#18 Best Wishes, Jan/Feb Visits, ELA/Math Teacher Leaders, MCAS Resources

I'm looking forward to increased daylight in coming weeks and months! Wishing all of you time to disconnect to connect with loved ones and renew as 2018 closes and 2019 opens.

I recall some of my childhood Christmases as a red envelope (money), poinsettias, and a Chinese feast. There was no way I would return to school with that embarrassing story. To this day, I wonder if my teachers knew I made up the stories about my break. I share this to keep in mind that many of our students may not have a Hallmark card holiday experience. Thus, perhaps teachers can focus more on the New Year and new beginnings to help students like me from telling tales. 

My daughter had her last exam yesterday - the last day and last period at the university. I'm looking forward to having her home for a month 😍. It's tradition to travel to Baltimore to celebrate Christmas with my husband's family. I will be off for most of the break and hope that you will take time away from it all too. Remember to disconnect in order to connect.

January-February Visits

We just received invitations for Budget and Probable Org meetings. There are a few conflicts where schools overlap or where I have another commitment. I have entered a note into the calendar invite to keep the team informed. I am working to coordinate with the Operational Superintendent and others. I hope to publish a draft calendar for your review soon. My goal is to be able to visit at least once before February vacation.

Do you have a math/ELA content facilitator?

I apologize for the late communication on content facilitators. Below, please find applications for Math and ELA; they require your sign off and are due today or as soon as possible. Ideally, these facilitators are on your ILT so that information can be shared back to your school. 

Math Teacher Leader Application

ELA Teacher Leader Application

Network 4 Academic Superintendent

I'm excited to introduce you to my colleague Andrea Zayas, who has been appointed Deputy Chief Academic Officer under Dr. Charles Grandson. See announcement here. We are currently reviewing applications and aim for a transition on or around February vacation.

Your Evaluation

After vacation, I will send a communication regarding formative evaluations that I aim to complete mid-late February. This is due for those of you who are on Developing Plans. Please DO NOT think about this over break.

MCAS Training Sessions

Registration is now open for January MCAS training sessions for administrators. While these training sessions are differentiated by participants’ familiarity with computer-based testing, all are welcome at each session. All principals are encouraged to participate in one of the sessions on test security and administration protocols, and new high school principals are expected to participate. Principals who cannot participate in one of those sessions (held January 29 and 31) will be able to view a recording.

Resources

Last year I published a "getting ready for MCAS" document. I will update it and reshare it with you. Meanwhile, please see some of the resources below:

MCAS On-line and Paper Practice Tests

Resources to Get Students Ready for ACCESS

Graphic Organizers, Checklists, and Supplemental Reference Sheets, for use by students with disabilities

Schools are encouraged to familiarize students with these tools, since students should be comfortable using their graphic organizer or reference sheet during MCAS testing.

Approved ELA Graphic Organizers	Approved Supplemental Mathematics Reference Sheets	Sample STE Reference Sheets
MCAS Grades 3 and 4: Short Response	MCAS Grade 3	MCAS Grade 5
MCAS Grades 3-5: Essay	MCAS Grade 4	MCAS Grade 8
MCAS Grades 3-5: Narrative	MCAS Grade 5	Approval Cover Sheet for STE
MCAS Grades 6-8: Essay	MCAS Grade 6
MCAS Grades 6-8: Narrative	MCAS Grade 7
	MCAS Grade 8

#17 Budget, Science PD, BBPS

January Visits

I will publish a draft January 2019 visit schedule after the Budget Collab meetings are set. When visiting classrooms, I usually follow your priorities in relationship to the IF. I also look for explicit grade level learning expectations and tasks that are aligned and "worthwhile." Worthwhile means whether the task is aligned and requires student thinking and reasoning. 

Budget

By the time you read this, you will have your budget. For the second year, Budget Office has added some funding for sustainability and high needs programs. It offsets some of the budget concerns you may have. Declining enrollment is a factor that could be contributing to a smaller budget. Your school budget is due on January 10, 2018. You will have time next week on December 13 to work on your budget. 

