OGCS/SSCS February 2010 ES Agenda

Please read the Please read the agenda, along with each of its links (all links available in ES Handbook for future reference).

The agenda quizz must be completed in your ES WEBfiles BEFORE attending your ES meeting; the STAR Proctor quiz by March 5, 2010! This agenda has been posted 2/11/2010 and the agenda quiz is due 2/22/2010.

 

Please note that if you must miss your ES meeting, you should inform your Area Facilitator and ES Advisor and make arrangements with another AF to attend another meeting that month. (All meeting times and dates are posted in the ES handbook along with AF e-mail addresses and meeting date, time, and location). Your AF is listed in ES Webfiles on the ES Welcome page. If you miss the meeting altogether, you will be reminded of your responsibility to attend and will be held responsible for the information given at the meeting. If you miss another meeting, it will become a discipline issue and may result in a drop in your student load. We do not believe that you can effectively serve your students if you miss critical information about the school and your job. Thank you for making these meetings a priority as you schedule your time for this school year!  The ES Support Department.

 

1) Dates to Remember and Dated Duties

a) February 11, 2010: Complete transcript coding in ES Webfiles for any 9th to 12th grade students with transcripts not currently sub-coded.

 

b) Feb 18, 2010 and March 18, 2010 at noon: Payroll Snapshot dates.

 

c) February 22, 2010: Complete your Feb ES Agenda Quiz

 

d) February 26, 2010: Complete mid-year check and email to your advisor.

 

e) March 2 & 3, 2010: Please remind your 7th grade students this month of their upcoming STAR Writing assessment on these dates (No 4th grade test this year!). Again, the school must have 95% participation; therefore do all you can to make your students/parents feel comfortable with this upcoming assessment. We hope the school writing assignment was a help again this year for this. (Remember the email samples to use for this and other emails to parents already approved for your usage at http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/samples/indexiem.html .  If you create your own email, it must have your advisor approval before sending out.)

 

f) March 5, 2010:  Have all Writing Scores entered in ES Webfiles and also the Postmark date for original writing samples with scored rubrics to be sent to the school office (See 2a below).  Mail originals to:  (school) Writing Samples, 1166 Broadway, Suite Q, Placerville, CA  95667.

 

g) March 5, 2010: Complete and mail your ES Self Evaluation to Your ES Advisor by March 5th. (See January agenda for info)

 

h) March 5, 2010: Mark in your graduates as planning to attend the graduation ceremonies or not in ES Webfiles at View/Students Graduation tab.  (All fields there are for you to enter except for the middle section labeled “CAHSEE” and “Materials”.) (See 2c below).

 

i) March 5, 2010: Take the STAR Proctor Quiz in ES Webfiles by March 5th, 2010

 

j) March 5, 2010:Enter your Email Signature in Outlook/Exchange (See 2a below)

 

k) March 14, 2010: Daylight savings time change!

 

l) March 15, 2010: This is the last day to sign a SA and start a student for the 2010 school year. This enrollment cut-off date is based on state funding, and the minimum amount required to support a student’s enrollment in our school until May 21.

 

m) March ES Meetings: Prepare all of your final portfolios to take to your March ES meetings.  Check the webpage meeting schedule for information.

 

n) March 19, 2010: Last day to make any final assessment duty trades and inform the Assessment Department at proctor.ogss@ieminc.org . We will review the schedule for any ESs who have gone from full-time to part-time or vice versa at that time.

 

o) March 25 to April 29, 2010: STAR/PFT testing window.  All of your students must be tested in this timeframe--either by attending a site, or by you testing them individually if they miss attending their site assessment date.

 

p) April 16, 2010: Submit expected grades for your 2nd semester graduates by this date in ES Webfiles.

 

q) April 23, 2010: Submit grad packets for all 2nd semester expected graduates, plus those expected to be done after summer school to your advisor by this date. (Indicate which date they will be done on the paperwork you send to your Advisor). Watch the new "Grad Procedures" Webex posted on the ES Videos webpage if you have a graduate!.

