I hope you had a restful weekend. This week signifies that we are halfway through the first quarter of the 2022-2023 school year. Several of us are using systems we have in place to ensure the smooth operation of the building. If any of you have any questions, concerns, or simply need us to clarify something please let us know. If you have a question, more than likely someone else has the same question.
I also want to say that I am so proud of each and every one of you. Our kids have been bragging about the fun and exciting things you have been doing in class and our administration team has also witnessed this first hand with several walkthroughs. Keep up the good work.
Staff Birthdays
8/27 Jeff Tindle Birthday
8/30 Beth Thompson
8/31 Jenny Thomas
9/2 Brooke Shivers Birthday
9/3 Maria Grindstaff Birthday
9/4 Jennifer Boyster
9/6 Amy Rader Birthday
9/7 Tammy Cook Birthday
9/21 Laura Mullins
9/24 Paige Fleetwood
Events
Aug. 31 Middle School Galileo ELA
Sept 1- Middle School Galileo Math
Pershing Night at Springfield Cardinals
Sept 5- Labor Day (No School)
Sept 12- 16- Book Fair
Sept 12- Health Fair
Sept 13- Open House/SPS University
Sept 20- Staff meeting (7:50-8:50)
Sept 22- SPS Strategic Plan team on site 8am-5pm
Sept-26-30th - Spirit Week
End of Quarter
Mid Quarter- Sept 21
End of Quarter- Oct. 20th
Growth Plans
Teachers list below are step by step instructions on completing your growth plans for the 2022-2023 school year. Please access Perform and have your growth plan completed by September 30th. HERE is the slide deck with the updated Slide 16 and 17 with the language some of you were asking me about.
Provide the following resources to staff members:
For Direct Reports (Employees being evaluated- share the below documents with those being evaluated using Perform platform. Please have them review prior to completing any forms in Perform.
Intro to Perform Video from Dr. Liz Cooper, Director of Human Resources
SPS Evaluation Guidebook (Perform) for Educators- fluid document
Getting Started with Perform- Evaluation Process- Teacher (Educator)
Perform- Direct Report Quick Start Guide (“Direct Report” is individual being evaluated)
Teacher Training Video: https://performancematters.wistia.com/medias/hcobo3xvd0
Perform Teacher Evaluation Training (BOY)- example provided by a principal (feel free to copy and update for your school and appropriate goals).
Growth Plan- Beginning of the Year Tutorial- Step 1 (step by step tutorial for direct report to enter in Perform)- tutorial for Direct Report (ex: Educator)
This years standards emphasis for the SPS are the following;
Standard 2: Students Learning and Development
Quality Indicator 3: Theory of Learning
Standard 5: Positive Classroom Environment
Quality Indicator 3: Classroom, school, and community culture
Standard 7: Student Assessment and Data Analysis
Quality Indicator 4: Effect of Instruction on individual/class learning
Staff Meeting
Our staff meeting will be Tuesday Sept 20th 7:50-8:50 I will send out the location tomorrow. We look forward to our time together.
Elementary News
Elementary News can be found at the link below. Thank you Mrs. Frazier
https://www.smore.com/hxkw8
Team meeting with Rachel Bodoin Middle School
This week’s team meeting with Rachel Bodoin will be on Friday the Sept. 23 instead of Thursday. You need to bring a device to this meeting.
Galileo
The IRT Analysis is complete for all levels of Galileo data. We are working with Galileo to correct an error regarding accessing DL scores in kindergarten and first grade. Here are guides that can help access the Benchmark Performance Report:
K/1 Work around (until fixed) for accessing DL scores
Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conference Schedule is listed below. We are flexing out the time worked on these days in order to be off on Oct. 31st.
Tuesday Oct. 25th Thursday Oct. 27th
7:30-8:30 am 7:30-8:30 am
4:15-7:15 pm 4:15-6:30 pm
Spirit Week Middle School Madness
Attention all Pershing staff:
There is a need for game workers. Most of the volleyball games are covered but Coach Mitchell could use back up. She is also looking to start getting workers lined out for basketball games 2nd and 3rd quarter. Wrestling will also be 2nd quarter.
$14 an hour (usually around 2.5-3 hours)
More importantly, we can’t run the games without workers! So please help support our students
Teamwork makes the dream work! If we have several people willing to help, we wouldn’t need one single person very often (unless they wanted to work more). Anyone who is already on payroll can work. If you don’t know how to do something, we can teach you. Also, if you know someone from another SPS school that would like to help us out, let Lindsey Mitchell know.
Compensation for elementary teachers covering classrooms during plan time
Elementary teachers who commit their plan time to cover for other teachers will be compensated for that time at $22.33 per hour, as allowed in the 2022-2023 salary schedule, Section 4 - Substitute and Temporary Staff Rates. This is the rate currently available for teachers at the secondary level and will also apply to elementary teacher coverage.
Teachers must commit their plan time and must assume classroom teaching responsibilities in order to be compensated for the time. Principals will submit the coverage monthly for teachers to be paid.
Strategic Plan Engagement
Please be aware that we have a consultant from EGL Association in our building Thursday Sept 22nd 8am-5pm to visit with you, if you choose to engage. The consultant is interested in gathering information from SPS staff about what our district is doing well and what opportunities exist for improvement. This feedback will be used to help revise our district’s Strategic Plan. If you are available, I encourage you to participate in this important process. You may come and go as you are able. Participation is also sought through this survey. If you are not available on that day but would like to participate in another in-person opportunity, please send a message to communications@spsmail.org to express your interest and other options may be available. Thank you!