Friday, April 30, 2021

April 30, 2021

Honey-Do List

5/3     Prioritize Students for Summer Learning and choose the appropriate program for them
5/15   Artifact Reflections due


Buzz in My Brain

I have always been a huge believer in the power in the power of self-reflection as a lever for change and growth. For years, in various roles, the use of self-reflection as a tool for evaluation both personally and for others has been powerful. I find that it helps us to realize our own journey of growth and self-development and set goals for where we want to go next. It has been a way to personalize and differentiate the professional learning journey. I hope that this year you will find it an equally powerful and helpful practice. 

If you want, take a minute to read this blog by Tim Cavey that nicely summarizes the power of this approach to professional learning and growth.

Employment Opportunities

Summer and Before and After School
  • Our new before and afterschool partner, Boston's Bridge to Excellence, is looking to hire program staff for our fall programming as well as their summer programming held at several schools in the city and the programs we will have in our school starting in the fall.
  • They asked me to please send out these links to school staff who may be interested in working in the Summer program or before and after school programs in your schools with Boston's Bridge To Excellence. 
  • Please see the links below:
Summer-BPS
  • The OSE  (Office of Special Education) is actively recruiting for ESY.  
  • Unfortunately, this year they've seen a significant decrease in the number of applicants.  
  • While they are seeking teachers possessing a special education license, general education teachers are also encouraged to apply.  
  • It's OSE's understanding DESE is expediting licensure and waivers as most school districts are experiencing this issue.  
  • The OSE is kindly asking school leaders to encourage teachers and paraprofessionals to apply on TalentEd.  
Family Liasion

  • We have an open family liaison position here at Lee Academy.
  • This is a BTU position and I know we have paras that are very qualified for this position both in  professional experience and their own experiences navigating BPS and the city of Boston as a parent
  • I encourage anyone that is interested to apply. 
  • In full transparency, this is a 223 day work year with some flexibility needed to work outside of the "traditional" school day. 
  • Candidates will be pre-screened by the central office 
  • Please let me know if you are interested


Professional Development-Wednesday

  • Wednesday, May 5th will be our final Professional Learning session for this year.  We will use the time to wrap our work for the year around Cultivating Genius.  We will meet from 4pm - 6pm on Zoom (link below).
    Here's what's going on: 
    • The first 40 minutes will be grade-level time to review the work you've done together and plan for what you want to share with the whole group. Think about:
      • Sharing a brief description of the work you have done and why you chose it for your grade level
      • Explaining how it cultivates identity, skills, intellectualism, and/or criticality
      • Sharing any next steps you are going to take
    • The next 30 minutes will be grade-level group presentations with time for questions and reactions
    • The last part of the session will be looking back and looking forward.  We will look back through the book (so make sure you have your book with you!) and reflect on our learning and we will look forward to set goals for ourselves for next year. 
    • You will need: your Cultivating Genius book; something to write with/on
    • Zoom link: https://k12-bostonpublicschools.zoom.us/j/85810624230

Sharing Pictures with Families

  • Thank you to those of you that have been sharing, with families, pictures of their children engaged in social and learning activities. 
  • This sharing is important as families have expressed regret at losing the window into their child's school day with the return to in person learning
  • Many of our families have never been inside the school and I am unsure at what point they will be able to return. 
  • This is also a nice way to continually communicate and create connections with familes

 Attendance Information

  • We need to post attendance every day by 10:05 for our in-person classes so that we can provide Martisse with an accurate lunch count. 
  • For in-person learners please use the IP-P code and the IP-A codes for attendance. This is NOT the default code. 
  • For remote learners please use the P and A codes. P is the default. 
  • Students are not allowed to change from in-person to remote for reasons that are not COVID-related. 

Summer Programming

  • It is time to plan for summer learning opportunities and I need your help to prioritize students who are in need of intensive support in ELA, Math, or Science AND who would benefit from additional social-emotional supports. 
  • This year schools have the flexibility to prioritize as many as 30% of their student body. 
  • Please let me know by 5/1 if you prioritize the student for summer learning and what program you recommend the student for by using this spreadsheet
The following are the summer learning opportunities that our students are eligible to participate in above and beyond ESY and ELD Programs. 


STEAM Academy for Change

The STEAM Academy for Change (STAC) is for students interested in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Mathematics). The BPS STEM department is looking to develop young scholars who are innovators, inventors, and scientists who want to help create change within their communities and society using STEAM. These young scholars will work with their peers on developing a project that can support their community through STEAM. STAC's focus is to introduce students to STEAM professions where African Americans & Latinos are most underrepresented: Web Development, Robotics, Biological Scientists, Environmental Scientists, Mathematics, & Engineering. The program will wrap up with a workplace learning field trip, solutions pitch to professionals, and a portfolio presentation to their teachers and families.

