K-2 Elementary Teacher Newsletter
January 2022
Elementary Learning Network and Student Facing Courses Feedback Survey
The survey can be found here
Please review the Pasco Learning Continuity Plan and Learning at Home resources
Learning from Home Parent Resources
This page is a general overview for caregivers
Learning from Home... Now What?
This page gives supports for getting started with their child.
Digital Tools and Resources Support
This page has tips and tricks for using technology at home. it also has the contact information for the help desk.
This is a glossary of apps that elementary students may use at home
Core Apps
English Language Arts
Celebrate Literacy Week: January 24-28
It’s time to celebrate literacy!
Celebrate Literacy Week will be held from January 24th to January 28th. The theme this year is “Launch Into Literacy: Blast Off Into New Worlds”. To celebrate, @PascoLiteracy has created a week of themed activities that celebrate literacy and what it means to launch into literacy and blast off into new worlds.
Join the Office for Leading and Learning as we celebrate literacy our love for literacy by participating and tweeting your pictures to @PascoLiteracy. Be sure to tag #PascoLiteracy. We can’t wait to celebrate alongside you!
Module Assessments
Answer Sheets: Thank you for providing feedback regarding the length of the answer sheets for the Module Assessments. Based upon the data received, we will reduce the number of lines provided for all constructed response and writing prompt questions. Those questions will now have only one line available on the Answer Sheet. This would require all written responses to be completed on the physical Module Assessment or a paper that is turned in for grading. It is our hope that this update will decrease the amount of printing needed for each assessment.
Current Module Materials: The Module 4 (Kindergarten) and Module 6 (Grades 1-2) assessments will be released for printing and assessing in myProgress on December 13th, and the testing window will open on December 15th should you choose to assess your students prior to Winter Break. If you choose to assess students after the break, the testing window will remain open through the end of Semester 2, May 25th. However, the recommended testing window is December 15th through January 7th.
Upcoming Module Materials: The Module 5 (Kindergarten) and Module 7 (Grades 1-2) assessments will be released for printing on January 26th, and the testing window will open on January 28th. Access to testing materials and the test in myProgress will be available until February 3rd. Please be sure to access all testing material needed before this date. As a reminder, this is a required assessment. All data must be entered by end of business day February 11th.
Reminders:
The optional writing prompt from the module assessment has been replaced with the required Performance Task Writing Prompt. The 12 point scoring rubric will be used to score student responses and report data in myProgress. Please be sure to have your students complete all sections of the Module Assessment (Reading, Grammar, Writing, and Foundational Skills, if applicable).
Once all Module Assessment modifications have been made, the assessments and administering guides can be found in the Formative and Summative folder. Please refrain from printing assessments directly from the HMH Into Reading Platform to use for testing purposes. Final assessment materials will be released by ARM and OLL and made available in myProgress.
DIBELS
Data Entry: All Middle of the Year DIBELS data must be entered by end of business day Friday, January 7, 2022
Progress Monitoring: Your schools have access to DIBELS measures for Progress Monitoring. Directions for entering data can be found here, Contact a member of the ELA Team and/or Larry Porter if you have any questions.
HMH Into Reading Tips
Close Reading Screencast
Into Reading Resource Overview
Reading Endorsement
We are excited to announce a new pathway for obtaining a reading endorsement. FCRR's Reading Foundations and Evidence-Based Practices Reading Endorsement Pathway is a new face-to-face option. This pathway will be for those who have not yet begun to take any of the reading endorsement courses. The full pathway must be taken face-to-face. We will begin with Competencies 1 & 2, details can be found here.
Mathematics
On the B.E.S.T Path
The Elementary Math Team is excited to begin our journey into the Florida B.E.S.T Standards for Mathematics starting in January 2022. We will offer three evening cohorts second semester. Each of these cohorts will participate in three sessions. The dates, times, locations, myPGS course & section #s, and topics that we will focus on for each session can be found below. Instructional participants will receive stipend pay and 2 inservice points per session. Please be sure to register for each of the three sessions separately in myPGS. We look forward to collaborating and learning with all of you as we begin this journey on the B.E.S.T path!
Session 1: Florida B.E.S.T Standards for Mathematics Overview
Session 2: Mathematical Thinking and Reasoning Standards (MTRs) & Fluency with Arithmetic Operations and Automaticity with Basic Arithmetic Facts
Session 3: Florida B.E.S.T Standards Alignment to Eureka Math & Zearn
Zearn
Research has shown that students who complete 3 Zearn lessons per week (outside of tier 1 instruction) show substantial growth in math proficiency. That is because Zearn is a scaffolded, supplemental program that students can use to help them outside of tier 1 direct instruction. Here’s how it works: When starting a new module, have your students also start the same mission in Zearn. Have them continue on consecutive lessons while you’re still giving tier 1 direct instruction. Because it’s scaffolded, the students will be getting a double dose of learning, help at the time they need it, and the tower of power allows them to work on grade level problems with immediate feedback. When you change modules, have them change to the new mission to match the module you’re teaching even if they don’t complete the previous mission. Students can do Zearn at home, before school, when finishing early or anytime they have extra time in your classroom.
