Coming up at Arno…

November 2               Parent Meeting Yesh 4:00

November 3               No School- PD Day at Bennie 8:00-3:00

November 4               Steve out a.m.

November 5               Walkup observation 9:00

                                        Curriculum Council 4:00

                                        PTA 6:30

 November 6        Steve @Riley

 IEP Sutton 1:30

Happy Halloween everyone, what a fun day!

Fun Run Update

The PTA will announce this Monday morning on announcements the results for the Fun Run.  Monetarily, the fun run took in about $9000, this is exact amount of their budget so there may need to be some additional fundraising throughout the year- but nothing big (skating parties, etc).  The winners of all the prizes will be announced over the announcements and we will call the students to come down for  a certificate.  Ashley’s class won the pizza party, the limo/lunch with me will take place on November 12th 11:30-1:00, and we have 2 tied for Principal for a Day, which will happen on November 19 and 20.  Notes will go home with any pertinent info.  The announcement is below:

I Can…

If you are looking for some specific wording for making “I Can” statements to post your objectives, try these two links for pre-made statements.  They are modeled from the common core for math and reading.  Remember, one of the important pieces of your lesson is that the students know what it is they are learning.

http://www.wcde.org/education/components/docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid=24351&fileitem=8328&catfilter=2026 Math I Can

http://www.nassauboces.org/Page/1940  Reading I Can

Arno Happenings… From roller coasters to perfect pumpkins

Picture Retakes

Get that smile rolling again as picture retakes are scheduled for Nov. 12.  Students will be called down when its time.

School Improvement Meeting

Thank you to everyone who attended our SIP meeting this past week and to Sarah, our MC.  It was a smooth meeting and I was happy to see a good amount of staff there.  We have moved the meetings to 3:45, hopefully that may meet your needs for an earlier finish time.

You should have received a copy of the ppt that was presented from Sarah.  It mainly contained updates from the Title 1 Director’s Institute conference that I attended with Barb and Cathy.  I will be putting copies of the items we covered that included PLCs, MTSS, Higher order questioning, and Mindset.  Believe me when I say that I know everyone is very busy with our daily classroom duties, but if you are able to just read one article per week and send me any questions- it is worth your professional time to take a look.

I have ordered a questioning flip book from Modern Teacher, which takes you from recall all the to self-actualization.  When it comes in, I will call a short voluntary meeting for distribution.

Chrome Carts

It was announced yesterday at our SIP meeting by Guy Desjardins that the district has purchased 2 chrome carts for each elementary (700 total).  While I don’t have a timeline, this will come in to play to help us out with testing for sure, and then a year round benefit for classroom use.  As it looks the most practical right now, I will be asking for the PTA for a chrome cart/some tablets combo (which we will chip on) as well.  I am hoping to get at least 1 per grade level at this point.  Stay tuned for more info

3rd Grade Retention Bill

If you have been following the reading proficiency Bill that is winding through the legislature, then this is just an update.  If you are unfamiliar with this Bill, please read the article for the latest on the state’s attempt to keep districts accountable for those who cannot read on level by the end of 3rd grade.  This will have a huge impact on how we do things such as our service model for struggling kids.  We don’t know what the final language will look like, but it looks to probably go through in some form.

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The Michigan House today approved a controversial bill that would require students to repeat the third-grade if they’re not proficient readers.

The bill passed on a vote of 57-48, after impassioned pleas from lawmakers on both sides. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.

The bill was one of two big education-related bills the House took action on today. In the other, the House approved — by a vote of 97 to 8 — a bill updating the state’s rules on evaluations for teachers and administrators. That bill  goes back to the Senate for concurrence.

But it was the third-grade reading bill that sparked the big debate.

“It’s not acceptable to allow our kids to not be able to read and yet send them along their way,” said Rep. Lisa Lyons, R-Alto.

Perhaps the most surprising “no” vote came from Rep. Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor, who co-sponsored the bill and has been a proponent of it. But the House rejected an amendment he proposed that would have allowed a third-grader to move on to the fourth grade if that child had worked hard to improve.

“I am not going to remove the hope of a 9-year-old. Period,” Zemke said.

After the vote, Zemke and House Minority Leader Tim Greimel asked that their names be removed as co-sponsors of the bill.

While much of the focus was on the retention mandate, the bill also requires school districts to intervene early with struggling readers and employ early literacy coaches who would assist students and teachers.