  • For:  Grades 3-6
  • Schools Served: All Boston Public Schools with students in grades 3-6
  • Proposed Site:  Perkins, Dorchester
  • Dates:  7/6 - 8/6
  • Days/Hours:  Monday - Thursday, 8:30 am-3 pm

Summer Early Focus

The Summer Early Focus program builds on children’s learning during the school year. It is highly engaging and child-driven. Two BPS teachers support up to 20 students in each classroom with our Summer Early Focus curriculum. Students will continue to engage in high-quality instructional practices, take field trips,  and have structured and unstructured play opportunities.
  • For:  Grades K1-2
  • Proposed Site:  Orchard Garden, East Boston EEC, Ellison Parks, West Zone ELC
  • Dates:  7/6 - 8/6
  • Days/Hours:  Monday-Friday, 8:30am-2:30pm

Artifacts

  • For your formative/summative artifacts I am looking for a brief self-reflection (no more than 2 pages)
  • Please include things you tried this year that worked/did not work and lessons learned as you grew in your professional practice. You can use these questions to guide your thinking: (If you read the Buzz in my brain these questions will not surprise you!):
    • What are you currently learning about professionally? 
    • What problem are you wrestling with within your practice? 
    • Which skills are you trying to master?
    • How is that learning going? How do you know?
    • What do you think are your next steps of professional growth?
  • I am looking for this reflection to be in the following three areas:
    • Curriculum design
    • Instruction/Student learning 
    • Parent & Family Engagement

  • This is all I need for artifacts. I am really looking forward to reading your reflections and having some rich professional conversations! 

Something Fun

The Bowery, Lucy’s, and Cityside Tavern are offering up some teacher appreciation next week!
From May 3-7th, they are offering all teachers the following:
  • 50% off 1 food item (some exclusions apply)
  • Dine-in Only (not valid for takeout)
  • Teacher ID or Pay Stub required

Thursday, April 15, 2021

April 15, 2021

Honey-Do List


April 15 and 16: Remote Schedules complete and communicated to families staying remote
April 26: Return to in-person learning
April 26-30: Reach out to families that are new to you as if it were the beginning of the school year

Buzz in My Brain

We've Got This! April 26th will be joyful and wonderful. We are an amazing team that can handle any bump in the road!

Transportation Information

  • We will not have students' updated transportation information until 4/21
  • Parents will receive an email with their child's updated info
  • Many stops will remain the same BUT most bus numbers will change

Welcoming Students and Families Back

  • Parents of our students, especially our younger students, are curious about what our school and classrooms look like on the inside since they are not allowed in. 
  • Other parents have acknowledged that a loss they feel about returning 5 days in person is the window that they currently have into their child's classroom. 
  • When our students are back in school on 4/26 could you snap a few pictures of students engaged in learning and text or upload them to SeeSaw so that parents feel reassured that their children are safe, happy, and well cared for?

Changes to Pooled Testing

  • In preparation for welcoming students back full time on 4/26, we are planning to make some changes to our pooled testing routine. 
  • The centralized testing station during lunchtime for K0-1 has proved to be less than ideal.  
  • Sam also wants to minimize disruption to instructional time for 2nd & 3rd grade. 
  • We are hoping this will create a smoother process.  
  • We are not sure if our outside testing team will be able to make this adjustment, but Sam is prepared to absorb this task in the event that they cannot accommodate our scheduling needs for K0-1.  
  • When we return after the break, we will switch to a mobile "cart" testing routine. Swabbing will take place just outside the classroom door. 
  • Sam has developed a proposed schedule. 
  • Please take a look and let her know if you want to make any changes to your assigned time. 
  • We can also make any necessary adjustments once we get going and Sam gets a sense for how long it takes in each classroom. 

More Detailed Attendance Information

In all reopening scenarios, teachers will take student attendance in Aspen on a daily and/or class basis. 

