Thursday, November 30, 2017

Weekly Communication from Central Office - 12/1

Wink’s Weekly Words

Thanksgiving is over and Christmas break is only 4 weeks away.  The break has allowed us to rest and recharge our batteries, and with that rest is a huge opportunity to push ourselves and our students to learn at high levels.  Make your plans now to inspire the students to chase excellence.
Also it is our opportunity for central office to celebrate you with the 12 Days of Christmas.  Click on the link to find clues as to what we have in store to celebrate you.

Amy’s Announcements

** Thanks for your attendance at the Accommodation Resources training for all teachers and instructional paraprofessionals. I hope you received information that will help us make great strides in reaching EVERY STUDENT to reach their growth goals. Please review all of the information in the presentation and begin logging accommodations you’re using in your campus spreadsheet. All of the needed links to documents can be found on the iMPACT website under the Testing tab - http://www.br-impact.com/p/blog-page.html
** FA3 is due in Eduphoria on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15th.
Instructions for making FAs can be found here, if needed - https://goo.gl/kqmhBo
Quality FAs render helpful data that’s needed to gauge student growth. We appreciate the time and attention it takes to make a quality assessment. If you need assistance, be sure to let an administrator know.

Staff Shoutout

Many thanks to Becca Kay, Missy Douglas and Katie Pelzel, who each lead one of the Accommodation Resources training sessions. They are amazing ladies who are always willing to go above and beyond. I appreciate you, ladies!

Technology

If you remember, staff and student Lenovo devices are being repaired during the Christmas break. Collection of devices for staff will take place on December 18-19. If you need a temporary device checked out to you for holiday use, you must fill out this form by Friday, December 15th - https://goo.gl/1m5GUs
We may not have enough inventory for all staff to receive a device, so they will be issued, first come-first served. Please read complete details about the collection of Chromebooks for repair HERE - https://goo.gl/tHjWz7

Professional Learning


TEACH LIKE A PINEAPPLE IS COMING...the week of December 10th!
It will be an awesome week of LEARNING and PRIZES!
Read complete details HERE - https://goo.gl/5SKngK



Special Programs







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Thursday, November 16, 2017

Weekly Communication from Central Office - 11/16

Wink’s Weekly Words

Thank you

Thanksgiving break is upon us, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of you for all that you do for BRISD.  As your superintendent, I am continuously humbled by how hard you work, how much you give, and how committed you are to your students and to your personal growth as an educator.  I pray that you will have a restful break full of family and friends and that you come back to school on Monday, November 27 ready to chase excellence in December.

#NoExcuseNovember - Ending the ‘I Don’t Know’ Excuse

The excuse of “I Don’t Know” can be eliminated by adding the following phrase, “but I will find out.”  The secret to learning is not found in what you know but in confidently taking on what you don’t know yet.  The best teachers are learners first.

Amy’s Announcements

REMINDER....MANDATORY STAFF TRAINING!As we know, 504 and SpEd students receive accommodations for state testing. Now, in some cases, our RtI students can also receive designated supports if they're already using them in everyday classroom instruction. Come and learn how to use these supports/accommodations to assist your students, which in turn, gives them needed support for STAAR. This information, applied in your classroom, will make a huge difference with these students.

Two more opportunities after Thanksgiving - November 27 and 29.


COMING in DECEMBER....
with prizes to be earned!



Staff Shoutout

A huge thanks to Roma Morgan for working so diligently to complete FA2 for her 8th graders and all of the 7th graders while Mrs. Wade has been out. She's a great team player and very appreciated!


Technology Announcements

As many of your know, we have had issues with the keyboards on our original order of Lenovo Chromebooks (used by all HS students, on a few carts at the MS and some teachers). Because of the continuing problem, Lenovo has agreed to replaced every keyboard on all 400 originally ordered devices.

To accomplish the repair, we will be sending EVERY DEVICE to Lenovo over the Christmas holiday. This will require us to collect these devices before the break and reissue upon return.

