Parsons Weekly Update

January 15, 2024

"Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve." Dr King

What a great week back! I appreciate all of your flexibility in our weird schedules this week. Overall, I would say this was a success. Keep reteaching those expectations!

Dearborn’s Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation is hosting several events to celebrate the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., including free admission. There will be featured programs, performances, living history demonstrations and film screenings. In honor of the federal holiday, admission and parking to the museum, 20900 Oakwood Blvd., are free on Monday, Jan. 15.

I have taken my own children many times on Dr. King day. Henry Ford can be so expensive for families and this is an awesome opportunity to attend the museum. They also have the original Rosa Parks bus where students can sit in the same seat that Rosa Parks sat on!

I hope whether you participate in a service activity on Monday or you relax and enjoy family time that you have a great week!

Wednesday PD Resources

Here is the link for the powerpoint from our PD on Wednesday about ASD Strategies, Inclusion, and Presuming Competence. Thank you for your attention and engagement!

I do own Shelley Moore's book One without the Other: Teaching with Diversity and Inclusion if anyone wants to borrow it.

Mid Year Evaluations and Unannounced Observations

I will be reaching out to those of you with an IDP to set up our Mid Year Evaluations. Unannounced observations will start this month. My intent when observing is never as an "gotcha." It is always through a lens of support. I always found it helpful to understand what my principal was looking for. While I am always looking to see how you communicate expectations, demonstrate respect and rapport, engage students, manage behavior, and assess students, I am really focused on how the students take responsibility for their learning.

Do students understand the task?

Do students demonstrate genuine caring for one another?

Do students take pride in their work and initiate improvements in it by revising?

Do students contribute to explaining concepts to their peers and ensure everyone's voice is heard?

Do students assess and monitor their own work?

iReady Diagnostic 2: Planning for Winter iReady Diagnostic

Questions we asked our i-Ready presenter:

If a child has already met their typical and stretch growth goal at Diagnostic 2, does the spring goal change or how do teachers ensure or know what to tell students their next goal is?

The spring goal does not change, so the teachers want to encourage students who have already met these goals to see how much more they can grow by the end of the year - maybe call it a Super Growth Goal.

Is there a strategy or a way for teachers to know what the winter goal should be?

By the midyear (winter) diagnostic, we like to see students having made at least 50% (and possibly more) progress toward their Typical Growth goal. Students who have not made at least 50% progress toward their Typical Growth may benefit from additional supports or interventions.

Here's the i-Ready Central page on Growth: https://i-readycentral.com/articles/setting-growth-goals/. Check out the pdf below about mid year growth.

The iReady window will be open from Monday, January 8th - Friday, January 19th. I would encourage you all to plan to test the week of January 8th, so you can use the following week for makeups.

It is important we ensure we "get good data" on the winter iReady diagnostic. Below are documents that can help you plan to administer the second diagnostic.

iReady Central: Get Good Data

Remember you can use the padlet, the iReady presenter gave us. If you scroll you will see the different powerpoint presentations you can use with your students to prepare them before the test. Remember that our language matters when presenting this to students. We want to focus on the importance of the test to see their growth and if they have met their goals. I will be putting some goal sheets you may use in your mailbox.

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iready-responding-to-midyear-diagnostic-growth-worksheet-1.pdf

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Tech Reminder

For any/all tech needs, please create a ticket. It is the most efficient way to ensure the department responds to needs effectively. You can use the RESA Service Desk site (https://servicedesk.resa.net) or email the support email (gb.support@resa.net).

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PBIS

I have seen so much goal setting going on! Great job!

PBIS Pillar of the Month for January: Goal Setting

Here are some resources for goal setting (pdfs are below).

Create Vision Boards

Goal Setting Banner

New Year Resolution Activity

Slides:

Setting Goals K-3

Setting Goals 4-5

PBIS Meeting Dates: 1/18, 2/15, 3/14, 4/11, 5/23

We meet at 8:05 in the Staff Lounge.

PBIS Weekly Focus:

I have been reviewing these daily in the lunchroom as well.

1/15 Classroom

1/22 Hallway

1/29 Cafeteria

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StudentVisionBoardActivityGoalSetting-1 (1).pdf

MyGoalsPennantGoalSettingBanner-1.pdf

2024NewYearResolutionsActivityGoalSettingReflection-1.pdf

PBIS Matrix (Repaired).docx.pdf

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Emergency Behavior and Intervention Team

Please see Parsons EBIT TEAM Protocol: Emergency Behavior and Intervention Team

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Shout Outs

Thank you to Ed for hanging our Marauders Include poster.

Thank you to Kendra for helping out at Drama Club.

Thank you to Danielle for helping our student in Mrs. Bannon's class. He is doing great with you!

Thank you to our lunch staff and lunch moms for being flexible this week with low staff.

Thank you to Cara for giving up her space on Thursday for the space dome.

Parent Shout Outs:

Staff Shout Outs:

To Ms. Scheetz, Ms. Cook, and Ms. Gurney...Thanks for being flexible when I needed to teach in your classrooms this week. I am blessed to get to work with you all and your students this year!!

Who would you like to Shout Out? Fill out the form here.

https://forms.gle/GQ4FtXAbx55YZUdN6

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Orange Frog

Spark Staff Member of the Week: Danni

Kristyl nominated Danni for the following reasons.

Danni is always positive! She never complains and she always reminds us of what is important!

What brings you joy? My family and friends
How do you bring joy to others? I try to be a giving person.
Who is someone that brings joy to you? My coworkers

Spark Student of the Week: Blake

Blake is Mr. Positive. He always is excited to come into school in the morning. He gives hugs and compliments. Blake is always willing to help out in his classroom or school community.

Blake
- What brings you joy? To see everyone be happy
- How do you bring joy to others? By playing with them at recess, being a friend, or helping someone who needs help
- Who is someone that brings joy to you? Everyone in Ms. Fairris's class!

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Bite Sized PD

This year we have strived to be intentional with technology use in the classroom. We have to intentionally teach our students (and often ourselves and our own children) to be thoughtful about the way they engage with technology.

Here is an engagement strategy from CBD Consulting.

20-20-20

WHAT IT IS:

20-20-20 is a self-management strategy to encourage good focus and attention habits especially related to technology use.

HOW IT WORKS:

Simply put, for every 20 minutes of technology use for students, pause in looking at a screen and look at an object or location at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. The goal of the strategy is deliberate self-management to help reduce eye fatigue and attention difficulties. To increase the value of the strategy, consider having students get up and move, as well.

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Website News Article

Please talk with your colleagues and chose a month! Team work makes the dream work! News articles should be short articles with one picture. Please sign up for one month as a grade, special, or committee. Even better, have a student group write an article! Here is the sign up.

Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment Calendar

Here is the link for the Fountas and PInnell Benchmark Assessment Calendar and guidelines.

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Main Parsons Special Schedule 2023-2024 - Special Schedule 23-24 (3).pdf

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Check out the GSD Handbook!

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GSD Elementary Student Handbook 2023-2024.pdf

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Trusting Readers Book Study

The next book study is January 23rd at 8:00 am in the lounge.

What to expect:

We will meet twice per month for 30 minutes each time
Everyone reads at their own pace, please attempt to keep up
Safe zone: this is where we can ask questions and discuss to deepen our understanding
Practice respect
Be willing to participate