Teaching & Learning

We are off and running! Thank you for choosing to be here and for bringing excitement and energy to the first week of school. Some of you may have experienced a roadblock or two as we began the year, and to be honest, that’s how most days will be. This job is a tough one, and that’s why it’s critical to surround yourself with good people. That is the bit of advice given to new staff during orientation, and some of your principals may have shared this advice with you, as it is outlined in the article Marigold Effect. If you haven’t heard of the Marigold Effect, I encourage you to read or watch it using the links provided here. Although it’s a message for new teachers, it is relevant for all teachers as we begin new each year.

The article makes the case that each of us needs to surround ourselves with marigolds and distance ourselves from walnut trees. Like in a bountiful garden, our school system has many marigolds – those individuals who protect and encourage growth in their fellow educators. And like in some gardens, you may encounter in our system a walnut tree or two – those individuals who are toxic and spread negativity to others. So as stated earlier, the best advice for a job as tough as this is to surround yourself with good people, find those marigolds.

While this is great advice and shouldn’t be ignored, I feel the more important advice is to reflect regularly on which one of the two – a marigold or a walnut tree – am I, are you? Which of the two - a marigold or a walnut tree – do people see me as, see you as? Which of the two - a marigold or a walnut tree – will we strive to be this year? I say, let’s go be MARIGOLDS!

Hello New Certified Staff Members! Welcome to the Teaching & Learning Blog!

Each month, Shanna and I work together to create the Teaching & Learning Blog. Some information in the blog remains the same throughout the year, and we are always adding new information.

Examples include:

• PD opportunities
• Recognitions/Shout Outs
• License renewal & license look-up
• Content Area information
• Assessment details
• PLC and SAC updates
• and much more...

P.S. Each blog ends with a song I randomly choose. Have a great school year!

PD Timeline

The district, through feedback by building leadership team and collaborative times, has adopted a plan for specific assessments to be administered throughout the year. That plan is linked here for your knowledge and understanding of the various assessment expectations at specific grade level areas, Hays Unified School District 489 Assessment Plan.docx

Important Dates:

• FastBridge windows have been set to mirror last year, they are as follows:
• 8/28 to 9/22 (Fall Window ACADEMIC ONLY)
• 9/25 to 9/29 (Fall Window SAEBRS)
• 10/16-10/27 (OPTIONAL end of 1st Quarter)
• 11/20 – 12/22 (Winter Window)
• 2/12-3/1 (OPTIONAL 3rd quarter)
• 4/15 – 5/10 (Spring Window)
• An email will be sent to all staff with usernames, passwords, and testing reminders before the window opens

All Kansas children ages 0-5 are eligible to enroll and participate in The Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Kansas.

Simply click HERE to enroll your child in the program to receive a free, age-appropriate book every month in the mail until your child’s 5th birthday

Conference - FHSU For More Information

Thank you 489 Wellness Committee for sponsoring 40 gift cards and 2 grand prizes! Also, thank you Hays Nutrition for donating half-off drink coupons for wellness activity participants.

Everyone who completed an activity received one entry per activity into a grand prize drawing.

• Donna Hudson-Hamilton, Connections: Second-place - $45 prepaid card
• Donna Lubbers, Hays Middle School: Grand prize - $100 prepaid card

Please read the following information regarding travel.

REGULATIONS FOR TRAVEL

Our business office ran an audit of the first nine weeks of school and found the following:

• 48 Professional Meeting Absences were not entered into Skyward
• 50 Sick Leave (illness, personal, funeral) absences were not entered into Skyward

All leave tracking and balances are maintained in Skyward and, therefore ALL leave must be requested in Skyward. This includes allocated leaves (sick leave, personal leave etc.) uncharged leaves (professional development, student activity, etc.), as well as special leaves (Family Serious Illness, Jury Duty, etc.). Linked here is a document outlining the process for requesting ANY type of leave.

CLICK HERE!

2023-24_Kansas_Assessments_Overview_Calendar.pdf

PLC Chairs

ELA & Math SAC updates can be found here

Did you know the USD 489 Wellness Committee won four wellness awards, four years in a row?

