1/30/16 Daily Bulletin

Shout Out

Shout out to BalletRox and Ms. Victoria on a FABULOUS performance Friday afternoon. PACE and 6th-8th grade students had an opportunity to show off their learning from electives. The students choreographed the dances moves, choose music and designed costumes and props for the performance. Thank you for empowering them all to take risks and stand on stage to perform!

Shout out to Mark Righini for taking students to Tufts University on Sunday to play basketball! They all had a great time. Thank you for sharing your weekend to help our students stay involved.

ELT

The ELT leadership team will be meeting on Monday, January 30th from 3pm-5pm in Room 113.

LLT

Our January LLT meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 31st from 2:45pm-3:30pm in the Lower School Conference Room.

School Climate Team

Please join us for our next school climate team meeting on Wednesday, February 1st from 3pm-4:15pm in room 003.

Staff Social

Please join us for the February Staff Social from 3pm-5pm at Costello's on Centre Street. All staff are welcome!

2nd Semester Electives

Second semester electives will begin on Friday February 3, 2017. We will no longer have elective preview days. Students will attend last semester's electives on Thursday February 2, 2017. During that time students will choose their elective for the second semester. Ms. Jackson and the Arts Team will assign student electives on Thursday after school. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Ms. Jackson awardjackson@bostonpublicschools.org.

COMPUTER NETWORK UPGRADE

Plans are now finalized to upgrade the Curley’s computer network

• Phase 1 – Lower School: February 2-7 
• Phase 2 – Upper School: February 8 -13 

You should plan to be without Internet service for approximately two-three days during this transition period. Here are some important steps to follow to assure a smooth upgrade to the new network

Attendance

Please post attendance as usual on the first day of your respective school’s upgrade. Attendance must be taken manually each succeeding day that the network is down, and should be given to the school secretary no later than 9:30AM. 

Accessing the New Network
New log in information will be provided once the network is upgraded. Hard wired devices, including desktop computers and printers, will be added back to the network first, followed by wireless devices, including Chromebook carts and teacher laptops.

PLEASE NOTE: Non-BPS wireless devices must be manually added to the new network. Please complete the following Google form by Tuesday, January 31st, listing any Non-BPS wireless devices in your classroom. This includes iPads, tablets, printers, other wireless devices, as well as laptops used by teacher interns and student teachers. We will use this list to systematically add devices to the new network.
https://docs.google.com/a/bostonpublicschools.org/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdc11M2fR0i_QpW2zjq73zu0gsaYp5VRGwS_U-gpLGhgoEWA/viewform?c=0&w=1

We appreciate your patience during this transition period and will keep you updated regarding the project’s progress through the daily blog. If you have further questions, please contact:
Connie Redden - Lower School
Kate Davis - Upper School
Eileen Cronin

Term 2 Grading Window for Grades 6-12

The term 2 grading window for students in grades 6-12 will open from January 19th to February 1st. Please submit the names and grades of any student that received a NC for term 1. Adrian will share the NC report with all teachers that needs to make a change of grade. If you have any questions, please email Adrian awardjackson@bostonpublicschools.org. 

Bulletin Boards

We are looking for staff to update bulletin boards by Wednesday, February 1st. Just a reminder that this should align with out School Wide Instructional Focus and every board should be accompanied by the following completed sign.

NAEP Testing Grades 4th and 8th

The Curley K-8 School will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on 3/8/2017 (8th grade) and 3/9/2017 (4th grade). Your students will take a mathematics or reading assessment. I will send a list of all students taking the assessment once we input all the accommodations for ELL and Special Education Students. The assessment also asks students questions about their daily routine and their educational experiences. Student responses are anonymous, and they provide context and meaning to the assessment results. You will also receive an email for NAEP with a Teacher Questionnaire to help them gather information on teacher training and instructional practices. Please visit http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/booklets.asp to review sample questions.

The assessment takes about 90 to 120 minutes for most students. This year, students might take a computer based or paper test and the Department Of Education sends their own staff to administer the test. A letter notifying parents about the NAEP Assessment and other helpful information will go out no later than February 17, 2017. It is important to note that the information collected is used for statistical purposes only. Students may be excused for any reason, are not required to complete the assessment, and may skip any question. While the assessment is voluntary, NAEP depends on student participation to help policymakers improve education. If parents do not want their children to participate, they are able to opt out. However, parents need to notify the school in writing by 2/28/2017.

Middle School Dance

Valentine's Dance on Friday, February 17, 2017 from 1:05 to 2:10 pm in the gym. Price: $3.00 and the proceeds will be used for the end of year field trip to Canobie Lake. Bottled water will be sold for $1.00 in the gym and again the proceeds will be used for the trip to Canobie Lake. Wrist bands will be available on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 from your homeroom teachers. Active chaperones are welcomed. Each team will send at least one adult chaperone who will actively supervise and help at the event. A cleaning crew will be ready after the dance. For more information please ask Maria Amy-Moreno in room 210, Upper School.

Stars Math

Our next math STARS assessment will be conducted Feb. 13-17th. Please make sure that students that are absent when you give the test make it up when they show up. This round we will be asking why students have not taken math STARS assessment.

If you have not already done so make sure you are analyzing the STARS data from the last assessment to help inform your teaching in order to increase SGPs. We will be looking closely at SGPs to ensure we are conducting the best instructional practices to ensure an increase in student achievement this year. If you need any help getting STARS data or analyzing it to think of next steps please email Sean Guthrie at sguthrie@bostonpublicschools.org to set up a time to meet.  

Middle School Special Education Progress Reports

2nd term Middle School progress reports will open Wednesday, January 11th and close Monday, January 30th. Please let Jessica know if you need any assistance completing these.

K2, First and Second Grade Teachers

The BAS and Dibels windows are open from January 23rd to March 3rd. Teachers should find an independent, instructional and hard level for students not meeting the current benchmark according to your most recent running records. The current benchmarks are: K2 - C, 1st - H, 2nd - L.