Here is a presentation you can copy and tailor for your School Site Council. You must meet with your SSC five days in advance of due date to share budget summary. If you anticipate cuts, you should speak with staff who may potentially be cut. The SSC reviews the budget and approve discretionary funds. They sign off on Form B-6. SSC can submit comments/impact statement around the budget.

Webinar on evidence-based decision making: 

From 2:00-3:00 p.m. on December 12, the What Works Clearinghouse, part of the U.S. Department of Education, will hold a free webinar, “How Administrators Can Communicate the Need for Evidence-Based Decision Making.” The webinar will include an overview of What Works Clearinghouse resources, strategies administrators can use to select relevant sources, and recommendations for sharing research and resources with teachers and staff in easily understandable ways. Registration is open online.

Edwin is Getting a New Look!

Edwin Analytics, a tool available to district and school leaders on the DESE’s security portal, is getting upgraded the week of December 10. This new version will look different but offers new features that DESE hopes will be useful to districts. Reports will run the same, but it will be easier to find reports that may be of interest, access recently viewed reports, and search reports by keyword. The older version of Edwin will still be available throughout December under the “Edwin Analytics Legacy” link. The Edwin Analytics Legacy version will be retired in January 2019.

For more information about the Edwin upgrade, please download this guide to Using Edwin.

Introducing School Leaders to the Shifts in 2016 STE Standards

This professional development will be held on December 20th and is taking place at Bolling. Hold the date for professional development on the Science Shifts on December 20, 2018 from 8:30-3:00 at Bolling. Below, find the objectives. Please fill out this brief survey ahead of time. 

Build BPS

The full phase 2 report is now available, with a section that addresses each of the neighborhoods.  

Diversity Recruitment Fairs

Kelly Hung kindly put all of the opportunities from the Recruitment Events Registration link into one document: Diversity Recruitment Fairs - please mark your calendars!

Fifth Quarter Portfolio

The deadline for the 5th Quarter Portfolio written application is next Friday, December 14, 2018.

BPS Arts Survey 

Each year EdVestors administers the annual BPS Arts Survey on behalf of the district. This survey, now in its 12th year, helps us better understand the availability and distribution of arts education in the BPS and guides investment of external funds to support the BPS Arts Expansion goal of increasing access to quality arts education for all BPS students. In addition, the survey data is used to document successes, identify areas of investment, and communicate effectively with potential funders.

The survey includes questions that will inform your network schools’ School Arts Index, a tool developed for all schools to measure school arts offerings in their buildings. Developed with the input of school leaders, teachers, and arts partners, this tool will connect with current and future BPS tools for sharing school information such the BPS School Quality Framework. The Index also determines a school's eligibility to apply for specific BPS Arts Expansion grants. 

The survey link is: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BPS1819artssurvey and should take approximately 25 minutes for each school to complete. 

Post #16 How to Use TeachPoint for Your Evaluation

Welcome James Michael Carney!

Congratulations to the Carneys!

November 20, 2018

7 lbs 8 oz

20 inches long

Budget

Budget office hopes to send you your school's budget on December 10 in preparation for December 13 All Administrators Meeting.

Upcoming Fundations Training

There will be a Fundations training on Saturday, January 26th (with a snow date of 2/2/19). This is a great opportunity for K2-2 classrooms who still need materials and training.  Please use this LINK to sign up.

Quick Tutorial on TeachPoint

Below, is Grace’s interpretation of how to use TeachPoint this year. Sign off on the documents that are uploaded.

Once you are there, this is an example of what you will see when you click on the user icon.

Click on Goal/Action Plan Document and scroll down. There will be nothing in the boxes, only your QSP linked in.

Action: Scroll towards bottom and sign-off on your QSP in Teachpoint. You may add comments if you wish.

I have been uploading follow-up notes as observations and signed off on them. In general, you will see no writing in the boxes because the information is in your QSP.

Action: Scroll towards bottom and sign-off to acknowledge it. You may add comments if you wish.

Another way to see what still needs to be done is to click on the Calendar Icon under the User Icon on the left. You will see where signatures may be required.

That should be it!