Leadership Matters January 2017

Edition

Announcement

LOTE Proclamation 2017

Middle/High School Chinese, French, German and Spanish Publisher Showcase

THE State Board of Education (SBOE) has issued the LOTE Proclamation of 2017 and calls for

instructional materials in the subject areas of Middle/High School Chinese, French, German

and Spanish. Instructional materials adopted under this Proclamation are scheduled to be

implemented beginning the 2017-2018 school year.

Please join us as publishers will be available to review their materials. Don’t miss out on this

one time opportunity!

Who: Administrators, Campus Textbook Representatives, Teachers & Parents

Where: SISD District Service Center, 12440 Rojas Drive El Paso, Texas 79928

When: Saturday January 21, 2017

Time: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

The Power of Visual Notetaking

By Sherrill Knezel

December 28, 2016

As teachers, we may never know the breadth or depth of impact we have on our students, but sometimes we are fortunate enough to learn that we have shared something valuable with our colleagues. It is even more exciting to find out that a colleague has, in turn, shared that technique or tool with her students.

To continue reading click here: http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2016/12/28/the-power-of-visual-notetaking.html

Instructional Rounds

Instructional Rounds on

January 23-24 have

been cancelled. The

most current and up to

date schedule can be

accessed here. If you

should have any

questions, please

contact Dr. Holly Fields

at 433-8442 or

hfield@sisd.net.

PowerWalks

Module 3 Training

As a reminder, Module

3 PowerWalks Training is

scheduled for

January 10-13, 2017

here at the DSC. All

campus administrators

should register for one

of the available 8

sessions. Sean Cain will

be here to share with us

how we can use our

PowerWalks data to

coach teachers in their

use of high yield

practices, The

Fundamental 5, and

Rigor/

Relevance. Course

registration is available

under the course

code: PwrWalks.

Many thanks to all of you for your support in getting Impact Aid survey forms turned in from your students.

The District greatly benefits from this effort, both in additional funding received from the U.S. Department of

Education and through eligibility to apply for more funding through the Department of Defense and the

Army. The Impact Aid application is due January 31, 2017, so you may still turn in forms in January and be

credited.

Again, we THANK YOU for your aid in collecting and coding these Impact Aid surveys. Together, #TeamSISD

provides Endless Opportunities!

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Tech News

Technology Advisory Committee – January 24, 2017

The purpose of the Socorro ISD's Technology Advisory Committee is to provide teachers from every campus

with an active role in providing feedback to current and future technology-related activities that impact our

district’s classrooms. Campus representatives and principals will receive an email calling for agenda items on

January 17. The next meeting will be held January 24, 2017 at 4:30 at the DSC in the HR Orientation Room. The

Department of Technology Services looks forward to have campus input to support our Future Ready district.

Texas STaR Chart Assessment – January 19 - February 10, 2017

The Texas School Technology and Readiness (STaR) Chart gauges progress in meeting the recommendations

in the state’s Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020. The STaR Chart was developed around the

following four key areas of the Long-Range Plan:

Additionally, the data collected is used for the SISD Community Engagement Survey and allows the district to

apply for additional state and federal funding. Below are important dates to keep in mind:

January 19, 2017: Principals will be provided information and direction during the Leadership meeting

January 20 - February 3, 2017: Window for teachers complete the Teacher StaR Chart

February 3-10, 2017: Campus principals complete the Campus StaR Chart

Teaching and Learning • Leadership, Administration, and Instructional Support

• Educator Preparation and Development • Infrastructure for Technology

Grant News

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Early Childhood News

Coming up in January for Early Childhood:

Istation Middle of Year Testing: January 9 – January 20, 2017

SISD Mathematics Middle of Year Assessment (TCM): January 23 – January 27, 2017

Please note: Campuses may use these two assessments in place of the 3 and 6 week checkpoints for the 3rd nine

weeks for Reading and Math only. All 3 and 6 week checkpoints for 3rd 9 weeks will still be made available.

PreKindergarten Grant money has been made available for Curriculum and Instruction. We are looking into

the following resources for PreKindergarten Classrooms:

Professional Development and Materials

Managing Centers

Shared Writing for Preschoolers

Hands-On Mathematics

Parental Engagement

Ready Rosie

Learning Resources

IstartSmart

Furniture

Exchanging large rectangular elementary tables for small PreK tables for better classroom

management of centers

Thank you to our PreKindergarten Advisory Committee for your input!

