The Grass Valley WAG
Week at a Glance: 8/31 - 9/4
Our Collective HOPES for our Eagles
A note from Casey...
Welcome to Week 4 Grass Valley Staff,
This week we will continue and complete most assessments for students. Remember that these assessments provide critical information for addressing learning loss this fall and assuring that we are meeting the greatest needs of our learners first. Please be sure to continue messaging to families the importance of these assessments and reminding them that they are one piece of data that supports our understanding of their learner's progress.
Teachers, by the end of this week, you should be sure of:
- Content - You should have an emerging understanding of where each of your scholars are for literacy and math (from assessments in Weeks 3/4). You should be prepared to fully launch into content next week. Consider - what do you need to do this week to prepare to fully launch all subject areas next week?
- Communication - You should have a consistent system for communicating your Weekly Family Newsletter to your class (ie. Class Dojo or email). You should have completed regular two-way communication with all families though Class Dojo. Consider - how are families able to check in with you regarding daily questions/concerns about assignments or learning targets?
- Collaboration - You should have established a regular Grade Level Planning meeting day/time (ie. K/1, 2/3, 4/5) and should have shared a calendar invite/Zoom link with Casey. Consider - what norms and structures are in place to support your work together?
- Calm - You should be conveying a sense of calm to your families; reminding them about the need for flexibility and demonstrating compassion, while asking for it for yourself, as well. Consider - how are you reassuring families and students about our focus on learning during this difficult time?
Please continue to strive for balance between your personal/work lives as we continue into this new and unknown time. I know things are anxiety producing because of the unknown, but remember our rocks and the supportive community we have around us - lean on one another!
As your principal, I promise...
- honesty & transparency in sharing all information with you as quickly as I can
- flexibility in being understanding about where each of you are during this crisis and how this impacts your work
- support in finding the balance that best supports you AND our students
- a continued focus on equity as a school so we can serve ALL of our students to the best of our abilities
- a continued focus on team as we all lean in in new and different ways to support our greater community this year
Thank you for all you do for our students and please reach out with any questions or needs!
Respectfully,
Casey
Inspiration for Week 4!
Week at a Glance
Monday
- 8:30a Class Meetings
- 10:00a COST
- 1:00p Faculty Meeting (Teachers)
- 2:30p Whole School Community Meeting
Tuesday
- 8:30a Class Meetings
- 10a Attendance Team Meeting
- 2:30p Whole School Community Meeting
Wednesday
- 8:30a Class Meetings
- 2:30p Whole School Community Meeting
Thursday
- 8:30a Class Meetings
- 2:30p Whole School Community Meeting
Friday
- 8:30a Class Meetings
- 10a Coffee with the Principal
- 1:30p OPTIONAL Office Hours w/ Casey (Teachers)
- 2:30p Student of the Month!!
Where are we in our Distance Learning Rollout?
Important Reminders (Teachers)
- Materials Pick-Up: Our next pick up with be Sept 8. Gen Ed students will get EL Ed books; try to begin to shift away from packets, unless absolutely necessary - our goal is for everything to be online (other than physical materials); Nothing from the Office this time around, so please communicate with your class if they do not need to come for pick up.
- Engagement Tracker: linked here, be sure to update this for Week 4 this week.
- Family Newsletter: These should be shared via Class Dojo/Email each week BEFORE Monday at 8:30a (it would best support families if they were available Friday evening)
- SIPPS: Tracker linked here; Karla will support 1st/2nd starting ASAP; Armoni will support Kinder when she is onboarded as our second Early Literacy Tutor.
- Hotspots: If students are still in need of a hotspot, email Coach/Casey. If you are a teacher in need of a hotspot, email Casey.
- COST: We have addressed attendance in COST during the first 3 weeks, and will now shift our focus to acadmics. I will share the COST referral form with you later this week.
- Faculty Meeting/Office Hours: Monday's 1p meeting will become a highly encouraged (like really try to make it) Faculty meting, with the hope that as we move into October we will be able to shift to monthly meetings. The reasoning here is the need for clear information flow which is not currently happening. Friday's 1p meeting will remain OPTIONAL and should be a space for questions specific to you/your class. The reasoning here is that we don't want this to become another space where important whole staff information if being discussed, without actually having everyone present.
- OEA Evaluations: Teachers on my caseload (everyone from last year +1) will continue being evaluated last year (as per spring MOU); OETF Soft Copy linked here; Submit professional and student achievement goals in Teachboost by 9/2 (as per district notification email); We will meet for goals conference (those on my caseload) by 9/15; 5-year plan option - if you were on this last year, we did not complete it, but we can this year (or I can simply defer you until next year)...let me know what you’d like to do!