• 2020: Inspiring Change-Bronze Workplace Well-Being Winner
• 2021: Silver Workplace Well-Being Winner
• 2022: Gold Workplace Well-Being Winner
• 2023: Making a Difference-Gold Workplace Well-Being Winner

Your ideas are welcome! If interested in joining, contact HR for more information at HR@usd489.com

Click Here for more information

Click Here for more information

August 2023 Early Literacy/ Dyslexia Newsletter

K-5 District Resources Materials folder

The best phonics instruction is explicit, systematic, and engaging. The recent national conversation around Science of Reading clarifies the important role of phonics in early reading development. Download these three research eBooks by Wiley Blevins, author of From Phonics to Reading for Grades K–3, and discover the importance of strong phonics instruction.

The Effects of Using Decodable Texts with Systematic Instruction

Learn what Wiley Blevins found in his research study on the potential impact decodable texts have on early reading and spelling growth as well as motivation to read

Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success

The phonics instruction we deliver must be based on our awareness of grade-level reading demands while simultaneously meeting students where they are.

The Phonics Instructional Guide: Multisensory/Multimodal Instruction

Effective and efficient phonics lessons incorporate multimodal instruction. Activities should engage a student’s multiple senses, yet focus on a direct connection to authentic reading and writing experiences.

KSDE will be holding monthly sessions. The sessions will be on Zoom, and will be broken into Elementary, MS, and HS groups. KSDE may breakdown Elementary into PK-2 and 3-5 later in the year. Their goal is to get as much information, resources, and support to math teachers as possible. KSDE wants to address topics or areas that you as a teacher are needing the most support. Please fill out the Google form so they can plan the most effective sessions possible.

https://forms.gle/oi5H2ibnUCJeFXYcA

Get answers from KSDE quickly right here...

Which License do I Need?

Am I Eligible for a License Renewal?

Am I Eligible for a License Upgrade?

Teacher Licensure Website

KS Department of Education: https://appspublic.ksde.org/TLL/SearchLicense.aspx

Speech/Language Pathologist: https://www.ksha.org/licensing.php

KS Board of Nursing: https://www.kansas.gov/ksbn-verifications/search/records

KS Board of Healing Arts: Link does not work. Go to website.

KS Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board: https://licensing.ks.gov/Verification_BSRB/Search.aspx

FIND OUT HERE

Staff should be able to submit maintenance tickets through ClassLink.

Once logged into ClassLink, staff should see a maintenance helpdesk icon. If you don’t see the helpdesk, you may need to switch your profile.

IT shared these steps to follow:

Switching Profiles

1. Click on profile dropdown arrow on top right by your picture
2. Select profile menu
3. Select appropriate profile - either Teacher or Staff

For More Information: HirePaths - Connect Your Kids to In-Demand Careers

For more information and FAQ's, click here

WCKSEC Lending Library.xlsx: Contact - Shayla Cochran

Curriculum Library: Contact - Gabriela Schmidt

Renaissance is now the parent company for FastBridge and partners with KSDE to offer resources for FastBridge. Please see this month’s newsletter for information about various reports and upcoming KSDE-sponsored professional learning opportunities.

Events & Resources

• Logging into FastBridge for the First Time
• Forgotten Password
• FAST Assessment Estimated Administration Times
• Quick Sheets, Student Materials and Demo Videos can be Accessed on the Assessment Page HERE
• How To Access the List of Student Usernames & Passwords for Your Building
  

Creating an Incident in eduClimber

Link to Seesaw’s info about the new messaging feature (including short videos).

The "one app" piece still requires you to sign out as a "teacher" and sign in as a "student" to see things in the class Marie and Allison made (on cell phone or iPad). But the rest of that part about the updated app is still correct.

A Teaching and Learning SeeSaw (elementary) and Canvas (secondary) page has been created and shared with teachers throughout the district. The goal for creating these courses is to share resources, dates, and general information in a one-stop-shop method. In the course you will find a calendar with PD dates, assessment windows, days off, early releases, etc. You will also find resource folders/modules with several tutorials or info for FastBridge, eduCLIMBER, ELA, Math, Progress Monitoring, and more. If there is anything you would like to see added to this page let Allison or Marie know.