SPED PD Options

Below are some PD options being offered at the Curley during our contractual PD dates. Staff may want to include one or more of these into their team PD plan. Here is the link to sign up   https://goo.gl/forms/BwtGbumLgXBfLUMF2

• Feb 16th --- Tier 1 and Tier 2 Interventions/curriculum modification 
• March 16th --- Behavior Supports 
• April 27th --- Understanding Disabilities and Services available 
• May 18th --- Middle School Transition/Life Skills 
• June 1st --- Inclusion

1/4/17 Daily Bulletin

Shout Out

Shout out to David Diaz for adding photos of students to SIS! This was a first for our school and David worked with OIIT and the photographer to successfully add this feature to SIS. Thank you, this is an invaluable resource for us all!

Shout out to Waverly Kidd, Laurie Ciardi, Jessica Burque and Olivia Peters for working on January 3rd to get the ELT schedule draft prepared for submission. This will assure a compliance date and release of ELT funds to further complete our schedule and budget! Thank you for your time and unbelievable attention to all the details!

Shout out to the Health and Wellness Committee, Sugeily Santos, Leida Arroyo, Karen Wiesen-Chan, Nina Wessen, Meg Nason, Katie Fitch and Ann Greaney-Williams for creating the celebrations policy for our school! We caring about being healthy! This is a great way to start our new year!

SIS

Check out SIS and see the new feature with students photos. This is very helpful for a large school and all of us learning to get to know one another. Sign on to SIS, click on any student, then click photo at the top next to demographic and you can see your students photos. (Thank you to Waverly for letting us use Lili for this example.)

 

SSC

Please join us for SSC meeting on Wednesday, January 4th from 5:30pm-7:00pm in room 209. This meeting will be about the budget for SY 2017-2018. Our next SSC Meeting will be on Tuesday, January 10th from 5:30pm-7:00pm in room 209. This will be our regularly scheduled meeting.

Winter Reading Benchmark Window (Grades 3-8 Only)

The winter reading benchmark period for ALL students is open from Wednesday, January 4th through Friday, January 13th. Winter benchmark activity can be scheduled during WIN block or other convenient time. To begin the assessment, students log into “STAR Reading” and begin testing. You can access the assessment at:
https://hosted200.renlearn.com/8570/default.aspx
The site has been added as a favorite to the bookmarks on all Chromebooks. Testing should take 15-20 minutes. You should reserve computer carts in advance to assure that all testing is completed no later than January 13th. The data we are collecting provides valuable insight into students’ reading abilities. Please remind students of the importance of this testing and be sure that students are provided a quiet, distraction-free environment so that they can do their best.
Please contact Eileen Cronin if you have any questions.

Staff Social

Please join us for our January Staff Social on Friday, January 6th from 3pm-6pm at Costello's.

SPED & ESL Pathways

Are you interested in seeking ESL and SPED certifications? 

The application deadline is Wednesday, January 18. Early consideration will be given to applications submitted on or before January 13. Programs begin at the end of January. These two programs, plus the Severe Disabilities Pathway, will be posted on My Learning Plan shortly. Please let Katie know if you are applying.

ESL Application

SPED Application

It's Party Time

2nd Annual Smile and Say Cheers New Year's Party

January 13, 2017 at 4:30pm Bella Luna

See your climate rep for more details.

ACCESS Testing

Staff It is that time of year again to prepare for ACCESS: For people who were certified in grades K-3 last year for the paper-based test, kindergarten, and/or alternate ACCESS, only need to re-certify for the Speaking since we are administering the paper-based test again. All teachers in Grades 4-8 need to take the online training module.

New Staff or those who did not takes the training last year. 

You will need to create an account on www.wida.us using username Massachusetts, password patriot. Create an account and follow the steps below.
Teachers in Kindergarten: sign into www.wida.us your account and take the kindergarten training module and quiz.

• Teachers in Grades 1-3: sign into www.wida.us and take the speaking grades 1-6 and paper administration modules and quizzes.
• All Teacher in grades 4-8: Sign into www.wida.us and take the online administration test.
• All teachers that have or service students that are ACCESS ALT will need to sign into their account and take the testing listed above as well as the Alternate ACCESS quiz.
• Any new non-teaching staff and administrators need to take kindergarten, speaking 1-6, paper and online. Once you have taken and passed the quizzes please bring in the completed certification to Kathy or Madeline by Friday January 6th 2017.

If you have any questions feel free to ask Waverly.

New Health and Wellness Policy

Starting January 2017, the Curley K-8 Community is implementing a Celebration and Reward Policy focused on the health and wellness of our community.  This policy uses tools for academic success to recognize important events, exceptional behavior and teamwork in place of food and candy. At the Curley K-8 the majority of celebrations (holidays, birthdays, end of school year etc.) will be recognized without food/candy in the classroom.  At the Curley K-8 exceptional behavior and/or teamwork will also be recognized without food/candy.  This policy will be followed in after-school, school spots/clubs etc., the one exception to this is the PACE program.  Please communicate this policy with students and families when we return from winter break and at the beginning of each academic year.  The policy has been mentioned to families in the Paw Prints and a memo about it will go home in backpacks.  The detailed policy is attached which includes ideas to recognize these events without food/candy and what to do in the event a family brings in treats for a classroom birthday celebration.  We are also asking teachers to develop a way to recognize these events that is uniform across each grade level. Thank you for your support to help take care of our community.

Wanted – Samples of Student Work That Address Instructional Focus

STOP!  Before you send home all that work from the last four months, please see if you have any samples of student work that address our instructional focus and put them aside for the new year.  We will be creating a bulletin board to showcase how Curley students are able to “express a clear and organized idea”.  Cross-content examples of student work are particularly welcomed!  More details will be forthcoming after winter break.  Please contact Eileen Cronin with any questions.

Special Education Report Update

To all Staff,

In order to maintain compliance with DESE and Boston Public Schools requirements, As of January 4th ,2017, Jessica and I will be requiring all reports by 8AM two days before the IEP meeting. We sincerely appreciate all your hard work and we understand sometimes deadlines are difficult however  reports must, by law, be available to parents and other TEAM members by that two day deadline. Thank you in advance. This is necessary to adhere to state guidelines and for coordinators to ensure that the necessary paperwork is complete and services are in place before the meetings. This also helps us prepare for OR/RE/URs.

