Virtual Learning

Allis Families: Week 10 of Virtual Learning Update

Allis Families: Week 9 of Virtual Learning Update

Allis Families: Week 8 of Virtual Learning Update

Allis Families: Week 7 of Virtual Learning Update

Allis Families: Week 6 of Virtual Learning Update

Allis Families: Week 5 of Virtual Learning Update

Allis Families: Week 4 of Virtual Learning Update

Allis Families: Week 3 of Virtual Learning Update

Allis Families: Week 2 of Virtual Learning Update

Allis Families: Week 1 of Virtual Learning Update

DPI REPORT CARDS:

Dear Families,

Thank you for your partnership this school year. We are proud of the strong start our students have had this fall. I am writing to let you to know that the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction will issue a report card tomorrow for schools and districts across the state.

At Frank Allis we believe that all students can be successful when we honor and affirm each student’s gifts in order to foster our welcoming, inclusive and responsive community. We are dedicated to our community, to the families and students we serve.

As you may know, the report cards are part of the state’s accountability system and are released each fall. These report cards are based on last year’s data in four major measures - achievement, closing gaps, growth and keeping students on track.

Our school falls into the “meets few expectations” category. Last year we met expectations. Although we maintained the scores in student achievement, closing gaps and on-track and postsecondary readiness, we decreased in the area of school growth. In 2017 our school growth score was 60.3 and this year we scored 44.2.

As a school, we track growth each year in our Measures of Academic Progress. Over the past 5 years we have grown over 15% in proficiency on this assessment. Our school is going in the right direction. We want to build on our forward trajectory in student proficiency. We have a long way to go, and we can get there. We know that student achievement does not occur overnight but rather with steady and dedicated instruction within an aligned system.

Along with our district we are focused on Black Excellence, at Allis we will build a strong, positive, scholar identity. Staff will center on deepening learning partnerships with our African American students so that we accelerate their growth.

The state report cards offer us the opportunity to reflect, calibrate with other data points that we use as a school, and celebrate our progress.

We’ll continue to monitor our progress along the way this year, and update you and continue to ask for your partnership in supporting your child. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Sara Cutler

Estimadas familias:

Gracias por su colaboración durante este ciclo escolar. Estamos orgullosos del crecimiento favorable que han tenido nuestros estudiantes este otoño. Les escribo para informarles que mañana el Departamento de Instrucción Pública emitirá una boleta de calificaciones para las escuelas y distritos de todo el estado.

Como ustedes saben, las boletas de calificaciones son parte del sistema de rendición de cuentas del estado y se emiten cada otoño. Estas boletas de calificaciones se basan en los datos del año pasado tomando en cuenta cuatro medidas principales: el aprovechamiento, la eliminación de la diferencia en logros, el crecimiento y mantener a los estudiantes en la dirección correcta.

Las boletas de calificaciones del estado nos ofrecen la oportunidad de reflexionar y calibrar información de otros parámetros que utilizamos como escuela. Si bien ofrecen otro dato importante como escuela, tengan en cuenta que estas boletas de calificaciones se basan en los datos del año pasado, a los cuales les seguimos el rastro en tiempo real y los tomamos en cuenta para tomar decisiones.

De acuerdo con el sistema estatal, nuestra escuela cae en la categoría de “cumple con pocas expectativas”.

Como escuela, seguimos el desarrollo cada año por medio de nuestras Medidas De Progreso Académico (MAP Test). A lo largo de los últimos 5 años, hemos crecido 15% en el dominio de esta evaluación. Nuestra escuela va en la dirección correcta. Queremos reforzar nuestra trayectoria hacia adelante--tenemos más que hacer, y lo podemos lograr. Sabemos que los logros académicos no ocurren de noche a la mañana, pero sí con instrucción estable y dedicada dentro de un sistema alineado.

Junto al resto del distrito escolar, nos enfocamos en la Excelencia Afroamericana. En Frank Allis construiremos una identidad escolar fuerte y positiva. El personal se concentrará en dar más profundidad a los vínculos con nuestros estudiantes Afroamericanos para poder acelerar su progreso.

Quiero agradecerles por su colaboración a medida que continuamos progresando en beneficio de todos nuestros estudiantes. Las boletas de calificaciones estarán disponibles en www.mmsd.org/schoolreportcardscuando se emitan mañana. Continuaremos monitoreando nuestro progreso sobre la marcha este año, les pondremos al tanto y continuaremos pidiendo su colaboración para que apoyar a sus hijos. Si tienen preguntas, no duden en comunicarse conmigo.

