10/7/19 Daily Bulletin

Shout Out

Shout out to David Diaz for helping a very young student calm their body and transition to their class Thursday morning. Your firm, but gentle approach to the situation enabled the student to settle down, gain control, and proceed to class!

Shout out to Krismanny and Yazmanny Guerrero who both became the first new 6th graders to get to 100 rallies in a row (with no misses) with a coach. Every Wednesday, the Rookies group will have opportunities to get closer to reaching this achievement. Thanks to Tenacity for supporting our students after school!

 

Shout out to several kind colleagues who pitched in Friday with extra hands and eyes so that I could first reassemble the laminator, prepare the rolls for threading with tape on thin cardboard slats, and finally heat it up and be ready with rulers to reach down and help guide the laminate out the back while applying pulling tension. Colin McDougall, Leah Travers, and Lesly Peck-Oser - Thanks for your tremendous sense of timing, caring and helping me get over the hump.

Due Dates

This Week: Monday 10/7   DESE Visit for Classroom Observations Tuesday 10/8 Dr. Cassellius Visit UVA Site Visit SSC 5:30 - 7 Thursday 10/10 Para PD 3:45 - 5:45 Flu shots 12pm-2pm

Next Week:  October 15, 16, 17 Picture Day

Looking Ahead: Monday 10/21   BAS Window Closes Tuesday 10/22   Open Circle Snack n’ Chat-  3:30 Wednesday 10/30   Teacher PD -3:45-5:45 12/2-12/6 International Week!

School Visits Next Week

Next week is a busy week! We will have a school visit by DESE. This is a part of a larger district review. Please see memo for further information. Also next week we will have our UVA site visit and a visit from Dr. Cassellius! There is lots to show off to our visitors and to celebrate. We expect you to continue teaching as you normally do as guests enter your class. More information will be shared once we receive it.

Handicapped Parking

Please be sure to pay attention to Handicapped parking signs. These spots are only for staff or visitors with disability plates and placards.

Nurse's Office Events

Smart Smiles Dentist is coming Monday 10/7/19. Erica Mercado said we can use the CASP office for this.

ILT

Please join us for ILT on Wednesday, October 9th from 3:45pm-5:00pm in Room 108.

SSC

Please join us for our first School Site Council (SSC) meeting of the year on Tuesday, October 8th! We will meet in the Lower School Gym from 5:30pm-7pm.

Para PD 

We have PD for Para Professionals on Thursday, October 10th from 3:45pm-5:45pm. This is for all paras including 1:1 paras. We will meet in the Library. See Meaghan Ohrenberger, Tristan Maiden and Liz Spring if you have any questions.

Laminator is Back Up - STEPS THAT ONE NEEDS TO FOLLOW

1. ABOUT 10 MINUTES TO WARM - LOOK FOR GREEN READY LIGHT. Make sure that there are 3-4" of laminate trailing out the back. 
2. MOVE LAMINATOR AWAY FROM THE WALL SO YOU CAN GET BEHIND IT FAST or Place a Colleague there. 
3. PUT SPEED TO LOWEST SETTING - ONE GREEN BAR. You may need to HIT RUN so that YOU HAVE that 3-4" of laminate trailing out the back. Once the job is started, you may bump up speed to TWO GREEN BARS. 
4. GIVE YOURSELF A CADDY OR CHAIR WITH YOUR PRODUCTS TO LAMINATE. BETTER, BRING A COLLEAGUE. Your laminator will do a much SMOOTHER laminating job - practically professional grade - if someone is slightly tugging on the laminated product as it passes out the back.
5. The CRITICAL PART IS that PRODUCT IS PASSING OUT THE BACK. FROM BEHIND OR RIGHT BESIDE THE LAMINATOR, ONE CAN BETTER LOOK DOWN INTO THE BACK. BE READY WITH YOUR FINGER ON THE STOP BUTTON. THIS OLD MACHINE TENDS TO WRAP AROUND THE BOTTOM ONE OF THE TWO GRAY PRESS ROLLERS, INSTEAD OF EXITING. AGAIN, That's where the second person IS SO HELPFUL. 
6. AT THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR JOB, LEAVE A HEM OR SKIRT OF LAMINATE TO HANG several inches OUT THE BACK OF THE gray rollers. I have taped over the splicer in back; that trims it too short. 
7. People who are good with the laminator (sorry if I leave your name out): Lindsey Wright, Debbie Bryson, Leah Travers, Laurie Shapiro (ABA), Candida Mundo, Katie Baulier, Laura Strait, Erika Mercado, Scott Frost. Just ask someone close by, "Do you know how to use this machine? Could you show me, please?" Contact Charles Tewksbury (Cell 860 810-8787) or by E-Mail to get trained. It takes 20 minutes; by appointment generally approx. 7:45 am, please.

