Weekly Newsletter
KIMBERLIN ACADEMY FOR EXCELLENCE
September 3, 2024
Strategy Spotlight
Featuring: Sarah Ebner's Classroom Procedures Checklist
Take the time to explicitly teach your routines and procedures.
- Dr. Fred Jones.
“Rules, Routines, and Standards in Elementary and Secondary Grades.” Education World.
Keyboarding in Elementary
FROM GISD:
In accordance with Practical Technology Concepts of Technology Applications standards, elementary and middle school students should build their knowledge of software applications and hardware focusing on keyboarding and use of applications and tools. Therefore, all elementary and middle school students should receive instruction in keyboarding during the 2024/2025 school year.
Once again, the District has decided to use Typing.com, a web-based self-paced program that allows teachers to monitor student’s progress at school and at home. In addition, this program is available to all students, regardless of age. All teachers and students have access to this program through ReadyHub. Teachers can find step-by step instructions HERE.
Recommendations for the program use are:
Elementary Students
● Start at the Beginner level
● Complete all 15 lessons at the Beginner level
● Practice twice a week for 10 minutes if possible
● Goal: WPM (words per minute) with minimum percentage of accuracy
- ○ 1st grade: WPM & Accuracy not measured
- ○ 2nd Grade: 5 WPM with minimum of 95% accuracy
- ○ 3rd Grade: 10 WPM with minimum of 95% accuracy
- ○ 4th Grade: 15 WPM with minimum of 95% accuracy
- ○ 5th Grade: 20 WPM with minimum of 95% accuracy
Grading Guidelines
One grade, per subject, entered weekly
- Cycle 1 Progress Notice grades locked on Sept 1.
- At this point, you should have at least 3 grades in for every subject.
- Stay on top of entering grades weekly so that students and families have time to review grades prior to final cycle ending.
- It is your responsibility to be familiar with GISD local and legal grading policies
SEL Class Slides
Click below for access to this week's SEL Meeting slides.
Sign-Up for Classroom Guidance Lessons
Click image for sign-up link
MAP Testing Dates and Reminders
Testing Window:
Dates: August 19 - September 13 📅
Student Progress Reports: September 16 📈
Administration Details:
Grade Levels: K-5 📚
Schedule: K-1 teachers, review the schedule. 2nd-5th teachers, follow grade level plans. 🕒
Preparation: Ensure students are familiar with the platform and have needed materials 🎧
Accommodations: Review and support necessary accommodations 📝
Make-up Testing: Student who are absent will complete MAP assessments during designated make-up days 🕰️
Action Items:
Grade Level Plans: 2nd-5th grade teams, please share your MAP schedule plans with Hicks, Valdora, and Hale before the start of testing. 🗂️
Review Schedule: Confirm testing times, sessions, and locations ✅
MAP BOY Letters: Letters for the BOY assessment have been placed in your boxes. Please send home by Friday and share a copy on Class Dojo 📬
Kimberlin MAP Training: Read the campus MAP guide and review campus-specific info 📚
mCLASS Information
mCLASS window: August 19 - September 20
Who receives testing:
K-2: all students
3-5: students at or below the 5th percentile on MAP reading and/or students who were placed in Tier 3 through MTSS committees (these students will be tested by the interventionist or dyslexia therapist)
Here are the training materials for administering mCLASS:
Slide deck to be used when doing initial training
MCLASS landing pages:
i-Ready Information
Who will take the i-Ready diagnostic during the window of 8/19-9/6?
Math: K-5th all students
Reading: 3rd-5th all students (we do not have i-Ready for K-2; mCLASS is the replacement)
The slide decks below are to be used as a mini-lesson by teachers prior to students taking the diagnostic. Many of the slides have a teacher script in the speaker notes.
ACTION! Click the graphic below to complete your FAVORITE THINGS form for PTA!!
Curriculum Communication
ACTION ITEM: GISD COMPLIANCE TRAININGS
Check out the position-based training ‘checklists’ (including recommended pacing and timelines) to support your completion by the assigned deadline!
All Employees - all campus and district personnel will complete these trainings as required by TEA & GISD Board Policy will complete a total of 6 courses (5 hours)
Employees Interacting with Students - employees with daily student interaction will complete a total of 9 courses (6.5 hours)
Employees with Instructional Responsibilities - employees charged with instructional responsibilities will complete a total of 12 courses (8.25 hours)
GEF Grant Opportunities
SHOUT OUTS!!!
SHOUT OUT TO...
Charlotte Ballard from Jenny Knudsen: Thank you for being an amazing counselor and being encouraging to me and so many staff members! I appreciate your kindness and wisdom when I'm having a hard day. :)
Amy Whittington from Karen Clark: love how you can always see the humor through the seriousness at just the right time. Thank you for making light of my boo boo, when I accidentally closed out the students MAP test by mistake, you knew I was tense trying to make it right. I loved how you modeled to your students how everyone can make a mistake and it’s okay.
Jordan Davis from Karen Clark: Thank you so much for helping out the subs down on your end of the building, when needed. I do appreciate you!
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IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
SEPTEMBER
2 Labor Day (NO SCOOL)
20 STEM Night (PTA Math/Science Night)
OCTOBER
3 5th Grade Camp Mtg - 5:30pm
11 Donuts with Dudes
14-18 Fall Break
25 Picture Day