ELD Department News
Keeping you in the know!
Ready, Set, GO!!
ELD Think Tank (required meeting): Tuesday August 16, 2015 from 12:00-3:00
ELD Think Tanks are our quarterly opportunities to meet as a whole department, share our successes, clarify our practice, and learn together. All meetings will be held at the HOPE Online learning center in Centennial from 12:00-3:00, and you will receive detailed agendas and other pertinent information prior to each meeting. Prior to each meeting, you are invited to participate in a BOY Lunch beginning at 11:00 to network and connect with your colleagues.
Dates for the year are as follows:
- August 16, 2016 - LINK to AGENDA
- October 18, 2016
- November 22, 2016
- February 28, 2017
- May 9, 2017
All dates will be shared on the ELD Department Calendar that is posted on the District ELD google site.
If you are a secondary teacher or Kindergarten teacher, you will need to request a 1/2 day substitute for each of the ELD meetings if they are scheduled during your time with students. Please enter "ELD - Other Training" as the reason when submitting your request. If you are an elementary teacher, you will not request a substitute.
Reading Together
All materials that were ordered in May have been sent to schools. Please notify your ELD Lead if you have not received your materials.
ALSO . . .
Follow these links for more information about Reading Together:
- Learning Together: Reading Together.
- DCSD FAQs
Secondary Teachers: W-APT Early Identification Windows
If you participated in assessing students during the early identification windows, please submit all hours completed via this form no later than Friday, August 19, 2016, and send all paperwork to Christina Levesque at Wilcox.
New to DCSD ELD
As a new to DCSD ESL Teacher, you are required to attend and complete this course: Essentials for the 21st Century ELD Teacher. This will include the nuts and bolts of DCSD's ELD Department and WIDA ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT) training.
The next session will be held on August 23rd from 8:00-4:00 at the West Support Center (701 Prairie Hawk Drive, Castle Rock, 80109). Registration will be available soon.
You will be provided a 30 minute working lunch. Please bring:
- a charged laptop (some portions of the training are not compatible with an iPad or other tablet)
- your lunch
If you are a secondary teacher and classes are in session, you will need to request a substitute. Please enter "ESL -Other Training" as the reason when submitting your request. If you are an elementary teacher, you will not request a substitute. Information regarding substitute requests are located here.
Upcoming ELD Courses
Course: English Language Development - WIDA Basics (Non-PGI)
Session: 874-2, Online
Start Date: 08/15/2016
Course Link: https://pd.dcsdk12.org/course/view.php?id=5269
This session is geared for classroom/content teachers and ESL teachers who are new to WIDA ELD Standards and Can Do Descriptors. We encourage you to participate with your team!
Teachers will:
1) explore the WIDA standards, and Can Do Descriptors;
2) analyze best practices for ELLs;
3) create a plan for implementation and adaptation of the GVC using the Can Do
Descriptors.
ELD Support Sessions
ELD Teachers are not required to attend support sessions and should not try to attend all of the support sessions as they are intended to provide ample support for the entire ELD Department. It is the ELD teacher’s responsibility to secure the principal's or supervising administrator's approval prior to attending a Support Session. If a staff member attends a Support Session, it is assumed he or she has obtained permission to attend.
Individual google calendar invitations will be sent for each Support Session, and we appreciate your RSVP if you plan to attend. Each Support Session will be posted on the ELD Department Calendar. If there are no "yes" rsvps, the Support Session will be cancelled.
WIDA ACCESS Placement Test (WAPT) Update
So . . . nothing has changed - yet!
CU Denver CLD Cohort - Pass it On!!
Effective practices are critical in supporting every student in the school experience, including English Learners. DCSD is excited to partner with CU Denver to offer an opportunity for certified staff to earn Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) graduate courses leading to the CLD Endorsement and/or Master's Degree.
Please contact to Remy Rummel and Cindy Close with your interest, and plan to attend an information meeting on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 from 4:00-5:30 PM at the Early Childhood Center (3950 Trail Boss Lane, Castle Rock).