Anchor Weekly
A newsletter for Alta Vista Staff~Week of September 30, 2019
Don't Forget! Next Week's Calendar
- RtI A-Z Meetings all week of September 30-Sign up on schedule: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1o7xDrMWCfAlq5H1fjp1KBi48R0w2Lu55iRmaVSXf4fk/edit?usp=sharing
- Kindergarten Field Trip on Tuesday, October 1
- Wedding Shower for Cecelia Martinez on Tuesday, October 1 in Library after dismissal
- Transformation Waco Crew at the Zoo on Tuesday, October 1 (STAFF ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND!)
- Superintendent Visit on Wednesday, October 2 at 10:30 am
- Wear PINK for Breast Cancer on Wednesday, October 2
- Optional MAP/CLEVER Training on Wednesday, October 2 at 3:30 pm in library
- Outstanding Teacher Nominations Due to Bonnie by Wednesday, October 2
- #r12DigIn Twitter Chat on Wednesday, October 2 at 8 pm
- Math BOY Assessments (Grades 1-2) on October 1-3
- Behavior PLC on Thursday, October 3
- Leadership Sandbox on Thursday, October 3 at 4 pm
- Popup Social at Slow Rise Slice House on Thursday, October 3 at 6-7:30 pm (Bring your family!)
- School Pictures on Friday, October 4
- WISD Math Support (Gr 1-2) on Tuesday, October 8 at 4 pm at Admin Building (Sign up in Eduphoria)
- Math Coaching with Mr. A (Select Teachers) on Tuesday, October 8
- Wear PINK for Breast Cancer on Wednesday, October 9
- Lesson Study Kick-Off (Select Teachers) on Wednesday, October 9 in Conference Room
- Math PLC on Thursday, October 10
- CDMC on Thursday, October 10 at 5:30 pm in Library
- Wear Green/Gold/Baylor/College Shirt on Friday, October 11
- Soda Floats in Staff Lounge on Friday, October 11
- Baby Shower for Jennifer Williams on Friday, October 11 in the library after dismissal
- Tribe Pow-Wow during Specials on Friday, October 11 (Wear team hats!)
Captain's Log
OUTSTANDING TEACHER NOMINATION TIME!
Please see Ms. Bonnie to nominate a teacher to represent Alta Vista as our Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Nominees must have worked for Waco ISD since August 2017 (2 years). Nominations are due Wednesday, October 2.
We are excited to kick off our fall technology PD series. These training events are being offered due to feedback from you on our technology survey. If there is more training you are interested in, please email me and Mrs. Helton.
Don't forget to add your grade level plans for our Family Game Night! Link to plans: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1--NblLvp_Dd_DSzs_rzVY9vKe_6OVOMMpEUlXyAalz0/edit?usp=sharing
We had great feedback from our goal-setting conferences. If you have students that didn't get to meet with an adult, please email Mrs. Orchard so we can arrange to meet with those students.
October is generally a challenging month, especially for behavior. We want to be proactive by focusing on positive behavior interventions. This starts first with focusing on your positive:negative ratio. We would also like to encourage each grade to offer an incentive for no referrals. Please decide what you want to do as a grade level and put it in here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1038TIJCYsmkCrSghch0wWEVmS70yFobe653Pz_Q0pvE/edit?usp=sharing
Aids Needed!
Conscious Discipline & CHAMPS
Our focus for the month of October in Morning Meetings will be RESPONSIBLITY. Lesson plans are here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Tq6Li347FaKHp2H7MAkkZdcLEIHj4_Kw6FTdopLWQAY/edit?usp=sharing
If you are struggling with your assertive voice in the classroom, then the link below is a great resource for you! It's about 20 minutes, and is highly recommended!
Video: https://consciousdiscipline.com/e-learning/webinars/reclaim-your-power-with-assertiveness/
October Behavior Incentive Plan (complete as a grade level): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1038TIJCYsmkCrSghch0wWEVmS70yFobe653Pz_Q0pvE/edit?usp=sharing
RtI A-Z Meetings
October Makerspace
We are excited to bring you two awesome Makerspace activities for the month of October. In the library, students will read "The Dead Family Diaz" to learn more about South American culture and the celebration of el Dia De Los Muertos. They will be making skeletons using q-tips.
Mrs. Helton will also be hosting a Makerspace cart. She will read "This is the House that Monsters Built" and students will be able to create their own monster house out of recycled milk cartons. This book is PERFECT for teaching sequencing! If you are interested, please email Mrs. Helton a time for her to visit (about 45 minutes). Teachers will need to have students save their milk carton from lunch and rinse it out ahead of time.
PLCs
10/3: Behavior
10/10: Math (Gr 3-5 Both Subjects)
10/17: Reading (Achieve/Smarty Ants training)
PLC Notes Template: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15mQMYbvKViCaECDi2jYO4e212lPqQ2pYe6s-BJXpSlk/edit?usp=sharing
PLC Protocol documents: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aELmSN0YFOsf7LxfhIXFBg-e9pciibgqgOwN_Z8_NPo/edit?usp=sharing
Fact Fluency Assessments
Remember that you should be doing a 5-10 minute daily fact fluency lesson each day in math. Here's the skill focus for October:
Kindergarten: Numbers to 10
1st Grade: +2 Facts
2nd Grade: +2 Facts
3rd-5th Grade: Review of Subtraction Facts
At the end of each month, you should be doing an assessment (except grades 3-5 until November). Here are the links to the assessments. These assessments are very short but should be done 1:1 in order to assess what strategy students are using to solve the problem.
