Sept. 19, 2018
MONTHLY CHECKLIST

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

ACTION ITEMS
PREPARE FOR YOUR SITE TEAM MEETING
Thank you for setting up your referendum site team training for either today, Sept. 19 or tomorrow, Sept. 20, 6-8 p.m. at Washington Technology.

Remember:
DEADLINE OCT 3: UPDATE YOUR SCHOOL DESCRIPTION
Principals, please review your school description as printed in the 2018-19 School Selection Guide . Think about what is new or unique about your school for the 2019-20 school year.

Please submit changes to your school description through this  Google form  by Oct. 3.

Please note that the communications office will be updating start time information for all schools. The 2019-20 School Selection Guide will be translated and printed in November and mailed to families in late December.

If you have any questions, contact pepe.barton@spps.org
TEACHER DEVELOPMENT & EVALUATION TIMELINE
The Teacher Development & Evaluation (TD&E) Oversight Committee suggests this timeline for implementing TD&E components. It is highly recommended that administrators work with their leadership team and Saint Paul Federation of Teachers steward(s) to determine the specific schedule for their school. The timeline must be communicated to your staff and shared with Amy Steele ( amy.steele@spps.org ) by Sept. 30 .

GOOD TO KNOW
OFFICE OF EARLY LEARNING
Over the next two weeks, all Children's House and Pre-Kindergarten coaches will be supporting Pre-Language Assessment Survey (LAS) administration in voluntary pre-kindergarten sites. 

Due to this, all early learning coaching schedules over the next two weeks will be interrupted. 

Your flexibility and understanding is greatly appreciated.

Please contact lori.erickson@spps.org with any questions.
HUMAN RESOURCES
VOLUNTEER PROCESS
All unsupervised and supervised volunteers must follow the background check process . Background checks are to be submitted as soon as possible, providing turnaround time of at least one week.
 
In order for the background checks to be processed timely, please make sure the form is filled out legibly and completely, including the school or department name and the contact name. Email completed forms to  kelly.ouellette@spps.org .

Please direct questions to kelly.ouellette@spps.org or kenyatta.mccarty@spps.org.
'SCHOOL ATTENDANCE MATTERS'
CHANGE IN STAFF ASSIGNMENTS
As part of the transition of the School Attendance Matters (SAM) program from the Office of Family Engagement to the Office of School Support, some staff assignments have changed. Please see the updated contact sheet .

Please contact heather.kilgore@spps.org with questions.
MATH LEADS SESSIONS
Administrators, teachers and coaches are encouraged to attend leads sessions. They are designed to assist sites with evidence-based practices determined in their School Continuous Improvement Plan (SCIP). The sessions will further support the understanding, practice and planning of mathematical practices (specifically conceptual understanding and the Teacher Quality Enhancement framework) that participants will then begin to implement in their classroom(s).

Each session will build upon the learning from previous sessions and will include reflection and next-step planning for leading the practice.

Find the sessions in PDExpress under course codes MATH041  (elementary) and MATH043  (secondary).

The leads meeting times are as follows:

Elementary (8-10 a.m.)
Thurs., Oct. 4
Thurs., Nov. 1
Thurs., Dec. 6
Thurs., March 7
Thurs., May 30

Secondary (7:30-10 a.m.)
Thurs., Oct.4
Thurs., Dec.6
Thurs., Jan. 10
Thurs., Feb. 7
Thurs., April 11
Thurs., May 30

As a reminder, if you have not updated your site's 2018-19 designee(s) for math on this  Google doc, please do so.

This document will help support your program between departments and ensure your staff has timely access to information and resources.

Please contact ishmael.robinson@spps.org for any questions.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
September Principal Meetings
Wed., Sept. 26
8 - 11 a.m.
Location: TBD

IMPORTANT DATES
Important holidays, no school days, special religious days and family engagement events are available online at spps.org/calendar.
Sept. 19 and 20 - Site Team Training (Referendum)
Principals and their site teams will choose a date to learn about the referendum and receive instructions and documents to share with their school communities.

Sept. 23-30 - 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, Sept. 23 and ends at sunset, Sept.30.

Sept. 30-Oct. 1 - Shemini Atzeret
Begins at sunset, September 30 and ends at sunset, October 1. Closing day of the Jewish festival Sukkot. A day of prayer.

Oct. 1-2 - Simchat Torah
Begins at sunset, October 1 and ends at sunset, October 2. Jewish holiday. Reading of the law (Torah) is concluded and begun anew in the synagogue.

Oct. 9 - Indigenous Peoples Day
A City of Saint Paul resolution that honors Native American culture.

Oct. 10 - First Day of Navaratri
A nine-day Hindu festival to the glorification of the Hindu mother of goddess Shakti.

Oct. 11 - Referendum Information Session
6-7:30 p.m., District Administration Building, 360 Colborne St., Saint Paul

Oct. 11 - National Coming Out Day
Every year, on National Coming Out Day, people celebrate coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) or as an ally.

Oct. 18-19 - No School: all grades
Teacher professional development Statewide teacher meeting

Oct. 26 - No School: PreK-5 & PreK-8 schools
Conference preparation. 6-8 middle schools in session.
DATE TO AVOID
Nov. 6 - Election Day
No school events or meetings after 6 p.m.
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