Together, we will continue to provide a High Quality PreK program in SISD.

ELAR News

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Elementary Reading Interventions:

One of the most important things to remember about reading interventions is that the lessons must be

presented in a different way than it was during whole group or during guided reading. Giving the lesson in

the same way but using a different text is not enough. The skill or strategy must be re-taught. If a student did

not get the skill or strategy the way it has been presented, the interventionist must presented in a different

way until the student can begin to understand it. The more we do to try to differentiate the lessons the more

success we will have. Additionally, students should not be pulled out during their 90 minute reading block or

guided reading/center time. This takes away from the effectiveness on the entire instruction because

students need the entire lesson and the different ways to practice/learn the skill or strategy. The links to few

online articles on reading interventions and differentiated instructions are as follows:

http://www.jimwrightonline.com/pdfdocs/brouge/rdngManual.PDF

http://www.fcrr.org/assessment/pdf/smallGroupAlternativeLessonStructures.pdf

http://www.nppsd.org/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/470bd294786e9/Intervention%20Handout%20for%

20Reading%20and%20Math.pdf

Secondary

Secondary English Language Arts and Reading Advisory Committee Meetings*

SELAR Committee meetings will be held this month. Please see specifics below:

English I and II

Date: January 10, 2017

Time: 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.

Location: DSC

English III and IV

Date: January 11, 2017

Time: 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.

Location: DSC

*SELAR Committee Members Only Please

Math News

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Elementary

There is a huge shift in mathematics education away from memorizing procedures

and toward deeper conceptual understanding. How do we achieve that? One

way is by asking the right questions. When questioning becomes part of your

instructional routine, you might be surprised by the responses to what you thought

was an easy question. For example, I asked a group of 4th graders, “What does

fifths mean?” I thought that was a pretty straightforward question, and I thought

they would be able to easily tell me that it meant the whole had been divided into

five equal parts. Nope. Truth be told, it’s experiences like that that shift my

instructional pedagogy. I knew at that moment that I needed to focus more on the

questions I ask students. Enter guiding questions.

Where do good questions come from?

If you Google “guiding questions elementary math”, you will get lots of hits. As with anything on the Internet, some will be more useful than

others. But it’s not so hard to actually develop your own. A great place to start is your standards.

I am working with my 3rd graders on fractions, so I started with the TEKS related to fractions. For each standard, I thought of questions I

might ask that would uncover student understanding. Here is the list of questions I generated with expected answers:

1. What is a fraction? (a whole that has been divided into equal parts)

2. How can we represent fractions? (number lines, strip diagrams, pictures)

3. What does the denominator tell us? (the number of equal parts the whole is divided into)

4. What does the numerator tell us? (the parts we are counting)

5. What is a unit fraction? (a fraction with a numerator of 1)

6. Why is 1/8 smaller than 1/4? (the more parts the whole is divided into, the smaller the parts)

7. How could you explain equivalent fractions? (fractions that name the same amount of the whole or the same point on a number

line)

8. How can you compose 3/4 with unit fractions? (1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 = 3/4)

9. What does fifths mean? (a whole that has been divided into 5 equal parts)

How can we use questions?

Now that I’ve got a list of questions, how do I use them? I find the most effective use of questioning is during small group instruction or

conferences because of the interactive nature. While it’s certainly fine to have students respond to the questions in writing in a Math

Journal, I prefer to hear a student’s response and be able to respond immediately in the event there is a misconception or probe further if

their response is unclear.

I have started actually including my guiding questions in my lesson plans. The questions I generated above cover the entire unit for

fractions, so I won’t ask them all in the same lesson. As I’m teaching a lesson, the questions just naturally become part of the conversation.

Having them in my lesson plans reminds me to include them. Because skills are cumulative, the guiding questions become a valuable

formative assessment. I want to make sure my students thoroughly understand what a fraction is and the meaning of the denominator

before I begin my instruction on equivalent fractions. My guiding questions can help me determine if my students are ready to move on.

An added benefit of using guiding questions is that it ensures our mathematical conversations include the use of key vocabulary terms.

http://www.mathcoachscorner.com/2016/02/using-guiding-questions-to-probe-student-understanding/

Upcoming dates:

MSL 4 ELL coming in January 21, 2017

Secondary

Our second Math as a Second Language Academy session will take place January 21, 2017 from 8:30 - 11:30 am. This academy is for any

Math teacher in grades 3 - Algebra 1. Teachers that participate in the professional development do get compensated. The session is

available for registraion through the Staff Development Website.

iReady Training will be provided for Puentes, Sun Ridge, and Hernando middle schools. The training will include an AM session for ELAR

teachers and a PM session for Math teachers, grades 6th - 8th. The session is available for registration through the Staff Development

Website.