INTERNATIONAL WEEK IS COMING!

If you’re new to the Curley, or interested in helping, please come to a meeting with members of the International Week Planning Committee next Wednesday, October 9th — from 3:45-4:30 PM in Upper School Room 201. We’ll watch a 3 minute slideshow, answer questions, share resources, and exchange ideas to help make this year’s experience an integral part of your teaching rather than an “add on” with no connection to your daily routines. All are welcome and refreshments will be available!

This year at the Curley we will be celebrating International Week from December 2-6. This is an opportunity to help students develop awareness and appreciation of other people and places in the world; the expectation is that all 56 homerooms will participate in this cultural exchange, sharing what they learn with their buddy classes. In the meantime, you might reach out to families to find out the cultural background/ancestry of your students and talk with your classes/colleagues about countries you might like to study — perhaps collaborating on one country as a grade level team. Please let Amika know your country choice by Monday, October 28th.

Middle School Detention

Middle School Detention will begin on Tuesday October 10th from 3:15 - 4:15. Please use this link to record students assigned to detention. Students will earn detention for the following reasons:
· Refusal to turn in their cellphone
· Being in the hallways without a pass
· Arriving late to class without a pass
If there are any questions, please email awardjackson@bostonpublicshools.org

Attendance Contact

Reminder that Teachers should be making phone calls when a student is absent and logging it in SIS. Documentation should be brief and factual relevant to attendance. Teachers are responsible for excusing absences. Please see the Attendance for copies of policies, excuse note notification.

• Sample 1: Ms. Burque spoke to Cristina's parent today using cell phone number listed in SIS. Mother stated she will send in documentation when the student returns.
• Sample 2: Ms. Burque left for message for Cristina's parent regarding absence on October 1st.
• Sample 3: Ms. Burque spoke to Cristina's parent and parent shared a family situation that is interfering with the child's ability to attend school. Reached out to Guidance Office for support and did not excuse absence.
• Sample 4: Ms. Burque spoke to Cristina's parent and they stated that a note was given to the school secretary.

Picture Day

School pictures will be taken on Oct. 15, 16 & 17. Please see Mr. Diaz for more information.

Meet the Newest Member of our Leadership Team

My name is Dawn Durant. I am honored to be joining the Curley K-8 School community as your Director of Data, Development and School Culture. I grew up in Braintree and still live there with my husband and three teen-aged daughters. All three of my girls play golf for their high school team so my husband and I have spent the last three years learning how to play and have really grown to the love the game.

I have been working in education for 18 years. I started my career in special education in Braintree Public Schools. After working part time while my daughters were young, I returned to education full time in 2009 as a special education science teacher at the Rogers Middle School in Hyde Park. I worked there until its closing and joined the team at the Joseph Lee K-8 School in Dorchester. I worked as a special education teacher and LATF at the Lee. Upon receiving my administrators license, I was hired as the special education team chair at the Pierce Middle School in Milton in 2017.  I am very excited to be returning to Boston Public Schools and look forward to working with all of you. Click here to read Dawn's Entry Plan. We hop for her to start on Monday, October 7th pending clearance from OHC.

