Congratulations to our Teacher of the Month
Catherine Blaine,
3rd Grade Teacher
Monday - School Appreciation- 3rd/4th Grade - Kristen Weichel on campus
- 3:15pm - ELAR Make & Take for 3rd & 4th Grade
- 3:30pm - Staff Meeting
- 7:00pm - School Board Meeting
- 9:30am - Principal Meeting @ Scott Elementary
Wednesday
Thursday - Early Release @ 12:30pm
- Here's the Half-Day Schedule sent via Dr. Bright
- 7:00am - All Pro Dads in Library
- 8:00am - PBIS Assembly in Gym
- 8:00am - Curriculum Advisory Team Mtg @ Admin Building
- 1:15pm - Curriculum Mtg @ Fort Elementary-Click for Schedule
- 2:00pm - Hall Pass Training (Salinas, Arredondo, Powell)
Friday - Teacher Workday
- 10:50am-12:05pm - HUMANeX Staff Feedback Session
- 3:30pm - Sara Moss's Retirement @ Admin Building
This Week's Schedules
We have lots going on this week and I've included all the schedules that have been sent via email here on the blog. To view them, you MUST be logged in with your Royse City ISD Google account:
EdcampAwesome
Reminder... be sure to get your tickets for EdcampAwesome - 1 ticket for registering and 4 additional tickets for attending the event. Click here for register! Do it... do it!!
Reading Instruction
Guided Reading books have been organized in the 4th Grade pod by reading level. Teachers will develop groups based on student's instructional reading level. Reading groups will meet daily. Lower level readers will meet every day while higher level readers will meet at least 2x per week.
Accelerated Reader (AR) Update - Students should be at 83% of their goal by this Friday. If you notice someone who really needs help, please let me know. We will continue to monitor and encourage students to make weekly targets and a comprehension score of at least 80%. Nita Green is meeting with our targeted 3rd and 4th grade student to ensure they have a book on their reading level each day.
Students should be asked to take home a book every night and read for 20 minutes. Be sure to communicate with parents about their child's AR point goal and their progress toward reaching that goal.
Mathematics
1st & 2nd Grade - Lone Star Daily Rigor is being used with students each week.
3rd & 4th Grade - Math GPS is being used to help students weekly. Teachers should be on week 36-40 this week. We must maintain this pace in order to finished by testing time.
Think Through Math (TTM) for Grade 3-4 - Teachers please ensure that all students have been assessed for TTM. Letters have been sent home during the first report card to parents. Remember that there's an app for TTM and it can be used on the iPad.
Professional Development
Remember Valerie James is available for demonstration lessons so be sure to ask her to visit your classroom for additional support as needed. Each week, you're working with Valerie to determine words students must know to be successful. These words are colored by strand and should be posted on the word wall. Be sure to review them frequently with your students. Dr. Bright and I will be looking for these during our classroom observations and walkthroughs.
Kristen Weichel is working with ELAR teachers. She studies the unit IFDs and Assessments to bring materials and ideas for teachers to use during ELAR instructional time. She will also provide support for Guided Reading and is available to conduct demonstration lessons.
Gradebook Reminders
Let's avoid challenging conversations about grades with parents and be sure to follow the Royse City Grading Guidelines. Here's a couple of reminders:
We have lots going on this week and I've included all the schedules that have been sent via email here on the blog. To view them, you MUST be logged in with your Royse City ISD Google account:
EdcampAwesome
Reminder... be sure to get your tickets for EdcampAwesome - 1 ticket for registering and 4 additional tickets for attending the event. Click here for register! Do it... do it!!
Reading Instruction
Guided Reading books have been organized in the 4th Grade pod by reading level. Teachers will develop groups based on student's instructional reading level. Reading groups will meet daily. Lower level readers will meet every day while higher level readers will meet at least 2x per week.
Accelerated Reader (AR) Update - Students should be at 83% of their goal by this Friday. If you notice someone who really needs help, please let me know. We will continue to monitor and encourage students to make weekly targets and a comprehension score of at least 80%. Nita Green is meeting with our targeted 3rd and 4th grade student to ensure they have a book on their reading level each day.
Students should be asked to take home a book every night and read for 20 minutes. Be sure to communicate with parents about their child's AR point goal and their progress toward reaching that goal.
Mathematics
1st & 2nd Grade - Lone Star Daily Rigor is being used with students each week.
3rd & 4th Grade - Math GPS is being used to help students weekly. Teachers should be on week 36-40 this week. We must maintain this pace in order to finished by testing time.
