What’s New?

Students must be KNOWN and VALUED in order to be successful!

By January, my role serving as interim principal at River Road should be complete. As such, I will be resuming my work as Federal Programs Administrator, full time, following winter break. I’ve appreciated your patience as I have juggled two jobs this past month; Thanks for your support and understanding!

Title I School Visitations: I will be visiting schools the week of January 6. Specifically, visitations will take place on 1/7, 1/9 and 1/10.  Visitation sign ups will take place during the 12/3 PD and/or the 12/9 training. This is an opportunity for us to visit about your program and address any questions you may have. Specifically, I will want to review  your notebook (documents), look at your schedules, discuss your delivery model/program and hear about your role in Data Teams . I am also interested in your SMART goals and would like to know how I can be of support! Here is a draft of they types of things we may be talking about (Title I School Visits Q’s (Jan. 2014).

SIP Expiration Year: Here’s what I’ve got; please let me know if there are any errors! The highlighted schools should be working on revising their school improvement plan, this year. As such, these schools will be using the Indistar tool to do so. Rather than a SIP, these schools will develop a Comprehensive Achievement Plan (CAP). I will be working with these schools to help move them through this process. Don’t worry, I will provide whatever support you may need!

• Howard: 2015-2016
• Holt: 2013-2014
• Willa-g: 2014-2015
• Awbrey: 2014-2015
• McCornack: 2013-2014
• Chavez: 2013-2014
• Spring Creek: CAP 2015-2016
• River Road: CAP 2015-2016
• KMS: 2013-2014
• Family: ?? need exp. date
• ATA: 2015-2016
• Twin Oaks: 2013-2014
• Village: ?? need exp. date

Mentor/Mentee Program: How’s it going? I hope you’ve taken some time to meet and/or connect on a regular basis!

Coordinator Friday at 4 Invitation: The next gathering is December 13 (The North Bank). In November, we have a few Coordinators hang out and enjoy some good conversation. Come if you can!

Expectations for Extended Learning with Technology: I know you have been working with Monica on getting your equipment set up, running and distributed to your teaching partners. Attached (Ext Learn 13-14), please find a one-page document that provides some basic expectations for using these digital tools. Be sure and share this document with your teaching partner(s). As a reminder, the purpose of the Extended Learning with Technology Project is to provide, and help sustain, additional reading and math intervention services for our Title I students scoring below the 30^th percentile.

Teachers using the equipment will be asked to collaborate with one another, at their building sites, 2-3 times a year to share ideas, reflect, problem solve, offer support, etc. The purpose of this collaboration is to strengthen the use of technology, increase sustainability and positively impact the achievement of our most struggling learners.

Finally, you (as Title Coordinator) should maintain an awareness of who has what. Far too much equipment has been lost/stolen, so it is important there are periodic check points and the whereabouts of the equipment is tracked. We have made claims to recoup lost/stolen items. However, this is a labor intensive process and we don’t get replacement costs, but rather, we receive the actual cash value – which is often less. Thanks for your attention to this important matter!

Do the Math CDs:  The new CDs for the division modules (this was the bad batch of CDs) should be shipped by mid December. Once we receive them, they will be sent out to schools right away. The other issue with the CDs had to do with the operating system. Scholastic’s product manager is working on this issue and should be in direct contact with us regarding a resolution of this concern.

Fastt Math/Fraction Nation Training: This training will take place on 12/3 (8:00-3:30 in the Auditorium; location change). You are asked to please bring your laptop, charger and a set of headphones for your personal use. Please mark your calendars and select “Title One” in Aesop when scheduling a sub! Title funded, certified staff, who deliver math interventions (those that attended Do the Math) are welcome to join this training, as well as Go Solve, if they like.

Go Solve Training is set for the morning of December 9, 8:00-11:15ish (Tower Room), prior to our regularly scheduled Coordinator PD.

Student Profiles: Student profiles, in Quickbase, should be current no later than January 17. Matt will generate a Quickbase Report Summary, mid-year (January), which will allow me to review the status of each schools’ profiles (are all student profiles current? For example,  has the below information been completed and entered into Quickbase, is there documentation of on-going data team notes for those students discussed during meetings, etc.). Individual student profiles must be printed and filed in student folders/binders in June (whatever your method of organizing student profiles).

• Title I is checked for all students receiving Title services
• Parent notification is checked (if sent)
• Compact is checked (if returned/signed)
• Notes entered

Math Resources: The District is happy to offer another resource for mathematics instruction to use as you see fit.  We now have access to the Investigations Online ‘Student Edition’.  It is simply an electronic version of the student workbooks you now have.  To get the access codes for your grade(s), go to the 4J Teacher Resource Page: http://www.curriculum.4j.lane.edu/. On the black navigation bar select ‘Math’.  On the right click ‘Elementary’.  In the dropdown you will see a link for ‘SuccessNet Info’.  There you will find all of the access codes.  The new item is named ‘Student Edition’.  For teachers that haven’t used successnet for awhile, please note that there are some helpful tips located on the top of the SuccessNet Info page.

