Our 6-12 small group math team met on Monday the 21st to continue our work from September. We are to the point of finalizing what standards different courses are covering. Our plans our to fully complete this process (especially at the high school with a few different levels) and then begin to look at the reported standards we will be assessing and possible assessments that align to each area of study. We will be bringing in some vendors in December once we have our maps written to see if there are products that can support our instructional needs. I want to send a huge thank you to the staff members that have given up time in their classroom to engage in some very open and honest conversations:
Sarah Linden, Kendell Garth, Lindsey Huettemann, Charri Trembley, and Kris Weiss have been awesome in working on our 6-8 courses.
And, Kristin Massey, Tim Larsen, Matt Smith, and Kirstin Murphy have done a fantastic job representing 9-12.
We will keep you posted on our progress as we move along.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Proficiency Table Writing and Plans of Work
We are at our 25% benchmark check-in on our plans of work on our proficiency-tables for this year. As a district, we have had a tremendous amount of really positive conversations in the sense that teachers are being very purposeful and intentional in their instruction, planning, and reflections. Like with any great undertaking, there are going to be some growing pains, but we recognize these pains are well worth it in the long run. As the Ed Services department has been working with the oversight administrators in each grade level and department, we've noticed at various levels the need to really focus on the process of writing the tables as opposed to simply creating a table for the purpose of having it done. That process is a marathon, not a sprint. Please make sure you are adjusting your plans of work accordingly. Some teams may see the need to adjust their plans now that they have the time to dig in and work on them. Some teams have the need to adjust their focus from table writing to breaking down their content standards, assessment procedures, reflective practices, etc. Because we value the process of the table creation (the standards vetting, assessment analysis, etc.), the timeline for the product of the table itself might need to be extended into the next school year. Please make sure you are noting your current needs on your plans of work, and share with your oversight administrator what your plans/needs are as well as any questions you may have. Thank you to all for your hard work!!
Monday, October 21, 2019
HR Update
Please know that the Pre-Approval process and forms for Salary Credit have been updated and posted to the HR webpage (Pre-Approval Docs). It is required that all work done for Salary Credit (In-District work, book studies, collegiate classes, etc) be pre-approved before the start of the class, session, event, etc. Salary credit will not be applied if the pre-approval is not completed prior.
A second update from HR:
Please remember that beginning with the 2015-2020 renewal cycle, and every cycle thereafter, there are no longer any reductions for licensure renewal professional development hours. There will no longer be any reductions for advanced degrees, National certifications, etc., since these “pre-July 1, 2014” activities, as allowed under 25.800(e) of Administrative Code, were last applicable to FY 2020 license renewal.
Below is the baseline number of professional development hours educators will owe for license renewal, beginning with licenses renewed this spring/summer:
Licensees Holding National Board for Professional Teachers Certification: 60 hours (if serving in an administrative role, 1 Administrator Academy per year is also required)
Teachers who are not National Board Certified: 120 hours
School Support Personnel who are not National Board Certified: 120 hours
Administrators who are not National Board Certified: 100 hours + 1 Administrator Academy per fiscal year
Educators who are due to renew their licenses this spring/summer should begin taking additional professional development hours now so they will be able to accumulate the required hours needed to renew their licenses. Please contact licensure@isbe.net or (217) 557-6763 with questions.
Please feel free to call the HR Department at x71114 with any questions. Thanks.
A second update from HR:
Please remember that beginning with the 2015-2020 renewal cycle, and every cycle thereafter, there are no longer any reductions for licensure renewal professional development hours. There will no longer be any reductions for advanced degrees, National certifications, etc., since these “pre-July 1, 2014” activities, as allowed under 25.800(e) of Administrative Code, were last applicable to FY 2020 license renewal.
Below is the baseline number of professional development hours educators will owe for license renewal, beginning with licenses renewed this spring/summer:
Licensees Holding National Board for Professional Teachers Certification: 60 hours (if serving in an administrative role, 1 Administrator Academy per year is also required)
Teachers who are not National Board Certified: 120 hours
School Support Personnel who are not National Board Certified: 120 hours
Administrators who are not National Board Certified: 100 hours + 1 Administrator Academy per fiscal year
Educators who are due to renew their licenses this spring/summer should begin taking additional professional development hours now so they will be able to accumulate the required hours needed to renew their licenses. Please contact licensure@isbe.net or (217) 557-6763 with questions.
