#30 High Expectations/Warm Demander, CLSP, PLC Survey

A posting from Jon Saphier (Research for Better Teaching) on LinkedIn

Below, I am sharing a notification of this LinkedIn post from Jon Saphier of Research for Better Teaching on high expectations and Hammond's notion of being a warm demander. This is an important stance to consider when thinking about the diversity of our students. Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Practices (CLSP) and the notion of standards based teaching and learning is our equity work!

Posted by Jon Saphier on LinkedIn

IFRs at the Horace Mann and Carter Schools

Speaking of culturally and linguistically sustaining practices.... I had the pleasure of joining in on the IFRs at the Carter and Horace Mann Schools last week, and it was amazing to see that although these schools have students with multiple exceptionalities, they both are focusing on the L in CLSP.  The students are culturally diverse, but also have linguistic needs and their IFs both had to do with students demonstrating their thinking using multiple means with increasingly more sophistication. These IFs have produced results no one could have predicted! Teachers at Carter are planning and executing literacy based lessons and co-teaching standards based content/language objectives is visible throughout the Horace Mann. These are practices we need to celebrate! Thank you, Mark and Martiza! 

Deadline for PLC Survey Extended to Friday, May 17

To accommodate the May 15 deadline for summative evaluations, Network 6 Principals have until Friday, May 17 to respond to the Leadership Continuum Reflection Survey. PLC sections will be announced on the June 6 All Principal PD.

Please note: The focus of the PLC should advance your vision for the school. For example:

• Teachers are planning well, but student work does not reflect the intent of the plan. If not, Stage 4: Excellence in Planning - Execution may be the best choice.

As you reflect, which description will help you move your school to the next level?

I'm happy to talk if you want clarification or would like to discuss the choices considering your school's context. 

Release of Machine Scored MCAS Results in ELA/Math/STE

Watch your dropbox for early reporting of results. You should see results for ELA on May 20 and results for Math/STE on June 6. 

Other News

BPS Assessment Newsletter, April 2019
Mumps in East Boston
Jackson/Mann BBPS Update 

PD Dates

May 30 for PLC 1, III, IV, V

June 6 ALL Administrators

#29 Happiness Advantage, Evaluation - Yours & Staff, Visit Schedule, Superintendent Search

Welcome Back!

I hope each of you had some time away to recharge before the very busy final months of school with testing, closing celebrations, preparing for next year, and closeout. In my visits, I have been continually impressed by the focus on teaching and learning even amidst testing season. Thank you.

Which comes first: Happiness or Success?

I just finished reading The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor, who has worked all over the world to rewire mindsets to promote success starting with how we view adversity, set backs, and challenge. It led me to this 12-minute TedTalk that may be useful for you and your staff. Our approach, the mindset we exude to colleagues, staff, and students can make a real difference in outcomes for individuals, our schools, and district. 

Remain steadfast through this transition

With a new superintendent being appointed in the very near future, our Interim Superintendent Perille wrote central office leadership her expectation that we maintain a "steadfast focus... in the coming weeks and months" and also "execute a leadership transition [to] ensure [we are ready for] a productive summer and successful start of the 2019-2020 school year." She asked that we close this year with "focus, poise, and an unyielding commitment to serving the best interests of BPS students... [and to] finish strong." Her words ring true for me, and I thought it appropriate to share them with you as well.

Here is information about the three finalists and schedule of events.

Visit Schedule

I need to make some changes to my calendar due to missing a few days because of illness and due to some unanticipated meetings that have popped up. I may have to collapse the amount of time or switch out dates so I can make up visits. When/If you receive changes that don't work, please let me know, and I will do my best to adjust. I waited until Sunday night to make calendar changes in an effort to minimize emails during vacation week. I apologize for disruption this may cause and as always, appreciate your flexibility.

Teacher Evaluation Deadlines

Just a reminder - all developing educator and one/two-year plan summatives are due May 15. Teachers should have submitted their artifacts by now. Formatives are due on June 1 for staff in first year of two-year plan.

