Saturday, December 13, 2014

Intstructional Data Team MidYear Review

As stated in the Teacher Evaluation document, the Peer Feedback component of each teacher’s evaluation is based on the work on the Instructional Data Teams.  Teachers will evaluate their team’s functioning using the IDT rubric in the domains of Membership, Data Analysis, SLO SMART Goals, and Process.  At the end of the year, domain scores will be averaged to create a summative score that is 10% of the summative evaluation.
During the August 2015 Professional Development Day presentation on the Revised Bristol Teacher Evaluation Plan, teams were directed to (1) review the IDT rubric in the fall, at the mid-year, and at the end-of year and (2) collect evidence of IDT work throughout the year.
The mid-year review by each Instructional Data Team will occur on Wednesday, December 17 during your regularly scheduled IDT meeting.  (Snow dates are:  January 14 for Prek-5, K-8 and 6-8 IDTs; January 7 for 9-12 IDTs.)
During this IDT meeting, the IDT will:
1.       Review the IDT rubric. It is also copied here.
a.       The IDT rubric is found on the Intranet site – Forms Central – Teacher Evaluation. The document is titled: Mid-Year Review IDT Rubric
2.       Discuss your progress on the rubric.
3.       Write in evidence for each item on the IDT rubric. (Please review your meeting notes for this evidence.)
4.       Write in a rating for each item on the IDT rubric.
5.       At the end of the rubric, state the team’s plan for improvement of the collaborative process for your instructional data team.
6.       Each member of the team is given a copy of the completed rubric.  The rubric can be completed in a Word document. 
For the Mid-Year Check-In Conference:
1.       Each IDT member will upload the completed IDT rubric into the Supporting Documents tool in Bloomboard.  You cannot do this until your observer has scheduled the Mid-Year Check-In Conference.
2.       At the conference, plan to review the team’s ratings and plan for improvement.
a.       Note: observers may choose to have this discussion with the IDT rather than during the Mid-Year Check-In Conference.  Team members will still upload the completed IDT rubric into the Supporting Documents tool in Bloomboard.

Staff Bulletin for the Week of December 15th

This Wednesday we will have Advisory.  Please remind those students with late arrival that we will have advisory this week and that the schedule is adjusted.  Mr. Higgins will be sending out reminders about the advisory plans.

This Wednesday we will be meeting in instructional data teams for the purposes of completing the IDT rubric.  Teams completed hard copies of these rubrics at the beginning of the year.  I'm happy to share the ones I received so that you can review your progress.  For this Wednesday, please follow the directions in the post entitled, IDT midyear review.

You will have advisory planning time from 2:55-3:25pm on Wednesday.

BE Events to Support Our Students


*** Tuesday's girls' basketball game will be filmed for TV.  Please put on your Blue and Grey and come to cheer on our team!

 

 Days of Kindness

Monday-Let someone go ahead of you in line in the cafeteria
Tuesday-Say something nice about someone to a friend
Wednesday-Write a thinking of you card to a recovering soldier
Thursday-Invite someone to sit with you at lunch.

 

 Reminders and Due Dates

Guest speaker:  Please consider bringing your class to the auditorium from 8:00-9:00am on Thursday.  The CEO from CT Children's Medical Center will be here to thank our students and faculty for the donations of toys they made and will speak about the work of the medical center.  This is a great opportunity for students.

Ugly Sweater/Cookie contest:  On Friday, don't forget to wear your ugly sweater!  Have you seen the picture of the sweater that turns from an ugly sweater into an Christmas tree????  We're also having a cookie contest.  Please bring your cookies to the library before school.  We'll have them available for eating (I mean, judging) there and in our office throughout the day.  Please come by--ugly sweater not required!

Dine and Discuss:  Our Faculty Dine and Discuss will begin on Monday from 2:30-4:30pm in the library.  I do have two extra books if you're thinking you'd like to join.  We're reading The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching and for Monday, we're discussing the section titled, "Be Demanding".  Teachers are paid for their participation and we plan to have some delicious food as well!

Tutoring Center/Academic Support; Ms. Tager, Mrs. Gammons, Dr. Bittel and NHS students have been working hard to revitalize the NHS tutoring center and procedures.  Students can now access this academic support in the library.  Ms. Tager will be sending out the details this week.

Common Assessments:  The Office of Teaching and Learning plans on distributing final copies of the common assessments to teachers this Wednesday. Please keep us informed if you do not receive your assessment.

Special Schedule:  Next Tuesday, we will be following a special schedule to allow for our students to enjoy the talents of their peers in a holiday concert.

ISS:  If you are not receiving notices prior to students being in ISS, please let me know.

Midyear Conferences:  We will be scheduling our midyear conferences between January 8-23.

Sunshine Fund for Students: As I hear about students who are encountering some very significant losses in their lives or are dealing with extended illnesses, I was wondering if faculty would like to contribute to a sunshine fund for them much like the one we have for each other.  That way, we can consistently express our thoughts as a school and each student would have similar recognition.  If you are interested, please consider contributing $5.

Holiday Cards:   We'd love to see all of the little ones.  If you have an extra holiday card that features your loved ones, please leave one in our office and we'll create a display for everyone.

Newsletter:  We're not having a monthly newsletter this year, but rather a seasonal one.  If you have an item for the winter (Nov-February) newsletter, please email me by January 15.

Student of the Month:    Do not miss this opportunity to recognize those students who have demonstrated our core expectations around responsibility and respect.  Please be sure to enter your nominations here for student of the month:  https://docs.google.com/a/bristolk12.org/forms/d/1-i7HpozrADx3bkvDKSwqJFWqgK3IbpFKIxU7sxcYM_0/viewform

Meetings for Teachers


Teachers:  Please review your student lists and current grades and notify our counselors of any concerns with 504 students prior to Wednesday.

Meetings for Parents

Tuesday, 12/16:  Project Graduation Planning Meeting 6:30-7:30pm

Monday, December 8, 2014

Charitable Opportunities this December

Please support our students' efforts to support those in need by contributing to one or more of the following drives:

Winter Wear Drive:  Coats, hats, gloves, or mittens can be dropped off to Rooms 239, 125, 141, 206, 219 or 210.

Toy Drive for CCMC:  Dropboxes located around the building, including the cafeteria and Room 127.

Pet Supply Drive:  Pet food, collars and leashes, toys can be brought to the the box in the front office and room 128.

Remember the other ways to "BE Kind" this holiday season:
December 8:  Bring in an item of clothing for the BE closet
December 9:  Tell someone that their beautiful/awesome!
December 10:  Leave a nice note on your desk for the next class throughout the day
December 11:  Encourage someone to try something new
December 12:  School-wide moment of silence, wear green and white.

Send a soldier your thoughts of gratitude and remembrance this holiday season.  Mrs. Beland will be sending those on Wednesday.