WE NEED YOUR HELP! Over the next few months, SVHS will be partnering with an outside vendor to help the newly formed Seneca Valley 2.0 community define itself. Please take a few minutes to complete this simple survey. These same questions are being asked of Seneca staff, students, parents, and members of the broader community. The survey should only take you about five minutes, but we expect the results to have a long-term impact on our school brand. Thank you in advance for your help. The deadline for completion is Sunday, October 4.

Take the survey now!

Rather than trying to translate the information we received from central office late last week, we thought we would share the slides directly with you. Topics include: Synergy SIS, Reports, Canvas, TeacherVUE, Gradebook, ParentVUE, Interim and Report Card Timelines. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Here you go.

The interim posting window is from this Sunday, September 27 through next Friday, October 2. While we will record a tutorial for how to submit interims and send it out early next week, you can review this screenshot/step-by-step guide.

MANY of you have stated that GradeSyncing is not working properly. Remember the importance of following the procedures linked in THIS document but if it's still not working, we recommend the following solutions:

1. Drop-in and see Ms. Rahmati during her office hours.
2. DO NOT sync again. Doing this can cause double assignments in synergy. The county has stated that the sync can take "anywhere between 20 minutes to 2 days."
3. TURN ON the third party permissions again in your assignments in synergy if you turned them off to make grade adjustments. If this isn't on, Canvas can't speak to Synergy for that assignment.
4. IF you have completed EVERYTHING right but it's still not happening within 2 days... the county is recommending that you manually enter grades in Synergy and stop trying to sync from Canvas. If this continues to be a school-wide issue, we may have to move to this practice until all glitches are fixed by the county.

STAFFING RESPONSIBILITIES AND HIRING PROCESS

STAFFING RESPONSIBILITIES

Staffing

All staff who want to be considered for hire for the Before/After School Enrichment programs must reach out to Dr. Cohen and Mr. Smith.

Instructor/Tutor

CARES Act Before/After School Tutoring Position

Plan and deliver synchronous learning

• Provides direct instruction and instructional support to students; monitors and evaluates outcomes for all students; aligns instruction to match unique programming at each school.

Lead Teacher

Tutoring Lead Teacher Job Description

• Support the process of referring students

• Support the development of school schedules for online learning

• Monitoring online instruction

• Provide coaching and instructional support to instructors/tutors

• Collaborate with central office and school staff to communicate with parents and support access to online instruction

• Monitor attendance and data entry

Central Office Support

Provide guidance for program implementation and weekly schedules, to include student engagement through live synchronous instruction. Provide professional development to all instructors/tutors and Lead Teachers involved in the Before/After School Enrichment Programs.

Hiring Note:

• Requisitions are posted in ATS for school use to post in MCPS Careers.

• Schools only need to create one requisition per template.

• The job codes for the Before/After School Enrichment program will be the following:

• Instructor/Tutor

• Lead Teacher

Once schools have confirmed that an employee has committed to work in a local school program, the employee should be moved to “Hire for Summer” in ATS.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

Professional Learning and Planning

Staff will have opportunities to engage in professional learning, training and planning prior to the start of the program.

IDENTIFYING STUDENTS

Students are recommended to participate in the CARES Act Before/After School Enrichment Programs in collaboration with school teams and central office.

The data sources below can be used as a guide to identify students to participate in the school programs.

Grades 9 - 12

• MAP - R

• MAP - M

• Teacher Observations

• Recommendation from Be Well 365 Wellness Team

• Content Formative Assessments

• Content Summative Assessments

COMMUNICATION TO SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES TIMELINE

Message to school staff seeking tutors - Week of September 21

Training for School Leads; Message to Families (ConnectEd, Email, Calls) - Week of September 28

Contacting Families - Week of October 5

Begin Session 1 - Week of October 5-12

Begin Session 2 - Week of January 4

Begin Session 3 - Week of March 1

An essay and video contest for high school students.

Starting October 1, 2020, deadline for submission October 31, 2020 at 11:59 PM ET

Winners could receive up to $1000 in prize money.

