#19 January 15 Eval Reminders, Math/ELA Content Facilitators & much more!

Welcome Back!

During break, I spent time with family, ate too much, slept late, and read a couple of books. I hope you had time with loved ones and time just to be still.

We are entering a phase of the year when evaluation and budget deadlines collide, when resources are stretched tight, and state and local testing begins in earnest. Please know that your steady leadership is greatly appreciated!

In coming weeks, I will see most of you during your budget collab meetings. Meanwhile, I have worked on my schedule, but it is quite limited at the moment. Please forgive me for invitations that are short notice or need to be rescheduled. Please reach out via text/call/email anytime. I'll get back to you when I can.

My major tasks over the next six weeks:

• Form screening committees to recommend permanent leaders at the East Boston EEC and Mary Lyon K-8 School.
• Complete formative evaluations.
• Participate in Budget Collab/Probably Org meetings.
• Conduct school visits.

Do you have a math/ELA content facilitator? (repeat post)

Teachers have applied for math facilitator in nine network 6 schools. 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

Take a moment to listen to this story about Guild's fourth graders' climate change poetry

From Mary Driscoll, our K0-8 Associate Superintendent 

"In the weeks leading up to the January 15th Formative Evaluation and May 15th Summative Evaluation deadlines school leaders can schedule up to two days (one in January, one in May) to work off-site at the Bolling Building or other BPS location in order to write evaluations. The scheduling of the off-site work days must be approved by your Academic Superintendent. The leader must share the plan for coverage at the building with the AS, OS and OL."

From OHC: January 15 - Formatives Due

Evaluations for your Staff: Tuesday, January 15, 2019

The Formative Assessment Dashboard is up and running. 

Use the same link as the Fall Deadlines tracker (click this link and bookmark for quick access if you don't have it already). 

Use your 6-digit school RC number (101XXX) and your own Employee ID# (six-digits), then click enter/return (not the refresh button on the screen) to view your dashboard. 

Good evening school leaders,

Thank you for all of your work approving goals and observing educators in your buildings over the past few months! A quick reminder that Formative Assessments for educators on Developing and one-year Self-Directed Growth plans are due by 11:59pm Tuesday, January 15, 2019.  As you are working, remember to reference the EDFS Tips to help troubleshoot any potential issues.

Note: This is not a flexible deadline

REMINDER: The January 15th deadline does not apply to educators on 2-year plans.

Information on: 1. Immediate action items 2. Resources for formative assessments and 3. Deadline reminders  for other employee groups.

1. Immediate Action Items (please share with your evaluator team):

• Data trackers: We will send the link to your formative assessment data tracker on or about December 14 so you can confirm who needs a January 15 assessment. If you want to run a report in EDFS before then, instructions are here.

• Make any proposed Exemptions submissions using the linked google form. EDUCATORS WHO ARE ALREADY LISTED AS ON LEAVE IN PEOPLESOFT, AND WHO WILL REMAIN ON LEAVE IN PEOPLESOFT ON JANUARY 15TH NEED NOT BE REPORTED. Exemptions include such cases as BTU educators in non-DESE-licensed roles, educators piloting TeachPoint, and educators in split positions evaluated by another school.

• Artifact submission notification: Notify all educators of artifact submission due date for Formative Assessments. Educators should be given 3 weeks' notice of their deadline. If you give an extension, it must apply to all educators. We encourage you to modify this sample notification email.

• REMINDER: In order to limit system traffic during peak usage time, only evaluators will be able to log in to EDFS from 10am Friday, January 11 through 10am Wednesday, January 16. Please ensure educators are aware of this lockout and have submitted artifacts prior to January 11.

• REMINDER: Google docs can now be linked directly into the artifact rationale box in EDFS, so educators can be given the option to link artifacts rather than upload them.

•  Observations: The first observation for educators on one-year, Developing, or the first year of 2-year plans were due November 15. Please continue to complete these observations and ensure you are releasing formative assessment with sufficient observation data. It is best practice to include evidence in each standard from 2-3 elements; please keep this in mind when observing to ensure you have sufficient evidence.

2. Resources:

• Reach out to eval@bostonpublicschools.org for Formative Assessment Support. Our team members are offering one-on-one or small group formative assessment reviews and technical support by appointment from Wednesday, January 2 through Friday, January 11. We will be available either in person at Bolling or via Google Hangouts. Evaluators can also sign up for a reserved private work space in Bolling.

• Artifact/Formative Assessment Resources section in the OHC School Leader Handbook includes EDFS tips, next steps/prescriptions bank, artifact guidance, criteria for strong evaluations, and more

3. Reminders for other employee groups:

• Evaluation Dates and Deadlines gives an overview of all employee deadlines and links to circulars

• Non 5-step presentation pulls out specific steps for employee groups and also links to circulars

Upcoming deadlines for non-teacher employee groups include:

Other Employee Groups:

Item	By when
Conduct evaluation of paraprofessionals new to the building or who received a Does Not Meet in any area	As soon as possible
Assign evaluation plans for long term substitutes in EDFS	As soon as possible
Optional interim evaluation meeting with managerial employees	No later than Jan 31
First Interim evaluation for all lunch monitors	No later than Feb 1

We will be sending additional reminders leading up to the Formative Assessment deadline. If there are other supports that would be helpful in the meantime, please let us know!

Best,

The Performance Management Team

BBPS: McCormack 5-6 Pathway Messaging

• In SY 19-20 the McCormack will continue to operate as a 6-8 on its current site.
• In June 2020 the McCormack building will close for renovations
• In SY 20-21and 21-22 McCormack will operate as a 7- 8th-grade school in swing space (location TBD) 
• In September 2022 the McCormack building will re-open as a 7-12 school.

Most students entering the McCormack in September 2020 as 6th graders (current 5th graders) will have the opportunity to continue their high school career in the renovated McCormack building when it re-opens. (The exceptions will be based on any programming shifts that happen as part of the 7-12 expansion) They will also have the opportunity to be part of the design process for the newly renovated and reconfigured school.

Network 6 EdVestors Seed Grant Recipients

Congratulations to Hale and Otis!

Nathan Hale Elementary School (Roxbury)
Close literacy achievement gaps for boys of color and engender a love of reading by engaging students and their families through culturally responsive and affirming texts

James Otis Elementary School (East Boston)
Transform elementary science instruction to an inquiry-based, student-centered approach

Terra Nova Parent Reports from Fall 2018

Parent/Guardian letters with test results from the fall 2018 TerraNova tests will be available for schools to pick up from the Cluster Mailrooms on 01/9/19. The letters are also available in the schools' Google drive. Individual student test results are posted on Aspen.