Monthly Bulletin

Washington Elementary
STAFF BULLETIN 2008

Character Strength: Cooperation GLAD Focal Strategy:  Writer’s Workshop
School-wide Objective for English Language Learners
In 2008-2009 at least 46% of EL students will achieve proficiency in ELA.  It is interesting to note that if 5 focal students in each class grow 1 performance band, 50% of Washington students will achieve grade level proficiency in ELA.

Cheerful Tidings from the Principal
On Monday, Maddie, my baby girl, sat in my office watching the traffic ebb and flow out of my office.  She couldn’t understand how I managed to stay upbeat and smiley and effusive all day.  Maybe she thinks I am a crab, and I don’t have much leftover for her when I get home.  But I honestly must say it took me a back that a fourteen year old has such a keen sense of human dynamics.  I explained: “Baby, that’s my job; that is why I get paid the big bucks.”

But I see you doing the same thing in your classrooms, as you shape student behavior, encouraging reluctant learners (I like that PC term) and focusing on the good stuff that takes place in your classroom in order to build the desire in your students to achieve more.  Washington students are happy to be back, because school is such an overwhelming good experience for them.  And I am happiest when I tour the campus with visitors, showing you off as you powerfully engage students.  Norma Martinez pointed at Silvia Rendon, noting that even though it was only the first day of school she was already teaching reading strategies.  Don Iglesias (how did I get so lucky on the first day of school, with Lourdes calling me like a crazy woman over the loudspeaker because the walkie talkie does not pick up in the D Wing, Darn it!) walked into the H Wing and liked the strong classroom management approaches of Luz Gonzalez’s and Rosalia Canela’s rooms.  The lady from Salvation Army was besides herself with compliments over our fourth and fifth grade students who received their free backpacks with aplomb, a graciousness that will serve them well later on in life.  And today I dragged Shez around, showing off Janet Frederick’s good work on the solar system and amazing statistics about astronomy; and, Isabel Ramirez, who was engaging her students in a beautiful writing strategy that required much more from her students than filling in the blanks.  Even the enrollment debacle and stupid Rocketship can’t bring me down this first week of our 2008 – 2009 school year.

Maddie Evans started Notre Dame this week.  She loves her new school; I love the fact that my daughter is immersed in a loving and stimulating school environment.  And I can’t help thinking that even though the students of Washington, our children, are not as fortunate as my only child, I feel a responsibility to provide them with the very best we have to offer.  I know you feel the same way, too.

Maria’s monster child!
THIS WEEK :  (Please Note:  Changes from previous bulletin are marked in bold print.)
* Yard Duty Begins!
9/2
7:45 Office Kinder:  Meeting with Principal
1:00 Library Staff Meeting
9/3
Maria:  Principal’s Meeting
11:30 4th Street Rotary Club Meeting

9/4 Free Uniforms: Please do NOT send students
who are not on the preapproved list, 150 is max!
1:00 Office Special Education Team meeting

9/5 Curriculum Associates Test Due:  thank you!
8:30 Announcement:  Test Chat Reminder: Standards
1:00 Office Cabinet Meeting:  RTs
2:30 Office MAA Training

UPCOMING . . .
9/9 7:45 Office First Grade:  Meeting with Principal
12:40 Library A Special Baby Shower
1:30 Grade Level Meeting
9/10 2:30 Library Leadership:  All teachers invited
9/11 8:30 Blacktop Outdoors Assembly:  Patriot’s Day
2:30 Library New Teacher Training:  Focus Walls
(all interested teachers are also invited)
2:30 – 3:30 A-4 Insurance Sign-Ups for all parents (please promote in your newsletters!)
9/12 8:15 Test Chat Announcement:  Review of Standards
12:40 Cafeteria Awards Assembly:  Grs 3 and 4
1:25 Awards Assembly:  Grs 2 and 5
9/15 Mexican Independence Day
9/16 7:45 Office 2nd Grade:  Meeting with Principal
1:00 Grade Level Meeting
9/18 2:30 Library New Teacher Training:  Phases of Instruction
(all interested teachers invited)
9/19 8:30 Announcement:  Test Chat
12:00 Library Kinder Assembly:  Fund Raiser
12:40 Cafeteria Grades 3 and 4:  Fund Raiser
1:25 Cafeteria Grades 1,2, 5:  Fundraiser
9/23 7:45 Office Third Grade: Meeting with Principal
No Meeting after school
9/24 Back to School Night
4:30 Classroom Visit #1
5:00 Classroom Visit #2
5:30 Outdoor Learning Stations
6:30 Dinner Teachers
9/25 Maria:  Collegial
3:00 to 5:00 Library Mandatory QEIA Training, Shirley Bell
9/26 1:00 Office Cabinet
9/30 7:45 Office Fourth Grade:  Meeting with Principal

FOR YOUR INFORMATION . . .