Fact Fluency Google Folder: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9Sqac3OGWQ2djJudXBINTJBYkE
Staff of the Week
Congratulations to Ms. Cuevas for being our STAFF OF THE WEEK. She has worked tremendously hard to make sure students are enrolled and has led the attendance team to improve student attendance for the school.
Ms. Haskett's Class
Ms. Rawles' Class
Ms. Martinez's 4th Grade Class
Ms. Greer's Class
Ms. Williams' Class
Ms. Lopez's Class
Ms. Bearden's Class
Ms. Gray's Class
Ms. Long's Class
Ms. Martinez's Kindergarten Class
The Teacher Toolkit
The Teacher Toolkit has lots of great strategies, with videos and directions, to increase active participation in the classroom. Check them out today and share with us how you used one of the strategies!
GT Nominations
The process for GT nominations has changed slightly to please read carefully. All questionnaires, except the Nomination Form, must be completed digitally using Google forms this year.
Resources for nominations: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/108WZ9JV6AxoCl_DlFTIRRx4_ESvXGPAL?usp=sharing
Steps:
1. Have parent give permission to test for GT using the "Nomination Form." https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oAbtziak_xOpyRzsfgM2vRHKh3m8ECejg6JTU-2kxw4/edit?usp=sharing
2. Send home the link to the digital Parent Questionnaire or provide parent with a paper copy. You will have to input the parent questionnaire answers into the digital Parent Questionnaire. bit.ly/gtnomparent
3. Complete the digital Teacher Questionnaire. http://bit.ly/gtnomteacher
4. Have your student use a computer to complete the digital Student Questionnaire. bit.ly/gtnomstudent
PK, K, & 1 District Professional Development & Coaching Requirements
PK Teachers - 30 hours of Early Childhood Professional Development is required for all PK3 and PK4 teachers in the 2019-2020 school year (15 hours of CLI PD courses and 15 hours of coaching)
**See Mrs. Helton to find out exactly how many hours you have acquired so far for the year.
UPCOMING PD
PK Planning for PK Teachers
Date: Thursday, October 24th
Time: 4:00-5:00
Location: WISD Admin Conference Center
*Register in Eduphoria
*counts towards 15 hours of coaching requirement
ELAR Textbook Adoption Information & Training
When you receive your new adoption, you are welcome to unbox it, but keep materials together. The district will be coming to barcode all the materials, so they need to be easily accessible.
Math & Science Vertical Planning Days
Math Planning Dates (Grades K-5): October 28, December 10, February 18
Science Planning Date (Grades 3-5 Only): October 15, November 12, January 10, February 19
Please work with Ms. Bonnie to secure subs for these days (grades 3-5 only). Grades K-2 will use the aides assigned to their grade level.
Box Cards & One Eyed Jacks Training for Math Coming November 14
Grades 3-5 Training: 8 am - 11 am
Grades K-2 Training: 12 pm - 3 pm
You will need to create a 1/2 Day School Business Absence in TEAMS (7:45-11:45 or 11:45-3:45). Please work with Ms. Bonnie to secure subs. The subs in the morning will be able to cover the afternoon classes for the lower grades (if you don't have an aid in your room).
GT Update Opportunities
Foundation 30 Hours of GT Training OR Initial Administrator/ Counselor training (Deadline December 13, 2019)
Day 1: Nature and Needs of Gifted Learners, Responsive Learning
Link:http://txgiftedcourses.responsivelearning.com/SelfRegistration/
Registration Code: c11277WISD11371
Day 2: Screening, Assessment and Identification, Responsive Learning
use the link and code provided above
Day 3: Differentiating in a G/T Classroom, Google Classroom (oqa726)
Day 4: Critical and Creative Thinking, Google Classroom (mslr7j)
Day 5: Depth and Complexity, Google Classroom (eg3pzl)
Annual Update Options- All annual updates are due no later than May 1, 2020
Book Study (September 1-December 20, 2019) 6-Hours Credit Each
Living with Intensity, Susan Daniels (Eduphoria course link)
Mindfulness in the Classroom, Season Mussey (Google Classroom 2mp2z0i)
Frames (ebook)- J. Taylor Publishing. (Must be purchased and downloaded from JTayloreducation.com. Item # JTE-5D) (Google Classroom q359noe)
90 Minute Google Classroom Updates- Complete 4 to fulfill your 6-hour Update
Depth and Complexity: Creating Tiered Instruction (Google Classroom wtda9jh)
Differentiation in the Classroom: The Basics (Google Classroom ifxecn)
Depth and Complexity: Creating a Choice Board (Google Classroom F5gm8ec)
Depth and Complexity: Creating a Frame (Google Classroom 67xr2h)
*Additional courses will be added throughout the year.
Baylor Differentiation Conference, (October 5,2019)
Register at Baylor Differentiation Conference
Complete the TR-1 provided here, print, and return the original copy to Ashley Duncan
First come first serve. Limited to 40 seats. Preference will be given to those with a completed TR-1.