Elementary K-2 Teacher Newsletter
Bi-Weekly - Issue 3 - May 2020
Together We Learn Call for Proposals
Are you doing awesome things in your school or classroom?
Do you have innovative ideas to share with colleagues?
Pasco County Schools would like to take this opportunity to invite you to share your expertise with educators from around the county by presenting at our summer learning events
happening this July.
Our call for proposals is open to all staff who would like to host sessions to be held during Together We Learn which will take place from July 27th – July 29th with a target audience of teachers, coaches, school support staff, SRP, and school leaders.
Submit your proposal to present a session and join your colleagues in exploring best practices
happening right here in Pasco County!
Proposal deadline is May 15, 2020
Click here for more information and to submit your proposal.
Are you interested in learning more about Canvas?
https://www.instructure.com/canvas/events/canvascon
CanvasCon Online 2020 | October 15 | Virtual Event Educators and edtech experts will come together on October 15 for the first ever, CanvasCon Online virtual event. Expect awesome keynotes, sessions, and the expertise of many Canvas users, partners and employees all in one jam-packed day.
ELEMENTARY Grading Practices Survey
The Elementary Design Team would appreciate your time in completing the Grading Practices Survey linked here. This survey is designed to collect data around the current grading practices and beliefs at the elementary level and will assist in driving the work of the Elementary Design Team moving forward.
Thank you
ELA Instructional Materials Narrowing Team Application
Attention Teachers & Instructional Coaches:
Get involved! The Office of Leading and Learning has initiated the review of instructional materials for the upcoming English Language Arts adoption. Selecting instructional materials is one of the most critical decisions we will make as a district and we need your expertise to choose the best materials for our students. Many are involved in the process from the steering team, to the narrowing team, to the school-based adoption team representatives.
The steering team sets up the foundation for the entire process from logistics (dates, deadlines, forms) to overseeing and monitoring the process from start to finish. The steering team is also responsible for training and educating both the narrowing and school-based adoption team representatives on the process of selecting and piloting prospective instructional materials. This team consists of representatives from the Office of Leading and Learning.
Here is where you as teachers and instructional coaches can help lead the process:
Option 1: Narrowing Team
The narrowing team, as its name implies, is responsible for narrowing the selection of instructional materials to be piloted in our schools. This is a five day commitment at the beginning of next school year. To narrow the selection, the team will receive in-depth training on the newly released Florida B.E.S.T. ELA standards as well as how to apply our district evaluation tool to thoroughly review state approved instructional materials. The goal of this team is to recommend 2-3 instructional materials programs to be piloted in our schools.
Option 2: School-based Adoption Teams
The school-based adoption teams consists of 1-2 representatives from each school, elementary, middle, high, to receive training from vendors for the prospective instructional materials to be piloted in schools. This is a two day commitment currently projected during the month of October next school year. Following training, they will serve as liaisons between their schools and OLL with piloting the materials, providing training and support within their buildings, and assisting with the final selection of materials.
Both teams serve important roles and are integral to the success of the adoption process.
If you are interested in serving on the narrowing team, please fill out an application by clicking on the link below. The deadline for submitting applications is no later than Tuesday, May 26 at 5:00 p.m. Accepted applicants will be notified by Friday, May 29. More information regarding school-based adoption teams will be forthcoming in the fall.
ELA Narrowing Team Application
ELA Teacher Perception Survey
Teachers & Instructional Coaches:
Share your feedback! The Office of Leading and Learning wants to hear from you! As a district, we would like to get a better understanding of how our current literacy instructional materials have impacted your classroom practices and overall attitudes toward literacy instruction. The following survey will take about 15 minutes to complete. Your answers will be used to help inform future planning, specifically the review of instructional materials for the upcoming K-12 English Language Arts adoption. We have also included questions pertaining your experiences with blended and virtual learning (Canvas/myLearning). None of your responses will be personally identifiable. The survey closes Friday, June 5 at 5:00 p.m. Please be sure your voice is heard!
Elementary ELA Teacher Survey
Reading Endorsement
If you are currently pursuing your Reading Endorsement through the district pathway, please note that summer courses are currently available for registration. If a course is full, please join the waitlist as additional sections continue to be added.
The state has waived all fees for certification exams through July 31st, which includes the K-12 Reading Subject Area Exam (035). Here is the link:http://www.fl.nesinc.com/testPage.asp?test=035. You can register now and receive a voucher during the appointment scheduling stage of the registration process to take the test once test centers are reopened.
If you have any questions, please contact readingendorsement@pasco.k12.fl.us
ELA
As we get closer to the summer days, families may ask about opportunities that will help their children continue to practice their literacy skills. Your students will continue to have access to several of our programs over the summer days.
- SmartyAnts will be available through July 31st for foundational skill practice.
- ARC Adventures will be available for any student needing to practice 1Green power words. This application can be downloaded on a personal device and used free through August 31st.
- Bookshelf will continue to offer our students an opportunity to numerous titles throughout the summer.
- You can also share with families these Multisensory Activities from SmartyAnts to engage students.
- Families can access our Read-at-home plan with quick strategies to help students with phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Other opportunities for our students this summer are :
- Students who read over the summer can earn a free book from Barnes and Noble.
- The Tampa Bay Times is sponsoring Reading with the Rays again this year. Students have an opportunity to read their way to ballpark.
- Audible is still offering students access to lots of free audio texts.
Our ELA team is here to continue to support you. Should you need us, feel free to reach out through email, yammer, or visit office hours every Thursday from 3:45-4:30.
