Leaders Leading Learners
Curriculum & Instruction Newsletter May 8, 2015
Ambassadors
“In short, the growth mindset lets people - even those who are targets of negative labels - use and develop their minds fully. Their heads are not filled with limiting thoughts, a fragile sense of belonging, and a belief that other people can define them.”
Action Items
Core Content Area News
All PRINCIPALS:
New Information:
Summer GT 30 Hour Training:
The 30 hour GT training modules for Summer 2015 are now available in Eduphoria. Please click here for instructions on how teachers can register for the GT Summer 2015 modules.
Reminders:
IC Days:
ICs first day back on contract for the 15-16 school year is August 4. Please see the dates below to review when ICs will be working at the campus versus district level in August 2015.
- August 4 - 6 (Campus Days)
- August 7 (District Day - Jim Knight Training)
- August 10 - 11 (District Days)
- August 12 - 14 (Campus Days)
- August 17 (Campus Day)
Dyslexia Request:
Per TEA, data gathering is critical when a 504 committee is determining eligibility for Dyslexia. Failure to complete effective data gathering will result in a delay of the student's request for further evaluation. If you have any questions please contact, Kenya Mitchell, the RTI/Dyslexia Coordinator at (979) 209-1071.
Teacher Resource Guide for Bank on Brazos Valley Guest Speakers/Presenters:
The Bank on Brazos Valley has offered to provide guest speakers on financial literacy topics. Please click here to see the Teacher Resource Guide for Bank on Brazos Valley Guest Speakers/Presenters.
Summer School Information:
Click here for information and details about our 2015 summer school and summer program offerings.
Curriculum Writing:
May 18th - June 12th are days that have been set aside for instructional coaches to work on curriculum vital for student success in Bryan ISD. As your IC is part of a team writing curriculum, it is important that ICs are able to collaborate with all team members when writing curriculum. However, we want to help accommodate your needs and understand the importance of ICs being involved in teacher interviews. If you have to schedule an interview during the week of curriculum writing, please make every effort to schedule interviews at the end of the day.
5th Annual TSR Early Childhood Summer Institute:
The Children's Learning Institute and the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children are excited to announce the return of the Texas School Read! Early Childhood Summer Institute scheduled for July 7-9 at the Westin Galleria Hotel in Houston, TX. For more information visit the following website: www.texasaeyc.org/institute15
Elementary Principals
Summer School Information:
It is time for the summer school lists to be updated and for students to be invited. Please use the links attached to find the information on how to update the summer school list and to access parent letters (English, Spanish). Registration forms are available in English and Spanish. Please contact JoLyn Bricker if you have any questions about this process.
Required Minutes of Instruction:
Please see the required elementary minutes of instruction for 2015-2016. Click here
Classroom Libraries:
Please remember to send all of the Scholastic boxes containing the classroom libraries that are being delivered to your campus library. A team from Instructional Materials will come to prepare the sets for checkout. This will help ensure the classroom libraries stay in tact. Once classroom libraries are barcoded and labeled, they may be distributed to the teachers in grades 3 - 5.
EOY Reading Testing:
DRA/EDL testing window: April 27 - May 8
TPRI/Tejas LEE testing window: May 4 - May 15
K-5 EOY Math Universal Screeners:
Please use link to view EOY screener schedule. The dates have been determined based on curriculum needs and the use of technology for 3-5.
MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS:
Free App:
Design Squad Nation is a website that makes engineering fun through hands-on activities and easy-to-understand scientific explanations. It complements the PBS Kids television show “Design Squad,” in which teenagers compete to create the most novel solutions to engineering challenges. Teachers can start projects in the classroom and send kids home to finish them. The challenges are the best part of the site; they put learning in kids’ hands and give teachers a way to connect the TV episodes to meaningful classroom experiences. For example, kids can earn recognition for creating the best bridge made of pennies or the farthest-traveling balloon-powered race car. The competitive aspect encourages creativity. Price: Free Skills: Creativity, Critical Thinking Grade Levels: 3-8
Summer School Information:
It is time to send out letters and registration forms to parents of middle school students being invited to summer school. A sample parent letter can be found here (English) (Spanish). This link will take you to the the registration form (English) (Spanish).
Reader's Workshop for Middle School:
Due to a conflict in the presenter's schedule, the Reader's Workshop for Middle School - New to the Model 3-day workshop initially scheduled for August 5-7 has been changed to August 10-12, 2015. Registrants have been notified of the change and asked to un-enroll in Eduphoria if they are unable to attend these new dates.
