Good Afternoon, Team!
Happy Friday! Only 5 more school day wake-ups until a much deserved 2 week break! Please read within the newsletter a few items to finish up this week prior to break, such as grades & SLO data completion.
Don't forget about signing up to bring your favorite soup or salad to share on Monday! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
#MAWAY!
Aimee Vinten
The mission of Manara Academy is to provide students with a creative, adaptive and ethical environment to become knowledgeable inquirers and future leaders in a diverse and evolving global society where we master languages, honor cultural heritages, and respect diversity.
"A" week schedule this week!
5 more festive days to go! See within the "Countdown to Winter Break" presentation all the items to celebrate you before our Winter Break! I'm soup-er excited about our soup day Monday!!😁
Where to put them: 2023-2024 Teacher Resources drive within the STEM folder.
Please make sure to upload your lesson plans & newsletters to the correct folder and on time. If you need help, please let me know!
*Make sure to add Common Sense Media lessons to your lesson plans each week, Paper lessons/expectations, and NewsELA Social Studies lessons!
**Also, remember to include morning work for each day as scholars are arriving/finishing breakfast each morning. Routines are key, and strong morning routines set powerful learning tones for the day!
Our 3rd 6 week period ends on Friday, December 15. Please make sure this week to collect any missing grades/assignments from scholars so that you can complete grading next week. I will lock the term on Monday, December 18, so please have everything completed by then, as report cards will be going home on Wednesday, January 3. If you have any questions, please let me know!
Within your individual SLO folders I have added a data tracker where you will input data collected from your TFAR or mCLASS assessments. The following dates are when the following data should be input:
Using the Initial Skill Profile Rubric:
BOY assessments (Data acceptable: 1st TFAR given, mCLASS, Circle)
Using the Targeted Skill Profile Rubric:
December (week of Dec 11) End of 3rd six weeks - Evidence of student progress #1
January (week of Jan 3) Start of 4th six weeks - Evidence of student progress #2
February (week of Feb 12) End of 4th six weeks - Evidence of student progress #3
February (week of Feb 21) Start of 5th six weeks - Evidence of student progress #4
March (week of Apr 1) End of 5th six weeks - Evidence of student progress # 5
May (week of May 20) End of 6th six weeks - EOY Student Skill Level
Remember to utilize the same TFAR for the the start and end of each 6 weeks so that the data is an accurate comparison.
Reminder: Naming conventions for TFAR assessments: last name.grade.subject.date
If you need any help or have any questions, please let me know! I'm happy to meet with you to help make sure your data is added correctly. Please fill out the following information on the Student Growth Tracker tab by Friday, December 15 (in your SLO folder in google drive):
Student ID
Student Name
Teacher Name
Course
Initial Skill Profile Level (Select from Drop Down)
Targeted Skill Profile Growth Goal (Select from Drop Down)
Evidence of Student Progress # 1
A few friendly reminders as we head towards another break...
Student in grades 4-8 should only be going to the restrooms one at a time throughout the day with filling out the bathroom logs in your classroom each time they leave AND the time they return.
Students in grades K-3 can have a buddy, but still log on a restroom log when they leave and when they return (students can do this as well!)
Students in grades 3-8 should only be going on "approved" apps through Clever ONLY. I've seen several student chromebook history lately students going onto google sites and playing non-academic games. Students must be monitored while on their chromebooks, so do not allow them to have "free time" on their chromebooks without knowing what they are going on.
On rainy / weather days for indoor recess, chromebooks should not be used as their recess activity. Students are using the chromebooks in inappropriate ways with "chatting" with each other on google chat during class time, and providing them with times to "free-play" on their chromebook is not helping to manage their appropriate usage.
Please remind students that ALL information, from what they google to what they chat to what they delete to what they record can and WILL be seen at any time. Even something deleted years ago can be recovered.
Make sure to have designated morning work routines and procedures at all times! A structured morning routine sets a great tone for the day!
Let me know if you have any questions or need help or suggestions with any of the items listed above. Thank you for the help each day that you give to all our scholars!
Staff hours are 7:15am (or if prepared for the day arrival by 7:30am) until 4:15pm (unless otherwise designated within your contracted hours). Fill out the "Request to Leave" forms if needing to leave early/arrive late any day so I can make sure adequate coverage is available (available in the front office drawer). Please refer to the master schedule as to morning and afternoon duties as well, as we all play a crutial role in making sure our scholars arrive and dismiss safely. I know we all want to leave in a timely manner, but leaving earlier than 4:15pm each day without prior permission is not meeting district expectations. Thank you to your attention to this process!
Things to do this week:
Place your lesson plans & newsletters in the correct google drive folder
SLO Data Student Growth Tracker input
View the "Countdown to Winter Break" presentation!
Start planning ahead with focusing on reviewing classroom rules and procedures the week of Jan 2
Continue with weekly digital citizenship lessons - IMPORTANT!! We're having a lot of issues with students not being good digital citizens, and in order for them to understand what this means, we need to teach them what it means! 😀
Dec 11-15 SLO Student Growth Tracker Input Due (see calendar invite & info in the newsletter for further details)
Dec 11 Soup-er Exciting Potluck Lunch Today! If able, sign up to bring an item on this link !
Dec 14 Birthday Thursday for the month of December
Dec 15 3rd 6 week period ends/Semester 1 ends
Dec 15 Class Parties
Dec 15 Wellness Friday
Dec 18-Jan 1 Winter Break
Jan 1-5 SLO Student Growth Tracker Input Due - Evidence #2 (see calendar invite & info in the newsletter for further details)
Jan 2 PD - Location TBD - staff blackout day (no absences approved)
Jan 3 School Resumes for scholars
Jan 3 Start of the 4th week grading period
Jan 8-Feb 9 MOY mCLASS Benchmark Window
Jan 12 Staff blackout day (no absences approved)
Jan 15 MLK Jr. Holiday - No school for staff & scholars
Jan 16 Staff blackout day (no absences approved)
Month of Dec Student-Led Conferences Continue