Math
Click here to learn how Zearn Math supports language learners with accessing grade-level math content. This webinar will cover how:
Zearn supports kids with accessing grade-level math as well as precise mathematical language
The Zearn Math approach to teaching and learning fosters the side-by-side development of math understanding and language competence
Zearn Math's teacher-facing materials provide additional supports and strategies for language development
Elementary Math Office Hours: Mondays, 9:00-10:00 AM
Science
*****************SAVE THE DATE*******************
Pasco Science & Engineering Showcase- January 30th 2021 at CSRMS with the Showcase Awards Gala on Wednesday February 3rd at Wesley Chapel Performing Arts Center. For the 2020-2021 school year we will host a Showcase Launch week October 5th-9th.
Elementary Science Virtual Platform Information
The hand-ons on science opportunities within the DLP courses for K-5 Science are exciting. We recognize that not all of our students will have access to the supplies required to complete these activities. We have reviewed the courses and identified activities that require materials which may present a challenge to some of our learners. That information has been complied in a chart available at the link below to support you as you help students navigate their courses. If an activity requires more than glue/scissors, an alternative online simulation has been hyperlinked within the table. You can use this alternative simulation for any student who cannot complete the hands-on activity at home. Think of the online simulation as an alternate way to collect data, it is not a new assignment simply a modified way of completing the same assignment. Activities for weeks 1-9 are now color-coded by week and hyperlinked to alternate activity. We also provided organized copies of the activities referenced in the table with grade specific folders so you do not have to find them in the DLP to review.
A parent version of the table is being shared in two week increments through the parent newsletter. You can also access it at the address below:
Science Team Office Hours
The Science team will be hosting virtual office hours via Zoom every Tuesday afternoon from 3:00pm-4:00pm. Secondary Science will be the focus from 3pm-3:30pm and Elementary from 3:30pm-4pm. You can use this link to join us at office hours if you have any questions, feedback or just want to connect: https://zoom.us/j/933136923
WIPRO Science Fellowship Opportunity-Stipend $8000
Applications opened for Cohort 3 of the WIPRO Science Educator Fellowship DEADLINE EXTENDED THROUGH JUNE 15H
The TB Wipro SEF program is designed to foster teaching and leadership skills in those who have a minimum of three years of teaching experience and are committed to staying in the classroom within their school district for the next two years. Applicants do not need to have prior leadership experience. While many teachers may find these skills to be helpful for other avenues of leadership in the district, this program is not designed to facilitate the transition of a classroom teacher to becoming a school-based or district-based leader, such as a principal or superintendent. Up to twenty teachers from grades K-12 representing areas of biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/environmental science will be selected to be a Fellow for two years beginning in August 1, 2020. This is a partnership between USF and Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. The cross county design of the project has sparked numerous meaningful conversations.
Application and Information
http://bit.ly/TB_Wipro_Application
Social Studies
May Instructional Mandates
Jewish American Heritage Month is an annual recognition and celebration of Jewish American achievements in and contributions to the United States of America during the month of May. Please consider in sharing the stories of Jewish Americans in building the cultural fabric of America's history. Below you may find links to sites that provide resources to honor this month.
· https://www.nmajh.org/jewish-american-heritage-month/
· https://www.jewishheritagemonth.gov/
· http://americanjewisharchives.org/education/
Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission
· Section 267.0618, F.S., The Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission
· Resources and information https://www.womensvote100.org/florida
· Section 1003.42(q), F.S., Required instruction - The study of women’s contributions to the United States.
· Florida Ratified the 19th Amendment on May 13, 1969
https://www.nps.gov/articles/florida-and-the-19th-amendment.htm
Art - - Music - - PE
Check out this great link for National PE & Sport Week!
https://www.shapeamerica.org/events/pesportweek/National-PE-and-Sport-Week.aspx
Art
We have collected and put together a variety of enrichment ideas and opportunities for elementary art students. I hope some of these ideas come in handy for your artsy students.
Click HERE for the document of ideas.
Elementary Art optional Zoom office hours (Thursdays @ 1pm)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://pasco-k12.zoom.us/j/550545342?pwd=Q3ZVbFdMeE9UNjBkN3FaK0F0Qk5UZz09
Meeting ID: 550 545 342
Password: ArtK5
Elementary Music optional Zoom office hours (Thursdays @ 1pm)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://pasco-k12.zoom.us/j/746057278?pwd=WS8yYU1EQnNuMFFPTEFUbnRFS3dFdz09
Meeting ID: 746 057 278
Password: 022380
SEL/Compassionate Schools
It’s important to maintain your relationship momentum with your students during this last stretch of learning for this school year. Consider ways that you can empower students to wrap up their learning. Could a student lead a virtual class lesson? Could a group of students create a reflection activity based on what they’ve been learning? By allowing for student voice and choice in their learning, you’re showing them that they are a valuable member of the class and that you believe in them and their abilities.
Elementary Team Contact Information
If you have any questions or need any assistance please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us on the elementary team.
- K-1 Literacy Senior Instructional Specialist: Danielle Varcardipone – dvarcard@pasco.k12.fl.us
- K-6 ELA Senior Instructional Specialist: Courtney Lough – clough@pasco.k12.fl.us
- PK-6 Math Senior Instructional Specialist: Tracy Miller – tamiller@pasco.k12.fl.us
- K-8 Science Senior Instructional Specialist: Lesley Kirkley – lwade@pasco.k12.fl.us
- K-12 Social Studies Senior Instructional Specialist: Tina Stavrou-Klem - astavrou@pasco.k12.fl.us
- K-12 Fine Arts Program Coordinator: Tom Viking – tviking@pasco.k12.fl.us
- K-12 Physical Education Program Coordinator: Matt Wicks – mwicks@pasco.k12.fl.us
- K-12 Social Emotional Learning Program Coordinator: Lesley Wilson - lrwilson@pasco.k12.fl.us