JCISD LEARNING SERVICES UPDATES
Volume 2, Issue 6 - APRIL 2019
EARLY CHILDHOOD ADVOCACY
We met with Senator Mike Shirkey's aide to discuss the wage disparity and how increased funding could help boost teacher pay. We feel would help keep teachers in their current positions and would cut down on the high turn over rate we are dealing with throughout the school year.
Next, we spoke with State Representative Julie Alexander to continue our conversation and advocacy hitting on the same points. Ms. Alexander had some very good questions for us which we will need to follow up with her on.
It was a great and exciting opportunity.
MDE READ BY GRADE THREE PARENT AWARENESS TOOLKIT
BRIDGES OUT OF POVERTY
Nonprofit Network is offering several FREE “Bridges Out of Poverty” training sessions in 2019. The information they provide can be helpful when evaluating grant proposals. If you are interested in attending, please register using the links below.
- Thursday, April 9 from 9 AM – 1 PM at the Community Action Agency: https://nonprofnetwork.org/event-3296323
- Saturday, May 11 from 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM at the Jackson District Library - Meijer Branch: https://nonprofnetwork.org/event-3275548
- Wednesday, August 7 from 1-5 PM at the Jackson District Library - Meijer Branch: https://nonprofnetwork.org/event-3275564
- Wednesday, October 2 from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM at the Jackson District Library - Meijer Branch: https://nonprofnetwork.org/event-3275567
MICHIGAN KINDERGARTEN ENTRY OBSERVATION (MKEO)
Beginning in the fall of 2018, the first phase of implementation of the MKEO utilizing the KRA (Kindergarten Readiness Assessment) tool began in all public kindergarten programs (LEAs and PSAs), including young 5s and developmental kindergarten classrooms, within three of Michigan prosperity regions (Regions 4, 5, and 9). Jackson County is one of the counties in Region 9 whose school districts participated in the first phase of implementation. We are grateful for the support of participating teachers and school districts.
The Kindergarten Readiness Assessments (KRA) is a research-based, developmentally appropriate, assessment tool designed to measure school-readiness of incoming kindergarteners across four domains: language and literacy, mathematics, social foundations, and physical well-being and motor development. It allows for a backward review of early learning experiences. It also assists teachers with information to help them differentiate instruction and address learning gaps.
Every teacher who is new to teaching kindergarten, developmental kindergarten, or Young 5s, who administers the KRA needs to complete a KRA training to ensure the reliability of administration. Teachers who received training last year and are experienced with the KRA need to maintain their certification through refresher training. These trainings will be offered at the Jackson County Intermediate School District. The new teacher trainings are a two-day face-to-face training, offered on June 12, 13; August 13, 14; or September 5,12, from 8:30 - 3:00. The refresher training will be offered on August 5 or 15, from 8:30 - 11:30. Please register for the trainings through JCISD's Professional Learning Online Catalog.
If you would like more information on the MKEO/KRA, check-out the website, http://mkeo.kready.org. You can also access a recording of the recent informational webinar at http://bit.ly/mkeo-informational-webinar-2019. Also included is the 2018 MKEO/KRA Report for each district in Jackson County. Please note that this report includes:
a history of the MKEO KRA in Michigan;
the implementation schedule for the state;
guidance on how to understand the uses of KRA and how to thoughtfully discuss the data
ADDITIONAL LINKS
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LEARNING SERVICES TEAM CONTACT INFORMATION
Director of Instruction and Learning Services
- Tovah Sheldon, tovah.sheldon@jcisd.org, (517) 990-3612
- Dan Luciani, dan.luciani@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5238
Data and Assessment
- Jennifer Fox, Jennifer.fox@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5212
- Deb Spencer (Support), deb.spencer@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5175
Early Childhood (Birth to Grade 3) / Great Start Collaborative / GSRP Preschool
- Jean Allison, jean.allison@jcisd.org, (517) 990-6710
- Wendy Bell, wendy.bell@jcisd.org, (517) 990-8046
- Christina Blackwell, christina.blackwell@jcisd.org, (517) 990-8015
- Catherine Brubaker, catherine.brubaker@jcisd.org
- Kelly Friedland, kelly.friedland@jcisd.org, (517) 990-3625
- Kelly Sheppard, kelly.sheppard@jcisd.org (517) 768-5281
- Deb Spencer (Support), deb.spencer@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5175
Literacy
- Melissa Bulgrien, melissa.bulgrien@jcisd.org, (517) 990-8077
- Maeghan McCormick, maeghan.mccormick@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5191
- Sandy White, sandra.white@jcisd.org, (517) 990-6718
- Tammy Minder (Support), tammy.minder@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5158
Mathematics / Science
- Heather Holshoe, heather.holshoe@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5151
- William Montgomery, william.montgomery@jcisd.org, (517) 990-6717
- Ronda VanStempvoort (Support, SCECHs), ronda.vanstempvoort@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5251
School Improvement
- Jessica Bucklin, jessica.bucklin@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5759
- Jennifer Fox, jennifer.fox@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5212
- Dan Luciani, dan.luciani@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5238
- Deb Spencer (Support), deb.spencer@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5175
Whole Child / School Health / Project AWARE / Attendance and Homeless Programs
- Janelle Buchler, janelle.buchler@jcisd.org, (517) 787-5903
- Kara Klotz, kara.klotz@jcisd.org, (517) 990-3623
- Caitlin Williams, caitlin.williams@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5264
- Tammy Minder (Support), tammy.minder@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5158