Meadow Hall Staff Newsletter

Pizza (Peppermints, Pretzels, and a few other Ps) with the Principal:

Mr. Mackall is scheduling 20-minute 1 on 1 chats (virtual or In Person) with all MCEA staff at MHES starting in December and will meet through January. The purpose of the meetings is to provide transparency for the next steps and plans for the FY23-24 school year. He will ask for feedback on the year thus far and discuss his vision for us as a school and where he plans to go for the remainder of the year and beyond. This is his effort to provide open and transparent communication about where he envisions MHES as we begin to plan for the FY24 school year. All staff (even if you do not plan to be here next year) are asked to meet with him as your feedback is important.

Here is the link: Pizza, Pretzels and More with the Principal Sign Up Doc

If your committee, as listed on this document, has not yet communicated plans/event dates to Administration, please do so by this Friday. We want to be sure our school building is reserved and there aren't conflicts with each other and/or PTA.

Remember to have grades updated by 5pm on Thursday, December 15th. Interims will be posted to ParentVue and mailed home by MCPS for those parents without ParentVue.

We are asking for teachers to count the number of chromebooks and chargers they currently have in their chromebook cart and log the number in this document. We will be asking for more chromebooks and chargers, but need an accurate count. Chromebook Count

If you wish to participate in this year’s Secret Staffer gift exchange, sign-up here!

The deadline to sign up is December 13th. After the sign-up deadline, names will be randomly drawn and you'll find out who you'll be giving a gift to on your group's exchange date. The gift exchange will be held on Wednesday, December 21st at 8:15am in the staff lounge.

Do you like baking? Do you enjoy eating cookies? Well, dust off your aprons (or your elastic pants!) and get ready for our MHES Holiday Bake Off!

When: Monday, December 19th (11 AM – 1 PM)

Where: Room 35

What: Bake at least 2 dozen cookies, brownies, bars, etc. or just come and eat and drink to your heart’s content.

Baker Fee- $5 (includes judging fee)

Judge/Taster Fee- $10

Please Venmo or pay cash by Thursday, December 15.

Why: All funds will be used for cash prize for the winners and a delicious milk bar to go with the desserts!!

Please sign up here by Thursday, December 15 if you plan on baking or judging.

Teachers: If you notice students are regularly absent, please take a moment to reach out to the family through a phone call, email or dojo. Please log the contact in Synergy. We follow-up on attendance through our Well-Being Team meeting that occurs every Monday.

• Teacher devices will be a new and important part of the refresh cycle starting in Summer 2024.

• As you may know, MCEA staff received chromebooks during the pandemic and then received laptops during the 2021 school year.

• In order to inform future purchases and align new technologies with unique classroom needs, the Department of Digital Innovation is hosting a Device Showcase for MCEA staff.

• This showcase will provide MCEA staff with the ability to test different devices and share input on what devices and features are most important to them as they think about effective instruction using technology.

• Device Showcase Details (Flyer) :

• Date: Friday, January 6, 2023

• Time: 9-11AM; 1-3PM; 3-5PM (MCEA staff pick one window to attend)

• Each school will receive one substitute day to be used for teacher coverage so that teachers may attend. The sub day should be shared by two staff members so that one can attend during the morning session and one can attend in the afternoon.

• Staff who do not require a substitute may attend the showcase during any window.

• Staff wanting to attend the showcase between 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM will be paid a stipend of $20.

• You may submit the names of the two MCEA staff requiring ½ day substitute coverage by having your Principal submit the RSVP form no later than January 4th. Teachers must arrange their own sub coverage. Subs will be paid by the Department of Digital Innovation.Let Desmond and Ilana know if you are interested in attending!

Let Desmond and Ilana know if you are interested in attending!

Password Reports

Students in Grades 3-12 are responsible for their own passwords. While students can change their passwords as often as they like, the maximum age of a student password, according to MCPS policy, is 365 days. Students receive multiple reminders at 30, 15, 10, and 5 to 0 days prior to a password expiration. If a student fails to change their password by the 365th day, password change will be forced and a new password generated.

The MCPS Student Password Manager (SPM) application, located at https://spm.mcpsmd.org, allows students to change their passwords from within an MCPS building or from home. When the SPM application is used to update a student password, the password report is also updated with the new password.

The SPM application can also be used by teachers to update a student password, should the student need assistance.

Student Password Reports Now in Synergy SIS

Teachers that have access to the SIS side of Synergy can now run student password reports from the Synergy SIS using the reports below. They can be found in the MCPS module under the padtree. These reports provide the same password information found in the linked MCPS Resources dropdown.

U-PWD501 : Student Password by Homeroom Teacher

U-PWD502 : Student Password by School

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is an authentication method that requires the user to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to the network or applications. Rather than just asking for a username and password, MFA requires one or more additional verification factors, which decreases the likelihood of a successful cyber attack.

• Directions for registering for MFA are here.

• MFA will be required only when staff are working remotely. More information is here.

• If you use an iPhone, you may need additional instructions here.

The MCPS webpage for all things related to myID, including MFA, is located at https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/myid/

Go Guardian

GoGuardian is available for teachers to use to monitor their student’s online activity. Teachers will log into GoGuardian using the Clever option and Paraeducators should use the Google login option. Teachers have the option to use preloaded GoGuardian classes loaded from Synergy or manually create their classes either by sharing a class code with students or by uploading a spreadsheet with student IDs.

Please note that in order for paraeducators to be included with teachers’ classes in GoGuardian they will need to be added as additional staff to teachers’ sections in Synergy.

