Rocket Weekly for Staff

Character Trait for January: Cooperation

January Mindset Focus: Feedback is a Gift

To cooperate means...

working or acting together

to achieve a common goal.

In our RES School Family, we value cooperation

as we each support one another to achieve success.

Always remembering that constructive feedback

is what everyone needs to grow and learn!

Click here for the Monthly Character Education Traits and Mindset Words of the Month.

Please click here for one list of all after school club teams and students.

(Last edited 01/20/20 - Changes to both DI Teams and SPARK and added 4th Grade Math Team)

9am Grades Pre-K through 4th, Stings/Band/Chorus: Comment Sheets/Progress Reports Due

3:50pm - 4:10pm Tier 2 Mentoring Team Meeting (Check In/Out Mentors)

9:00am Special Education Progress Reports Due

9:15am - 9:30am Recycling Bin Collection

4:00pm - 5:00pm Competitive DI Team (Mr. Cross' Team)

4:00pm - 5:15pm Spark (FLOW Club)

Social Committee: Specials/Spec. Ed. Sunshine Snacks (Taco Bar!)

Work-Out Wednesday: Students and staff are encouraged to wear school appropriate athletic gear as we focus on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle while also taking a mid-week motor break to focus!

Report Cards sent home for all students Pre-K though 5th Grade

8:15am - 9:00am Creative Writing Club

8:15am - 8:45am New Teacher and Mentor Team Meeting

9:00am - 11:00am Collaborative Planning: 1st Grade Team

Click here to access the agenda.

11:20am - 1:50pm Collaborative Planning: Kindergarten Team

Kindergarten Team will eat lunch from 11:20am to 11:50am.

Click here to access the agenda.

11:50am - 12:20pm Tumbling Club (2nd/3rd Grades)

1:20pm - 1:50pm Tumbling Club (4th/5th Grades)

2:00pm - 4:00pm Collaborative Planning: 2nd Grade Team

Click here to access the agenda.

3:45pm - 5:15pm 4th Grade Math Team

PST/504 Meetings

9:15am - 9:30am Recycling Bin Collection

11:50am - 12:20pm Maker-Space Club (2nd/3rd Grades)

12:40pm - 1:10pm Maker-Space Club (1st Grade)

1:20pm - 1:50pm Maker-Space Club (4th/5th Grades)

3:45pm - 5:15pm Wellness Mindset Club

Wear our school colors to show our Ridge Pride!

9:00am - 11:05am Collaborative Planning: 3rd Grade Team

Click here to access the agenda.

3:00pm - 3:35pm Quarterly Awards Assembly

Please See below for groups being recognized:

• Perfect Attendance during the 2nd Marking Period
  
• Character Education Trait Award (November/December)
• Yearbook Cover Finalists
• Primary Art Club
• Intermediate Art Club
• Garden Club
• Maker Space Club - 2nd Semester
• All A and A/B Honor Roll - 5th Grade
• BUG (Bringing Up Grades) Award - 5th Grade

11:15am - 1:15pm Collaborative Planning: 5th Grade Team

5th Grade Team will eat lunch from 1:20pm to 1:50pm.

Click here to access the agenda.

2:00pm - 4:00pm Collaborative Planning: 4th Grade Team

Click here to access the agenda.

4:00pm - 5:00pm Competitive DI Team (Mrs. Haney's Team)

4:00pm - 5:15pm Robotics Club

4:10pm Staff Member of the Week Lottery Wheel!!!!

4:15pm Staff Social: Legion

Please remember that it is staff members' professional responsibilities to meet all deadlines.

Let's celebrate the 101st Day of School in style!

If we do not have any school closings for inclement weather, it will be 02/11/2020. Please note, if we have any school closings for inclement weather between now and February 11th, the 101st day of school will be pushed back.

Cruella Deville (aka Mrs. Batelka) and the dalmatians (aka RES Staff) are visiting!!!!

Why let the kiddos have all of the fun?!?!?!

Let's dress up and surprise our students/families!

It's a staff challenge: Be creative and get those creative juices flowing!

