SM Manor Update
December 18, 2023
Hello SM Team,
Hi SM Team,
Thanks for all the laughs at this week's faculty meeting! The yummy treats on Friday were perfect! I hope you still have a big appetite as we move into next week!
Faculty Meeting Plan:
- 12/20/23 - Complete ESL online training (see below). This training can be completed anytime before winter break. If you complete it at another time - you are welcome to go home at the normal time.
- 1/3/23 -
- 3-5 will be working with Barb and Jon Russell to review ways to best prepare our 3-5 graders for the PSSA.
- K-2 Teachers will work with Lit Specialists to discuss the topic of how best to pull small groups during Core Instructional Time to meet individual and group needs.
Holiday Fun:
- Dec 18-22 - Secret Barista - Don't forget to pick your person!
- Dec 18-22 - Spirit Days (see below)
- 12/18 - HSA Holiday Lunch and Cookie Collection
- 12/22 - Principal Holiday Cart
- 12/22 - Holiday Sing Along Assembly
- 1/12 - SM Staff Holiday Party
Don't forget all IXL Snapshot Benchmarks must be completed for Math in Grades 1-5 before winter break.
We have so many fun things coming up and I can't wait to celebrate this season with all of you! Please consider signing up to participate in the Holiday Fun when you can, come to the staff party on 1/12 too.
Ally Scullin will be our point of contact for the DASD staff volleyball team. We hope you will consider joining in the fun!
Robyn
Save the Date!
December 18 - 22 - Spirit Week (see below)
December 18 - Winter Safety Visits
December 18 - HSA Holiday Staff Lunch
December 22 - Holiday Assembly (afternoon)
December 23 - Jan 1 - Winter Break
January 2 - School Resumes
January 8 - HSA Meeting
January 12 - SM Staff Holiday Party - Sign up to bring something
January 15 - No School - MLK Day
January 16-19 - Data Meetings (See Calendar Invites)
Holiday Spirit Week
Previously Posted Information
Special Schedules 23-24
FID - Day Clarification
FID Day Schedule - More Details
See a few more details regarding FID - Days below:
Attendance:
- Student attendance must be submitted no later than 9:35 on any scheduled FID day. Any student not on the Zoom should be marked absent.
- If a student logs on after 9:35 - please send an email to Sylvia indicating the time (or estimated time) that they logged on so that they can be marked late.
- If a student logs off and doesn't return, you can send that information in an email to Sylvia to be coded as an Early Dismissal.
Teacher Schedule - All classroom teachers must follow the FID Schedule in the link above.
- Special education, specialists, and all certificated staff are expected to use this time to meet with students.
- Special Education teachers and Specialists should develop a schedule to the best of your ability prior to the FID day so that you are prioritizing those instructional times needed for individual and groups of students. You should also include a 45 min lunch block and 30 min Encore block.
- Special Education teachers and Specialists are encouraged to house a Zoom Link somewhere that the students will be able to easily access it.
Support Staff
- Support staff are expected to log into Zooms and support to the best of their ability during the scheduled school day (8:50 - 1:30).
- Support staff should connect with teachers that they typically work with prior to our first FID to better understand how they can best help students via Zoom. This can include logging into a special education teachers' Zoom and running a break-out room, logging into a regular education zoom and hopping into a break room as needed.
ESL Online Training - 12/20 Faculty Meeting
Faculty Meeting 12/20 - ESL Training
On 12/20 Teachers will be provided time to complete the online trainings. All teachers must complete this before winter break. You are welcome to complete them ahead of time or at a different time than the scheduled faculty meeting if you choose to.
See the message below from Jacky Walsh, our ELS teacher at SM.
Hello Springton Manor,
As part of our Federal Title 3 program, the ELD department has put together 3 short video presentations. Each video is linked in a Google Form. Once the video is viewed, please respond to the Google Form questions. Attendance will be accounted for once the form is filled out.
This can be completed on Wednesday 12/20 during faculty meeting time.
Topic 1: ELD- What is it?
Topic 2: SLIFE Scenarios
Topic 3: Interpretation and Translation Services
We welcome your feedback and appreciate your efforts to better understand our English Learners.
Thank you!
Winter Benchmark Window - Has Begun!
IXLMath Snapshot - 12/4 through 12/22 - Teachers should schedule time for students to complete this before Winter Break.
Reading and Math Aims Web - January 2-12. All testing will be completed by the 12th. IST Aides have a schedule to support classrooms in completing this before the deadline - see an email from the lit specialists with more information.
