Leading with Faith

11/15/24 BEDS Report Due to NYSED via Business Portal IRS-Data Exchange

12/1/24 Fire Safety Inspection Must be Completed; Report Due 12/16/2024

12/15/24 NYSDOH Annual School Immunization Survey Due 12/15

12/16/24 Fire Safety Inspection Report Due 12/16/2024

12/20/24 Complete Eight of the 12 Required Evacuation or Lockdown Drills

BEDS Online Report Due to NYSED by 11/15: Thank you for finalizing your NYSED BEDS Report and submitting it online via the “IRS Data Exchange” application on the NYSED Business Portal (http://portal.nysed.gov/). After you successfully submit your BEDS Report to NYSED, please email me or Laurie (lwojtaszczyk@buffalodiocese.org) so we know it has been submitted. Thank you for also saving your responses in the Google Sheet shared with you by our office or emailing a copy of your report to Laurie; this allows us to see your submitted BEDS data.

Data-Driven Instruction: Academic Excellence

Data-Driven Instruction (DDI) is a powerful educational approach that utilizes data to inform and enhance teaching and learning. By systematically collecting, analyzing, and interpreting student data, educators can identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This data-informed approach empowers teachers to tailor instruction to meet the unique needs of each student, ultimately leading to improved academic outcomes.

Leveraging NYS Test Score Data

To further strengthen our instructional practices and prepare for review of resources for the upcoming academic year, it is essential to analyze New York State (NYS) test score data. The Data Warehouse Level 1 reports provide invaluable insights into student performance in English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, and science.

Steps to Analyze NYS Test Score Data:

1. Data Retrieval:
   
   

• Access the WNYRIC’s Data Warehouse. WNYRIC Dataview

• Utilize appropriate filters to generate reports for specific grade levels and subject areas.

• Download the reports in a user-friendly format (e.g., Excel, PDF).

2. Collaborative Data Review:
   
   

• Convene grade-level band teams to collectively review the NYS test score data.

• Discuss key findings, including:

• Overall performance trends (e.g., improvement, decline, or stagnation)

• Specific areas of strength and weakness (e.g., reading comprehension, problem-solving, computation)

• Performance gaps between student subgroups (e.g., race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, English language learners)

3. Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses:
   
   

• Strengths:

• Highlight successful instructional practices that contributed to positive student outcomes.

• Celebrate specific units or lessons that were particularly effective.

• Recognize individual teachers or teams who demonstrated exemplary instructional strategies.

• Weaknesses:

• Identify areas where students consistently underperformed.

• Analyze specific questions or tasks that proved challenging for students.

• Consider factors such as curriculum alignment, instructional strategies, or assessment practices that may have contributed to these weaknesses.

4. Developing Instructional Goals and Curriculum Review:
   
   

• Align with Standards: Ensure that instructional goals align with state standards.

• Address Weaknesses: Develop targeted interventions or differentiated instruction to address specific areas of weakness.

• Build on Strengths: Provide opportunities for advanced learners to extend their knowledge and skills.

• Curriculum Review: Analyze the current curriculum to identify areas that need revision or additional support.

5. Identifying Students Needing Academic Support:
   
   

• Data Analysis: Use student performance data to identify students who may need additional support.

• Individualized Plans: Develop individualized intervention plans for students who require more intensive support.

• Tiered Support: Implement a tiered support system to provide targeted interventions at various levels of intensity.

By systematically following these steps and collaborating with grade-level band teams, we can effectively leverage NYS test score data to inform our instructional decisions. This data-driven approach will enable us to identify effective curricular resources, address the specific needs of each grade level, prepare for substantial equivalency, and ultimately improve student achievement.

Weekly Virtual Principal Meetings: Academic Excellence

Meeting Details:

• Day and Time: Wednesdays, 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM

• Platform: Microsoft Teams (link sent by Laurie)

**IMPORTANT IMMEDIATE CHANGE**

eSchool has changed the eSchoolData Parent Portal link. Parents must use this link to log in going forward: https://parentportal.eschooldata.com/buffalodiocese

Math Competition

Please make sure you email your Sprint Round answer sheets to me by 3pm Wed., Nov. 13th.

