October 2013

Click here for GRE's professional development cite.

Reminders
•  Our PGI class will begin this Monday from 4:15-5:15 in the library.  Please bring your computer and writing materials.

•  Thank you for your thoughtful conversations during staff development this week.  The link to the remediation/extension ideas is on our staff development site.  Please remember to try one or two ideas and bring artifacts/results to our next staff development on November 20^th.

•  Halloween Party 2013 – Students will arrive at school in their costumes.  They should not have weapons, masks, or inappropriate costumes.  Parties will be from 9:15-9:55.  We will begin the parade at 9:55 and it will end at 10:15. Regular classroom routine will resume at 10:30.  If you have students who do not wish to participate in the Halloween festivities, they can arrive at school at 10:30.

•  Teachers, please begin thinking about who will need accommodations for TCAP.  In order to receive an accommodation, students must be on a formalized plan (IEP, 504, ELLP).

Go For the  GOLD!
•  Thank you everyone for taking the time to collaborate and talk about your students!

•  Thank you Stephanie Braden for making cupcakes for a student.  You are so thoughtful!

Golden Nuggets!

Lounge Duty:  Dalcerri/Fleet              Friday Treats:  Office

Morning Announcements:  Hawk

Morning Supervision: Shepperd, Marchese, Nelson, Braden, Hurley, Brands

Remember your lovely orange vest!

October 2013

Click here for GRE's professional development cite.

Opportunities

•  Please make sure you have signed up in the lounge for a Collaboration day this week. This is an opportunity to talk with special education teachers about your students. 

•  CITE support group will take place this Wednesday from 8:00-9:00 in the Gold Mine room. This is an optional, informal time to come and ask questions about CITE.  

•  Halloween Party:  Students will arrive at school in their costumes. They should NOT have weapons, masks or inappropriate costumes.  Parties will be held from 9:15-9:55.  We will begin the parade at 9:55 and it will end at 10:15. Regular classroom routine will resume at 10:30.  If you have students who do not wish to participate in the Halloween festivities, they can arrive at school at 10:30.  Parade route will be sent out this week.

•  Teachers, please begin thinking about who will need accommodations for TCAP.  In order to receive an accommodation, students must be on a formalized plan (IEP, 504, ELLP).

•  Please turn in Social Committee dues to Janis ASAP.  Full time certified staff owe $25 and part time or classified staff owe $12.50. 
• PTO is hosting a spirit day on Friday called color challenge. Each grade level will be assigned a color and the grade level that has the most students wear that color will receive an additional recess supervised by Jenny.  You will receive your color early this week. 

Opportunities

•  If you are interested in our PGI course, Writing in the 21^st Century, please sign up this week.

•  World Class Education is offering five teachers the opportunity to attend the upcoming National Science Teachers Association conference.  If you are interested, please let Libby know by Friday.

Go For the GOLD!

•  Thank you teachers for all of your thoughtful work during assessment days!

Golden Nuggets!

Lounge Duty:  Kramer/Rude        Friday Treats:  SPED and SPED EAs

Morning Announcements:  Fleet

Morning Supervision: Rossi, McMillan, Hayes, Lautenbach, Dalcerri, Rayens

Remember your lovely orange vest!

October 2013

 Click here for GRE's professional development cite.

Reminders

* Please make sure that you have set your goal with Jenny and/or Libby before the end of the day 

   Thursday.

* Digger Dash prizes will be given to students during their recess times on Thursday.
* Announcements of school closures due to weather can be found on the DCSD website, the snow
   hotline (303-387-7669) or local television and radio shows.
* Please forward the attached letter to your room parents informing them of how they can contribute  
   photos to the yearbook. If you have photos to add you can send them via CD or zip file to 
   buffsandcats@comcast.net.
* Halloween is coming! As always, the parties will be first thing in the morning, followed by a parade. Party times and the parade route will be in the Barker after fall break.

Opportunities
* World Class Education is offering five teachers the opportunity to attend the upcoming National
    Science Teachers Association conference. If you are interested, please let Libby know.

Go For the GOLD!
* Thank you Nancy Aldridge for being our SAC representative!
* Thank you fifth grade team for always picking up your students on time from lunch!
* Thank you all for your hard work! Have an amazing Fall Break! You all deserve it!