During the 2013-14 school year, 30% of the fourth-graders who took the now-defunct MEAP exam failed it. The fourth-grade exam tests third-grade material. Meanwhile, on a more rigorous national exam — the National Assessment of Educational Progress — nearly 70% of Michigan’s fourth-graders were not proficient.

“Thirty percent of Michigan third-graders have not been afforded the gift of literacy,” said Rep. Amanda Price, R-Park Township, the bill’s chief sponsor. “This number is unacceptable and to me heartbreaking.”

But Democrats, while saying they supported the bill’s primary focus on intervention and help for struggling readers, raised concerns about a number of issues. They cited research that says children retained are more likely to drop out.

Rep. Sam Singh, D-East Lansing, was particularly concerned that negotiations all day Wednesday didn’t produce language that would give parents a say in what happens to their children.

“What you’ve done is taken the families and the parents out of this equation,” Singh said.

Rep. Harvey Santana, D-Detroit, railed against social promotion, though, saying that passing kids along when they can’t read sends the message that failure is OK.

“I refuse to be part of the conspiracy to emasculate our urban children,” Santana said. “A social promotion does nothing to help a child. It does everything to destroy them.”

Many education groups were opposed to the bill. Members of the State Board of Education, in a statement unanimously adopted Tuesday, said they opposed the bill’s mandate on retaining students.

“While there are situations where retaining students in their current grade is warranted, that decision needs to be decided on case-by-case basis, between educators and parents,” the board said. “It should not be automatic”

Some students would be exempt from the retention mandate. They include special education students who aren’t able to take the state exam, a special education student who has already received intensive intervention in reading but is still struggling, and a student who has had less than three years of instruction in a program for students who have limited English speaking skills.

Meanwhile, the educator evaluation bill passed with no debate. The bill limits the number of consecutive years a student is assigned to an ineffective teacher, requires that 40% of a teacher’s evaluation be based on student test score data and gives schools the ability to choose how they’re going to evaluate staff.

Its passage comes two days after the Michigan Department of Education laid out its own plans for providing support to school districts trying to implement laws requiring a stronger evaluation system — including directing $12 million in state funding to intermediate school districts for training.

The issue of educator evaluations has been a hot, contentious one in Lansing since Michigan lawmakers approved legislation in 2009 requiring annual evaluations for teachers, along with the use of student test scores to determine how teachers are rated. There have been updates to the law since then, and recommendations for a statewide evaluation system were made in 2013 by the Michigan Council on Educator Effectiveness, which was created by the Legislature.

The bill approved today incorporates some of the recommendations from that council.

While most districts had moved ahead to develop evaluation systems that would provide information to help teachers improve, some were waiting for the Legislature to provide more clarity on the law, Venessa Keesler, deputy superintendent for the Michigan Department of Education, said during a meeting Tuesday.

The current law says 50% of a teacher’s evaluation must be based on student growth data — data showing how much improvement a student made while with the teacher. State test scores are a key part of that data.

But that changes under the bill approved today. Beginning this school year, 25% of the evaluation must be based on test data. That rises to 40% beginning with the 2018-19 school year.

Free Press staff writer Kathleen Gray contributed to this report. Contact Lori Higgins: 313-222-6651 or lhiggins@freepress.com.  Follow her on Twitter @LoriAHiggins.

Parent-Teacher Conferences … or Collaborative Conversations?

OCTOBER 2, 2015

Photo credit: Bart Everson via flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Parent-teacher conferences are one of the few opportunities for families to converse with teachers about their children’s progress and needs. Lines of people wait their turn for these 15- to 20-minute interactions. One result is a conversation that establishes a relationship and delivers essential information about a student’s progress.

Teachers usually carry the burden of making the conference productive, yet if families were included more through communications and collaborative meeting planning, the experience could become more mutually fruitful. To this end, I’ll introduce each of my points with voices from families suggesting collaborative communication about their needs.

Build a Team: Make Frequent Contacts Before Each Conference

I hoped teachers would inform me between conferences if anything was amiss or pleasing about my children’s progress, socially or academically, so that there would be no big surprises during the conferences.

I value a teacher who communicates expectations using a website, blog, or email. In today’s busy world, it is nice to have the information at your fingertips when you need it.

