Curriculum & Instruction
Elementary Principals
The C&I Department is seeking participants to engage in a cadre that will reevaluate our current phonics resource. More information and the application can be found here: https://forms.gle/U5eFcB5ZFnwAqTgRA Please contact allison.rice@kckps.org with any questions you may have.
Secondary Principals
Part of Friday IC PL over the next four weeks, Instructional Coaches will be involved in content-based PLCs addressing the overarching question of How do we become an assessment-literate district? The purpose of this PLC work is to create understanding around how all the different assessments in our system work together and can be leveraged to support different areas of student need, particularly in terms of helping teachers recognize where student evidence occurs and leveraging that evidence when determining next steps in instruction and learning.
We will also be focused on the following coaching strategies to increase our understanding and actions as we become Student Centered Coaches:
October 16 :
Unpacking our understanding of the Noticing and Naming coaching technique that can be used during co-teaching and assigned observations
October 23:
Noticing and Naming practice and feedback triads
October 30:
Using teacher friendly data in your coaching cycles. Supporting Student Centered Coaching Core Practice #2: Coaching involves regular analysis of student work and #3: Coaching is driven by evidence of student learning
As always, administrators are welcome to join us in any of our IC PL sessions. Please contact jennifer.kramer@kckps.org or tiffany.judkins@kckps.org for more information.
FastBridge Information
Please remember that the FastBridge Universal Screener is OPTIONAL for the fall testing window. As we find our plate quite full with remote learning, consider what is best for your students and staff right now. If you choose to opt into Fastbridge, please contact the DERA team with questions regarding the administration of the assessment.
| Who are my Fastbridge contacts?
User Access: Nathan Harris & Sam Bradshaw Connectivity: TIS Help Desk |
ESOL/Migrant Services
ILP: The Individual Language Plan (ILP) window is open and will close on October 30th. The Frontline training is available through this linkor by the title ESOL – ILP Updating Webinar. Teachers and ESL support staff that are completing the ILP will need to participate in the Frontline training. Due to the fact that we do not have KELPA scores teachers will be monitoring and updating ILPs in Infinite Campus. This means that students’ language proficiency score will be the same as the 2019-20 school year. Newly identified ESOL students will have an ILP initiated with their pre-screener language proficiency levels. The purpose of the ILP is to be directly connected to instruction. The ILP should guide a teacher with their Tier 1 instruction and the students should engage with their language proficiency goals. The ILP form will close on October 30th end of day. Should questions arise please reach out to an ESL Instructional Coach or Jacqueline Rodriguez, Director of ESOL & Migrant Programs.
On Track Videos: The Bilingual Advocates and Outreach workers have started a weekly video series highlighting important information. These videos are recorded in Spanish, Burmese, Nepali, Karen, Swahili, and Kinyarwanda. The On Track videos are shared every Monday through social media covering important topics such as Parent Assurance documents. The Advocates and Outreach Workers are also spreading awareness of these videos to families they connect with daily. These videos are available to share with families weekly and we encourage buildings to share these with our multilingual families.
KCKPS Police Department
At each school the principal and their designated secretary will have the ability to enroll new users. Designated building administrators will be issued a password. The first time principal and their designated secretary login you should go to the user’s tab on the left, find your name in the search bar, and scroll down and change your password. When enrolling staff members, the username should be the same as the first part of your district email account. (i.e. Nancy.Smith) When enrolling a staff member, you should first search the name in the search bar at the upper right corner. If the user doesn’t appear you can scroll down to the + add user button at the bottom. This is covered in the videos and PDF reference sheet.
There is a video and PDF file on Frontline for the principal and their designated secretary to understand how to enroll staff and enter new users. A quick reference PDF can be printed for principal and designated secretary to use as a reference guide. If there is not a computer within eyesight of the “Training Only of Enrolling Station” device it is best to take a laptop so the principal and designated secretary can watch the enrollee place their finger. Once enrolled the staff member will be able to activate the system at any device in the building they are assigned.
- NOTE: Frontline training presentation will be open for the time frame of October 13th through October 23rd for completion.
- Open Frontline
- Learning Plan
- Manage; SAFEDEFEND™ Admin Training
- Launch activity:
- Print Enrollment Procedures and Best Practices PDF for reference
- Webinar SAFEDEFEND™ Enrollment Training
SAFEDEFEND™ team and police staff are available to assist if you have questions or concerns the week of October 26th – 30th. If you would like to set up an appointment to have a someone video conference or assist on site with the initial set up please contact policesupport@kckps.org or doug@safedefend.com. We are scheduled for system go live Monday, November 2, 2020.
SAFEDEFEND™ All Staff:
The SAFEDEFEND™ system has been installed across the district. The system is designed to be used in the event of a hostile intruder on campus. Upon activation the system will alert KCKPS Police of the school and hallway where a threat has been identified. At the same time siren/strobes in the hallways alert occupants/students/staff to initiate the emergency action plan and to lockdown. Also, text and emails alerts go out to all staff in that building so they have more information about the threat. Building administrators across the district will also receive a text so they can secure their own school until the situation is resolved and the all clear is issued by the district.
The system has two (2) primary components that staff will interact with for operation.
- In the event of an emergency the activation station (white/orange boxes located throughout buildings) can be used to activate the alarm by placing your fingerprint on a module in the hallway (DO NOT USE the hallway device except in a actual emergency). The biometrics allow only pre-enrolled staff to activate the system. This eliminates malicious or unintentional activation by students or visitors.