For example:

• Monday meetings -- by 8AM the Thursday before
• Tuesday meetings -- by 8AM the Friday before
• Wednesday meetings -- by 8 AM Monday
• Thursday meetings -- by 8AM Tuesday 
• Friday meetings -- by 8 AM Wednesday

Thank you - Karen and Jessica

School Previews

We are looking for family volunteers to support our upcoming School Previews. These are building tours for perspective families and Curley families help to lead and share information from a parent’s point of view. All families are welcome to participate and no prior experience is necessary (we will partner you up with others). The preview dates will take place on Friday, January 13th from 9am-1pm and Monday, January 23rd from 3pm-4pm. Please email Arusha Hollister (arusha_h@yahoo.com) if you Doodle Poll: Doodle: Curley Preview Tours

$1500 Early Retirement Incentive Out; Deadline January 13, 2017

In order to assist hiring for the 2017 - 2018 school year, the Boston Public Schools is offering a one-time incentive for early notification of termination to members of the BTU Teachers’ Unit.
1. An individual must be a permanent BTU Teacher, have a minimum of ten (10) years of continuous service in the Boston Public Schools, and must meet the minimum age requirement of fifty-five (55) years. 

2. Eligible employees presently on paid or unpaid leave of absence can apply.
3. The application, once accepted by the Office of Human Capital by execution of the Separation Agreement, is binding on both parties and irrevocable.
4. Applicants understand that the termination must be effective between June 30, 2017 and August 31, 2017.
http://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20161107/dd/1a/e8/c9/8eeabebfe1475e91be2b1c93/HRS-PP08_Incentive_for_Early_Notification_of_Termination_for_BTU_vF-3.pdf

SPED PD Options

Below are some PD options being offered at the Curley during our contractual PD dates. Staff may want to include one or more of these into their team PD plan. Here is the link to sign up   https://goo.gl/forms/BwtGbumLgXBfLUMF2

• Jan 19th --- Paperwork/IEP Progress Reports 
• Feb 16th --- Tier 1 and Tier 2 Interventions/curriculum modification 
• March 16th --- Behavior Supports 
• April 27th --- Understanding Disabilities and Services available 
• May 18th --- Middle School Transition/Life Skills 
• June 1st --- Inclusion

12/21/16 Daily Bulletin

Shout Out

Shout out to Caridad (aka, Cari) Lopez, who took over the recording of time/student numbers for the Pershing Bus arrivals in the 18 degree temperatures. It's not her normal duty, but she picked up the burden and demonstrated how much she practices "We Care About Each Other" and "We Care About Our School." We sure appreciated her being there!

Staff Breakfast

The Admin Team will host a staff breakfast for everyone on Wednesday, December 21st from 7:30am-8:15am in the Teacher's Room. ALL Staff are invited to attend and wish one another a Happy New Year!

SAVE THE DATE

2nd Annual Smile and Say Cheers New Year's Party

January 13, 2017 at 4:30pm Bella Luna
$25 dollars if DUE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22nd!!!!!! DON'T FORGET!!!!

Gift Drive

We are holding a gift drive for a few of our Curley Students. Anyone can pick a tag with a gift idea in either the upper school teacher room or in the lower school lobby. Unwrapped gifts can be dropped off with the tag attached in Ms. Mitchell's room 110 in the lower school. Thank you for your support. 

ACCESS Testing

Staff It is that time of year again to prepare for ACCESS: For people who were certified in grades K-3 last year for the paper-based test, kindergarten, and/or alternate ACCESS, only need to re-certify for the Speaking since we are administering the paper-based test again. All teachers in Grades 4-8 need to take the online training module.

New Staff or those who did not takes the training last year. 

You will need to create an account on www.wida.us using username Massachusetts, password patriot. Create an account and follow the steps below.
Teachers in Kindergarten: sign into www.wida.us your account and take the kindergarten training module and quiz.

• Teachers in Grades 1-3: sign into www.wida.us and take the speaking grades 1-6 and paper administration modules and quizzes.
• All Teacher in grades 4-8: Sign into www.wida.us and take the online administration test.
• All teachers that have or service students that are ACCESS ALT will need to sign into their account and take the testing listed above as well as the Alternate ACCESS quiz.
• Any new non-teaching staff and administrators need to take kindergarten, speaking 1-6, paper and online. Once you have taken and passed the quizzes please bring in the completed certification to Kathy or Madeline by Friday January 6th 2017.

If you have any questions feel free to ask Waverly.

New Health and Wellness Policy

Starting January 2017, the Curley K-8 Community is implementing a Celebration and Reward Policy focused on the health and wellness of our community.  This policy uses tools for academic success to recognize important events, exceptional behavior and teamwork in place of food and candy. At the Curley K-8 the majority of celebrations (holidays, birthdays, end of school year etc.) will be recognized without food/candy in the classroom.  At the Curley K-8 exceptional behavior and/or teamwork will also be recognized without food/candy.  This policy will be followed in after-school, school spots/clubs etc., the one exception to this is the PACE program.  Please communicate this policy with students and families when we return from winter break and at the beginning of each academic year.  The policy has been mentioned to families in the Paw Prints and a memo about it will go home in backpacks.  The detailed policy is attached which includes ideas to recognize these events without food/candy and what to do in the event a family brings in treats for a classroom birthday celebration.  We are also asking teachers to develop a way to recognize these events that is uniform across each grade level. Thank you for your support to help take care of our community.

Wanted – Samples of Student Work That Address Instructional Focus

STOP!  Before you send home all that work from the last four months, please see if you have any samples of student work that address our instructional focus and put them aside for the new year.  We will be creating a bulletin board to showcase how Curley students are able to “express a clear and organized idea”.  Cross-content examples of student work are particularly welcomed!  More details will be forthcoming after winter break.  Please contact Eileen Cronin with any questions.

Special Education Report Update

To all Staff,

In order to maintain compliance with DESE and Boston Public Schools requirements, As of January 4th ,2017, Jessica and I will be requiring all reports by 8AM two days before the IEP meeting. We sincerely appreciate all your hard work and we understand sometimes deadlines are difficult however  reports must, by law, be available to parents and other TEAM members by that two day deadline. Thank you in advance. This is necessary to adhere to state guidelines and for coordinators to ensure that the necessary paperwork is complete and services are in place before the meetings. This also helps us prepare for OR/RE/URs.

