Quote to consider:
‘The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.’ ~Ernest Hemingway
To Dos:
CERTIFIED EVALUATIONS: Check here to confirm which Group you are in this year.
GROUP B: This is an ‘on’ year for staff in Group B. Please sign up for the time, using this link, indicating when you would like to have our Summative Evaluation discussion. Prior to this meeting please complete your self reflection as this will guide our discussion. Remember most educators are 3’s most of the time. At times folks have a 2 in an area they want to improve in and at times folks have a 4 in an area they feel they have excelled in this year. If you mark a 4 for any area, please ensure you have read the rubric (starting on pg. 18) and have evidence to share for this mark.
GROUP A: This is an ‘off’ year for staff in this group, your only ‘to do’ is completing your Self Reflection in TalentEd.
CURRICULUM ORDERS: It is my understanding that all certified staff got an email with the following information: The time to request new instructional tools (both physical and digital) for next year is here! We have sent each teacher an email outlining their classes for the current year and tools that have been inventoried. As shown below, this email included links to request new resources for next year via Google Form. There was also a link to request instructional tools for new classes. As requests are received, we will evaluate each request using updated criteria. It is our sincere hope that we provide a response for every request before teachers leave for the summer.
A few scenarios and questions from teachers might arise. Here are a few we have thought about:
- What if I’m teaching at a different school next year? Please fill out the form as if you were teaching these classes next year so that the new teacher is equipped and ready.
- What if I don’t yet know what I’ll be teaching next year? You have until June 3 to fill out the form. We can extend this date on a case by case basis.
- Will long term subs get a copy of these emails? We are making every effort to deliver to long-term subs but if a sub does not receive an email, please have them contact Austin James.
- How do I let you know which classes will not be taught next year? You don’t need to! If the current class isn’t on next year’s master schedule, we know it isn’t taught.
Take a look at image for reference Doc If you have any questions regarding the process or criteria for getting the curriculum or resources you need, please contact Dean Richards or Austin James.
STAFF DUTIES: As we approach the final five weeks of school, it is more important than ever to have a positive staff presence in the hallways. Please continue to routinely do your assigned duty assignment. We’re happy to have been able to remove the previously assigned thrice yearly longer duties, but this is only possible if all staff regularly do their daily mini-duties.
WEEKLY ELL & AVID TIP: Set aside time to dig into, process with PLC teams, and implement the weekly ELL tip and AVID tip.
Bits and Bobs:
BIAS LESSON: Thank you for completing the bias lesson during this past week’s advisory. If for some reason this didn’t get completed this week, please prioritize teaching it next week. Reminder: at this time, the district bias reporting form is for staff only.
STAFFING: I am thrilled to announce that the amazing Shari Nichols has accepted our Media Manager position beginning in the fall! Shari has taught Science and Art at HDMS, so she knows us well. It will be fun to see what she has in store for the Media Center, and we all know she will support our students and staff with that huge heart she has for ALL Diamondbacks! Welcome back Shari!
UPCOMING PD INFO: Our final ICCL facilitated PD is scheduled for 5.25.22; the topic will be “High Quality Instruction.” For your reference, here is the teaching strategies hyperdoc resource we will continue to build and reference this year and next.
If you are considering attending the breakout session on “Structured Student Discourse,” the article “Partnering With Families to Support Black Girls” will be used as part of the planned activities. Hard copies will be available at the session, and reading this article ahead of time is not a requisite to joining this breakout session.
Reminders:
TAKING STUDENTS OUTSIDE: Taking your class to a different learning space? Use this updated Out of Classroom form; this link has been added in the “hot links” section of the blog. Quickly enter where you are going and when, then submit the form. It will automatically notify all the people who need to know.
CALENDAR UPDATE: As always, regularly check the HDMS calendar on the blog. One recent addition: May’s fire drill is scheduled for 5/27 during advisory (approximately 9:35am).
BIAS INCIDENT FORM: Be sure you have read and are following the directive sent out in an all staff email (linked here) on 3.14.22 regarding responding to bias incidents. If you hear offensive, hurtful and/or derogatory language (language with negative intent based on gender, race, sexual orientation, religion) please respond by interrupting, intervening, and likely send offending student to the office (situation depending). Then, if the language was bias, please fill out this form (state reporting for bias incidents). Once you submit this form you will get a confirmation email; you must forward it to Nole and Wendy. Without this step, we won’t have any details to take our next administrative step (we will transfer the information into our internal form on your behalf).
High Desert Highlights:
