Raymore Update: 9/10/13
News For & About our Staff Family & PLC
Family Gallery in Mrs. Geib's class!
Visual pack-up routine in Mrs. Murphy's room!
Greetings visual outside Mrs. Bradley's door!
“In the absence of clearly-defined goals [targets], we [students, educators, human beings] become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it.”
― Robert A. Heinlein (as shared by Dr. Daniel)Dear Team,
YOU are making magic happen in the way you keep a focus on deep, collaborative planning for & analysis of kids' learning, & YOU create those conditions under which your kids succeed! Thank you for working so incredibly hard amidst the newness of this year's updated curriculum and much more to make magic & learning happen!
:) Michelle
Read-A-Thon Kickoff & Video reminder!
Ray-Pec School Improvement Goals: Taking our PLC from Good to GREAT with Baldridge!
- Student Success
- Governance & Leadership
- Workforce Satisfaction
At our admin meeting, we continued our work toward our goals and strategies. We continue using the Baldridge strategic planning model that has been so internationally successful.
First District Walk-through at Raymore!
There will be a fairly consistent set of look-fors used that include tentatively:
Is each teacher/building connecting what they are doing and what the student is doing to the learning target on the board at the same level of rigor?
Is there active engagement vs. just on task: The extent to which each teacher/school is creating the conditions under which kids are engaged. (Compliance to the teacher vs. Commitment to the Learning)
Is the literacy block reflective of rigorous, complex learning & thinking?
- Is technology to enhance student learning used by each teacher/school?
- Is each teacher/school ensuring access of SpEd students to the same level of complexity/rigor through accommodations?
Mid-terms & Report Cards
- No Q1 formal mid-quarter reports will be sent (Same as last year)
- Instead, prior to conferences/near mid-quarter, remember some sort of check-in call, etc. with parents of a student well behind is expected (Surprises at conferences never go well nor are best practice!) KISS: Keep It Simple & Specific...remember to begin with a strength & end with reassuring you'll share more about the plan at conferences you as the teacher have designed to help their child reach mastery
- We are continuing discussion about Q2-4 mid-quarter forms/formats/expectations. Stay tuned.
- Parent-Teacher Conference forms conversation is still on-going. Stay tuned.
- We will not print report cards for parents or conferences (Same as last year)
- Scheduling conferences will begin in the next two weeks!
Literacy Small Group Guidance & Timeline
- See information from Mary Shatford shared on 9/10 during collab
- Assessments shouldn't stop small group reading instruction K-4 except for the child/group being assessed; keep math assessment during math, reading during reading etc.
- Meet with each small group 4x/wk (current district expectation
- See RP's Curriculum Symbaloo below for LOTS of great review/clarity/help! (PTR Yr 3, F&P/Lexile correlation bands, etc!)
Curriculum Symbaloo
- 2013-14 Reading correlation chart
- Year 3 PTR benchmark expectations for teacher use & admin walk-thrus
- Model lessons
- Smarter Balanced performance events
- Teacher Guides to login to & codes for BYOC, PTR videos, Pearson Success Net, etc.
- NEW! GHGR lessons-CCSS correlation guide
- etc.
EnVisions Correlation Chart to CCSS!
Talent Ed reminder
- Talent Ed~If you haven't gotten your password, please do so ASAP. Three individuals have had an incorrect email address that will take a little time to get corrected; email Leanne Dial and copy me if you are in this boat. We will talk PDPs this week and next. Please do not submit until we've had more collab convo.
Reminders & FYIs
- Remember to check the RE Shared Calendar for events! We are still adding, and things change.
- Remember to add your lesson plans to the Google RE Shared Folder each week.
- Remember to add your current class schedule to the Google RE Shared Folder & before you implement changes; post outside your door too.
PLC: Our Mission, Vision, Values
- Focus on Learning
- Build a Collaborative Culture
- Focus on Results
We answer four questions:
- What do we expect our students to learn? (Goals/Expectations)
- How will we know they are learning? (Assessment)
- How will we respond when they don’t learn? (DI Intervention)
- How will we respond if they already know it? (DI Extension)
To fulfill our mission & vision:
- M: Preparing each student for a successful and meaningful life
- V: Turning today's learners into tomorrow's leaders
With these commitments:
- We are committed to consistency & accountability for each student's success.
- We are committed to a system of support for students and adults.
- We are committed to a safe, trusting and collaborative environment.
- We are committed to best practices.
- We are committed to high expectations for learning, behavior and citizenship.
- We are committed to quality communication & positive relationships with all stakeholders
- We are committed to effective communication regarding student progress.
- We are committed to data-driven decision making.
- We are committed to use of appropriate channels for communication.
- We are committed to a guaranteed (consistent) and viable (doable) curriculum.
- We are committed to maintaining fiscal responsibility while improving student achievement