For example:

• Monday meetings -- by 8AM the Thursday before
• Tuesday meetings -- by 8AM the Friday before
• Wednesday meetings -- by 8 AM Monday
• Thursday meetings -- by 8AM Tuesday 
• Friday meetings -- by 8 AM Wednesday

Thank you - Karen and Jessica

SPC Fundraiser

The School Parent Council (SPC) is starting a fundraiser for our school this week. The money raised will go towards opening a new school library as well as increasing the technology K-8. Fliers will be in mailboxes for you to send home, information has been posted on the website, a robo call will go out to families, a campaign sign will be placed in the school yard and you are welcome to spread the word to your friends and family as well as post on social media. Here you will find the letter that will go out via email as well as the printed version that will be placed in your mailbox to send home. 

Preference Sheets

It is that time of year again! We are planning for next year and want to know your thoughts and preferences. Please be sure to complete the Curley K-8 2017-2018 School Year Staff Preference Sheet by Tuesday, December 20th. 

School Previews

We are looking for family volunteers to support our upcoming School Previews. These are building tours for perspective families and Curley families help to lead and share information from a parent’s point of view. All families are welcome to participate and no prior experience is necessary (we will partner you up with others). The preview dates will take place on Friday, January 13th from 9am-1pm and Monday, January 23rd from 3pm-4pm. Please email Arusha Hollister (arusha_h@yahoo.com) if you Doodle Poll: Doodle: Curley Preview Tours

$1500 Early Retirement Incentive Out; Deadline January 13, 2017

In order to assist hiring for the 2017 - 2018 school year, the Boston Public Schools is offering a one-time incentive for early notification of termination to members of the BTU Teachers’ Unit.
1. An individual must be a permanent BTU Teacher, have a minimum of ten (10) years of continuous service in the Boston Public Schools, and must meet the minimum age requirement of fifty-five (55) years. 

2. Eligible employees presently on paid or unpaid leave of absence can apply.
3. The application, once accepted by the Office of Human Capital by execution of the Separation Agreement, is binding on both parties and irrevocable.
4. Applicants understand that the termination must be effective between June 30, 2017 and August 31, 2017.
http://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20161107/dd/1a/e8/c9/8eeabebfe1475e91be2b1c93/HRS-PP08_Incentive_for_Early_Notification_of_Termination_for_BTU_vF-3.pdf

SPED PD Options

Below are some PD options being offered at the Curley during our contractual PD dates. Staff may want to include one or more of these into their team PD plan. Here is the link to sign up   https://goo.gl/forms/BwtGbumLgXBfLUMF2

• Jan 19th --- Paperwork/IEP Progress Reports 
• Feb 16th --- Tier 1 and Tier 2 Interventions/curriculum modification 
• March 16th --- Behavior Supports 
• April 27th --- Understanding Disabilities and Services available 
• May 18th --- Middle School Transition/Life Skills 
• June 1st --- Inclusion

12/20/16 Daily Bulletin

Shout Out

Shout out to Janet McDavitt for her hard work each day in K1. She has assured a smooth transition between teachers and the students continue to flourish! Thank you for your efforts and for caring about our students!

ACCESS Testing

Staff It is that time of year again to prepare for ACCESS: For people who were certified in grades K-3 last year for the paper-based test, kindergarten, and/or alternate ACCESS, only need to re-certify for the Speaking since we are administering the paper-based test again. All teachers in Grades 4-8 need to take the online training module.
New Staff or those who did not takes the training last year.
You will need to create an account on www.wida.us using username Massachusetts, password patriot. Create an account and follow the steps below.
Teachers in Kindergarten: sign into www.wida.us your account and take the kindergarten training module and quiz.

• Teachers in Grades 1-3: sign into www.wida.us and take the speaking grades 1-6 and paper administration modules and quizzes.
• All Teacher in grades 4-8: Sign into www.wida.us and take the online administration test.
• All teachers that have or service students that are ACCESS ALT will need to sign into their account and take the testing listed above as well as the Alternate ACCESS quiz.
• Any new non-teaching staff and administrators need to take kindergarten, speaking 1-6, paper and online. Once you have taken and passed the quizzes please bring in the completed certification to Kathy or Madeline by Friday January 6th 2017.

If you have any questions feel free to ask Waverly.

New Health and Wellness Policy

Starting January 2017, the Curley K-8 Community is implementing a Celebration and Reward Policy focused on the health and wellness of our community.  This policy uses tools for academic success to recognize important events, exceptional behavior and teamwork in place of food and candy. At the Curley K-8 the majority of celebrations (holidays, birthdays, end of school year etc.) will be recognized without food/candy in the classroom.  At the Curley K-8 exceptional behavior and/or teamwork will also be recognized without food/candy.  This policy will be followed in after-school, school spots/clubs etc., the one exception to this is the PACE program.  Please communicate this policy with students and families when we return from winter break and at the beginning of each academic year.  The policy has been mentioned to families in the Paw Prints and a memo about it will go home in backpacks.  The detailed policy is attached which includes ideas to recognize these events without food/candy and what to do in the event a family brings in treats for a classroom birthday celebration.  We are also asking teachers to develop a way to recognize these events that is uniform across each grade level. Thank you for your support to help take care of our community.

Wanted – Samples of Student Work That Address Instructional Focus

STOP!  Before you send home all that work from the last four months, please see if you have any samples of student work that address our instructional focus and put them aside for the new year.  We will be creating a bulletin board to showcase how Curley students are able to “express a clear and organized idea”.  Cross-content examples of student work are particularly welcomed!  More details will be forthcoming after winter break.  Please contact Eileen Cronin with any questions.

Special Education Report Update

To all Staff,

In order to maintain compliance with DESE and Boston Public Schools requirements, As of January 4th ,2017, Jessica and I will be requiring all reports by 8AM two days before the IEP meeting. We sincerely appreciate all your hard work and we understand sometimes deadlines are difficult however reports must, by law, be available to parents and other TEAM members by that two day deadline. Thank you in advance. This is necessary to adhere to state guidelines and for coordinators to ensure that the necessary paperwork is complete and services are in place before the meetings. This also helps us prepare for OR/RE/URs.

