EMS/ELA STAFF NEWS
11/4-11/8
Halloween 2019
On deck for DUTY this week...
AM: Crispino, Bilkos, Olaechea, D.Lammers, Owens, Mulry
PM: Bowerman, Bergfalk, Zamkov, Pickering, Cambra, Brunk
Please remember to report to your post (see schedule) on time (AM 8-8:15) (PM 3:45-4PM).
If you are unable to report, please find a colleague to cover for you.
Each year, Englewood Schools sends out a culture & climate surveys to students, parents and staff members. The data from these surveys help us to improve student and staff relationships, learning conditions, and the schools' overall environment.
This survey is anonymous and voluntary. The more questions you answer, the more valuable information you will provide to us. We appreciate you taking the time to answer the questions (about 10-15 minutes.)
Please complete the survey as soon as possible. This survey will close on Friday, November 8.
Thank you to those who led and those who engaged in our PD breakout sessions on Friday.
For your listening enjoyment....
The Gist: This versatile strategy incorporates movement as students “scoot” around the classroom. It is key to think about where you want the students to move and why? What materials will you have at each spot? Will they explore different texts? Work on different skills? Build on the ideas of others? No matter what, students should have a specific task to complete or question to answer each time a “scoot” is announced, and there should be a clear direction for movement, i.e. clockwise around the room, to the next color/number/table, etc. It is also helpful if you have a way to monitor student progress – how will you check for understanding or task completion?
Examples of Scoot in Action:
- Literary Lenses – Have students “scoot” in small groups (3-4) from table-to-table, applying different literary lenses to the same text.
- Peer Editing – Have students “scoot” around the table, highlighting different items in their paper or a peer’s paper. Each student could travel around the table, highlighting examples of different skills, one at each spot OR the papers could stay and each student could be assigned one skill to highlight and/or provide feedback. Then, students come together to discuss trends, find “rock star” moments, and talk about each paper’s strengths/areas in need of revision. Individually, students could complete a goal-setting form to respond to feedback and make a plan for moving forward.
- Discussion Stems – Have students scoot around the room to discuss a text, focusing on different questions, or different discussion stems at each station. At each station, they will focus on a different skill, i.e. summarizing.
2. Collaborative Mind-Mapping
Online collaboration tools can be a great way to involve students in a discussion-based task.
The Gist: You can have students create an online mind map (pen and paper works, too!) using MindMup which is completely free and compatible with Google Drive for easy sharing with group members and teacher. Students can “discuss” virtually through creation of this mind map, which forces them to purposefully think about how they are building a conversation (great for practice using conversation stems), OR students can track the progress of their discussion by creating the mind map together as they go. They will begin by posting an initial question or topic for discussion in the middle of the mind map (or multiple topics) and then insert child nodes which build on a main topic and sibling nodes for multiple branches off of one common idea. I always ask students to identify themselves by writing their name before their comment or assigning a certain color to each group member so that I can easily see who added what to the conversation.
3. Buzz Words
The Gist: Choose at least five key words that directly relate to the reading and write them on cards or in grid boxes on a sheet of paper. Have students discuss how the words connect/disconnect, what their significance is, and find textual evidence to support their ideas.
Change it Up: You can have students map out their ideas on a sheet of paper as they talk. You can also invite more movement by calling out “connect” or “disconnect” and having the students move to find a word that their own word can connect or disconnect with as the start to a new paired conversation.
Hot Topics...
Math Lunch Bunch... Math teachers are inviting students who need specific skill support to a lunch bunch (taught by interventionist Ms. Vasquez). 7th grade students will get help on Tuesdays, 8th grade on Wednesdays and Algebra students on Thursdays. Students will receive an invitation pass an are encouraged to participate (snacks provided:-)
Teachers Please Be at Your Doors During Passing...as this ensures an adult presence during this unstructured time
Lunch Detention Notification...thank you so much for providing consistent opportunities for students to serve academic or behaviorally based detentions. Please remind students to bring their pass to the cafeteria as we will not release students without one.
Field Trip Forms...Should please be submitted to Trish in paper form as they must include the necessary signatures before getting pushed through. Also, please take a moment this week to double check that your requested field trips are on the EMS calendar. Follow up with Trish if you do not see it.
Take 5s in the Office...In the event that a student needs to report to the office with a Take 5, please ask them to check in with Mrs. Saginak at the desk before taking a seat. Also, please send a chat to admin. communicating the behavior for which the student needs to take responsibility.
Students Missing their Chromebook...Please let Trish know, or refer students to her if they are missing their chromebook.
New IT resources are available for Englewood educators....
WIDA's self-paced eWorkshops provide quality Professional Learning that you can complete when you want, where you want, and at your own pace. Learn along with colleagues in your local professional learning community - each eWorkshop has content that is perfect for PLCs! Prefer to engage with smaller chunks of content on your own? Watch one module at a time during your prep period, at home, or on the bus.
Please email Lorenzo_Moreno@engschools.net and Gary_Hanson@engschools.net by November 1st to receive your login credentials for these eWorkshops. The completion of these eWorkshops can be used to fulfill the CLDE professional development re-licensure requirements.
CPR/FA---If you are in need of renewing your CPR/FA or need to take the class for the first time we have 2 options for classes. You can take an all day class or an online class.
The online class cost $20.00 and will be covered by the district. If you sign up for the online class and miss the class you will need to pay back the district. After you take the online course you will need to print your certificate and bring it to a skills check in during time frames of 10-11 AM or 1-2 PM.
The dates for online course are:
Wednesday 11/13/19
Monday 12/9/19
Tuesday 2/4/20
Thursday 03/05/20
Friday 04/10/20
The full day course (8:30am-3:30pm) dates are:
Tuesday 10/22/19
Wednesday 01/29/20
Thursday 05/07/20
Please see Stephanie La Scala in the EMS Health Office to get more information and to get signed up for a class time.
Looking ahead...
November 11-12: Benchmark 3 (all 4 Gen Ed classes)
November 12: Spirit Night at Chick fil A 4-8 PM
November 13: Staff Meeting 3:50-4:50 PM
November 14, 15, 16: Check Please (EMS/ELA play in the black box theater)
November 21: AVID field trip to CU Denver 8:30-2 PM
November 22: Captain's Assembly
November 25-29: Thanksgiving Break