| |
|
|
| BCSD Staff Newsletter |
October 2017 |
Superintendent Letter to Staff
October 2017
Dear Colleagues,
The school year is off to a strong start. Thank you for all your efforts to make this a great year . Our mission is to
inspire, engage, educate, and empower every student
. When we accomplish this we will close the achievement gap. Student engagement, elementary reading, and academic language are the tools we are focusing on this year to help us move the needle in accomplishing this important work.
As I visit schools and classrooms this fall, I have seen evidence of teachers intentionally working to clarify what students are to learn and how they will demonstrate what they have learned. Clarity is a critical element for student engagement. I see explicit instruction in elementary reading and a continued focus on engaging students in authentic reading and writing. I see teachers helping students to read, write, and think like mathematicians, historians, scientists, artist, etc.
I also see educators who are learning and growing alongside each other. I hear and see evidence that we are digging deeper into the standards and looking closer at assessment items to better understand what students are to learn and the level of rigor or depth of knowledge expected.
Together as learners, students and staff, we will make our "good" school district a great school district where every student achieves at high levels. One of my favorite quotes about schools is by Roland Barth in
Learning by Heart
. He says:
Ultimately there are two kinds of schools: learning-enriched schools and learning impoverished schools. I've yet to see a school where the learning curves of the youngsters are off the chart upward while the learning curves of the adults are off the chart downwards.
In other words, learning improves as we both learn together. Thank you for being a learner. Thank you for selflessly supporting our students.
With gratitude,
GwenCarol
|
|
Teaching & Learning
Jonathan Brendefur and Sam Strother from the Developing Mathematical Thinking Institute were here the week of September 25th to work with our elementary schools in math. They demonstrated lessons and engaged in varied conversations with teachers about effective instructional practices in teaching math. They affirmed what is working instructionally and then identified practices and strategies for us to continue to implement throughout the district as we work toward greater achievement in math.
What teaching strategies leads to deep understanding and long term retention?
Top Ten Instructional Practices
|
18
|
Word bank: Use structure words found in the unit overviews as well as one or two lesson/topic specific words (i.e. iterate, decompose, compose, unit, partition,..)
|
|
16
|
Interventions: The best use of intervention time is to include a mix of fluency with relationships and patterns, reteaching and pre-teaching
|
|
14
|
Vygotsky framework
-
Obstacle (problem solving situations and think time)
-
Aid (letting students have conversations with each other using the structure words)
-
Tool (think about the enactive, iconic and symbolic models - see below)
|
|
12
|
Warm-ups: Utilize warm-ups everyday. These can include skip counting forward and backward e.g. whole numbers, fractions and integers
|
|
10
|
Use Math Journals: When each student has their own journal to record their models, equations, and thinking, it allows all students to actively participate in the lesson and communicate what they are thinking.
|
|
8
|
Keep context the same and change the numbers. For example: Jane has six shelves that each hold fourteen books. How many books does she have in all? (For struggling students, replace the six shelves with three shelves and fourteen books with five books. For extensions, replace the six shelves with 14 shelves and fourteen books with twenty-two books.)
|
|
6
|
Flexibility with number, tagged to a visual model builds fluency (not memorizing tasks) Developing fluency is a difficult ad lengthy process. Traditional flash cards are only a small part of building fluency and should come after building flexibility.
|
|
4
|
When starting with a new concept or students are struggling, start with the enactive (manipulatives) representation and refer back as needed to build conceptual understanding
|
|
2
|
Use visual models (iconic) to build conceptual understanding and help kids make sense of symbolic notations.
|
|
0*
|
Have students use precise academic language orally and in writing. When assisting students in building their structural language, say the wording you want them to use and then have them repeat it. Example when determining how to solve 9 + 4 = ---: "I know that 9 +1 = 10. So I can decompose 4 into 1 and 3. Then 9 + 1 = 10. So 9 + 4 = 13". The goal is for sudents to communicate their thinking independently using the structure language.
|
*Did you notice that we started at eighteen and counted down to zero? Always start skip counting multiples beginning at zero and return back to zero. It is also appropriate to begin skip counting at any number. We can start skip counting from other numbers (e.g. count by 2 starting at 1), but always return to your starting number.
|
We are very pleased to report that two of our Maintenance Mechanics have received Level One Building Operator Certifications from IBOA (Intermountain Builder Operators Association). Both Tony Brown (pictured left) and Jose Hernandez (pictured right) completed the classroom and practical application portions, which include HVAC and lighting design. These are rigorous classes and these men should be commended for their initiative.
Last week we completed the Department of Building Safety inspections. This exercise is to note items of deficiency within each building, such as the improper use of extension cords and plug strips, excess paper on classroom walls and in hallway corridors, sprinkler zone infractions, and making sure items labeled to be "Out of the reach of children" are stored properly. This year we will have a second district wide inspection that will begin the week of October 9. This is a new mandate by the State that will provide an opportunity to better understand our safety and security procedures, as they pertain to daily activities. These inspectors will arrive without escort and enter the schools to understand how each school operates, and what can be done to improve operations. Among other things they will observe bus and parent drop off, badge compliance, public traffic patterns, door operations, playground monitoring, etc. Some schools will have two inspectors working together to gather information. This inspection will occur every three years. A report will be generated to provide feedback and recommendations.
|
|
Human Resources
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including holidays.