Parent-teacher conferences tend to be the first time that discussions happen about the student. Transform those short, focused sessions into a meaningful dialogue by sending updates several times before the event. Start simple with two to three contacts before the conference. Consider doing more based on individual student needs. Providing these timely diagnostic updates will help families have meatier discussions with their students:

1. Lead with areas of progress and/or exhibited strengths.

Families need to know how their child is demonstrating positive growth. Highlighting strengths becomes a foundation for motivation to tackle any challenges. Some parents rarely hear about successes by their child.

2. Share needs and next steps.

Parents should be informed about any learning challenges that their children face. Also share the next steps that you will take. People listen better to challenges and obstacles when a professional provides solutions. Certainly, families can and should assist, but they aren’t the trained experts. Understanding the teacher’s next steps reassures them that their child’s progress is in good hands.

3. Suggest at least one parent support.

Parent support depends on parents’ skills and understanding. This is hard to identify early in the year when the relationship is new. Start with general suggestions such as: “Provide a space where your child can complete homework undisturbed.” Ultimately, the teacher, like a doctor, is the expert who must bear the load for designing and implementing remedies.

Offer the opportunity for a follow-up conversation at the parents’ request. This invitation sends a message: “We are a Team.”

Empower Parents/Families to Be Equal Partners

I’d like the teacher to start by telling me something my kid did right. Then I’d like her/him to ask, “What questions do you have?”

I want evidence that the teacher has put together a thoughtful plan for meeting the needs of my child, and it is one that he/she can articulate and provide evidence for how it is being implemented.

Frequent contacts result in a stronger parent-teacher relationship and a foundation for transforming the traditional conference into a collaboration about meeting student needs. With such a relationship established, the following steps can help parents and teachers prepare collectively for a productive face-to-face meeting.

1. Establish a collaborative focus.

Meeting time tends to be limited because of the need to schedule so many families. Establishing the meeting’s purpose helps to frame the conversation. Share a structure so that parents know what to expect. For example:

• Have the student attend the meeting.
• Celebrate learning strengths.
• Parents and teacher explore needs and questions for learning improvements and enrichments.
• 3-2-1: Agree on next steps for the teacher (3), parent/family (2), and student (1). As the professional, the teacher can provide nuanced supports. Doing more can motivate the families to take action.

Invite families’ input and questions about possible changes. When parents share questions, the teacher has time to prepare responses and customize the meeting. Families will likely agree with the teacher’s established purpose — it’s extending the invitation that matters.

2. Brief and debrief.

Invite parents to discuss student progress and needs with their child before and after the conference.

I want communication that supports the discussions I can have with my child.

A conversation between parent and child can uncover needs and perspectives of which the teacher may be unaware. Parents come to the meeting ready to share affirmations, successes, and concerns that are informed by such a conversation. One challenge for this to be successful is that many parents would benefit from a planning guide. This list of steps can be as simple as identifying two likes and concerns that the student has about the class, or it can follow a more formal structure such as the following:

1. Invite families to discuss the child’s perceptions about his or her work. Consider having students share their classroom reflections on selected assignments with their families. This could eventually lead to student-led conferences.

1. Bring to the conference a list two or three strengths and one or two concerns regarding the child’s learning experiences.

Collaboration = Student Progress

I appreciate that teachers take time away from their own families to treat my child as their own.

The African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” is true with the collaborative relationship of families and teachers. Working together means interacting on equal footing. The teacher is an expert of education. Families know their children far more deeply than the teacher. When parents and teachers are in sync regarding what learners need and the next steps, student progress is inevitable.

 

Have a great first week of November!

Here’s what’s coming up…

October 26            Nothing Scheduled

October 27            Schultz Obs 12:15 and  SIP Meeting 3:45

October 28           Math Pilot Info Meeting- All day and  PBIS Bingo 9:30

October 29           Principal’s meeting 9:00 and  Fall Art and Music Show 5:30

October 30           K Fall Celebration in Cafe 2:00 and  Halloween Parade 1:30

Book Fair

It’s book fair time soon!  Please read the attached letter, which is also going out to parents, regarding our book fair dates and info.  We will have specific info and schedule sign ups soon.

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Attendance

Please give your best effort to meet the agreed upon attendance time deadlines during the school day.  In the a.m., make sure your attendance is done no later than 10:00, in the p.m. attendance should be in no later than 2:00.  Best thing- take it first before you move on to the next if possible.  Thanks for your help on this.

M-STEP

 Michigan students set baseline for new state assessment 

2014-2015 M-STEP results available soon

October 22, 2015

LANSING – Michigan students have set the course for success when they took the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) this past spring, establishing a new baseline for performance, with statewide results available in the days ahead, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) announced today.