 

r) April 30, 2010:  2010 Order deadline

 

2) Things to Do

a) IT updates:

·         Set up Email Signature in Exchange/Outlook (whichever program you use for your school email)—due March 5, 2010: Follow the instructions in this document to set up your signature to use for your school email: http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/computerrel/emailsig.pdf

Set up Email Signature in Entourage: http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/computerrel/emailsigentourage.pdf

·         LR Dictionary: Read the new training for how to use the FRED Dictionary to add words to it for spell checker usage: http:/www.ieminc.org/handbook/computerrel/FREDDict.htm .

 

b) Graduation Ceremonies:

·         Since students who complete their graduation requirements during the summer are considered Dec 2011 graduates, they will receive diplomas after Jan 2011 and may walk in the May 2011 graduation ceremony.  Remember, official transcripts are better than a diploma if a student needs it for graduation verification!

·         Put the graduation date on your calendar if you have a 8th or 12th grade graduate--it is important to your students that you attend!

·         Be sure to provide graduation ceremony information to your students, ask if they wish to attend, and indicate Yes or no for participation in Webfiles.  All high school students, those receiving a diploma or a certificate, may participate in the ceremony, as well as 8th graders.

·         Mark student’s participate or not in ES Webfiles on the student’s graduation tab by March 5, 2010. Be sure to keep the year/semester of expected graduation current as well. Now would be a good time to change those listed as graduating in 2010/1 or 2 to another date if they will not make it this year/last semester.

ü  OGCS Graduation: Saturday, May 15 at 2:00 p.m. for 8th grade and 3:00 pm for 12th grade at Ocean Grove's Resource Center site, 16900 North Highway 9, Boulder Creek, California.

ü  SSCS Graduation: Saturday, May 22 at 11:00 a.m. for 8th grade and 12:30 pm for 12th grade at First Covenant Church located at 10933 Progress Court, Rancho Cordova, California 95670

 

c) Orders for 2010 & 2011: You should be finishing up your orders for items that will be used in the 2010 school year.  Ask your families this month to begin making their list of what they think they would like to use for 2011, if they will be returning.  Then you can look over those items together at your March ES meetings, and begin to place the orders for 2011 as you have time prior to ES Checkout in June.  We always ask you to plan ahead, as we want you to be able to have a wonderful work-free summer vacation time to get in a good break from school. More information on ordering for the year ahead will be coming in future agendas. For planning purposes, the last date to order using 2010 IF is April 30, 2009.

Note: Any items needed for a student for summer school must be ordered from 2010 IF--there will be no separate summer school funding.

 

d) Portfolio Collection:

-Reminder: Remember that portfolios are due at your March ES meeting. Plan now to collect any missing samples during your February LR meetings! Your ES portfolio checklist is in WEBfiles (Create/Print Portfolio List), and can be printed now for reference, and may be reprinted right before portfolio submission for the most up-to-date list if you transfer/drop/add students. It would also be wise to again read through the portfolio information and portfolio review in the handbook now to make sure that you understand all aspects of compiling and organizing the portfolios. If you have questions, do not wait for the agenda compilation, contact your Advisor now! Remember that there is a portfolio video available from the ES Protected page—Video link (bottom section). If you are a new ES and have not yet completed that section of your training and viewed this video, do so this month ASAP!

-March ES Meeting: All ESs will participate in a peer portfolio review at their March ES meetings. Confirm the time and date of this meeting with your AF this month, as some meeting times/dates have been changed to better accommodate the assessment required test dates. All ESs must turn in final, complete 2010 portfolios for all students on your portfolio list at your meeting. You do need to attend your assigned meeting this month!!

