Contents
Guidance on Second Quarter Grades for Teachers – for Elementary Administrators
Kidzone Open and Close Dates (Winter Break) – for District Staff and Kidzone Parents
Spring 2016 State Testing Information – for Administrators and Teacher Leaders
STAR Teacher Nomination Packets Due January 14, 2016 – for Certified Administrators and HR
ELPA21 Information – for All Administrators and ESL Staff
Guidance on Second Quarter Grades for Teachers
From Alan King
This is a copy of an email that went out today to teachers. You do not need to forward this to them. This is just your copy.
Gudiance on Second Quarter Grades
Grades for the elementary report cards are to be submitted by 5:00 pm on December 18. At that time, report cards will be downloaded and verified before being sent to the printer.
Scores on the report card should be based on where students should be at this point in the year in achievement of the standards, not on where the students should be by the end of the year. Grades should also address from the beginning of the year until this point. The Pinnacle system will automatically calculate this.
The building counselor or the principal???s designee will check to be sure that behavior and effort grades are completed for every student. Whether or not grades are to be finalized is up to the principal.
During this second quarter, the GVC (pacing) guides show that all not all standards (and as a result not all domains) have been addressed. If the standards of a domain have not been addressed, then it is inappropriate to enter a score for that domain and it should be left blank. (The Pinnacle system will automatically populate blank domains with NA???do not enter anything.)
It is important that you complete all areas of the report card for which you are responsible. Any blanks will automatically be filled with NA at the domain level (which is what appears on the report cards). Remembering to complete the three areas listed below before finalizing your report cards will provide a clearer picture for parents.
1. EFFORT–Effort has to be completed for ALL Content areas. An NA in effort is not appropriate. You have to enter Effort through the Domain section of EACH CONTENT TAB in the grade book. Using the drop down menu within a specific content, change it from Assignments to Learning Standards???Domain. The effort column is the last one listed in the domain area. Symbols or numbers may used in the following scale:
??? + or 2 Above the expected amount of effort
??? = or 1 Expected amount of effort
??? – or 0 More Effort is needed
??? If you enter numbers, the system will convert them to the appropriate symbol.
??? The number 3 is not used in the effort scale.
2. BEHAVIOR–Behavior has to be completed by the Homeroom Teacher of the student. An NA in any behavior area is not appropriate. You have to enter Behavior through the Domain section of the 1(Y) Homeroom Tab in the grade book. Using the drop down menu within a 1(Y) Homeroom, change it from Assignments to Learning Standards???Domain. There are six areas that are to be completed using the following scale:
??? + or 2 Above the expected amount of effort
??? = or 1 Expected amount of effort
??? – or 0 More Effort is needed
??? If you enter numbers, the system will convert them to the appropriate symbol.
??? The number 3 is not used in the effort scale.
You can find most of the answers to your questions around the grade book at FAQs for the Pinnacle Gradebook Page at https://goo.gl/7y4TCw
Kidzone open and close dates (Winter Break)
From Daryel Garrison
This notice is to inform district staff and Kidzone parents. Kidzone will be closed from Monday, December 21st, 2015 through January 1st. Kidzone will resume on Monday, January 4th, 2016.
Spring 2016 State Testing Information
From David Rand
We have been receiving inquiries regarding the timeline for providing detailed information on the Spring 2016 Kansas Assessment Program (KAP). Details have not been distributed to the field at this time because the details of the state assessment this spring are still changing and being updated. We would like to avoid providing the field with information that later is found to have changed or been incorrect. As a result, our plan is to distribute the Examiner’s Manual along with a detailed Power Point presentation of the manual when students return from break. There will be a formal training session in February for principals and their building test coordinator.
Attached to this notice, however, you will find a one-page overview of the Spring 2016 Kansas Assessment Program (KAP). Please note that this was updated on 12/4 and is still subject to changes and updates. This overview will provide the number of sessions, approximate testing times, need not test dates for entering students and additional information for each component of the 2016 KAP.
We appreciate your patience and understanding of why information has not yet been released. We are hopeful that there will not be any more major changes or updates to the information we provide in early January.
If you have any questions regarding this information, please do not hesitate to contact David Rand in DERA. Thank you very much!!!!!
STAR Teacher Nomination Packets Due January 14, 2016
From Gail Marie Taylor, PHR
Hi All,
Many thanks to all of you that have provided the name of the Teacher from your building that you would like to nominate as STAR Teacher for 2016.
The next step in the process is for the teachers to start completing the nomination packet with your assistance. I’ve attached a copy nomination packet for your reference and it will be emailed to the teachers under separate cover.
Thanks!
Gail Marie
ELPA21 Information
From Kristen Scott
Attached is a fast facts sheet on what we presently know about ELPA21. As the state releases more information we will inform the system.