See below for some ideas :)

Dues: $20 may be turned into Ms. Steiger or Mrs. Goddard.

Sunshine Breakfast/Lunch/Snacks Potluck! Each team will determine what type of snacks to provide.

• 1/29: Special Education and Specialists
  
• 3/23: Intermediate
• 4/29: Primary
• 6/15: Office Staff

Staff Member of the Week

• We're celebrating one another and selecting a staff member of the week every Friday at 4:10pm for the following week!
• If you have not completed the survey, and wish to participate in the selection process please click here.
• Only staff who have completed the survey will be included in the Lottery Wheel.

Below is a chart, developed by Mrs. Batelka, based upon the available information regarding county-based assessments. End of Unit optional assessments, highly recommended by supervisors, are also being included.

Please Note: The Quarter 2 Chart, developed at the Central Office Level, is linked under SMCPS Sites and Quick Links.

Edits for additional Math Required assessments, changes in windows, and changes in the data pull date are in RED text. These edits were made 01/12/2020.

Please Note: The Quarter 3 Chart will be published once it's available from Central Office.

All Report Cards submitted by Friday (01/24) at noon have been reviewed and feedback was provided. Report Cards requiring edits will be sent electronically by 4pm on Monday (01/27) and hard copies will also be placed in mailboxes.

Any Report Cards, submitted after 12pm on Friday (01/24) will be reviewed, and feedback provided, by noon on Monday (01/27). If edits are needed, staff will be notified. Staff will need to see Mrs. Batelka during their planning on Tuesday to make the manual edits needed.

All Comment Sheets submitted by noon on Sunday (01/26) will be reviewed, and feedback provided, by noon on Monday (01/27). If edits are needed, staff will need to resend (electronically) the edited Comment Sheets by noon on Tuesday (01/28).

Comment Sheets (Grades Pre-K through 4th):

• The standardized agreed upon Comment Sheet is to be used.
• Please remember to include areas of strength and areas to work upon so that parents may understand what their child needs to work on.
• Comment Sheets are due by 9am on Monday, January 27th. This is a "hard" deadline.
  
• Comment Sheets are to be emailed to Mrs. Goddard. Mrs. Batelka will be reviewing all Comment Sheets electronically and forwarding them back to classroom teachers in a PDF if edits are needed. Please do not turn in hard copies as we continue to "Go Green."
• Comment Sheets requiring edits will need to re-submitted electronically by noon on Tuesday (01/28).

Strings/Band/Chorus Progress Reports:

• These are due by 9am on Monday, January 27th. This is a "hard" deadline.
• Strings/Band/Chorus Progress Reports are to be emailed to Mrs. Goddard.
• Mrs. Batelka will forward a PDF of the Progress Reports should any edits be needed.
  

Special Education Progress Reports:

• These are due by 9:00am on Tuesday, January 29th. This is a "hard" deadline.
• Special Education Staff need to email Mrs. Batelka when their progress reports are ready for review.
  
• Mrs. Batelka will forward a PDF of the Progress Reports should any edits be needed.

• 3rd Marking Period Newsletters were due by Friday, January 24th.
• All newsletters submitted on time will be returned electronically by 12pm on Monday (01/27) with either Mrs. Batelka's initials or recommended edits.
• Mrs. Batelka will be emailing individual classes/grade levels by 9am on Monday if Newsletters were not submitted by Friday (01/24).
• Please do not submit a hard copy as previously done in the past.
• All newsletters are to be emailed to Mrs. Batelka and Mrs. Goddard.
• 3rd Marking Period Newsletters are to be sent home along with Report Cards and Comment Sheets.

All staff sponsoring a club, regardless of the time, need to submit the names of students to Mrs. Batelka and Mrs. Morrison prior to the start of the club. This will ensure that students are included in the club roster and that any health-related needs are addressed.

Two Smart TVs have been purchased and will be placed in Mrs. Fisher's and Mrs. Reynolds'' classrooms.

Three additional Smart TVs are being purchased at the Central Office Level and will be placed in the following classrooms: Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. Pierce, and Ms. Rye.