 

3) Training Items

a) STAR Proctor Training for ALL ESs (even those not currently scheduled at a STAR test site might need to administer a test to their student in an emergency situation—therefore ALL ESs must be trained). Work through the training on your own and bring questions to your meeting. Your training is posted at: http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/10agendassog/Feb10/assesstraining10.htm

 

b)ROP:

·         It is the ESs responsibility to know what courses your student is taking with ROP, know how many credits the course they are taking is worth, and to know if you student is attending throughout the semester. Each ROP has a website with a lot of good information for you and your students.  Check out the ROP in your county at the following website: http://www.carocp.org/carocps.html.  If you have students who would benefit from this program, suggest this to them!  If the course falls within a core subject area, ROP is considered by the state to be NCLB compliant, and therefore a SME is not required. Put the ROP course name with maximum credits on the report card for SA and portfolio purposes, but do not click “done” on that line when submitted a report card, as  ROP will send official grades and credits to our school office for the transcript.

·         For SSCS, remember that our ROP coordinator is Dennis Fuller and your student taking an ROP course should be enrolled in a CP with Dennis.

 

c) 2011 calendar:  OGCS   SSCS (Posted on school websites) For you planning, the school calendars have been set for the 2011 school year, and will soon be entered into ES Webfiles ready for Fall Student Agreements to be completed. The Fall 2011 General Info sheet is not ready (the state does not finalize our planned assessment dates until typically August), and should not be provided to families until the first meeting of 2011 school year. The STAR test window is given for general planning purposes only at this time, and is subject to change.

 

d) Professionalism Reminders for school meetings:

·         Professionalism at your ES Group Meetings: Children brought to recent ES Group meetings have posed a serious distraction to the rest of the staff.  The ES Group Meetings are a time when very important and timely information is disseminated to the staff, and everyone must come prepared, undistracted, and ready to focus on the issues at hand.  You received PG credits for this time, you are held accountable for the information, therefore do not act rudely towards your fellow ESS and bring a child who will not allow you and your fellow ESs full attention to the agenda items. As a result, alternate childcare arrangements should be made for ES attending their AF meetings. IF you have a nursing infant, follow the directions in the Employee Handbook: Special Permission may be granted by the School Director for Nursing Infants.  Please make this request of your Advisor who will communicate with Janet to receive your permission.  Without permission, NO MORE CHILDREN AT ES GROUP MEETINGS.  Even with permission, it is your responsibility to ensure that neither you nor any other ES at your meeting is being distracted by your child away from the issues at hand. (pg 20 of Employee Handbook)

·         Professionalism at any Meetings:

ü  Remember that you also need permission from your parents in order to bring anyone with you to your meetings in their home.  It is not a school location, and privacy must be respected. You are expected to go alone to your meetings with parents unless it is a security issue and your advisor or another school employee is going with you.

ü  Also show your professionalism by be prepared for your meetings--ES Group meeting, LR meetings with parents, AESS meetings with students, etc.

ü  Be sure to respect those you are meeting with by turning off or setting to vibrate your cell phone while in a meeting.  Wait to take a call until after the meeting!  Be professional by focusing all of your attention on those you are meeting with!

·         Timeliness: Remember that it is rude to be late--respect those you are meeting with by leaving early enough to arrive on time and do call in an emergency.  You would like the same courtesy, please give it to those you are meeting with while representing your school!

·         Professional Dress: Please review the dress code on page 21 of the employee handbook.  A good professional rule of thumb is to be sure to dress "better than" the family your are visiting, or appropriate for the group meeting you are attending while on school business. Parents have made change of ES requests for "dress issues"--let's try to avoid any of those requests in the future, please!

 

e) Summer School:  

·         Info: All schools plan to have summer school. Details are in the works and will be sent out soon. ESs will have the option of teaching their own students, plus taking extra students if an ES does not wish to work summer school (it is not required). Watch the ES Listserve for details.

·         To do: Summer school will be for High School students only, and only for those who are behind in credits/did not pass CAHSEE and need to take English/Math only.  Ask your parents/students if they are interested in summer school (only if they will qualify) and keep a list (even if you do not plan to teach summer school).  Decide if you wish to teach for summer school. ESs who may be interested in serving as a summer school ES should then wait until more information is available on the listserve.