FOR TEACHERS WHO HAVE A LENOVO DEVICE: We will need to collect yours, as well. We are working to see if we have enough devices in inventory to issue you a temporary device. More details will follow concerning this.


Sorry for this inconvenience, but we're glad that Lenovo will be helping to get these devices back to a desired condition.

Professional Learning

  • November classes are listed in Eduphoria and HERE  - https://goo.gl/9YfN8r
    • Make sure you sign up and complete the survey to receive credit.

Special Programs Announcements


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Friday, November 10, 2017

Weekly Communication from Central Office - 11/10


Wink’s Weekly Words

The Details are Excellence Makers
Once the FA data is inputted, what happens next is the difference between mediocrity and excellence, and the difference can be found in the details.  As we review data, the overall grade and student growth tell us how they did, but it doesn’t tell us how we can grow students.  The pathway to excellence requires us to analyze by student by skill.  
Looking at your essential skills, find the kids who are still not mastering them.  Then build your guided learning plans and tutorial periods around those students.   If all kids are still not mastering them, that means that you will have to make plans to spiral those skills into the next 4 weeks of instruction.  
The details is where you will find the opportunities for growth in each individual student.
#NoExcuseNovember - What Excuses are You Defeating?
Leave a comment on this blog to help your colleagues learn from your excellence.


Amy’s Announcements

MANDATORY STAFF TRAINING COMING UP!As we know, 504 and SpEd students receive accommodations for state testing. Now, in some cases, our RtI students can also receive designated supports if they're already using them in everyday classroom instruction. Come and learn how to use these supports/accommodations to assist your students, which in turn, gives them needed support for STAAR. This information, applied in your classroom, will make a huge difference with these students.We are holding 4 training sessions in November to explain this to all staff. This is a mandatory training, so every staff member will need to attend one of the after school trainings. Dates are: November 9, 16, 27, 29. Sign up in Eduphoria to get PD credit.
Thank you for your diligence in preparing our students to take their FA2 this week. Because of the crazy schedule on Friday, we extended the deadline for having tests scanned. Please be sure this is done by Monday so we’ll have adequate time to compile the data for campus meetings.

Staff Shoutout

This week’s post starts with an awesome email Mr. Wink received from Stacy Norton.   
“I just want to give a big shout out to Ms. Patterson.  What a great addition to our staff she is.  That lady is all business!!!!   Everything she says and does is with purpose.  I don't really know how she covers all the area she does but it is always full steam ahead.  
Who will you celebrate this week?

What a wonderful Veterans Day Program today - Mrs. Kay, Mr. Figueroa and so many others that contributed to an impactful ceremony - thanks for all of your hard work. I know this sweet veteran and many others appreciated the gratitude shown today.


Technology Announcements

As many of your know, we have had issues with the keyboards on our original order of Lenovo Chromebooks (used by all HS students, on a few carts at the MS and some teachers). Because of the continuing problem, Lenovo has agreed to replaced every keyboard on all 400 originally ordered devices.

 To accomplish the repair, we will be sending EVERY DEVICE to Lenovo over the Christmas holiday. This will require us to collect these devices before the break and reissue upon return.

 FOR TEACHERS WHO HAVE A LENOVO DEVICE: We will need to collect yours, as well. We are working to see if we have enough devices in inventory to issue you a temporary device. More details will follow concerning this.

 Sorry for this inconvenience, but we're glad that Lenovo will be helping to get these devices back to a desired condition.
Professional Learning
  • November classes are listed in Eduphoria and HERE  - https://goo.gl/9YfN8r
    • Make sure you sign up and complete the survey to receive credit.
Special Programs Announcements

Miscellaneous Announcements


  • If you haven’t heard the news, Cathy Agan, who serves in many capacities at Central Office (personnel, substitutes, volunteers, etc.) has resigned to be able to spend much needed time with family. We will miss her terribly at Central Office! Please join us for a come-and-go, goodbye send-off reception on Tuesday, November 14th from 3:30 - 4:30 in the Board Room at Central Office. Her last day in the district is Friday, November 17th.
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Friday, November 3, 2017

