K-PREP Testing This Week

Thank you for all your work with students over the course of this school year.   This week, students in grades 3-5 will take K-PREP assessments and demonstrate their learning over this school year.  Please be mindful to follow the directions laid out by KDE, testing documents, and Ms. Jones.  If you have questions, call 2611 and we will work quickly to get them answered.

Student Cell Phones (grades 3-5)

• Please collect student cell phones -- have students write their names on paper/post it so their phone is labeled.  Have students power them off and store them in a secure, locked location.  If you need any assistance with this, please let us know.    Phones will be returned at the END of the day.  This will be the daily procedure with testing.

Schedule Changes and After Testing

• Remember to check your folder for lunch and special area times.  Special area will last for 50 minutes -- this is a change from the normal 60 minutes.  Be sure you are on time dropping off and picking up your students.

• Lunch times have also been adjusted -- please check the schedule and be punctual.  Cafeteria tables have been labeled so that classes know where to sit.

• After students finish their test within the testing session, they are permitted to read a book, draw, lay their heads down.  They may not work on any content specific items.

• After the testing session is complete for the day and materials have been returned, it is school as normal.  You should continue teaching and students should continue learning.  Accommodations will still occur throughout the day, so please set expectations for quiet, quick transitions to allow all students a quiet testing environment.

Transition Plans

• Friday, you received templates for student transition plans.  There are four different forms to support transition readiness.  Go ahead and start this process -- provide feedback or ask questions -- this is how we make these usable documents.  These are done for fifth grade students as well (K-5)
• Student is transition ready 
• Student is transition ready and excels in specific areas (Primary Talent Pool/AP/GT)
• Student is Not transition ready
• Student is Not transition ready and two or more years behind

Data Review for Transition Plans

Team,

First, I want to extend a Happy Mother's Day to all who are mothers and care for children.  I hope you all were able to celebrate with family and friends yesterday.

Last week, classes participated with learning checks and PLCs this week will focus on the analysis of data from learning checks and MAP assessments.  By Thursday, teamleaders should submit the PLC minutes and work samples from learning checks.  Additionally from all data, universal class profiles should be updated and transition plans created for students who are not considered "transition ready."

• Transition Ready - this means students are performing at or above grade level in all content areas.  Grades from report cards support this claim, along with meeting grade level benchmarks on MAP assessments.

• Not Transition Ready - this means students are not performing at or above grade level according to student grades and assessment scores.  MAP scores are not at or above grade level benchmarks. 

• Tier 3 Not Transition Ready -- This is an added category we will use for our school.  Please use this label for students who are two or more grade levels behind according to their grades and assessment data.

After sorting your homeroom students, you will submit the following by May 30th, 2019

• Transition Ready - Classroom universal profile is updated and those who are transition ready are highlighted in GREEN

• Not Transition Ready - students are highlighted in YELLOW on the class profile and have a completed TRANSITION PLAN (one-pager - this will be provided to you next Monday).

• Tier 3 Not Transition Ready Plan -- students will be highlighted in RED on the universal profile and have a completed Tier 3 NOT READY PLAN (again will be provided next Monday).

These items will help prepare our work for next school year.  This is a hard deadline.

General Information:

• We will have faculty meeting this week - KPREP logistics
• Please begin taking down content specific items in third through fifth grade classrooms, those that will be used for KPREP, and hallways frequented by third through fifth grade students. 

Staff Appreciation Week

Team,

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week and I want to start by thanking everyone for being a teacher at King Elementary.  Whether you are the primary facilitator of classroom instruction, support learning in small groups, support teachers with collaboration and modeling, teach students to take care of our building, eat nutritious meals, take care of themselves, support parents or teach other staff members -- your work is greatly appreciated.

I want to thank you for choosing daily to impact the lives of students and families within our school. 

