Post #13 Thursday Memo - October 15, 2020

Words from Grace

First things first, welcome back Principal Megan Webb! (We'll be keeping Doris on our region listserv, though!) Second, I just want to express how incredibly proud I am of Region 6!

Injunction

With the judge's denial of the BTU injunction, we will continue to serve our students with high in person priority designation and follow the MOU (work agreement + CBA) and MOA (creative scheduling). I hear that building reps may be pressured to take "sides." It may be challenging to build upon or preserve a strong school culture when we are not all physically in buildings and during this difference in agreement between the union and management. 

What's the leadership message? We will:

• Focus on students' needs - teaching and learning
• Act in solidarity and heal relationships rather than be divided

Operational Lead - Ann Callahan

You must leverage Ann's expertise and institutional knowledge. She will support you with all operational questions, but more importantly, Ann knows the code of conduct and procedures for progressive discipline inside out. She can support you in resolving discipline issues before going to OLR. Please take advantage of her support - it will save you time and energy - I promise.

Assistant Director of Special Education - Tanisha Roulhac

Any and all concerns about special education should start with Tanisha. She will help navigate supports. Please be patient as this is a new role. Reach out!

OEL Support

For questions about instruction please contact Grace Wang at gwang@bostonpublicschools.org. 

School Improvement Plan Draft extended to Monday, October 19

I've extended your first draft of your School Improvement Plan to Monday, October 19th. Those with transformation plans have already submitted their plans (OGPS, Timilty). Everyone else should submit to me a draft with big rocks aligned with Strategic Plan: Accelerate Learning and Amplify Voices. Several of you are continuing with work from last year that is aligned. One action that needs to be taken is to obtain input from your community via school based equity roundtable. Go to slide 53 from ALI here for more resources on running your school based roundtable. Here is the revised QSP Template for 20-21 that incorporates the Racial Equity Planning Tool. We can talk more about keeping this simple during region time on Friday morning. DO NOT PANIC!

Asynchronous Professional Development

Now that the year is launched, some professional development from Returning Boston Strong 2020 may be relevant. Go to this link: Professional Learning Videos Catalog and to obtain PDPs, staff should fill out this exit ticket.

I receive the Commissioner's Weekly Update each week. It contains FAQs and other relevant information about professional development, etc... In your spare time 🙄, take a look.

Important Dates

October 21 - School Committee Meeting @ 5p

October 29 – All School Leader Meeting

November 3 - Election Day - Remote Learning Day for All

November 11 – Veterans Day – no school

November 25 - half-day of school

November 26-27 - Thanksgiving - no school

Division of Academics

Transformation Schools - Early Childhood Supports

Each school leader who serves grades pre-K-2nd should have received an email from Brooke Childs about support for grades preK-2nd with an ask to connect in order to coordinate support and coaching. Please reach out to Brooke at bchilds@bostonpublicschools.org by Friday, October 16th in order to find a time to connect.

Early Childhood Updates

Early Childhood staff and volunteers are in the process of delivering materials to schools. Please see more information about these materials below.

• Schools implementing the Focus on First curriculum: Printed copies of early readers, decodable texts for your first graders are being delivered to your schools. There are copies for each first grader in your school, and the texts are meant to be sent home to children for reading practice. Guidance as well as the digital versions (all on Seesaw) can be found in this letter, as well as in this folder: Decodable Texts: Level K Review and Unit 1.  Partial deliveries were made Friday to some schools, but all 16 texts will arrive by the end of this week (October 16th). If you have any questions please reach out to Brooke Childs @ bchilds@bostonpublicschools.org.

• All schools with K0's and K1's: Building Blocks math cards and foam dice were either already delivered or will be delivered this week to be sent home for students' math work at home.  Please contact Carolyn Mason Christopher @ cmasonchristopher@bostonpublicschools.org for more information.

• All schools:  Additional materials that were left over from summer school are being divided up and delivered to schools for you to use to best fit your needs for K0 - 2nd grade classrooms (e.g., in your classrooms for hybrid learning, adding to home kits or in schools for any other purposes).  Please contact Jason Sachs @ jsachs@bostonpublicschools.org if you have questions about these additional materials.  

