Sense of Urgency

Reading P/D             Math P/D       Lang. Mech.   Social Studies     Writing
3rd    11.1%               14.8%                                   
4th    14.5%               15.9%               17.4%
5th     29.7%              14.1%                                         23.4%                  7.8%

Re-teach suggestions:  Choose one skill that students need additional exposure to and teach a mini lesson during morning work.  Add the skill to one of the daily centers for students to practice.  Leverage videos from Person Realize and Kahn Academy; students can view a video explaining the skill and have the power of pause to view the video more often if needed within the center.  Students could also have homework to practice a skill in addition to their current homework.  At the end of the week re-assess the skill and have students track their growth and progress.  A third grade example is below, you may have to copy and paste the link into the address bar.

https://www.khanacademy.org/coach/class/5741031244955648/content


SRT Calls:  Decreased by 7 for the week, going from 46 two weeks ago to 39 last week.  Please maintain high expectations for learning and behavior and create opportunities for students to show their leadership.

Bus Referrals:  We had 7 bus referrals this week.  This data is now live under the Weekly SRT Data link.  There is a tab at the bottom "Bus Referrals".

Staff Attendance:  The goal is 95% for the March.

Backpack of Skills:  Video 2

We will continue to narrow our list of skills and dispositions that all students will possess by the end of their fifth grade year.  I will send out the list we made in faculty meeting last week to gain additional input.  If you have additional input or ideas, please feel free to add to the document.

Please remember to check the living calendar and daily updates.  We have the science fair this week and trauma sensitive training -- Self Care

Grades for report cards should be entered into Infinite Campus by 3/21.  Printed report cards are due to me by the end of the day on 3/22.  Report cards go home 3/26, ECE progress reports should be mailed home,

I'm buying treats Friday for the teacher and class that can show me their self assessment sheets for tracking progress on a standard for this week.  Lunch for the teacher and a treat for the students.

King Elementary is on Twitter!  Follow us     @KingElemJCPS

Beginning With The End In Mind

Data Review  

Last year, our KPREP proficient & distinguished (P/D) results were as follows:

        Reading          Math           Language Mech   Social Studies      Writing

3rd    11.1%           14.8%
4th     14.5%          15.9%             17.4%
5th     29.7%          14.1%                                          23.4%                  7.8%

SRT Calls:  We had 46 SRT calls this past week and 40 the week before that.  Let's regroup, start tomorrow with setting learning and behavior expectations for the day, along with your Second Step lesson.  Be positive and be present!

Staff Attendance:  The month of February showed 93% teacher attendance, down from our five month high of 95%.  Please remember there is no substitute for you and I appreciate your dedication to our students.  This month, let's set a goal for 96% staff attendance.

Math:  This week, we will discuss results of the Envision Units 1-8 assessment during PLCs.  Please be prepared with your completed lesson analysis forms and student work samples.  We will use this information to gauge progression towards math standards and proficiency.


Where do we want our students to be?  JCPS is moving in the direction of ensuring students at every school have a backpack (digital portfolio) of learning and skills they have demonstrated over the years preparing for the next level -- our next level is middle school.  Below is video 1 in a series introducing the idea of a backpack of skills.  Please view and be prepared to discuss at faculty meeting Tuesday.

Please remember to check the living calendar and daily updates -- our communication doesn't work if everyone is not keeping up with school-wide information (blog).  The first and tenth person to email me will get a classroom supply surprise.

Have a great week!

Student Led Conferences

We will host student led conferences this week on Parent-Teacher Conference days (March 6-7, 2018) from 4-7 PM.  This is part of students taking Ownership in their learning and will increase motivation.  Please remember -- you must work both days to be paid. 

At this point, you should have already collaborated with ECE and ESL staff to coordinate conference times.

Special area teachers will be assigned to support parent sign ins -- please communicate with one another to have coverage for your scheduled conferences.

Student Preparation and Accountability

• Two weeks ago (in faculty meeting), you received a template for students to complete prior to conferences so they can self-assess and be prepared to lead discussions with parents for the conference.  Please remind students they should encourage parents to attend.  If you need another copy of the form, see Ms. Jones.

• Have students gather work samples (writing journals, Envision 1-8 assessment, Journeys workbook, projects, writing pieces and in progress opinion pieces, and other supporting documents.  Review MAP assessment data as well (you were provided copies of student progress two weeks ago and you are able to run your own class level reports)

 Teacher Preparation and Accountability

• Please provide Ms. Foster a copy of your conference schedule by the end of the day tomorrow (Monday)
• All conferences will be documented in IC under the Parent-Teacher Conference tab and provide me with a paper copy to confirm documentation (your schedule, with conferences checked off).
• If parents do not attend conferences, you must call every parent to attempt a phone conference (document), use the student form to guide the conversation.
• Thursday, please send home the student form and MAP student progress sheet for any student who did not have a parent attend conferences.