Our Algebra 1 Readiness Program committee will meet January 31, 2017. We will continue to work on the support systems, the advanced

7th grade course pacing, and resources available.

Focus of the Month

Procedural and number fluency is just as important as conceptual understanding. Include fluency activities into your daily lessons,

assignments, and bell ringers.

Science News

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You’re invited!

High School Science Fair – February 4, 2017 at Pebble Hills HS

Elementary Science

The next Super Science Academy will focus on Life Science lessons.

Teachers may register in the STAFF DEVELOPMENT website. Please see information below:

Who: 5th Grade Teachers

What: Super Science Academy

Where: DSC Rm CD

When: January 12, 2017

Time: 4:00 pm – 6:30pm

Social Studies News

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Social Studies in Academic Services is now fully staffed!

Dr. Kim Baxter comes with over 20 years of experience in education, as a high school teacher in social studies, a Title I

coordinator, and as an administrator at both the middle and high school levels. She can be reached at kbaxte@sisd.net or

937-0339.

Michelle Andha has worked in SISD since 2004, serving as both a teacher, SCEI coach, assistant principal, and instructional

officer. She can be reached at mandha@sisd.net or 937-0224.

Kim will be working with high schools, Michelle will work with elementary schools, and they will collaborate together for

middle schools. They are both excited about the support they’ll be providing, and have plans to help incorporate reading

and writing into social studies classrooms. Some of the services they offer are classroom support visits, teacher coaching

sessions, facilitation of lesson plan development, and helping teachers find useful resources. They can also support data

disaggregation, TEKS analysis and breakdown, and STAAR test preparation support.

Content Advisory Committee (CAC)

The next round of Content Advisory Committee (CAC) meetings is coming soon. It is important to have representation for

each area from every campus. We are already beginning to have discussions about the 2017-18 school year, and we

want to ensure all schools have a voice.

Writing in History

Here are a few simple writing prompts to help teachers integrate writing into their social studies lessons:

- What would (historical figure) have to say about (current event)?

- Why did (event) happen? How would the world be different today if it didn’t happen?

- How are the characteristics of (historical document A) both similar and different to the characteristics of

(historical document B)?

Resource Spotlight – Vocabulary

The course-specific social studies pages in TRS (Teacher Resource System) include a vertical vocabulary list

that goes from Kinder through 12th grade. It includes the words, definitions, as well as related words. If you

would like help finding it, or would like for us to send it to you directly, please let us know.

Grade Level/Content Date

3rd Grade (inc. ELA) February 9, 2017

4th Grade (inc. ELA) February 8, 2017

5th Grade (inc. ELA) February 7, 2017

6th Grade February 16, 2017

7th Grade February 15, 2017

8th Grade February 14, 2017

World Geography February 9, 2017

World History February 8, 2017

US History February 7, 2017

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Upcoming Events for DC, ECHS, GT, AVID, DI and UIL

Advanced Academic Coordinators

Lourdes Coria - lcoria-lcoria@sisd.net

Melissa Melendez – mmelen18@sisd.net

Nancy Torres – ntorre02@sisd.net

January 12, 2017 GT Coordinators Monthly Meeting 4:30-6 p.m. DSC

January 14, 2017 DI Instant Challenge Workshop Eastlake HS

January 17, 2017 GT Kinder Teachers- KOI training Kingore Observation Instrument (KOI) makeup Training

3:30-6:00 p.m. DSC

January 18, 2017 GT- Parent Night- TAGT Summer and Senior

Scholarships Opportunities

6:00-7 p.m. DSC

January 18, 2017 AVID Elementary WICOR Meeting 4:30 – 6:00 DSC

January 20, 2017 Academic Decathlon Region II Meet Ysleta ISD

January 21, 2017 AVID Secondary Workshop-Content teachers 8:00 – 3:30 DSC

January 21, 2017 Academic Decathlon Region II Meet Ysleta ISD

January 26, 2017 DI Team Managers Meeting Eastlake HS

Advanced Academics

GT Campus Coordinators will begin to receive

student nominations from teachers in January

2017 for GT testing and possible GT Identification.

