The Scoop
Special Services Update - August 22, 2022
Communication, The Scoop & You!
Please be sure and read each edition of the Scoop carefully and let us know if you have any questions.
Have a great week!
~Keri
Students Who Transfer
Tomball ISD is a FAST growth district! Great job the past couple of weeks in getting all of the summer enrollees in Frontline eSTAR and ensuring their IEPs are being implemented!
Just a reminder on the procedures since they did change for this year. Remember there is a different procedure if they enroll in the summer versus once school starts. Here is the Operating Guideline as a reminder.
Link to Children Who Transfer: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z8_r0iB5sV3y0hD1H803Nctl9l1M2pPKTiiy_o7iS-Y/edit?usp=sharing
*also DON'T FORGET when working on transfers or summer enrollees... all PIEMS errors MUST be corrected by snapshot in October. This means any student coming in without finalized eligibility or with an out of date NCEC or Elgibility not recognized in Texas, testing and ARD must be completed BEFORE snapshot even if timelines allow for longer.
SHARS
See the link for some resources to assist with SHARS billing for related services, support services, and PCS services.
Please feel free to share with any campus staff who may need this information. If you have any staff member who shares they are not listed as providers but need to be, please email annle@tomballisd.net the following information:
- Name
- Email Address linked to frontline
- Role (and whether or not they need to be supervised if related service/support service)
Learning Ally Changes
LEARNING ALLY CHANGES
Tomball ISD has moved to the single sign on for Learning Ally students and teachers. This will streamline the ability to make eligible and access books for all users. We will be providing resources and training as we get rolling, but in the meantime, use Classlink to access your Learning Ally Account (both students and teachers).
The app on the various devices will remain active and usable with no changes. Use your Classlink log in on the apps on your phone or ipad. All students and teachers have been uploaded into the rostering, so a teacher only has to look up the student name in Learning Ally (under Manage Students) and mark their eligibility (if they are a new user). Remember, the student must have a reading discrepancy but does not have to be IEP or 504 to be eligible. They should have access to anything previously in their accounts. Questions or glitches? E-mail eileengarza@tomballisd.net
#TotallyTomball
2022-2023 Grading Guidelines
STAR Ren and Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) Updates
We have updated the TIA website with information on testing procedures for TIA assessments. This information is critical to understand in regards to testing procedures for all students. There were questions during the district PD day regarding Star Ren and other assessments and allowable accommodations. Please review the documents for this guidance.
Visit the TIA website to review testing procedures for Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) assessments. Access testing procedures here. Access the full website here.
BOARDMAKER 7.0 UPDATE
Boardmaker had a big update in the Spring and many of you also have received new or different laptops. Boardmaker is a program with which you can create visual supports, instructional activities, Interactive whiteboard activities and stories. It is provided to all LIP teachers and others as needed.
If you need Boardmaker installed or updated, please go to this form:
https://forms.gle/LPhNNEmADWF2U6oU6
and provide the requested information so that we can get you set up.
GameChanger Challenges for the Week
See below for your first (not at Cross Talk) opportunity to win team points this year:
For this work week only, any team that tweets a celebration (student, district, campus or SS staff) for this school year and
- Tags @TStudentsupport with
- The hashtags (replacing your actual team name for "yourteamname"): #TISDGameChangers and #yourteamname
We will soon have a team points counter in the SCOOP. There may also be hidden opportunities for points throughout the other articles in the SCOOP, so keep an eye out! Keep being #TISDGameChangers and show everyone the true spirit of #Ubuntu!
INVITE YOUR NURSES!
Ruling Roundup: Bullying & Harassment
Districts have an obligation to ensure that any bullying or harassment does not deny a student FAPE. Learn about what the courts, ALJs, and hearing officers have to say about bullying and harassment of students with disabilities.
If you are new to TISD, we are working on your access to LRP, Special Ed Connection. You should be getting an email soon for log in information.
FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL SHOUT OUTS!
Everyone on the team deserves a shout out right now! You are all working so diligently and great things are starting to already happen! Here are some I have heard directly about this week:
Jennifer Sewell and Amber Naylor - have been an amazing support for the campus and a student at Grand Oaks Elementary as well as TJH! They have really gone above and beyond to help!
Jessica Mueller - Thank you for assisting SLL classrooms to get off to a great start
Jeanette Guzman, Shannen Utley, Amy Sigler & Brenda Knoepffler - Thank you for taking on extra ARDs, supervision etc. due to the current openings/shortage of SLPs! You all are amazing!
Jacy Warren - Thank you for being present and supporting campuses with PASS support
John Day - Shout out to you for spending valuable time the first day of school training and modeling for an AB teacher
Sara Pennington, Terri D'Agostino, Lori Dettenheim, Katrina Thornton - Thank you for taking over an additional caseload at OIS until we can get a diagnostician there! #TeamTomball #Ubuntu You are #TISDGameChangers
Kim Day - Thank you for the support in the morning ECSE on the first day! We love our littles!
Audra Arnold, Leads & Mentors - Thank you for demonstrating #Ubuntu and #TeamTomball in supporting our new assessment staff! We are so excited to have them and you!
Kalli Wakefield - Thank you for supporting CPES SLL and RES ECSE to get them going the first week of school!
LSSP's - You are not strangers to jumping in and helping each other out when there's a shortage and you are at it again! Thank you for your flexibility while we continue to look for support for the open position. #Ubuntu
More Information
Be sure and check out and read the other Smore Newsletters being produced by Student Support Staff:
The LIP Ledger - new
The Specialized Support Snippits - coming soon
PASSionate about Kids - new