November 3rd, 2014

              High Point News

Week of: November 3rd, 2014

********NEWS*************************

RTI block: School Wide Expectations

*A few quick reminders of school wide expectations for the RTI block *

•      RTI block is from 7:50-8:20a.m. everyday
•      Tier 1 students are doing math enrichment everyday
•      All teachers in the building are pulling a Tier 2 or Tier 3 small group from 7:50-8:20a.m.
•      Tier 2 students are to be pulled 3-5 times a week for 15 minutes
•      Tier 3 students are pulled 4-5 times a week for 30 minutes
•        Progress monitoring in the computer lab weekly-alternating Reading and Math. Tier 3 is every  week and Tier 2 is every other week.

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PBIS This Week

Congratulations to Mr. Espinoza for winning our Buddy Brag for this month! He has won the "gift of time" for next Friday! Thank you to everyone who took the time to recognize someone for their outstanding work. 

November PBIS Focus =  Cafeteria Behavior.
 Select one student to be a Cafeteria PAWS UP person. Allow this student to give tickets to the students he/she sees following the PAWS Up procedures in the cafeteria. This person would also remind their assistant to give them a ticket if the class earned it! 
Get ahead and take two minutes to review Cafeteria PAWS UP Procedures with your class! 

Love and Logic for the Week  - The Three Rules

a.  Use enforceable limits: Telling students how to run their lives usually makes things worse. Tell students how you will be running YOUR life.

b.  Provide choices within limits: Basic rule, “You will either give the other person control on your terms or they will take it on their terms.” 

■   You are more than welcome to….

■   You are free to…

■   Would you rather…

■   What would be best for you...___ or ___?

c.  Apply consequences with empathy: “An effective teacher administers consequences with empathy and understanding, as opposed to anger and lecture.”  

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TKES Formative Assessments Begin
Formative Observations will begin this week. If you are being evaluated using TKES, please read the following very carefully. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask Pitchford or Alexander. 

• You will receive an email 2-4 days prior to your observation. We will not be giving specific times or days because our schedules change, however, you will know through the email that your observation will take place within a week's window. 
• The observations will be during Reading or Math times only (unless you are a special area teacher). 
• If you have changed your schedule, please make sure you update it on the G-drive as well as in your lesson plans. We look at those to know what we will be observing. 
• The observation will be 30 to 45 minutes long. 
• We will need artifacts to support some of the non-observable standards. You are more than welcome to place your artifacts in our box prior to the observation or have it out when we come into the room. Some examples of artifacts would be:

1. Your conference log
2. Examples of communication which enhances learning
3. Examples of different types of assessments given (common assessments, rubrics, projects, quizzes, formative assessments, etc...)
4. Evidence in your lesson plans that data is used to guide instructional planning (F&P levels, groupings of students, STAR scores, item analysis reports, etc...)
5. Examples of how students take ownership of their learning (data reports, student work samples, student-conferences, independent activities, etc..)
6. Evidence of professional growth opportunities to support student learning or that contributes to the profession
7. If not seen during the observation, some examples of how you create a student-centered environment in which students are engaged and challenged at their own level
8. If not seen during the observation, some examples of how you challenge and support students to meet their learning differences in reading or math. 

• The formative assessment will be based off your two walk-throughs, one formative observation, and your artifacts. 
• You will receive your formative assessment within 5 days of us receiving your artifacts.
• Your formative assessment will be shared with you so that you can review it and then schedule a time for your mid-year conference. 
• The purpose of the mid-year conference is to discuss your formative assessment, answer any questions you have, and find out how to support you for the remainder of the school year.  
• Please SIGN-OFF on the Formative Assessment #1 Only after we have met. All cheat sheets to help you are on the T-drive under TKES 2014-2015.

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What I've Been Thinking About…

Many of you have been asking why are we so concerned with data. This is a perfect article about why data is so important and how we need to see data as information that comes organically out of your work with students to improve learning; not as just another mandate. 

"Data connect me to my students and their learning, push me to high levels of reflection on my practice, and spur me to engage in dialogue with colleagues, students, and parents.Unfortunately, most teachers do not share my view of data as a resource that helps them teach better; many experience it as unfamiliar or threatening."

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec08/vol66/num04/Why-Teachers-Must-Be-Data-Experts.aspx

****Our Math Corner******************

Developing numeracy and numbers sense is a critical teaching activity in grades K-3.  Children’s ability to engage mathematical thinking in the common core is directly related to their experiences and understanding of how numbers work on our base 10 system.  Research shows that children who do not have full command of numeracy by the end of grade 2 continue to struggle in the common core throughout their math careers in school.

Number development follows this trajectory:

·         Subitizing-perceptual (single quantities) and then conceptual (combining quantities in a                       part-part whole relationships)

·         Counting up and back by ones and tens given any starting point

·         Part-whole understandings 5 and less

·         Part-whole understandings 10 and less

·         Part-whole understandings 20 and less

·         Part-whole understandings 100 and less

·         Math fact strategies (doubles, +/- 1 or 2, add through ten, back through 10)

·         Math fact strategies (make 10 and add)

We will talk in the coming weeks about numeracy development, and how it is reinforced through number talks and model drawing.  You can also touch base with these colleagues who have attended numeracy training:

·         Stephanie Kehn Gallagher, K

·         Shannon Billits, 1

·         Amy Bradshaw, 2

·         Julie Ellis, 2

·         Lauren McClelland, 3

·        Megan Eigel, ESOL

·         Kerstin Long

In addition, there are resource files for numeracy activities located on the g-drive in Math Coach Folder LONG.  Look for Numeracy Consultants.

There are also some websites recommended by Numeracy Consultants that can reinforce number concepts you have already introduced to your class through number talks. It's in the folder as well. 

****VISUALS OF BEST PRACTICES****

In Ms. Wright’s Kindergarten class, she uses a Math Concept Reflective Tool with her small groups. When students leave her small group , they use a Velcro card with their pre-assigned number on it and place it on the stop sign based on how they feel about that days small group work. Ms. Wright takes notes and either changes her approach or lesson for the next day. If there are only 1 or 2 students who don’t understand, based on the Math Concept Reflective Tool, she’ll pull them in the morning to reteach.

*****WRITERS' GALLERY**********

The writers' gallery/pledge is hosted by Ms. Gersten's class this week and next week.

******CALENDAR OF EVENTS*******

Monday, November 3rd
9:30 - Parent Tours

Tuesday, November 4th  

1:45 Leadership Meeting
General Elections Being Held

Wednesday, November 5th 
College Spirit Wear!
Pitchford to Principals' Meeting

Thursday, November 6th

My Friends Place for Lunch - Order by Wednesday
2:50 - PLCs
5th Graders to Rock Eagle
Grade Level Newsletters Go Home!

Friday, November 7th
7:30 - PTA Executive Board Meeting
Send your tickets down and change your Student of the Week!

******BIRTHDAYS! ****************

Happy birthday to Lindsey Hayes TODAY!! We hope you have a wonderful birthday!!