Pam's Pages
Week of May 15 - 19
Summer Staff Development QTEL
QTEL Building the Base Level 1
Focus: (1) Develop understanding of the theory that informs QTEL tools and processes; (2) Develop understanding of research-based instructional practices that develop ELs’ literacy and language; (3) Design literacy tasks that develop students’ ability to engage with and make meaning of grade-level narrative and informational texts through interactive reading practices; (4) Apply QTEL tools and processes in developing lessons.
QTEL Building the Base Level 1 (Elementary):
June 5, 2017 (Monday) – June 9, 2017 (Friday) 8:30AM -3:30PM Science Center: Oceanography Hall
http://eduphoria.springbranchisd.com/wshop/default.aspx?cid=18833
QTEL Building the Base Level 1 (Secondary):
June 5, 2017 (Monday) – June 9, 2017 (Friday) 8:30AM -3:30PM Science Center: Geology Hall
http://eduphoria.springbranchisd.com/wshop/default.aspx?cid=18826
QTEL Building the Base Level 2 (Elementary)
This institute is for elementary school content teachers who have already completed the five-day QTEL Building the Base Level 1 Institute during the 2016-2017 school year.
Focus: (1) Understand why shifts are needed in the education of young ELs and what these shifts are;
(2) Experience QTEL exemplars of practice that engage students in close and careful reading and writing of texts through whole and small group interactions; (3) Analyze and reflect on how QTEL lessons develop young ELs’ capacity to read, discuss and write about texts in different content areas;
(4) Increase expertise in scaffolding vocabulary development through academic student discourse; (5) Develop lessons, units, and materials that engage students in higher order thinking.
June 12, 2017 (Monday) – June 16, 2017 (Friday) 8:30am -3:30pm
Hollibrook Elementary Library http://eduphoria.springbranchisd.com/wshop/default.aspx?cid=19276
Teach Like a Chamption
This summer, a very limited number of Spring Branch teachers will have the opportunity to participate in a Teach Like a Champion micro-credential pilot in conjunction with the TEA, Relay Graduate School of Education, and Learning Forward.
You will earn non-contract professional learning hours for their efforts and, more importantly, be on the leading edge of professional learning innovation at the state level.
Highly motivated, dedicated teachers, regardless of level of experience are encouraged to apply. Slots will be awarded on a first come, first served basis.
Registration link: https://forms.learningforward.org/tea-teaching/
Please feel free to contact michelle.fontenot@springbranchisd.com with any questions.
Benefits Open Enrollment for 2017-2018
The 2017-2018 benefits open enrollment dates for SBISD will be Monday, July 17, 2017 through Friday, August 18, 2017.
This is a mandatory open enrollment.
Employees must complete the open enrollment process even if they do not want to make any changes and even if you want to decline all elections. There are some changes to benefits coverage and providers, so it is important for employees to be able to see all their benefit options.
Current benefit elections will end on August 31, 2017.
Employees need to complete open enrollment to identify what benefit elections they want for the 2017-2018 plan year (September 1, 2017 to August 31, 2018).
- This enrollment timeframe provides an open enrollment period of 5 weeks, which gives all employees plenty of time to enroll for benefits.
- This timeframe also allows us to end open enrollment after everyone has returned to duty (in-service days), but before the start of school on Monday, August 21. It allows us to help our people complete their enrollment elections prior to the first week of class.
- This timeframe will allow time to finalize enrollments and answer any remaining employee questions prior to the official September 1, 2017 plan year start date.
- This timeframe will also allow us to provide better customer support for our employees since the office will be open with full benefits staff available for the last few days of open enrollment, when so many are finishing elections and have questions.
- TRS has just announced an open enrollment end date of Tuesday, August 22, 2017.
- No elections may be made once the TRS deadline has passed.
Supplemental Payment in May
This is a reminder that the second of two supplemental payments approved by the Board for 2016-2017 will be paid on the May 16, 2017 paycheck for employees who meet the following conditions:
1. Were employed by SBISD by February 1, 2017 and are continuously employed until May 1, 2017,
2. Are in good standing,
3. Serve full-time in their position, and
4. Are not employed as a Temporary or Substitute employee.
The payment will be based on the employee’s base pay in effect on February 1, 2017. The supplemental pay will be included on the employee’s regular May 16, 2017 paycheck, but will be listed as a separate line item on their payroll advice.
The supplemental pay will not be considered by TRS as creditable compensation, so the TRS employee contribution of 7.7% will not be deducted from this amount. The only deductions from the supplemental pay will be Federal taxes and Medicare.
Employees will see the normal Federal tax deduction unless the supplemental pay bumps the employee into a higher tax bracket.
This payment represents 1% of base pay with a minimum of $250.
J. Landon Short Mini-Grant for Educators Competition
The 2017 J. Landon Short Mini-Grant for Educators application is now available online until Monday, June 19. This program allows all SBISD educators to apply for individual classroom grants of up to $500, or team grants of up to $750. Grant applications are reviewed over the summer by a panel of community members and program sponsors.
Winners are notified and receive their funds for the 2017- 18 school year in late August / early September.
The program seeks to reward applicants whose projects demonstrate innovative, thoughtful and T-2-4 aligned opportunities for our students. The application is available online – Click below to access.
Please let Abby Walker (abigail.walker@springbranchisd.com, 713-251-2289) know if you have any questions.