March 26, 2021

Honey-Do List

March 16: Read the Hive. Remind your friends to read the Hive.

March 31: Asynchronous Wednesday

April 2: Report Cards and Progress Reports finished

April 2: Good Friday

April 6: Bulletin Board Pictures due to Jodi 

April 26: Return to in-person learning

Reopening V.5 

• Well, at least we finally have a date.
• The big day will be April 26. (My parents' 41st Anniversary!)
• Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to make this day a reality. 
• I am convinced that we could open our doors safely tomorrow to welcome our friends back because of all of your hard work.
• You may want to bookmark this page as there is a ton of info here!

Parent Response Rate

• We have had a 99.9% response rate thanks to your outreach. 
• Our response rate was faster and more complete than 97% of BPS Schools go team!

Learning Model

• Thank you all for your thoughtfulness in proposing learning models that make sense for our remote families and our in-person families.
• Thanks to the incredible amount of teamwork that this entire staff exhibits every day we do not have to do any concurrent teaching!
• We do have some teachers that will continue to provide a mix of in-person and online instruction
• Here is a link to the learning model that each team will be using
• Prior to 4/26, we will change homeroom assignments in SIS. 
• Next week, we will notify remote families that their child's teacher(s) will change 
• Kristen, Keri, Danielle, Brian, Sarah will be responsible for the final report cards and progress reports of students that are remaining remote

Schedules

• Keri has reworked our specialist schedule so that students that are in person will have the opportunity to have live-streamed or in-person specials based on the comfort level of the provider.
• The exception to the above is Art. 
• Remote students will continue to have asynchronous specials
• We do not have the 6th special to cover for grade-level CLTs.
• Paras who cover the CLT/Art time will be provided with a 1/2 day G.O.O.S.E card (Get OUT of School Early) for every 4 CLT/Art blocks they cover. 
• Here is the link to the PD schedule. 

Space Allocations

• Space will be at a premium when we return. 
• There have been some changes to space assignments to accommodate people who need to teach remotely during the day and take small groups
• Thank you everyone for your flexibility!
• Here is where we will be able to find our colleagues when we return to daily in-person learning

Furniture

• Many of you have asked if the furniture requests are real. Are they really going to be placed in classrooms?
• Given that this is not completely in my control my answer is a very strong maybe. 
• I put in the order for the plexiglass yesterday. 
• During the district calls that I have 2xs a week, the district seems to be backing away from plexiglass because the CDC guidance seems to have backed away from it. 
• I have asked for the additional desks that people have requested
• Bill has an inventory of what is in 207 and other storage nooks. If you need something immediately ask him!

Bulletin Board Pictures

• I started the welcome back bulletin Boards in September. 
• They were in a very undone state until this week. 
• I need your pictures for the second bulletin board by 4/6
• This bulletin board will get us through next year's opening too which means no nagging next year!
• Keri, Danielle, Ben, Kathryn, Taydavia you all look marvelous up there!

New Extended Day Partner

• Our families rely heavily on our before and after school programs to support their families. We ran our own before-school program and contracted with Imajine That for after-school programming. 
• Last year, before our school closure, Imajine That informed me that our K0/K1 students would no longer be able to attend their program. I had not made any moves on this because we have been unable to offer these services this year.
• In planning for next year it was time to determine how we would continue to support families with high-quality before and after school programming. 
• Given factors including the cost and the ability to serve our youngest learners, I have decided to partner with Boston's Bridge to Excellence (BBTE) to facilitate both our before-school and after school programs. 
• They are fully licensed by Massachusetts and will be able to accept vouchers for both the before school and after school program. 
• The before-school program will begin at 7:30 and the after school program will end at 6.  
• Before school will cost $70/week and the after-school program will cost $160. 
• BBTE leverages its own partnerships and resources to bring in enrichment programming and opportunities for children and families at no additional cost. I am looking forward to this partnership to help provide a truly extended day learning experience for our students. 
• Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this change. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences

• I have tried to lead by demonstrating my trust in your judgment, professionalism, and all-around awesomeness.
• Given my complete faith in you and the fact that you are amazing communicators with families, I have made the decision that we will not hold formal parent conference days this Spring. 
• I feel that in the best interest of students to not have any further disruptions or changes in their learning schedule. 
• I trust that if you have concerns or praise for students that you will reach out directly to parents and schedule a meeting time and we do not need to schedule formal days. 