Important Reminders (ALL STAFF)
- Crew: All staff members will lead a Crew (small group advisory) this year. This is an opportunity for students/staff to build deeper relationships. The structure of crew allows for relationship building, academic progress monitoring, and character development. Teachers have all been assigned additional Crew Leaders for their class (see cell H1 on your class tab here). This week, teachers should work to name the Crew leader (of those adults available to your class) for each student by 9/3 in Column H. Support staff will be trained in Crew on Thursday, Sept 3 at 1p (see calendar invite for Zoom link). This will be recorded and made available for teachers who'd like to take the time to view it. The first 12 weeks of Crew will focus on Toolbox through slide decks found HERE (curated by Julie Slater - K/1 here, Alexa McDougal - 2/3 here, and Rasheedah Jones - 4/5 here)
- Technology Support: If you or students need support with technology - call Grass Valley (9a-2p) for real time/immediate support OR call/text Paula Mitchell (Distance Learning Lead) at 510-214-3230 (include name, teacher, and issue in message).
- Distance Learning: A reminder that all OUSD students/families may choose to enroll their scholars in Distance learning for the entire 20/21 school year, even if we return to in person learning at any time.
- Safety on Campus: Wear a mask outside of your classroom/office space; Sanitize as you enter/leave (sanitizer at the front door); Sign in/out (front office - we MUST have a record of who is on site); Restrooms - ONLY use the staff bathrooms INSIDE; When using the restroom, flip the sign over to “needs to be cleaned” when you exit; Copier - add your name on the list on the whiteboard (office), if you’d like to walk through the door to the copy room - let us know and we will open it!
- ZOOM bombing - this is when someone unknown to you enters your ZOOMroom. Screenshot as much of the information about the person as possible and email the information (screenshot, time, date, etc.) to Casey for follow-up.
Upcoming Dates
9/7: No School
- 9/8: Perfect Attendance Party (Beckner)
- 9/8: Materials Pick up
- 9/10: SPED Parent Meet & Greet (6:30p)
- 9/11: Coffee with the Principal
- 9/16: SLT
- 9/16: SSC & PTA Meeting
- 9/22: Perfect Attendance Party (Coach)
- 9/24: Parent Corner with Coach
- 9/24: Student of the Month
- 9/25: PD Day
Staff Communication Expectations
This year will be one that is dramatically different in a number of ways, especially in regards to communication. In order to best support our students and our greater community, ALL staff are expected to:
- Email - check OUSD email at the beginning and ending of each day; all emails should be responded to within 24 hours
- WAG - review the "Grass Valley WAG', which is sent out weekly by Casey by Monday morning; complete any required action within stated time frame
- Class Dojo - use Class Dojo for tracking positive student behavior and communicating with families; register for your account at classdojo.com
- Zoom - use Zoom to participate in staff and student functions
- Whole School Community Meeting - participate daily in whole school community meeting with our students from 2:30-2:45p
- Crew - lead a small group (4-12) of students daily in learning about Toolbox and the Grass Valley Way from 2-2:30p
- Class Meeting (Teachers & Classroom Support Staff) - participate in a daily class meeting with your students at the beginning of each day
It will be critical that we communicate clearly across all staff, students and families this year, and these pieces will be an important part of that. Please reach out with any questions!
Distance Learning Framework @ Grass Valley
Vision: At Grass Valley, our vision for distance learning is to virtually provide equitable access to grade level content to all students so that they may learn and thrive. Our distance learning program will be a bridge to build social emotional skills as well as ensure all students and families have a daily connection to the school community.
Important Shifts from 19/20 include:
- regular daily schedule for classes to assure equity across students' experiences in different classrooms
- schedule rocks (ie. class meeting, crew time, PE with coach, whole school community meeting) that will hold the structure of our regular school day
- week by week roll out schedule to slowly shift the heavy lifting to students
Important Reminders:
- our DL framework fits within the district's guidance
- our mindset during DL will be one of inquiry, where we are always asking ourselves "is our current framework meeting the needs of our most IN NEED students?" and following that up with action responses to improve our work
Appreciations!
Welcome to 2020-2021!
- Welcome back to all of our returning staff members! We look forward to "seeing" you all soon!
- Welcome to Ms. Shelby Lawton, who will join us as our music teacher at Grass Valley this year!
- I appreciate Olivia for sharing all of her amazing parent letters and resources!
- Shout out to Tammy for help with Google Classroom and always being willing to answer my questions!
Want to include an appreciation for a colleague in the next WAG? Add it HERE!
Useful Links
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