Thursday, October 22, 2015

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Update on Evaluations in iObservation – for All Administrators

Update on Evaluations in iObservation

From Shelly Beech
We know the November 6 evaluation due date is fast approaching. We want to give you an update on the Evaluation form in iObservation. The Evaluation tab is on the website. It was placed there prematurely and we want to review the format carefully before sending it out to the system. We are going to have the tab taken down until it can be reviewed; however, the plan will be to have it back up by Wednesday, October 28. We would ask that you not go in to the system to complete an evaluation as the format may change. We will send out another notice with directions for completing the evaluation to you next week.
Thank you for your patience with this process.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

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New Directions Employee Assistance Program – Stress Tool – for All Administrators
Elementary GVC Feedback Survey for Instructional Window 1 – for Elementary Administrators (please share with all teachers)

New Directions Employee Assistance Program – Stress Tool

From Bob Wilcox
New Directions Behavioral Health provides assistance to Kansas City, Kansas School District employees. New Directions, our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), is dedicated to helping people find a healthy balance and improve health through positive change. They offer managed behavioral healthcare, employee assistance, organizational consulting, and health coaching programs. As you know, the forthcoming winter months and holidays may be stressful time period for some of our employees. Please consider sharing information regarding the new ???Stress Toolkit??? from New Directions with your employees.
Help Your Employees Reduce Stress This Quarter:
This quarter, help your employees assess their stress and improve their health by promoting the New Directions Stress Toolkit. Engaging with the online tool can help employees understand the impact of stress on their happiness and productivity at work or home. In the toolkit, employees can find:
??? Stress Assessment: understand your levels of stress and its impact on your life with an online assessment.
??? Personal stress resources: learn to make improvements in your daily life around communication, finances, mind, body, parenting, relaxation and resiliency.
??? Stress apps: download apps designed to reduce your stress, including breathing methods, deep relaxation, meditation tools and a stress tracker.
??? Professional stress tools: discover strategies for better managing your stress at work with focus on conflict resolution, navigating change, time management and balancing work
and life.
Visit ndbh.com for more information on New Directions or a direct link to the Stress Toolkit for employees is www.ndbh.com/eap?il=kckps
Employees wanting more information about New Directions or wanting to connect with resources may also call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – (800) 624-5544 or (816)237-2352.

Elementary GVC Feedback Survey for Instructional Window 1

From Suzie Legg
The Curriculum Department is seeking your feedback around our current Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum (GVC), specifically the Unit Learning Goals and Performance Tasks. This feedback will be requested at the conclusion of each instructional window and will be used to inform the future design of these elements within the GVC.

This survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete. Specific feedback versus general will be most helpful. Thank you for your thoughtful feedback.

You can access the feedback form via this link – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/1516iw1

The form will be open through Friday, October 23rd.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Contents

ESL Announcements – for All Principals
Furlough Reminder Notice – for All Administrators

ESL Announcements

From Kristen Scott
In our ESL department professional learning on October 9th we went over MAP data. Your ESL staff will be creating a plan for your building and they will then present it to you. We ask that you help them refine the plan based on your building priorities. The deadline for submitting the plan will be mid second quarter; and a template will be provided to the ESL staff.

We also clarified that aides and translators are not to be translating instructional materials; this is not our program. If you have specific questions about this please email Kristen Scott.

Furlough Reminder Notice

From David A. Smith
The attached communication from Dr. Lane is being sent to all staff electronically. Building administrators, please print off, copy and distribute to all staff who do not have regular and consistent access to e-mail. Thanks!