Shauna Talbert, Washington’s School Nurse is available for students on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.  Stop by and say hello!

Reminder:  new Central Station Phone Number is (408)278-6923.

A Few Good Men
Grade Levels select a representative for the following committees by 9/5: District Representatives: 
Upper Math Fourth Grade
Upper ELA Fifth Grade
Primary Math Second Grade
Primary ELA Third Grade

School Site Council Member:  Please submit your name to Maria by September 5.

Rotary Club:  All invited.  Please submit names by September 5.
SELAC:  All invited.  Please submit names by September 5.

Grade Level Representatives:  (Teachers who are first year or do not have a teaching credential are asked to wait before volunteering for this position.)
Again.  September 5.

PRINCIPAL’S PROJECTS . . .

Workbooks
I lost the battle!  And it is my own darn fault.  I had not properly executed a battle plan to wipe out worksheets at Washington.  But I am not one who is afraid to apologize when I have made a mistake; and, I readily beg for forgiveness when I have messed up.  Sorry. 

At the tail end of last year, I spoke with grade level teachers in the primary grades regarding the advantage of dumping the workbook crutch and replacing all of our valuable instructional time with powerful instructional strategies, which require students to do more than fill-in the blank.  All said that although certain pages were very helpful, most explained that Universal Access stations did a better job of teaching skills.

Mostly I am bothered when I watch a good 15 minutes spent by teachers who read line-by-line the overhead copy of a worksheet, as students follow along on their desk copy of the same worksheet, as they fill-in the blanks line-by-line-by-line.  I am unclear at what point during the learning process is the teacher conducting direct instruction or guided practice or independent practice.  NONE, because all of the phases are mushed up into one.  It looks like teaching, sounds like teaching, feels like teaching, but it is not teaching. 

It isn’t the worksheets fault.  In fact, a very masterful teacher will utilize a worksheet in a some innovative ways, like having small groups compete against each other to find out who gets the most right; or having students fill out a couple of problems and then teach the rest of the class on the white board how it is done.  Using a worksheet to review concepts covered in class as homework is cool; using worksheets as a quiz (independent practice) is good, especially is students are responsible for correcting their mistakes ASAP; using worksheets during Universal Access is powerful when students have the answer sheet in the magic envelope and have to explain how to correct their mistakes . . .  I am sure we could put together our collective thinking caps and come up with some powerful learning strategies.

So you may ask:  Maria, why did you capitulate?  Because Washington has 11 new teachers on board, and I wanted to ease them into the Washington Way—so that they don’t end up running out the door, screaming like their hair is on fire.

As we continue to probe the Washington Way, I think that one major reason why we have shown such tremendous growth practically overnight is that you as a staff are willing to push the envelope.  I believe that as we analyze our very best work, our very best results, and our very best efforts (due to the fact that time is at a premium, both student and teacher time), we will continue to evolve our best practices.  If you can, please have students use paper to record their answers.  Only if that works for you.  Because it would save us a lot of money, money that you could use to pay you for more collaboration time, for more intervention time, for more parent . . .  In other words, just because you have the workbooks don’t feel obligated that you have to use them or even write in them.  (And no, the Williams Act does not include workbooks in its required classroom materials.)

I can’t wait to watch your most creative applications of workbook use at Washington.  I will be delighted to share with the rest of the staff.  Or even the District!  It has been known to happen.

CALIFORNIA STANDARDS FOR THE TEACHING PROFESSION
*C Instruction, 6. Uses instructional strategies that promote active learning and student participation.

QEIA Training
A mandatory training for all QEIA schools will be offered on September 25, from 3:00 to 5:00.  All teachers, both veteran and new to Washington, from kinder to fifth, will be required to attend this important training conducted by Shirley Bell in the library.

The second part of the District’s implementation of the plan includes a training for grade levels.  All teachers are required to attend.  The schedule that follows divides trainings by both dates and grades.  The sub code is 2119.  Please request a substitute for this training ASAP, as we know how difficult coverage can be.  Any teacher missing the workshop focused for their grade level will need to attend one of the other workshops.
(Please note:  the Professional Development Plan is attached to this newsletter.)