“I’m thrilled that Michigan was a leading state in successfully implementing a new assessment system,” State Superintendent Brian Whiston said. “In 2010, we raised the bar on our state standards and our test now reflects that rigor.”

“This was an all-new and more rigorous test and the statewide results will be lower than we’ve seen in the past, and that’s ok,” Whiston said. “M-STEP sets up a new baseline from which to improve and set us on our way to be a Top Ten education state in 10 years.”

Sandy K. Baruah, President and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber, expressed the importance of raising the academic bar for Michigan students.

“As a state, we will not be able to compete in the flat, global 21st Century dynamic marketplace if we don’t have, and achieve, the highest academic standards,” Baruah said. “The discussion should not be maintaining high standards, but rather how can we raise our standards.”

After 44 years of the Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) test, 82 percent of Michigan students across the state sat down in front of computers to take the first-ever M-STEP. A paper and pencil option also was available for buildings not yet prepared to test online.

Whiston said the M-STEP measures the state’s standards that give students a deeper understanding to what they are learning. The standards now take students from just knowing the facts, to learning how to use those facts to understand context, apply them to problem solve, and make those facts relevant in their lives.

In Spring 2016, Michigan students will take the M-STEP in grades 3-8. Students in grade 11 will take the Michigan Merit Exam, which includes the SAT, WorkKeys, and M-STEP science and social studies tests. New for Spring 2016, students in grades 9 and 10 will take the PSAT.

MDE’s Deputy Superintendent of Accountability Services, Venessa Keesler, said that the 2016 M-STEP also will include improvements, based upon the first implementation feedback of school districts and a survey of more than 26,000 students and 5,000 parents to get their initial reaction.

“MDE heard that the testing time was an issue for schools in this first implementation,” Keesler said. “For Spring 2016, MDE is able to reduce testing time for juniors taking the Michigan Merit Exam by eight hours and by two and a half hours for grades three, four, six, and seven.”

The test also can be administered in smaller portions over multiple days so that students will not be required to complete the test all in one sitting, according to Keesler.

Michigan’s federal ESEA Flexibility waiver, approved by the U.S. Department of Education on August 13, 2015, provides that Michigan will not complete or issue public, high-stakes accountability in the form of top-to-bottom rankings and school report cards until Fall 2017. However, MDE will calculate and publish accountability in the form of informational school rankings and diagnostic scorecards in Fall 2016, according to Keesler.

Additionally, MDE will provide schools with useful reports and data that can be used to guide and improve student instruction based upon the first year of implementation of the M-STEP. MDE provided preliminary reports to schools within about two weeks of the close of each testing window.

Whiston said that the department currently is conducting an assessment vision workgroup with education stakeholders to see how student assessments can be streamlined for spring 2017 and beyond.

The M-STEP results will be released in a staggered sequence with the public release of statewide aggregates first in the days ahead. Schools and districts then will receive testing data through the department’s secure website. Later this year, school and district aggregates will be available on mischooldata.org.

For more information, please visit www.michigan.gov/mstep.

What Does It Mean to Share Learning Targets and Criteria for Success?

Sharing learning targets does not mean merely writing the objective on the board or telling students what the objective is in a sentence or two. Most students will, of course, be able to repeat back to the teacher what she said the objective was, and that can be somewhat useful. What we mean by sharing learning targets and criteria for success, however, is that students comprehend what those objectives mean. For example, a reading objective might be that students can identify the main idea in passages of a certain type and level. What we want is more than students being able to say “identify main idea.” We want students to understand that they will learn how to get a better grasp on the meaning of what they read, why that should be a goal for them, and what it feels like to do that. For the student, this means both understanding the learning goal and knowing what good work on the assignment looks like. It’s not a goal if the student can’t envision it.

The single most important method for routinely sharing learning targets is using assignments that match—really match—the learning goal. It is in the assignment that the teacher translates the learning goal into action for the student. The student will strive to do the assignment, not the abstract goal. When we say an assignment or activity must “embody” the learning goal, we mean that the assignment or activity is such a close match with the goal that the student would be able to think, “If I can do [this assignment], then I can do [the learning objective].”