Flu Shots

Flu vaccine will be given 10/10/19 12pm-2pm in teacher's room. I am attaching the consent form. Please see April and Keilah if you have questions.

Instructional Coaching

As a School Leadership Team we are being coached this year around giving instructional feedback. Erin Flynn is coaching our team and you may see her or other central office staff with us when we observe in your classroom. Erin is working at our school 1-2 days a week and giving the leadership team feedback on this process. For more information on this model please read here.

Sub Folders & Emergency Cards

Please submit a copy of your emergency cards to the secretary and the nurse's office. Also sub folders are due to the main office as well.

CPT this Week

Please review the Work Plan Calendar weekly for CPT topics and information to cover. 

Open Circle

We wanted to invite all new or returning staff to an Open Circle Snack-N-Chat. On Tuesday October 22nd at 3:30, we will be in the lower school Room 118. If you have questions regarding your kit, bring it with you and if you are new to the building, we can assist you with the curriculum. If you are interested in all of the signs in Spanish, we can make those available to you as well. If you have any questions prior to the meeting, you can reach us at epromponas@bostonpublicschools.org (Eva Banks-K1) and cburke4@bostonpublicschools.org (Christina Burke-Grade 2).

K2, 1st and 2nd grade teachers

The beginning-of-year window for BAS is open from September 23rd - October 18th. Be sure to find the highest instructional level and a hard level for each child. All data must be uploaded to the BAS Data Sheet by October 21st. Please sign up for a testing day substitute here. Happy leveling! :)

Teach Point Goals

Goals must be uploaded by October 15, 2019. Teams may use team time this week to work on these.  Attached are some goal examples. Some teams have been asking for examples to help them create the best SMART Goal for their students. Please let the Leadership Team know if your team needs any further supports. Evaluators are not assigned to specific teacher just yet. We are hoping to finalize our hire for Lindsey's position this week and we will adjust once that happens.

PD Dates for SY 2019-2020

Next year we will hold 30 hours of professional development for teachers and 6 hours for para professionals. Below are the dates and times for the year. You can also find info on next years Draft Work Plan Calendar. The PD are not a draft but other information will be added throughout the summer and school year.

Teacher PD Dates

• Wednesday, 10/30 3:45pm-5:45pm
• Thursday, 11/21 3:45pm-5:45pm
• Thursday, 12/19 3:45pm-5:45pm
• Thursday, 1/30 3:45pm-5:45pm
• Thursday, 3/12 3:45pm-5:45pm
• Thursday, 4/2 3:45pm-5:45pm* make up date in case of school cancellation

Para PD Dates

• Thursday, 10/10 3:45pm-5:45pm
• Thursday, 1/16 3:45pm-5:45pm
• Thursday, 3/19 3:45pm-5:45pm* make up date in case of school cancellation

Field Trip Request Procedure

All field trips requests should be submitted in the following way, check out this powerpoint for additional information on the steps.

• Fill out electronic form at least 2 weeks in advance. This link will be available in the blog daily. Field Trip Request Form
• Print your form submission. 
• Email list of students attending to nurses. 
• Get nurse and cafeteria signature at least 2 weeks in advance. They can sign anywhere at the bottom of your page. 
• Turn in to either main office. 
• Pass out permission slips and have students return. (English p.12, Other Languages)
• The SPC has allotted each grade level $500 to put towards field trips; any questions should be send to treasurer@curleyk8.com.

Sick Day Procedure (teachers and paraprofessionals)

• Call/text Katie Grassa at 857-265-4954 immediately, no matter how late/early Enter the absence in SubCentral (teachers only). Link: https://bostonps.eschoolsolutions.com/logOnInitAction.do
• Enter absence on Boston Employees Self Service
• If it is after 6:30am, also send an email to Katie Grassa, David Diaz and the secretary.