For example:

• Monday meetings -- by 8AM the Thursday before
• Tuesday meetings -- by 8AM the Friday before
• Wednesday meetings -- by 8 AM Monday
• Thursday meetings -- by 8AM Tuesday 
• Friday meetings -- by 8 AM Wednesday

Thank you - Karen and Jessica

Staff Breakfast

The Admin Team will host a staff breakfast for everyone on Wednesday, December 21st from 7:30am-8:15am in the Teacher's Room. ALL Staff are invited to attend and wish one another a Happy New Year!

Gift Drive

We are holding a gift drive for a few of our Curley Students. Anyone can pick a tag with a gift idea in either the upper school teacher room or in the lower school lobby. Unwrapped gifts can be dropped off with the tag attached in Ms. Mitchell's room 110 in the lower school. Thank you for your support. 

SPC Fundraiser

The School Parent Council (SPC) is starting a fundraiser for our school this week. The money raised will go towards opening a new school library as well as increasing the technology K-8. Fliers will be in mailboxes for you to send home, information has been posted on the website, a robo call will go out to families, a campaign sign will be placed in the school yard and you are welcome to spread the word to your friends and family as well as post on social media. Here you will find the letter that will go out via email as well as the printed version that will be placed in your mailbox to send home. 

Preference Sheets

It is that time of year again! We are planning for next year and want to know your thoughts and preferences. Please be sure to complete the Curley K-8 2017-2018 School Year Staff Preference Sheet by Tuesday, December 20th. 

SAVE THE DATE

2nd Annual Smile and Say Cheers New Year's Party
Formal invitations with RSVP details will be coming soon! 

Staff mark your calendars!!
January 13, 2017 at 4:30pm Bella Luna

School Previews

We are looking for family volunteers to support our upcoming School Previews. These are building tours for perspective families and Curley families help to lead and share information from a parent’s point of view. All families are welcome to participate and no prior experience is necessary (we will partner you up with others). The preview dates will take place on Friday, January 13th from 9am-1pm and Monday, January 23rd from 3pm-4pm. Please email Arusha Hollister (arusha_h@yahoo.com) if you Doodle Poll: Doodle: Curley Preview Tours

$1500 Early Retirement Incentive Out; Deadline January 13, 2017

In order to assist hiring for the 2017 - 2018 school year, the Boston Public Schools is offering a one-time incentive for early notification of termination to members of the BTU Teachers’ Unit.
1. An individual must be a permanent BTU Teacher, have a minimum of ten (10) years of continuous service in the Boston Public Schools, and must meet the minimum age requirement of fifty-five (55) years. 

2. Eligible employees presently on paid or unpaid leave of absence can apply.
3. The application, once accepted by the Office of Human Capital by execution of the Separation Agreement, is binding on both parties and irrevocable.
4. Applicants understand that the termination must be effective between June 30, 2017 and August 31, 2017.
http://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20161107/dd/1a/e8/c9/8eeabebfe1475e91be2b1c93/HRS-PP08_Incentive_for_Early_Notification_of_Termination_for_BTU_vF-3.pdf

SPED PD Options

Below are some PD options being offered at the Curley during our contractual PD dates. Staff may want to include one or more of these into their team PD plan. Here is the link to sign up   https://goo.gl/forms/BwtGbumLgXBfLUMF2

• Jan 19th --- Paperwork/IEP Progress Reports 
• Feb 16th --- Tier 1 and Tier 2 Interventions/curriculum modification 
• March 16th --- Behavior Supports 
• April 27th --- Understanding Disabilities and Services available 
• May 18th --- Middle School Transition/Life Skills 
• June 1st --- Inclusion

12/16/16 Daily Bulletin

Shout Out

Shout out to Tenacity for hosting a fabulous mid-year ceremony for our middle school students. It is always great to see so many families come out and celebrate their child. Thank you for the added efforts of decorating the space for the Wizard of Oz theme. Students and families felt special and appreciated by you all. Thanks!

Special Education Report Update

To all Staff,
In order to maintain compliance with DESE and Boston Public Schools requirements, As of January 4th ,2017, Jessica and I will be requiring all reports by 8AM two days before the IEP meeting. We sincerely appreciate all your hard work and we understand sometimes deadlines are difficult however reports must, by law, be available to parents and other TEAM members by that two day deadline. Thank you in advance. This is necessary to adhere to state guidelines and for coordinators to ensure that the necessary paperwork is complete and services are in place before the meetings. This also helps us prepare for OR/RE/URs.
For example:

• Monday meetings -- by 8AM the Thursday before
• Tuesday meetings -- by 8AM the Friday before
• Wednesday meetings -- by 8 AM Monday
• Thursday meetings -- by 8AM Tuesday 
• Friday meetings -- by 8 AM Wednesday

Thank you - Karen and Jessica

SAVE THE DATE for the Annual Curley Holiday Shopping Night

FRIDAY, December 16th from 3pm-8pm! This year Boing, On Centre, Kitchen Witch, Fire Opal, Caramelo and Streetcar will participate (with possible last-minute additions). This is a fun event that helps our school raise money, supports our local stores, and creates a great sense of community. You buy your Christmas and Hanukkah gifts and the stores donate a percentage of sales to the Curley. Win-Win! Make it a family night out or a date night! Please POST on Facebook and EMAIL friends to spread the word! If you have questions, please email or call Leah Barcan: lbarcan@gmail.com/617-599-0592.

Staff Breakfast

The Admin Team will host a staff breakfast for everyone on Wednesday, December 21st from 7:30am-8:15am in the Teacher's Room. ALL Staff are invited to attend and wish one another a Happy New Year!

Artifacts

All artifacts must be uploaded to EDFS by December 15th. Administrators need time to review artifacts prior to writing Formatives. Please remember that 2-3 items should be uploaded for each goal (Student Learning & Professional Practice) AND each standard (I, II, III, IV). This means around 12-18 artifacts, we know you are doing many amazing things but uploading more than that makes it challenging to review each item thoroughly. Be sure that there is evidence tagged to each goal and standard. Also note that it is just as important to include a thorough description of what you uploaded. Do no assume that the evaluator will know why you choose to upload a particular document. Please let your evaluator know if you have any questions.