Atentamente,

Directora

Fall News,

We celebrated our community at our Annual Open House on October 2nd. The weather cooperated and we had a beautiful garden celebration featuring kale salad, pesto pasta and arugula. Please join our Facebook page to keep up with our events and celebration.

This year we will continue building strong partnerships with families through our Academic Parent Teacher Team model. Our first meetings will be on November 13th.

At Allis we dedicate ourselves to our community through our scholar framework. Ask your students what they have learned about this framework.

We believe that the highest form of social justice is to support students in becoming their best selves as readers, writers, thinkers, mathematicians. As part of our district-wide focus on Black Excellence, and as part of our goal at Allis to build a strong, positive, scholar identity we began a focus group of African American males in grades 2-5.

The greatest gift we have as a community is the heart we bring to working with children to make a difference in our world:

Collectively we believe every day we can make a differenceby earning the right to have high expectations for ALL students. We believe that all students can be successful when we honor and affirm each student's gifts in order to foster ourwelcoming, inclusive and responsive community.

As we continue to build our loving and welcoming community where we are dedicated to

• Building a positive scholar identity.
• Having awareness of self and others.
• Growing a safe, loving and trusting environment.

I am thankful for you and our strong community

Building a SAFE and WELCOMING Community

This last week in our community has created a difficult situation for many families. At school, our main role, as we welcome students to school tomorrow, is to maintain calm and caring environments for children, and to reassure our students that they are safe, welcome, and loved.

Below are summaries of our protocols, resources, and supports for students. If you have any questions or need any support, please reach out. Thank you for everything you are doing to support students and families.

What to do if ICE approaches your school

At this point, ICE has not had any contact with any of our schools, and we hope that they never do. However, we want all of our staff to be empowered and prepared to act in the case that ICE agents ever did approach a school.

If ICE agents approach your school:

1. Do not allow ICE agents to enter the school. Do not open the door, and do not buzz agents into the office.

2. Request that the agents contact the District’s Legal Services office (663-1868) to receive direction regarding how to interact with District staff.

3. Immediately call legal services at 663-1868 or the Superintendent's office at 663-1607 for further instruction.

Resources for staff and families

We also wanted to re-share the resources that our district has for immigrant families and students, including detailed guides for staff members at mmsd.org/immigration. You can also see a quick reference sheet on your responsibilities as an MMSD Staff member here. It is important to remember that as school district employees, we never ask for or share documentation status.

If you or a family needs support directly related to ICE activity, please contact Fabiola Hamden, Dane County Immigration Affairs Specialist at (608) 242-6260 or hamdan@countyofdane.com.

A New Year!

4K, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Specials

Safety and Security Plan

Frank Allis Office Policies and Safe Arrival Information

School Hours

SPORTS CLUB HIGHLIGHTS!!!!

Frank Allis Basketball 2017-18

-4th Grade Boys YMCA Tournament Champions

-5th Grade Boys YMCA Tournament 2nd place

-increased participation from 35 students (2016-17) to 75 Students (2017-18)

-First year of having girls basketball teams

Teams

-2nd & 3rd Grade Boys (18 Games/100 Practices)

-2nd & 3rd Grade Girls (20 Games/65 Practices)

-4th Grade Boys (20 Games/100 Practices)

-4th & 5th Grade Girls (10 Games/45 Practices)-5th Grade Boys (20 Games/100 Practices)

If we believe in the following:

-collectivism while honoring and affirming students' gifts

-earning the right to have high expectations

-that all students can be successful

-inclusion and building on the talents of ALL scholars

Then:

-each day we can make a difference in the lives of our scholars

READ YOUR HEART OUT ROCKS!!!

Annual event recognizes African American Parental Involvement and Contributions of African Americans

During the month of February, twenty schools across MMSD will participate in the district’s 14th annual Read Your Heart Out, a celebration of National African American Parental Involvement Day, literacy and African American history.

“Read Your Heart Out Day celebrates family engagement and reading,” said Nichelle Nichols, director of family, youth and community engagement. “We are excited to come together in partnership with families and our community to celebrate this day with our students.”