Two Weeks Until KPREP

We have two weeks until we begin KPREP testing in our building.  The window is from May 20th - 28th.  As we continue to prepare students in grades 3-5, be mindful to continue your encouragement and push for quality work.  During the next 23 days, it is crucial to maintain high expectations for learning and plan engaging learning activities for students.


MAP Growth Results

Our spring MAP results show growth across many grade levels, below is a summary:

K (reading) 37% of students met expected growth, down from 46% in winter
K (math)   54% of students met expected growth, consistent with 54% in winter

1st (reading) 35% of students met expected growth, down from 39% in winter
1st (math) 46% of students met expected growth, up from 38% in winter

2nd (reading) 25% of students met expected growth, down from 27% in winter
2nd (math) 39% of students met expected growth, down from 41% in winter

3rd (reading) 34% of students met expected growth, down from 37% in winter
3rd (math) 33% of students met expected growth, down from 41% in winter

4th (reading) 33% of students met expected growth, up from 32% in winter
4th (math) 30% of students met expected growth, up from 27% in winter

5th (reading) 47% of students met expected growth, up from 35% in winter
5th (math) 34% of students met expected growth, down from 37% in winter

Please take time to reflect on the growth and lack of growth for students in your classroom.  Our next steps forward consist of the following:

• Using MAP results to plan for instruction for the next 23 days
• Using MAP results to move from progress on acceleration plans to create transition plans for any students not considered "transition ready."  This is a district directive.
• This will help us plan for students we know need additional support through the summer (can advise parents) and to purposely group students for reading and math to begin the new school year.

Schedule

• Learning checks this week
• SBDM meeting Monday 5/6 @ 7:45AM
• Faculty meeting Tuesday --KPREP logistics
• Interviews (ECE Implementation Coach) will be Thursday 5/9 -- More info to come

Backpack Artifacts and Engaging Instruction

Team,

Team,

Thank you for  a strong finish to MAP testing and your consistency with students.  As we move into May, it is crucial that we finish strong -- how we end is how we begin -- we are constantly setting expectations for a productive learning climate.  Engaging instruction is the perfect antecedent to student learning.

Backpack Artifacts:

• Every student in our building should have at least six (6) items in their digital backpacks by end of the day Thursday, May 2, 2019 (This message was sent out two weeks ago).  Thanks to teachers who have already communicated to me that students have this minimum.

• I strongly suggest asking Mr. Handley or 4th/5th grade teachers if they know of students that can help younger students upload artifacts if this continues to be a learning curve for you.

• Check with special area teachers to see if students have artifacts from their classes.

MAP Learning Results:

• Review results for your students to celebrate and discuss their progress and growth needs.  Students should update their goal setting sheets and the sheets should be scanned or photographed and uploaded as a backpack artifact for "prepared and resilient learner."

• Newly updated in the artifact section is a place for students to describe the artifact and provide a reflection so that it is attached to the artifact.  Take advantage of this and have students reflect as they upload.

Acceleration to Transition Plans:

• Update acceleration plans as a result of MAP growth.  The district directive from Dr. Pollio and Dr. Coleman is that students who are not 'transition ready' will have a transition readiness plan.  Essentially an acceleration plan that will move with them to the next grade level so the receiving teachers/schools have information to support their accelerated growth.  

• I would love feedback on ways to simplify and streamline this process based on implementation on the acceleration plans we have this year.

• Transition plans will be due by the end of the school year-- more to come on this.

PLCs and Moving Instruction Forward

Team,

This week, please continue to discuss norms for your PLCs and review the four questions that must drive every PLC:

1. What do we expect students to learn (goals and expectations)?
2. How will we know when they've learned it (assessment)?
3. How will we respond when they don't learn it (intervention)?
4. How will we respond if they already know it (advanced/gifted)?

Everything we do fits along a continuum of teaching and learning.  Think about this as you plan for instruction, measure student progress, and plan next steps with your PLC.