1-800-999-1077
-
Certified Staff
- your official transcripts for salary movement are due to HR by October 15th that gives you the weekend to get them in!
-
"Got Credits" Certified Staff???? Then We Want to Move You!!!!
One of the Master Agreement MOUs includes educating certified staff on the need to ensure they have all of their credits on file with the HR office so that HR is able to obtain maximum funding for each teacher from the state.
State Levels: BA, BA + 24, MA
Currently there are 49 individuals that would have to have on file a BA + 24 or MA for State Movement an additional 74 individuals that would have to have on file a MA for State Movement. Are you one of these individuals??? Contact HR to find out!
15 Plus Pass - $600 (regular $1350)
Ski/ride any 15 days on our 15 plus pass
50% off the full day window rate on any additional days with no blackouts
NEW Freedom Found Pass - $650 (regular $1500)
Unlimited skiing/riding Opening Day through December 15th, 2017 and March 19, 2018 through the end of season.
15 days of regular season skiing/riding on Bald and Dollar Mountain between 12/16/2017 and 3/18/2018.
No restrictions, blackout dates or per week limitations.
50% off full day window rate on any additional days with no blackouts.
- Staff Photos - all staff need to have their photo taken by Bell Photo. If you are not in a school, please find a time to go to a school and have your photo taken. It's important that our photos are consistent for the website, Skwyard, etc. Thank you!
Building
|
Time |
Dates |
Alturas
|
8:00 am to 12:00 pm
|
Wednesday, November 8th
|
| Hemingway |
8:30 am to 12:00 pm
|
Friday, October 27th
|
| SCHS |
TBD |
Friday, October 13th
|
| WRHS |
8:00 am to 8:30 am
|
Friday, October 13th
|
| WRMS |
8:00 am to 8:30 am
|
Friday, October 13th
|
|
Finance
Please note that there have been some changes in the procedures for reimbursement requests that have been implemented for this school year, and will impact your ability to file for reimbursements. The changes are:
-
Reimbursements will be made
up to 90 days
from the date of the purchase/transaction. After the expiration of this time period the employee will forfeit their ability to be reimbursed from the District.
-
All receipts must be itemized by listing each individual item purchased with an individual charge associated with each line item. Auditor restrictions preclude our ability to accept any receipt that does not meet this criteria.
-
Receipts that include reimbursable purchases that are commingled with personal purchases can no longer be processed for reimbursement. Please
keep purchases that you intend to submit for reimbursement separate
from purchases that are not reimbursable. The receipt that you submit to the Finance Department for reimbursement may only include items that will be reimbursed; no other purchases.
-
Purchases from L.L. Greens may no longer be submitted for reimbursement. This is due to Idaho Statute that limits a Public Entity's ability to transact business with a company who may have a conflict of interest (perceived or otherwise) due to a sitting Trustee.
|
|
Technology Deep Dive
The Technology staff keep busy during the summer months with system upgrades, hardware replacement and deployment of new technology. A highlight this year are 1100 Chromebooks prepared for students. Plaudits to the entire team for an extra-ordinary effort!
Unbox, Recycle, Haul Styrofoam, Dumpster Dive, Label, Inventory, Enroll, Organize, Import into Skyward for Checkout, Cart and Wire, QR codes, Deliver, Repeat.
Our students have access to the latest learning resources at BCSD. We excel in opportunities for students to explore computer technology, robotics, computer science and engineering. With high speed, reliable Internet and interactive presentation systems in every learning space, students are actively engaged in all subjects. This is a must for learning today. We are committed to providing the very best technology services possible. It may sound cliche but we mean it.
|
Meet Some of Our New Staff
If we are missing you, please fill out the
New Hire Biography Form and we will include you in the next BCSD Staff Connection.
April Sorensen
Child Care
Silver Creek High School
April has worked with children in many different settings for the past 25 years. She has a degree in elementary education specializing in special education. She also worked for many years in a Preschool and coached middle school and high school cheer and dance. She has three children who have all gone to Blaine County Schools and is happy to be working in such a terrific school district!
 Chrissy Johnson
Para Pro/Reading Room
Bellevue Elementary
Chrissy has been in and out of the school district for 26 years and is happy to land here!
Melissa Russell
PK Paraprofessional
Ernest Hemingway STEAM School
Missy graduated from MS State University with a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She has enjoyed being a parent volunteer and guest teacher in the BCSD schools. She is excited to join the staff at Hemingway Elementary in the AM and will continue being a guest teacher in the PM. In her free time she enjoys teaching swimming, fitness, traveling, cooking and family.
Cassandra Sturgeon
Custodian
Community Campus
Cassandra is 22 years old and a mother of a adorable 18 month old. She is a local to the Wood River Valley and attended four of our schools growing up.(Bellevue Elementary, Hailey Elementary, WRMS, WRHS). She is very excited to be working here!
 Katey Dahlstrom
School Psychologist/Developmental Preschool,
SCHS and Carey
Katey and her family recently moved from Boise where she practiced as a School Psychologist in Nampa, Caldwell, and Canyon-Owyhee School Services Agency serving students ages 3-21.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
