WEEK 13

I hope you had a wonderful, restful holiday break!

Great Things I Noticed:

• Heather Luna starting her new family!  Welcome to the world Harper Matilda!
• People taking the opportunity to learn and observe by using the Pineapple Chart!
• The Shared Leadership Team being brave and courageous during Learning Rounds!
• Teachers working hard getting their report cards in on time!
• A portable flying through the air!
• Clarissa making an awesome breakfast!
• Thanksgiving! 
• The DJ Party for our fundraiser!
• The transportation unit in Kindergarten!
• College banners in our AVID classrooms! 
• Suzanne Armas moving her Preschoolers at the last minute while the portable was moved!

Nuts and Bolts:

• Clarissa and I will review your report cards and notify you ASAP so you can print them out.  
• Illuminate information:

Dear Teachers and Illuminate Users, We’re excited to let you know that ALL Illuminate Districts are implementing a new and improved grading system within Illuminate called “Lightning Grader” as of November 22, 2017. The best part is that you get new features without any extra work. 

Click here to learn how to print, scan and review sheets. 

What new features will I get? 

• Save on paper! Students can complete constructed response questions directly on the answer sheets & you can create answer sheets with two columns. 

• No more lugging around answer sheets! A PDF of student work is captured and can be reviewed online from anywhere with internet access. 

• High speed sorting and scanning! Scan up to 100 pages / minute and they will auto-sort to the correct assessment.

• No more downloading or updating plugins! The software is integrated with chrome and works without a plug in or patch. 

• Diversify your assessments! Include multiple choice, constructed response and even grid plotting questions on the same test. 

What do I need to do to get started? 

• The current scanning sheets will not work as of November 22, 2017. 

• Make sure you are using Chrome 

• Check out this resource to learn how to utilize the new features. 

***Remember*** As of November 22 your current answer sheets will no longer scan! 

Please wait until after that date to print out the new Lightning Grader Sheets. 

Justin Garcia 

Illuminate Education Customer Support 

help@illuminateed.com or 949-242-0343 

• Toyota Dream Car Art Contest This worldwide competition, open to students ages 4-15 years old, is designed to inspire creativity in youth and imagine the future of mobility. Youth are invited to create and submit a drawing of their idea of a “Dream Car “during the artwork submission period. For details, entry forms, and official rules, visit www.TFSintheCommunity.com/DreamCar. Entry forms will also be coming to each school site via district mail in the coming week. Submissions are due by Wednesday, January 31, 2018

• December 4-10th is the National Computer Science Education Week. Millions of students across the world will participate in the annual Hour of Code. We would love to highlight the work and impact you are making in the region by having teachers from your sites sign up their classrooms for the Hour of Code. Teachers can sign up HERE, placing your school on the national Code.org map. Teachers can also click HERE for a how-to guide on running an Hour of Code at your site. 

• On December 2nd UCR’s Computer Science Club will be hosting an event on site from 10am-2pm. UCR students will be walking students through workshops and tutorials for the Hour of Code. You can have students register HERE to reserve a spot.

• Please ensure you have marked the "Title I" box on your reports cards.  We are a school wide Title I school and all students benefit from our Title I monies.  This is a compliance requirement.

Weekly Focus

Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences

Here are some tips for successful PTC'S: 

1. Start with some research :  Consider sending home a "Looking Forward to our Conference" letter a few days in advance and include information regarding the parents main questions and concerns.
2. Parent Conference Forms:  Consider using a Parent Conference Form to capture notes on your conversations and help you stay on topic.  You might have a lot to cover in a short amount of time!  You can find an example form HERE.
3. Ask the students how they think they are doing:  Students in our upper elementary classes are able to reflect on their effort and progress.
4. Be prepared with samples of student work:  Parents should leave the conference with a clear idea and concrete examples of how their student is doing.
5. Only say what your know:  It is perfectly acceptable to say "I will have to research that further and get back to you".  Parents can occasionally throw a "curve ball" into the conversation, don't feel like you have to answer if you are not sure.  
6. Avoid Jargon:  Explain the assessments we use and their purpose using clear, understandable language.  Parents are not professional educators and should not be subjugated to the same lingo we are.
7. Show you know the child:  Share an anecdote  or funny story to ensure the parents leave knowing their child has a solid relationship with you and you care about them.
8. Remember, you are a professional:  Be confident, calm and prepared.  Ensure the parents leave with a clear picture of how their student is doing and what the plan is going forward. 