Keep in mind this work was not replacing Grade Level Tier 1 Instruction but used as a supplement outside of classroom instruction.
To help motivate students, here’s a collection of ideas ZEARN has seen used this year to build excitement and momentum around weekly lesson completion: Zearn Digital Lesson Incentive Ideas.
If you have any questions or need help getting started, please don’t hesitate to email Jan Anderton at janderto@pasco.k12.fl.us.
Science
The Pasco Science Team hopes you had a wonderful and relaxing break. We are excited to partner with you in 2022. Happy New Year!
Science Academy Evenings
We were so excited to see so many of you at our Science Academy evenings. We appreciate your commitment to supporting our young scientists as they learning to explore, investigate, ask questions and build knowledge about their world. Participants have access to all Academy materials in the Science Academy course in MyLearning. Additionally, everyone can access the materials and recordings of the sessions at the PD Hub on your MyPascoConnect Dashboard. The next Academy is scheduled for March 9th.
Student Facing Courses
K-1
We are thrilled so many of you are utilizing the Kindergarten and first grade courses in MyLearning. These Student-facing Teacher-facilitated courses are a great way to use the 5E Instructional model to explore primary science. Keep the feedback coming as we continue to build and revise this resource. The Q3 content is available in MyLearning Commons. An email was sent to all K and 1 teachers in December with directions. Click on 'Commons' in the left navigation column in MyLearning and search for "Lesley Kirkley". You will see the Q3 content module for both K and 1. Simply click on the correct grade and select 'import'. No need to delete anything this time, only the Q3 content was shared.
2nd
Remember to access the Studio Board links through your MyLearning SFC. The Teacher Resource page in that SFC serves as a lesson plan with links to any resources you need. This is the best way to plan for using the Studio Boards. Since the Studio Board links on the curriculum maps bypass the SFC Teacher Resources page, we will be removing them. Having the board links on the maps has created confusion. Please use the Teacher Resource page to access the links.
WE NEED YOU!
Our next generation of successful scientists and engineers needs you! Volunteering to judge at the Pasco Science & Engineering Showcase is a rewarding and uplifting experience that is actually best realized when a student researcher is presenting their project and realizes their judge both understands and cares about their research. By judging, you are providing encouragement and opportunities for our future scientists and engineers to grow and succeed. This inspirational afternoon is also a great way to spark ideas for your own classroom next year. If you are interested in volunteering as a judge, click the link below. The link will take you to the Pasco zFairs website where you can use the "Create an Account" feature to the right and then select "Register as a Judge". All judging will be done virtually this year so you don't even need to leave your house!
Social Studies
Happy New Year! Welcome to the second semester and another opportunity to engage students with content that connects them to their community and beyond! I hope you had a wonderful and relaxing holiday break with friends and family and feel rejuvenated to move mountains in this semester.
Please note the following required instruction for January - revised instructional calendars will be uploaded within the SS button on the ELN:
January 17th - Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday - No School
January 27th - International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Civics Seal of Excellence Endorsement
In the Summer of 2021 Governor DeSantis launched the National Model Civic Literacy Initiative which included the Florida Civics Seal of Excellence. This Seal allows for a $3,000 bonus for educators who complete a training to earn the endorsement. The Florida Department of Education has begun to release additional information on the number of teachers statewide who will be eligible and will be sharing specific details on training dates in the coming months.
Information will be forthcoming about the required state professional development; prioritized teachers to receive the summer trainings; and funding for the seal requirements in the Spring from the Commissioner’s office. The Office of Leading and Learning will be the point of contact for questions, as more information is released from the state we will communicate in our administrator and teacher newsletters. Please contact Tina Stavrou or Samantha Del Valle with questions.
SEL/Compassionate Schools
Elementary Team Contact Information
If you have any questions or need any assistance please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us on the elementary team.
- Elementary Programs: Kim Hedgspeth - kfoster@pasco.k12.fl.us
- ELA K-5: Roshonda Royster - rroyster@pasco.k12.fl.us
- Mathematics PK-6: Tracy Miller – tamiller@pasco.k12.fl.us
- Science K-8: Lesley Kirkley – lwade@pasco.k12.fl.us
- Social Studies K-12: Tina Stavrou-Klem - astavrou@pasco.k12.fl.us
- Art & Music: Tom Viking – tviking@pasco.k12.fl.us
- PE & Health: Matt Wicks – mwicks@pasco.k12.fl.us
- SEL: Deedra Mitchell - dcopelan@pasco.k12.fl.us
- PBIS: Susanna Haberle- shaberle@pasco.k12.fl.us
- Reading Prof. Dev. & Learning: dvarcard@pasco.k12.fl.us
- K-12 Literacy Intervention: clough@pasco.k12.fl.us
- K-12 Mathematics Intervention: janderto@pasco.k12.fl.us
- Instructional Coaching: jdblair@pasco.k12.fl.us