The Roar
September 26, 2016
Chats with Chatham
It is that time for early release conferences! Don't forget PTA will be providing lunch both days for all staff. Make sure you tell them thank you!
I've included another Promise Talk here this week. Take a moment to watch McClain Hermes. You won't regret a moment of it.
There is no Tuesday meeting this week and no collaborative planning. There is a PBT meeting and a Support Team meeting planned for Monday.
Thank you to those of you who have already completed the surveys. We still need a few more participants, both from staff and students. The student surveys are now in eClass.
AdvancEd Staff Survey (K-5) This survey is for state accreditation, and each staff member needs to complete it. This is an online survey. Please note as you read through the questions that sometimes it mentions the school's governing body or the school board. Most of the time that is referring to our GCPS Board of Education. I have already taken the survey. It takes about 10 minutes.
Have a wonderful week. We ARE Harbins!
Jennifer
Congratulations!
Please use the form below to mark your choices for the October 10 professional learning
McClain Hermes . . .
Roars
- Thank you to Mr. Woolfolk, Mrs. Clark, and Mrs. Stephens for helping me with the eClass differentiated groups. I heard wonderful things about the time spent with teachers. I couldn't have done it without you! -Joel
- Thank you to 29 teachers who gave their time and talents to make Talent Showcase auditions amazing. You encouraged and guided our students so they can be successful on the Talent Show.
Spanish Interpreted Conferences.
Required District Assessment 1st 9 Weeks Interim
The test administration window for 1st 9 weeks DA is 9/26/2016 – 10/21/2016. This is a REQUIRED assessment. Everyone will also administer the test on-line. You do have the flexibility of when to administer them to your class, and if you administer them in small groups in your classroom or whole group in a computer lab. If you want to administer whole group in a computer lab, you are responsible for signing up for a lab and a time. Assessments to be given: 1st and 2nd grade: Language Arts and Math. 3rd-5th grade: Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
ELPPs and Monitoring Forms
The deadline for ELPPs and Monitoring Forms is October 7th. Amanda Acres will be available after school October 3, 5, and 7 to help.
Georgia DOE Math Standard Surveys
The Georgia DOE is seeking feedback from teachers across the state regarding standards Georgia Standards of Excellence K-10 that have proven to be difficult to interpret and challenging to teach to guide the development of additional statewide professional learning resources. The surveys were disseminated statewide, using rosters of teachers provided by the Professional Standards Commission. We have been asked to share with our teachers to be certain every current teacher of mathematics has the opportunity to participate. Surveys need to be submitted on or before October 5, 2016 to be considered.
Kindergarten https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GaDOE-K-Math-Educator-Survey
Grade 1 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GaDOE-Grade-1-Math-Educator-Survey
Grade 2 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GaDOE-Grade-2-Math-Educator-Survey
Grade 3 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GaDOE-Grade-3-Math-Educator-Survey
Grade 4 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GaDOE-Grade-4-Math-Educator-Survey
Grade 5 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GaDOE-Grade-5-Math-Educator-Survey
Conferences
Please see below. For this first conference we will not be giving out the math profile.
Reading and Writing Communication Reports
As a reminder, teachers should communicate fall reading and writing levels to parents at September conferences. Feedback should be based on a preponderance of evidence, not on a single reading or writing assessment.
English and Spanish Communication Reports may be found on the LOCC.
Early Release
When parents are scheduling your conferences, please adhere to the following timelines:
Ÿ Friday, September 9, 2016 Send home/e-mail Parent Letters with information about on-line Early Release conference sign-ups that gives the password for parents to use. Sign-ups are in 20 minute back-to-back segments. 1:00pm should be your earliest conference time. Please don’t schedule before 1:00pm.
Ÿ Refer to Joel Frey’s e-mail for up to date directions for Early Release on-line process for parent sign up.
Ø Check your conference schedule to see how many parents have signed up and send home reminders in class newsletters by September 16 and 23.
Ø Reminders to parents about Early Release will be on the school web site, Peek of the Week, School Sign and your classroom newsletters/websites.