The date of installation is unknown at this time. Outside contractors will be installing them and we will be informed of the date/times of installation. There is a chance that the installation will occur during instructional time. Notice will be provided and in advance, thank you everyone for being flexible as the dates and times are not negotiable due to a system-level schedule.

An EXCITING new set of webinars are about to launch with SMART Technologies for EDUCATORS by EDUCATORS.

• Click here link to register and learn more
• Ready Set Go Live Webinars this month are scheduled January, 21, 28, 29
• Staff mat also watch previous webinars
• Classroom Teachers may earn acquired hours (45 minutes) for watching the 30 minute webinars and writing a brief reflection on how to apply the webinar in their instructional plan. To earn the acquired hours staff must submit a brief paragraph about what they learned and how they plan on using (or will use) the information in a future lesson.

Mid-Year SLO and Eval Meetings began week.

Please check your calendar to ensure a meeting has been scheduled. Non-tenured staff members should have two meetings - one for their SLO Meeting and one for their Mid-Year Eval. All other staff should have one meeting. Calendar invites were sent earlier this school year.

Please email Mrs. Batelka if you do not see a calendar invite for your meeting(s).

Electronic copies of your BOY documents were emailed by Mrs. Goddard as meetings occurred. Please reference the emailed copy to make revisions to your Mid-Year SLO document.

All revisions noted by hand in the BOY Meeting should be typed and entered into a clean document, along with your mid-year reflection.

All data used in the reflection should also be available to discuss during the upcoming meeting.

Rocking Rockets' Celebration: Monthly Celebration for students achieving a specific positive percentage on ClassDoJo.

• Students have had to earn an overall 75% positive or higher on ClassDoJo to participate in the monthly celebration.
• Beginning with the January Celebration (for the month of December), students will need to earn an overall 80% positive or higher to participate in the monthly celebration.
• February Celebration (02/03/2020) will be stations.

Rocket Store:

• Lunches/Activities purchased with Mrs. Batelka: Invites will go out by the end of the day Monday (01/27) for any purchased in the January Rocket Store.
• Next Rocket Store: Friday, February 7th

Tier 2 Check-In/Out:

• Additional students, based upon the criteria set by the MTSS Tier 2 Team will be considered during the 02/03/2020 Meeting.
• Any teacher referrals to Check In Check Out, for consideration in the March Meeting, are due by 2/30/2020.

Temperature cut-off is "feels like" 33 degrees or higher.

As the weather continues to get colder, please note that students will not be permitted to participate in outdoor recess if they are not dressed warmly.

• All students need to wear a winter/thicker coat that zips/buttons.

• Any students wearing only a light jacket or sweatshirt will remain inside for indoor recess.

Recess Teams need to work together to identify a plan of who/where to take students who are not allowed to go out because they do not have the appropriate coats.

Please Note: Students may not be sent to ISIC or the Main Office as there is no guarantee that a staff member is available to supervise students. If needed, the Gift of Time may be reallocated to cover indoor recess when there is outdoor recess should alternative coverage be unable to be made.

As the cold weather continues, it is likely students will be participating in indoor recess activities. Although students will not be able to get in as much movement indoors, students should still have the opportunity to engage in exercise, free/organized play, and movement.

Each lunch and/or grade level needs to ensure that there is opportunity for movement and if a movie is being played, there needs to be a space or another location, where students requiring movement may go to for recess.

Friends of Ridge (FOR) the Kids has volunteered to fund indoor recess games to support movement and interactive activities for students during indoor recess.

Activities to consider:

• Bulzibucket - Next Generation Corn-hole
• Jenga
• Cup Stacking Games
• Bean Bag Games
• Hopscotch Rug
• Legos
• Go Noodle
• Board Games

All indoor classrooms need to have at least 15 minutes of physical activity planned. This may be as simple as Go Noodle Videos or Simon Says.

A written plan indoor recess plan is due to Mrs. Batelka by 1/31/2020. Please email all plans to Mrs. Goddard.

We are very excited to announce that the Ridge Rocking Rockets Relay for Life Team is up and running!

Ridge Elementary School will have a Relay for Life Team this school year to support and honor our School Family Members affected by cancer.