  •  Per DESE guidelines, families must select 5-day in-person or remote learning and the hybrid model will no longer be available for grades K-8 after April 26th. However, we recognize that certain situations, such as sickness or other COVID-related reasons, may require some students to switch to remote attendance for the day. In the event that your child can not attend in person, we ask that you communicate with your child’s school as early as possible with the reason and timeframe for switching to remote learning. Students will still be marked present as long as they meet the attendance requirements for the day, although schools cannot guarantee that your child will be with the same class for remote lessons.
  • The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has released further clarification on the protocols for taking attendance during remote learning periods. To accommodate the differences in modality (remote & in-person) the following modifications should be considered:
    • Consistent with DESE attendance guidelines as well as updated guidance released in August, an absence is considered any day where a student misses more than half of the day’s planned instruction. If a student begins instruction remotely but does not attend at least half of their daily schedule (including asynchronous activities), the attendance should be reverted to an absence.
    • Constructively present was previously used in circumstances where a student was attending school instruction outside of the building. Moving forward, the constructively present code should not be used and remote instruction should be indicated with the remote-present code. Please note that instruction must be delivered/provided by BPS (either synchronous or asynchronous) in order for the student to be counted as present.
  • Aspen will be configured to accommodate the new DESE guidelines for attendance-taking with the following codes:
    • P - Present (default):  Indicates that a student attended 50% or more of the assigned remote instruction.
    • A - Absent: Indicates that a student attended less-than 50% of their scheduled virtual/remote instruction. 
    • IP-P - In-Person Present: Student is present for 50% or more of their scheduled in-person instructional activities, as assigned by the classroom teacher. 
    • If a student is scheduled to attend school in-person but logs in remotely instead, the P code should be used instead.
    • IP-A - In-Person Absent: Student is absent from 50% or more of their scheduled in-person instructional activities, as assigned by the classroom teacher.
  • Excused Absences: Certain absences may be excused, meaning they will not be considered as it relates to a referral to the Suffolk County Juvenile Court (truancy court) by a Supervisor of Attendance under M.G.L. c.119. 
    • However, it is important to understand that all missed instructional time has the potential to negatively impact student outcomes. 
    • In addition, all absences are included as it relates to chronic absenteeism, as calculated by DESE, regardless of whether the absence is excused or unexcused. 
    • For an absence to be excused, parents must contact the school after each day they are absent. 
  • Remote Learning Protocol: To mark an absence as excused due to a student being unable to access the daily BPS instruction, school leaders should verify that the student truly had no access to daily BPS instruction, including both synchronous and asynchronous content.
  • See Excused Absence Protocol for additional details.

Behind the Scenes Happenings Next Week

  • Keri will be changing students' scheduling and teacher assignments in SIS
  • It does not have to happen next week but please reach out to any students that are new to you as if it were the beginning of the school year

Summer Programming

  • It is time to plan for summer learning opportunities and I need your help to prioritize students who are in need of intensive support in ELA, Math, or Science AND who would benefit from additional social-emotional supports. 
  • This year schools have the flexibility to prioritize as many as 30% of their student body. 
  • Please let me know by 5/1 if you prioritize the student for summer learning and what program you recommend the student for by using this spreadsheet
The following are the summer learning opportunities that our students are eligible to participate in above and beyond ESY and ELD Programs. 


STEAM Academy for Change

The STEAM Academy for Change (STAC) is for students interested in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Mathematics). The BPS STEM department is looking to develop young scholars who are innovators, inventors, and scientists who want to help create change within their communities and society using STEAM. These young scholars will work with their peers on developing a project that can support their community through STEAM. STAC's focus is to introduce students to STEAM professions where African Americans & Latinos are most underrepresented: Web Development, Robotics, Biological Scientists, Environmental Scientists, Mathematics, & Engineering. The program will wrap up with a workplace learning field trip, solutions pitch to professionals, and a portfolio presentation to their teachers and families.

  • For:  Grades 3-6
  • Schools Served: All Boston Public Schools with students in grades 3-6
  • Proposed Site:  Perkins, Dorchester
  • Dates:  7/6 - 8/6
  • Days/Hours:  Monday - Thursday, 8:30 am-3 pm

Summer Early Focus

The Summer Early Focus program builds on children’s learning during the school year. It is highly engaging and child-driven. Two BPS teachers support up to 20 students in each classroom with our Summer Early Focus curriculum. Students will continue to engage in high-quality instructional practices, take field trips,  and have structured and unstructured play opportunities.
  • For:  Grades K1-2
  • Proposed Site:  Orchard Garden, East Boston EEC, Ellison Parks, West Zone ELC
  • Dates:  7/6 - 8/6
  • Days/Hours:  Monday-Friday, 8:30am-2:30pm

Summer Teaching Opportunities

  • The OSE  Office of Special Education) is actively recruiting for ESY.  
  • Unfortunately, this year they've seen a significant decrease in the number of applicants.  
  • While they are seeking teachers possessing a special education license, general education teachers are also encouraged to apply.  
  • It's OSE's understanding DESE is expediting licensure and waivers as most school districts are experiencing this issue.  
  • The OSE is kindly asking school leaders to encourage teachers and paraprofessionals to apply on TalentEd.  