Nominations are due January 9, 2017.

Next makeup KOI training for Kinder teachers is

January 17, 2016 @3:30 p.m. If you still have

Kinder teacher (new or update) that need to

attend KOI training, please have them sign up on

Staff Development Website (GT-KOI). This will assist

them with referral documentation.

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Bilingual Buzz

Upcoming Trainings:

January 18 and 19, 2017: SIOP Training - Elementary and Middle School Teachers (Teachers that have

attended Day 1 on January 2nd will automatically be registered for Day 2 & Day 3)

*Please send any addiional Bilingual Teacher names to Mrs. Karina Schulte at kschul@sisd.net no later than

January 10, 2017. Bilingual Department will register teachers and send administrators registration

confirmation.

For: Elementary and Middle School Teachers

Where: Eastlake High School, Rooms E208/E209/E210

Time: 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

(Breakfast will be served)

Want to know more about Bilingual Education? Maybe you would like to participate/present at NABE? Click

on the link below to find more information

http://www.nabe.org/BilingualEducation

Date Event Time Location

January 11, 2017 Bilingual Testing Administrators Training

8:30 am - 11:30 am

(Refresher)

12:30 pm - 3:30 pm

(New Teachers)

DSC Room C

January 12, 2017 Bilingual TIAS Monthly Meeting 8:30 am - 11:30 am

12:30 pm - 3:30 pm

DSC Room A

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Bilingual Buzz (cont.)

Research and Evaluation Dept.

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Click link below to view information regarding online benchmark testing for the Spring.

Please take time to view the recorded webinar and follow suggested instructions.

http://www.sisd.net/Page/20700

Click on the Spring Benchmark Online Testing Webinar link…see below.

Important Dates:

Professional Development Date Time Location

TELPAS Holistic Training January 17, 2017 8:30 am - 11:30 am

1:30 pm - 4:30 pm

DSC Room C

TELPAS Holistic Training January 20, 2017 8:30 am - 11:30 am

1:30 pm - 4:30 pm

DSC Room B

TELPAS Online February 15, 2017 8:30 am - 11:30 am

1:30 pm - 4:30 pm

SSC Lab AB

TELPAS Online February 17, 2017 8:30 am - 11:30 am SSC Lab AB

CTC January Training February 3, 2017 8:30 am - 3:30 pm DSC Room CD

CTC January Training February 8, 2017 8:30 am - 3:30 pm SSC Multip Room

Research and Evaluation Dept. (cont.)

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SOCORRO ISD

2016-2017 BENCHMARK DATES Fall Benchmark Testing Dates:

Spring Benchmark Testing Dates:

Date of Administration Tests to be Administered Scanning Deadline

October 31- November 11th 2016 (testing window)

English I, English II, US History, Biology, Algebra I, 3-8 Math, 3-8 Reading, 4/7 Writing, 5/8 Science, 8 Social Studies

November 16 at noon

Date of Administration Tests to be Administered Scanning Deadline

January 17, 2017 4/7 Writing English I

February 1, 2017

January 17 -19 (Window)

English III February 1, 2017

January 18, 2017 English II

February 1, 2017

February 1, 2017 5/8 Math February 8, 2017

February 2, 2017 5/8 Reading February 8, 2017

February 20, 2017 Algebra I

February 28, 2017

February 20-23 (Window) Algebra II February 28, 2017

February 21, 2017

Biology March 1, 2017

February 27, 2017 3/4/6/7 Math

March 7, 2017

February 28, 2017 3/4/6/7 Reading

March 7, 2017

March 1, 2017 5/8 Science March 10, 2017

March 2, 2017 8 Social Studies

March 10, 2017

March 27- March 31, 2017 (Window)

US History April 4, 2017

Professional Development

Special Education Department

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Title Date Time Location Audience

AU 101 January 2, 2017 8:00 am - 11:30 am H.D. Hilley General Ed/ SPED Teachers

Speech and Language Development January 2, 2017 TBD Hueco Elem. Teachers

Student Profile Study January 2, 2017 8:30 am - 11:30 am Desert Wind CT Teachers

Co-Teach Review January 2, 2017 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm Desert Wind CT Teachers

O&M Travel using Sighted Guide January 5, 2017 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Jane Hambric Teachers/ Staff

Speech Development and

Interventions

January 6 or

January 23, 2017

TBD (Grade Level

Meeting)

