The following is a summary of the information provided during the start of year administrator meeting from the Department of Elementary Education.  Please contact me if you have questions or need assistance.

Christine

• The 2014-15 ElemEdCurricPD Org Chart of the departments and folks I work with is attached for reference.
• Use of the district’s Standards Referenced Report Card is required for elementary schools.  View the 2014 Standards Referenced Reporting K-6 memo for important information and an action item (it’s also posted on the deadlines list).  Training tools and resources are available in the ‘S’ folder of your computer, and communication tools are available on the Elementary Education department website at http://www.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/departments.aspx?id=28323.
• The 2014-15 Calibration Visit Guide docs are posted on the Instructional Blog and in the Admin/Director file.
• Contact me by 8/20 regarding which teacher you would like to involve in the Student Growth Map Pilot project.  Contact Natalie Kohler if you need information about which day (8/25 or 8/26) you should attend.
• Early Entrance screening kits were provided to all principals with Kindergarteners at their site.  Please review the 2014 Early Entrance memo with information about the timelines for reporting on Early Entrance to this office (it’s also posted on the deadlines list).
• AS 14.03.072 (enacted in 2013) requires parents be notified annually of their school’s grade retention standards and policies, and that parents also receive their child’s early literacy assessment information.  AS 14.03.072 Communication will meet the annual notification requirement and is also available online at http://www.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/Workarea/Downloadasset.aspx?id=31270. You are absolutely welcome to provide parents with additional information, if you wish.  Your school must also provide parents/guardians with the early literacy assessment data- and you may either do this with the October/March/May report cards, or you may send the report home after each testing window.  Whichever you choose, please be consistent throughout the school so your parents know when to expect the information.
• A PD series on Early Childhood has been scheduled for Sept. 23, Jan. 22, Apr. 30^th in Soldotna.  This series of PD is targeted for elementary principals, Title I Pre-K teachers and Self-Contained Special Education Pre-K teachers, plus a kindergarten teacher-leader from each site and (if applicable) the school’s interventionist.  It is particularly important that the involved teachers be a positive leader in your school community who will be able to support your site’s effective practices related to early childhood education.  A willingness to learn and consider recent research, and contribute to an examination of school practices in a positive light is essential.  Subs and mileage will be provided.  Please register in Generation Ready by Sept. 5^th and contact me if you have questions about who could/should participate.
• Please make sure you have and wear your district ID badge to all PD activities, and help your staff remember to do the same.  The PD Department is no longer printing name tags for every event and the handwritten ones don’t reflect the professional image we seek to reinforce.
• Avatar is now called Generation Ready.
• Effective Instruction Coaches have been assigned as the primary point of contact for PD Site Facilitators and principals.  Sites are not limited to support from just that individual, the ‘assignment’ is meant to put a name and face on who can help gain access to the PD information or resources needed. The list of coaches and site assignments will be provided by Michelle Thomason.
• I will continue to offer the quarterly “Coffee” or “Tea” sessions via Lync.  Watch for an electronic invitation in your email later this month or in early September.