Reading Grades 6-8: EOY ISIP Window - May 11-22 (entered into Aware by May 27)
Read 180/System 44: EOY SRI and SPI Window - May 18-29 (entered into Aware by May 29)
Math Grades 6-8: EOY MSTAR Window - closes May 8 (entered into Aware by May 22)
HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS:
Free App:
Design Squad Nation is a website that makes engineering fun through hands-on activities and easy-to-understand scientific explanations. It complements the PBS Kids television show “Design Squad,” in which teenagers compete to create the most novel solutions to engineering challenges. Teachers can start projects in the classroom and send kids home to finish them. The challenges are the best part of the site; they put learning in kids’ hands and give teachers a way to connect the TV episodes to meaningful classroom experiences. For example, kids can earn recognition for creating the best bridge made of pennies or the farthest-traveling balloon-powered race car. The competitive aspect encourages creativity. Price: Free Skills: Creativity, Critical Thinking Grade Levels: 3-8
Closed Captioned Kid2Kid Videos:
Closed captioned Kid2Kid videos for Chemistry are now available at Texas Education on iTunes U. The Kid2Kid videos, a feature of OnTRACK™ Lessons for Chemistry, explain topics such as “Extensive and Intensive Properties,” “Define the Concept of a Mole,” “Types of Bonding,” “Valence Electrons and Naming Ionic Compounds,” and “Writing Chemical Formulas for Simple Ionic Compounds and Polyatomic Ions.” Watch for additional Chemistry and Algebra I videos with closed captioning in Texas Education on iTunes U, or subscribe to the OnTRACK™ Kid2Kid Chemistry collection to receive videos in your iTunes Library as they are published. The Chemistry collection is available at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/chemistry-kid2kid-videos-ontrack/id763754328?mt=10
Testing Windows:
Read 180/System 44: EOY SRI and SPI Window - May 18-29 (entered into Aware by May 29)
Professional Development News
Required Principal Trainings:
- Crucial Conversations - June 11 & 12 or June 25 & 26
- Influencer Training - June 18 & 19
- Cultural Diversity Training -July 28, (one counselor and one Assistant Principal from each campus is required to attend Cultural Diversity Training)
Upcoming Events:
- May 19 --Principal PLC -- TESC Boardroom
- May 26 - Administrator Meeting
- May 28 --AP PLC -- TESC Boardroom
- July 30 --Admin/DLT Retreat -- The Veranda
- August 5 & 6 -- Administrators Institute -- Rudder HS
- August 7 Jim Knight Instructional Coaching Training
Lesson Design Institute:
Sessions have been entered in Eduphoria. Each day is entered as a course. Teachers have the option to select the days they will attend. Please remind teachers that they must attend day 1. Please click here to view a flyer with more details about the institute.
Bilingual/ESL News
All Principals
LPACs:
Documentation for the 5th six weeks LPAC for Monitored students is due to Charity on Friday, May 15.
LPAC Q&A Session:
A Q&A session will take place to answer any questions that teachers may have about the end-of-the-year LPAC procedures.
Red Folder Audits:
New guidelines for Red Folder audits will be sent to campuses beginning next week. In addition, initial and EOY individual audit sheets will be sent, form-filled with available information for each student. If you have questions, please call Charity in the Bilingual Department.
All LPAC Administrators will be sent a Google Doc asking them to sign up for a 15-minute session to discuss Red Folder audits. Please remind your LPAC Administrator to complete.
EOY LPAC:
Also, please remind your LPAC Administrator to put EOY LPAC dates on the LPAC Dates Google Doc so that a member from the Bilingual Department may attend.
Two-way Dual language:
Two-way Dual Language Parent letters have been sent to all campuses (from Print Shop). Please distribute to all students, not just to the ELLs. You may direct questions to Henderson Elementary and Johnson Elementary, or to the Bilingual Department.
The week of May 11-15 is an "B" week.
Special Education News
All Principals
Co-Teacher:In order to support the renewed emphasis on co-teach and inclusive practices in Bryan ISD, we have contracted with Region IV to provided training for both general education and special education teachers. The first round of training will take place on June 24 & 25. and then again on August 11 & 12. Please encourage your teachers to attend one of the trainings. Whenever possible, it is beneficial for teachers to attend in teams.
Summer Training for Specialized Programs:
Please remind your Ready, Pass, Soar, Flex and Life Skills teachers that we will have trainng for them on July 27, 28, & 29th.
CPI Requirements:
It is required that all Ready, Pass, Soar, Flex and Life Skills teachers and para-professionals in those rooms have CPI certification and that the certification be renewed annually. Please remind your staff that this is a requirement and not optional for their assigned positions.
Least Restrictive Environment Committee:
This year we began a new procedures related to maintaining the Least Restrictive Environment for all our students receiving special education services. If you are considering a significant change in placement or placement in a specialized program, your assessment staff or your ARD facilitator will need to bring the information to the LRE committee. This allows us to support the campus through the decision making process and make sure we have appropriate documentation and data to support the change. It also keeps us aware of the areas where we need more support and helps us to prepare the campuses and programs for the anticipated changes.
Curriculum & Instruction Department
Email: kammi.green@bryanisd.org
Website: www.bryanisd.org
Phone: 979-209-1049