Principal Evaluation Deadlines

On January 2, 2019, I sent each of you a personalized message subject Principal Evaluation notifying you of your plan type, priority indicators, dates, and templates. Align your artifacts to the priority indicators of: I-A Curriculum, I-D Evaluation, II-A Environment, II-B Human Resource Management and Development, III-B Sharing Responsibility, and IV-D Continuous Learning.

I am in the process of writing formative assessments for principals in year one of two-year plans. Artifacts are due on May 1 for those of you on self-directed plans and May 15 for developing educators. You may submit your artifacts in three ways listed below; choose the method that works for you. They all work fine for me. 

• Use this template
• Upload artifacts into TeachPoint
• Use your Quality School Plan and provide documentation and/or links there

Looking ahead to next year: 

• Calendar - The final 2019-2020 school calendar can be found here.
• CPT Scheduling - If you don't have it already, try to hold all CPTs on one day of the week or at minimum cluster certain grades on days (e.g. K-2 Mondays, 3-5 Wednesdays, etc.).
• ILT Selection - [Examples from Christine Landry in Network 1] Set a deadline to decide on your ILT for next year before (or very soon after) April break. Make sure to plan for them to meet several times as a team before the beginning of next year.
• Link to Condon ILT Application - Robby and his team created this great application and process for choosing ILT members and setting clear expectations for the work
• Link to Other Sample ILT Role Descriptions
• ILT Retreats - Consider building in an ILT retreat in August or since we get out early this year...in late June.
• School Leader PD will very likely be on Thursdays - please plan your PD and/or ILTs around Thursdays.

Next Year's PLCs

👀 In preparation for next year's PLC, watch for a survey asking you to assess where you and your school are along a cyclical continuum. This survey is for reflection purposes and NOT evaluative. Thanks in advance for helping us plan for next year. 

Focus Updates

Updates to Focus on First for SY20

Links to Materials Lists for SY20

• Focus on K1 Consumables Checklist
• Focus on K2 Consumables Checklist
• Focus on First Consumables Checklist
• Focus on Second Consumables Checklist

Reminder: Set Dates for Welcome Sessions

Welcome Sessions Memo with resource links for incoming Kindergartners, Sixth Graders, and Ninth Graders. Please enter dates of your welcome sessions at this link to ensure the dates and times are published accurately. 

#28 Recognition, Interim 3 Reports, Ed Lee's Retirement Party

Network 6 has a lot to celebrate starting with welcoming Claire Carney back from maternity leave. Ben Russell did a great job keeping Bradley afloat during her absence. Thank you, Ben! See below for more recognition. 

Wishing you all a restful vacation week!

Massachusetts 2020 Semifinalist for Teacher of the Year from the Hale

Congratulations to Dominique Gilmer, a special education teacher at the Nathan Hale Elementary School, who has been honored as a semifinalist for the 2020 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year!

Boston Educators of the Year from Network 6

Among ten educators, three are from Network 6. Congratulations!

Adams: Tanya Boone, Kindergarten Teacher

Guild: Jillian Archer, School Psychologist

Quincy Lower: Mark Sacco, Special Educator

Invited to Apply for the Thomas Payzant  School on the Move Prize  

Congratulations to the 13 schools that have been invited to apply. Network 6 schools are highlighted in yellow.

Elementary Schools
*Manassah E. Bradley Elementary School
*Edward Everett Elementary School
*Harvard-Kent Elementary School
Oliver Wendell Holmes Elementary School
Thomas J. Kenny Elementary School
*James Otis Elementary School
Michael J. Perkins Elementary School
*Winship Elementary School
John Winthrop Elementary School

K-8 Schools
*Maurice J. Tobin K-8 School

High Schools and K-12 Schools
Dr. William W. Henderson K-12 School
East Boston High School
Muriel S. Snowden International High School

Network Support Mid-Year Survey Results

Thank you for responding to the Network Support Mid-Year Survey. Please see the report of results here. 

Interim 3 Reports

Folder for ELA Interim 3 by Grade

ELA Interim 3 by Network

Math Interim 3 by Network

MCAS - Interims 1, 2, and 3 Side by Side Reports (Illuminate)

Matrix Reports (Illuminate)

Student and Culture/Climate Surveys

Many thanks to the schools below that have reached 70% or higher completion rate for the Panorama Student survey and Culture/Climate Survey. Surveys will continue to be open through Friday, April 12.

