Administrators' Notice

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Constitution Day and Celebrate Freedom Week – for Building Administrators
Kansas College and Career Academic Readiness Assessment??- for All Administrators
Literacy Plans – for EC5 Principals

Constitution Day and Celebrate Freedom Week

From Don Gifford

The success of an individual may be linked to academic and technical education but the success of our nation and the survival of our culture is linked to our social studies education.

???Citizens are not born capable of ruling. They must be educated to rule wisely and fairly. They must be drawn out of the egotism of childhood and the privacy of their homes into the public world of democratic reasoning, deliberation and consensus. This requires not only civility, but knowledge and skill.???

Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States

Just a reminder that Wednesday September 17th is Constitution Day. This day has been designated by the Congress of the United States as the day when ???each educational institution that receives Federal funds for a fiscal year shall hold an educational program on the United States Constitution.??? (Federal Register /Vol. 70, No. 99 /Tuesday, May 24, 2005 /Notices) Click here for Federal Register.

Remember that we also have a state requirement that all K -8 graders celebrate freedom for a full week in their classrooms. (KSA Article 11:72-1130 and KAR 91-31-32) which includes a study of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and other founding documents. Click here for link to statute.

Following is a link to helpful resources for all grade levels: HGSS Resources Page. Scroll down to Celebrate Freedom Resources PDF.

Kansas College and Career Academic Readiness Assessment

From Dr. Randy Watson, State Commissioner of Education

On Tuesday, September 8, the Kansas State Board of Education will vote whether to approve the recommended cut scores set for the new state assessment students took earlier this spring. Once the board approves the recommended cut scores, KSDE will present the statewide aggregate assessment results. In advance of this presentation, we have prepared the following talking points about the new assessment and the new performance levels to assist with the development of your district-level messaging. We will provide additional resources throughout the timeline (included within the talking points below) established for the release of assessment results.

Our sincerest thanks to you and your staff for all you do to make Kansas schools great. Please let us know if you have any questions regarding the information included in the link below.

http://www.ksde.org/Portals/0/Communications/Admin/OC_KSDE_09032015_EducatorTalkingPoints.pdf

Literacy Plans

From EC5 Executive Directors
Literacy Plans are due September 18. Content Wednesday or Wednesday, September 16 might be a great opportunity to revise the plan with your staff, and decide what changes need to be made to incorporate the learning of the last few weeks, deepen the understanding of Writer???s Workshop, and ensure strong implementation of all of the components of the Big 3 +. We want to ensure that as we embark in the writing initiative, we continue to look for effective Interactive Read Alouds, Small Group Instruction and Monitored Independent Reading.

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Student Count reminder??- for All Principals

Counting Kids Workshop??- for All Principals

Student Count reminder

From Bridgette DeSmet

The next student count will take place on Tuesday, September 8.

Counting Kids Workshop

From Bridgette DeSmet

Principals and any staff involved with the student count should attend the Counting Kids Workshop. At least one representative from each school must be in attendance.

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Complimentary tickets to JCCC show with bus subsidy??- for Elementary Principals

Complimentary tickets to JCCC show with bus subsidy

From Jodie Lin

Tickets are available for the production “Toying With Science” on 9/17/15 at 9:45 a.m. (grades 2-5). For tickets, call the box office directly and give them the code, ???aecomp??? for the “Toying with Science” school show. The box office is open Mon ??? Fri, 10:00 ??? 5:00pm.

For bus subsidy, contact Angel Mercier, Education Program Director at: amercier@jccc.edu

To read about the program: http://www.jccc.edu/performing-arts-series/arts-education/index.html

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Contests Aim to Put the Brakes on Fatalities??- for??Principals (elementary and middle)

Contests Aim to Put the Brakes on Fatalities

From Kimberly Stich

This is an FYI – This information has been forwarded to all elementary and middle school teachers.

Entry deadlines are less than three weeks away for poster and video contests that educate youth on increasing safety and reducing traffic fatalities as part of Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day.

Kansas kids ages 5 to 13 are encouraged to enter artwork in the 14th annual poster contest. Poster entries must be postmarked by Friday, Sept. 18.
Three statewide winners will receive family packages at the Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City and $50 Visa cards from the Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association of Kansas. A total of 18 winners in the six regions and age groups (ages 5-7, ages 8-10 and ages 11-13) will each receive a bicycle and a helmet donated by Safe Kids Kansas.

