"A" week schedule this week!

Teacher Shout - Outs!

This week's shout outs go to two amazing teammates!

1st shout out goes to ..... Ms. M! 🎉

• Ms. M is the true definition of the "jack of all trades"!  I appreciate her attention to everything -- from the details in her classroom lessons to get each student to connect & learn with the lesson content, to the individual rapport she has built with each scholar and family, to her positive outlook on everything (she's got that "I can do it always" mindset).  Thank you, Ms. M, for being a great team player, mentor, and go-to person!  I know we ALL appreciate you!

2nd shout out goes to ..... Ms. A!🎉

• Ms. A is a true example of a team player.  Daily she can be found asking if people need help with anything, assisting where needed, always with a smile on her face.  She's always willing to give and contributes to each classroom in a positive manner on our campus.  Ms. A, your willingness to serve others each and every day is greatly appreciated!  I most definitely appreciate your considerate heart & smile each day! 

Thank you, Ms. M & Ms. A for embodying the true meaning of the Manara STEM spirit!

Great job, ladies!  Come see me for a special treat!😁

Content Based Language Resouces

Please see the link regarding content based language resources from TEA.  See Ms. Chamri if you have any questions!

Content-Based Language Instruction 

Classroom Phones Working?

Can you hear morning announcements?  Are you able to call out on your classroom phone to the front office?  Do you receive calls from the front office?

If your answer is NO to any of the questions above, please email Mrs. Vinten, as we need to get it fixed ASAP!  Thank you!!

PowerSchool Access for Parents!!!!

In the next few weeks, parents will have access to view their child's grades in PowerSchool.  This is GREAT news, as we can also teach our students to take ownership of their progress by getting them into the habit of checking their own grades weekly.  A grade in the gradebook should never be a surprise to the student, and with the students having knowledge of how to view their grades online, they can have more meaningful conversations with their parent about their progress!

What does that mean for you?  Make sure you have your grades updated WEEKLY in PowerSchool.  No more adding the grades the last week in a 6 week period. The expectation is that starting this week, you begin the habit of adding grades weekly.  Remember, you should have at least 2 grades per content area weekly so that there are enough grades to give a comprehensive picture of where the student is at academically in your class.   If you have any questions, please ask!  

Bad Weather Make-Up Day

March 25, the Monday after Spring Break, will be our bad weather make-up day.  School WILL be in session that day!  We are looking forward to seeing all staff & scholars on Monday, March 25!!

STAAR Interim - Week of February 12 - grades 3 - 8

Another round of STAAR Interim testing will take place the weeks of February 12 & February 19.  We will be treating the testing days like a STAAR days, with closing the campus to visitors on testing days (no lunch visitors) during the testing window, keeping the hallways silent, and practicing bathroom monitoring.  Specific dates of content testing times will be sent out next week.  

TFAR Naming Conventions & SLO Student Growth Tracker Information

For teachers in grades 3-8, please make sure to update your TFAR naming conventions with the following:

 Teacher last name.grade.subject.TEK focus.date

For all teachers with an SLO focus:

Our next SLO Student Growth Tracker Input #3 is due the week of February 12.  The 4th 6 weeks ends on Friday, February 16, so please have your SLO Growth Tracker updated and your folder with evidence updated no later than February 23.  Reach out if you have any questions.

Autism Awareness Month in April - t-shirt link order form

We are in the midst of planning a fun event in April for Autism Awareness Month.  The link below will take you to the custom ink website to order Autism Awareness t-shirts.  We would love as many people as possible (adults and students) to participate in purchasing a t-shirt to be able to wear at the event in April (more information to come).   Thank you for your support!

Autism Awareness T-Shirt Order Form 

Information for 8th grade families--FYI!

FYI--this information went out to 8th grade families this week.  Let me know if you have any questions!

Dr. Wilshire, the principal of the Manara Leadership Campus, and Ms. Floyd, the District counselor, will be coming to our campus on Friday, February 9th at 2:30pm to talk with parents and their rising 9th grade student about activities and classes their scholar will be able to take part in next year at the Leadership Campus. We're gauging interest from our families for a bus for our 9th through 12th grade students that would be able to take your child daily to the Irving location from our STEM campus and back to our STEM campus. This will be a great time to ask questions and get information of interested families regarding attending high school at Manara.  Please let Mrs. Vinten know if you are planning to attend this event or not planning to attend this event by sending her an email at avinten@manaraacademy.org prior to February 8th so we know how to plan for the event. Thank you! 

Lesson Plans and Weekly Newsletters

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 by Sunday evening.  If you need help, please let me or Ms. Wilson know!  They are being checked, so thank you for having them uploaded on time!

*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!

SLO data collection

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 Done!

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

To-Do Items

Things to do this week:

• Place your lesson plans & newsletters in the correct google drive folder 

• SLO data collection - Evidence #3

• Grades -- end of 4th 6 week period ofs February 16

• Continue with weekly digital citizenship lessons - IMPORTANT!! 😀

Feb 5 Vinten off campus

Feb 12-16 SLO Student Growth Tracker Input Due - Evidence #3

Feb 12-23 STAAR Interim Testing Window

Feb 14 Friendship Day (if classes are doing something special for Friendship Day, please reach out via Dojo to families)

Feb 15 School Resource Officer Day!

Feb 16 End of the 4th Six Week Period

Feb 16 Wellness Friday!

Feb 19 Gradebooks will be locked by 4:00pm 

Feb 19 No School - President's Day

Feb 19-23 SLO Student Growth Tracker Input Due - Evidence #4

Feb 20 PD Day - No school for scholars (staff blackout day)

Feb 20 Start of the 5th Six Week Period 

Mar 15 Wellness Friday!

Mar 18-22 Spring Break - No School! (March 4-8, 15 & 25 are staff blackout days)

Mar 25 - School will be IN SESSION!  Bad weather make-up day from the Jan cancellation day

Apr 4 UTA Planetarium Field Trip for grades 3rd - 5th

Apr 9-10 No School - Eid holiday (April 5 & 11 are staff blackout days)

May 10 Six Flags Over Texas Field Trip for grades 4th - 8th