Weekly Newsletter

- Professional Development

• Professional Staff - Please be sure you have registered for the appropriate sessions or confirmed your duties with your department (see registration section below)
• Paraprofessional Staff - Please send communication to Murdoch, Hicks, and Dunaway if you plan to use comp time for this day, otherwise please plan to be on campus for the day.

- All teachers must make themselves available for conferences between 4:00-7:00 pm, unless all parents have completed conferences

- MATH Mock STAAR 2025 - Info & Schedules
(3-5 testing, WHOLE campus is a testing environment)

- TOY and POY Announced

- GPYP after school

- Robotics Practice

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The links and details for the day will be posted on the PD Website:

https://sites.google.com/garlandisd.net/gisdpd-2019/home?authuser=0

- Any staff member may nominate a teacher

- Nominees must be a certified campus teacher (ALL certified teachers are eligible), librarian, or counselor, that is employed on a full-time basis who are not retiring, and plan to return to your campus full-time for the next school year.

- GISD Criteria for Nominees:

• Candidates should be skillful and dedicated.
• They should take an active role in the school, and demonstrate professional poise and demeanor.
• The most important criterion in evaluating nominees is their ability to inspire a love of learning in students of all backgrounds and abilities.

- KAE Process:

1. We will collect nominations Feb 11-Feb 17
2. All nominated individuals, fitting the given criteria, will be added to a form for staff voting.
3. Voting will take place anonymously through an online form on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18th.
4. Staff members may anonymously select their top three choices from the list of nominees.
5. Leadership Team will review final votes and announce winner on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20th.

- Nomination and selection of POY follow the same guidelines as TOY (above)

- ALL full-time paraprofessional are eligible for nomination

The transfer request process is for campus lateral moves only: teacher to teacher, grade level

counselor to grade level counselor, grade level librarian to grade level librarian, (elementary, middle,

or high school). It is NOT for staff seeking a promotion (e.g. Teacher to counselor/librarian/assistant

principal; elementary counselor to middle school counselor).

Transfer Eligibility Requirements:

• Employees must complete the online transfer request during the application submission window.
• Employee must have appropriate certification (or certification plan) for the position.
• Transfers will not be approved without correct certification appearing on TEA Virtual Certificate or plan confirmed by the HR Certification team.
• Employees on an intervention (growth) plan are ineligible.

✏️ Test Administrators: Please stop by on Tuesday, February 18th, during your conference period or after school to verify your test buckets.

🔢 Accommodations and Materials: Be sure to check student accommodation plans and gather any math materials (e.g., supplemental aids, manipulatives). Organize each student’s supplies and label them with their names. If you need any support or tools, please reach out to Mrs. Hale or Mrs. Valdora. Don’t forget to bring the math materials with you when you verify your math buckets on Tuesday.

📅 Testing Dates:

• Feb 11 – Mock STAAR Reading (Grades 3-5, Campus-wide Shutdown)
• Feb 19 – Mock STAAR Math (Grades 3-5, Campus-wide Shutdown)

• Feb 25 – Mock STAAR Science (5th Grade, Grade-level Shutdown)

Additional Notes:

⏰ Testing will begin promptly at 8:30 AM. Please ensure that students are settled and ready to start on time.

📋 Administration Directions: Please read the administration directions carefully to ensure all instructions are followed appropriately.

💻 Technology: Due to current issues with the lockdown browser, please have all students access Eduphoria through Ready Hub or Clever for the Math Mock Assessment.

📐 Test Environment: Set up the testing room with proper seating arrangements and remove any materials that could be considered testing aids.

💻 Chromebook Preparation: To ensure smooth technology performance, please have students clear their Chromebook browser on Tuesday using the attached click sheet.

📚 Student Communication: Remind students about the importance of following test directions, managing their time, and remaining calm and focused throughout the assessment.

🔍 Monitoring Locations: Instructional Support Team, Paras, and Specials Teachers—please review the document for monitoring locations during testing.

🤫 Quiet Environment: To minimize distractions, please maintain a quiet atmosphere in the hallways during testing.

• ALL parents must be provided with the opportunity to meet either in person or by phone/video.
• Parent meetings should be led by the teacher. Be prepared with data and information to share about the student. Do not rely on parents to ask all the questions or guide the conference.
• Use an Agenda to keep you on track
• Each student should have a completed conference form and accompanying data (copies of reports should be made available if they were not previously sent home)
• Editable Conference Form
• Be sure to have parents sign-in or note dates/times of phone meetings as documentation

SEL Lessons for Kindness Week

Our SEL lessons this week will focus on encouraging our students to use KINDNESS each day, in everything that they do.

• If you have completed your 6 hours, please use this link to submit. (Always found on the bottom of our smores!)
• If you have NOT completed your 6 hours, remember that it is due by APRIL 16

Kara Coker is our campus liaison and can help you find trainings and locate certificates!

Attached is the letter and form from PTA in order to claim your $75 classroom enrichment grant.

HAVE A SHOUT OUT YOU WANT ME TO INCLUDE IN NEXT WEEK'S NEWSLETTER?

Hicks from Sarah Gibson: You brought the CALM ON TUESDAY! Thank you for your quick guidance, support and LEGIT SNACKS during testing. KAE is so blessed to have you on our team!

Jodi & Valdora from Sarah Gibson: I love being an on an ARD team with y'all! I learn so much from the both of you and always appreciate your feedback. You both rock this job!

Singleton and Valdora from Reeves: Thank you both for so willingly supporting my grad school assignment! As soon as you heard how it would benefit your students, you were all in. I’m grateful for this opportunity to witness your hearts for kids and your dedication to their growth.

Kara Coker from Sarah Gibson: Kara, I was SO cranky. You listened and talked me through it. And we laughed. I love being on your squad!

Valdora & Hale from Sarah Gibson: I love our SPED & Support Team.

Rachel and Adriana Garza Thank you for your love & support on Valentine’s Day!! I really needed it. You ladies take care of your teachers and it shows. 💕

Amy from Garza: Thank you for planning a time to “meet” and discuss ways we can support each other through this journey called life. Love ya! We are all in this together. 💕

Renning from Garza: Thank you for supporting me this school year. I love our conversations about school & life. Thanks for being a friend. 💕

SHOUT OUT YOUR COLLEAGUES! Enter it HERE!

FEBRUARY

10-28 Conference Window

11 College Day (jeans & college shirt)

11 Amplify Visit

14 Valentine Parties

17 District PD Day

18 Evening Parent Conferences

19 Mock STAAR Math (3rd-5th)

21 Spirit Stick Sales @ Lunches

22 District UIL Competition

25 Mock STAAR Science (5th only)

27 Student-Led Showcase

MARCH

4 PLCs

10 Goldie Locke Excel Awards (5th Grade Nominees)

11 PLCs

12 Joe Garcia Awards (5th Grade Nominees)

17-21 Spring Break