Think Through Math (TTM) for Grade 3-4 - Teachers please ensure that all students have been assessed for TTM. Letters have been sent home during the first report card to parents. Remember that there's an app for TTM and it can be used on the iPad.
Professional Development
Remember Valerie James is available for demonstration lessons so be sure to ask her to visit your classroom for additional support as needed. Each week, you're working with Valerie to determine words students must know to be successful. These words are colored by strand and should be posted on the word wall. Be sure to review them frequently with your students. Dr. Bright and I will be looking for these during our classroom observations and walkthroughs.
Kristen Weichel is working with ELAR teachers. She studies the unit IFDs and Assessments to bring materials and ideas for teachers to use during ELAR instructional time. She will also provide support for Guided Reading and is available to conduct demonstration lessons.
Gradebook Reminders
Let's avoid challenging conversations about grades with parents and be sure to follow the Royse City Grading Guidelines. Here's a couple of reminders:
- Record Grades Weekly - Grade should be recorded weekly in the grade to afford parents & students the opportunity to view through parent portal.
- Late Work – this is accepted within five (5) days of the original due date. Be sure to record grades in a timely manner to allow parents to become aware of missing grades during the five (5) day period. Late work penalties do not apply to make up word from absences.
- Minimum number of grades – the district required a minimum of nine (9) grades throughout the six weeks. This includes grades for Science & Studies. You have the option to count assignments twice in the grade book. The same assignment that can be counts for Reading can count in Social Studies too.
- Unit Assessments – these will be counted in the grade book. Remember to provide intervention or tutoring before administrating a retest for unit assessments.
- Zeros – students have five (5) days to complete an assignment before it becomes a permanent zero in the grade book. We want to support you in motivating students in getting their work turned in on time. We’re working on a Google Doc for you to report students to campus administration with two (2) OR more permanent zeroes in the grade book. Teachers are expected to communicate with parents about the progress of their child and give suggestions to improve their performance BEFORE permanent zeroes are given to students.
- Parent Communication – please enter your parent communication into Aware under the Journal tab. This will help us keep track of our efforts with parents. Let us know if you need help with this.
Staff Meeting - TODAY January 12th @ 3:30pm
All teaching staff be sure you have made arrangements to attend. 3rd & 4th Grade ELAR teacher may attend the Make & Take session with Kristen Weichel today.
Benchmark Testing
Our dates for benchmark test (aka Mock STAAR) are as follows:
Tutoring
We're in talks about starting up tutoring again for this month. The current plan (which is subject to change) is start with 4th Grade Writing only on January 20th and continue through February 12th. Afterwards, we'll start with 3rd & 4th Grade Reading/Math on February 17th. The days for each session will be once again on Tuesday/Thursday. We'll have more of a plan by the end of this week. Please hold on the communication with parents until we have firm plans in place.
Student Voice (#StuVoice)
What are you're students dreams, goals, and ambitions this year? Are you listening to them? Can we do something to help? Can we allow their voice to impact what happens at school? Watch this video below and listen to what these students have to say about their ambitions for 2015.
Benchmark Testing
Our dates for benchmark test (aka Mock STAAR) are as follows:
- 4th Grade Writing - February 3 & 4
- 3rd & 4th Grade Reading - February 10
- 3rd & 4th Grade Math - February 12
With having a break between the Reading & Math tests, I understand this schedule doesn't give students a true picture of the STAAR.... however we have several factors influencing our campus: TCEA conference, Writing Camp for 4th Grade, and Quarterly Report Due to TEA on our improvement plan.
We'll have a "Closed Campus" on February 10 & 12 means no outside visitors nor specials on these days. So it will be critical to communicate with students and parents about the dates for closing the campus due to testing. Be sure to communicate via newsletters, social media, remind accounts, etc.
Tutoring
We're in talks about starting up tutoring again for this month. The current plan (which is subject to change) is start with 4th Grade Writing only on January 20th and continue through February 12th. Afterwards, we'll start with 3rd & 4th Grade Reading/Math on February 17th. The days for each session will be once again on Tuesday/Thursday. We'll have more of a plan by the end of this week. Please hold on the communication with parents until we have firm plans in place.
Student Voice (#StuVoice)
What are you're students dreams, goals, and ambitions this year? Are you listening to them? Can we do something to help? Can we allow their voice to impact what happens at school? Watch this video below and listen to what these students have to say about their ambitions for 2015.
Big Dreams: Students Share their Ambitions for 2015 #stuvoice #stuconnect #20iwantfor2015 #rcisdchat #edchat http://t.co/Au0G3OKsy3
— Don Jacobs (@Don_Jacobs) December 31, 2014
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