Adams, Bradley, Hale, Harvard-Kent, PJ Kennedy, Otis, Perry, Quincy, Tyan, Warren-Prescott, and Winship.

Ed Lee's Retirement Party, May 23

Many of you have worked with Ed Lee as a Network and/or Operational Superintendent. Please join us in celebrating his retirement!

#27 No MCAS Student Survey, Terra Nova, Achieve the Core Webinar - tomorrow 4/3

Appreciation

Last week's visits included observing teachers looking at student work and sharing teaching moves based on student assessment results to parents demanding an immediate safety transfer. Another  parent expressed concern regarding the content of a novel being read in sixth grade. I also observed a principal delivering MCAS Security training, participated in an MCAS-Alt folder review, and observed EdVestors SEED Grant sponsored science training outside. In the midst of all this, you are administering MCAS testing, dealing with the day-to-day, and planning for next year. I say these things to articulate how grateful I am for all of the work you do each day to serve students and families. Thank you.  💗🙏💗🙏💕

No Student Survey on MCAS This Year - Mark Complete

The district has opted out of the State's Views of Climate and Learning (VOCAL) questionnaire for grades 4, 5, 8, and 10 since we are implementing a climate survey for students. For grades 4 and 10, the survey is right after session 2 of the math test and for grades 5 and 8 the survey is right after session 2 of STE test. Test administrators: Mark Session 3 of Math for grades 4 and 10, and Session 3 of STE for grades 5 and 8 COMPLETE.

The first communication to Headmasters went out on Jan 28 in the BPS Assessment Newsletter. Please refer to the email sent out on March 12 to all Headmasters and Test Coordinators for details, NN_Mar12_the 'NO' MCAS Student Questionnaire in Grades 4, 5, 8, and 10 edition. For questions, please connect with Ileana Gruia igruia@bostonpublicschools.org

Proposed Changes to Terra Nova:

This is an opportunity to reduce testing by eliminating the Terra Nova in grades 4 and 5. We only have 26 responses so far. I know this is an issue that you all care deeply about. 

The district is proposing 2 major changes to the administration and participation requirements for the TerraNova (admissions test for AWC participation). We would like your feedback to the proposed changes. Please respond to this 5-minute survey by 3/29. Please contact the ODA with any questions. SY19-20 TerraNova Testing Format and Participation Changes; Summary of Proposed Change to TN Online Version SY2019-20

Retaining your top performers 

A best practice for retaining top performers is to intentionally meet with them (aim for your top 10) this time of year to make it clear that you value and want to continue to develop them. This 2x2 template can be helpful to guide and capture the conversation.

Goals: Ensure that they know they are valued and plan to stay.
Assess what support and resources they need to do so.
Preview your desire for them to be a secondary leader in the building and to gauge interest

Talking Points:

• You are one of our strongest teachers – you contribute a lot to our school and we want you to continue to be a part of our staff
• [Share specific reasons you value teacher]
• Are you getting enough feedback and support?
• What are your career goals? 1 year? 5 years

TNTP Articles -
The Irreplaceables Guide
Executive Summary

Achieve the Core Webinar

Students must engage in grade level reading, writing, speaking and listening on a daily basis. Putting grade level texts at the center of the literacy block is the topic of tomorrow's webinar.

Wednesday April 3, 2019
7-8 p.m. ET 

Recent research has pointed to what does (and doesn't) work in literacy instruction. In this webinar, participants will learn the value of a text-centered approach from literacy experts Sue Pimentel and Meredith Liben. We'll discuss criteria for texts that deserve to be at the center of instruction, the drawbacks of a strategies-focused model, and the implications of this research for literacy assessment.

Read the Placing Text at the Center of the Standards-Aligned ELA Classroom report for a preview of what will be discussed.

Register today! Participants who attend live (or watch the recording within 2 weeks the webcast) and complete the follow-up survey will be able to receive a certificate verifying their participation.