Couch Comet Dust
February 24, 2019
Minutes Matter- Bell to Bell Instruction
Grade Level Action Steps: How are you doing?
Kindergarten
Action Step-1: Kinder will include this information in their parent conferences this month and all will adopt a model to share goals with their students monthly.
Action Steps-2: Continue to serve struggling students in small group, Jaime pulling students, and include information to parents for them to support student’s academic needs at home Action Steps-3: Kinder teachers will develop lesson plans and customize pace and activities. Include Readers Response as part of writing folders
First Grade:
Action Step-1. Improve Guided Reading – running records-Refine practice of running record
documentation by in house training on running record documentation during guided reading groups Activities-a. classroom coaching - Amy Clark and b. classroom visits to observe other teachers –debrief during PLC
Action Step-2. Implementation of Lucy Calkins writing curriculum-Customize the Lucy Calkins lesson by adjusting pacing and components-Amy Clark and Michelle Warren will help with this planning during IPC planning
Action Step-3. Building student understanding of what is being asked of them-academically as well as social emotional independence - Continuing One-Five Content check daily -Did we do what we say we would do? Students provide evidence of “I will” and “we will” daily and connecting this to the classroom social contract and debrief with grade level week
Second Grade:
Action Step 1: Literacy Stations-improve quality and structure: Set up management plan and structure for literacy stations-Amy Clark will provide coaching and teachers will visit other classrooms to see practices in place
Action Step 2: Lucy Calkins writing curriculum Customize pacing and components in lesson plans. Develop pacing during IPC planning with Amy next week
Action Step 3: Model teamwork as you continue to collaborate and support substitutes with lessons and materials. Identified and placed certified teacher in the classroom for one teacher; another substitute teacher added additional substitute-teacher helper for classroom management in the 2nd classroom
Third Grade:
Action Step 1: Third Grade- increase level of rigor in Guided Reading and use RAZ to support the students with reading levels. Shields needs access to Gogel and Carney's Class if possible so she can assign books on the student levels.
Action Step 2-continue implementation of Lucy Calkins. We need to continue to ensure proper planning and preparation. Gogel and Carney are sharing in the responsibility. Maybe Amy can help review with them in IPC as well.
Action Step 3-concerns with working on some test taking strategies to prepare for STAAR. Working on a plan for how to start working on these skills.
Fourth Grade:
Action Step 1. Reinforce and reconnect every student to the classroom Social Contract and have students write out goals to earn privileges for those that are acting out during instructional time
Action Step 2. Continue to implement balanced literacy and Lucy Calkins writing (refine 4th grade literacy stations); added Thrilling Thursday to Writing block to work on Revising and Editing
Action 3.ELAR teachers schedule Library instructional time with Ms. Marston to reinforce
independent reading for 4th grade
Fifth Grade:
Action Step 1. - Continue to follow Balanced Literacy Framework and enhance Literacy Station work also include one day of STAAR Prep Day-Thrilling Tuesday
Step 2. Customize Lucy Calkins writing to break into 15 minute blocks – pace it and describe components and realign to reading
Step 3. Reschedule I-time utilizing Ms. Hudson as the primary computer teacher so that Ms. Mance and Ms. Poor can provide small group intervention to struggling student
New SUB system platform
Please make sure all staff that enter absences in Absence Management get this information:
Starting March 1st our substitute/absence system/ Absence Management/Frontline Technology, will be introducing a new platform for GISD.
Starting March 1st all absence management employees, (any employee that is at a campus that enter absence in Absence Management) will be required to login to the system and create a new login.
Your staff will come up with their own login. No longer will our office be able to see employees’ logins.
Please watch video link below and ask your staff to view the video.
https://help.frontlineeducation.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000184187-Insights-Platform-Welcome-Video
Phone App pin is 7354 and will only start working after March 1st.
Clubs
Read Across America Information
Hello staff! Here is the library newsletter for February! All of the info for Read Across America week is inside! I can't wait to celebrate with you and our kiddos! Look for the student and teacher challenges!
Let me know if you have any questions, or how I can help!
~Mary Katherine
New Dismissal Cards
Doctor Notes
PLEASE continue to ask your students for parent notes or Doctor’s notes when they have been out. Also, make sure the notes are turned in as soon as possible to the office. We have had so many absences due to the sickness/ flu going around and our attendance is not looking too good. You can send the student to the office with their note, send a student with a class folder (see me if you do not have a red Office Folder) or bring them during your conference.
CATCH is COMING........
~Mike, Emily and Lauren
Coming Up.....
TELPAS Testing LEP K - 5th February 25 - April 5
Mock STAAR 5th Math February 26
PLC WDM - all grades during conference February 27
Digital Learning Day February 28
National Science Day February 28
PTA Board Meeting 4:30-5:30 February 28
MARCH
Texas History Month March
Deadline Pop & Post: Writing Across Content March 1
Milestone Pictures for K and 5th March 1
Read Across America Day March 1
Texas Independence Day March 2
Birthday: Nikki McGill March 3
National School Breakfast Week March 4-8
Texas Public Schools Week March 4-8
Fire Drill March 4
PTA Meeting - 2nd and 3rd performs 6:00 - 7:30 March 4
Field Trip - 4th to Austin TX 6:00am - 8:00pm March 5
PLC RTI 2nd March 5
PLC RTI 3rd March 6
GISD Council of PTAs General Meeting March 6
Harris Hill - Garland Room at 9:00
Lisa Hall baby shower 4:00 March 7
T-TESS No Formal Observations March 8
Spring Break March 11-15
Choir Practice at Intrinsic BBQ & Brewery 4:00 March 8
Daylight Savings Time Begins March 11
Spring Break March 11 - 15
Birthday: Lilian Vaquerano March 14
Pi Day March 14
Birthday: Chastidie Cantrell March 15
- St. Patrick’s Day March 17