TISD Teachers Excited to Use New Digital Textbooks

We had lots of learning going on today as teachers were able to explore their new math and science textbooks.  As we begin to use the new resources, we are asking that everyone share the things they are learning and the questions that you have on this Google Doc (CLICK HERE)..  By allowing everyone to learn on their own time and share what they discover, we all will ensure that we get a head-start on integrating these resources successfully.

TES & TPS Teachers learning about the new math and science textbooks from HMH.

July CIA Update and Twitter Chat Invitation

Good morning,

I hope this post finds you all enjoying your summer.  It has been a very busy and productive summer as we prepare for an excellent start to the 2014-2015 school year.  Here are some things that I want to make you aware of.

July 23 - HMH Textbook Training

HMH will be coming to the district on Wednesday, July 23 to train K-8 teachers on the new textbooks.  If you have not signed up for the optional training, please CLICK HERE.  We haven't got the math textbooks loaded from HMH yet on the digital side, but it is coming.  Science is loaded for everyone.  If you have not received an email from me with you teacher account information, please shoot me an email and I'll get you set up.

August 5 - Lead4ward Training

All core teachers (K-12) will be participating in Depth of Knowledge training on Tuesday, August 5 from 8:00 - 3:30 in the TISD Community Room.  Prior to the training, you will need to have submitted the following to your principal:

• SE Analysis 
• Readiness Standard Analysis (K-8 Math only)
• Scope and Sequence
• Focus 3 + 1 (3 Focus Readiness Standards for 1415 and 1 Focus Processing Standard for 1415)

August 11 - New Employee Orientation

New employees to the district will receive more information on this day.

August 18 - 22 - All Staff Return

We will all return on Monday, August 18 where we will all come together as a district and begin making our plans to guarantee excellence for all.  More information about these days will be coming later this month.

Twitter Chat Tonight, July 10 at 8 p.m. (#atplc Chat)

I would like to invite you to participate in a Twitter chat that I will be moderating tonight at 8 p.m.  The topic will be Eliciting Excellence in Every Child.  Because of you and Tatum ISD, I am extremely motivated by our district's commitment to Excellence for All, and I will guide the discussion on what excellence is and how must educators work together to tap into the excellence potential within every child.  The chat will be on the #atplc stream, and the benefit of participating in a chat is that you will get different perspectives from educators throughout North America.  It is quite interesting to see how different people approach the same topic, and participating in a chat helps solidify your own perspective.

Here are the basics to participating in a Twitter chat.

1. You will need to create a Twitter account.  Click for a Quick Video to Get Started.
2. To View the Chat - Click the Search Bar & enter #atplc.  This will take you to the #atplc stream which is basically every Tweet that includes the hashtag, #atplc.  It is how everyone stays connected to the conversation in the chat.  This is how you watch the chat.
3. To Participate in the Chat - There are 4 Ways to Participate in the Chat.  See the picture to the right for clarification.
1. Favorite (The Star) - This is the easiest way to participate without saying a word. If you like a tweet that someone says, click the Favorite star beneath the tweet.  
2. Retweet (The 2 Arrows in a Box) - If you like a tweet that you think more people need to see it, click the Retweet button.  This also doesn't require a word from you.
3. Reply (The Arrow Pointing to the Left) - If you want to reply to a person's tweet, click the reply, make a comment and BE SURE TO INCLUDE #atplc so your tweet will be seen as a part of the chat.
4. Message (Box in Top Right of Picture) - If you want to make a comment to add to the chat, type your message and BE SURE TO INCLUDE #atplc so your tweet will be seen as a part of the chat. 

FYI, the @ symbol indicates a person and the # symbol indicates a subject.  Links will have random letters with characters like . and  /.

Math Readiness Standard Analysis

I had some great questions from Melanie Fields about the new math supporting standards that don't naturally fit with a math readiness standard.  How do we address those TEKS, and how do we document all of the TEKS in the CIA process.  These are all great questions.

