Greer Gazette
January 2014
Reminders and information
- As part of the school's response to bullying on any basis, the school should convene an ARD meeting to determine whether, as a result of the effects of bullying, the student's needs have changed such that the student is no longer receiving FAPE.
- This is for the student being bullied and the student that is the bully.
FYI- For those who are waiting for their Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading Materials they are on backorder until February and March for Corrective Reading.
Winter Gathering at Greer
Winter Gathering at Greer
Winter Gathering at Greer
Door Prize winners
- Pam Parkman
- Alison Kieschnick
- Jennifer Hise
- Teresa MacNaughtan
- Carlynn Gardner
ESL Certification
Hello PreK-5 content area teachers, secondary ELAR teachers, and Special Education teachers,
We have had some questions in the past couple of weeks regarding ESL certification. I thought it was a good time to send a reminder to all PreK-5 content area/classroom teachers, secondary ELAR teachers, and Special Education teachers. If you have any questions, please contact the Bilingual/ESL Dept. at x7710.
MISD ESL Certification Requirement
PreK-5th – All elementary content area teachers and special education teachers need to be ESL certified by the end of 2015-16. The cost of the ESL test will be reimbursed. Newly hired elementary content area teachers starting 2014-15 should be ESL certified upon hiring or by the end of January. The cost of the ESL test will not be reimbursed for new hires, since this is part of the requirements in the job description and contract.
Secondary – All ELAR (reading & writing) and special education teachers need to be ESL certified by the end of 2015-16. The cost of the ESL test will be reimbursed. Newly hired content area teachers starting 2014-15 should be ESL certified upon hiring or by the end of January. The cost of the ESL test will not be reimbursed for new hires, since this is part of the requirements in the job description and contract.
TExES #154 ESL Supplemental Certification Information
• ESL Test Reimbursement Checklist
• Testing Information & Registration
• ESL Supplemental – TExES #154 Preparation Manual
• TExES #154 Information (Test Code is 154)
• How to Create Your Testing Account
• How to Register for a TExES CAT Test
• How to Add Certification on TEAL
ESL Test Prep. Class
Below are upcoming dates for the ESL certification test prep class both at McKinney and Region 10. We do not cover the cost of subs.
At McKinney
ESL TExES #154 Preparation Course (2 Full Days) *Registration in Eduphoria
• January 12th & 13th
• April 8th & 9th
At Region 10
Several training opportunities are offered through Region 10 during the school day and after school.
There is also a supplemental online learning option.
Online - TExES English as a Second Language (ESL) #154 Supplemental Competency Follow-up
Resource Classrooms
How do you improve a student’s comprehension skills?
Active listening concentrates on what is being said rather than passively listening to the speaker's message. It requires focus and consciously uses all of the senses to understand what is being communicated by the sender. It is a literacy skill that needs to be explicitly taught. We are not born with listening skills already developed. Active listening is integral to the vital 21st-century skills of collaboration and communication.
Why is active listening so critical? It is a vehicle for metacognitive processes to become fully engaged during classroom instruction. Metacognition is "thinking about thinking." It is a student's ability to plan, monitor and assess his/her thoughts, understanding and performance. Metacognition leads to improved comprehension and higher-order thinking skills. If classroom instruction is teacher-directed and not student-centered, active listening can easily turn into passive listening. It is almost a certainty!
By engaging students in conversations that require them to activate their prior knowledge and purposefully think about their responses to a problem, comprehension and learning occurs. The reading gap will close.
Burks Elementary
Sharing a meal!
Language for Learning!
FAC/STC Classrooms
A GREAT RESOURCE FOR ANYONE WORKING WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS
Texas Behavior Support Initiative (TBSI)
The Texas Behavior Support Initiative, or TBSI, is a legislatively mandated state level training by Senate Bill 1196 and the Texas Administrative Code. §89.1053. The TBSI training is designed to provide foundational knowledge for the use of Positive behavior Interventions and Supports for students with disabilities as well as with all students. While the TBSI training meets legislative requirements related to procedures for the use of restraint and time-out, it also provides a framework for sharing a wide range of foundational level behavior strategies and prevention based school-wide, classroom, and individual interventions.
To register for this free PBS training:
https://www.escweb.net/tx_esc_04/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=1098115
LS Classrooms
Scatterplot-probe data sheet where first trial data is collected to measure acquisition and retention of skills.
