The Principals’ Office newsletter has a new name:
Communications
Parents as Partners Workshops
Hello Principals,
We want to make you aware of the upcoming Virtual Parents as Partners Workshops we are hosting this year to address many of the questions parents have had about remote learning.
There will be a workshop in English and Spanish from 6:00 pm to 7:30 on Thursday, January 21st (English) and Wednesday, January 27th (Spanish).
We ask parents to register online at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpdeqtqDkiE9ck4jk03W2bzRGZpJBfU3UQ and to select the breakout sessions they want to attend in advance. After registering, they will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
The Communications Team is promoting the Virtual Parents as Partners Workshop through all of our communications platforms. We will be sending out another communication to parents this week through BrightArrow and want to make sure you all were aware of the upcoming workshops in case you receive calls from parents inquiring about the initiative.
Please feel free to contact the communications office if you have any questions.
Curriculum & Instruction
Elementary Principals
Re: Amplify Reading Pilot
The publisher for CKLA, Amplify, has offered our district a free trial of their adaptive reading program, Amplify Reading. This is available for all students K-5 and is already set up in Clever. Teachers and students should look for the orange Amplify tile. All students will begin with a diagnostic. Then, their first task is to create a “curioso” character to interact with the program. Once established, this program functions much like Moby Max or Freckle where students work independently and asynchronously. Teachers are able to monitor student progress in their teacher dashboard and can also access instructional resources. Please see the Google Doc below for additional information:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I5p2ZU_e8K2T5ml1OihzDo4ip8zF329qEmSETVw8_bA/edit?usp=sharing
Please contact allison.rice@kckps.org if you need additional information.
DERA
- The KAP Interim Window will run from 1/13 – 1/26. Please see the email from Samantha Bradshaw that contains information pertaining to logistics, and other details on this Interim testing. Please email samantha.bradshaw@kckps.org with any questions.
- The FastBridge screening window will now run from 1/25-2/12. Please see the FastBridge PD Folder link from this fall that was also shared in Thursday’s meeting for general information, and training materials from the October principal’s meeting. Nathan Harris also sent out documents related to this winter administration last week. Please email nathan.harris@kckps.org with any questions.
- Please note that ACT, WorkKeys, and Pre-ACT tests will all need to be conducted on-site. Enrollment verification lists for ACT and WorkKeys tests were sent out last week. Any corrections (additions, deletions) are due Wednesday, 1/13 to Ben. Please see the Kansas ACT web-site at https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/state-and-district-solutions/kansas/the-act.html for more information pertaining to testing, schedules, deadlines, and additional links to the WorkKeys and Pre-ACT sites. Emails have also been sent out from ACT concerning this administration. Please email benjamin.price@kckps.org with any questions.
Human Resources
Virtual Interview Day
Principals, Assistant Principals, and Supervisors!
Our KCKPS Recruitment Team is pleased to announce our next monthly Virtual Interview Day which will be held on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. We will interview teachers, substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, nurses, special education, and other immediate openings for the Spring 2021 semester and for the 2021/2022 school year simultaneously. If you are willing to assist in the interviews around your work schedule, please call Aaron Watkins, HR Recruiter at 913.706.5283 or Eric Tyler, HR Recruiter at 913.549.0153 and we can confirm the appointment times you may be available for our applicants. Thank you in advance for your assistance with these applicants.
Power Hour Reminder
Thank you for attending our 3rd HR Power Hour. We would encourage anyone who was able to attend to share with your colleagues that this is an available resource for them. We will be having our next zoom session January 14, 2020 from 9:30am – 10:30am. During this time any questions that Building Administrators or IIO’s may have they can ask our HR Staff. Also, from an HR Standpoint, we will share any announcements or updates we may have.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88158392580?pwd=aytwQUFhcUw2aWcySlF3SDYwMDArZz09
Meeting ID: 881 5839 2580
Passcode: 9DSMYt
Instructional Technology
KCKPS Mobile Minute – Live learning sessions, Edulastic Common Assessments, Designing Learning Module and much more!
Student Services
KCTC Updates – MS/HS
Thank you to each of you and your amazing staff as you continue to administer the KCTC survey through January 29th. We currently have 288 responses to the KCTC Survey, with 183 of those being from Wyandotte High School. If you have any questions or need support in implementing the KCTC in your school, please contact Tracie Chauvin.
Free Youth Mental Health First Aid Training Opportunity
KDHE is offering free, virtual Mental Health First aid training! MHFA is a skills based course that teaches about mental health issues. It focuses on how to identify, understand, and respond to mental health concerns. The Youth MHFA training is on February 2nd with registration required. Details for registration can be found here: Mental Health First Aid Training Flyer More information on the course can be found here: Youth Mental Health First Aid overview
Resources for Discussing Current Events
Please review and if you believe that these will be helpful in supporting our community, please feel free to share these with your building teams.
Responding to the Insurrection at the US Capitol How can I reflect on this and create a space to support students in reflecting on this event?
Resources for Teachers on the Days After the Attack on the US Capitol What should I do if…. Is a question that is often asked when we are put in positions that we may not feel fully equipped to manage. There is no one answer, but these resources may be useful in providing guidance.
10 Tips for Talking about News Politics and Current Events in Schools How might teachers facilitate a classroom discussion that allows students to express their perspectives and work through emotional distress?
Making the Most of Hot Moments in the Classroom A “hot moment” is a sudden eruption of tension or conflict in the classroom. How might you handle such a moment? How can it be used as an opportunity to advance our students’ learning?
Caring for Students in the Wake of a Traumatic News Event How can we help students unpack emotions in the wake of troubling news events in a way that clears space for learning?