#ThanksMelanie

The purpose of the Readiness Standard Analysis is to ensure that we plan for every Readiness Standard in our math curriculum because they are huge skills that every kid must master this year.  Supporting Standards are TEKS that are introduced in your grade level and will become Readiness Standards in future grade levels.  This means that we want to dedicate time to expose kids to all Supporting Standards.  Readiness Standards need more instructional time to get to greater depth and complexity because they will not be taught at this level of depth in future years.  

For our CIA process, we must make sure that:

• All Readiness Standard are covered through the Readiness Standard Analysis.
• All Supporting Standards are listed in the Scope and Sequence calendar so you will know when they will be taught.

How do we make sure we teach all of the supporting standards?  

You can bundle supporting standards together and make a unit or you can bundle math supporting standards with a readiness standard from another content area.  Below is an example of bundling math Supporting Standards with a social studies Readiness Standard.   To document this, make sure it is in your Scope and Sequence Calendar.

Let me know if you have question.  John

Cross-Curricular Ways to Address the Math Supporting Standards
Social Studies TEKS RS K.7.A  identify jobs in the home, school, and  community SS K.7.B  explain why people have jobs SS K.6.B explain the difference between needs  and wants	Math TEKS  Supporting Standards K.9(A)  identify ways to earn income  K.9(B)  differentiate between money received as income and money  received as gifts  K.9(C)  list simple skills required for jobs  K.9(D)  distinguish between wants and needs and identify income  as a source to meet one’s wants and needs

Intervention Collection

Good afternoon,

I hope you are finding the summer going extremely well.  We are fast and furious in preparation for the new school year.  Textbooks have been ordered for math and science, and I think you will like the web resources that will come with the new adoption.

If you would like to help out, I would definitely appreciate your input.  I am in the process of auditing what we are currently doing with respect to interventions.

Here is a Google Form (Click Here).  Let us know what interventions you used to offer students additional time and support to learn the material that you taught this year.  This can include small group, intervention software or any other action you took to help kids learn.  If you have any questions, feel free to winkj@tatumisd.org

Meet our Newest Adobe Certified Associates

We are excited to report that Adobe recently certified 5 THS students.  This is a major accomplishment for our students who will graduate with their feet planted firmly in the graphic design field.

Adobe Certified Associates

From the left, they are Tanner Nesbitt, Victoria Carreon, and Douglas Smith.  Not pictured, we certified Trevor Smith and Dalton Kindred.  Their teacher is Melody Ojeda.

The Adobe Certified Associate certification is a very sought-after certification in any design career, especially anything dealing with graphic design (magazines, ad agencies, websites, etc.).  The agency we use to certify is the industry standard.  

Colleges and prospective employers use their certification databases to recruit potential students, scholarship recipients and employees.  Graduates with degrees in graphic design who go on to be actual graphic designers can make anywhere from $40,000 and up.  If you are in a more metropolitan area, it's likely that they can make $60,000 - $80,000 and up.  Those are jobs that also have a lot of potential for growth and promotion.  With a more and more technologically savvy culture, everything is online, therefore everyone needs an awesome graphic designer.  Adobe is the industry standard for graphic design, therefore, employers want to see someone who is proficient in this software, and seeing that someone has put forth the effort to get certified shows employers that they are looking at someone who is serious about their skills.

Here is a link to the Certiport website, which is the agency we use to certify.  They have testimonials and all kinds of other information you can see. 

This is the link to the AI section.
http://www.certiport.com/Portal/desktopdefault.aspx?page=common/pagelibrary/adobe_AI.html

This is the link to "success stories."
http://www.certiport.com/portal/DesktopDefault.aspx?page=common/pagelibrary/adobe_success-stories.html

CIA Curriculum Development Process for the Summer

Below is the curriculum development process that all instructional staff must do this summer.  If you have questions about whether this applies to you, please see your principal.  The process is written in order of the steps that you will need to go through to complete the process and be prepared for our training with Lead4Ward on August 5.  Also, I have embedded hyperlinks for you to find most of the resources you will need.

If you have any questions or need any help, please let me know.  I want this to be a meaningful process for you.

