Think abouts…
From Dave Van Loo: This webinar does a stunningly good job of demonstrating how curriculum and instructional practices interact to impact student learning experiences. It also highlights how shortcomings evident in our YouthTruth data are pervasive national issues related to curriculum and instruction. I think this is seriously well worth the time for anyone in an instructional leadership position in our district. (And this one is available at x1.25 or faster speed). This is the first in a 4-part series. The other three have yet to happen.
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Thoughtful piece with big ideas that really align with the meetings on professional learning we’re now having with administrators and coaches–
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Good read with some interesting ideas about the importance of that final year in middle school: Doomed by Eighth Grade.
To Do:
Don’t forget to continue to work on completing your observations and feedback conversations.
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Canvas IS our Learning Management System: As a follow-up to Lora’s message yesterday about continued Canvas use, here is a support document that can help you communicate key to-do’s to your staff regarding the Canvas LMS system. It is important that teachers continue the 3 minimum requirements of posting weekly agendas, creating assignments, and providing feedback in Canvas. It is also critical that they continue to regularly sync Canvas and Synergy. Updated information in both Canvas and Synergy not only allows access for our students who are quarantined at home but also allows your counselors and staff to accurately track and monitor student progress, which is especially important as we support our seniors toward their post-secondary plans.
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A note about athletics and CDL: We all love our athletics/activities, enjoy watching our students perform, and we know how impactful these times can be for kids. With the rising case rates and the increase of transmission and quarantine within our schools, a few coaches within our district have been encouraging athletes to return to CDL from in-person or to just not come to school, to lower the risk of quarantine. Dave has met with athletic directors relaying the message that our coaches should cease this practice. Building leaders, please reiterate to your athletic departments and coaching staff that our coaches should not be encouraging students to move to CDL to keep them in their sports. If athletes are choosing to stay home to avoid quarantine, they risk being truant, which can result in the inability to participate in athletics and activities. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please communicate to your families (parent newsletter) and students (announcements) that May 1 is the deadline to switch to Bend-La Pine Online or our District CDL option. After that date these two programs will not be accepting new students for the remainder of this year.
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Here is an update/request from Wendy: Dean has provided middle and high school leaders with a ‘data scoop’ using details from DART, grades, SBAC, and other indicators.
My hope is that building leaders will use these data pieces in conversations with counselors and teachers to create a priority ‘invite list’ for Sparks.
I am hoping to have the lists back to me (Wendy) by May 12. Then the plan will be to have employees hired for summer (not an ask of your existing staff) to reach out these individual students and get confirmation RSVPs in order to create a final list of students who plan to attend Sparks.
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Information:
This Friday’s edition of the EdTech Bytes newsletter includes:
- 📕 Lesson Idea: Newsela for all!
- 🦄 Tech Tip: technology purchasing
- 🪲 Troubleshooting: Apple Classroom set up revisited
- 🍭 PD Opportunity: Best Practices for Blended Learning- Canvas
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June 30 – deadline of IT orders received: Here is a portion of Melissa’s email to you about IT orders: Because we are still experiencing some COVID-related availability and shipping delays, I’m getting an early start on sending out our annual reminder that our fiscal year ends on June 30. All materials purchased under the current year’s budget must be received by our department by June 30. There is no flexibility in this deadline and our accountants do follow up on dates listed on tracking and delivery. Anything received after June 30 will be returned to the vendor or that money will come out of next year’s budget.
This year, we are encouraging all 2020-21 orders to be placed by mid-May to maximize the odds of those items arriving by the deadline. This time of year is always busy, so earlier is better for getting your purchase requests in.
Calendar:
HS Principal Graduation WebEx: Monday, April 26@1:30
MAC survey day is: Tuesday, April 27
Cancelled: HS Administrator WebEx: Wednesday, April 28@10:30
Our next Equity and Excellence PD training this coming Wednesday, April 28 at SVMS. 3:30 start time (due to our all-in schedule).