GoGuardian Teacher Login

GoGuardian Self-Paced Course:

PDO Course #90538

From the Math Department:

Scaffolding and PM Assessments*NEW

We often receive questions regarding potential scaffolding of assessments in PM. Any student with an IEP, 504, or EL plan must receive the accommodations listed in their respective document. Here are some general approaches that CANNOT be used for students without a documented plan:

1. Printing PM assessments

2. Copying PM assessment questions onto paper with an answer space for students to complete in advance, then allowing students use that very paper to go into the test and simply enter what's on the paper

3. Working through problems in the platform with students problem by problem

4. Copying the PM questions, changing the numbers in the problem, and then using the test clone for review

Enrichment Course

#90413 Tiered Enrichment Strategies for Honing the Lesson in Eureka Math (no stipend)

OCIP has opened ten new cohorts for LETRs training. We are asking that all staff K-3, HSM, and ELL teachers consider taking this training. This training supports the Structured Literacy Reading that we are currently implementing. We encourage grades 4-5 teachers to consider this training as well. The training will be held on Saturdays and do provide $20/hour stipends for teachers who take the training. The courses are 4 virtual sessions beginning in January and another 4 sessions that will be offered in the summer/fall. The purpose of this training is to provide the foundation for why structured literacy is important. I have started the Administrators course, and I can tell you that it has been eye-opening. If you have questions, please see Desmond. In order to sign up, please see course #91410.

Radon Testing will start in our school this week. A team from the engineering consulting firm KCI Technologies, will arrive between 6 am and 3 pm on the date of placement to install the sample collectors. Pick up is scheduled for between 6 am and 3 pm on the date of retrieval.

• Windows and building entrance doors should be kept closed, except for momentary use, for the duration of the test (3-days)
• HVAC equipment should be operating normally. No air drafts should be directed to the test device
• Test devices should not be disturbed. Any evidence of device tampering will void the test and result in delays, additional testing and expense.
• A test device (see image) does not pose any health or safety risk.

***Let Desmond and Ilana know if you are interested in one of the stipends listed below

Summary

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information about stipends that are available to staff leading sustainability programs and to increase participation in the Maryland Green School (MDGS) certification program. These stipends are new this year and replaces the incentive awards that were previously awarded to a limited number of schools. The change is to acknowledge the admirable efforts of staff at all schools who are leading sustainability at their schools systemwide. In accordance with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) practices, both Montgomery County Education Association and Service Employees International Union Local 500 members are eligible for these stipends.

Background

The MCPS Board of Education unanimously adopted a transformative sustainability policy on June 28, 2022, Policy ECA, Sustainability. This Policy commits the school district to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2027 and 100 percent by 2035, in alignment with the County’s Climate Action Plan. This policy enhances environmental sustainability in every aspect of MCPS, including increasing the number of certified MDGS, building retrofits, climate change education students receive in the classroom, and actions occupants can take in their building to support mitigating the effects of climate change. Schools are required to submit their annual Sustainability Action Plan each fall, previously named the School Energy and Recycling Plan (SERT).

Stipends Available

• School Sustainability Team Leader Stipend: This stipend is for a school-based Sustainability Team Leader (previously SERT Leader) to organize and lead a sustainability team at each school. This leader is responsible for ensuring that the school conducts various activities to highlight the importance of environmental sustainability actions. The stipend is $250, available to one staff member per school

• Maryland Green School Certification/Recertification Coordinator Stipend: This stipend is for the school-based MDGS coordinators at each school who successfully complete the school's application for Maryland Green School initial certification or cyclical recertification. The stipend is $250, available to one staff member per school in the year the certification/recertification is achieved.

Benchmark Interim Assessment Guidance- NEW

As we approach the Interim Assessment window, please review the updated 2022-2023 Benchmark Interim Guidance document. There have been several changes as a result of our system shifts. Please read the entire document carefully and pay special attention to the updates hightled within.

Benchmark Interim Assessment Guidance document

Benchmark Interim Assessment PDFs

Please see the following Social Studies resources:

Updated December Newsletter

2022-23 Elementary SS Resources & PD Opportunities

Please see the two documents below for our SEIU staff members!

STAFF APPRECIATION BREAKFAST

The MHES PTA will be hosting a Staff Appreciation Breakfast before school on Wednesday, December 14.

HABIT BURGER SPIRIT NIGHT FUNDRAISER

Join the Meadow Hall PTA for our next fundraiser dine out event at the Habit Grill on Tuesday, December 20 from 4-8pm. Located in Wintergreen Plaza, the Habit Grill will donate 20% of sales from this event to benefit our organization. Simply present the printed flyer or show the offer on your smartphone to the cashier upon ordering. Or order online or via the app and let the team know when you pick up the order and the amount will be added to the fundraiser.

"HOW TO MAKE MY DAY" SURVEY RESULTS ARE IN!

Thank you PTA for putting together this document of our staff member's favorite things! If you aren't on the list, let me know and I'll send you the survey link so we can update this document.

Make my Day - Form

Make My Day - Results

Communicate with your committee to set up potential dates for your events and choose a committee "lead" to communicate with Admin.

MCEA members - sign up for a time to chat with Mr. Mackall - Pizza, Pretzels and More with the Principal Sign Up Doc

All Staff - Secret Staffer gift exchange, sign-up here!

All Staff - MHES Bake-Off!! Please sign up here by Thursday, December 15 if you plan on baking or judging.

All Homeroom Teachers - Please count the number of chromebooks and chargers in your cart and log it here: Chromebook Count

Tuesday, December 13

• Equity staff PLC @ 3:45pm

Thursday, December 15

• Interims due by 5pm

Friday, December 16

• Committees communicate dates/plans of events to Admin

Tuesday, December 20

• in lieu of staff mtg - please complete the reflection on our PD so far (Jennifer Binder will email directly)

***Winter Break: December 23rd - January 2nd

Email: Ilana_N_Simhon@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/meadowhalles/
Location: 951 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-5260