ELA Data Meetings 1/16 and 1/17
Math Data Meetings 1/18 and 1/19
* See Calendar Invites for exact dates and times *
New MTSS Distributive Model begins Monday, 1/22.
Monthly FB Posts
Jan - Kindergarten/Encore
Feb - First Grade / Learning Support Education
March - Second Grade / Autistic Support
April - Third and Fourth Grade
May - Fifth Grade and Everything
Communication with Parents
Every year, after conferences, there is a flurry of unhappy parents. Typically when I dig into the problem, it is often a miscommunication that caused the unrest. I know that we have literally no time, however, it is an important reminder that phone calls matter. I know everyone at SM works hard to build strong relationships with our kids but don't forget to do the same work with your parents/families.
Find a communication plan that works for you! Sending weekly newsletters is incredibly helpful but adding in a few Remind messages with pictures or positive messages about what kids are doing can go a long way. Responding to parent messages in a timely fashion (within 24 hours) is expected but can also build strong relationships with families. Making time for scheduled calls or in-person conferences to help parents feel a part of their child's learning is incredibly effective at growing our kids.
Our parents SM appreciate your hard work and effort. I am always feeling the love from parents once we work through an issue or conflict. They know how important you are to their child, even when things are tough. Thank you for all that you do to support our kids and families!
Yearbook Photo Links - please dump photos there!
Kindergarten
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1pzX0qSOU5DbpAcZG8LsWfX4bk4Nlvw5k
1
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1yEiCe03RngQCsljtGE9LY377mVPpqcb2
2
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1T2J-l67xQvryXOEiG-J5Q_eti49n6-Zc
3
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-qlQo4ofYfWH_6ntr9TEzh72K5nRqLD5
4
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ts3ty-07BtZ3ReaJ9anEdcqU2oQ-J2mc
5
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FJAXIW_fG9H-0ig45J_bmWAwRgMZdF3C
Encore
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18PAIxgsih0oquSlSuL13viOsorDfEz77
Chorus and Instrumental
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1j_RvB8UVt2Db5hn8px9VRYG1xhJeUTP-
Meeting Coverage and Scheduling
Special Education Teachers should schedule meetings according to the choices below:
- First choice - 8:20 or 3:30
- Second choice - Recess Time
- Third choice - Teacher Prep Time
- Fourth choice - Other time specific to the needs. This would be for very unusual circumstances.
If we need to schedule a meeting during a teacher's prep time, teachers should email Robyn and copy Belinda for a request for coverage later that day or the next day to make up for the time or complete a blue card for the time to be paid.
Who attends and when?
Special education teachers will begin and lead the meeting. All meetings should begin when the parent arrives. For morning meetings: Team members should be on time to 8:20 meetings so that teachers can be excused at 8:50. For afternoon meetings: Special education teachers should begin the meeting with when the parent arrives. Teachers should split their classrooms and log on or head to the conference room as close to 3:30 as possible. Reg Ed Teachers should be excused at 3:50. Special Education teachers will be paid for time past 3:50. For longer meetings: If the special education teacher anticipates that the meeting will take longer, she will let the regular education teacher know. All teachers are responsible to request their own coverage at least 1 day in advance of the meeting.
How to request coverage and when?
All teachers are responsible for requesting their own coverage. When you know you need coverage for a meeting, please send an email to Robyn and Belinda with the following information:
- Date
- Time
- Estimated length of time the coverage is needed
Robyn and Belinda maintain the coverage spreadsheet in the "SM Important Information" folder for all to see. You can always check there to see who your coverage is. If you notice we missed you, just email Robyn and Belinda again. 😊
SM Core Team Documents and Folders.
Teachers should have access to their Grade Level Core Team folder. It is entitled, "Core and Grade X". Please take a moment to search for it in your google drive. There you will find all of the CORE documents that you need. Below is a link to the presentation in case you want to refer to it.
Formal Walkthroughs
I have been in so many classrooms these past few weeks and I love seeing you all working hard to create classroom cultures, set expectations, and of course - grow our kids!
I will begin the formal walkthrough process next week. We will be using a different form but it should generate an automatic email that should be sent to you with feedback. Our walkthrough form is aligned to the Danielson language - however - it is aligned to the new version of Danielson language. In an upcoming faculty meeting, we will be reviewing this new language in greater detail. While the walkthrough language changed, the mid and end of year evaluations did not change.