Please click here if you are interested in joining our team.

We had our first Relay for Life meeting on Wednesday, January 22, 2020.

• Click here for the meeting notes.

Online Resources and Website Maintenance:

• On Friday, January 31, 2020, from 8 p.m.-midnight, the SMCPS website, and other online resources are scheduled for maintenance.
• The actual downtime will also be minimal; however, we do not want any changes during this time so we can avoid issues of lost data or changes.

February Prudential Seminar - Strategies for College Funding:

• The sticker price on a college education can no doubt lead to shock.
• If you've seen that number and wonder how to pay for college for yourself or your child, this seminar is for you.
• Plan to attend on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm in the Board of Education meeting room, located at 23160 Moakley Street in Leonardtown.
• Click HERE for more information or to register.

Conscious Discipline Skill and Language Cards for Display:

• Teachers have requested CD Skill and Language cards for display in classrooms.
• They have been prepared for each school and classroom Pre-K/HS to Grade 3.
• They will be delivered to each school and placed in teachers' mailboxes.

Field Trip/Program Trip Rate Update:

• Field Trip/Program Trip Rate Update
• The rates will remain unchanged and be reevaluated in July 2020.

Rotary John Beaton Marco Polo Travel Award:

• The Rotary Club of Lexington Park, Maryland, in its continuing effort to help teachers and students, is pleased to make available to a teacher a stipend of $2500 to be used for travel to a destination of his/her choice for the purpose of enhancing instruction in the classroom.
• Applications are due March 27.

Student Services: Home and Hospital Teaching

• Student Services is looking for certificated teachers interested in assuming Home and Hospital responsibilities after hours.
• The rate of pay is $30/hour.
• Contact Melissa Seigman, Home/Hospital Teaching Coordinator at 301-475-5511, x32150 or email mrseigman@smcps.org.

Educational Systems Federal Credit Union (ESFCU)

• The ESFCU is available to all school employees, students and parents. For more information regarding membership and services offered, please visit the Credit Union’s website.
• Educational Systems Federal Credit Union is now accepting 2020 applications for Student Scholarships through BECA.
• For Educators, ESFCU is accepting applications for the Maurice Erly Professional Development Award through April 1.

Human Resources

• The Maryland Retired School Personnel Association (MRSPA) is offering three $2,000 scholarships to public school employees in Maryland who are enrolled in a program leading to certification or to meet the requirements to become a school counselor, speech and language pathologist, a physical or occupational therapist, a school social worker, a media specialist, or a school psychologist. Please visit the MSRPA scholarship page for information. Applications are open through January 31, 2020, and winners will be notified by March 1, 2020.
• The Online Transfer Request will be open Monday, January 6, 2020, through March 6, 2020. Certificated staff who wish to be considered for a transfer to another school location should complete the online transfer request. Staff may request up to a maximum of 5 sites to be considered for a transfer to. Requests to change grade levels or subjects within your current school only should be communicated in writing to your building principal.

Instructional Updates

• The Southern Region of the Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics(MCTM) is hosting a mini-conference on February 1, 2020, at Billingsly Elementary School from 9 - noon. Featured speakers will be Linda Schoenbradt from MSDE who will be talking about MCAP; and John SanGiovanni, author of our Math in Practice books. John SanGiovanni also sits on the Board of Directors for NCTM. Register here. Registration for members is $20. Registration for nonmembers is $40.
• Discovery Education - The usage report for Discovery Education shows minimal traffic, therefore as it will not be renewed next school year. If you use Discovery Ed, you will need to download the content that you have been using in lessons. Here is a screencast showing you how to download DE content and save it to Google Drive.
• Instruction in Reading- Course Instructor Needed: This course is designed to give elementary classroom teachers familiarity with a representative array of research-based instructional techniques and strategies in the area of reading. Participants will learn instructional routines and strategies in the five major components of reading instruction suitable for various age and ability groups. Please contact Jessie Cotugno, jwcotugno@smcps.org, if you are interested in serving as a course instructor.