Weekly Communication from Central Office - 11/3

Wink’s Weekly Words


FA’s are Next Week!! Don’t miss your opportunity to motivate your students to reach their +10 Goals

No Excuse November - Response to Learning  

Our metal is tested in times of challenge not times of success.  This month is No Excuse November, and I challenge you to join me in eliminating excuses that we are so quick to throw up when we encounter difficulty. The biggest excuse is the excuse of not having enough time.  That’s an excuse that I am prone to throw up every now and then, but I have to remind myself that someone better and more effective than me has the same amount of time as me and they are getting the job done.  So when it comes to the excuse of time, I must ask myself where I am wasting it, not where can I find more of it.  
Excuses are nothing more than our inner negative naysayer telling us that we’ll never get there.  They tell you that it’s ok to not reach your goals.  The only way to win in No Excuse November is to do what Dr. Scott Leslie says.  Be Stronger than Your Excuses.  You can beat excuses if you commit to telling them to take a hike.
When it comes to learning, I challenge you to bank more time in your day by staying focused on whether the students are learning or not.  If they are, ask yourself how can you release them to independent tasks that don’t need you as much, so that you can dedicate your time  to those who aren’t there yet.  By extending students with independent task that require less time from you, you are setting your sights on helping all kids with skills that need your direct expertise.

PRIZE PATROL




Amy’s Announcements

MANDATORY STAFF TRAINING COMING UP!As we know, 504 and SpEd students receive accommodations for state testing. Now, in some cases, our RtI students can also receive designated supports if they're already using them in everyday classroom instruction. Come and learn how to use these supports/accommodations to assist your students, which in turn, gives them needed support for STAAR. This information, applied in your classroom, will make a huge difference with these students.We are holding 4 training sessions in November to explain this to all staff. This is a mandatory training, so every staff member will need to attend one of the after school trainings. Dates are: November 9, 16, 27, 29. Sign up in Eduphoria to get PD credit.




FA2 Assessments will begin next week!!


Thanks in advance for motivating our students to do their best, knowing the results will provide needed data for interventions.

Start now thinking about how you’ll respond to the data.Use the BRISD Instructions for Formative Assessment 17-18, - https://goo.gl/kqmhBo. Scroll down to Week 6 & 1.  
These are the important steps that you will need to go through in order to analyze your data.  It is critical that you analyze your 8-12 most essential standards which in all likelihood will be your readiness standards.  Use the data to make a plan to do the following:
  • Spiral critical skills into your 2nd 6 weeks instruction,
  • Make guided learning plans and tutorial groups.
  • Reflect on instructional strategies that need to be replicated, revamped or replaced.
Also, it is critical that you make a plan to have the students analyze their data using the Student Goal Sheet. This step is critical so that they take ownership of the data and make their +10 plans for future growth.

In our October 16th Staff Learning Day, we identified the 2-3 critical standards you would be focusing on for weeks 2.1 through 2.4. As we worked through the tasks for that day (https://goo.gl/pF6KnM) , many of you entered 2017 STAAR and FA1 data into your lesson plans. If not, here’s a video showing where to get the data and where to enter it - https://goo.gl/jurizk


PLEASE HAVE YOUR STAAR 2017, FA1 and FA2 DATA ENTERED BEFORE YOUR FA2 DATA MEETING WITH YOUR PRINCIPAL. It’s imperative that we continue to analyze the data for your most critical standards.

Professional Learning

  • November classes are listed in Eduphoria and HERE  - https://goo.gl/9YfN8r
    • Make sure you sign up and complete the survey to receive credit.

Special Programs Announcements

Miscellaneous Announcements


  • If you haven’t heard the news, Cathy Agan, who serves in many capacities at Central Office (personnel, substitutes, volunteers, etc.) has resigned to be able to spend much needed time with family. We will miss her terribly at Central Office! Please join us for a come-and-go, goodbye send-off reception on Tuesday, November 14th from 3:30 - 4:30 in the Board Room at Central Office. Her last day in the district is Friday, November 17th.
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