Superhero Tuesday Times
Elite 11 Portfolio, Dalia Denise Flores - ILD
September 1, 2015
I hope this email finds you well and that you were able to rest, relax and recharge this weekend (while I am sure spending some time reflecting on the past week and planning ahead). I personally have always struggled with work/life balance, and have found that mapping out my weekend really helps me to make sure I get a chance to spend some time investing in the work while also investing in myself mind, body and soul.
So what did this weekend look like??
Body
Soul (Does soul food count??)
Mind
Today marks the 8th day of school. Many of you were greeted by me with an early morning text regarding an update on staffing concerns based on current enrollment numbers. We are closely monitoring these numbers in anticipation of the staff re-balancing process. As soon as the re-balancing process is finalized I will share this information with you.
In the meantime here is what we both need to be doing to be as prepared as possible for this process:
Principals:
- Ensure that the students in each classroom are showing up in Power School. Discrepancies need to be addressed ASAP. Please notify me by email with specific concerns.
- Ensure that your Staff Assignments are up-to-date and cleared with Barbara Penrose.
- If you're a handful of student shy of needing (or keeping) teachers be sure you are engaging in strong recruitment efforts such as: calling families that did not show up, advertising seats on your marquee, etc.
ILD:
- Adjust September Site Visits for Week 2 in order to accommodate post-labor day analysis on enrollment/staffing.
- Schedule 30 minute conference calls with each Principal on Tuesday, September 8th. During these calls please be prepared to discuss numbers per grade/class and staffing allocations/assignments. I will be sending you a calendar invite for this call, and Barbara and I will call you directly during your time slot.
Week 1 (8/31-9/4) - McRel 2nd Order Change Goal, General School Info Gathering
Week 2 (9/7-9/11) - (no formal 2 hr site visits, informal pop-ins based on re-balancing)
Week 3 (9/14-9/18) - School Culture & Professional Learning Cycle
Week 4 (9/21-9/25) - TLE Supervision & 6 Step Feedback
Week 5 (9/28-10/2) - Balanced Literacy Implementation
**ILD/Principal/AP TLE Calibration has been moved to October. I will make these adjustments so they are reflected in you outlook calendar invite.
I am excited to see you this week and discuss your McREL 2nd Order Change Goals! As always I am here 24/7 via email/phone to support your needs.
Wishing you a powerful week!
Finish strong,
Dalia
YTD ATTENDANCE
TLE SUPERVISION & 6 STEP FEEDBACK
Both leaders and teachers have been working diligently during the first days of school to establish strong systems and structures for teaching and learning.
Here are a few things to remember as we begin formal TLE Observations:
- At the start of each new school year, teachers should receive training on the Tulsa Model rubric and observation/evaluation process. To assist you in planning professional learning for your staff, a new 50-minute training module is available for your use (http://portal.battelleforkids.org/tulsamodel). The training plan and materials include a 4 ½ minute video that gives an overview of the Tulsa Model rubric and process. It includes two interactive activities with word clouds that will engage your teachers in a review of the twenty indicators and allow you to target specific indicators for closer inspection. If you have any questions, please contact Brandie Berry at berrybr@tulsaschools.org
- Best Practice is to start formal TLE observations Wednesday, September 9th in order to allow teachers with the first few days of school to establish rules, routines, and procedures necessary for a thriving learning environment. The first few days should be focused on informal observations/walk-troughs in order to provide teachers with feedback.
- Notice of Conferences: Any time you will be conferencing with a teacher about an issue of concern regarding their job performance, please give that teacher “reasonable” prior notice—a good rule of thumb is 24 hours. In that notice, you tell them what you will be meeting about (the subject to be addressed) and allow them the ability to have their TCTA representative present. Using Talent Ed’s “save and share” function at least 24 hours before the conference date to communicate to a teacher about the upcoming observation/evaluation is a highly efficient way to ensure that the teacher has appropriate notice of the conference and whether it will entail a discussion about less than effective ratings. That step alone will meet the requirement of the CBA.
- Providing Teachers a Two-Week Window: Leaders must provide their teachers with a two week window during which their observations will likely be conducted. This notification must be provided no later than the end of the work day prior to the day an observation will be conducted. (Providing teachers with at least a 24-hour notice of the two-week window is ideal.) To fulfill the intent of the CBA, do not issue blanket windows to all teachers in your school.
CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION
READ 180 and SYSTEM 44 professional development is available now for all new intervention teachers who were unable to attend the July series of workshops. The upcoming workshops will be held from 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm at Wilson Teaching and Learning Center. Stipends will be paid for attendance when both part one and two are completed. For those teaching an Integrated R180/S44 class, you will need to attend Part 1 and 2 for each program.
· READ 180 Part 1 on September 1
· READ 180 Part 2 on September 2
· System 44 Part 1 on September 1
· System 44 Part 2 on September 2
· READ 180 Part 1 on September 9
· READ 180 Part 2 on September 10
· System 44 Part 1 on September 9
· System 44 Part 2 on September 10
Have you seen the C&I Newsletter:
DATA INFORMED INSTRUCTION
We are in the SRI/SMI Testing Window, and as of today have 11 more days to test students. You will need to keep a close eye on test completion in order to ensure all students who are to be tested are tested within this window.
Be sure to email me a list of students who are not going to be tested (testing exemptions) and include the student name, ID and reasons for not testing by Friday, September 4th.
Dates to remember:
- 8/20-9/11 SRI/SMI Testing Window
- 8/20-9/25 PreK Early Childhood Inventory Assessment Window
- 9/8-9/23 3rd grade MAP and K-2 MPG Testing Window
SCHOOL CULTURE
Dates to Remember:
- 8/31-9/18 BOY Site-Walk-through Window
- 9/21-9/25 BOY Data Reflection Window
- 9/28-10/2 BOY Response Planning Window
Upcoming Dates:
- 9/3 - Power School 101 Training
- 9/8 - Human Capital Hiring Survey Due (email link to come)
- 9/11 - Site Homeless & Parent Involvement Liaison names due (online)
- 9/10, 11 - Principal LDD Days
- 9/22, 23 - Assistant Principal LDD Days
Please download the September My Learning Plan Calendar for a detailed list of learning opportunities for the month of September:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1ACtNj_iDpbMUFRWVZ6Q19MVjQ/view?usp=sharing