Loma Verde Pre-K to 2nd Teachers

PPCD AI Meeting January 9, 2017 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm Myrtle Cooper AI Teachers

O&M Long Cane Skills Touch

Technique

January 12, 2017 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Sanchez MS Teachers/ Staff

STAAR Alt 2 Updates January 12, 2017 8:30 am - 11:30 am

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

DSC Room B Teachers/ Administrators/

CTC Teachers

WEMP AI Meeting January 17, 2017 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Sierra Vista AI Teachers, SPED

Teachers, Speech

Pathologists

O & M Long Cane Skills for Stairs January 18, 2017 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Jane Hambric Teachers/ Staff

PK and Kinder Collab Training January 18, 2017 8:00 am - 11:00 am

(General Ed. Teachers)

12:30 pm to 3:30 pm

(Special Ed. Teachers)

DSC Room B Teachers

SPED Communication Meeting January 20, 2017 8:00 am - 12:00 pm DSC Room A SPED Communication

Team

Social Worker Clerk Meeting January 25, 2017 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Education Cent. Social Workers Clerks

Heartsaver CPR AED January 25, 2017 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm Ernesto Serna SPED Staff

BIC Academy January 26, 2017 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Americas HS BIC Teachers

Diagnostician’s Meeting January 27, 2017 8:00 am - 12:00 pm DSC Room A Diagnosticians

PPCD AI Meeting January 30, 2017 2:45 pm - 4:00 pm Myrtle Cooper AI Teachers

We will be offering CPI Training EVERY MONTH for the 2016-2017 school year. This will facilitate the opportunity

for every campus to train their TBSI campus core teams.

Just as a reminder, every campus must have a TBSI campus core team which should consist of (at minimum)

one special education teacher, one general education teacher, and one administrator. Every campus will

have specific needs and may have to train additional faculty or staff in order to best meet those campus

issues or needs.

All training dates are currently posted on the Staff Development website. Each training date is restricted to

ONLY 40

PARTICIPANTS, therefore it is best to register early. It is also recommended that if a campus plans to train a

large number of people, they stagger their staff to attend different training dates throughout the year.

CPI: Nonviolent Crisis Intervention

Date: January 24 - 25, 2017

Time: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Location: DSC Room CD

Audience: TBSI Campus Core Team Members Only

Coffee with the Director:

Date: January 24, 2016

Time: 8:30 am - 10:00 am

Location: DSC Room B

What Teachers Should Know and Do:

Meet with your General Education Teachers in order to: - Interpret the IEP.

- Review accommodations/modifications/PLAAFPS/goals and/or objectives/BIPs and any assistive technology.

- Create student/learner profile.

- Make sure that ARD dates, for the year, are scheduled and communicated to the appropriate personnel.

- Draft goals/objectives, which should be provided to parents 10 days before the scheduled ARD.

Experience & Learning Pyramid

TEA 2016 Performance Report

Special Education Department (cont.)

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State and Federal Programs

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ESSA

Parent and Family Engagement Public Law 114-95 Section 1116

Family Engagement has always been a centerpiece of Title I, and includes specific statutory

requirements pertaining to effective family engagement:

• School-Parent Compact

• Written Parental Involvement Policy

• Parent’s Right to Know

• Language and Format

• Annual Report Card

• School Improvement Process.

As we move from NCLB to ESSA, public Law 114-95 Sections 1116, a variety of changes have been

made. We move away from the term Parental Involvement to the new term, Parent and Family

Engagement. Under ESSA, LEAs (and schools) must actively outreach to ALL parents and families. Family

engagement programs need to connect to all families, reaching beyond barriers of culture, language,

disabilities, and poverty.

Under ESSA, a Parent and Family Engagement Policy will identify expectations and objectives for

meaningful involvement. “Meaningful” points toward student success. LEAs must try to build the

capacity of families as noted in Dual Capacity-Building Framework: An Overview 2016-17 . LEAs may

choose to partner with community groups as means to engage families more creatively and

successfully.

School Policy must address the State academic standards for student achievement and success. A

School-Parent Compact must maintain regular, meaningful communication, AND in a language family

members can understand.

Best Practices include connecting family engagement to student learning and creating a welcoming

inviting culture. When families, communities and schools work together it leads to student academic

success.

ACADEMIC SERVICES

Address:

Phone: 915-937-0000

12440 Rojas Drive

PO Box 292800

El Paso, Texas 79928

Phone: