups, students see interventionists or work with SPED staff, please partner to capture a complete profile of the student. The student information sheets needed for step 3 are on a cart in my office. They are color coded by proficiency level. Please only take what you need. When looking for data to complete step 3, if you need any help, please let Hayley, Leslie, or me know.
NOTE: We will not have TELPAS information until August. Leave this blank. We can fill in in August.
The protocol outlines each step. Please ask clarifying questions, and remember that this process is organized and sequenced in this way so that we set students up for success. This is important work.
Habit Focus for the Rest of the Year: Habit Review
4 Weeks to Review the 7 Habits with Students:
NISD Professional Learning Expectations and Opportunities:
NISD offers teachers comprehensive and highly regarded professional learning opportunities. I have tried to capture the key components here, but if you would like to peruse a little on your own, the following links might be of interest:
- NISD Professional Learning Website: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pHjJQTJSTVIW9mAVNJu0fpm7ApbfroRshrP4-heeBg0/edit
- NISD Professional Learning Framework: https://www.nisdtx.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=232201&pageId=7912537
Staff Development Flex Days:
Each professional must accumulate a minimum of three flex days (18 learning hours) between July 1, 2018 and March 10, 2019 to be used for the November 21, 2018, December 21, 2018, and April 19, 2019 staff development days. Classes offered in June may be used with principal approval.
All professional development applicable to flex days must be taken during off-contract time.
Prior approval from the principal is required for all sessions and must be documented on the Flex Days for Staff Development form.
Any changes to the form must be approved by the campus principal.
Core content teachers are required to attend a 3 hour content institute as part of their 18 hours.
ALL Instructional Staff (Everyone except Paraprofessionals) will complete 6 hours of FLEX on August 10 during our Leader in Me Empowering Instruction learning.
9 of your required 18 hours will come from Leader in Me required PD in August and the Required Content Institutes offered this summer.
FLEX Approval Form: http://www.nisdtx.org/departments/professional_learning/flex_days
Required Annual Training Updates:
NISD has developed a series of annual updates that meet district, state, or federal guidelines for employees. Each campus shall provide expectations regarding timelines for completion and verify staff compliance. A complete list will be available in August 2018. You may begin completing these courses through Eduphoria on July 1st.
General Summer Dates:
August 1-3, 2018 ENGAGE Professional Learning Conference
August 13-15, 2018 New Teacher Professional Learning
August 16-24, 2018 All Staff Professional Learning
The chart pictured below outlines the All Staff Professional Learning Schedule. This schedule is subject to change based on campus needs or scheduling. Report to your home campus on August 16, 2018.
CONTENT INSTITUTES
Content Institutes are required for all Pre-K-5 teachers, Dual Language Teachers, Secondary ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies teachers, World Languages teachers and Special Education teachers. If you have questions, please verify with Kim Blackburn which Institute you should attend. DON'T WAIT TO SIGN UP! COURSES FILL UP FAST!! You can find the dates that these required courses are offered here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pHjJQTJSTVIW9mAVNJu0fpm7ApbfroRshrP4-heeBg0/edit#
ENGAGE
- Need a babysitter? Alphabest will be open for school-age children. If you are attending ENGAGE, Alphabest is FREE to you!!
- You will not want to miss the great sessions at ENGAGE this summer. We have fantastic featured presenters as well as over 150 other amazing sessions to choose from. The following sessions will be offered at ENGAGE as well as others.
- A final ENGAGE Schedule will be posted in June.
- Opportunities listed under all contents are geared to support teachers that teach all subjects. Courses are listed under one Domain, but most crossover and support many of the T-TESS Domains.
DO NOT WAIT TO REGISTER FOR COURSES YOU ARE INTERESTED IN!
COURSES FILL UP FAST!
2018 - 2019 Theme Planning:
A folder for the theme for next year has been created:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aLtcz4tR1Y-GYi-O7OWLSPY3ADssEPhp
In the folder you will find the slides from the reveal if you would like to take a closer look. There is also a sign-up for you to choose which team you would like to work with (note: all staff will be a member of a team). Q also included a map of where each feature will be included from the theme team. If you find an idea you can add a picture to the folder.