Kansas teens in grades 8-12 can submit a 6- to 60-second video in the new contest to educate drivers on safe road behaviors. Video entries must be posted by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20. Prizes include an Apple Watch, iPad and a Go Pro. The booster club of the schools??? winners will receive a $500 donation.

For more details and entry forms for both contests, go to KDOT???s website: www.ksdot.org.

2014 Poster Contest Winners

Northeast Kansas ??? Casen Dalinghaus, Seneca; Ashley Ortiz-Vizueth, Topeka; and Alexys Wemchoff, Topeka.

North Central Kansas ??? Emily Beikmann, Clifton; Lindsay Mueller, Palmer; and Ricardo Cardenas, Greenleaf.

Northwest Kansas ??? Blaire Beougher, Stockton; Conner Miller, Gorham; and Taylor Stein, Hoxie.

Southeast Kansas ??? Payton Bowling, Ft. Scott; Abigail Balson, Coffeyville; and Avah Shacklett, Burlington.

South Central Kansas ??? Von Woleslagel, Hutchinson; Eleanor Rodriguez, Wichita; and Elle Barker, El Dorado.

Southwest Kansas – Dallas Sherman, Meade; Ethan Hirschfeld, Dodge City; and Jessica Angulo, Garden City.

2013 Poster Contest Winners

Northeast Kansas ??? Laura Edelman, Sabetha; Reagan de Koning, Axtell; Heather Kahler, Meriden

North Central Kansas ??? Jada Eilert, Jewell; Ava Brunsell, McPherson; Hannah Wuertz, McPherson

Northwest Kansas ??? Dashiell Brown, Quinter; Jessica Schroeder, Victoria; Kallie Leiker, Hays

Southeast Kansas ??? Tucker Leck, Neodesha; Shelby Jones, Ottawa; Riley Brown, Humboldt

South Central Kansas ??? Chevy DeBusk, Haven; Kendall Schoenhals, Haven; Blaire Haley, Arkansas City

Southwest Kansas – Bristin Buttry, Plains; Bailey Scoggin, Garden City; Peter Hall, Garden City

2012 Poster Contest Winners

Northeast Kansas – Cresinda Bandel, Oskaloosa; Addison Mae Gehrt,??Westmoreland; Jacque Stroud, Topeka

North Central Kansas – Kady Toole, Washington; Leah Feldman, Gypsum; Eleanor Wiles, Gypsum

Northwest Kansas – Hayden Gottstine, Logan; Haylee Tien, Logan

Southeast Kansas – Kasey Paige Smith, Cherryvale; Anna Ecoff, Parsons; Riley Brown, Humboldt

South Central Kansas – Von Woleslagel, Hutchinson; Lauren Mason, Benton; Heather Woleslagel, Hutchinson

Southwest Kansas – Serra Clarke, Jetmore; Carson Linenberger, Garden City; Clara Jackson, Garden City

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Update on Literacy Audit and Needs Assessment??- for??Building Leaders, Building and District Literacy Leadership Teams

Update on Literacy Audit and Needs Assessment

From Dr. Cynthia Lane

I am pleased to share with you that we have contracted with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to repeat an audit of our literacy practices.?? The information gained from the audit will provide building literacy leadership teams and the district literacy council with current data that will inform our next steps, as we strive to ensure each student becomes a highly literate citizen.

The comprehensive audit will include visits to every school.?? Dr. Christine Rauscher will conduct the review.?? She is in the process of developing a schedule and will contact each of you with the specific date and time of her visit.?? Dr. Rauscher will be randomly selecting the classrooms to visit.

It is critical that Dr. Rauscher view our day-to-day practices. The data will provide that third point to understand the progress we have made, and assist us to frame next steps.?? Following the audit, the District Literacy Council will be examining the results and making necessary adjustments to the District Literacy Plan.

The audit is expected to take up to 5 months to complete.?? This time frame will include school and classroom visits, as well as the development of the audit report.

Please be mindful of special activities and events that you have planned when Dr. Rauscher calls to confirm the dates to visit your school.?? She will adjust accordingly.