Toy Drive

At 3 weeks old my baby nephew Ambrose Valentino passed away from SIDS. There is a toy drive to honor Ambrose at Boston Children's Hospital. If you would like to donate an unwrapped toy to please drop off the toy in room 115A Ms. Mylett. I will be collecting toys until the 16th. Thank you for spreading Kindness and Love in honor of my beautiful baby nephew Ambrose Valentino. Maryclare Moran, BTU Representative and Curley K-8 Paraprofessional

Gift Drive

We are holding a gift drive for a few of our Curley Students. Anyone can pick a tag with a gift idea in either the upper school teacher room or in the lower school lobby. Unwrapped gifts can be dropped off with the tag attached in Ms. Mitchell's room 110 in the lower school. Thank you for your support. 

SPC Fundraiser

The School Parent Council (SPC) is starting a fundraiser for our school this week. The money raised will go towards opening a new school library as well as increasing the technology K-8. Fliers will be in mailboxes for you to send home, information has been posted on the website, a robo call will go out to families, a campaign sign will be placed in the school yard and you are welcome to spread the word to your friends and family as well as post on social media. Here you will find the letter that will go out via email as well as the printed version that will be placed in your mailbox to send home. 

Preference Sheets

It is that time of year again! We are planning for next year and want to know your thoughts and preferences. Please be sure to complete the Curley K-8 2017-2018 School Year Staff Preference Sheet by Tuesday, December 20th. 

Curley Cares Awards

Please submit student names for December, 2016 Curley Cares Awards. Awards will be given to students on Thursday, December 22, 2016 during Curley Shares assemblies. Please use THIS LIST as a reference to see those students who have already received awards. The intent behind Curley Cares is reinforce positive (caring) behaviors and that each Curley K8 student receive at least one Curley Shares award each year.  All Curley K8 staff members - not just for homeroom teachers - can submit student names for an award. If you'd like to give more than 3 awards, please coordinate with your grade-level colleagues such as specialists or other staff. If it is for a larger group of students (such as a sports team, etc.) please email Kate (kdavis3@bostonpublicschools.org) directly. Submissions are DUE by 4:00pm on Monday, December 19, 2016. 

SAVE THE DATE

2nd Annual Smile and Say Cheers New Year's Party
Formal invitations with RSVP details will be coming soon! 

Staff mark your calendars!!
January 13, 2017 at 4:30pm Bella Luna

School Previews

We are looking for family volunteers to support our upcoming School Previews. These are building tours for perspective families and Curley families help to lead and share information from a parent’s point of view. All families are welcome to participate and no prior experience is necessary (we will partner you up with others). The preview dates will take place on Friday, January 13th from 9am-1pm and Monday, January 23rd from 3pm-4pm. Please email Arusha Hollister (arusha_h@yahoo.com) if you Doodle Poll: Doodle: Curley Preview Tours

$1500 Early Retirement Incentive Out; Deadline January 13, 2017

In order to assist hiring for the 2017 - 2018 school year, the Boston Public Schools is offering a one-time incentive for early notification of termination to members of the BTU Teachers’ Unit.
1. An individual must be a permanent BTU Teacher, have a minimum of ten (10) years of continuous service in the Boston Public Schools, and must meet the minimum age requirement of fifty-five (55) years. 

2. Eligible employees presently on paid or unpaid leave of absence can apply.
3. The application, once accepted by the Office of Human Capital by execution of the Separation Agreement, is binding on both parties and irrevocable.
4. Applicants understand that the termination must be effective between June 30, 2017 and August 31, 2017.
http://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20161107/dd/1a/e8/c9/8eeabebfe1475e91be2b1c93/HRS-PP08_Incentive_for_Early_Notification_of_Termination_for_BTU_vF-3.pdf

SPED PD Options

Below are some PD options being offered at the Curley during our contractual PD dates. Staff may want to include one or more of these into their team PD plan. Here is the link to sign up   https://goo.gl/forms/BwtGbumLgXBfLUMF2

• Jan 19th --- Paperwork/IEP Progress Reports 
• Feb 16th --- Tier 1 and Tier 2 Interventions/curriculum modification 
• March 16th --- Behavior Supports 
• April 27th --- Understanding Disabilities and Services available 
• May 18th --- Middle School Transition/Life Skills 
• June 1st --- Inclusion 

12/19/16 Daily Bulletin

Shout Out

Shout out to Debbie Bryson and her students for making sure that the upper school copier is stocked with paper. She and her students show "Curley Caring" by each carrying a ream of paper to the Teachers' Room so that teachers didn't run out of copy paper on Friday!

New Health and Wellness Policy

Starting January 2017, the Curley K-8 Community is implementing a Celebration and Reward Policy focused on the health and wellness of our community.  This policy uses tools for academic success to recognize important events, exceptional behavior and teamwork in place of food and candy. At the Curley K-8 the majority of celebrations (holidays, birthdays, end of school year etc.) will be recognized without food/candy in the classroom.  At the Curley K-8 exceptional behavior and/or teamwork will also be recognized without food/candy.  This policy will be followed in after-school, school spots/clubs etc., the one exception to this is the PACE program.  Please communicate this policy with students and families when we return from winter break and at the beginning of each academic year.  The policy has been mentioned to families in the Paw Prints and a memo about it will go home in backpacks.  The detailed policy is attached which includes ideas to recognize these events without food/candy and what to do in the event a family brings in treats for a classroom birthday celebration.  We are also asking teachers to develop a way to recognize these events that is uniform across each grade level. Thank you for your support to help take care of our community.

Wanted – Samples of Student Work That Address Instructional Focus

STOP!  Before you send home all that work from the last four months, please see if you have any samples of student work that address our instructional focus and put them aside for the new year.  We will be creating a bulletin board to showcase how Curley students are able to “express a clear and organized idea”.  Cross-content examples of student work are particularly welcomed!  More details will be forthcoming after winter break.  Please contact Eileen Cronin with any questions.