Teachers should always share their goals for students’ learning—both by telling or writing the goals and by giving assignments and activities that embody them—and then check for students’ understanding. It is not enough to ask students, “Do you understand?” They’ll say yes, of course! Rather, teachers should use strategies that help assess students’ comprehension of the meaning of learning goals and their comprehension of what good work looks like. Teachers should use this information to affirm understanding and clarify misconceptions.

Growth Mindset

We had touched upon the growth mindset in a previous blog.  Please read the article from Carol Dweck discussing fixed vs growth mindset and think of what types of things you could do in your classroom to start this mindset change.

Carol Dweck Revisits the ‘Growth Mindset’

Let’s look at what happens when teachers, or parents, claim a growth mindset, but don’t follow through. In recent research, Kathy Liu Sun found that there were many math teachers who endorsed a growth mindset and even said the words “growth mindset” in their middle school math classes, but did not follow through in their classroom practices. In these cases, their students tended to endorse more of a fixed mindset about their math ability. My advisee and research collaborator Kyla Haimovitz and I are finding many parents who endorse a growth mindset, but react to their children’s mistakes as though they are problematic or harmful, rather than helpful. In these cases, their children develop more of a fixed mindset about their intelligence.

How can we help educators adopt a deeper, true growth mindset, one that will show in their classroom practices? You may be surprised by my answer: Let’s legitimize the fixed mindset. Let’s acknowledge that (1) we’re all a mixture of fixed and growth mindsets, (2) we will probably always be, and (3) if we want to move closer to a growth mindset in our thoughts and practices, we need to stay in touch with our fixed-mindset thoughts and deeds.

If we “ban” the fixed mindset, we will surely create false growth-mindsets. (By the way, I also fear that if we use mindset measures for accountability, we will create false growth mindsets on an unprecedented scale.) But if we watch carefully for our fixed-mindset triggers, we can begin the true journey to a growth mindset.

Watch for a fixed-mindset reaction when you face challenges. Do you feel overly anxious, or does a voice in your head warn you away? Watch for it when you face a setback in your teaching, or when students aren’t listening or learning. Do you feel incompetent or defeated? Do you look for an excuse? Watch to see whether criticism brings out your fixed mindset. Do you become defensive, angry, or crushed instead of interested in learning from the feedback? Watch what happens when you see an educator who’s better than you at something you value. Do you feel envious and threatened, or do you feel eager to learn? Accept those thoughts and feelings and work with and through them. And keep working with and through them.

My colleagues and I are taking a growth-mindset stance toward our message to educators. Maybe we originally put too much emphasis on sheer effort. Maybe we made the development of a growth mindset sound too easy. Maybe we talked too much about people having one mindset or the other, rather than portraying people as mixtures. We are on a growth-mindset journey, too.

Three Fires and 3rd Graders

The third graders participated in a presentation by the Huron-Clinton Metroparks Mobile Learning Center.  The program, “The Three Fires,” explored the lives of the Ojibway, Odawa, and Potawatomi Native American tribes in Michigan.  The children learned about the tools, shelter, language, and survival strategies through artifacts, replicas and demonstrations.  Hands-on learning included fire-making and pump drilling.

DTE Presentation with our 4th graders

DTE Energy THINK! ENERGY

Arno fourth grade students had a great DTE Energy presentation this week called THINK! ENERGY TAKE ACTION! This was a 60 minute interactive, hands-on presentation with a take home energy efficiency kit for each participating student. The program taught our students the importance of energy, natural resources and environmental resources, and gave each participating student’s family energy-efficient technologies to install at home.

 Halloween

Our initial weather reports look like we should be able to get outside for the route, which would be great.  If its good out, I will be starting at 1:30 with K, and walking my way through the building.  You may bring your class out into the hallway to watch and join in as we pass.  We will exit through the 5th grade doors, make our way along the fenceline in the interior part of the playground, and wind our way to the front doors to drop off.  Indoor would be through the cafe and gym, hopefully we won’t go there.

Please be sure that costumes are appropriate, I have asked for no masks in the blog.

SIP

Please consider coming to our SIP meeting this week Tuesday at 3:45.   We will be talking about school improvement initiatives this year, and introducing the notion to form a building data team.  I have compiled all goals, strategies, and activities on one front/back page to summarize what everyone agreed to in the plan, which should be too different from the past.  I’ll gt that to you next week.