- In every building there is a “Training Only Enrolling Station”. Generally, these are located in the work rooms, teacher’s lounges or front office area. They are clearly marked with yellow tape. Staff will interact with these devices to enroll and periodically test their own fingerprints. You may place your finger on this reader as many times as you like until you are satisfied how to activate the system. A display above the reader will show the name, phone number, and email of the user. If the information is inaccurate or needs updating please contact the school principal/secretary so they can correctthe information. Note: The “Training Only Enrolling Station” devices will never initiate an emergency condition.
- All staff shall watch the Frontline training videos regarding the SAFEDEFEND™ system and activation. These videos include information on how to activate the system, what to do in an emergency and the police response to a threat on campus.
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- We will send out information on this SAFEDEFEND™ training activity when it becomes available.
SafeDefend Enrollment Guide PDF
Nutritional Services
You are being asked to take part in a research study that has been reviewed and approved by your school district. This study is being conducted at UMKC. The researcher in charge of this study is Dr. Matthew Chrisman. While the study will be run by him other qualified persons who work with him may act for him. The study is titled “MENU-KC COVID-19 School Response Survey.” The study team is asking you to take part in this research study because you are a staff member at USD500. This study will ask about how COVID-19 affected your school, and your school’s plans for this upcoming year
If you consent to participating, you will be one of approximately 92 subjects in the study at UMKC. Those who complete the online survey will have the option to receive a $20 gift card to Target for participating. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. To protect against a potential breach of confidentiality of the information you provide, the research team will only present data from this study in the aggregate so that individuals cannot be identified. Your name and email will not be linked to survey responses. Data collected from this study will be stored in a locked and secure location with access limited to only the researchers. If you decide to withdraw from the study, any data collected will not be used in later research procedures. The researchers will not provide any of your information to a third party. You can access the electronic survey at the link below:
https://redcap.umkc.edu/surveys/?s=D8FAN4ARNF
You should contact the Office of UMKC’s Institutional Review Board at 816-235-5927 if you have any questions, concerns or complaints about your rights as a research subject. You may call the researcher Matthew Chrisman at 816-235-5709 if you have any questions about this study. You may also email him (chrismanms@umkc.edu) if any problems come up.
Payroll
We are aware there has been confusion around how to properly record timesheets for teachers teaching additional sections or covering for absences/vacancies. IIOs, HR, and Finance leadership have met to discuss, and we would like to provide the following guidance. We hope this helps to clarify, but please fee free to reach out to your IIO or HR/Finance with any questions.
6-12
- Teachers who are teaching extra sections should submit only the hours they are teaching that course. If a section is 90 minutes long, they would submit their timesheet for 1.5 hours only for days that class meets. Timesheets should continue to be submitted for the 1st-15th and 16th-end of the month.
P-5
- If a teacher is covering for a partial day due to an absence, they should submit only the portion of the day they were responsible for those students. Do not include planning time in the hours claimed. If they are covering <65% of a class, they will be paid at half their regular hourly rate. If they are covering >65%, they will be paid their full regular hourly rate. The teacher must select either < or > 65% for each day when submitting their timesheet.
- If a teacher is covering a second class group for an entire day, or multiple days, they should submit sub timesheets for the entire contract day, minus planning time of 225 minutes per week (45 minutes per day). In this example, we would expect to see no more than 7.25 hours submitted per day. If they are covering <65% of a class, they will be paid at half their regular hourly rate. If they are covering >65%, they will be paid their full regular hourly rate. The teacher must select either < or > 65% for each day when submitting their timesheet.
We understand vacancies at select campuses have increased the need for this sub coverage duty, and we are happy to support you. Our goal is to be fair and consistent will all teachers across the system. Your IIO will be following up with you on plans to address vacancies in the coming days. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns.
Special Education
October is Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) awareness month. It is a time to raise awareness around augmentative and alternative communicaion used by people with complex communication needs. Our district has more than 200 students who are using some form of AAC. We have one Assistive Technology Specialist in the cooperative, Emily Rose Patrick, and 47 other Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) that are also very knowledgeable about AAC usage, support and training for students and staff.
Here are a couple quick resources that can be shared with staff either in the principals email or in other district sites.
AAC Google Slide Facts
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RGv-9x26dhjXiovx5LVBM67blQYsW9tdRZA_o4yxYS0/edit?usp=sharing
Types of AAC
https://www.aacpdm.org/UserFiles/file/IC2-Marx.pdf
Student Services
Bullying Prevention Plan REMINDER:
Bullying Prevention Site Action Plans are due to the Office of Student Services by October 31st. Within the Bullying Prevention Site Action Plan Folder, you will find your respective building’s template that we are asking be completed by October 31st, 2020. Please take out the blue examples and enter your building’s specific information in each section. When completing your action plan, think what protective factors do we have in place to reduce bullying? How do we include all members of our community in this?
Please also include any supporting documentation, which can be linked in your document, added to the folder (please label with building name and item title) or emailed to Tracie Chauvin.
Bullying Prevention Month:
We received the videos linked below to use during our October Bullying Prevention Month activities! Each video features a different Sporting KC player speaking on the Red Card KC partnership, how COVID has impacted bullying, and 6 tips for preventing bullying. Please share with your counselors, social workers, and BHT for their use during prevention activities.
Red Card Call it – Amadou Dia
Red Card Call It – Daniel Salloi
Red Card Call it– Illie Sanchez
Unity Day- October 21st
On October 21st, we will be recognizing Unity Day by having an Orange Out! Encourage your community to wear orange on October 21st. KCKPS graphics, promotional materials, and Unity Day Guide can be found here.