·         High School Graduates Preliminary assessment for summer school students: If you are planning on having a student graduate after Summer School, and haven't turned in the preliminary graduation assessment to your advisor for that student, please do this right away! We do not “graduate” students after summer school, but consider them 1st semester graduates of the next school year.  But, if all requirements have been met, they do not need to have continued enrollment/attendance in the school for 1st semester if we have approved their grad packet. Watch the new "Grad Procedures" Webex posted on the ES Videos webpage if you have a graduate!.

 

4) Messages from School Departments

a) Assessment

·         Do your STAR proctor training prior to your meeting and bring any questions to your meeting(see 3a above).  Don't forget to take the STAR Proctor Training Quiz in ES Webfiles under the Training Test Tab prior to March 5. The Proctor training is required by CDE for all teachers! (http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/10agendassog/Feb10/assesstraining10.htm)

·         If you expect to transport any students to the Writing test or STAR testing, please read our policy posted on the assessment page at: http://www.ogcs.org/assessment/transportstu.htm. 

·         Inform your parents/students of their test sites ASAP: We cannot take parent calls in the school office asking which site they are assigned to—it is your responsibility to look up that info in Webfiles and let them know. Then check in with them again just before their test dates to ask if they have any questions about where to go when.

 

b) Guidance:

·         Concurrent Enrollment – If you see a red “CC form needed” message on a high school report card, please send in the pre-concurrent (http://www.ieminc.org/genericforms/conenrollmentiem.pdf) and concurrent enrollment form (available from the college the student wishes to attend) to Brandy Anderson (guidance@ieminc.org) ASAP. 

·         COLLEGE TOURS:  Encourage your 7th-12th grade students to join our school in a series of college campus visits.  In mid-March, Brandy Anderson will be hosting campus tours at UC Davis, Sac State, UC Santa Cruz, and San Jose State College.  A ListServe announcement will be out shortly with the times and dates of the tours. 

·         Important Notice!!!  CAL GRANTS – the deadline to submit Cal Grant applications is March 2nd.  Steps to getting CalGrant money:
1)  Go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/  à  click “FAFSA on the Web Worksheet” à print out this worksheet and give it to your graduating seniors
2)  Have the family use last year’s tax returns to help them answer the questions on the worksheet;  have the family use the worksheet to complete the online FAFSA application
3)  To apply for a CalGrant, students must also get an official GPA verification form signed by our school’s Guidance Department (http://www.csac.ca.gov/pubs/forms/grnt_frm/2010-11_march2gpa_form-fillable_andcalculations.pdf).  After the Guidance Department signs the GPA verification form, it is mailed back to the family.  The GPA verification form and the online FAFSA application need to be done well before the March 2nd deadline.  It is suggested that you print up the GPA Verification form and FAFSA worksheet and give those to your graduating seniors.  Additional information about applying for Cal Grants and access to the required forms is available at their website http://www.calgrant.org/.  

·         On Feb 10th at 10am, WebEx training will be offered to parents needing assistance in filling out the FAFSA application.  Parents interested in attending this training will need to email Brandy (guidance@ieminc.org) to reserve a space.

 

c) Curriculum                             

·         History Odyssey (Vendor:A Brighter Child & Rainbow Resource Center)
Classically-based history program for grades 1-12.
Regardless of whether you use the entire program, I like this program for middle school and recommend that you use their Level 2 Guides as follows:
Level 2
6th – Ancients
7th – Middle Ages
8th – Early Modern and Modern
Using the guides in these grades will most closely align to the California standards.
Vendor:  A Brighter Child and Rainbow Resource Center
Caution:  Most, but not all items required by this program can be purchased by the school.

·         Usborne History Books (Vendor: A Brighter Child & Rainbow Resource Center)

ü  Usborne Internet-Linked Ancient World – Excellent resource book for anyone studying World History from grade 6 to Adult.  Emphasizes daily life more than events in typical Usborne formatting with cut-aways of the buildings for a peek inside.  Covers 10,000 years of history around the world.  Most pages have a link that allows the student to explore related websites to bring the content “alive” through multi-sensory learning.