Paraeducator Roles and Responsibilities

Paraeducators work under the supervision of the special education teacher and school administration. The paraeducators’ assignments should be agreed upon with the principal, teacher/special education supervisor, and the paraeducator. Paraeducators can be asked to perform the roles and responsibilities listed below. Paraeducators who supported individual students or small groups of students receiving special education services prior to COVID-19 should continue supporting those students in the distant learning model (includes all permanent critical staffing and temporary part-time critical staffing). Paraeducators must document, in writing, their contacts with individual students or families when not in the presence of the teacher and provide that information to the student’s case manager. This documentation includes, but is not limited to, the student’s name, date of the support, and documentation of support provided.

Special education paraeducator roles and responsibilities conducted under the supervision of a teacher may include:

• Collaborate with special education teachers, case managers, and related service providers in the delivery of new instruction

• Participate in the delivery of virtual lessons via Zoom meetings

• Provide follow-up support to identified students via email, telephone calls, or Zoom meetings

• Support interventions

• Support small groups and individuals on curriculum and Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals via Zoom meeting with teacher or service provider

• Provide the special education case manager with documentation regarding the provision of special education services

• Monitor student progress, providing data/information to the case manager to inform progress on goals

• Modify/adapt materials

• Support IEP meeting process by sending invitation letters, five-day documents, and other materials as needed

• Support parent/guardian communication (to include families that may need translation supports from bilingual staff members) if needed

Check-In Meeting Role of Paraeducators:

Paraeducators role on Wednesdays is to meet with teachers to provide academic support to students. Communicate a plan to assist students and carry it out during the time provided. Here is an outline of the expectations:

Virtual Check-In

• Follow the Wednesday schedule
• Be present in classes for Check-Ins
• Communicate with teachers about the support needed
• Provide academic support to students (Regardless of whether they have IEPs or not, but an emphasis on students with accommodations)

*For more details regarding the role of the paraeducators in a virtual setting, please see this slideshow presentation.*

As we discussed in pre-service week, IB identifies 5 Approaches to Learning (ATL) skill categories- Communication, Social, Self-Management, Research, & Thinking. MYP further breaks-down these categories into 10 skill clusters. Each month, we will be highlighting an ATL skill category and cluster to support our wall to wall IB programs at Seneca Valley. Additionally, we will highlight one of the 10 Learner Profile attributes. To launch this, we will focus on the ATL category of SELF-MANAGEMENT, specifically of the MYP skill cluster of ORGANIZATION SKILLS. Our Learner Profile attribute will be BALANCED.

When we look at self-management, we focus on how to help students manage their time and tasks effectively through organizational skills. As teachers, we take this into consideration when we help students plan short and long term assignments through chunking and checkpoints, while also helping them track assignments through a weekly planner. In order to develop REFLECTIVE students, we can encourage them to think about how they will maintain a planner in this new digital work, and encourage them to plan goals, supported by strategies and action steps, that are challenging and realistic. We also need to be cognizant of how to support an organized and logical system of information files as our previous systems have changed drastically.

As BALANCED individuals, we, “understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives - intellectual, physical and emotional - to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.” (The Learner Profile. International Baccalaureate Organization, 2013) By supporting these ATL skills, we help students become BALANCED as they develop time management, organization, persistence and goal-setting skills that allow them to enjoy and excel at all facets of their life.

During the second week of each month, we will provide quotes to support the ATL skill category, ATL skill cluster, and LP of the month.

ATL Skill Category Quote for SELF MANAGEMENT: “All management starts with self-management, which is the definition of intentions, actions to be taken, and quantifying of those actions.” - Julian Penccilliah

• We encourage our students to reflect on their own areas of strength and growth, and to use that reflection to create a personal, social, and academic to-do list. Students should then implement personalized self-management and organizational strategies that allow them to act on purpose- choosing items that move them on course to their to-do-lists and goals.

ATL Skill Cluster Quote for ORGANIZATION SKILLS: “Cleaning and organizing is a practice, not a product.” -Megan Francis “A good system shortens the road to the goal.” -Orison Swett Marden

• We want to encourage organizational habits for our students that help minimize their stress and maximize their time and success. It is important to remember that the organizational systems may differ from student to student as we help provide the skills for them to discover what is effective for them.

LP Quote for BALANCED: “The foundation stones for a balanced success are: honesty, character, integrity, faith, love, and loyalty.” -Zig Ziglar

• We need to understand the importance of intellectual, physical, and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for ourselves and others. For our students, we should educate and encourage healthy habits that support balance, while also providing time for students to reflect on their current well-being and providing an avenue to share their reflections with teachers.

