10.10.15 Staff Update
A Communication Tool for the Seven Hills Staff
Personalized Learning at Seven Hills: Goal Setting
I am certain the information presented in Friday's PD will cross your mind at some point over the weekend. As you reflect and process, I wanted to share two short posts from one of my favorite blogs regarding the significance of student goal setting on learning and growth. I hope you will take a minute to read these. You might even find yourself getting lost in the blog...great "stuff"!!!
Goal Setting...Ensuring Student Success:
http://www.theleaderinmeblog.org/goal-setting-ensure-student-success/
http://www.theleaderinmeblog.org/involve-students-in-goal-setting-four-empowering-questions/
Updates and Information
What's Happening Next Week at The Hills?
- Monday, October 12th:
-No School...rest and enjoy time with your friends and family
- Tuesday, October 13th:
-Lockdown Drill at 10am: There is a good possibility that campus Safety and Security will be on campus during this drill.
-Grade Level PLCs: We will continue the discussion about student goal setting and teacher progress monitoring from Friday. Please bring your questions, concerns, & suggestions, as well as the binders we set up on Friday! We are looking forward to open discussion and collaboration on Tuesday!
-PIEMS data due via Google Forms (see Leslie Russell if you need support or an extension)
-SHES Digital Cadre application due to Kim Blackburn
-Family Literacy Night, 6:00 - 7:30 pm (please communicate which teachers from each team will be supporting this event, and also make sure you have shared with parents/students)
- Wednesday, October 14th:
-ILT training with NISD Math Coaches, 7:45 am
-Fire Safety Program, 1:45 (more details will be sent on Tuesday)
- Thursday, October 15th:
-Data Teams with 2nd and 4th Grades
-Parent Conferences, 3:45 - 6:45 pm
- Friday, October 16th:
-Data Teams 1st & 5th Grades
Date Change:
Due to Data Teams on Tuesday, October 21st, Grade Level PLCs will be moved to Wednesday, October 22nd
Save The Date: (please add these dates to your calendars)
October 22 Fundraising Kick-Off Assembly 8:00 am and 8:30 am (more details to come)
Happy Birthday To:
Tanya Ledger 10/17
Planning for Parent Conferences...A Few Reminders As You Wrap Up BOY Conferences
- Make copies of the parent conference form: 1 copy to send home to the parent, 1 copy to turn in to Kim Blackburn, 1 copy for teacher records
- Turn in a log of conferences to Kim Blackburn
What should/could be discussed in a BOY parent conference?
- Student Reading Level: Share student reading levels with parents, and discuss types of books students should be reading at home to build fluency and stamina. In grade levels with high expectations for reading level growth, I suggest having examples of beginning and end of the year text, and comparing student reading level to the examples.
- Student Writing Stage and the Analytic Writing Rubric: The rubric is a powerful tool for showing parents expectations for beginning of year, middle of year, and end of year grade level expectations. You have exemplar pieces of writing to help with this. I encourage you to have student work for parents to see and compare to exemplars. You may even highlight where the student is on the rubric.
- Math Readiness: Use CBA data and student grades to identify student strengths and areas for growth in math. In STAAR tested grade levels, you might share examples of STAAR problem solving questions so that parents have an understanding of the rigor of questioning on the assessment.
- Student Behavior: If behavior is interfering with student learning, it is important that parents be made aware of the specific behaviors observed. Share any strategies being used in the classroom to promote positive behaviors, and collaborate with the parent to develop new or additional ideas. I also recommend discussing the most effective method of communicating behavior concerns with the parent.
- Share your goals for the student, tips for support at home, and student strengths!
Technology At The Hills:
We are working to establish a baseline for technology hardware at The Hills. Several have asked about removing computers, adding computers, informed me about non-working computers, etc. Please understand that the outline below is the standard we are working toward for our campus.
- Each classroom should have 3 desktop computers for student use. If you do not have 3 working, desktop computers please email Q and we will work to get this resolved.
- We are working on getting 3 netbooks for each classroom
- Your 3 desktops and hopefully 3 future netbooks are considered part of a set that goes with your classroom. This means that these should remain in that classroom and should not be removed.
- Your 3 student computers should be predominately used by students. You can have 1 hooked up to your projector to use when needed but it should not become solely a “teacher computer”. Your laptops should be used as your teacher computer. We need to strive to utilize our available classroom technology and not let it gather dust.
- If you have computers or netbooks in your classroom that are not working, please put in a helpdesk asap. If you already have one in you can edit the helpdesk to reiterate your need.
Technology Integration and Software Updates:
- STRIDE should be in use in your classroom as much as possible when appropriate. In the morning before school and during our upcoming PLT time are good times to start using.
SHES Digital Cadre Applications Due Tuesday, October 13th! This is an incredible opportunity for those interested in developing proficiency with technology integration and building capacity as a technology teacher leader. I hope you will consider!
Staff Member of The Week!
Staff Members of the Week:
Penny Blanchard:
- Did you know that Penny is a deep thinker? She likes to sit and listen and/or observe, soaking everything in. Her reflective approach offers great insight and perspective. But, be careful, if you thought no one saw you yawn at the staff meeting or take that extra piece of candy from the candy jar, chances are, Penny did! :)!
Ted Twa:
- We know that Ted is always lighthearted and loves to have a good time, but did you know that he keeps a scooter at The Hills, and has been known to ride it up and down the halls on a whim? In fact, one time he even rode the scooter right into a former Superintendent! :)!
Learn more about Ted and Penny by reading their information on the "Star Staff" board in the teacher's lounge!
Information and Reminders:
- The "Booing" has begun! If you have been "booed" please make sure you mark your name off of the list in the lounge! Remember, this is a small gesture to brighten a staff member's day. Who will you "boo"?
- Campus Placement Committee Representatives: As voted by the campus the committee members will be Ted Twa and Barbara Reyes, Cathy Smith will be the alternate member.
Reminder...classroom teachers responsible for recording attendance! It is important that attendance be taken at 9:30 daily. This is the snap-shot time for our building, and TEA does audit teacher attendance. TEA can review the time of day that individual teachers are submitting attendance as a review for campus/district funding. If TEA finds that a teacher consistently fails to record their attendance at the campus snap-shot time, then TEA can take away up to one semester of funding for every student in that class. Last time we checked funding amounts per student - for one teacher with a class of 25 students that would be approximately $16,875.00 of funding withheld. Monitoring student attendance is also a component of the PDAS teacher evaluation system. Please stop and take attendance when the 9:30 bell rings each day.
New Dates Added for Beginning of the year conferences with Kim Blackburn are going well! These conferences are for all staff members. We will discuss your goals for the year, what support you need from me, etc. If I am your appraiser for PDAS, we will also discuss your observation. Use this following link to sign up: https://docs.google.com/a/nisdtx.org/spreadsheets/d/1GltuZsjn6Wm9cah9kfMKXgcB7d92JDDSlsskwzTCnko/edit?usp=sharing
- PDAS Pre-Conferences with Leslie Russell begin soon as well. If Leslie is your appraiser, please use the following link to schedule a conference with her: https://docs.google.com/a/nisdtx.org/spreadsheets/d/18BbAXDOOGUSXvI4TuFW88hPXXbx81G1vtf0nI49u0io/edit?usp=sharing