Special Education Report Update

To all Staff,
In order to maintain compliance with DESE and Boston Public Schools requirements, As of January 4th ,2017, Jessica and I will be requiring all reports by 8AM two days before the IEP meeting. We sincerely appreciate all your hard work and we understand sometimes deadlines are difficult however reports must, by law, be available to parents and other TEAM members by that two day deadline. Thank you in advance. This is necessary to adhere to state guidelines and for coordinators to ensure that the necessary paperwork is complete and services are in place before the meetings. This also helps us prepare for OR/RE/URs.
For example:

• Monday meetings -- by 8AM the Thursday before
• Tuesday meetings -- by 8AM the Friday before
• Wednesday meetings -- by 8 AM Monday
• Thursday meetings -- by 8AM Tuesday 
• Friday meetings -- by 8 AM Wednesday

Thank you - Karen and Jessica

Staff Breakfast

The Admin Team will host a staff breakfast for everyone on Wednesday, December 21st from 7:30am-8:15am in the Teacher's Room. ALL Staff are invited to attend and wish one another a Happy New Year!

Gift Drive

We are holding a gift drive for a few of our Curley Students. Anyone can pick a tag with a gift idea in either the upper school teacher room or in the lower school lobby. Unwrapped gifts can be dropped off with the tag attached in Ms. Mitchell's room 110 in the lower school. Thank you for your support. 

SPC Fundraiser

The School Parent Council (SPC) is starting a fundraiser for our school this week. The money raised will go towards opening a new school library as well as increasing the technology K-8. Fliers will be in mailboxes for you to send home, information has been posted on the website, a robo call will go out to families, a campaign sign will be placed in the school yard and you are welcome to spread the word to your friends and family as well as post on social media. Here you will find the letter that will go out via email as well as the printed version that will be placed in your mailbox to send home. 

Preference Sheets

It is that time of year again! We are planning for next year and want to know your thoughts and preferences. Please be sure to complete the Curley K-8 2017-2018 School Year Staff Preference Sheet by Tuesday, December 20th. 

Curley Cares Awards

Please submit student names for December, 2016 Curley Cares Awards. Awards will be given to students on Thursday, December 22, 2016 during Curley Shares assemblies. Please use THIS LIST as a reference to see those students who have already received awards. The intent behind Curley Cares is reinforce positive (caring) behaviors and that each Curley K8 student receive at least one Curley Shares award each year.  All Curley K8 staff members - not just for homeroom teachers - can submit student names for an award. If you'd like to give more than 3 awards, please coordinate with your grade-level colleagues such as specialists or other staff. If it is for a larger group of students (such as a sports team, etc.) please email Kate (kdavis3@bostonpublicschools.org) directly. Submissions are DUE by 4:00pm on Monday, December 19, 2016. 

SAVE THE DATE

2nd Annual Smile and Say Cheers New Year's Party
Formal invitations with RSVP details will be coming soon! 

Staff mark your calendars!!
January 13, 2017 at 4:30pm Bella Luna

School Previews

We are looking for family volunteers to support our upcoming School Previews. These are building tours for perspective families and Curley families help to lead and share information from a parent’s point of view. All families are welcome to participate and no prior experience is necessary (we will partner you up with others). The preview dates will take place on Friday, January 13th from 9am-1pm and Monday, January 23rd from 3pm-4pm. Please email Arusha Hollister (arusha_h@yahoo.com) if you Doodle Poll: Doodle: Curley Preview Tours

$1500 Early Retirement Incentive Out; Deadline January 13, 2017

In order to assist hiring for the 2017 - 2018 school year, the Boston Public Schools is offering a one-time incentive for early notification of termination to members of the BTU Teachers’ Unit.
1. An individual must be a permanent BTU Teacher, have a minimum of ten (10) years of continuous service in the Boston Public Schools, and must meet the minimum age requirement of fifty-five (55) years. 

2. Eligible employees presently on paid or unpaid leave of absence can apply.
3. The application, once accepted by the Office of Human Capital by execution of the Separation Agreement, is binding on both parties and irrevocable.
4. Applicants understand that the termination must be effective between June 30, 2017 and August 31, 2017.
http://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20161107/dd/1a/e8/c9/8eeabebfe1475e91be2b1c93/HRS-PP08_Incentive_for_Early_Notification_of_Termination_for_BTU_vF-3.pdf

SPED PD Options

Below are some PD options being offered at the Curley during our contractual PD dates. Staff may want to include one or more of these into their team PD plan. Here is the link to sign up   https://goo.gl/forms/BwtGbumLgXBfLUMF2

• Jan 19th --- Paperwork/IEP Progress Reports 
• Feb 16th --- Tier 1 and Tier 2 Interventions/curriculum modification 
• March 16th --- Behavior Supports 
• April 27th --- Understanding Disabilities and Services available 
• May 18th --- Middle School Transition/Life Skills 
• June 1st --- Inclusion 

12/14/16 Daily Bulletin

Shout Out

Shout out to Jesse Cardoso and his middle school students who are creating murals on our walls. The art is starting to come to light and is all a buzz throughout the building. Thank you for caring about our school by making it more beautiful through student artwork!!!!

ILT 

The ILT will be conducting a walkthrough of classrooms on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. You may see your colleagues enter your classroom and take notes. We are collection information to further guide our work as we continue for the remainder of the school year. Nothing in these observations can be used as part of the evaluation and all note taking will be low inference. When reviewing the data will not identify teacher names or other identifying information. Thank you for opening your classrooms to this. Also the ILT will meet on Wednesday, December 14th from 3:0pm-4:15pm in Room 214.

Staff Breakfast

The Admin Team will host a staff breakfast for everyone on Wednesday, December 21st from 7:30am-8:15am in the Teacher's Room. ALL Staff are invited to attend and wish one another a Happy New Year!

PD

Our last ALL staff PD in 2016 will take place on Thursday, December 15th from 3pm-4:15pm in the auditorium. ALL paras and teachers must attended this.

SAVE THE DATE for the Annual Curley Holiday Shopping Night

FRIDAY, December 16th from 3pm-8pm! This year Boing, On Centre, Kitchen Witch, Fire Opal, Caramelo and Streetcar will participate (with possible last-minute additions). This is a fun event that helps our school raise money, supports our local stores, and creates a great sense of community. You buy your Christmas and Hanukkah gifts and the stores donate a percentage of sales to the Curley. Win-Win! Make it a family night out or a date night! Please POST on Facebook and EMAIL friends to spread the word! If you have questions, please email or call Leah Barcan: lbarcan@gmail.com/617-599-0592.

