Curriculum & Instruction
All K-12 Administrators
FastBridge is Coming!
FastBridge is a suite of universal screeners and progress monitoring tools in reading, math and behavior designed to help teachers screen, monitor student progress, and analyze skills in grades K-12.
FastBridge has multiple benefits, such as:
- universal screeners to determine students’ strengths and deficits
- progress monitoring to frequently assess student skills
- adaptive, computer-based measures
- teacher-administered assessments
- behavior assessments with numeric value and ranges
- reports for staff and parents
- Intervention connections for tiered supports
FastBridge screeners are administered three times a year for all students in grades K-12—fall, winter, and spring—because student performance can change drastically across the school year. A student may need support in the fall, but no longer require the added resources in the winter. Likewise, a student may score well in the fall, but struggle later in the year. FastBridge helps teachers make informed decisions about intervention throughout the entire year at the school, class, and individual student level. More specifics about how KCKPS will administer these assessments in remote learning are coming soon.
All EC-12 Administrators
Student-Centered Coaching Update ~ free electronic resource
Beginning in the Fall of 2020, Student-Centered Coaching was named as the model of coaching for KCKPS by Matt Andersen, Interim Assistant Superintendent. Author and creator of the student-centered coaching model, Diane Sweeney, has developed a free electronic resource for districts that are providing instruction in a remote setting. This resource includes guidance on the model itself, as well as adaptations for remote learning.
The student-centered coaching model centers on these principles:
- Keeps a focus on student learning and mastery rather than on teacher performance
- Aligns coaching cycles and coaching conversations to standards outlined in the GVC
- Gauges progress through measurement embedded in the student outcomes and visible evidence of student mastery
Federal Programs
Title I Principals (ALL Elementary and Middle Schools)
ALL Title I Principals must sign and submit their school’s Title I Schoolwide Supplemental Form by close of business on Monday, 9/28/20. The report has already been written for you and all assurance boxes have been selected (you’re welcome J). You will need to sign, date, and click Save and Send for Review in order for your plan to be submitted to KSDE. To locate the form, use the following steps:
- Log in to KansaStar and go to your homepage.
- On the bottom left-hand side of homepage, click the triangle to the right of Complete Forms to open the drop-down menu.
- On the left-hand side under Forms, click the Title I Schoolwide Supplemental Form.
- Open the form, scroll to the bottom of the page.
- Sign, date, and click Save and Send for Review.
Principals, Department Managers, Title IX Coordinators/Investigators
Curtis Nicholson, former Deputy Chief with our KCKPS Police Department, has transitioned to the Federal Programs Team as the new District Title IX Investigator. We’re excited for Curtis to join the team and believe his previous experience with the KCK and KCKPS Police Departments enables him to bring a deep expertise to the Title IX district framework. Stay tuned for more information regarding his contact information and how the Title IX procedures will be adjusted to include our newest team member!
Important REMINDERS from Title IX Coordinator/Investigator Trainings
- Immediate Reporting of Alleged Title IX Misconduct to District Title IX Coordinator is required. Any alleged misconduct that is sexual in nature must be screened through the Title IX grievance process. As a reminder from our district Title IX Coordinator/Investigator training, please contact Lisa Walker immediately upon receiving any report that falls into this category (See #1, #2, and #3 on the KCKPS Title IX Reporting & Investigation Procedures). This immediate consultation enables us to tighten alignment across departments and involve Human Resources regarding any potential leave that might need to occur, as well as other departments that might need to provide immediate support for student-on-student issues.
- Please be thorough in completing the Incident Report form and checking for missed entries prior to submitting. Your report should tell the complete story of the initial inquiry and provide all information, for any individual who knows nothing about the situation, to understand what the initial problem was and what steps were taken to accurately assess the initial problem and ensure supportive measures were put into place.
- Incident Report and Complaint Forms should be emailed to TitleIX@kckps.org and copied to your supervisor and IIO, if applicable.