Ÿ September 16th, Friday afternoon, - Give a copy of your conference schedule to appropriate special education teachers, reading teachers and Rosie Nunez. Review updated Lunch and Specials times in the Roar, The Hub, and in the Handbook. Plan for your times for lunch, TDPE and specials.
Ÿ Wednesday, September 28, 2016 - Early Release- No AKS/CQI
Ÿ Thursday, September 29, 2016 - Early Release-No AKS/CQI
Ÿ Friday, September 30, 2016 - Complete spreadsheet on Early Release data in Google Docs (completed Parent-Teacher Conference Attendance Record *state requirement). Make sure you keep a copy of the attendance information from parent conferences in September and February. This includes phone conferences.
Helpful Reminders:
Ÿ Post a daily conference schedule outside your room with either the parents’ or students’ names
listed and the times of the appointments.
Ÿ Arrange a desk and/or chairs in the hall outside your door for waiting parents/children.
Ÿ Have copies of your grading procedures handy for parent reference.
Ÿ Use conference time to discuss Reading and Writing Communication Reports, Math Student Profiles, develop academic contracts and discuss behavioral issues and/or parent concerns.
Ÿ Do not plan to meet in the media center with parents as that is not a private location and parents will be taking the parent survey in that location.
Ÿ If a parent fails to attend a scheduled conference and a second conference cannot be rescheduled, a phone conference may be held with the date recorded on the Conference Schedule record.
Ÿ When a parent attends a scheduled conference, they should sign and receive copies of the Reading and Writing Communication reports.
Ÿ You may want to discuss eClass/BYOD and how you are implementing it in your class.
Ÿ Update Academic Contracts. Parents should be aware if their child has an Academic Contract. Parents will need to sign a developed and updated academic contract.
**** No discussion of retention should occur with the parent without consultation with your grade level AP first.
Jennifer, Christy, Marie, and Paula are available to attend conferences, if needed. Please e-mail requests via Lotus Notes to “Harbins Administrators” –ASAP so we can get your conferences on our calendars. We want to support you! The counselors are available as well if you need themJ
Gradual Release
Teacher Behaviors for Gradual Release of Responsibility
“I Do” (Demonstration)
Purpose: To provide access to a new skill
- Provides the rule, definition, or a step-by-step explanation with examples and a visual
- Provides think-alouds talking about the thinking process while modeling
- Asks higher level questions
- Ensures student understanding before proceeding
“We Do” (Guided Practice)
Purpose: To assist students in mastering each step one at a time
- Leads students through practice examples of each step
- Gives students opportunities to demonstrate a grasp of new learning
- Provides immediate feedback
- Returns to this level at any time students are unsuccessful
“You Do It Together” (Collaborative Practice)
Purpose: To move students toward fluency through application
- Gradually reduces support to students, but monitors them as they work in pairs or small groups
- Provides immediate feedback and reviews/clarifies when needed
- Brainstorming occurs among students
- Students use peer support to communicate ideas and process information
“You Do It Alone" (Independent Practice & Reflection)
Purpose: To transfer new knowledge from short to long term memory
- Ownership and responsibility of learning has shifted to the student
- Students demonstrate knowledge of the concept and perform without teacher assistance
- Students self-assess or peer assess and publicly share their work
- Students view failure as an opportunity to learn
TDPE
PBT Documents
https://drive.google.com/a/harbins.org/folderview?id=0B1rrguQ1VjQ1bEd4czM3eTAtcnc&usp=sharing
Classroom Spirit Award
ABCD Awards
Please send your nominations to Chatham for recognition of staff members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that teaching and learning at Harbins are at the highest levels.
Roar Deadline
If you want to add something to the Roar, it must be sent to Montine by noon on Thursday of each week. If not turned in by Thursday at noon, it will have to be entered into the following week’s Roar. Thanks for your help!
Leaders in Learning
A Chrome file has been shared with each teacher, please go in to list your Leader in Learning each month when Montine sends out the notification email.