There were discussions about feeling as if everything had already been decided. Very little is 100% set in stone. And, the team welcomes ideas and input. Each team will create their own scoreboards - 4 of them to be exact. And, door designs are not 100% decided either.
Thanks!
Campus and District Announcements and Updates:
Bump Up Day: Information was sent by Marisa Tindel to ILT members last week. :) Thank you Marisa for continuing to make this dream a reality!
If you were not able to attend our staff meeting 2 weeks ago, please take a few minutes to complete The Leader in Me staff survey. This is something TLIM asks us to do each year and it gives us valuable information for the program. Thank you! https://theleaderinmeonline.org/assessments/assessment/c9a55b41fd6f19bf
We will be printing the T-TESS End of Year Conference forms for appraisers and teachers to sign to turn in to HR. You will receive a folder with three copies in it. One copy is for your records. One copy is for campus records. Once copy is for the HR department. Once signed, please return to your appraiser.
Morning Arrival and Duty Reminders: A gentle reminder that we receive students at 7:20 am. Teachers should be in their classrooms ready to monitor students and prepare students for the day at 7:20. This is an important part of the day, and has the potential to set students up for success for the rest of the day. What are students engaged in/with from 7:20 - 7:40 am? Staff who do not have homeroom class assignments do have morning duty assignments. It is very important that staff are on duty promptly at 7:20 am in order to support a safe arrival for everyone.
Message from the Math Department: We wanted to send out a reminder that it is a district expectation that all students upload two mathematical writing samples to their e-portfolios each year. Kinder through 2nd grade should upload explanations while 3rd through 5th grade should upload justifications. If you are in need of any assistance with this process, please reach out to your wonderful campus Instructional Technology Coach.
Please let us know if you have any questions. Have a wonderful afternoon.
Shaunda, Jaime, and Meredith
- Be informed...The Latest Edition of the C&I Newsletter: https://www.smore.com/nkpt1
- Save the Date for Campus Based PD in August: Seven Hills staff will complete The Leader in Me Empowering Instruction professional learning on August 10, 2018. All instructional staff are required to attend, and because this is a non-contract day, this will count toward FLEX credit. The location is TBD, as we may opt to have this off site for a more engaging PD.
Attendance Snapshot Time: Staff, it is imperative that attendance be completed DAILY at the 9:30 reporting time. Funding is connected to this reporting, and should the district/campus be audited, failure to report attendance at the snapshot time could result in loss of funding for all of the students in your classroom on each day that attendance was not completed at the reporting time. Please be advised that reporting attendance is connected to T-TESS discipline 4.
Save the Date:
Habit Focus: Review All Habits, including Leader Expectations, this week so we can end the year on a positive note!
May 21:
- Principal for the Day, Hunter Hooley, has decided that staff deserve a "Casual Monday" - staff may wear jeans, school shirt, and a hat today! Principal Hooley will be visiting classrooms to read, conducting lunch and recess duty, helping prepare for the Volunteer Appreciation Celebration, and more!
- Volunteer Appreciation Celebration, 3:30 in the Cafeteria - Don't forget to bring the items you signed up for!
May 22:
- Grade Placement Protocol Process in PLCs
- GATES Expo, 5:30 pm
May 23:
- Speeding to Read Championship Assembly Field Trip, Staff wear Speeding to Read shirt and school appropriate shorts or jeans/pants
May 24:
- Kim Blackburn off campus at NISL
- Block Party hosted by 4th & 5th Grades, 3:30 pm
- NISD Board of Trustees Awards, 7 pm, NHS
May 25:
- Field Day: Staff wear Field Day t-shirt or solid color shirt in your class color and school appropriate shorts/pants/athletic wear
- Kim Blackburn off Campus at NISL
Save the Date:
Happy Birthday to You:
Mackenzie Davidson 5/23