SPARTAN ACADEMY
Week Of January 23, 2017 - January 27, 2017 (Wk18)
"THE FOUNDATION OF SPARTAN ACADEMY" - "WHERE STUDENTS SUCCEED AND FUNCTION WITH BEHAVIORAL NORMS"
- Lesson Plans are non-negotiable – Lesson plans must be submitted weekly using the new RPS format – UBD model – Lesson plans are a clear picture of Teaching and Learning opportunities in your class. Lesson plans are due every Friday. Many lesson plans are still not being submitted in a timely manner. Make sure you are using the correct lesson plan template!
- Be sure you are planning enough for bell to bell instruction with rigor and differentiation in the classroom.
- Please remember to highlight the JFF Strategies Common Instructional Framework Strategies on your lesson plan and implement them in your classroom: Questioning, Scaffolding, Classroom Talk, Literacy Groups, Collaborative Group Work, and Writing to Learn.
- Reminder to all teachers - please ensure that you are using your Daily Attendance Logs to keep documentation of your back up attendance. More Logs are available at your request.
- Teachers please remember to call parents! All teachers should be making a minimum of five calls a week: Attendance, failing grades, and positive feedback!
- End of Semester is one weeks -- January 31st! Semester exams will be the week of January 23rd. Please make sure that your gradebooks are in order. Grades should be entered by close of business Monday, January 30th - grade verification sheets will be printed and ready for Tuesday - grades will be posted by February 1st - report cards are due to be mailed no later than Friday, February 3rd.
Attendance
Remember to only use the attendance on the home page of ASPEN. Please, update any tardy students in ASPEN when they arrive late!
Teachers are reminded that Daily Attendance is to be taken in ASPEN within the first 15 minutes of class each period. Usage of the Daily Attendance Logs is not an option, it is mandated per the Code of Virginia - § 22.1-259.
If you do not have access to ASPEN to take attendance or enter assignments and grades, please let Ms. Jewett know ASAP.
Security Reminders
- Always lock up all personal items
- DO NOT give students building keys for any reason.
- DO NOT open doors for staff. Side entrance will be locked by 8 AM each day. After 8 AM only use the front door entrance.
- Restricted Movement means Restricted Movement! No one is to move when a Restricted Movement Notice has been given. Students nor staff are permitted to be in the hall way. It is for your safety!
- DO NOT purchase snacks for students out of the vending machines.
- DO NOT block a door if a student is trying to leave. Alert your team leader, behavior specialist or security.
- DO NOT encourage students to leave you room. If you need a student removed, ask your team leader, behavior specialist or security.
- DO NOT deny students entrance into class if they are late.
- Please place notification on your door if you are relocating your classroom.
- In order for a student to leave the classroom - 1. you must grant them permission, 2. a pass must be given to the student, 3. time frame expectation must be communicated to the student
Strengthening the Craft of Teaching and Learning
Jobs for the Future focus strategy for January 23rd - February 3rd
SCAFFOLDING
Scaffolding helps students to connect prior knowledge and experience with new information and ideas. Teachers use information from assessments of prior knowledge to plan a careful sequence of activities that continually links that knowledge and understanding to new knowledge and skill attainment. Teachers challenge students step by step with increasingly more difficult tasks and concepts to ensure they are continuously learning.
Teach Like a Champion strategies for January 23rd - February 3rd
SETTING AND MAINTAINING HIGH BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS
THRESHOLD
Threshold means meeting students at the door, setting your classroom culture expectations before they even enter the room. This is the single most important moment for setting those expectations. Threshold technique is part of establishing and maintain strong positive, disciplined systems and routines in your classroom. These are the basic elements:
- See both sides. Stand where you can see the room and the hall
- Control the flow. Stand where you control movement in and out as much as possible
- Shake hands! This builds a tone of civility and should cause each student to pause and make eye contact
- Reset expectations. Use Threshold as an opportunity to remind and reset students who are in danger of slipping. A gently reminder of your expectations will go a long way for students struggling to improve
- Use positive chatter. Build positive rapport and connections to students with brief personalized comments -- "Looking sharp, Devon!"