John

Step 1 - Student Expectation Analysis

SE Analysis Instructions (CLICK HERE)  

• Reading, Writing, Science and Social Studies teachers will complete all steps of the document.
• HS teachers will complete all steps.
• Math teachers in grades K-8 will complete all steps EXCEPT steps 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12.  

Note - See your principal if you cannot find last year's SE Analysis for your content area.

Links to assist with Step 1

• Sample SE Analysis Spreadsheet (CLICK HERE) Contact your principal if you cannot access the one you did last year.  
• UPDATE JULY 19, 2014 - Once you locate your SE analysis from last year, you will need to add additional columns to enter your 2013-2014 data
• Lead4Ward Resources Page (CLICK HERE)
• Analyzing Learning Standards (Writing, Science)
• Analyzing Learning Standards (Reading)
• Analyzing Learning Standards (Social Studies)
• UPDATE JULY 19, 2014 
• Enter the data into the top parts of the table,
• At the bottom, select your 3 focus readiness standards and your 1 focus processing standard.
• Video on how to pull your Heat Maps from Eduphoria (click here) (UPDATED JULY 19, 2014)
• Special Note - Eduphoria has had some trouble with reading heat maps.  If you see a lot of NT's in your heat map, send me an email.

Final Task - Select your 3 + 1

• UPDATE JULY 19, 2014 - you will select your 3+1 from your Analyzing Learning Standards Document from above.
• 3 Readiness Standards to Focus on (these should be RS that were lowest performing).
• 1 Processing Standard or Figure 19 Skill to Focus on (lowest processing standard)
• Highly Tested Process Standards - Use this link to see which processing standards were tested the most on STAAR.
• How to read each cell
• New Process Standard  -                             Ex. 4.1(A)
• Number of ?'s on STAAR last 3 years -     (10 / 6 / 7)
• Old Process Standard                                  Ex. 4.14A
• 
  

Step 2 - Readiness Standard Analysis for Grade K-8 Math Only (Links are in bullets below)

• Readiness Standard Instructions
• Readiness Standard Worksheet
• Readiness Standard Worksheet Open Office
• Readiness Standard Worksheet Example
• Highly Tested Process Standards - Use this to select your most tested processing standards.
• How to read each cell
• New Process Standard  -                             Ex. 4.1(A)
• Number of ?'s on STAAR last 3 years -     (10 / 6 / 7)
• Old Process Standard                                  Ex. 4.14A

Step 3 - Evaluate Scope and Sequence (K-8 math will skip this step)

• Scope and Sequence Guidelines (CLICK HERE)

3 + 1 To Do's

• Highlight in last year's Scope & Sequence where the 3 + 1 is located
• Discuss & Decide
• Does the TEKS need to be moved to a different place?
• Does the TEKS need more time to teach more deeply?
• Does  the TEKS need to be spiraled or combined with other TEKS?

Step 4 - Make changes for next year.  (Links in bullets below)

• Write the Scope & sequence for 2014-2015 (Scope & Sequence Folder)
• Scope & Sequence Guidelines 
• TPS Calendar
• TES Calendar
• TMS Calendar
• THS Calendar 
• K-8 Math - Please attach all Readiness Standard Analysis Sheets to your Scope & Sequence
• All standards must be taught prior to spring break to allow for 3-4 week review.
• Testing - Schedule 6 weeks assessments and  a “Mock” assessment according to campus administrative guidelines, once all the SE's have been taught and prior to the STAAR/EOC to inform them of skills that need to be re-taught. (SEE YOUR PRINCIPAL FOR EXPECTATIONS ON TESTING.)

Step 5 - Formative Assessment (FA) Evaluation (This task will be completed throughout the year, but you will want to know how effective your benchmarks were last year.)

(K-8 math will locate and/or write formative assessments questions for every math TEKS)

• Teachers will use Eduphoria to locate formative assessment data from 2013-2014.
• Teachers will use FA data to evaluate the rigor of last year's formative assessments.
• Which assessments tested the 3 + 1?
• How well did our FA's yield data that predicted our STAAR performance?
• Carry forward assessment items that adequately prepared students & remove or increase rigor of inadequate tests or test items.
• Short Answer Responses (Open Response) must be included on every FA.