ü  Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia of World History – This book links world history to the web. Throughout the book, links are included that allow the student to learn more by listening to videos, playing games, looking at photos, and many unique website features.  

ü  Usborne Internet-Linked Viking World – This book would be a great addition to any student’s study of the Medieval period.

·         Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (Vendor:  A Brighter Child & Rainbow Resource Center)

Excellent reference book with great graphics that is a useful addition to any history course.  The book shows the timeline period being covered at the top of each page and the pages below explain about the empires around the world within that time period.  Changes to those empires are explained as the time period progresses.

·         Timetables of History: A Historical Linkage of People and Events (Vendor:A Brighter Child & Rainbow Resource Center)

A useful history reference book to own or view at the library that allows you to see what was happening year by year in terms of people and events within six categories:  history/politics, religion/philosophy, visual arts, music, science, daily life.  Can be used to identify related topics to study within the year or time period.

·         History Pockets (Vendor:  Evan-Moor; A Brighter Child; Rainbow Resource Center)
The Evan-Moor History Pockets are a great supplemental resource for any history curriculum.  They can be used in their entirety or 1-2 activities can be pulled from them to enrich a curriculum.  More information about the Evan-Moor History Pockets can be found on our website by going to,   http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/curriculum/gencurres/curric/HI_6-12/hi_sup_6-12.dwt

·         STAR CST’s and End-of-Course Tests – Prepare Your Students!

ü  In addition to math and ELA, all students will take their first history STAR California Standards Test (CST) in 8th grade that covers the standards for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.  

ü   Students will also take their first science STAR CST in 5th grade that covers the science standards for 4th and 5th grade. 

ü  Students in high school typically take an end-of-course test in the year they take their course, with the exception being a Life Science CST in 10th grade and a US History CST in 11th grade.

·         Online Vendors to Consider
To locate the more popular online curriculum vendors (not a complete list), go to http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/curriculum/vendor/vendor_info_index.dwt
Do not obtain online product pricing from the vendor’s website. 
Instead, 1.) look first in the PO Notes, 2.) then look on this link, 3.) then ask for help, curriculum@ieminc.org .

·         Ordering Textbooks

When ordering textbooks, email Shelley Ross, curriculum@ieminc.org, for help.  She will get you the link to the information you need.

 

d) Vendors: SSCS  OGCS

 

e) GEA:

SSCS:

ü  Feb. 11th-King Tut

ü  March 17th-Raley Field Home Run Tour

ü  May 14th-Beauty and the Beast at the B Street Theater. 

ü  All GEA’s are filled up!

OGCS:

 

5) ES Networking

a) Watch the History product Webex together as a group and do discussion sheets/questions. (Print out and bring the Discussion Guide with you:

http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/10agendassog/Feb10/Historynotes22010.pdf

b) Discuss help needed from each other for textbook ideas, CP classes, tutors, and other curriculum. and share peer tips.

 

6) Good Ideas from ESs from January meetings:

*How to use the checklists on the grading. We discussed and decided that these should be focused on how best to give some constructive guidance to the parent and student. We also discussed the fact that these are also useful for the ES to be able to explain the rubric score that the student received.

*Please ask students, in the future, to only write on one side of the paper since it makes it more awkward for copying.

* Print the monthly quiz from the agenda and as you read through the agenda answer the quiz questions prior to opening it up in webfiles.

*Highly recommended tutor I have used for math in the greater Sacramento area is listed under vendors as “Well-on-the-Road”.

* Great Social Studies websites:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/11/gk2/  Full Lesson Plans and activities

http://www.softschools.com   Good for All areas

http://www.kinderprintables.com/socialstudies.htm  A place you can make maps

http://atozteacherstuff.com/  Good printable lessons

www.HistoryAtOurHouse.com  ( can print out history lessons and worksheet)

http://www.pocanticohills.org/olympics/winterolympics.htm