Happy Birthday!
Chelsey Liccardello – October 12th
Laura ElHaje – October 13th

Golden Nuggets!
Lounge Duty: Fier/Holtzer Friday Treats: No treats
Morning Announcements: Lautenbach
Morning Supervision: Brownley, Woolums, Martino, Hawk, Holtzer, Fier
Remember your lovely orange vest!

CITE Q & A 
What are the expectations for documenting evidence? When will I learn how to upload evidence in my e-portfolio?

Our next staff meeting will focus on the topic of e-portfolios and evidence.  We will specifically address what to upload and show you how to create/use an e-portfolio.  Information on how to create an e-portfolio can also be found on our staff development site.

Is there a quota for the number of teachers who can get highly effective, effective etc.?

No. Please remember, however, that receiving a rating of highly effective, is difficult given the level to which you need to implement several new initiatives.  For example, you need to consistently apply our work in staff development (using GVCs, backward planning, creating and using a balanced assessment system) to other content areas (math, social studies and science).  In addition you need to consistently plan and assess 21st century skills and the 4cs in all content areas. Please do not forget that implementing all of these initiatives effectively is extremely time consuming and require additional work. See the CITE document on our professional development site for additional information regarding the differences between effective and highly effective.

How is credit given for team created items?

Team generated lessons, projects or backward plans are considered evidence of effective collaboration (standard 4).  These are fully supported and encouraged!  Fully implementing the reading and writing backward plans we created as grade level teams, for example, is evidence of being effective.  Applying what you know regarding backward planning by creating high quality backward plans in other content areas would be evidence of highly effective.  This could be done either individually or as a team.

Shouldn't all team members receive the same rating if they are all collaborating?

Not necessarily.  Many of the cite standards/elements talk about how the teacher implements the ideas and practices in the classroom with children  (i.e. many of the standards state "...in collaboration with students").  The consistency with which the planning is implemented in the classroom and the extent to which individual teachers involve students (i.e. creating I can statement, setting student goals etc.) can vary and therefore individual's rating can differ.

When will the teacher team who reviewed standard 1 look at other standard?

The teacher team that created the CITE idea document is meeting on October 28th to continue our work on standard 2.  We hope to meet before each staff meeting to bring clarity to CITE.

How will I get feedback throughout the year?

You will receive information from classroom visits either in a paper or electronic form. Jenny and Libby will also meet with all teachers in February to review your progress on the CITE document and update your goals.  We will also have an opportunity to discuss your practices throughout the formal observation process (pre-observation and postobservation discussions).  These are opportunities for you to ask specific questions about how you can continue to grow.  In addition you may want to attend the voluntary Cite support group morning meetings. The first one will be held on October 23rd. You can stop in at any time from 8-9 to ask your questions, review evidence etc. You can also schedule a time to talk with either Jenny or Libby at any time throughout the year for more specific feedback.

October 2013-2014

                       

                                         Click here for GRE's professional development cite.

Reminders
•  Please complete the evaluation for our PLC day. The link was on the agenda.
•  Please sign up for a goal setting conference before fall break with Janis.
• Please double- check your rosters to ensure all students have completed MAP Reading, Math & Science.
• Please be sure to bring your students’ DRA levels to your assessment day.

Assessment days this week: 
October 1st - PM 2nd Grade
October 3rd - AM 1st Grade, PM 3rd Grade

Go For the GOLD!
• Thank you fourth and fifth grade teachers for a great math night!
• Thank you everyone for all of your hard work and great thinking during our PLC day!
• Thank you CITE 6 committee for giving up your lunch to discuss CITE!
• Thank you Kim Layton, Cindy Bell, and Kristi Barta for covering classes this week!
• Thank you Libby for all your help with Map testing!
• Thank you Kristi, Megan, Allison, Courtney, Corissa & Nicole for leading breakout sessions and sharing your knowledge on Friday!

Happy Birthday!
Jennifer Dale – October 6th
Pam Wolff – October 6th

Golden Nuggets!
Lounge Duty: Shepperd/Brands Friday Treats: Specials
Morning Announcements: Rayens
Morning Supervision: Steckler, Hoff, Murray-Close, Simpson, Fleet, Kramer
Remember your lovely orange vest!

Calendar September / October  2013 

 Reminders:

•  Please sign up for your goal setting conference with Janis. These need to be completed by fall break.

•  Please bring the following to our PLC day on Friday:

·      students’ narrative writing pieces

·      high, medium, low examples of student work with background knowledge/schema

·      computer

·      smiles

Go For the GOLD!
•  Thank you everyone for a very successful, fun Digger Dash!

