November 11, 2018

Hello Team TJ!

I hope that you all had a very well-deserved three day weekend. I don’t know about you but was hard to wrap my head around the fact that we would not be breaking for a week after conferences. Thank you so very much for your hard work and dedication to the families this first trimester and completing parent conferences with such dedication and heart. I heard nothing but wonderful and kind words about the conferences and also had heard from parents that the conferences were informative and supportive. I was able to sit on on a few conferences and each conference and demonstrated the heart of the TJ spirit. They were student-centered with proactive interventions and the next steps for every student; by Star by need.  Once again thank you for your hard work last week I know the parent-teacher conference is can be exhausting but they are worth it! They help create powerful and meaningful partnerships with our families. Your hard work did not go unnoticed!

I would also like to take a moment to thank you for the open conversation that we were able to have as a team; learning and learning together at our professional development on Friday, November 1. In response to the conversation, I would like to propose something that would help us focus on our learning. As we are all aware there are many expectations and needs within the district and there are many focuses that are coming our way. I want to let you know that as we are learning and growing together and I know that the heart of TJ is represented in the hard work and dedication that have to our students.  RCSD’s LCAP and our SPSA both focus on social-emotional learning and academic success.  I am proposing that we focus on one of the three topics below:

• Social-Emotional Learning/Trauma-Informed Care - A deep look into Second Step and the responsive practices to meet the needs of our students
• 
  
• The continuum of writers workshop/Crossgrade level articulation about expectations in writing and the essential standards - A deeper understanding of Writer's Workshop through the lens of the grade-level continuum, expectations, assessments and the ritual and routines of genres.  
• Cross grade-level work on assessment and the expectations and essential standards in Benchmark - Assessment Protocols - Benchmark and the Essential Standards

Please complete the form below before the end of the day Thursday, November 14, 2019.  This information will help guide final edits on the SPSA.

PD FOCUS FORM

Thank you and if you have any questions just ask.

Kirsten.

DATA TEAM MEETINGS

*Please note the change in the schedule to support preps. 

The Data Team Meeting Schedule will be as follows:

8:35 - 9:40 -  2nd Grade + Petersen

9:45 - 10:50 - 1st Grade 

10:55 - 12:00 - 3rd Grade

12:00-12:40 - Guest Teacher lunch

12:45 - 1:50 - Kindergarten + Vose

1:55 - 3:00 -4/5 Grades + Lemos 

Please copy and complete the Data Team Meeting Form that is attached to the agenda. These can be found in your grade level Shared MTSS Folder within the Data Team Meeting Folder.  Monday's November 18, 2019, PLC time is a perfect time to decide on the Essential Standard and complete this work.

Data that could be used are our iReady Data, District Phonic and other data that is informing your identified essential Standard.

Please note that ALL RSP sessions on this day will be canceled so that Rolly can be in attendance for grade level DTM meetings as he serves all grade levels. 

You can see a sample of the agenda HERE.

I am looking forward to meeting with you and engaging in collaborative conversations about interventions about our next steps in supporting all students.

Thank you.

GATE TESTING INFORMATION

Please share this with your families if you are a 2nd-5th-grade teacher.

The 2020-2021 school year GATE identification test will be administered at the District Office for students currently in 2nd – 7th grade.  The students will take the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, OLSAT, that tests abstract thinking and reasoning ability.  Students must attend one of the testing dates on the OLSAT Parent Permission Form in order to complete the testing by the district.  The Parent Permission Forms are on our district website @ www.rcsdk8.org Click on the Main Menu and then under Programs – Gifted and Talented Education.  All forms must be returned to the District Office by December 20, 2019 if you would like your student tested. There are no exceptions as materials are ordered based on the number of returned forms. Make sure you check the RCSD website for more information regarding GATE services and testing.

NOVEMBER 21 • MPR • 5:30-7:30PM 

Join us for an interactive family science night like nothing you’ve seen before! This event is sponsored by our PTC.

 SPACE IS LIMITED TO 200 TJ STARS!  Please check your Red Folder for a flyer with the RSVP information.

Mad Science Night Flyer