- There should be nothing entered on the form after the PAUSE for Preliminary Assessment section. Entries in this section occur AFTER the Building/Department Title IX Coordinator submits to the District Title IX Coordinator, who will make the decision on how the investigation will proceed.
Fine Arts (IARC)
Elementary and Middle School Principals
ARTS INTEGRATION
Principals,
Please share the attached information with all teachers in your building. In the past, IARC paid for homeroom/core teachers to attend a local arts-integration symposium. The workshop is now going virtual and will be free. The first session is October 7th or 8th. See the attachment.
An arts-integration learning experience points out and explores natural and relevant connections between a subject of focus (math, ELA, science, social studies, etc.) and an art discipline. It moves beyond arts-enhanced learning to engage participants in rigorous artistic practice that helps participants gain insight into and understanding of the connected subject and, ideally, gain deeper insight into and understanding of the art form through the connected subject.
In addition to the October session, there will be virtual sessions in November, January and March.
Please forward this flyer to all of your teachers.
PE (IARC)
Principals
IARC will be working with the communications team to put out a message via Bright Arrow and other platforms regarding our PE curriculum and the need to collect parent signatures for consent. We attempted to collect signatures when we deployed materials at all of our building sites, but the results were poor.
IARC now has clearance to collect an electronic signature from parents to opt in or opt out of the following curriculum topics
- puberty (5th grade) information
- Reducing the Risk (8th-9th grade)
- Making a Difference (9th grade)
Print Shop
If you are not aware, the print shop can make directional wall/floor signs for your sites if you would like to support preparing your buildings for staff/students.
We are getting many inquiries through the Shop/Storeroom; you can order directly through the Print Shop as they would normally order a print job.
Student Services
Trauma Sensitive Tuesdays (bi-weekly)
The next Trauma Sensitive Tuesday will be Tuesday, September 29th at 12pm. We will be focusing on wellness/self care and have some great presenters! Staff can register via Crowdcast and it can be found on Frontline. All sessions are recorded for staff to view on-demand as well.
SIT Building Coordinator Information
As we have moved into the 20-21 school year, thank you to those who have updated their SIT Building Coordinator information in the spreadsheet sent out. An email went out this week with SIT Building Coordinator role/responsibility information and building coordinators will get an email next week with our first meeting date included. If you did not receive an email and feel you should have, please contact Tracie Chauvin at tracie.chauvin@kckps.org.
KCTC
KCTC login information to view prior year’s data was sent out this week to all secondary building principals. This is great data and information to utilize within your building leadership and behavioral health teams. If you did not receive this email please contact Tracie Chauvin attracie.chauvin@kckps.org.
Family Advocacy
Family Advocacy is rapidly approaching and we are pleased to announce that we will continue to provide interpreter support during Family Advocacy scheduled for Friday, October 9th. However, due to COVID-19, we will unable to provide schools with student volunteers and/or on-site interpreters. We will be providing interpretation services via over-the-phone and the ESOL/Migrant Department will also be available to help facilitate video/zoom calls as needed.
Please share the attached instructions to utilize Propio over-the-phone services to your building staff. For all video/zoom call requests be sure to fill out this Interpreter Request Form. It is imperative that interpreters are provided with the zoom information, Link and password prior to the meeting. Please make sure all interpreter requests are submitted by Monday, October 5th.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. Feel free to contact Naomi Tolentino if you have any questions.
Attend to Achieve (A2A)
The A2A Team and TIS have been working on a solution for fixing the attendance for students who were marked absent in Infinite Campus even though Daily Meaningful Contact was made by a teacher. We are scheduling a mandatory training for all secretaries on the next steps for making those necessary changes. That meeting will be held on Monday, September 28th, 2020 at 2:00pm. Principals are invited to attend. The meeting will be recorded for later viewing.
If a parent/guardian has received a Truancy notification, please contact Naomi Tolentino (naomi.tolentino@kckps.org) immediately.