BUILDING CHARACTER AND TRUST
PRECISE PRAISE
Precise Praise brings a high degree of strategy and intentionality to positive reinforcement -- one of the strongest tools available to teachers. The following are some key ideas:
- Giving plenty of acknowledgement in response to students' meeting your expectations and saving praise for when students have exceeded expectations
- Using the power of public praise when appropriate
- Using praise to reinforce actions, as specifically as possible, especially behaviors and actions that students can choose to do
- Using praise to reinforce both behavioral and academic skills
- Maintaining sincerity and honesty in giving positive reinforcement
SOL Updates
TestNav 8 Updates to Mathematics Tools Practice Items
TestNav 8 conversions to the Mathematics Tools Practice Items are currently in progress. A completion date will be communicated through a mathematics update when the items become available. TestNav 8 SOL Practice Items are currently available for Grades 3 – 8, Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II.
Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) for Grades 4 and 5 MathematicsThis Superintendent’s Memo provides information regarding the transition between static and computer adaptive testing for Grades 4 and 5 Mathematics beginning Spring 2017. Please note that revised SOL Testing Blueprints for CAT are now posted, as well as additional CAT resources. If you try to view the new blueprints and see the “original” version, please clear your Web browser’s cache and history.
Superintendent’s Memo #244-16
COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education
September 23, 2016
TO: Division Superintendents
FROM: Steven R. Staples, Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT: 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework
On September 22, 2016, the Board of Education adopted the Proposed Revised 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning and the Proposed Revised 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework for public schools in Virginia (see Agenda Item D). The final version of the 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning and the 2016Mathematics Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework will be posted on the Virginia Department of Education's website no later than December 31, 2016.
The 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning identify academic content for essential components of the mathematics curriculum at different grade levels for Virginia's public schools. The 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework, a companion document to the 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning, amplifies the standards and further defines the content knowledge, skills, and understandings that are measured by the Standards of Learning assessments.
The implementation timeline for the 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning and 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework follows:
The implementation timeline for the 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning and 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework2016-2017 School Year – Crosswalk between 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning and 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning
- VDOE staff provides a crosswalk between the 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning and the 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning.
- School divisions incorporate the new standards into local written curricula for inclusion in the taught curricula during the 2017-2018 school year.
2017-2018 School Year – Crosswalk Year
- 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning and 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning are included in the written and taught curricula.
- Spring 2018 Standards of Learning assessments measure the 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning and include field test items measuring the 2016Mathematics Standards of Learning.
2018-2019 School Year – Full-Implementation Year
- Written and taught curricula reflect the 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning.
- Standards of Learning assessments measure the 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning.
Recognizing that curriculum alignment efforts require planning, time, staff development, and resources, school divisions should begin to:
- review and align mathematics curricula with the revised standards;
- review current resource materials and correlate them with the revised standards;
- develop new materials where needed; and
- provide staff development for teachers.
If you are in the process of planning professional development in mathematics, please consider using all or parts of the VDOE mathematics professional development resources available. The resources from the 2012, 2013, and 2014 institutes were designed as self-guided professional development for teams of teachers (grade level or course), broken into modules that are rarely longer than 40 or 45 minutes in length. Parts of these professional development modules could be used/modified to create division-level professional development.
Online Technical Assistance Resources
The Virginia Department of Education’s website includes multiple resources to assist focus schools with meeting the needs of identified proficiency gap groups.
- English Language Learners (ELL) Instructional resources: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/esl/index.shtml
- Special Education Instructional resources: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/tech_asst_prof_dev/index.shtml
- Differentiated Technical Assistance resources: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/school_improvement/training/index.shtml
English
VDOE EOC Reading Spring 2014 Student Performance Analysis
VDOE EOC Reading Spring 2013 Student Performance Analysis
Text Dependent Questions: Sample Question Starters
Prompts for Text Dependent Questions
Please use the link and password below to access a tutorial for NoRedInk Premium. Pass this along to your English department for those who did not attend training.
Link to video library: https://vimeo.com/album/4159266
Password (please do not circulate outside of RPS): bDpfVamg6yq!
Please let me know if you need any additional assistance with the program.