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

• This week is MTSS Wednesday and Thursday, please see the living calendar.

• Next week, please be prepared with your Lesson Analysis form for the Envision Assessment for units 1-8 and next steps for teaching.  This assessment will help gauge math growth and proficiency thus far this school year.  Bring your laptops to the meeting.
• Now that we are in March, we have three months of instructional time as we continue to prepare students for the next grade level, be sure you are purposeful in your planning and learning activities.  Remember, we must act according to a medical model -- identification of issue/misconception, provide a treatment/intervention, and reassess to see if the treatment worked or if we need to try a different prescription.

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) - aligns to student agendas

“Four tips for sustaining PBIS” video

Most of our agendas are designed to support PBIS. Below is a link to a 4 minute video by PBISApps entitled, “Four tips for sustaining PBIS”. Among its recommendations:

1)      The strongest predictor of sustained PBIS implementation and sustained student outcomes is implementation of PBIS in the classroom, not just common areas. (“if you have PBIS only in common areas and not in the classroom, you don’t have PBIS.”)

2)      Along with PBIS procedures, it is critical for classroom teachers to create a “positive school environment” (school climate is the number 1 indicator of higher test scores).

Two simple ways your planner can help:

1)      If you have the Esteem/Social-Emotional Planner, the 7 Habits Foundations Planner, or one of our supplements (character, bullying, cyber-safety) the monthly themes, weekly tips, or pages are designed to give teachers a talking point or discussion starter.  However, even our Classic Planner has a weekly “What Matters Most” prompt for the same purpose.

2)      The Weekly Goals area is for student action plans to build engagement and accountability. The act of writing down goals (and assignments) is empirically proven to increase homework turned in, completion of goals, and student achievement.

Here’s the PBIS video:

https://pbisapps.wistia.com/medias/uhkgj8pf29?platform=hootsuite

Access mini-lessons, etc. to plan for next year at http://resources.premier.schoolspecialty.com/

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast”

Next Level Teaching -- challenge yourself to create a Google Classroom 

Please remember to check the daily updates and living calendar.

Enhancing Our Practice 

Following Through With Next Steps...

Last week, embedded PD covered opinion writing and student progression towards completion of an opinion writing piece for cycle 3.  As we move towards student mastery, how are you planning for the following:

• Review exemplars with students each week, comparing the exemplars to the rubric you are using with students
• Allow students time to practice with the rubric, self-assessing their progress and growth needs
• Prepare mini lessons for adding components to writing, editing, and revising
• Leverage technology and have students type their work (as appropriate) this will also help with revisions and multiple drafts

Remember, writing is a process - be sure students have time to learn and grow within this process.

MAP Data Analysis

In PLCs, you worked with resource teachers to analyze your data and set up next steps for planning tier 1 instruction using this data.  As you plan in grade level teams this week use this information to reflect and plan for upcoming learning.

• Review the data for your class - what are strengths and growth areas for particular students
• Use results to plan for tier 1 instruction
• Discuss progress and goal setting with students
• Have students complete the student led conference forms regarding their progress this school year.

Please remember to check the living calendar and daily updates.  

What Does Excellence Mean?

Our north star and way forward is building a culture of excellence.  Excellence means doing our best work and being our best self each day.  Below is a short video on fixed versus growth mindset -- after you view it reflect on your mindset and what you cultivate in students you work with.  Do you provide space for their growth and expect their best work each day?  How is this communicated to students?  How do you communicate the high expectation for learning and having a growth mindset in your classroom?

Embedded PD

Tuesday, 2/20/2018 there will be an embedded PD session (Room 303) during planning for each grade level team -- the purpose is to check on progress with opinion writing (our cycle 3 writing piece).  Be prepared with one of the exemplars you have used to demonstrate a finished product and high quality writing piece, a sample of pre-writing, and the rubric you are using to teach students.

Professional Learning Communities 2/22/2018

You received an email from Mrs. Stith regarding PLCs this week.  We will analyze our MAP data and   in order to be prepared you will need to bring two reports with you.

1.  Class Report
2. Class Breakdown Report

Below is a link to help you find these reports on the NWEA site. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10l4vCzJwGqZsyJVm4PXC9isq-2NncFYAu8_-piylj1U/edit?usp=sharing

Please email Stith if you have any trouble finding the reports.  

Accountability

• Progress reports go home Monday, 2/19
• Intent to Return forms are in your mailboxes (certified teachers), please complete and turn in to Ms. Foster by Friday, 2/23/2018
• Please remember to check the living calendar and daily updates

Have a productive week!