Toy Drive

At 3 weeks old my baby nephew Ambrose Valentino passed away from SIDS. There is a toy drive to honor Ambrose at Boston Children's Hospital. If you would like to donate an unwrapped toy to please drop off the toy in room 115A Ms. Mylett. I will be collecting toys until the 16th. Thank you for spreading Kindness and Love in honor of my beautiful baby nephew Ambrose Valentino. Maryclare Moran, BTU Representative and Curley K-8 Paraprofessional

Insight Survey

Last week you were emailed an Insight Survey. BPS is asking all teachers to complete this survey. This year’s fall survey will be sent to all teachers via a link in an email. The Insight survey only takes about 15 minutes to complete. The fall administration will close December 14th, and the spring administration is currently scheduled for between May 22nd and June 5th. SO FAR ONLY 30% OF STAFF HAVE COMPLETED THIS. THE DISTRICT IS LOOKING FOR 100% OF TEACHERS TO RESPOND. PLEASE HELP US REACH THIS GOAL. You cannot forward the email to one another, please contact insightsurvey@tntp.org if you need help finding the survey.

Gift Drive

We are holding a gift drive for a few of our Curley Students. Anyone can pick a tag with a gift idea in either the upper school teacher room or in the lower school lobby. Unwrapped gifts can be dropped off with the tag attached in Ms. Mitchell's room 110 in the lower school. Thank you for your support. 

SPC Fundraiser

The School Parent Council (SPC) is starting a fundraiser for our school this week. The money raised will go towards opening a new school library as well as increasing the technology K-8. Fliers will be in mailboxes for you to send home, information has been posted on the website, a robo call will go out to families, a campaign sign will be placed in the school yard and you are welcome to spread the word to your friends and family as well as post on social media. Here you will find the letter that will go out via email as well as the printed version that will be placed in your mailbox to send home. 

Preference Sheets

It is that time of year again! We are planning for next year and want to know your thoughts and preferences. Please be sure to complete the Curley K-8 2017-2018 School Year Staff Preference Sheet by Tuesday, December 20th. 

Curley Cares Awards

Please submit student names for December, 2016 Curley Cares Awards. Awards will be given to students on Thursday, December 22, 2016 during Curley Shares assemblies. Please use THIS LIST as a reference to see those students who have already received awards. The intent behind Curley Cares is reinforce positive (caring) behaviors and that each Curley K8 student receive at least one Curley Shares award each year.  All Curley K8 staff members - not just for homeroom teachers - can submit student names for an award. If you'd like to give more than 3 awards, please coordinate with your grade-level colleagues such as specialists or other staff. If it is for a larger group of students (such as a sports team, etc.) please email Kate (kdavis3@bostonpublicschools.org) directly. Submissions are DUE by 4:00pm on Monday, December 19, 2016. 

Artifacts

All artifacts must be uploaded to EDFS by December 15th. Administrators need time to review artifacts prior to writing Formatives. Please remember that 2-3 items should be uploaded for each goal (Student Learning & Professional Practice) AND each standard (I, II, III, IV). This means around 12-18 artifacts, we know you are doing many amazing things but uploading more than that makes it challenging to review each item thoroughly. Be sure that there is evidence tagged to each goal and standard. Also note that it is just as important to include a thorough description of what you uploaded. Do no assume that the evaluator will know why you choose to upload a particular document. Please let your evaluator know if you have any questions.

Tenacity

Come celebrate with Tenacity on Thursday, December 15th, when we’ll hold our annual ‘Mid-year Ceremony: There’s No Place Like Tenacity’ to showcase program highlights and recognize student accomplishments from the first part of the school year. The event will be from 5:30pm-7:30pm in the Lower School Gym, with dinner being served around 5:45pm. All Curley staff is welcome to stop by! We hope to see you there! If you have any questions please feel free to contact Ms. AuGuste at cathyauguste@tenacity.org

SAVE THE DATE

2nd Annual Smile and Say Cheers New Year's Party
Formal invitations with RSVP details will be coming soon! 

Staff mark your calendars!!
January 13, 2017 at 4:30pm Bella Luna

School Previews

We are looking for family volunteers to support our upcoming School Previews. These are building tours for perspective families and Curley families help to lead and share information from a parent’s point of view. All families are welcome to participate and no prior experience is necessary (we will partner you up with others). The preview dates will take place on Friday, January 13th from 9am-1pm and Monday, January 23rd from 3pm-4pm. Please email Arusha Hollister (arusha_h@yahoo.com) if you Doodle Poll: Doodle: Curley Preview Tours

$1500 Early Retirement Incentive Out; Deadline January 13, 2017

In order to assist hiring for the 2017 - 2018 school year, the Boston Public Schools is offering a one-time incentive for early notification of termination to members of the BTU Teachers’ Unit.
1. An individual must be a permanent BTU Teacher, have a minimum of ten (10) years of continuous service in the Boston Public Schools, and must meet the minimum age requirement of fifty-five (55) years. 

2. Eligible employees presently on paid or unpaid leave of absence can apply.
3. The application, once accepted by the Office of Human Capital by execution of the Separation Agreement, is binding on both parties and irrevocable.
4. Applicants understand that the termination must be effective between June 30, 2017 and August 31, 2017.
http://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20161107/dd/1a/e8/c9/8eeabebfe1475e91be2b1c93/HRS-PP08_Incentive_for_Early_Notification_of_Termination_for_BTU_vF-3.pdf

SPED PD Options

Below are some PD options being offered at the Curley during our contractual PD dates. Staff may want to include one or more of these into their team PD plan. Here is the link to sign up   https://goo.gl/forms/BwtGbumLgXBfLUMF2

• Jan 19th --- Paperwork/IEP Progress Reports 
• Feb 16th --- Tier 1 and Tier 2 Interventions/curriculum modification 
• March 16th --- Behavior Supports 
• April 27th --- Understanding Disabilities and Services available 
• May 18th --- Middle School Transition/Life Skills 
• June 1st --- Inclusion