Principal Walder's Monday Memo
For the week of January 13
Finding the "Just Right" Book for IDR
When we visit this week about our Reading (and Language) NWEA Scores, we will start our conversation with discussing how each of you is supporting students in finding their "Just Right" book for reading.
I know it is sometimes challenging to find the "Just Right" book, so I look forward to a discussion this week about the strategies you have found that work well and also what ways we can support your students. There is one version of the "Five Finger Test" outlined below we can reference as we discuss. I know many of you use a variation of this as well.
The Five Finger Test (Taken from Read Brightly)
- When your child finds a book he wants to read, have him flip to a page in the middle of the book. (One with the same amount of text as the other pages.)
- Ask your child to read the page — out loud so you can help.
- From a closed fist, hold up a finger each time your child misses a word. She can do this on her own eventually.
- No fingers mean that the book is an independent level — it’s easy for her to read and perfectly fine for part of her reading diet. One to five fingers means the book is at an instructional level — BINGO! — just right for her to grow as a reader. Six or more fingers means the book is at a challenge or frustration level and not recommended because the child won’t be able to comprehend the text.
It's a great day to be a Titan!
PLC Objectives for the Week
At the end of the PLC this week,
- we will have reviewed our progress on how we each support independent reading book choice in the classrooms.
- we will have completed a review of your NWEA Class Reports and Quadrant Reports for Reading (and Language for 5th).
Here will be the driving questions of our conversation during PLC:
A. What does this data tell us?
B. What doesn’t it tell us?
C. What can we celebrate?
D. What do we see as areas of opportunity?
E. Based on this data, what do you see as an action step to improve Student Achievement?
Materials Needed:
- Class Reports
- Quadrant Reports
- Writing Utensil
- Highlighter (if you choose)
- Computers are not needed this week.
Dr. Walder's Schedule
Monday:
- 7:30 Team Meeting with Nurse and Counselor
- 7:40 IEP
- 8:00- 8:15 Quick Staff Meeting
- 9:20 5th PLC
- 10:15 4th PLC
- 1:00 Instructional Leaders at DEC
- 3:30 IEP
- 6:30 School Board Meeting
Tuesday:
- 9:30 Admin Meeting
- 1:40 3rd PLC
- 2:00 IEP
Wednesday
- 7:30 IEP SPED
- 9:00 Observation
- 11:50 2nd PLC
- 12:45 1st PLC
- 2:30 Classroom Activity
- 3:30 SPED Meeting for TLR
Thursday
- 7:30 SPED Review Meeting
- 7:40 GOLD Team Meeting
- 11:30 to 2:00 SDAESP Meeting in Sioux Falls
- Kinder PLC 2:30
Friday
- IEP 7:40 (with Ms. Steinbeck)
- 12:30 Intervention IEP
- NWEA Goal Setting Complete in all classrooms
Reminder: The GOLD Team will be conducting observations of the GOLD Expectations throughout the month of January.
Schoolwide NWEA Goal Setting
If you have any questions, please reach out. Thank you!
Contact Dr. Walder
Email: Samantha.Walder@k12.sd.us
Website: https://www.teaschools.k12.sd.us/
Location: Tea, SD, USA
Phone: 6058817381
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeaAreaLegacy/
Twitter: @swalder7