Science
VDOE Science Spring 2014 Instructional Guidance based on Student Performance
VDOE Earth Science Spring 2013 Student Performance Analysis with Instr. Guidance
VDOE Biology Spring 2013 Student Performance Analysis with Instructional Guidance
VDOE Chemistry Spring 2013 Student Performance Analysis with Instructional Guidance
Math
VDOE Algebra I Spring 2014 Student Performance Analysis
VDOE Geometry Spring 2014 Student Performance Analysis
VDOE Algebra II Spring 2014 Student Performance Analysis
History
VDOE North America Geographic Regions
VDOE Virginia Geographic Regions with Counties
VDOE Virginia Geographic Regions of Virginia Outline
"Less Than 100 and 80" days to make a difference in the lives of our students"
Monday - January 23, 2017
Word of the Day: Lampoon - ridicule; spoof
-Grade portal is open you may begin to enter in your grades -- communication forthcoming for the last day of input into ASPEN prior to report cards printed
-PD After school - Writing Student Learning Objectives 3:15 p.m. - Media Center - Content Staff
Tuesday – January 24, 2017
Word of the Day: Oblivious - totally unaware
Semester Exams: Periods 2 & 6
Wednesday -January 25, 2017
Word of the Day: Podium - raised platform
Team Meetings after school
Semester Exams: Periods 1 & 5
Thursday - January 26, 2017
Word of the Day: Resonant - echo
Semester Exams: Periods 4 & 8
-Transformation Leadership Meeting - ASPIRE location 3:15 p.m.
Friday –January 27, 2017
Word of the Day: Tenuous - flimsy; not solid
Semester Exams: Periods 3 & 7
Suggested Reading
"Teaching Reading to Black Adolescent Males" by Alfred Tatum
For those who truly wish to leave no child behind, the racial achievement gap in literacy is one of the most difficult issues in education today, and nowhere does it manifest itself more perniciously than in the case of black adolescent males.
Approaching the problem from the inside, Alfred Tatum bring together his various experiences as a black male student, middle school teacher working with struggling black male readers, reading specialist in an urban elementary school, and staff developer in classrooms across the nation. [Tatum's] book, Teaching Reading to Black Adolescent Males offers teachers and schools a way to reconceptualize literacy instruction for those who need it most.
Concerns and Updates
Common Assessments are scheduled on Monday's twice a month - Next assessmeent will be on January 16th (Tuesday).
All students identified for transition by January 20th
Transition Ceremony January 30th - time and location TBD
Semester Exams to begin January 24th - Tuesday 2 &6, Wednesday 1 & 5, Thursday 4 & 8, Friday 3 & 7
2016 Mathematics SOL Crosswalk Documents Now Available
Crosswalk documents for the approved 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework are now available for each grade level and course. The Crosswalks provide a summary of revisions including the additions, deletions, and edits. It provides educators the opportunity to review the 2009 Mathematics SOL alongside the newly adopted 2016 Mathematics SOL
The next three bullets are opportunities for our students - copy and paste the link in the address box of your screen
World War I Memorials in Virginia
SOL-Based Lesson plan for 2016 Civics Summit Registration http://apps.senate.virginia.gov/civicsSummit/CS2016registrationform.html
The VDOE website has invaluable lesson plans along with practice problems for students to improve math skills. Click on the following link for lesson plans for all Algebra Readiness grade levels: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/mathematics/middle/algebra_readiness/curriculum_companion/index.shtml
- In spring 2016, the Standards of Learning (SOL) history tests contained multiple choice and technology-enhanced field test items that assessed the current 2008 History & Social Science Standards of Learning. In spring 2017, the SOL history tests will contain multiple choice and technology-enhanced field test items that assess the revised 2015 History & Social Science Standards of Learning. In order to support student preparation for technology-enhanced items (TEI) that may appear on history assessments, sets of practice items have been developed and will be delivered via electronic Practice Assessment Tools (ePAT).
- Please be mindful of the students that rotate out of your class with or without a pass. All students must be given a pass to exit your classroom. Hall walkers should not be given an exit ticket out of your room.
- It is imperative that the Faculty and Staff adhere to all due dates and meeting times.
- All teachers are expected to stand at their door during the change of class.
- Thank you for all of your hard work!
6-Sessions All About Google
Learn how easy it is to use Google tools for any classroom.
- Find the Google tools every teacher needs in their digital toolkit
- Collaborate anytime and anywhere with Google Drive and Docs
- Overcome group project issues with Presentations and Spreadsheets
- Take the complication out of formative assessment with Google Forms
- Discover the best Chrome Apps for your classroom
- Go beyond the basics with your class using Google Drawings and Slides
click link below ---
Questions, Comments, Concerns? Please email me at your earliest convenience.
Email: ahawkins@rvaschools.net
Location: 119 W Leigh St, Richmond, VA, United States
Phone: (804) 780-4458