Principal's Playbook - September 25, 2019

September 25, 2019

MONTHLY CHECKLIST

Click on the link below for a list of important tasks for school leaders that affect students and families, budgeting, communications, professional development, building operations and more. All checklists can be found in the 2019-20 Administrator Handbook.

September To-Do List

ACTION ITEMS

DEADLINE Oct. 11:

Edit Your School Information for the

2020-21 School Selection Guide

Every year, schools must edit their school information for the annual School Selection Guide to prepare for the next school choice season.

Click on this link for the full instructions and access to the guide to make edits.
You may be prompted to sign in to your SPPS Apps google account (firstname.lastname@stpaul.k12.mn.us)
Read the instructions and review the Table of Contents to find your school/name.
Click on the link to be taken to your school section.
Your edits will show up as suggestions.
Once complete, return to the Table of Contents and initial that your edits are complete.
The deadline is Friday, Oct. 11. The deadline will not be extended.

Please note: You may have more than one section that requires your review, especially if you serve several grade levels (elementary and middle, or middle and high school).

New: School descriptions have been summarized to bulleted lists that highlight unique aspects of each school. Many schools will need to do intentional work with their staff in order to expand upon the unique qualities that make their school attractive to families.

Questions? Contact pepe.barton@spps.org.

Designate Staff for Teaching Digital Citizenship

Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) regulations require that all students receive a minimum of three lessons on digital citizenship, online safety and privacy, and cyberbullying every year.

Principals will designate and notify teachers/staff responsible for teaching digital citizenship CIPA lessons by September 30 and throughout the year for newly enrolled students. More information on process, lessons, and recording is ava il able here.

Required Training for Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI)

Please review the document linked below to see a list of staff who are trained in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI).

List of Staff Trained in NVCI - as of 8/21/19

Staff are required to complete NVCI training if they meet any of the following criteria:

They are employed as a special ed paraprofessional
They are building behavior team members
They are a building administrator
They work with any student who has a disability and has the potential to demonstrate escalated behavior (e.g. EBD, ASD, DCD, DD, SLD teachers, special ed social worker, etc.)
They are directed to attend by their building principal and/or OSS supervisor

Staff who meet the above criteria must take an initial NVCI training and a refresher training every two years (e.g. if previously taken in 17-18, next training should be taken in 19-20).

Please remind staff members to take initial NVCI training if they meet the criteria listed above. Please also remind staff members who are due for refresher training after reviewing the NVCI training list.

The Google spreadsheet also identifies dates for upcoming NVCI trainings, which can be signed up for via PDExpress.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ACCESS Data Analysis Protocol Sessions

The Office of Multilingual Learning (MLL) invites you and your English Learner (EL) team lead to the annual ACCESS Data Analysis Protocol session.

At this work session you will:

Have an opportunity to analyze the 2019 ACCESS data charts
Review English learners' progress at every grade level and across all four language domains
Identify long-term English learners, exited English learners, and ACCESS score gains and losses for your school site
Gain information that will guide your decision-making for your site's EL Service Model and targeted instruction towards English language proficiency

All EL teachers, learning leads, ELM coaches, and school leaders are welcome to attend, but only the EL Team Lead will be compensated for the two hour workshop.

Please sign up on PDExpress. The course is titled, "MLL: ACCESS Data Analysis."

All sessions will take place at the Center for Equity and Culture (CEC) at Washington Technology Magnet School.

Elementary session:

Tuesday, Oct. 1

4 - 6 p.m.

Middle School session:

Wednesday, Oct. 2

4 - 6 p.m.

Secondary session:

Thursday, Oct. 3

4 - 6 p.m.

For questions, contact yeu.vang@spps.org or sarah.schmidt@spps.org .

Leadership Academy

Wed., Sept. 25

8 a.m. - 12 p.m. (Your calendar invite says until 11 a.m.; most likely this meeting will be extended to 12 p.m.)

Location: 360 Colborne, D/E/F

Audience: Principals and Division of Academics leaders

Wed., Sept. 25

1 - 4 p.m.

360 Colborne, Rooms D/E/F

Audience: Assistant Principals - Cohort B

IMPORTANT DATES

Important holidays, no school days, special religious days and family engagement events are available online at spps.org/calendar.

Sept. 29-Oct. 1 - Rosh Hashanah

Jewish New Year and holy days. Days of renewed responsibility. The first of the High Holy Days marked by solemn religious observance.

Sept. 29 - First Day of Navaratri

A nine-day Hindu festival to the glorification of the Hindu mother of goddess Shakti.

Oct. 8-9 - Yom Kippur

Jewish Day of Atonement. Begins at sunset, Oct. 8 and ends at sunset, Oct. 9. Devoted to prayer, fasting and repentance.

Oct. 13-20 - Sukkot

Feast of Tabernacles, Jewish festival of thanksgiving, harvest and the remembrance of the Jews who wandered in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. Begins at sunset, Oct. 13 and ends at sunset, Oct. 20.

Oct. 14 - Indigenous Peoples Day

A City of Saint Paul resolution that honors Native American culture.

Oct. 17-18 - No School (PreK-12)

Teacher professional development - statewide teacher meeting.

Oct. 20-21 - Shemini Atzeret

Begins at sunset, Oct. 20 and ends at sunset Oct. 21. Closing day of the Jewish festival Sukkot. A day of prayer.

Oct. 21-22 - Simchat Torah

Begins at sunset, Oct. 21 and ends at the sunset, Oct. 22. Jewish holiday. Reading of the law (Torah) is concluded and begun anew in the synagogue.

Oct. 25 - No School (PreK-5 / PreK-8 schools)

Conference preparation.

The Principal's Playbook is a collaboration between the Office of Leadership and the Office of Communications. The Playbook is the main source for communicating with principals. This weekly newsletter includes department action items, professional development opportunities and other updates that directly affect principals and other school leaders. Each Playbook also includes communications and marketing content to help schools communicate with their families.

Jada Wollenzien

Program Manager, Leadership Development

Office: 651-744-5074

jada.wollenzien@spps.org

Pepe Barton

Communications Consultant

Office: 651-744-5660

pepe.barton@spps.org