March 19, 2021

Honey-Do List

March 19: Read the Hive. Remind your friends to read the Hive.

March 24: Meet with Jodi during regular CLT Time

March 24 and 31: Asynchronous Wednesdays

April 2: Report Cards and Progress Reports finished

April 2: Good Friday 

April 12?: Return to in-person learning

Report Cards and Progress Reports

• It is that time again. This one snuck up on me. The report card window is now open in Aspen. 
• The district report card window is from 3/15-3/28. 
• I will extend that for Lee Academy since we lost a week because of my inattention all grades must be entered by 4/2.
• All grades K0-3 will be using Aspen to enter grades. 
• Here are the directions to complete a variety of grading tasks in Aspen.
• How to Enter and Post Elementary Grades in Aspen
• Elementary Comment Codes Handout
• How to verify that your grades are posted
• As a reminder whenever we do report cards w are also legally required to do IEP Progress Reports. Therefore both report cards and progress reports must be completed by 4/2.  

Concurrent Teaching

Concurrent Teaching

Lee Academy Resident Expert:

• A shout out to Meghan for her technology set up in her classroom that allows her to do concurrent teaching and bring her friends together. 
• Meghan has offered to host an office hour on Wednesday to show you her setup and discuss ideas for tips and tricks!

Instructional Resources gathered from Jess Madden Fuoco:

• Concurrent Lesson Structures - created by Instructional Transformation Coaches - you can adapt any of these to work with the concurrent set up at your school, and we will be adding lesson templates to this document that include space for teachers to plan for their in-person and online students

• Concurrent Tech Norms and Setup - created by the Digital Learning Team and Instructional Transformation Coaches - for this one, you could start by thinking about which tech you have access to, and if you have access to multiple devices, you can think about what you hope to make possible for your students in-person and online.

Additional Resources:

• Concurrent Teaching Choice Board - created by Belzie Mont-Louis and Meghan Harrington

• Concurrent Teaching Wakelet - created by the Instructional Transformation Coach Cohort 2021, Karen White, Sharon Abraham, and Christine Cronin

More District Resources:

• The District heard our call for more resources and models of best practice to address the challenges of hybrid learning and simultaneous teaching. 
• OIIT, Academics, and Transformation have collaborated to create this one-stop splash page with links to resources, ideas, professional learning opportunities, and other supports.
• In addition, The Telescope Network invites all BPS educators to join us for three upcoming teacher-led professional learning sessions. Come learn from and with your BPS colleagues and leave with new ideas and resources to bring back to your own classroom.
• 03.25.21 Connect & Share Panel Discussions: Join us Thursday 3/25 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. for a panel discussion on the topic of “Meeting Diverse Needs & Hybrid Instruction.” Hear from your BPS colleagues about what’s working in their own classrooms and schools. Connect with peers from across BPS, get new ideas, and earn PD hours as well. (RSVP | More info | Flyer)
• 03.31.21 Simultaneous Teaching Virtual Edcamp: Bring your questions and your ideas about simultaneous teaching to this virtual “unconference” on Wednesday 3/31 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Register in advance to be entered in a prize raffle (must be present to win). (RSVP | More info | Flyer)
• 04.07.21 Connect & Share Math Spotlight: Join us Wednesday 4/7 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. for panel discussions on how to bring joy and deep understanding to hybrid math instruction in the hybrid learning classroom. Hear from your colleagues about what’s working in their own classrooms and schools. Connect with peers from across BPS, get new ideas, and earn PD hours as well. (RSVP | More info)
• AND BY THE WAY, they’re always on the lookout for “bright spot” teachers and educators who might be interested in presenting as part of these panels. If you have any teachers that you’d recommend as a “bright spot,” please let us know and we’re happy to reach out to them with details. There’s a small stipend for presenters. Upcoming sessions include  “Effective Hybrid Practices” (4/29). (Email us at  telescope@bostonpublicschools.org or use this form).

Reopening #5-April 

A colleague used this image in her newsletter and I found it very appropriate!

Waiver

• It is looking more and more like the district will apply for a waiver to delay the return of all students until April 12, 2021
• This will not result in additional days being added at the end of the year (at this time)

 

Parent Survey

• Thank you so much for making the outreach efforts that you have made because of you we know the preferences of 68% of Lee Academy Families
• Please continue to reach out to those families who have not yet responded. 
• We would like to be at a 100% response rate when we discuss teaching and learning models on Wednesday. 