Most recent Kindergarten Memo

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Most recent Math Memo

• January 27, 2020. This edition contains important information about Math Fact Fluency and the MCTM Mini Conference on Saturday, February 1 from 9 to noon. A $30 per hour stipend will be paid for all teachers who attend ($90). Click here for more information. Click here to register.

Bridges Updates and Supports:

• Please click here to access the Bridges Issue
• Please click here to access help videos

Most recent English Language Arts Newsletter

• Please click here to access The Reading Corner (December 2, 2019 Edition). Please take the time to review the information as there is important information staff need to be aware of regarding upcoming standards and instructional notes for each grade level.
  

Most recent Health and Physical Education Update

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Most recent Special Education Newsletter: The PIER

• Please click here for the January 3, 2020 Issue. This month's newsletter contains information about Heggerty Webinar, SoMd Transition Expo, Explicit vs Direct Instruction, Written Language PLAAFPs, January Hot Topic Meeting, Department Chair/Representative Meeting, Sketchnoting, and Upcoming Middle School Special Educator Training.

Most recent Elementary Science Newsletter

• January 2020 Edition. This edition contains information on Grade 5 practice tests for units 1 and 2 and reminders about the Assessment Guides (along with links for each grade level), and grade level questions to consider at the mid-year mark.

Most recent Gifted and Talented Newsletter

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Most recent Library Media Newsletter

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Most recent Fine Arts Newsletter

• Please click here for the October Edition
  

Most recent ESOL Newsletter

• Please click here for the January Edition

Most recent Educational Equity Newsletter

• Please click here for the December 2019/January 2020 Newsletter

As we begin the second half of the school year, our next theme is Aspiring. It is a hopeful word that gets us to think about the possibilities for growth. We ask questions that help move us forward. We focus students on their goals and we look toward the successes we will see as the year moves forward. Looking forward, moving forward - keeping your focus on what lies ahead rather than what is behind - That is what helps us aspire to do great things.

Resources for Aspiring:

• A Framework for Goal Setting - Edutopia article

• The Secret of Effective Feedback - Ed Leadership article

• Do You Aspire to Inspire - Blog

• Building Growth Mindset in the Classroom - EdWeek [pdf]

This will be updated quarterly and as changes are made by content supervisors.

Chart format for easy access and assessments/dates for ONLY Elementary School Required Assessments (Local) - Quarter 2

Elementary Site Link: Please click here

Test Center Clean Up

• Teachers need to ensure the title of their assessment contains their school initials and/or limits the availability of the assessments they create to their building. The effect of this is that teachers at other buildings are confused about which assessments their students should be taking.
  
• Click here for guidance on how to ensure assessments are named in a way that reduces confusion.
• Click here for guidance on how to ensure assessments you create are only available at your building.

Performance Matters Online Scoring:

• To utilize Online Scoring for recommended math assessments you must first assign the test to students in order to enable the Online Scoring.
• Locate the test in Test Center, then from the ‘Select’ menu choose Release: Online/Paper Based to open the dialog box for selecting students.
• Then you must choose the class(es) or student(s) and select Preslugged Sheets.
• You can then either save or cancel the download of sheets. Save the file if you’d like to print scansheets, otherwise, you are now ready to navigate to Online Scoring.

Reminders for Scanning Scansheets:

• To minimize mistakes by the scanner, please remember to change the scan file type to TIFF and scan as GrayScale or Color. This will help ensure that bubbles and erasures are read correctly.
• Please remind students to bubble dark, complete bubbles, to stay within the bubbles, to erase mistakes completely, and not to mark in or near the barcode.
• Please remember to include both the Student Name and ID Number if not using a pre-printed scan sheet. If sheets are double-sided, be sure student information is on both sides. Please be sure the last names are included.

Have a question about assessment data, building a test, or entering RTI data? Visit the SMCPS PM Google Site for all this and more! https://sites.google.com/smcps.org/unify/home The site can also be found on the SMCPS Staff page under Instructional Resources. Within PM you can also visit the News & Assignments tab or Help module ⍰ for videos and instructions. Contact Jeff Gibson jsgibson@smcps.org or Kristen Maher kmmaher@smcps.org with further questions.