Every Kid Needs A Champion

I'm sure I have shared this video with you before, but it is a great reminder of The Why we do this incredible job.  Please take seven minutes and watch this video as you prepare to bring meaningful instruction and activities to our students this week.

Last week, we celebrated kindness and students displayed leadership throughout the building creating positive posters, reading with younger students, helping one another, and just being kind little people.  It was a great display of students following great examples and having opportunity to show what they can do.

We have had students participating with Amazing Races moving throughout the building, locating clues and solving puzzles that engaged them in learning.

We have students winning contests, digging deeper into their learning, celebrating fluency success, making suggestions, and providing feedback in a short survey.  Our students are primed for learning, we must be EXCITED about teaching  and learning.  The more we enjoy our daily activities, the more students will value and enjoy experiences.  Our students need experience and exposure -- how do we get to the student level and make them the center of our universe?

In The Power of Positive Leadership, Jon Gordon talks about having a north star that guides our work and our organization. Our north star is to build a culture of excellence.  Our vision is for all students to demonstrate academic proficiency, develop individual talents, and display leadership throughout our school and community.  Our mission is to provide rigorous, engaging instruction and remove barriers to learning so students believe in their own ability to achieve success.

Building a culture of excellence involves every person in our building.  It's how we teach, how we supervise, how we clean and take care of our building and materials, it's how we prepare food, celebrate accomplishments, build relationships, and use data for continuous improvement.

Student Led Conferences -- March 6th and 7th 

Please view the video below to see how a kindergarten student facilitates her parent-teacher conference.  Our students will do this.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=student+led+conference+videos&qpvt=student+led+conference+videos&view=detail&mid=911696FE4BC3FFB23F46911696FE4BC3FFB23F46&&FORM=VRDGAR

Dates and Reminders

• See the living calendar and daily updates
• Progress reports (printed from Infinite Campus) will go home Monday, February 19, 2018
• MLK Celebration will be Friday, February 16th.

Be great this week!

The Push Forward

The month of February can be tough with no off days in sight, but this is the perfect time to push students to proficiency.  With consecutive days of learning, we have opportunity to celebrate student growth, set goals, and outline the strategies to reach individual, class, and school-wide goals.

Mr. Tomanic is showing fourth and fifth grade students how to access the student portal in Infinite Campus so they can view their grades in progress, to further promote ownership in their learning.

Recently, we have updated some technology in classrooms, providing five Chromebooks to each second grade class and each K-1 class has six tablets (iPads and Nooks).  With this, each student is able to use iRead each day for at least 20 minutes.  We will continue to update technology.  Please ensure you are setting daily expectations for taking care of equipment and that you have a clear, consistent plan for assigning devices and locking them away when not in use.

Kindness Week

This week, we are celebrating Kindness Week at King Elementary.  Thank you to Mrs. Holloway for sharing information and thanks to Mrs. Lamb and Mrs. Schuhmann for putting together the presentation for the morning meeting and planning activities for the week.  Please remember, we are the model, show kindness daily to all.

Monday - everyone wear bright colors like yellow and orange so we can shine bright for kindness 

Tuesday - dress up like your grandma or grandpa to show that we are never too old for kindness 

Wednesday - I‘m Crazy for Kindness Day. You can wear mismatched clothes to show that you are Crazy for Kindness

Thursday - everyone should wear their favorite sports attire to show that we are on team kindness

Friday - everyone can wear their pajamas to show that we are all dreaming of kindness 

***Tuesday and Thursday themes were switched to accommodate the circus field trip

Faculty Meeting -- Room 311

• National Teacher Associates will discuss optional insurance benefits -- first ten minutes
• Committees

• Next Tuesday 2/13 -- We will not have faculty meeting.

PLCs

• Most classes will go to the circus Thursday, so on Tuesday each team will meet with Dr. Parks for the first 15 minutes of planning to review your classroom management plans and alignment to school-wide expectations.

• Next Tuesday, 2/13, Dr. Kent will do an embedded PD session during planning time to discuss three MAP reports and using this information to plan tier I instruction.

• Next Thursday 2/15, we will have PLCs as we normally do in room 104.

Dates & Reminders

Please remember to check the Living Calendar and Daily Updates

**Valentine's Day celebrations should be held on Wednesday, 2/14**

District Staffing dates for your information...

• Teacher transfer application window closes March 22nd
• March 1st -- hiring freeze on non-administrative positions
• March 18 - April 18th -- Classified employee transfer application window
• March 28th - Prior school year transfer list closes
• June 1st - Teacher overstaff placement begins