In Class Sharing and Spacing

• You do not have to make 20 individual sets of materials.
• 2-3 students may share the same set of manipulatives etc.
• The new guidance from CDC is as follows:
•  Removes recommendations for plastic shields or other barriers between desks. “We don't have a lot of evidence of their effectiveness” in preventing transmission, Massetti said.
• Advises at least 3 feet of space between desks in elementary schools, even in towns and cities where community spread is high, so long as students and teachers wear masks and take other precautions.
• Says spacing can also be 3 feet in middle and high schools, so long as there's not a high level of spread in the community. If there is, spacing should be at least 6 feet.
• The CDC said 6 feet of distance should still be maintained in common areas, such as school lobbies, and when masks can't be worn, such as when eating.
• Also, students should continue to be spaced 6 feet apart in situations where there are a lot of people talking, cheering or singing, all of which can spread droplets containing the coronavirus. That includes chorus practice, assemblies and sports events.
• The CDC said teachers and other adults should stay 6 feet from one another and from students.
• The World Health Organization suggested 1 meter — a little over 3 feet — was sufficient in schools. 

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/03/19/metro/cdc-changes-school-guidance-allowing-desks-be-closer/

Devices

• You may ask students to transport their devices OR to bring them and leave them in the school once we have returned to 5-day in school learning
• I have asked the district for charging stations

Specials

• The amazing Ms. Purple is redoing our special schedule again
• Our goal is to increase "live" specials once students return. 
• We are balancing this goal with the desire to limit exposure for our specialists
• I will be working with our specialist team to determine their comfort levels
• Specials will either be live-streamed into your classroom or held in person

Eating

• We will be opening the second cafeteria once we find the furniture to do so
• Both tents should be erected over the weekend as well
• We are revamping the lunch schedule to accommodate for the number of students 
• Breakfast will be eaten outside under the tents starting April 5th

Family Literacy

• Lee Academy will be hosting another set of Family Literacy Nights focused on supporting students as a writer.  
• Families will be taking a look at grade-level writing standards, sharing tips with each other, and getting ideas for how to support writing at home.  T
• The sessions will be organized by grade level and facilitated by Sarah and Govi.
• Classroom teachers - if you could send a reminder the Monday or Tuesday of the week of your session, that would be super helpful! 
• Sarah will also post the link on Seesaw or Google classroom the morning of the session if she has access (or you can give me access and I'll post). She'll also send reminders out to you the week of.  Also - and totally optional - but please let me know if there's anything specific you'd like Sarah to cover.

The sessions are on the following dates:

- Grades K2/1st Grade: Thursday, March 11th, 5:30pm

- Grades 2 and 3: Thursday, March 18th, 5:30pm

- Grades K0/K1: Thursday, March 25th, 5:30pm

Zoom link for all sessions:

https://k12-bostonpublicschools.zoom.us/j/85810624230

March 12, 2021

Honey-Do List- March

March 8- Read the Hive. Remind your friends to read the Hive.

March 15: Post link and information about pooled testing consent on classroom pages

English Link

Spanish Link

March 17: 3:00-4:30 Staff Meeting (Including Paras) 

Buzzing in my Brain

Concurrent Teaching

• The early childhood department shared this resource on concurrent teaching. 
• Mary Driscoll shared this resource on concurrent teaching that Region 2 found helpful. 
• It is from the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching and is called: Concurrent Teaching Considerations: Supporting instruction in multiple modalities. 
• This tool is designed to help teachers plan for and then deliver concurrent lessons to ensure that learning is maximized regardless of student modality. Concurrent instruction can include:
• Teaching virtual and in-person learners simultaneously
• Teaching virtual and in-person learners in different class periods but within the same day

Preparing to Welcome Students Back

What We Know

Parent Survey

• Families will get their survey on Monday, they have until 3/22 to complete it
• Jodi with support from Sam will call families and walk them through the survey
• I actually started with room 101 today. :) 
• We may reach out to teachers for support with families that we are not able to reach
• A family can opt to switch to in-person learning at any time. This is in the new regulations. The District may ask for a reasonable amount of time to make it happen (i.e the time it takes to route transportation)

Sharing

• You do not have to make 20 individual sets of materials.
• 2-3 students may share the same set of manipulatives etc.

Materials

• We have reordered everything that we were unable to get into your hands this fall. Hopefully, we will start to see those arriving soon. 

