BAMS Staff Newsletter
October 25, 2013 - Volume 1, Issue 6
BAMS Staff,
I'm really proud of all of you for how we have gone about getting ready for the WKCE exam this year. We definitely have a new philosophy and new tools to prepare us for this year's assessment. It is great to me how we had a plan for getting ourselves and our students ready for the WKCE and we carried out that plan. This speaks highly of you! I've seen it happen where a plan is created, but not effectively put into action. Go us!
Enjoy your week and let me know if I can help in anyway.
Thanks!
Adam
Bessie Allen Middle School - SLO
- By the end of the 2013-2014 school year, an identified population of lower level 6th -8th grade students will increase their Reading RIT score on the May MAP assessment. (draft)
I will be coming into Team time this week and looking closely at Reading MAP data and determine which students would be candidates for us to identify for this SLO. My vision is for us to target lower level students that are not currently receiving supports. This number may vary per grade level. I can see our population being 3-5 students per grade.
My other thinking with this goal is that it will generate great conversations about our RtI system and opportunities for practicing academic interventions and supports. The focus will be on Tier I for each student, and then go from there.
We need to have PATIENCE and COURAGE as we move forward with our RtI Framework. Patience to understand we will not have a perfectly working system in a short period of time, and courage to take risks and fail. I'm really excited about this!
Out of the Office
- October 29th - 8:00am - 11:30am - Admin Meeting (DMR)
- November 5th - 10:00am - 11:30am - Admin Meeting (DMR)
News and Notes
- New Bleachers in Gym - Bleachers done! The staged is being walled-off with a barn style door in the middle. This should be completed soon, too. Painting the gym, Ginnie and Zach?
- 6-12 Scheduling Change - We will not be making a schedule change this year. Our current thinking is to have something in place for the start of next year. Sarah McDowell, Lee Skaar, Adam Micke, and I visited Woodworth 2 weeks ago and saw some things that will help us with our decisions. We are looking into visiting another school in the near future. Please let me know if you would like to help with this process.
- Aesop (Automated Subsitute Teacher System) - We are looking to begin using this system in December. Until then please continue to pass subbing needs onto Joan or myself.
- Ugly Sweater Day - Let's get a little crazy November 8th. Please look deep in your closet for a really ugly sweater to wear to school on this day. I think this will be a fun way to show some school and staff pride! I'll think of a prize for the ugliest sweater.
Oriole Way
- Our data is showing technology to be a main violation for students. Please continue to do regular fidelity checks and talk about doing fidelity checks. These actions will help keep our students safe.
- At our last meeting we discussed our hallways and if there is a need to have lines in the halls. We saw at Woodworth that they have signs right in the middle of the hall so students have to physically go around them and stay to one side. we will continue to use data and observations to drive any actions we take.
- Next Meeting - November 6th at 7am
OASYS and Teacher Effectiveness
- SLO - Due October 31st
- First formal observation for Year 3 Staff - Due before January 15th
- Mid-Year Review of SLO - Due Mid-Year (no specific date)
Dates to Remember
- October 28th - School Board Meeting
- October 29th - List of Groups for WKCE to Kim, Jenny, and Adam
- October 29th - 8th Grade SS WKCE in all of Galligan's Classes
- October 31st - 8th Grade Writing WKCE in all of Skaer's Classes
- October 31st - ELC Trick or Treating
- November 1st - Pep Assembly at 1:45pm
- November 1st - School Dance 6-8pm
- November 8th - Ugly Sweater Day
Staff Meeting Agenda
November 12th 2:50-3:15pm
- Bullying Reporting
- RtI Game