We are adding a question and answer section in each Smore edition, so please send any questions you have about IB to Natasha_L_Ezerski@mcpsmd.org. We will feature questions and responses the following week.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Natasha Ezerski (IB DP/CP Coordinator) or Kim Becraft (MYP Coordinator).

Want to learn more about mindfulness activities that can help you find greater balance in these tumultuous times? Visit the new Mindfulness page on the Counseling Services Website. You won't regret it...and I won't say, I told you so.

Mindfulness Activities

Please consider having a "Plan B" for your classes for when tech doesn't live up to our anticipations or fails completely. I know that many of you have done this as a norm for many years, but for some, this is all still very new. While we have had a relatively successful first few weeks, there have been glitches. None of wants to lose any more instructional time than we already have over the last six months.

We know that tech issues can be very frustrating, but they are also to be expected right now. Please speak with your students ahead of time about what you expect them to do when the technology fails. Perhaps consider keeping a simple set of instructions or a PDF typed directly into your Canvas for your daily lessons.

MCPS staff now have another option for completing some work on their Chromebooks. Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) enables staff to perform specific tasks that cannot be completed on Chromebooks operating systems or from personal devices. These are virtualized, cloud-based, Windows 10 machines that are always on and accessible. WVD can be accessed from a Chromebook, a Mac, a PC, and even a tablet device. If you’re already able to perform your work functions with the hardware you have, there is no need to use WVD.

However, WVD allows users to access these applications and purposes:

• Microsoft Office Professional Plus (full-client): For accessing public folders such as your schools’ student registration drop box
• FileMaker: Allows access to LARIS and other school-based FileMaker databases
• Home Directory and Shares: For accessing a users’ files and file shares
• Google Drive File Stream: Allows for quick access to a user’s Google Drive
• FMS: All dependencies are installed so that users can access with full functionality

To access WVD, please go to wvd.mcpsmd.org.

As with all MCPS Office 365 systems, you must log in to Windows Virtual Desktop using your MCPS username followed by @mcpsmd.org (e.g.: userna12@mcpsmd.org). Currently, all teachers and many school-based staff members have access to WVD.

For directions on how to use WVD, you may reference the documentation here. Note that this document is being updated frequently based on feedback from end users.

We know that many of you are turning to the Language Line for assistance with calls home. Since this resource may be a new one for some of you, I am sharing the following information with you which was recently also shared with your Resource Teachers.

Thank you to Ms. Sprehn and Ms. Debow for highlighting need for this information to be shared.

1. Dial 1-800-874-9426.
2. When cued, dial in the MCPS Client ID (530046).
3. When asked for your personal code, dial in your employee ID number plus the last two digits of your distribution location number (04). Omit any leading zeroes for the employee ID number.
4. Request the language you need.
5. Select an appropriate code to indicate the main reason for the telephone call.
6. If the parent is not already holding for this call, provide their phone number to the Language Line operator, who will connect you for an additional fee to MCPS.
7. If you are asked to do so, briefly explain the nature of the call to the interpreter.

Please find below credit recovery courses that are available for semester 1. These are approximations and are contingent on enrollment. Credit recovery classes will begin the week of September 28th. If you are interested in taking advantage of one of these opportunities, please email LaDonna Crawford by Friday, September 18, 2020. If you have questions or need additional information, please email Elizabeth Maxey.

2 Teachers - Math Credit Recovery
Provide students synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities and support for students enrolled in credit recovery Algebra 2 & Geometry. (66 total hours for Semester 1)


3 Teachers - English Credit Recovery
Provide students synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities and support for students enrolled in credit recovery English 9-11. (99 total hours for Semester 1)


2 Teachers - Social Studies Credit Recovery
Provide students synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities and support for students enrolled in credit recovery MWH & NSL. (66 total hours for Semester 1)


2 Teachers - Science Credit Recovery
Provide students synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities and support for students enrolled in credit recovery Biology & Chemistry. (66 total hours for Semester 1)


1 Teacher - FOT Credit Recovery
Provide students synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities and support for students enrolled in credit recovery FOT. (33 total hours for Semester 1)


1 Para - Credit Recovery
Support SPED/504 students in their credit recovery courses. (30 total hours for Semester 1)


1 Para - Credit Recovery
Support ESOL students in their credit recovery courses. (30 total hours for Semester 1)

Please complete this form if you wish to have an announcement posted in Dr. Cohen and Mr. Smith's Green and Gold Newsletter every Wednesday. We need to receive the announcement before the end of the Tuesday before you wish to have it posted.