Prompted-when the teacher gives any physical, verbal, positional, gestural, or partial prompt/cue to the student.
Approximation-a student response that is partially correct or a close variation of the target skill.
Acquisition skills-target skills being taught to student based on current assessment and IEP.
Correct Response-The desired target behavior as defined by the IEP. Unless other prompts/cues are specified in the goal, the response should be fluent.
Incorrect Response-A response given that isn’t the correct response, or is accompanied with maladaptive behavior(s), or the response was not within 5 seconds of the teacher’s instruction.
Mastered Skill-student engages in desired target behavior indicated in the IEP’s mastery criteria.
DSSC Classrooms
A Dot A Day: You will be hearing more about this in our training on January 5th. Graphing student behavior provides us with the ability to show progress. We can also look for behavior trends and possible antecedents. Graphing just a “dot a day” is simple and will keep you prepared to review progress at any time. Look in the RADD Binder in tab 6 to find your students’ behavior graph. Are you graphing the behavior data? Are you graphing the progress reporting data on behavior goals? Keep it up with just a dot a day!
Classroom Management
Delivery of redirection and classroom procedures is critical. Think of the difference in saying, “rules” or “expectations”. Which one sounds better to you? When redirecting student behavior, always point out what they should be doing rather than stating what they shouldn’t. For example: Say, “I am looking for you to get out your Math notebook and begin”, rather than, “You are not working”. All humans want to be spoken to with positive words and encouragement. This approach will also prevent power struggles and emotions. Don’t forget to review your classroom expectations as our students come back from the Winter break!
Speech and Language
There is a Family Fun Day scheduled for January in Frisco.
Here is a link -
Advancement Procedures
Advancement Staffing Documentation and Pre-Scheduled Advancement Planning Meetings:
In order to open the lines of communication and ensure time is given to discuss complex cases advancing from one campus to another Advancement Planning Meetings have been scheduled. The completed Advancement Staffing Documentation forms will be provided to the receiving campus at the Advancement Planning Meetings. Please prioritize time during these meetings to discuss students who are more complex and require unique support and services that require pre-planning.
Each elementary school Lead that has students advancing to a middle school will need to plan to attend the morning meeting on those campuses as listed below. Each high school Lead that has students advancing to them from a middle school will need to plan to attend the afternoon meeting on those campuses listed below.
Ø Faubion MS – January 9 from 8-4:00
Ø Evans MS – January 12 from 8-4:00
Ø Cockrill MS – January 16 from 8-4:00
Ø Scott Johnson MS –January 20 from 8-1:00 (Elementary)
Ø Scott Johnson MS – January 21 from 2:00-4:30 (Secondary)
Ø Dowell MS – January 23 from 8-4:00
NOTE: The schedule for these dates is every 30 minutes per elementary campus in the morning from 8:00-1:00 and secondary campuses every 45 minutes in the afternoon from 2:00-4:15. These meetings will be schedule through Sign Up Genius initiated by middle school leads.
For students advancing from Lawson to an elementary campus, please plan on attending:
Ø Lawson – February 26th
For students advancing from high school to CAP/NS, please plan on attending:
Ø North HS – March 6 from 1-4:00
Please see the posted document “Advancement Procedures--Advance from PPCD Elementary Middle School High School CAP/NS/Transition” posted on the portal for detailed information regarding advancement procedures for this school year.
Special Olympics- Future Dates
Basketball
Competition at Fieldhouse USA in Frisco, Texas
Friday, 2/13/15
Track and Field
Local Meet at Ron Poe Stadium
Friday, 4/10/15
STAAR ALT
REMINDER: CREATE YOUR TESTING CALENDAR NOW
STAAR Alternate 2
IMPORTANT DATES:Up to 10 days before 2/9/2015
Preview window2/9/2015 – 2/27/2015
STAAR Alternate 2 Assessment2/10/2015
Transfer date: students entering the district on February 10 or later do not have to be assessed2/2/2015 – 2/27/2015 (early deadline)
• Data verification (TestNav)
• Test administrators can continue transcribing student responses
Special Thanks
- Heather Provo and Susan Wilcox encouraged a general education teacher to apply for MEF grant that would amplify the whole classroom and she received the grant! Thanks Heather and Susan!
- Lori Patterson from MHS has awesome scatterplot data! So ask her how she does it and look at her examples! Way to go Lori!!