QEIA CSR PD by Grade
8:30 – 3:30 each day
Day One Day Two
Kinder September 25 Room 365 November 6 Room 337
First September 24 Room 365 November 5 Room 133
Second September 17 Room 337 October 29 Room 337
Third September 18 Room 133 October 30 Room 337
Fourth September 11 Room 133 October 23 Room 337
Fifth September 10 Room 133 October 22 Room 337

QEIA CSR PD by Date
8:30 – 3:30 each day
September 10, 2008 Room 133 Fifth
September 11, 2008 Room 133 Fourth
September 17, 2008 Room 337 Second
September 18, 2008 Room 133 Third
September 24, 2008 Room 365 First
September 25, 2008 Room 365 Kinder
October 22, 2008 Room 337 Fifth
October 23, 2008 Room 337 Fourth
October 29, 2008 Room 337 Second
October 30, 2008 Room 337 Third
November 5, 2008 Room 133 First
November 6, 2008 Room 337 Kinder

A Message From Mary Lou
Maria,
We got our end of year report scores back from the states student support department and here is some of what they have to say: We received high scores in most areas (scale of 1-4)!  SST: Documents reflect strong school commitment the SST process and shoe significant student improvement Attendance:  the school coordinates a positive attendance improvement approach School Goals: The schools goals are precise and expectations clearly stated Resiliency: The school routinely engaged parents, students and staff in the life skills, bonds of connectedness.  The school provided a large number of adult school partners who have increased success levels of students. Resiliency efforts were divers and well documented with quantitative evidence.  Excellent efforts were made to include parent in school programs and they said much more!
What we need to work on :
COST team:  we need to make this a strong team this year!
SST: not signed by and administrator

MIL GRACIAS . . .
* To Ana Silva for her analytical mind and her ability to play enrollment numbers likes a chess game.
*To Samantha Araiza, Arlene Dominguez, and Yasna Borne, who did a super good job training our 11 new teachers before the start of the school year.
*To Viviana Garcia and Edgar Castillo, for coming back.
*To Rosa Valdez, for loving third grade.’
*To the best staff in Washington Elementary.

A TEACHABLE MOMENT
* It is not how you live, it’s whose life you change in the wake of yours.  Source Unknown

Be Good Do Good

Yard Duty Supervision Duty

2008 – 2009
QEIA Class Size Reduction

Class Size Reduction Foundational Professional Development Plan
Ann Darling, Bachrodt, Olinder, Washington

GIVENS:
• Each teacher, instructional associate or paraprofessional, and administrator at Ann Darling, Bachrodt, Olinder, and Washington must attend foundational Class Size Reduction professional development in effective class size reduction strategies as outlined in this document.

• $44,000 of SB825 funding has been allocated to provide this professional development.

• The best time to provide content-based professional development for each employee is to provide the PD during the regular school year and during normal working hours.

• Title I – Program Improvement Schools must set aside 10% of Title I funds for Professional Development. Ann Darling $24, 808.24, Bachrodt $17, 221.09, and Olinder $20, 765.04

RATIONALE FOR FOUNDATIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DESIGN

Although gaining knowledge in research-based effective CSR practices is the primary professional development goal, the Class Size Reduction (CSR) professional development was designed to meet multiple needs.

An evaluation of composite benchmark data reveals all 4 schools need to focus on increasing the number of students who score proficient or advanced on Language Arts Benchmark tests since this has been determined to be a predictor of scoring proficient or advanced on the CST. Additionally, 3 of the 4 schools did not meet 06/07 LA CST targets and LA targets are increasing for 07/08 and 08. 

An analysis of Houghton Mifflin implementation in SJUSD by the Consortium of Reading Excellence identified patterns of professional development needs as a result of the CORE demonstration process during the 07/08 year.

Based on these findings, the CSR professional development focuses on best practices in implementing Houghton Mifflin to meet the individual needs of students in whole group, small group, and individual instruction.

DISTRICT FOUNDATIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DESIGN
Each teacher, IA/program assistant, and principal must attend.

I. CSR Rationale and Expectations and Strategies to Build on Students’ Strengths (3 hrs)
i. Bridging Cultures in Our Schools: New Approaches That Work [Shirley Bell, CSR RT, or principal on August Staff Development Day]

II. QEIA CSR workshop for Kinder – 2nd grade teachers (6 hrs)
Best Instructional Practices to meet the individual needs of students in whole group, small group, and individual instruction. Each skill section includes formative assessment and time to plan for implementing the strategy in whole group, small group, and individual settings.

Day One Direct Instruction: I Do, We Do, You Do
Sound Spelling Cards
Blending Routines
Phonics/Decoding Poster
Day Two Text Talk including Tiered Vocabulary
Higher Order Questioning
Student Goal Setting
Both Build a 5 Day HM Lesson Planner incorporating whole group, small group, and individual instruction

III. QEIA CSR workshop for 3rd – 5th grade teachers (6 hrs)
Best Instructional Practices to meet the individual needs of students in whole group, small group, and individual instruction. Each skill section includes formative assessment and time to plan for implementing the strategy in whole group, small group, and individual settings.

Day One Direct Instruction: I Do, We Do, You Do
Blending Routines for small group intervention
Phonics/Decoding Poster for Multi-syllabic words
Day Two Tiered Vocabulary
Text Talk
Higher Order Questioning
Student Goal Setting
Both Build a 5 Day HM Lesson Planner incorporating whole group, small group, and individual instruction