Week of April 7th, 2014
Hi All,
Here are the Schedule of Events for the Week
April 7 (M)
Joel at AP. I got out of classified bargaining for the day to be in building for most of the day.
8:45-9:45, Joel teaching Kristen’s reading session while she is out at the counseling meeting. (Room 24)
2:00-2:30, Joel to Title 1 Staffing Meeting (Ed Center)
3:00-3:30, Awbrey Park PTO Meeting, Teachers are invited! (Staff Lounge)
2:30-5:00, Joel to Elementary Principals’ Meeting (Ed Center)
April 8 (T)
8:30-4:00, Joel to Jon Saphier Training (Ed Center) (leaving early, 2:40)
3:00-4:15,Staff Meeting
- 1. 3:00-3:15,Connections Activity
- 2. 3:15-3:45, Staff Meeting with address by Cheryl Linder and Sara Cramer,
- 3. 3:45-4:00, Look at Staffing Scenarios, I will be available to problem solve on this until 5.
April 9 (W)
2:00-3:30, Optional staffing work session. (Room 13)
April 10 (H)
8:00-11:00, Joel hosting school visits with Saphier, Principals, and Directors (Awbrey Park Room 13) Two teachers have agreed to be observed. Jon, Directors and Principals will not be in classrooms that were not prearranged.
3:00-4:00, IPBS Meeting (Conference Room)
April 11 (F)
Regular Day
3:00-4:00, Joel available for a second work session on staffing in Room 13.
Some items of note this week:
• Staffing Survey Reminder – If you haven’t done so already, please complete the staffing survey, which can be found on Google Survey that you can fill out. I reopened this in case you are interested in sharing your information with me but forgot to in March.I only had 13 responses. I’d also like to know people’s plans for next year and in the long term. Please complete the survey by the end of the week.
Copier Reminder – Not to get into the details, but we are making more copies this year with less students. If you want to find out your copy count or your grade level copy count check in with Kristie. Please slow down on the copies and be mindful this Earth Month of what you are consuming. Thanks.
TSS Model Change Error
My information about TSS Staffing in Friday’s email was inaccurate and based on some potential changes I did not know were still unapproved. We will be hearing from James Grubic officially when staffing for TSS support has been finalized.
Another cost savings measure, CIS is chaining their TSS model from the current regional model to a centralized team approach where they will send out support specialists to building whenever a support ticket is generated. I have not seen all the details of this new model, but CIS believes that buildings will have faster response times by virtue of being able to send out the best staff to match each job and also being able to send a team of staff for larger jobs. How this impacts staffing for us is that we will not have any TSS time allocated to our school next year.
• Test Security Reminder: Untrained Volunteers – A reminder to all staff. OAKS testing will happen starting this week in science. Teachers will have a testing sign on their door during all testing sessions. If you (or your volunteers) have not been trained, and signed a test security assurance form, do not enter the room. This is considered a violation and needs to be reported to ODE. We would like to avoid this at all costs.
• Smarter Balanced Practice Test Website – If you’d like to see for yourself or show your students what next year’s Smarter Balance assessments will look like, you can visit this website. Enter the site on the student interface – the green square at the bottom of the page. The fields are filled in with guest so all you need to do is click sign in. If you want to share this with students, you could project it on the SMART board and completing the test together, which might be a nice way to experience the test without feeling like they have to take a test.
• How project-based learning teaches 21st-century skills – Some educators at a school district in North Carolina are adopting project-based learning in their classrooms. In this commentary, teacher Meredith Licht shines a light on PBL in some of the district’s schools. “PBL is an essential tool educators can use to teach the four C’s of 21st century skills — critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity,” she writes.
• Lane County Science Fair at the Fair – Lane ESD, Lane County Fair and the UO are partnering to highlight student Project Based Learning at the 2014 Lane County Fair. Prizes, Recognition and Fair tickets available! Attached is a flyer with details.
• Article on what influences behavior.
Here is an article that discusses the age old debate on Nature vs. Nurture and how this may effect behavior. Take a look.
Enjoy this week’s spring-like weather!
Joel