Ready4K

  • We qualified for an equity grant to implement the Ready 4K family support program. 
  • This is a program that the family council has been discussing for the past two years
  • We get the program and family workshops free for 2 years
  • Developed by educational researchers, Ready4K is an evidence-based family engagement curriculum delivered via text messages.
  • Each week, parents and caregivers receive fun facts and easy tips on how to promote their children’s development by building on existing family routines – like pointing out letters on the cereal box at breakfast, counting the number of steps as you walk to the car or bus, or making feeling faces in the mirror after you brush your teeth. 
  • In a series of randomized controlled trials, this approach has been shown to increase child development by 2 to 3 months over the course of a school year.
  • The Ready4K dashboard, teacher newsletters, family engagement surveys, and end-of-year impact reports complement the core Ready4K curriculum, enabling organizations to connect the home to school, link families to vital resources in the community, and measure their impact.
  • We will be implementing the Ready4K Trauma-Informed curriculum designed to strengthen the 5 protective factors. Here is some more info about it: 
    • The program will be delivered to families in English and Spanish 
    • A single community support stream for linking families to local resources
    • Implementation support includes Community Asset Mapping process and enrollment materials including marketing flyers and bulk file upload of parent data
    • Quarterly Family Engagement Surveys focused on the protective factors and end-of-year Impact Report
    • Ready4K Virtual Family Workshops for families and post-workshop recording and family engagement data each month


Friday, April 9, 2021

April 9, 2021

Honey-Do List


April 6: Bulletin Board Pictures due to Jodi 
April 14: Communication to families from the office about teacher changes completed-  Completed early
April 14: Remote Schedules shared with Jodi
April 15 and 16: Remote Schedules complete and communicated to families staying remote
April 26: Return to in-person learning

Buzz in My Brain

It is my hope that all of you know how much I value your work and all that you do, that each of you feels seen and heard as individuals. It is a horrible and demoralizing feeling when one feels that their work goes unnoticed and unappreciated. I never want anyone who works with me to feel that way. I never want to be the leader who works with a team that feels unappreciated, unheard, silenced or marginalized. If you are feeling this way please let me know so that we can talk. I can offer specific feedback and praise for all that you do! Help me learn and grow to be the best leader that I can be by making sure you know how much your work and professionalism is valued. 

Getting Back Some Time

  • As our students come back to school I have been thinking about how to find the time to do everything that needs to be accomplished to help them have the most successful learning experience. 
  • I have been thinking of ways that we can streamline routines and expectations to maximize our learning time both socially/emotionally and academically. 
  • I came across this gem of an article from NAEYC Calendar Time for Young Children Good Intentions Gone Awry
  • It could be a catalyst for helping you to streamline a long standing classroom routine

Attendance

Below please find the official distrcit policy on attendance beginning 4/26. 

District Policy on Attendance

Per DESE guidelines, families must select 5-day in-person or remote learning and the hybrid model will no longer be available for grades K-8 after April 26th. However, we recognize that certain situations, such as sickness or other COVID-related reasons, may prohibit a student from attending in-person on occasion. In the event that your child can not attend in person, we ask that you communicate with your child’s school as early as possible with the reason and timeframe for switching to remote learning. Students will still be marked present as long as they meet the attendance requirements for the day, although your child will not be with the same class for remote lessons.

Info from School Leader Call

This is an interesting tidbit regarding snacks in the classroom from our school leader meetings:

Q: Can 1/2 of group eat and the other half with masks on doing activities in the same space?
A: Yes


Thursday, April 1, 2021

April 1, 2021

Honey-Do List


April 2: Report Cards and Progress Reports finished
April 2: Good Friday 
April 6: Bulletin Board Pictures due to Jodi 
April 14: Communication to families from the office about teacher changes completed
April 14: Remote Schedules shared with Jodi
April 15 and 16: Remote Schedules complete and communicated to families staying remote
April 26: Return to in-person learning

Retention

  • I am not sure where the district is when it comes to a final call on retention
  • The one line that has been drawn is that we cannot retain in K even if the student has not attended virtually or in-person
  • Please let me know if you have any students that we should be discussing for retention. Keeping in mind that it will be a high threshold to cross 

Remote Schedules

  • If you are teaching a remote class please create a schedule that can be shared with families. 
  • Please share that schedule and your Zoom link with me by 4/14
  • We will then share with families on 4/16 so they know what to expect on 4/26

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, Rose you all look marvelous up there!