2. This FAQ document includes answers to frequently asked questions regarding classroom environments and health practices in the hybrid model in K0 - 2nd grade. It is intended to clarify information presented in this document:  Guidance for K0-2nd Grade Classroom Environments and Use of Materials in a Hybrid Model and in this slide deck. 

Division of Accountability

Transformation Schools - Feedback & Coaching Tracker

ODA has developed a Feedback & Coaching tracker, aligned to the Universal Expectations, that schools can use to monitor and inform feedback and coaching cycles with teachers (link includes sample data). The tracker will highlight rates of coaching for individual teachers and organize observation data to highlight trends in standards-aligned instruction and which CRIOP pillars and indicators are prioritized for feedback. If you would like to begin using this tracker at your school, please email James Likis (jlikis@bostonpublicschools.org), and he will get you set up. 

Panorama Implementation Weekly Update 

Thanks to all staff who are utilizing Panorama Student Success and asking important questions about the platform. Please see this week's update:

• Panorama Support Notes & Aspen Journal

• Additional Questions: Please see Panorama Student Success Help Site or email: mtssdata@bostonpublicschools.org

Division of Human Capital

Performance Management Update

OHC's Performance Management Team is issuing new guidance for cases where BTU evaluators of fellow educators must relinquish an educator plan to a non-BTU school administrator. A link to the guidance may be found here and will be added to the OHC School Leader Handbook. 

Schools with BTU Teacher Leadership Teams (BTU Pilot, Mission Hill, and Lyndon K-8) and the Educator Supports Program (Formerly PAR) are exempted from this guidance. PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH ALL EVALUATORS UNDER YOUR SUPERVISION. 

Please direct any questions to Jerome Doherty, Director of Evaluation and Performance Management at jdoherty7@bostonpublicschools.org . 

Division of Operations

Reminder: The Operations Links for School Leaders lives on the Communications Hub and contains links to items in the COVID materials folder.  

Athletics

School Leaders are encouraged to refer students to get involved in the Scholar-Athlete- Student Ambassador Program

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dMgvnqGC3wLlyd1HscQSuPdKNrLYRRRo/view?usp=sharing

 

Facilities

Please read the Mandatory Asbestos Notification for Contractors. All AHERA binders must be available in your Main Office.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14WsJ6wW02ipoSKw11kuv_9G4Z2HsiZbX/view?usp=sharing

The custodial bid move happened Tuesday, October 13th. Where applicable, we encourage all school leaders who have a new custodian to meet with them around your expectations for their performance and the building.

Contractors will be working on repairing additional windows over the next several weeks. Renovations to toilet rooms will be continuing at the BTU, Ellis, Higginson/Lewis, Winthrop, Hurley & Philbrick schools.  

As of Friday, 10/9 heat has been turned on in all buildings. If you are having issues please contact the Energy Office at 617-635-8740

 

Food and Nutritional Services

Please ensure you have confirmed your meal plan with your site coordinator. - 3-day meal packs will now be available in bags with handles; we are removing the bulky boxes.

Safety Services 

Please review the following updated circulars.

FSE - 2 Fire Safety Practices

FSE -8 Safe Mode

SAF - 12 School Access Control

As of 10/12/20, 13 schools still need to submit a Safety Plan. Please ensure this is submitted.

This is a friendly reminder that your safety plans are due. Your plans are in a google doc that you should have. If you need your plans shared with you please reach out to Rick Deraney, Director of Safety Services, at rderaney@bostonpublicschools.org or 617-212-2397. Please submit your plans in a timely manner to allow for proper review and support by Director Deraney. All plans need to be reviewed by Safety Services prior to the DESE district submission deadline of September 1.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: 

When you are completing your plan please DO NOT COPY AND MAKE THE CHANGES. Make all changes in the original document so Rick can see changes in the file. Please make sure you update section 4 student enrollment.  After all your updates are complete, please change the school year in the title section from SY19/20 to SY20/21. 

Transportation

If you have not as of yet, make sure you contact Rosalie West (rwest2@bostonpublicschools.org) to pick up your school's M7 Passes from the Bolling Building by appointment only. Thank you!