Please feel free to call the HR Department at x71114 with any questions. Thanks.
EC-5 Behavior Team Meeting
Today the EC-5 District Behavior Team met for their trimester meeting. The following were decisions that the team made at this time:
Decisions:
1. We will not expand this committee this year. Nicole and Kathryn will serve as communication between curriculum review committee and behavior team this year.
2. Add MTSS updates and SEL Curriculum Review updates as standing items.
3. Next Mtg.: Determine/Review Screener dates for spring 2020 (April 27- May 1) and fall 2020
4. We drafted initial words and phrases for the three core values (respect, responsibility, commitment to excellence) proficiency tables. The committee will be sharing drafted tables with all staff the first few weeks of January for critical friend feedback.
5. Please be sure to continue to use CHAMPS in your classroom. Remember to self-assessment your practices using the district approved CHAMPS proficiency table. A great resources to self-reflect on your practices is the CHAMPS professional book. It has many great tools and worksheets within the text that are wonderful to Teachers and teams to reflect on classroom structures and preferences.
Decisions:
1. We will not expand this committee this year. Nicole and Kathryn will serve as communication between curriculum review committee and behavior team this year.
2. Add MTSS updates and SEL Curriculum Review updates as standing items.
3. Next Mtg.: Determine/Review Screener dates for spring 2020 (April 27- May 1) and fall 2020
4. We drafted initial words and phrases for the three core values (respect, responsibility, commitment to excellence) proficiency tables. The committee will be sharing drafted tables with all staff the first few weeks of January for critical friend feedback.
5. Please be sure to continue to use CHAMPS in your classroom. Remember to self-assessment your practices using the district approved CHAMPS proficiency table. A great resources to self-reflect on your practices is the CHAMPS professional book. It has many great tools and worksheets within the text that are wonderful to Teachers and teams to reflect on classroom structures and preferences.
Is it a Bird? Is it a Plane? Is it PBP SuperHero Time!
It is time again for another great contest to really hit home what proficiency based progress means (and tap into the creative side of our staff). In the spirit of Halloween we want you to create the best model for a Superhero that would define what proficiency based progress and proficiency based table creation exemplifies. You have been working hard with your grade levels and departments on defining proficiency and making tables and now it is time to have some fun. The winners of this contest will get a Kaneland Spirit Wear reward for their SUPER work! All you need to do is:
1. Create a PBP Superhero
2. Send your Superhero model to Sarah Mumm or Patrick Raleigh
3. Hope you win!
NOTE: The format of your superhero could take any form (personalized learning option time). It could be a picture you drew, a picture of yourself dressed up as PBP Superhero, a written description of your superhero, a clay model, or a full length movie trailer. Any format is acceptable.
Let's have some fun and capture the essence of proficiency based progress work! All submissions are due by November 15th.
1. Create a PBP Superhero
2. Send your Superhero model to Sarah Mumm or Patrick Raleigh
3. Hope you win!
NOTE: The format of your superhero could take any form (personalized learning option time). It could be a picture you drew, a picture of yourself dressed up as PBP Superhero, a written description of your superhero, a clay model, or a full length movie trailer. Any format is acceptable.
Let's have some fun and capture the essence of proficiency based progress work! All submissions are due by November 15th.
K-5 Writing Using Units of Study
This past spring the district approved the purchase and adoption of Units of Study Writing by Lucy Calkins. During the spring roadshows and blog posts reminded staff that the Units of study Writing tool was required unless you exhibited proficiency on the Writing Delivery and Writing Planning tables. This is a great time to stop and reflect on your practices in writing and consider were you are in the process of delivery proficiency. It is expected that you are using the Units of Study materials and lessons unless you have taken the time to met with an Instructional Coach or Administrator to exhibit proficiency and make the case for using another tool based on an assessment of proficiency using the tables linked above. Over the course of the next few months, learning walks will be conducted to check progress on the use of this tool. We look forward to seeing the great writing learning that is happening for the students and sharing ideas and feedback on writing. If you have any questions on the writing expectations and proficiency tables, please contact an Instructional Coach. They are experts in guiding you through this process of implantation.
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