Rooesvelt Weekly Memo
Roosevelt Bears...DREAM BIG!
April 11, 2016
Important Reminders
- Summer surplus list time (will be attached in the morning email from Jacqueline
)--these items will be removed in July As we move into spring, please keep the “whole child” in mind. We know that frequent brain breaks are essential to maintain focus and engagement. Plan for these opportunities for our students.
On April 11 – we will have a district-wide Windows device update .
Google log-ins are the same as your computer log in information
- Attendance--please make sure you enter your attendance by 8:25 each morning
- The weeks after spring break will be filled with lots of activity, as well as, the remainder of teacher evaluations. We will continue to all work together and get through the busy weeks ahead.
- Please read over the calendar carefully as there have been several changes
- Please review procedures with students as we return from break--always nice to have a refresher and reminder of our expectations
Instructional Assistants Mandatory TruTime (time clock) training Thursday 4/14 at 1:00 in the Art Room
Instructional Rounds at Roosevelt and Lincoln have been rescheduled for April 20th. We will complete both schools in one day--I will be sending our schedule very soon.
Roosevelt Problem of Practice: Use goal setting with effective feedback to positively impact student comprehension across content areas.
Rationale: We know that student goal setting (where I am going) coupled with effective feedback (how am I going to get there) can positively impact student achievement across subject areas. We chose this POP because we hope to enhance the benefits of student goal setting by providing students with effective academic feedback on a regular basis.
Where we are stuck:
To build upon our work from last year with accountable talk and goal setting; we are seeking to incorporate academic feedback in supporting student goal setting. Based on conversations during grade level meetings and faculty meetings we know that teachers are not consistently having students set goals which in turn means inconsistency in providing effective academic feedback.
Questions:
*What evidence of student goals do you see?
*Do students know the current goal they are working towards? Is the goal challenging?
*Was there evidence the academic feedback was….related to the goal? clear?
*Does the academic feedback offer suggestions for next steps in student growth?
- Remember to be stationed at your door greeting students as they arrive to your room each morning.
- Thank you for continuing to make positive contacts each week--it absolutely makes a difference.
From the ASC...
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NEW
Tennessee Educator Survey Launch
In partnership with Vanderbilt, the TDOE is launching the annual Tennessee Educator Survey. All teachers, administrators, and other certified staff in Tennessee's public schools are invited to participate in this voluntary survey. Invitations to participate in the survey will be distributed soon. The survey will close on Friday, May 27.
The TDOE is eager to learn from the perspectives of Tennessee educators about important issues impacting classrooms and schools. Survey results are used primarily for research purposes and to guide decision making. All individual responses are highly confidential and will not be shared; however, some aggregate results will be shared publicly.
PLEASE NOTE:
Teachers who complete the survey will be entered into a weekly drawing for prizes that include iPad Minis, FitBit trackers, and $300 classroom grants. Schools that achieve a participation rate of at least 50 percent by May 5 will be entered into a one-time lottery that will award several grants of $500. Schools that achieve a participation rate of at least 90 percent when the survey closes will be eligible for a lottery that will award several $2,000 grants.
NEW
Feedback on Science Standards
The State Board of Education launched the science standards review website (here) to collect public feedback on Tennessee’s newly revised grade K–12 science standards. This is the second and final opportunity for public review and feedback on the new science standards, which were first publicly reviewed in fall 2015 and then revised by Tennessee educators over the past several months. Data collected from the website during this second review period will again be given to a team of Tennessee educators to review and revise. After revisions, the committee will propose the revised science standards to the State Board of Education for first reading in July 2016. The state board's final reading of the revised standards will be in October 2016, and implementation will take place in the 2018-19 school year.
This is an important opportunity for educators, parents, and members of the public to share their perspectives and suggest revisions to our current science standards. The deadline for providing feedback is May 13.
NEW
Seeking Applicants
The TDOE is seeking applications from educators, higher education partners, parents, and community members to participate in subject and grade-level committees to determine the cut score ranges for each performance level on state assessments. Ultimately, this information helps them understand students' level of mastery of the state standards. This is called the “standards setting" process. The standards setting committees will meet this summer and share recommendations with the State Board of Education for approval.
They are seeking applicants for the following standards setting committees:
- Math Grades 3–5
- Math Grades 6–8
- Math Algebra 1 and Algebra 2
- Math Geometry
- Math Integrated Mathematics 1, 2, and 3
- ELA Grades 3–5
- ELA Grades 6–8
- ELA Grades 9–12
- Social Studies 3–5
- Social Studies 6–7
- Social Studies Grades 8 & U.S. History
All interested applicants should complete an online application (here) by April 25, 5 p.m. CDT. The application link, along with a brief description of the responsibilities and time commitment for the committees, is posted on the website (here). All applicants will be notified of his/her status by no later than May 6.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact Virginia.Mayfield@tn.gov.
NEW
Energy Education Camps
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Office of Energy Programs (OEP) is conducting two Energy Education Camps for K-12 educators in June. The dates and locations are Montgomery Bell State Park June 6-10 and Pickwick Landing State Park June 13-17. Selected participants will receive $200 of materials for their classrooms. Lodging and meals are provided. For more details, click here.
If questions, contact Angela McGee, Energy Camp Director at Angela.McGee@tn.gov or 615-532-7816.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION IS FRIDAY, APRIL 15. Click here to apply.
UPCOMING EVENTS
APRIL
- Fri. 4/8: Deadline for 2016 TDOE Essay Contest, 5 p.m. CDT
- Mon. 4/11 - Fri. 4/15: National Associate/Assistant Principals Week
- Thu. 4/14: Progress Reports
- Thu. 4/21: BOE Work Session, TN Room (ASC), 6 p.m.
MAY
- Mon. 5/2 - Fri. 2/6: KCS Employee Appreciation Week
- Wed. 5/4: College/Career Shirt Day (FREE jeans day if wearing college/career shirt)
- Thu. 5/5: BOE Meeting, TN Room (ASC), 6 p.m.
- Mon. 5/9 - Fri. 5/13: National Police Week
- Tue. 5/17: BOE Work Session, TN Room (ASC), 6:00 p.m.
- Thu. 5/19: EARLY DISMISSAL - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
- Fri. 5/20: Administrative Day
- Sat. 5/21: DBHS Graduation, J. Fred Johnson Stadium, 9:00 a.m.
- Mon. 5/23: In-Service Day
- Mon. 5/30: Memorial Day - ASC CLOSED