Read Your Heart Out engages family and community members as guest readers at schools. MMSD and the Wisconsin RtI Center partner on this event to strengthen opportunities for teachers, students and families across the District to be engaged in literacy and African American history.

Read Your Heart Out combines the annual recognition of African American Parent Involvement Day with literacy by utilizing culturally relevant books that feature African American protagonists or have African American authors and/or illustrators.

The Madison School District is also seeking family and community readers. If you are interested in participating, you can see the attached list of school celebrations and register to volunteer at www.mmsd.org/RYHO.

• Join our DLI community. For more information. Watch this.
• THANK YOU to an anonymous donor we have $5000 in our PTO account. This means we can support projects that are not fundable through federal or state money such as: field trip sponsorship, Safety Patrol and Student Council, Staff Luncheons/ Appreciation, and before or after school activities and supplies. We have not had an active PTO since last year, since our community has other foci. This gift makes many things possible and we cannot say THANK YOU enough: THANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOU
• As we mark the end of our first quarter, we are celebrating the great gains our students are making in reading, writing and mathematics. Students are buzzing in their math workspaces about our new curriculum: Bridges. In English Language Arts students are engaged in high-level texts, with a focus on reading closely to find meaning. As an entire staff we are studying the book: Establishing Alliance in the Learning Partnership, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond. During our professional development we are working within equity circles to reflect on how we can form the best partnerships with our scholars.

As principal, I have been reflecting on how we can put the best structures in place for ALL of our student. What will it take to make every Allis scholar proficient in reading and mathematics as well as creating well-rounded informed young citizens? How will our foundational work at elementary school narrow the gaps seen later for students of color? How can we best leverage the partnerships we have with Frank Allis families?

I know we are making strides in all of these areas, but our work is far from complete. It is key that we build solid trusting relationships with our families and students in order to build partnerships so that students believe in their abilities.

I hope that ALL of us here at Frank Allis will create the rapport and trust needed with our scholars to build on the assets they bring to our rich classrooms.

Jenn Cheatham in her Madison365 article last spring wrote: "Trust isn’t the only answer, but it is the fertile ground from which everything else grows. After all, learning is a partnership. With trust, students, and teachers, can engage in the productive struggle necessary for their exponential growth."

• On October 11 Frank Allis hosted Craig Campbell the Chief Administrative Officer at WPS Health Solutions and John Lin the Bank Manager of Associated Bank. Ninety three community leaders will participated in A Principal Experience. During the morning Craig and John shadowed me as we greeted students, set the tone during Morning Announcements, observed math and reading lessons, read a story in Kindergarten and met with teachers during their planning. Both Craig and John expressed awe in the work that we do as educators. John said it was, "absolutely amazing to spend time with you, the kids, and everyone at the school." A Principal Experience is made possible through the continued support of Presenting sponsor CUNA Mutual Group. Additional sponsors for the 2017 A Principal Experience are Madison Investment Advisors, WPS Health Solutions, DEMCO, Exact Sciences and Veridian Homes.
  • After the visit Craig Campbell spoke about his experience: "The improvement at Frank Allis over time is rewarding to see. The Frank Allis scholars, as they proudly call themselves, are happy and and obviously feel safe in their bodies and hearts. Having graduated from high school over forty years ago, the changes in education are many, obvious and positive. We hear so many negative things about our education system. I was encouraged by what I observed today. Our education system is far from falling apart. The teachers are dedicated, hard-working, well prepared, capable and positive. Their lesson plans tailored to achieve education results beyond anything I remember.

Today gave me confidence in our future. The world is in good hands, if Frank Allis is an indication of the direction education is moving."

• Open House and APTT meetings were a great success. We had hundreds of families. Please visit our Facebook Page to see picture of our garden harvest celebration.
• We are in our second year of the Academic Parent Teacher Teams Grant. We are the only MMSD school that has received this grant. The grant is allowing us rethink how we create strong academic partnerships with families.
• We are an Ignite School. This means:
  • Students, staff and families will engage in continuous digital literacy learning through discovery, collaboration and creation. Accessible, flexible and differentiated digital tools and environments for every student at every school will provide transformative learning opportunities. Ongoing professional learning for staff will strengthen high-quality instruction and provide a personalized learning experience for each learner. Engaged students, staff and families will create a thriving digital community to afford every student to graduate from high school, college, career and community ready.