• Planning for instruction:  Preparation is key - we start with the end in mind -- (PLC questions 1 & 2).  Plan instruction to engage students geared towards the end goal -- how will they be assessed, meaning how will you know they have learned the information/skills/concepts.
• Preparation means minimal downtime -- students should be able to move from one activity to the next -- implement a timer to stay on track.
• Teacher Clarity:  How will you scaffold the steps for students?  This creates a check list for you and students as they move towards meeting or exceeding the learning standard.  This easily lends itself to goal setting and student self-assessment, which promotes engagement and motivation.
• Response and Intervention:  Daily formative assessment allows us to better respond to student needs.  These daily checks measure if students understood the learning target and can perform the skill or apply the concept immediately following the lesson.
• If students are not able to apply the skill or concept (question 3), you can make an adjustment for the next day's instruction for students who fit this criteria.
• If students are able to easily meet the expectation (question 4), how can you differentiate for students to push/elevate their learning and application.

This is all part of teaching -- the daily expectation for our profession of education.  We are not hoping students master material, we are purposefully planning and setting up the environment so that students are successful.

Thanks for your professionalism each day, have a great week!

We do have a KDE training for KPREP this Thursday from 4:15-7:15 for all who participate with KPREP.  

Celebrating Growth and Pushing Forward

Team,

As students are taking the MAP assessment, we are seeing some good growth and are able to celebrate the accomplishments of students as they meet and exceed their growth goals.  

• Please be sure to have students review their growth goals and goal sheets in their data folders.  Have them record their new score and reflect on their progress.  Encourage students to also see their growth in individual areas within the test as well as the overall growth.
• Be purposeful with having students create a new goal moving forward, this reflection is part of the prepared and resilient learning characteristic and should be uploaded into students' digital backpacks.
• As a class, how much did students grow?  What are celebrations across the class?  What are collective growth needs?  How many students met or surpassed their growth goals?

This week in PLC, you will meet as a team to review student progress and next steps following the learning check and moving forward with instruction.

• Team leaders, please be sure to provide me the PLC minutes for your meetings tomorrow by the end of the day.  Thanks.
• As PLCs are moving to teacher/team lead - please be mindful to set norms for the group.  Links below take you to resources to support your work.
• Take a look at what a PLC is and the aim of effective PLCs.
• Over the next two weeks, take time to set norms for your PLC

For faculty meeting this week:

• K-2 will meet with the backpack team leader for our area Kathleen Receveur in room 208 to discuss ideas and projects for primary grades.  Primary staff with ECE & ESL should attend.
• 3-5 will meet in the library to discuss assessment -- intermediate staff with ECE & ESL should remain in the library.

Two Months of Growth

Welcome back, I hope everyone had a relaxing break.  As we return, this is the time to review expectations for learning, behavior, and successful transitions.  Thank you for finishing the week strong prior to spring break -- we have two months of growth to go. 

We had a climate and culture visit on March 28th and you are welcome to review the feedback here.  This is the information shared with me at the conclusion of the visit and offers opportunities for growth as well as identifies powerful practices in place.  As you read through the feedback, please reflect on your individual and team contributions to our overall school climate (feel) and culture (what we believe and project).  My reflection of the feedback is that we still have items on this list as opportunities for growth that we have discussed all year.  It is time to check things off our list and move forward as a cohesive unit with high expectations for all.  The first step is to consistently be solutions focused.  Please feel free to share your ideas and feedback.

PLCs this week will focus on results of learning checks taken last week.  Team leaders, please be sure your PLC minutes and work samples from the learning check are to me by Thursday (4/11) this week.  Based on your feedback, I want to ensure you have ample time to meet as a team and dig into learning results and next steps.  Tuesday's faculty meeting will be additional time to meet in PLCs and review student learning results.  Rachel will briefly talk with staff about sub plans and the remainder of the time will be PLC.

Please remember to view the living calendar and daily updates.

See you tomorrow.