COVID

  • This has been an eventful COVID week here at Lee Academy. 
  • I want you to know that I am aware of the dissonance that may exist between our emotional reaction to positive cases and the district's response and protocols that follow scientific guidelines. I understand that it is difficult and scary when we hear that a colleague or one of our students has been impacted and that we see this person every day, share spaces and then return to our own families. I hear you, I understand and I empathize. 
  • I am also very impressed with the fact that our anxiety has not impacted our professionalism and behavior with students. You are all amazing at getting the important work done and done well with compassion and care
  • The contact tracing and communication protocols work, are administered uniformly and are efficient. I can say this with greater confidence than I could at any point during the day on Monday. 
  • If you want a tracker for your close contacts please use this one. It is optional. 
  • As we continue to work through our various emotional reactions. There are a few considerations that will help to keep us all safer:
    • Encourage families to enroll their child in pool testing
    • Continue your own personal surveillance testing
    • Review classroom structures and routines so that 3 ft of social distancing is maintained in a way that is feasible with the young children we work with. 
    • Wash your hands and sanitize frequently
    • If a parent informs you of a student's illness or an illness in the home please ask the family to contact Sam and give Sam a heads up. She is meticulously tracking every illness.  

Reopening

Morning and Afternoon Duty

  • We have reassigned morning and afternoon duty schedules starting 4/26.
  • Please review the schedule here
  • Please know your duty station
  • Morning duty begins at 9:10 and Afternoon Duty at 3:15. 

Furniture
  • I believe that we will get the additional plexiglass you requested. 
  • We will NOT be getting additional furniture. 
  • Central office staff will come to help you figure out classroom arrangements if we cannot figure out how we make it work with what we have. (This is true even if typed sarcastically) 
  • In fact, if we want additional furniture the district MUST come to your classroom to consult
    • Let me know ASAP if I need to arrange this visit for you.
Additional Planning Time
  • The district is granting you a 1/2 day Wednesday afternoon to plan and set up your classrooms. 
  • It will be an early release day for students.  
  • There has been some concern about rising COVID rates and what that means for our reopening plans. 
Rising Positivity Rates
  • The district and BPHC are committed to following the CDC Community Transmission Guidelines regarding reopening K-12 Schools
  • A significant quote from these guidelines is
    • “K–12 schools should be the last settings to close after all other prevention measures in the community have been employed, and the first to reopen when they can do so safely.”
  • CDC Indicators and Thresholds for Community Transmission of COVID-191

    IndicatorLow Transmission

    Blue

    Moderate Transmission

    Yellow

    Substantial Transmission

    Orange

    High Transmission

    Red

    Table 1. CDC Indicators and Thresholds for Community Transmission of COVID-19
    Total new cases per 100,000 persons in the past 7 days20-910-4950-99≥100
    Percentage of NAATs that are positive during the past 7 days3<5.0%5.0%-7.9%8.0%-9.9%≥10.0%

    1If the two indicators suggest different levels, the actions corresponding to the higher threshold should be chosen. County-level data on total new cases in the past 7 days and test percent positivity are available on the County View tab in CDC’s COVID Data Tracker.
    2Total number of new cases per 100,000 persons within the last 7 days is calculated by adding the number of new cases in the county (or other community type) in the last 7 days divided by the population in the county (or other community type) and multiplying by 100,000.

    3Percentage of positive diagnostic and screening NAATs during the last 7 days is calculated by dividing the number of positive tests in the county (or other administrative level) during the last 7 days by the total number of tests resulted over the last 7 days. Additional information can be found on the Calculating Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Laboratory Test Percent Positivity: CDC Methods and Considerations for Comparisons and Interpretation webpage. 

  • If you are interested you may find the entire CDC Reopening guidelines here
  • Where Boston is as of 3/25/21
    • Current Community Positivity Rate 4.8%= Low Transmission
    • Current Number of Cases per 100,000 is 31.9 = Moderate Transmission

Street Sweeping

  • Street Sweeping resumes this month so please be aware of the schedule if you park on the street near the school. 
  • The park side of the street does not ticket/tow but the house side of the street does. 
  • Street sweeping on the house side of the street is every 2nd and 4th Wednesday from April until September. 
  • Set a reminder in your phone or add it to your calendar - whatever helps! 
  • Upcoming dates would be April 14, April 28, May 12, May 26, and June 9. 

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