Transition Plus
Working for more equitable outcomes for students & families!
Friendly reminders about interrupting teaching time
We've noticed in Team One, our staff "comings and goings" are getting to be very disruptive to students and the teaching process again. The difference is SO SIGNIFICANT that it bears sharing. Our students look to all staff as a model for classroom and "life" behavior. They respond to our energy, our demeanor, our attitudes, and our approaches. With that said, the following are notable for all staff, not just ESP's.
Entering a classroom: enter quietly, please do not knock if you have a key. Announcing yourself to another staff member from the doorway across the room "Hey, do you need your break now?" interrupts the entire classroom and shows our students that they can also do that from the doorway when passing by in the hallway.
Classroom conversations not related to lesson topic or teacher directives: Having a staff-to-staff discussion in the back of the classroom in a speaking tone (anything above a whisper) is noticed by the students. This tells them that they can also have discussions with each other during lesson time.
Some of us always simply forget. We understand that student medical needs, behaviors, and staff breaks need to be addressed, but this is just a gentle reminder that there is a better way to do so.
Suggestions: Quietly walk into a classroom, visually identify which staff member you need to connect with, then walk over as unobstrusively as possible and tap them on the shoulder, arm, etc & whisper into their ear or gesture for them to follow you outside of the classroom.
In a nutshell : Information on 9/27 showed significant amount of student's talking, energy and anxiety behaviors observed, and this correlated to the number of staff talking and moving around the room and engaging or responding to students' off-task behaviors during the lesson. teachers have had to stop interventions to wait until the talking stopped before restarting. This environment culminates in a student leaving for a bathroom break, then having a meltdown upon being asked to return to the classroom.
Wellness Walk or Bike to School!
Transition Plus is signed up for the Wellness Walk or Bike to school.
Staff and students are encouraged to walk or bike to school, if it can be done safely, on Wednesday, 10/4 and/or Friday, 10/6.
Look for a sign in sheet in the main office. There will be Power of Vitality points for participants and a chance to win small prizes.
Looking For Test Scores or Student Computer Logins?
The information is at your fingertips! All teachers have access to this information and more through CFS. Indeed, you've had the power in you all along!
CFS can be accessed through the MPS staff site under the "Instructional" tab. Once you are logged into CFS you can search for:
- Student computer login information under Reports > Enrollment > Student Usernames & Passwords.
- Student testing information by searching for an individual student and looking under "Student Historical Data" under the "Testing History" tab. Please note there may be additional testing information under the "Reading/ELA", "Math" and "Science" tabs.
- All kinds of information and data about students!
Please login to CFS TODAY and check out this resource!
Need Help With Gradebook?
IT has developed a ton of resources to support teachers with Gradebook.
All are accessible and available to teachers through the MPS staff site, a MyMPS course, and google drive.
The resources include written directions, instructional videos, etc.
If you haven't before, please check out these tools developed by IT to support teachers.
Counselor's Corner
Spring PSEO
Do you have a student who might be a good fit to start PSEO this spring? If so, please send any interested students to Britt ASAP. The deadline for the spring PSEO application is November 1st!
Schedule Changes
At this point we are halfway through the quarter (!) and there continue to be many schedule change requests (not to mention new students) coming in. Often the same students are repeatedly requesting to have their schedules changed. Beginning this week, schedule changes will only be processed in cases where there is an extenuating circumstances (ex. a health issue, a safety issue, an amended IEP.) and Jason must sign off on all schedule changes. Thank you for your patience as we implement new policies and procedures around scheduling.
T-Plus T-shirts
The first 10 submissions will get a Dairy Queen gift card.
I will expand the deadline until October 6th and survey staff during staff meetings this week to see if people are interested in this.
Work Base Learning (WBL) News
The Construct Tomorrow event will be on Thursday, October 5th this year. Please mark your calendars. We will be taking a group of students from Transition Plus to this "hands on" exploration of careers in the construction trades. Students will get an opportunity to find out about Union Apprenticeship Training programs that pay participants to develop construction career skills. These are careers that provide good wages and great benefits.
Reminder: Eric Reichow is available to work with individual students to help them put together or update their resume and help with their job search. Please contact Eric to schedule an appointment.
Staff Updates
If you are unsure of which office staff can help you here is a little sheet to help with roles and functions.
Monday - Our new Office Assistant staff starts. Please make sure to welcome Melissa
Tuesday - Our temporary School Secretary starts. Please make sure to welcome Pam.
Peggy will be returning to work on Monday 10/2- stop by and say hi!
Flu Clinic
On Wednesday October 18, we are hosting the FLU CLINIC from 11:30am to 2pm held in the Transition Plus cafeteria. This clinic is available to ALL staff, family members, community members, anyone walking by the building.
We are trying to vaccinate everyone. Please bring your insurance card, completed registration form, and photo ID to the clinic. If you do NOT have insurance Ppease come anyway. The clinic is supported by MVNA and HCMC. This year they are encouraging people to fill out the registration forms ahead of time and Linda/Angela will have them in the Transition Plus health office (this is to save time ).
Linda will hang up posters around the Wilder building to help get the word out.
Any questions/concerns contact Linda at 668-4071 or stop in the health office at Transition Plus
BINGO!!!!!!
Our first Bingo event will happen 12:51-1:21 pm.
Winners will have a chance to come down to the office for a prize.
Students Re-entering after off-campus lunch
No students will be re-admitted after lunch if they return after 1pm unless the front desk is notified of this prior to 1pm by the case manager. Rationale that will not be accepted includes having to wait for food order. This does not include students notifying case managers at 1:10 and then the case manager calls down on their behalf.
Please encourage students if they are going to order from local deli or restaurants they should call ahead. This is a great life skill to teach them. Some case managers have menus in their rooms- you may want to have them handy for your students if they have been habitually late.
Guardian Spreadsheet
Case managers please email Paul Dennis directly with a list of students that are not their own guardians.
MPS Strong
Together we are strong!
Thanks for the strength and resilience you model for our students every day!
This Week at T Plus
Friday-------8AM---------- ILT
----------------12:51-1:21-- Bingo
----------------2-2:30pm---- 1/2 SEA Meeting in the engagement rm C205
----------------2:35-3pm---- 1/2 SEA Meeting in the engagement rm C205