SMCPS UNIFY Google Support Site:

• Reminder that the SMCPS Unify Google Site can be found on the staff page under Instructional Resources at https://www.smcps.org/staff
  

The SMCPS Unify Google Site includes, among other resources:

• Troubleshooting directions for student testing.
  
• Directions to assist teachers with online scoring.
  
• Steps for the creation of Answer Key Only assessments.
  
• Steps for using pre-made interactive test items to create online assessments.

Any questions, training or additional Unify support needs can be referred to the appropriate contact found on the Training Page.

Report Cards - Two things to review before the TAC report card window opens this week are

1. Check your list of students by clicking Grade Reporting > Report Card. If any students are missing from the class list, inform your master scheduler. Accurate attendance lists do not always equal an accurate report card list so this is important to check.
2. Check your Report Card Average tab for each class to verify the report card average percentages are set up correctly. Once the report card window opens, you may Load from Gradebook multiple times if student scores change.

Report Card Window Reminders:

• Be aware the Override box should not be checked if you want to load a new letter grade and/or a new numerical average.
• The only way a new numerical average will be loaded into the database is if another Load from Gradebook is done AND the override box is unchecked.
• These averages are important when calculating final grades.
• To see a summary of what was entered, click the Report Card Summary icon on the upper right of the Report Card Entry screen.
• Please submit a Technology Helpdesk Ticket or contact Assessment & Accountability if you have any questions.

Google Classroom (starting February 5th): SMCPS Google Classroom Training is a survey of the basic features and functionality of Google Classroom as implemented in SMCPS. Participants learn about posting Materials, Questions, Assignments, Quiz Assignments and communicating with students in the Classroom environment. To support fluency, participants will receive support in order to complete the Google Fundamentals Training independently between face-to-face sessions. At the end of the course, participants will be prepared to get certified as a Google Certified Educator Level 1. We will meet at Leonardtown Middle School in the Media Center on the following dates and times: February 5th: 4:30-7:30, March 4th: 4:30-7:30, April 1: 4:30-7:30. Register for the course on the PMPD site.

Methods of Teaching Reading in the Content Areas, Part II: This course focuses on teaching secondary students to access and learn from text. Class participants are expected to apply theories, strategies, and practices in classroom lessons. The course introduces types of reading, reading skills, and instruction that integrates content with reading goals. You do not need to have completed Teaching Reading in the Content Areas Part I to register for this course. To account for all 45 hours (3 credits), participants will be required to complete work outside of class meeting times that will be applicable in their own classrooms. Scheduled classes will be held at Leonardtown Middle School from 4:00 - 8:00 PM on March 25; April 1, 15, 29; May 6, 13, 27; and June 3, 10. Visit the PMPD website for more information.

MSDE Professional Learning Online Course Catalog: The MSDE Spring 2020 online professional learning catalog has been posted and registration is open. The catalog and the registration link is in the far-right column on https://msde.blackboard.com/. Registration is open from December 3- January 30. One, two, and three-credit courses will begin on February 19. Four-credit courses will begin on February 26. The end dates vary depending upon credits. All registration information and specific dates can be found within the catalog.

The Southern Region of the Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics(MCTM) is hosting a mini-conference on February 1, 2020, at Billingsly Elementary School from 9 - noon. Featured speakers will be Linda Schoenbradt from MSDE who will be talking about MCAP; and John SanGiovanni, author of our Math in Practice books. John SanGiovanni also sits on the Board of Directors for NCTM. Register here. Registration for members is $20. Registration for nonmembers is $40.

Registration is open for additional courses:

• Please log into the system for available courses

Register online: https://smcps.truenorthlogic.com
UserName: beginning of SMCPS login (without @smcps.org)
Password: normal SMCPS password

Each week a staff member will be randomly chosen to be recognized as the special staff member for that week.

We will announce the staff member on morning announcements and post information about that person in the hallway for all to see.

We also will be playing 2 truths and a myth. These will be posted on the display to give staff and students a chance to try and figure out what a staff member's myth may be. It will be revealed at the end of the week.

Week of August 26th

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Week of November 4th

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