Upcoming Events:

11/28 -  PE Monitoring Due

11/30-12/1 - PTC Days

12/4 - Interview Panel (Carrie out all day) 

12/5 - Visit by Asst. Superintendent Jackie Perez (1:30-2:30) Classroom walkthroughs

12/6 - Team Meeting (tentative)

12/7 - Principal's Meeting (Carrie Out Morning)

12/8 - Honor Roll Party 2:00 MPR

12/13 - Coffee w/the Principal/Walk to School Day/Attendance Challenge Day

Welcome Back!!

Let's Do This!

 

Week 10

Great Things I Noticed:

• The students and staff of Castle View Elementary being brave, resilient, courageous and inspirational!  We will be passing the envelope around and collecting money to provide breakfast or lunch for the staff before Thanksgiving Break.
• Data Meetings - thank you for being open and willing to participate in the first step of our cycle of inquiry "Analyze".  I have noticed many of you talking about, adjusting and working with the information we discussed... this is the first step towards moving our students!
• Halloween Parade - Clarissa told me it would work... and it did!  Thank you for the fun afternoon activity!
• Operation Gratitude in Judid's class!  Sending leftover candy to the troops! 
• Structured collaborative conversations in Ada's class!
• Turkeys in Kinder (and not the students!)
• Our collective commitments to partner effectively, give think time and reflection time and to practice restating the question! 
• Pineapple Charts.... See below (I am really excited about this!)

 

 

Nuts and Bolts:

• November's character pillar is RESPECT... TRRFCC Tuesday announcements and Red/Gold every Tuesday in November
• PE Minutes are due to Debbie  on 11/6
• Coffee with the Principal this Wednesday!  Please come and join me if you have a moment to share coffee and conversation with our parents
• Data meetings were very informative, thank you.  Now, continue the conversation with your teams and let's get those students moving - No regression is the goal!
• TK-6 the deadline is fast approaching to sign up for Art to Go lessons 
• Those of you involved in instructional rounds, watch for a detailed email this week with schedule and expectations.  I am looking forward to participating in this with you!  
• AVID walk through this week - I am hoping to get to all classrooms to connect what we are already doing to AVID strategies (11/9)
• Now is the time to reteach behavior expectations to your students.  Refresh your class and use positive reinforcement tools to recognize when they have it right.
• Promote 100% attendance on WEDNESDAY - Every student that walks get a ticket for the opportunity to "silly string" the Principal!

Weekly Focus

PL Pineapple Charts

I am sure you are thinking... Pineapple Charts?  What is that?  What does she have us doing NOW?  The Pineapple chart came out of teachers desire to have customized PD AND a desire to see what is happening in each others classrooms.  When I met with Larissa, we talked about what the staff might need in regards to PL PD... and I remembered Mr. Wible talking about how everyone is at different levels of implementation and the need for customized PD.  Larissa suggested a Pineapple Chart system and we are going to try it!  

The week of November 13th the awesome staff from our ILE department will be here to support you in two different ways: 

1. You can sign up for one on one help with a staff developer (focused on a particular question or issue) and have your class covered for a short time during your meeting
2. You can sign up to have to staff developer come to your classroom and observe, coach or discuss a particular instructional question, strategy or issue you might have.

On Wednesday you can support each other: 

1. You can sign up to be open for observation while using a PL strategy (or any good strategy) 

There are no expectations for a class visit, you don't have to take notes, you don't have to turn anything in... it is for YOU to observe the great work your colleagues are doing (or for you to show off the great work you are doing).  You all know observing teachers in action is actually the most powerful PD we can get... I hope you all take advantage of this opportunity!  

If you have a specific topic for PL you would like to learn more about - email me BY THE END OF THE DAY MONDAY! 

Here is the draft schedule we have created (without topics):  http://bit.ly/2zdJyG7

Upcoming Events:

11/6   Sibling/Translator Party

          PE Minutes Due

          Class Proof due to Cindy 

          School Board Meeting 6:00

11/8   Coffee with the Principal 8:00

          Walk to School Day

          100% Attendance Day

          Leadership Team Meeting (2:55 - Library)

11/9   Minimum Day (12:05)

          SPED Bus Evacuation  (8:15ish)

          District Leadership (Carrie and Clarissa)

11/10 Veterans Day = No School

11/13 Instructional Rounds

11/14 American Fidelity on campus (appointment times available)

11/15 Staff Meeting (2:55)

11/16 Principals Meeting (Carrie out morning)

11/17 Art-to-Go Deadline

           

Thank goodness is NOVEMBER!