Data Day

I have scheduled our first data day for December first.  There will be floaters in the building so that the full grade level may attend that day.  I will publish a list of data to bring, but you certainly can supplement. The schedule is as follows:

8:45-9:30    3rd grade

9:35-10:20   5th grade

10:25-11:10   2nd grade

11:15-11:55    4th grade

1:00-1:45       1st grade

1:50-2:30      K

FIRE DRILL 

Exit routes have been established for years and have not changed over time.  Each year our student population continues to grow.  If you feel we need to re-look at exit plan please let me know.  I noticed that many of our classes were jammed up in the halls waiting for others to exit safely.  If you think a change could be made to make the process smoother, please let me know.  Also, please remember all class doors must be closed.  The doors are fire rated and the first line of defense to prevent a fire from spreading to other parts of the building.  You should always carry your student roster with you to do a complete count once you are out to your post.   This concludes all of our drills for the fall.

Who’s KAHOOT’n??

A fun new way to assess your students.  Check it out!

https://getkahoot.com/

Thanks Nicole

Thank you Nicole for organizing another Walk/Ride to School Day.  It’s great to see how our Run club continues this mindset for students that it’s a great idea to get up and get moving!

 Art and Music Show

Next week Thursday be sure to stop by the Art and Music show at the Performing Arts Center.  I was very excited  to see a sneak preview of what will be appearing there next week!

NWEA

Fall testing for the NWEA is finally complete.  Thank you to all of our teachers for braving this first round with the chromebooks, I couldn’t be happier with how smooth it went and this is a good practice run for m-stepping in the spring.  I have set aside the time on Dec. 1 for our data day to review and discuss what is Arno’s current reality.  In the meantime, if you feel your grade level  needs to have some additional time to break the data down into instructional implications, interventions, and grouping, let me know and I’ll see how we can get more creative with time.

https://www.nwea.org/blog/

 Six Ways MAP Data Can Help Students and Teachers

– See more at: https://www.nwea.org/blog/2015/six-ways-map-data-can-help-students-and-teachers/#sthash.CEXEVDRL.dpuf

Make it a great week Arno Cougar staff!

Coming up this week at Arno…

October 19          Nothing Scheduled

October 20          Steve @ RESA 7:30

Fire Drill 10:00

DTE Assembly 4th grade 12:45

October 21             Google Classroom with John 3:45-4:45

October 22             Nothing Scheduled

October 23             2nd grade field trip to Apple Orchard

Calendar

Please be sure to check out our school google calendar that I shared back in September.  You should all have access to edit.  When you have an event, I do want to be informed of it, of course, but please as the next step add it to the calendar.  When I do the blog, the first thing I go to is that calendar, it helps us be efficient with our scheduling if everything is on there.  This includes, ieps, special events in your rooms, grade level assemblies, etc.  Let  me know if you need help with this so that we are all adding to it.

Also important, I do not mind if you make arrangements to switch a prep to accommodate something special, but please be sure to also get with the special teaches to keep them in the loop of any changes.  They are ready for the class coming to them, an unannounced change will make them unprepared for the kids.

Rotary Club

Exciting news from the Rotary Club.  The Rotary Club of Allen PArk donated $6000 to Allen Park Schools this past Monday at the Board meeting (Picture above).  Each elementary will get $2000 to spend on literacy books, which Barb Chuby will organize.  Exciting times this fall!  A news article from the Times Herald follows:

Lunchroom

The lunchroom has had some issues with large number of lunch shortage as there are a lot of students needing lunch that were not down on the order.  While this could be a mix of factors, please make sure on your end that if you have a student assisting in lunch count, that you are verifying that before it’s sent.  I will also mention it in the parent blog.  Thanks for your help!

Pizza Kits 

5th Grade is now selling Pizza kits.  Please consider helping them out, the order form is in the lounge.  Money is due 10/22, delivery on 10/28

Depth of Knowledge Questioning

At the PD last week, we had talked some about the Depth of Knowledge levels while you worked on your math assessments.  In looking at what the state released in preparation for the m-step, “Perform initial analysis on classroom instruction and relation to testing including depth of knowledge, academic vocabulary, performance tasks, and the use of related tools.”  Although the state has not yet identified the percentage of DOK levels present in the questions, it is a sure bet that more we prepare our students for deeper levels of thinking, the more they will be prepared for state assessments and be college and career ready.  Please review the information below, please try and pick some examples to try in your classroom.

Level One Activities

Recall elements and details of story structure, such as sequence of events, character, plot and setting.

Conduct basic mathematical calculations.

Label locations on a map.

Represent in words or diagrams a scientific concept or relationship.