•  Thank you second grade teachers for a great math night!

•  Thank you Megan Fleet for offering to supervise band kids!

•  Thank you Charlene for preparing the fresh, Colorado proud menu!

•  Thank you Janis and Kristi for offering to running social committee!

Happy Birthday!

Jenny Brown – September 24^th

Courtney Menk – September 24^th

Mary Rossi – September 26^th

Golden Nuggets!

Lounge Duty:  Hayes/Neslon Friday Treats:  No treats

Morning Announcements:  Dalcerri

Morning Supervision:  Gray, Lewis, Castro, Evans, Rude, Isberg

Remember your lovely orange vest!

Re

September / October  2013

                           
                        Click here for GRE's professional development site. 
                         You can view future calendar months by click on the professional development calendar on the left.

Reminders:

• DRA and informal running records need to be completed an inputed into infinite campus by Friday.
•  Social Studies interims begin this week in the Gold Mine room.  To administer follow these four steps.  

1) Go to eadms.com.  

2) Click: on 

3) Type in lunch number. * We will have rosters if any students do not know their numbers.  

4) Have student select the social studies assessment.

* See Libby if you have any questions.

Opportunities

•  Please let Kristi know if you are interested in managing the checkbook and finances for social committee.

Go For the GOLD!
•  Thank you kindie, first, and third grade teachers for amazing math nights!

•  Thank you Karen O’Day for babysitting 53 students on math night! You are wonderful!

•  Thank you Gail for stepping up and supervising the band/orchestra students!

•  Thank you Karen Deal for being creative last week with all of the rain!

•  Thank you Janis for decorating the Gold Mine room for the Feeder Meeting!

•  Thank you Libby for all your help with MAP testing! You rock!

•  Thank you Christy S for your efficiency in the copy room! 

Digger Dash Schedule

9:20-9:35           Stretching (Preschool and Kindergarten)

9:35-9:50           Race begins

9:40-9:55           Stretching (1^st and 2^nd)

9:55-10:25          Race begins

10:151-10:30      Stretching (3^rd and 4^th)

10:30-11:15        Race begins

11:05-11:20        Stretching (5^th)

11:20-12:05        Race begins

Happy Birthday!

September 20 – Tobey Vogt

September 20 – Brenna Musser

Golden Nuggets!

Lounge Duty:  Castro/Cieply        Friday Treats:  Fifth & Childcare

Morning Announcements:  Fleet

Morning Supervision:  Shepperd, Marchese, Nelson, Braden, Hurley, Brands

Remember your lovely orange vest!

Meeting Notes

See your grade level representative for additional information.

Leadership & Learning Notes

* Curriculum leaders talked about their needs to evaluate backward plans. We discussed how special education teachers can add on to grade level plans for stage 3. Curriculum leaders will also add insight into grade level meetings where we will build backward plans for writing units.

* Created Norms

* Discussed the possibility of altering goal setting days to accommodate additional testing. Jenny is going to get additional information from schools.

* Planned the PLC day: We will look at writing in the morning. Teams will collaboratively score   writing formative assessments for the genre of personal narrative. We will then discuss our finding in vertical group discussions.  Lori will speak to reading strategies in the afternoon because we want to continue our great discussions about reading practices this year. It was determined that she will take the reading strategy of background knowledge into great detail (across genres etc). 

CITE 6 Team
* Cite 6 refers to the other 50% of teacher evaluation. The state determined that this 50% must be based on student assessment data (growth and proficiency). Teachers will be held to the model we create next school year.
* The team identified three of the four assessment areas that we thought would apply to GRE: individual teacher performance (a teacher's class/caseload), a target instructional area (reading comprehension or a writing genre) and the collective school (the school as a whole - TCAP).
* Individual teacher performance and the collective school categories were not optional.
* The targeted instructional area was optional.  The team decided to opt out of an additional area: team/grade level performance (i.e. the fourth grade).
* The team began to brainstorm specific assessment that we may use for each of the three categories we identified. Some assessment types were required for certain assessment areas. An emphasis was placed on DRAs/informal running records, reading rubrics and our new Lucy Calkins' assessments. The team determined that it might be beneficial to create summative rubrics in the area of math.
* The team created a list of additional questions to discuss at our next meeting (September 27 during lunch).