Devices

• You may ask students to transport their devices OR to bring them and leave them in the school once we have returned to 5-day in school learning

Specials

• The amazing Ms. Purple is redoing our special schedule again
• Our goal is to increase "live" specials once students return. 
• We are balancing this goal with the desire to limit exposure for our specialists
• I will be working with our specialist team to determine their comfort levels
• Specials will either be live-streamed into your classroom or held in person

Eating

• We will be opening the second cafeteria once we find the furniture to do so
• Both tents should be erected over the weekend as well
• We are revamping the lunch schedule to accommodate for the number of students 
• Breakfast will be eaten outside under the tents starting April 5th

Getting us to the Goal

Time

• You will have time to prepare your classrooms on 3/24 and 3/31(This may change based on any agreements reached between the BTU and BPS)
• The building will be open until 5 on each of those days

Rescheduled PD

•  Our final 2 PD sessions will be scheduled to 4/28 and 5/5

Questions and Concerns

• Please continue to enter your questions and concerns into this document

Adjusted Procedures

• We continue to live and learn in this new reality. Here are some new/tweaked procedures that we will use moving forward. 

Breakfast Procedures

• Beginning at 9:05 Jackie/David will deliver breakfasts to a central location in each hallway

• At 9:10 each classroom can send an adult to gather the breakfasts needed for your classroom.

• Breakfast bags will be brought back to the cafeteria at 10:00 am by the breakfast captain

• This will only be in place until April 5.

Student Pooled Testing

Consent

• This is a key mitigation strategy
• This type of surveillance testing is designed to test large groups of asymptomatic people as an additional mitigation strategy that will help us to monitor infection rates within our community and to be able to quickly prevent transmission if a positive case is identified.  
• This program will be most successful if the majority of in-person students participate in testing. 
• Please post a link to the google consent form on your classroom pages (for your hybrid students only) in an effort to get as many students as possible enrolled in the pooled testing program. 
• If families have specific questions, please direct them to Sam and she can talk them through the process. 
• If you have other ideas to boost education and consent or if you want Sam to come to speak to a group of your parents in order to explain the program and answer questions, please let me know. 
• Pooled surveillance testing is an important way that we can ensure a safe school environment.

In-School Procedure

• Please read this updated linked document, Student Pooled PCR Testing DRAFT Process, so that you know what to expect when pooled testing begins this upcoming week. 
• We do not have flexibility with when the testing occurs because the support team is assigned centrally. 

Family Literacy

• Lee Academy will be hosting another set of Family Literacy Nights focused on supporting students as a writer.  
• Families will be taking a look at grade-level writing standards, sharing tips with each other, and getting ideas for how to support writing at home.  T
• The sessions will be organized by grade level and facilitated by Sarah and Govi.
• Classroom teachers - if you could send a reminder the Monday or Tuesday of the week of your session, that would be super helpful! 
• Sarah will also post the link on Seesaw or Google classroom the morning of the session if she has access (or you can give me access and I'll post). She'll also send reminders out to you the week of.  Also - and totally optional - but please let me know if there's anything specific you'd like Sarah to cover.

The sessions are on the following dates:

- Grades K2/1st Grade: Thursday, March 11th, 5:30pm

- Grades 2 and 3: Thursday, March 18th, 5:30pm

- Grades K0/K1: Thursday, March 25th, 5:30pm

Zoom link for all sessions:

https://k12-bostonpublicschools.zoom.us/j/85810624230

Stipend Opportunity

Please Join - Performance Assessment Development

We are recruiting teacher teams to pilot the development of performance assessment tasks at the district level. Virtual meetings will occur on 3/22, 3/29, 4/5, 4/12, 5/3, 5/17, 6/21, and 6/28. There is a $1,500 stipend per participant. Detailed information and the application can be found here.  For more information, please contact Sarah Jay at sjay@bostonpublicschools.org

March 5, 2021

Honey-Do List- March

March 5- Read the Hive. Remind your friends to read the Hive.

March 8: Post link and information about pooled testing consent for on classroom pages

English Link

Spanish Link

New Procedures

• We continue to live and learn in this new reality. Here are some new/tweaked procedures that we will use moving forward. 

Breakfast Procedures

• Beginning at 9:10 Jackie/David will deliver breakfasts to the classroom based on the number of children expected that day.

• We will provide a list of classrooms and #of students

• Once breakfasts have been distributed by Jackie/David they will return the carriers back to the cafeteria.