Step 6 - Be prepared to discuss the Focus 3 + 1 on August 5

• 3 Readiness Standards (Except for Math K-8)
• 1 Processing / Fig 19

? - What are the critical components for each standard?
? - How are these skills being assessed on STAAR? 
? - How well is our instruction aligned to these standards?
? - How well did our assessments prepare kids for the rigor of STAAR on these standards?

Announcements May 30

More Great Results on STAAR

EOC results came back this week, and we are very excited to see the high school's results.  Every single tested area saw great improvements from 2013.  Congratulations to THS staff for their success on STAAR-EOC.  Check out Dr. Hartt's weekly memo to see the great results.  

Summer Comp Days for Core Teachers

Over the summer, core teachers in grades K-12, MITS, and any teachers, who are required by their principal to attend, will participate in the following summer comp days.

• Before August 5 - Curriculum Development Process: These directions will come out on the blog in the next post.  The process will have step by step directions for you to follow.
• August 5 - Lead4Ward training will be at the community center from 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Fine Arts Walk

Outstanding Art from our
Fine Arts Walk

The Fine Arts Walk was a huge success last night.  We had outstanding art from our digital media students, art students and our print shop students.  There were superb performances from our band students, choir students, drill team members and theatre students.  Thank you to following directors and teachers for your hard work:

• Band Directors:  David Applegate, Allyson Machado, Kirk Wells
• Choir and Theatre:  Claudia Sullivan, Pam Galloway and Rebecca Gillis
• Art, Digital Media and Print Shop:  Amanda Hancock, Tanya Moore and Melody Ojeda

The great thing about the Fine Arts Walk is all of the work that was displayed for our community.  Our parents were able to see not only the excellent work that their children were doing, but they witnessed the fantastic work that all children in Tatum ISD are able to do in many unique programs. 

College Career Readiness

Yesterday, Dr. Hartt and I attended a Business and Education Symposium hosted by Longview Economic Development Corporation at LeTourneau University.  The topic was House Bill 5 and how it is affecting public school, higher ed and business.  Here are some great take-aways that apply to everyone in our district.

"Mother Earth"

• Businesses are looking for qualified applicants that possess the 4 C's:  Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Creativity and Communication.
• Businesses want to partner more with schools to help us produce a labor workforce that matches the specific technical needs of our local business community.
• Currently, 50% of our area's graduates are enrolling in college, so it is critical to have viable career pathways available for the other 50% who currently are not going to college.
• Dual credit partnerships are becoming more prevalent and more creative to match the needs of today's student.

Our local business community is extremely interested in and supportive of the work that public school teachers are doing.  They are looking to support us in teaching kids about the new career opportunities that are coming available each day.  They are also looking to hire learners, not workers.  They want employees who possess strong interpersonal skills and solid personal values.  These "soft skills" are some of the most important factors that will make or break every student in the work place. 

Cristi Whiddon has some great exemplars of tech integration.  Check them out!

Art Gallery in the Cafeteria

8th grade Reading students used Animoto to create book trailers for novels read in class. Once their projects were complete, they submitted them via Dropbox.  Here is a link to an example of one created by Sha Matter.

http://animoto.com/play/tdgo2rg6Q0Qc8PrF0C5A0w

8th grade social studies students created Fakebook pages to introduce the important people involved in the American Revolution.  Once created they uploaded to Coach Burrow's online wiki which is located on our Middle School homepage, go to Weblinks and Blogs then Coach Burrow's Online Locker.  This particular example belongs to Kelli Sandidge and is what George Washington's "Fakebook" page might look like if he were alive today.  Students then shared with the class.
http://www.classtools.net/FB/1192-4FWEY5

7th grade ELA students created a video project titled "It's My Life" using photopeach.  They used the events from their video to create personal narratives.  Along with this project they used the website, readwritethink.org, to design a cd with songs that relate to each event on their timeline.  This particular project belongs to Madison Peerenboom.

http://photopeach.com/album/sfoooe?invitecode=c8943bc8df