If you would like last year's tests to practice from, you can download them HERE.

Spelling Bee

It’s never too early to sign up for the Annual Spelling Bee! You can sign your school up and get the names of your winners to me at a later date.

We will be holding the Diocesan Spelling Bee on Monday, January 27th at Mount St. Mary’s High School. I have put this year’s study guides into a Google Folder you can all access here. There are study guides by grade level or lists you can use for a school wide Bee. A great resource to share with parents is this study list. I would give the grades their individual spelling lists to study, but make the Overall Spelling Study List available to anyone who wants it.

STAR Testing

The following is from Renaissance:

We are excited to announce we are enhancing the Star CBM extract that you currently receive with some additional fields. This update will be available to you December 14th.

• What is changing?
• Values for the Overall Risk Score for CBM Reading measures by season are being added. The overall risk score is calculated per season based on specific measures per grade level. The activities that make up the overall risk score will have values; other activities will have blank values.
• A field for the assessment status (active or deactivated) is being added.
• Full column definitions can be found here.
• Will these values populate for previously taken assessments?
• Yes, these fields will populate for assessments taken in the current academic year.

Building a strong school community is a key responsibility of effective school leadership. Regardless of school size, this involves creating a positive and supportive environment where all members feel valued, respected, and connected. Here are some strategies that effective school leaders can use to build community within their schools:

1. Building Relationships

• Visible Leadership: Spend time in classrooms, hallways, and school events to show genuine interest and availability.

• Open Communication: Encourage open and honest communication with all stakeholders, including students, staff, parents, and community members.

• Active Listening: Listen attentively to the concerns, ideas, and feedback of others.

• Collaborative Decision-Making: Involve staff, students, and parents in decision-making processes.

• Positive Reinforcement: Recognize and celebrate the achievements of students, staff, and the school community.

2. Creating a Positive School Culture

• Shared Vision: Develop a shared vision and set clear goals that everyone understands and supports.

• High Expectations: Set high expectations for all students and staff.

• Positive School Climate: Promote a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment.

• Shared Values: Establish and promote shared values that guide the school's behavior and decision-making.

• Community Building Activities: Organize events and activities that bring people together, such as school fairs, sports events, and cultural celebrations.

3. Supporting Student Well-being

• Social-Emotional Learning: Prioritize social-emotional learning programs to help students develop the skills they need to manage their emotions, build relationships, and solve problems.

• Mental Health Support: Provide access to mental health services and support for students who need it.

• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS): Implement PBIS to promote positive behavior and reduce disciplinary problems.

4. Engaging Parents and the Community

• Parent Involvement: Encourage parent involvement in school activities and decision-making.

• Community Partnerships: Build partnerships with local businesses, organizations, and community leaders to support the school's goals.

• Communication: Use multiple channels to communicate with parents and the community, such as newsletters, emails, and social media.

5. Professional Development for Staff

• Leadership Development: Provide opportunities for staff to develop their leadership skills.

• Collaborative Learning: Encourage collaborative learning among staff to share best practices and solve problems.

• Coaching and Mentoring: Offer coaching and mentoring to support staff development.

By implementing these strategies, school leaders can create a strong and supportive school community that benefits all members and contributes to improved student outcomes.

Have a blessed and safe week!

Virtue/Character Awards

Stickers have been mailed out for the month of October and a few stragglers for the month of September. Please check your mail.

Years of Service Certificates

Certificates are awarded to any administrator, teacher, and staff member who will reach a milestone during the 2024-25 school year.

Click on the Years of Service link https://forms.gle/pyAEpF7bN34i69YP7 to submit the names of the employees you wish to have honored. Deadline is Friday, January 17, 2025

Save the Date

The next Principals Meeting will be on Thursday, January 9, 2025, at St. Gregory the Great (Parish Center). The registration form will be in Leading with Faith the week after Thanksgiving.