Our PTSA board of directors invites you to visit the link below and join! They are already hard at work planning for the 2020-2021 school year and cannot do it without your membership.

DO NOT DELAY! JOIN TODAY!

https://svhs-ptsa.new.memberhub.store/store

• • The option of using asynchronous instruction is not available to teachers. Teachers are to implement synchronous instruction.
    

  The information below about class coverage remains the same.

  • Teachers who are on approved short-term leave are able to use a fellow teacher for class coverage.
  • Class coverage is only for live instruction.
  • Coverage stipends for staff on approved leave:
  • Teachers of record who cover a teacher’s entire schedule for the day will be paid $75 per day of coverage.
  • Staff with release periods or who have no assigned courses will not be compensated for the first class covered.
  • Staff with release periods or who have no assigned courses, may cover one course or office hour without stipend. Additional coverage will be paid at $60 dollars per day.
  • If it is not possible to have one staff member cover a staff member's entire schedule, it can be divided between two teachers. (eg. two staff members = $35.50).
  • Staff with release periods or who have no assigned courses and cover the teacher’s entire schedule will be compensated $60.00.
  • Logistical support without delivery of instruction:
  • Staff with release periods or with no assigned courses may provide support should adjustments have to be made to a teacher’s schedule due to being on leave. For example, a staff development teacher opens a class Zoom to share the assignment for the day or post a teacher’s assignment for the day. This is for support and does not involve instruction being delivered. A stipend will not be provided.

  For questions, Carrie Booth, Coordinator, Office of Employee Engagement and Labor Relations.

Long Term Substitute Teachers

Long term substitute teachers can be secured for teachers who are on approved long-term leave. Long term substitute teachers do not have to be selected from the short-term substitute list. Principals can select long-term substitute teachers who best meet the needs of their school programs.

Contact your teacher staffing coordinator with any questions and to support your next steps with securing a long-term substitute teacher.

Short Term Substitute Teachers (for teacher absences for one to ten days):

• There are a cadre of short-term substitute teachers selected to support teachers on approved leave during the fall semester. Use the Google link,https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19PBpdvwzbBZ0fB5dkc93CsiFEuOsv5rkG54dZs4AOZQ/edit#gid=0, to access the short term substitute teachers who are approved and available to work during the fall semester. This link is active and will continue to be updated throughout the semester.
• Additional substitute teachers are in the process of completing the professional development courses. These substitute teachers will be added to the Google sheet.

• As a reminder, it is important for the absent teacher to communicate with the substitute teacher prior to their absence to review the lesson, programs associated with the lesson, and provide any additional access to needed platforms. Substitute teachers have also been asked to communicate directly with the teacher for whom they are working.
• Short term substitutes will not be automatically added to MYMCPS Classroom Canvas. The teacher must add the substitute teacher to the course as their co-teacher in order to facilitate their access. substitute teacher to their class as a co-teacher.
• School teams will need to discuss and decide upon operational best practices, processes, and procedures to implement for the use of substitute teachers in a virtual learning environment. Some procedures to consider -- contact for technical support, the schedule, how the substitute teacher will notify staff of their presence, how the substitute teacher will gain the schedule for the class and necessary information, etc.

Contact Amy Bledsoe for any questions.

A Message from Goucher College

Please visit our information meeting page for our list of upcoming zoom sessions!

Master’s of Education or Professional Development Certifications

- At-Risk & Diverse Learners

- Athletic Program Leadership & Administration

- Literacy Strategies for Content Learning

- Teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages

- Special Education for Certified Teachers

- Reducing Student, Classroom & School Disruption

- Reading Instruction

- School Improvement Leadership

- Teacher as a Leader in Technology

Master’s of Arts in Teaching

- Elementary Education

- Dual Elementary and Special Education

- Elementary Special Education

- Secondary Education

- Dual Secondary and Special Education

- Secondary Special Education

-

To RSVP or for more information, please call (667) 444-2410 or email at acrawford@graduateprogram.org.

Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting

During the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, August 25, 2020, discussion centered on the need for MCPS staff to be vigilant in our approach to recognizing and reporting possible child abuse and neglect of our students in this virtual environment. In addition, the need for our teachers and counselors to be available and accessible to our students (and their families) on this level is paramount. Below is background information and linked resource for all MCPS employees to have available for the start of the school year, as requested by several members of the BOE.

Background

- Montgomery County, including Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has experienced a significant drop in referrals and reports submitted to Child Welfare Services regarding the suspected child abuse and neglect.

- During 2019-2020 school year (prior to COVID-19), MCPS averaged about 24 submitted reports per day. Since, virtual learning began, MCPS is averaging 2 or 3 per day.

- Nationally, 21% of the 4.3 million referrals made in 2018 (according to federal data) were from educators.

- The centers helping child abuse victims have seen 40,000 fewer kids amid the pandemic -- A nationwide survey of children's advocacy centers shows a staggering drop in child abuse reports since the start of the pandemic, fueling fears that the abuse is going undetected. Wash Post Article By Samantha Schmidt

- Without the ability to personally observe and discuss concerns with students, MCPS staff need to be vigilant and accessible virtually to students to provide support, counseling, and services.

- MCPS has partnered with Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Child Welfare Services, and the State’s Attorney’s Office to provide information and resources on The Family Justice Center, Victims Assistance and Sexual Assault Program, EveryMind, and more.

ACTION: This document provides important guidance on engaging with students and providing opportunities for support, as well as possible signs and symptoms of children experiencing potential abuse and neglect in the home. The document provides a direct link for MCPS staff to file an online report.

The following MCPS offices can also provide support:

• MCPS Student Welfare and Compliance works collaboratively with schools, central office and community agencies to ensure consistency and coherence with implementation of policies, regulations and guidelines, such as issues related to human relations; bullying, harassment (including Title IX sexual harassment) and intimidation; recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect; and gender identity. You can call 240-740-3215 or email COS-StudentWelfare@mcpsmd.org. You can find more HERE.
• MCPS Office of Student and Family Support and Engagement (OSFSE) oversees MCPS services and programs needed to promote positive school cultures and advance the academic, physical, social and psychological well-being of every student. You can call the office at 240-740-5630 or contact Ruschelle Reuben (Ruschelle_Reuben@mcpsmd.org) or Everett Davis (Everett_M_Davis@mcpsmd.org). You can find more HERE.
• MCPS school psychologists can be contacted by calling your school, or by contacting Dr. Christina N. Conolly at 240-740-5640 or Christina_N_Connolly@mcpsmd.org. You can find more HERE.
• The Equity Initiatives Unit supports, coaches, consults and collaborates with schools and offices to design and implement efforts to address equity and cultural competency. They help school and office employees, in their day-to-day work, address structural barriers that enable our racial achievement gap to persist. You can call the office at 240-740-4070 or email Troy Boddy at Troy_Boddy@mcpsmd.org. You can find more HERE.

Additional Contacts and Resources:

• Contact the Montgomery County Hotline at 240-777-4357 or 301-738-2255 (EveryMind). A trained staff member or volunteer will provide supportive listening and information, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Students may text the EveryMind hotline telephone number every day, available between noon and midnight.
• Students may contact the Victim Assistance and Sexual Assault Program (VASAP) for support. VASAP provides information, referrals and advocacy, as well as crisis and ongoing counseling for victims of sexual assault.
• Safe Schools Maryland Tip Line is an anonymous reporting system used to report threats to the safety and/or well-being of students. Call 1-833-MD-B-SAFE or download the app.

Are you proud to be a part of the SV community? We want to let everyone know how much we love being a part of the Screaming Eagle family. We have a challenge for you. Let's go viral!!!

• Tweet, Snap, IB, FB, etc., a pic of you repping "The Valley" by wearing your Seneca gear.
• And don't forget to use #svproud. Go Eagles!

Email: marc_j_cohen@mcpsmd.org
Website: www.senecavalleyhighschool.com
Location: 19401 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown, MD, USA
Phone: 301-353-8000
Twitter: @SenecaValleyHS