Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016
This is the last issue of Teacher Weekly in 2016.
Enjoy your winter break!  
Students at Carson Elementary School enjoy lunchtime together.
The Commons: Access it Anywhere, Anytime in January
In January, you'll be able to access internal resources on DPS' intranet, The Commons, anywhere, anytime. Your feedback has been important to this process. In the new year, you'll have access from home to ELA teacher qualification requirements, Curriculum & Instruction supports, and information on Benefits and Employee Wellness programs -- plus so much more! We've also updated the footer on The Commons to provide easy access to DPS' portals and tools. Use our new footer by scrolling to the bottom of the intranet homepage (or any page on the site) to quickly access links to the following:
In the footer, you'll also find an updated FAQ and access guide for The Commons. This update is one of many recent developments on our intranet.
 
We also launched a new Department Directory with over 60 department sites and created a resource section on the homepage to keep you informed about new internal resources being added to the site each week. Questions? Feedback? Please contact us. 
Access Expeditionary Learning Literacy Modules through Scope & Sequence
Expeditionary Learning (EL) has made changes to some modules and the new versions of those modules will replace the current versions on the EL website. In particular, you may notice that the current version of the grade 3 Module 3 will no longer be available on EL's website starting in January. Please be advised that you can continue to access all module materials currently in use, including grade 3 Module 3, via links in the Scope & Sequence documents on Schoolnet. If you have any questions, please contact Sara Wortinger.
READ Act Mid-Year Assessment Window and READ Plans
Teachers, please be aware that the READ Act mid-year testing window for all grades is now open. All mid-year required READ Act assessments must be completed and the appropriate assessment/READ Act data entered into Oasis no later than 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17. This includes all updates to existing READ plans as well as the completion and development of new READ plans. The deadline for the completion of READ plans for students in grades 1-12 was Nov. 18; the deadline for kindergarten READ plans was Dec. 16. Please ensure you have completed all required READ plan components for each of your READ Act students. If you have questions regarding READ Act requirements, please contact your READ Act Site Assessment Leader.
Professional Learning & Resources

Webinar: Get your Istation Questions Answered 
Istation and Accountability, Research and Evaluation (ARE) will be hosting a webinar to answer your frequently asked questions from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19. Please  register for the DPS Istation webinar online.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. If you have questions about the webinar, please contact  Melissa Pace.

Spring 2017 Course Registration: Requirements ELA Teacher Training
Getting ready for New Year's resolutions? You may want to resolve to finish your ELA teacher qualification training in advance of your required due date. Spring 2017 ELA teacher qualification training courses are filling up. Please register now for your missing courses. Check out the Spring 2017 ELA Course Registration Guide for details. Additional information is available on The Commons' ELA Teacher Qualification Training Program page. 

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