CCSS Alignment with HM/Treasures: This summer, a team of K-5 4j teachers worked on reviewing our reading curriculums (HM and Treasures) and their alignment to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).  Summaries of their findings are now posted by grade level and curriculum on the website.http://www.curriculum.4j.lane.edu/ela/# (go to Reading > Curriculum and then your grade). If you have any questions feel free to contact any elementary SDS.

Beyond the Bake Sale reading: Please read your section by our 12/9 PD.

CCSS Resources: There are resources available on the ODE website to assist in communicating with parents about the Common Core. The Parent Toolkit includes materials, many in both English and Spanish, to assist in talking with your parents and communities about the shift to the common core. These materials may be helpful as you consider Parent Involvement!

Resources include:
·         Three Minute Video Explaining the Common Core State Standards
·         Why the Common Core
·         What does the Common Core mean for my student?
·         What do Parents Need to Know?
·         CCSS Parent Guides by Grade
·         Frequently Asked Questions about CCSS
·         Parent’s Backpack Guide to CCSS (K-5)
·         What Parents Can Do to Help their Children Learn

Also, on the District Resource page there are guides for administrators on hosting parent or community meetings on the Common Core. The PowerPoints and handouts for these meetings are now also available in Spanish. In addition to the resources listed above, the National PTA has produced a parent flyer on the Common Core and the Smarter Balanced Assessments which will soon be added to our online resources.  This flyer provides more details about the standards, the transition to the new assessment, examples of test items, and information on what parents can expect. These materials are provided as a resource.  Feel free to use whichever pieces best meet the needs of your parents and communities.

Ideas on ADHD: In this Harvard Education Letter article, Laura Pappano describes how Colorado teacher Kartal Jaquette organizes his third-grade classroom so students with ADHD can succeed:

• His mindset is that if some students are confused, it’s his fault.
• When he is addressing the whole class, he sets a timer and tries to speak less than eight minutes.
• He keeps the pace of the class moving to convey urgency.
• He’s particularly conscious about giving complex directions. “There is no fun way to do directions,” he says. “But you need directions.” To deal with this challenge, Jaquette uses routines – for example, right after recess, students always have a “Do now” math problem to write in their journal and solve, and then four students are called up to the board to explain their work.
• Homework also follows a predictable pattern: “Every homework is on the same sheet,” he says.” It is the same color; it goes in the same folder.” And it’s always available online if students forget it.

“I am the one who is in control of balancing attention spans in my class,” says Jaquette. “I view ADHD as a tendency we can all have.”

Professional Development AND Principal/Coordinator Meeting on 12/9: Agenda attached (please share with your principal). As a reminder, I will send the agenda, again, as the PD draws near:  Title Coord. PD_Meeting 120913A

Calendar Items:

December
12/3: Fastt Math/Fraction Nation rescheduled training (8:00-3:30)
12/9: Compliance documents, year-t0-date are due (see below)
12/9: Coordinator PD (8:00-2:30; Go Solve in Tower and regularly scheduled PD in Mozart); Beyond the Bake Sale reading assignment is due Beyond the Bake Sale book study rdg
12/9: Principal/Coordinator meeting (2:30-3:45) NOTE time change of an additional 15 minutes, barring space availability
12/13: Coordinator Friday at 4; The North Bank
Week of Jan. 6: Visits to Title schools

Compliance Deadlines:

The following compliance documents are DUE no later than December 9. Penny will be available to collect documents during our PD, on this same date.

1. Current School Improvement Plan, with updated goal sheets attached (math and reading, minimally)

• Goals template 13-14

2. Comprehensive Program Design (NOTE: Reid and Raquel will help create the instructional need being addressed, the strategy and/or curriculum, the research-based principle and the research source for Do the Math and The Comprehension Toolkit).

• SWP Instructional Program Design 13-14
• SAMPLE SWP Instructional Program Design 13-14
• TAS Instructional Program Design 13-14
• SAMPLE TAS Instructional Program Design 13-14

3. Assessment Form

• Assessments Form 13-14

4. Attestation

• Bee has sent principals the necessary forms requiring administrator signatures, attesting Title funded staff are/are not HQ.

January:

1. Bee will be sending out semi-annual certifications in January. These certifications are done twice a year (January/June) and document those staff that are 100% paid for using Title funds.
2. There are no other items due in January. This is a great time to get caught up, if you are a bit behind.
3. Ensure Quickbase entries are current no later than January 17:
   • Title I is checked for all students receiving Title services
   • Parent notification is checked (if sent)
   • Compact is checked (if returned/signed)
   • Notes entered

By the end of January, you should be current with all your compliance documents.