Perform routine procedures like measuring length or using punctuation marks correctly.

Describe the features of a place or people.

Level Two Activities

Identify and summarize the major events in a narrative.

Use context cues to identify the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Solve routine multiple-step problems.

Describe the cause/effect of a particular event.

Identify patterns in events or behavior.

Formulate a routine problem given data and conditions.

Organize, represent and interpret data.

Level Three Activities

Support ideas with details and examples.

Use voice appropriate to the purpose and audience.

Identify research questions and design investigations for a scientific problem.

Develop a scientific model for a complex situation.

Determine the author’s purpose and describe how it affects the interpretation of a reading selection.

Apply a concept in other contexts.

Level Four Activities

Conduct a project that requires specifying a problem, designing and conducting an experiment, analyzing its data, and reporting results/solutions.

Apply mathematical model to illuminate a problem or situation.

Analyze and synthesize information from multiple sources.

Describe and illustrate how common themes are found across texts from different cultures.

Design a mathematical model to inform and solve a practical or abstract situation.

More great ways to use the DOK in different content areas:

http://facstaff.wcer.wisc.edu/normw/All%20content%20areas%20%20DOK%20levels%2032802.pdf

Webb, Norman L. and others. “Web Alignment Tool” 24 July 2005. Wisconsin Center of Educational Research. University of Wisconsin-Madison. 2 Feb. 2006. <http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/WAT/index.aspx>.

Professional Learning Networks

https://thejournal.com/articles/2015/10/06/4-fantastic-and-free-professional-learning-networks-for-teachers.aspx

Have a great Cougar weekend! 

If you were unable to attend this morning’s voluntary staff meeting, we went over a summary of the visitors policy that generally puts similar restrictions that other parents have to follow as well.  The parent must notify me and get my approval 5 days in advance of wanting a classroom visit, then  would be under full escort should that happen.  In addition, the child will have to line up at the front door, and exit the same.  As after school functions may vary with staff and access- should you find yourself in an unwelcome conversation, please let me or another close person know you need assistance.

Please report anything that deviates from the above (i.e., should you see that parent at another door other than the front, get cornered into a conversation, or have email or phone contact)

If you see the parent in the building, please notify the main office IMMEDIATELY.   The parent will get a fair chance to follow the policies- if they break a policy, we reserve the right to further restrict access.  Please come see me with any questions.

As part of overseeing these types of policies, please speak with your students this week about the critical importance of not letting anyone in a side door around the building.  All doors are to remain locked during the day and they need to go get an adult if a parent is trying to get in the building from that point.  A similar note will go out to parents reminding them of procedures.

If you have not yet met with me on your goal for this school year, please see me asap.  If you were revising your original goal, please be sure that I get a copy

Open enrollment officially opens on Nov. 1 and new changes are effective on 1/1/2016.  The information this year will come via email, so be sure to watch out for it soon.  Staff must fill out the FSA forms and ensure that those get turned in on time.  Let me know if you have questions.

There have been some instances in the district with alarms going off in the building with staff not setting it or walking in without turning it off quick enough.  Will follow  a similar procedure that other buildings have put in place in that any weekend visits to the building must be done through the main doors in front of the building.  In addition, if you come in Sat. or Sunday, we will have a sign in sheet by the alarm to list your name in case more than 1 staff member shows up.  Thanks for your help in this.

In addition from maintenance, please take around 30 seconds at the end of your day to have the kids look a the floors and pickup and pencils, trash, etc.   This greatly helps the custodial staff that is already spread thin.

I will do make up testing for the NWEA this Friday in the morning.  Please let me know if you will have a student coming down.

Here is what’s coming up this week at Arno…

10/12              Columbus Day

Optional Staff meeting 8:00

Ad Council 9:00

AED/CPR training for those who signed up

10/13              Bate IEP @Riley 8:45

10/14              Steve @Title 1 Boot Camp WCCC Full Day

PBIS Meeting 3:45

10/15               Fire Safety Assembly K-2- 9:00, Grades 1, 3 10:00

10/16              3rd  Grade Metro Parks Assembly

Great Dialogue

I was very impressed today watching the process unfold to create common assessments.  Many important conversations took place regarding what we want to be able to do with these assessments- which is to gain valuable data, impact instruction, and set groups for possible interventions.  Collaborating at a district level went well and was great to see teachers from around the district.  Congrats on your accomplishments today, we will get together to share your data at the end of the 1st Q.

Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-Tiered Model of Preventionp

The Keynote speaker at our Title 1 state conference, Dr. Kathleen Lane, University of Kansas, presented a model of integrated support involving academic, behavioral, and social areas ( see pyramid) .  Some of the key things I took away from this:

• It takes an integrated approach to address the student’s needs and come up with an appropriate plan that will engage the learner.  A strong PBIS, in conjunction with identified social aspects, and a strong core program that is supported with an effective tiered system of support can help us drill down and provide the kind of service that can propel our scores for reading and math.
• This is really a different way of looking at doing business in a school.  Many look at interventions or PBIS, but to use all in one comprehensive system is outside the box and that is one way to make things happen for kids.  This kind of model requires additional time on looking at data, assessing, progress monitoring, and universal screening.  In addition, a very collaborative building schedule is necessary for the system to work.   Please review the video link and visit the web site for CI3T.org for more information, literature, and videos like the one below that detail some successes.

I know of a couple of grade levels who are undertaking a new way of looking at the teaching of math, while at the same time giving support to all learners- at-risk, on grade, as well as enriching those who are ready.  If your grade is interested in proposing a new way of reaching kids, strengthening the core, while providing skill based intervention-please set up a meeting with me to discuss any exciting possibilities.

CI3T in Action Videos

PBIS Meeting

If you are available this week, please be sure to join us for our PBIS meeting.  This is an important piece in helping us develop a complete intervention piece down the line.  The meeting will start at 3:45.

Schedules

Please remember to hand in your normal daily or weekly (or both) schedule to me.  Just an outline of the day, no lesson plans

Fire Drill @Recess

This Thursday we will have our second fire drill.  As required, we will conduct this drill around recess time.  Please prepare your kids on the process of where they go in if they are outside.  The drill will happen around 2:30ish or whenever I see the play ground filling up.

Growth Mindsets

This is a great way to reach kids and recharge batteries.

When students and educators have a growth mindset, they understand that intelligence can be developed. Students focus on improvement instead of worrying about how smart they are. They work hard to learn more and get smarter. Based on years of research by Stanford University’s Dr. Dweck, Lisa Blackwell Ph.D., and their colleagues, we know that students who learn this mindset show greater motivation in school, better grades, and higher test scores.

What does a Growth Mindset School look like?

Administrators support teachers’ learning. They are responsive to honest feedback, rather than defensive. They seek to build their skills, and are willing to learn from their teachers.

Teachers collaborate with their colleagues and instructional leaders, rather than shut their classroom doors and fly solo. They strive to strengthen their own practice, rather than blame others. They truly believe that all students can learn and succeed—and show it.

Parents support their children’s learning both inside and outside the classroom. They partner with teachers, and respond to outreach. They worry less about advocating for their children to get good grades and focus on making sure kids are being challenged and put in the effort needed to grow.

Students are enthusiastic, hard-working, persistent learners. They take charge over their own success.  This information from: Mindset

“Don’t make excuses or try to make students artificially feel better for doing poorly.  Instead, focus on students’ capacity to grow and change, and emphasize where they have control over their learning.” – Eric Jensen

What’s your mindset?

NWEA Data to Drive Instruction

Now that we are wrapping up testing- and I am so proud of all of you and our kids for the way you handled this on chromebooks for the first time, it’s time to start looking at our data critically to help drive instruction and intervention.  If you would like any assistance in breaking down and using your data, please let me know and we set up a meeting.

Fun Run Money

Although parents were informed that all monies were due for the Fun Run, keep encouraging kids to bring it in if they had not done so already.  Whether it’s now or in 3 weeks, we want to continue follow through as we receive many benefits in technology for our efforts.

Although the survey I sent a couple weeks ago on technology indicated that more people were in favor of tablets, the district may not yet have the support we need for a large scale purchase.  I would like to propose to the PTA that we purchase another cart (even if the district buys us one for m-step, which looks like a possibility), our goal should be 1-2 carts per grade level, with some tablet purchase in the long term.  So for this year, I would like your feedback on the recommendation of a chromecart purchase along with a bank of tablets.

In addition, I would like to request feedback from you on tablets.  When thinking of what type of tablets we would purchase, we need to start with the end in mind, not worrying about the device.  What is it in your view that kids will need to be able to do with a tablet and what device do you feel matches those needs?  Please send me your thoughts by Friday the 16th.

Recording Student Assessment Data