Think abouts:
From Dave Van Loo: Lots worth paying attention to here…and deep ties into our work on improving grading. In addition to the NAEP Fast Facts data, I attached a study from 2020 referenced in one of the links below on the impact of teacher expectations, as expressed through grading, and student achievement.
- Across the U.S., HS students are supposedly taking more rigorous classes and GPA’s are increasing, but achievement is declining or flat.
- I thought ‘The 74’ article was particularly good. One quote here–
“The findings, based on a sample of 14,300 graduates from 1,400 public and private schools, follow a series of NAEP results that point to sagging academic performance for the nation’s students. Data released last fall showed disturbing declines among 13-year-olds in both reading and math between 2012 and 2020. And the gaps between the highest- and lowest-scoring students have grown over time. More students, however, are taking tougher courses in high school. The percentage taking “mid-level” or rigorous courses, including Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses, has climbed since 2000 from 46 percent to 63 percent.
Some say the mismatch between students’ grades and NAEP performance reflects that students earn credit for tasks that don’t necessarily reflect learning. Others argue the traditional A-F grading system is outdated and that grade inflation is rampant: Higher grades might boost students’ confidence and increase graduation rates, some experts say, but leave them less prepared for college.”
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To Do:
Please take note of these important due dates:
Please submit your mitigation plan for your PROM by April 4. We will review them at our April 7 COVID meeting.
Please submit your safety plan AND indoor contingency plan for Graduation by May 2. We will review them at our May 5 COVID meeting. There are two circumstances that will require us to move graduation indoors and therefore need a contingency plan: unsafe smoke levels and lighting/thunder.
Be sure to allow a time during your ceremony in which Dr. Cook accepts the class. He is also planning to do a 20 min speech during each graduation. Plan accordingly.
22-23 HS School design plans are due by May 13. Here is the link to the School Design folder. HERE is a link to the essential questions Dave Van Loo prepared to guide thinking about plan design.
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Instructional Materials Purchasing Process: At our HS Admin work session this week, Austin shared the process for instructional materials selection and purchasing to be implemented the spring. Remember that your role in this process is communication! Clearly communicate this information to your teachers and designated curriculum lead (for most of you, your Librarian).
Below is a quick summary of that presentation as well as a link to the slide deck:
This year the process has three phases:
- Inventory – Confirming which digital tools are used by high school teachers in the current year (April)
- Review and Request – Teachers review what they currently use and make requests for next year (Late April through May)
- Evaluate and Authorize – Teams collaborate with requesters to evaluate and authorize purchases (May and June)
We will begin the first phase of validating inventory in high schools after Spring Break. High school teachers should expect to receive an email from ‘BLP Instructional Technology’ during the week of March 28. This email will show their current year classes and have links to update the inventory for the current year. This email is not a phishing attempt. Please ensure your staff is aware of the process and is watching for the email by March 30. We promise to not send the email on April 1! We are targeting the third week of April to begin the Review and Request phase for both middle and high school classes. We will again notify you ahead of these emails so that you can prepare the teachers for the Review and Request phase.
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Process for requesting a field trip from TLC:
We are actively looking for the best way to support teachers who are looking to take field trips during a time of limited subs and limited transportation. We keep working to find the way to make it as simple and effective that we can. Submitting a transportation request does not mean the field trip is approved. There are three steps to having a field trip approved
- Teachers submit a field trip request form to their principal (approval pending)
- Submit a transportation request to Transportation (approval pending)
- TLC will cross reference with any substitute needs for that day via Absence Management System in Frontline
- Level leads will meet once a week (Thursdays) to approve the field trip and communicate approval. (Approved!)
Transportation will need to begin routing buses at least 3 weeks ahead of time. We recommend that you get any transportation requests at least 4 weeks before the field trip. Please communicate to your teachers that they should anticipate a month lead time when requesting a field trip
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Information:
Staffing Plans – Level leaders have received staffing allocations from Brad and April will soon be putting together the templates for the staffing plans. This will take several days to do so expect your staffing plan template sometime after spring break. I have reviewed the allocations and have a few questions for Brad. I intend to send you the allocation worksheets tomorrow. Again, actual staffing plans will be coming after spring break.
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From Kinsey: Thank you for the recent and ongoing conversation around bias incidents, and for ensuring that all staff in your building have access to the reporting tool.
Here are tips for managing the reporting logistics.
Here are sentence frames staff can use to interrupt when bias happens. If you would like partnership on a quick training/calibration conversation at your upcoming staff meeting, please reach out.
Here is the DEI Department newsletter from a few weeks ago, with additional resources for having difficult conversations. Feel free to share these with your staff.
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A request from Maintenance – Can you please talk to the principals about feminine hygiene products not being flushed down the toilets? We are getting sewer backups daily, sometimes multiple the same day. We are pulling tampons out of the drain lines. Their wrappers, and the “flushable wipes” which should never be flushed either. Our maintenance team members estimate they pulled over 1500 tampons/pads out of the drain lines last month. Let’s be kind to our maintenance workers.
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Just a reminder – here is the link to some frequently asked RSSL Questions. This is not for public consumption so please don’t send it out to families. There are new questions and answers being added weekly.
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Calendar:
HERE is the calendar for meetings for the year
Here is a sample Learning Walk schedule you can use as a guide to plan that visit.
March 21-15: Spring Break
March 29: YouthTruth survey training – 8:00-9:30 virtual, link TBD
March 29: Katie at Portland Job Fair
March 31: Learning Walk WL and CTE 1:00-3:00@BTA@MHS
April 4: Preparing to Lead Equitable Schools–Principals only. 3:30-5:00 Board Room
April 5: Principal Work Session 8:00-9:30@ Realms HS
April 7: Learning Walk LA and SS 1:00-3:00@BSHS
April 12: HS Admin Work Session 8:00-9:30 @ MVHS
April 14: Learning Walk LA and SS 1:00-3:00@ CHS
April 18, 19, 20 – Katie at a conference in Virginia