Canvas Updates from Faye

Welcome back, Knights! I have enjoyed meeting and working with many of you over the summer and during these first few days of school. I'm looking forward to meeting even more of you over the next few weeks as I make my way into all of our Kaneland buildings. Because I will be on the move this year, the easiest way to reach me is via email: 11519@kaneland.org. Keep an eye on your building's announcements for information about when I will be visiting your school to help you with Canvas and 1:1 learning.

 

• The August/September Canvas "I Can" statements for D302 are:
• I can create a homepage in Canvas with designated items in it (welcome, key course information, “Who I am” = teacher message/info).
• I can link & embed outside sources.
• I can recognize the different components in Canvas.
• I can recognize the various elements of the Canvas gradebook. (6-12)

• Canvas 101 2019/2020 Reference Documents: I will be adding resources to this folder as the year progresses and we work through our “I can” statements. You are also welcome to join my Beginner Canvas Resources class in Canvas - this will give you a feel for the student side of Canvas. Don’t worry, there’s no homework and no tests. Email me to join in on the fun: 11519@kaneland.org.
• Parent Observers in Canvas: An email went out last week explaining that parents have the ability to observe their student in any Canvas course. Students can generate an access code and share the code with a parent (teachers don’t have to add anyone or share any codes). I am attaching the instructions that parents received HERE as an FYI for you.

Learner Profile Student Reflection

As an option for 15% of your student growth goal this year, we will be continuing with student's reflecting on their learning and advocacy via the Learner Profile. Based on feedback from staff, we are changing the way in which we collect the data. Students will reflect and respond either via pencil or paper (for K-3) or Canvas (4-12). Administrators will do all of the scoring and we will share out the progress as we do so. On Monday, the 26th, instructions and a Canvas course will be pushed out to our 4th-12th-grade students and instructions for K-3 will be shared from the building. Please encourage students to complete this reflection so we can get an accurate picture of how our students are moving along. We are looking to have the data collected by October 25th. We will do this again in February for the final data collection piece.

Proficiency-tables Update

Good Afternoon Everyone,

We made it through the first week! Congrats and thank you for all of the hard work you have
put in to making the start of the year such a success for our students. As Ed Services starts to
compile all of the plans of work, EC-12, as well as some of the proficiency-tables that have
been constructed, we want to make sure we share some important information moving
forward. 

Indicators of Proficient/Approaching Proficient

As you are crafting the criteria for what meets each benchmark, please make sure that these
are explicitly written with enough detail so anyone can look at the table and easily identify
what the expectation is. 1-2 word phrases would not be enough.

Examples of needing more context:

"Conjugate verbs"

"Add fractions"

"Read decimals to the hundredths"

Examples of Clearly Written Criteria:

"Relationships between claims, evidence, and support are consistently developed"

"Students made distributing errors when performing operations"

4 Columns for Reporting

There are 4 headers for the Standards-based grading benchmarks that all of the tables
currently have listed (Proficient/Approaching Proficient/Needs Support/Insufficient
Evidence).As we work through this process, we anticipate some really deep
conversations about what each of these represents and communicates out to the community.
Some departments/content areas have been inquiring about a level beyond proficient.
If you are interested in doing so, we recommend one of two options:

1) Write your indicators for Proficient and Approaching. Go back through the proficient
indicators and highlight those that would indicate the student has gone above and beyond
our expectations. 

2) In addition to the district-approved columns of Proficient and Approaching, you can add a
column for Distinguished criteria. Please note, when reporting out grades, we will be using
P/AP/NS/IE. 

At any time, you have the leeway to use any tool to communicate with students where
they are on a standard (on target/above and beyond/not close). As we work through
this year, please have discussions with your colleagues as to why there is a need for
the additional columns and begin to draft a rationale to share with your building
administrators. We will be using this feedback with various stakeholders as we solidify
our expectations for the 2020-2021 school year. 

1:1 Process and Handbook highlights

Hopefully, at this time all Chromebooks have been distributed to our students for grades 4th-12th. A HUGE thank you to Tim Wolf and his department for getting the devices organized and distributed to each school. This took an incredible amount of work and time and when looking at a rollout of over close to 4,000 devices, this has gone really smoothly!  As for the use of the devices and our expectations, we have shared this link to parents and students. In the handbook is a great section on the SAMR model. Our hope is that these devices allow you to bring experiences and content into your classes that otherwise would not be accessible to students (or at least not immediately). As we continue to plan lessons with the LDIP continuum in mind, please remember that the Chromebooks are a curricular tool to open up endless opportunities for students along this continuum.

We hosted 5 parent informational meetings from the end of last year through this summer. We fielded a lot of questions regarding logistics, fees, filters and protections, and some questions about how these devices enhance learning. So highlights to note from these meetings and the handbook include:

-The SAMR model and the emphasis on modifying and redefining learning opportunities

-Insurance is available at a cost to parents. This is done through a 3rd party and parents have an email with the link to access

-Information on Canvas:

          -We have communicated to parents our expectations for our staff for the use of Canvas- that is a) a welcome page, b) one module by Winter, and c) a final module by the Spring. Parents have been informed that Canvas may not be very robust at any given point throughout this year. 

Please remember that Faye Licari, our TOSA, is an incredible resource with a wealth of knowledge on Canvas and the 1:1 philosophy. Keep her in mind as your needs change throughout the year!

Social Studies Unit Resource Outline

This past spring and summer, K-5 staff took time in subgroups to review the units of study for Social Science and create resource outlines for all to use during the instruction of that unit.  At this time the focus was to complete the first two units of study and then utilize time this school year to complete the final two.  We are excited to share the resource for all staff.  On this document you will find the resource outlines created by your colleagues.  Thank you to the subgroups for their hard work in creating this support for all.  We look forward to the other unit completion during this year. 

Chromebook Insurance Options

Please feel free to share the options for buying Chromebook insurance with families.  This is an option through the month of August.  Please feel free to copy and paste the information below to your parent communication.   

Q: How do I purchase insurance?
A: Optional 1:1 Device Insurance grades 4-12
The Kaneland Tech Department will be handling all repairs for your students Chromebook.  For damages that are not covered by the manufacturer's warranty students will be charged parts with no labor costs.

If you feel you need additional coverage, Kaneland is offering insurance through the Worth Ave. Group for $24 per year, which covers all accidental damages such as -
CB Insurance.JPG
The optional additional insurance can be purchased here through the month of August
https://gpo.worthavegroup.com/gpo/kaneland

Proficiency Table One-Pager Contest...You Can Win Spiritwear

Thank you all for a great start to the new school year.  We were VERY impressed with the depth of conversation and detailed work that was completed on the first day during Personalized Learning Academy 2.5.  AMAZING WORK!  This summer the Educational Service Department investigated the process of one pager reflections.  This is an activity that you can use to summarize or culminate a learning event.  We would like to share the activity with all of you AND have you voluntarily try it out (PRIZES will be awarded!).

If interested in learning more about the activity and trying your hand at a one page.  See this link for all details.  Thank you again for amazing work on our proficiency tables.

Calling All IgKnighters! Help Needed.

We are very excited this year to have 12 returning IgKnighters and 3 New IgKnighters.  We will begin meeting with the team after school in September.  But would love for some of our IgKnighter classrooms to video their routines and set up for the school year.  If you have created a routine and back to school process that encompasses customized paths, I cans and Learner Profile and would like to share, please submit a routine video or a classroom tour to share your process.  We have lots of expertise in our district and we would love to learn from each other.