OSPI Math Update!

The mathematics team at OSPI is in the process of updating our webpages and plan to have more streamlined content and information available the first part of January. Part of this update includes a new email delivery tool called GovDelivery. GovDelivery, which is available now, allows you to sign up to receive information on a variety of topics that suit your interests: assessment updates, new mathematics resources and information based on grade band, opportunities for professional development, news releases, bulletins, program news, job announcements, and much more. This tool will provide more flexibility in communicating information to you.

With this change, Movers & Shakers emails will no longer come from “Mathematics Assessment<mathematics@k12.wa.us>”; messages will come from “OSPI Mathematics<waospi@public.govdelivery.com>” instead. Please ensure these emails are not tagged as “junk” mail.

To continue to receive mathematics information please go to the Subscribe page for GovDelivery. Enter your email address. On the Subscriptions page, select Content Areas > Mathematics, then select the grade band(s) for which you would like to receive information. If you are interested in receiving updates from other OSPI departments, you can select those areas as well.  Follow the directions until you have completed registration. We will also be sending a message from GovDelivery with this same invitation, however you only need to register once.

Thank you for taking a moment to set your preferences and please encourage other educators and administrators to sign up for GovDelivery.  We look forward to delivering timely and important mathematics information to you.

Anton Jackson

Mathematics Assessment Specialist

Anton.jackson@k12.wa.us

(360) 725-6437

 

Loss of Personal Property (Clarification)

Update from the discussion on Theft on School Grounds:
So I was misinformed about the loss of personal property in your classroom. I received this information when I inquired:

Nick, I checked with Keith and we do not have a district form for tracking personal items staff bring in to their rooms.

He mentioned, though, that personal items are NOT covered by district insurance at all. If employees bring personal items in, it is as their own risk.

 

I will continue to inquire to see what this entails for teachers who have their personal materials in their classrooms to use with kids. Nick

SBAC Digital Library

Overview

The Smarter Balanced Digital Library is an online collection of instructional and professional learning resources contributed by educators for educators. Currently there are about 2,500 resources aligned with the intent of the Common Core State Standards that will help educators implement the formative assessment process to improve teaching and learning.

 

Highlighted Resource in the Digital Library this week

Assessment Literacy Module (Introduction to the Individual Student Assessment Accessibility Profile): https://www.smarterbalancedlibrary.org/content/introduction-individual-student-assessment-accessibility-profile

 

Log in to the Digital Library to view a module that offers an overview of the Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines.  It then focuses on using the ISAAP tool, or Individual Student Assessment Accessibility Profile Process. Educators can use this tool to match appropriate Universal Tools, Designated Supports, and/or Accommodations for an individual student for the interim and summative Smarter Balanced assessments. To learn more about supports for under-represented students http://www.smarterbalanced.org/parents-students/support-for-under-represented-students/, visit the Smarter Balanced Web site.

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Reminders and Updates

MATH NIGHT DETAILS
1) This is a reminder--- I would really appreciate one student's work sample to put up on the bulletin board by the office for families to enjoy before, during and after math night.  Shauna mentioned in her email that we are targeting the number sense strand so this is a perfect way to visually display the progression of this concept, starting at K and going to 5th grade.

Thanks, Marilyn

 

2)  From Shauna and Dora,

We are getting excited for Family Math Night and thought all our teams might need an update. Attached is a flyer for families. We have ordered it from print shop and a hard copy will be in your box Friday. There will also be a robo call going home.

PTA is providing pizza for FREE. 

We will be focusing on the number sense strand area of math to see how this concept grows from kindergarten to 5th grade.

Math Night starts at 6:30pm in the gym with an overview math with Mr. Hedman

Classroom activities from 6:45-7:15.

Then we will be moving to the gym for pizza with PTA from 7:15-7:30.

PTA is supporting math night by giving us a budget for supplies and Pizza.

 If your team has supplies they need could you check in with Dora and I.

Team Lead can you let Dora and I know what we can do to support you in the next week on this project.

PSESD BLOG: CORElaborate

 TPEP: I Am Setting Gaudy Goals!

I first heard the term “gaudy goal” at a summer conference last July.When I heard the name, it struck me as funny, but I didn’t give much thought to it, until recently. I have been helping to support and train teachers in our district through the TPEP process, and therefore I have been thinking a lot about goals again. The Webster definition of gaudy is “extravagantly bright or showy, typically so as to be tasteless”. I like it! Especially the tasteless part, I could have used this to describe most of my middle school outfits, however that is the part that applies the least to this scenario.
I went through the comprehensive Teacher Principal Evaluation Project two years ago. When I was setting my goals ...
MORE from the BLOG

3rd - 5th Grade Teachers,

 

I order enough Star pins for all the 3rd - 5th graders. These STARS are awarded at STAR Assemblies by grade level by teachers. They get pinned on their white lanyards. We are using the last of our PTA Incentive Money to pay for these. Tell the students about the plan so they can work for it. Next STAR assembly is December 12th

Red pins for students who clearly reach end of the year MCAP results.

Blue pins for students who clearly reach end of the year MAZE results.

Students should hit the target or above 3x in a row on the progress monitoring.

Targets are:

*Is Above District Target

Grade	MAZE	MCAP
3rd	23	20*
4th	24	20*
5th	26	20*

Oct 31st Training

PLAN So far for the Oct. 31st Training Day

Elementary:

Grades 3-5:  Tracy Nelson will lead ELA work at Foothills

Grades K-2:  Christi Ellenwood will lead math work at Elk Ridge

Elementary Specialists:  Nick Hedman will lead the group in the instructional framework and setting appropriate student growth goals at Wilkeson.

Elementary Counselors:  CPS New process

Paras:  This is an area where we need feedback.  Janis Heigl is not available to provide round two of Bridges training.  As a result, we are left with having each principal determine activities that are appropriate in your building.  Potential options may include training to support the Imagine It intervention kits and Second Steps training.

Part-time employees will be paid extra duty for the afternoon.  Please have them submit the forms to me.

Updates and Reminders

1) Student work that is posted up in your rooms and in the halls has been fabulous examples of the kinds of writing, thinking and learning we want all our kids to be showcasing. Marilyn will once again be coming around collecting current and exemplarary work to post on our Super Power board in the lobby as we continue to find ways to communicate academic celebration. We will want to consistently update this board with examples of student learning that you select to highlight.

2) Vocabulary Day - Since we are going to slightly alter the focus for this day towards our Super Power theme, please spend time brainstorming ideas, words, and props that could help students be successful on this prior to the day before. It could be a lesson with criteria and all. All students will share their words in our assembly that day. We pulled it off last year. Thank you to Kelly and her team for organizing this Discovery Day.

3) Substitute Teachers: We have fabulous substitutes that love working with you all and our kids. The demand is currently greater than the supply. Here are some things I need you to attend to because we never know for sure who our subs will be and they may even get moved around based on need.
First, please make sure you have thorough notes that describe the PBIS plan in your classroom. What are the expectations, what is the attention signal, how do we acknowledge and correct behavior, what is the progressive discipline, who are the health and safety plan concerns. Please don't assume guest teachers will know. These proactive notes can eliminate many issues that have arisen. In addition, you need to have a set of emergency plans readily available for anyone who can step in and have a generic plan to provide safe learning activities for your students in case you were suddenly out.
Second, if you thinking you might have to have a sub the night before, best to enter it in and cancel, than to make a 6am entry and then we are stuck trying to figure out coverage.
Third, we have continuously shown amazing generosity to help cover and support one another on those days when coverage is thin to bare. I want to thank you as a whole on how you come to the rescue of each other and our students.
Lastly, the efforts you go to supporting and welcoming ALL our guests goes a long ways in persuading folks to come back and work with our kids from the morning greeting to the frequent check-ins you make. Thank you again! We are definitely in this together.

4) Class Registeration: there will be 2 courses for teachers to register for AND they will also be our sign-in sheets to document pay. There will NOT be a clock course for Staff Meetings - just a sign in.
Wilkeson PD 55 Min Mtg - 7.5
Wilkeson Building Learning Time - 7.5

Ready! K Blurb

Ready! for Kindergarten

The White River School District is offering READY! for Kindergarten classes for parents who have children

ages 3 to 5. This program shares information about the lively early-learning years before a child enters

school, which lays the foundation for all future learning.

What is Ready! for Kindergarten?

READY! teaches parents how to “Play with a Purpose” which builds strong minds and relationships.

Parents learn activities and receive materials to take home that make learning fun and effective. Classes

are taught by certificated teachers from the White River School District. This year we have a 3-4 year old

class and a 4-5 year old class. Both classes are held at Wilkeson Elementary and serve kids throughout

Who can attend Ready! for Kindergarten?

Classes are FREE to families in the White River School District attendance area with a child between the

ages of 3 and 5. Free child care is provided.

When is Ready! for Kindergarten?

Parents attend three classes throughout the year. The classes are:

October 16 6:00-8:00 pm (includes 1 time orientation portion)

Please visit www.readyforkindergarten.org/wrsd to sign up for the fall class on October 16th

Questions? Contact Christi Ellenwood at cellenwood@whiteriver.wednet.edu or Shauna Perez at sperez@whiteriver.wednet.edu

WRSD Attendance Policy Changes

(Teachers: Please fill free to add this to your newsletters.)

WRSD Attendance Policy Changes

Here are some reminders and some rather significant changes to the School District Attendance Policies that I would like to share with you. Below are just excerpts of changes and entire WRSD Policy will be sent via email to parents.

Washington State Compulsory Attendance Law specifies that parents/guardians have the primary responsibility for ensuring the attendance of their children at school.  The law further states that students shall be regular and punctual in attendance. The attendance procedures at White River School District are designed to assist parents/guardians in carrying out this responsibility.

Missing school for any reason negatively affects learning, achievement, and grades.  Daily attendance is imperative to a student’s effective and productive learning experience.  The sequential presentation of school learning requires a continuity of instruction. 

White River School District is committed to supporting students and families in attending school regularly and will therefore adhere to its legal obligation to report all parents/guardians and/or students who fail to abide by Washington State Compulsory Attendance Law (Becca Bill- SB 5439).

ABSENCES

Absences from school shall be classified as either excused or unexcused absence.

Elementary School: More than 30 minutes late to school and leaving more than 30 minutes early from school will constitute a half-day absence.

EXCUSED ABSENCES

• An excused absence is any absence that has the approval of both the parent/guardian and the school.
• To excuse an absence, the parent/guardian must call or send a note to the Main Office within 48 hours of the absence.  Please give the following information: student’s full name, date of absence(s), reason for absence, and parent/guardian signature (if a note). 
  
• If a parent/guardian does not phone or send a written note of clearance within 48 hours, the absence is considered unexcused.

EXCESSIVE EXCUSED ABSENCE PATTERN

•  A written statement from a doctor will be required on the 5^th consecutive day of absence and in situations where a pattern of excessive excused absences from school has occurred.  Absences not accounted for in this manner will be considered unexcused.
•  Students who meet these criteria will be required to have a parent attendance meeting with the school administrator and counselor to develop an Attendance Contract. 

LATE ARRIVAL (TARDY)

It is vital that student be on time to every class every day; when students are late to class, they disrupt the

instruction in the classroom.

• Elementary Schools: Your teacher will take attendance every morning.
• If you arrive after the start time, you MUST report to the office for an admission slip to class. 
• Students who are not in class when the bell rings are tardy. 
• Elementary- When a student has been tardy five times; it will be recorded in our system as an unexcused absence.