• This will happen no later than 10:00 am

General Dismissal Procedures:

Preparation:

• We will be doing a living bus binder.

• Jodi will walk the building at 10:15 and ask each individual classroom who is absent and present that day

• This will allow teachers to post their full attendance later in the day to account for online learners. 

• This information will be used both for the lunch count needed in the cafeteria by 10:20 and identifying who to expect riding on the bus. 

• At this time Jodi will also ask if any students scheduled to ride the bus are being picked up that day. 

• If you find out later in the day that a student is changing their departure please text Jodi

• This information will help us to avoid looking for students at the end of the day. 

Walkers/Pick-ups

• Walkers will be dismissed at 3:10. The classroom teacher will walk the students to the back of the school where they will meet the students’ families. 

• Any student not picked up by 3:35 will be returned to the office and the teacher will contact the family. 

Bus Students

• Keri will bring the students to the bus. 

• Keri will wait by the double doors at the entrance with a sign stating the number of the bus that is boarding

• Zoraida will call the bus number. Paras will get the students ready in the classroom.

• There will be 3 staff members assigned to gather students from the classrooms. 

• 2 on the first floor and 1 on the second floor

• Each gathering staff member will bring their line of students to Keri who will then bring the students to the bus.

Monday and Tuesday

Boarding Staff:

Keri

Gathering Staff

101, 102, 103,104 Sam

105,108         Jodi

202, 205         Kathryn

Thursday and Friday

Boarding Staff:

Keri

Gathering Staff:

106, 107 Jodi

101, 103 Sam

203, 204 Sarah

Back-up: Monday/Tuesday Govi

Thursday/Friday Nee

Student Pooled Testing

Consent

• We will begin to offer student pooled COVID next week. 
• This type of surveillance testing is designed to test large groups of asymptomatic people as an additional mitigation strategy that will help us to monitor infection rates within our community and to be able to quickly prevent transmission if a positive case is identified.  
• This program will be most successful if the majority of hybrid students participate in testing. 
• So far, we have only 7 students with completed consent forms.  
• Please post a link to the google consent form on your classroom pages (for your hybrid students only) in an effort to get as many students as possible enrolled in the pooled testing program. 
• If families have specific questions, please direct them to Sam and she can talk them through the process. 
• If you have other ideas to boost education and consent or if you want Sam to come speak to a group of your parents in order to explain the program and answer questions, please let me know. 
• Pooled surveillance testing is an important way that we can ensure a safe school environment.

In-School Procedure

• Please read this linked document, Student Pooled PCR Testing DRAFT Process, so that you know what to expect when pooled testing begins this upcoming week. 
• We do not have flexibility with when the testing occurs because the support team is assigned centrally.
• We currently only have 9 students that have consented.  

Talking Points

• By tomorrow afternoon I should have finished adding in Hybrid and Remote classes for each grade level to Talking Points so that you can easily text the families of students that are in your groups something that is only relevant to that group.

Family Literacy

• Lee Academy will be hosting another set of Family Literacy Nights focused on supporting students as a writer.  
• Families will be taking a look at grade-level writing standards, sharing tips with each other, and getting ideas for how to support writing at home.  T
• The sessions will be organized by grade level and facilitated by Sarah and Govi.
• Classroom teachers - if you could send a reminder the Monday or Tuesday of the week of your session, that would be super helpful! 
• Sarah will also post the link on Seesaw or Google classroom the morning of the session if she has access (or you can give me access and I'll post). She'll also send reminders out to you the week of.  Also - and totally optional - but please let me know if there's anything specific you'd like Sarah to cover.

The sessions are on the following dates:

- Grades K2/1st Grade: Thursday, March 11th, 5:30pm

- Grades 2 and 3: Thursday, March 18th, 5:30pm

- Grades K0/K1: Thursday, March 25th, 5:30pm

Zoom link for all sessions:

https://k12-bostonpublicschools.zoom.us/j/85810624230

Safety Drills

Mandated safety drills including active shooter and fire drills will be held next week on Monday and Thursday. 

Stipend Opportunity

Please Join - Performance Assessment Development

We are recruiting teacher teams to pilot the development of performance assessment tasks at the district level. Virtual meetings will occur on 3/22, 3/29, 4/5, 4/12, 5/3, 5/17, 6/21, and 6/28. There is a $1,500 stipend per participant. Detailed information and the application can be found here.  For more information, please contact Sarah Jay at sjay@bostonpublicschools.org