| Hello, families! I hope you’re staying warm in these frigid temperatures.I’m sure some of y’all are asking, “Who is Cristina Nguyen?” I write our Staff Weekly newsletter and I’m taking over the Family Newsletter this week while Scott is out.But first…Congratulations to the Kealing Middle School Vespa yearbook staff for being recognized nationally! The Columbia Scholastic Press Association named the Kealing Vespa as a Crown Award winner and the National Scholastic Press Association named the yearbook a finalist for the Pacemaker Award. Let’s get to it… |
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| Family Newsletter |
| By Cristina Nguyen ● Jan 20, 2022
Smart Brevity™ count: 5 mins... 1279 words
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Hello, families! I hope you’re staying warm in these frigid temperatures.
I’m sure some of y’all are asking, “Who is Cristina Nguyen?” I write our Staff Weekly newsletter and I’m taking over the Family Newsletter this week while Scott is out.
But first…
Congratulations to the Kealing Middle School Vespa yearbook staff for being recognized nationally! The Columbia Scholastic Press Association named the Kealing Vespa as a Crown Award winner and the National Scholastic Press Association named the yearbook a finalist for the Pacemaker Award.
Let’s get to it…
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1 big thing: Give us your thoughts on early release this spring
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We’re looking atoptions to have early releases for students on select Fridays this Spring and we need your feedback.
Why it matters:Our teachers have had a hard year and we’re working on ways we can provide additional support during this challenging time.
The details:You’ll be asked to provide feedback on three options.
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3-hour early releases on one Friday per month and twice in May (total of 5 days), starting in February.
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2-hour early releases on Fridays nine times this spring, starting in February.
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No early release on Fridays this spring (no change).
We have enoughminutes of instruction to do the early releases without adding days later in the year.
What's next: by Sunday, Jan. 23
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2. Test-to-stay explained
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New year, new myth.
As a reminder, here’s how it works:
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First we’ll call out the rumor we’ve heard.
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Then, we’ll dig into the story and get to the bottom of it.
This myth was born out of some confusion on the test-to-stay protocol, including this claim from Twitter:
@鶹ýISD is testing kids, getting positive results, and sending them back to class.
The truth:Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 should follow CDC protocols and isolate for at least five days. Here’s how we manage who can come back to school or work:
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Symptoms have resolved, and/or
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The individual has a doctor’s note saying they don’t have COVID-19, and/or
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The individual received a negative PCR or antigen test.
So how does test-to-stay work?
The bottom line:If you’re sick, stay home, and get tested.
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3. Let’s unpack MAP Growth assessments
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We’re in the midst of MAP Growth assessments this month so I wanted to follow up on why we’re doing these tests and how we’re using the information.
Why it matters: These tests help pinpoint what students know, including how much they’ve learned this year, and what we can do to personalize learning.
Let’s go back: We launched MAP, or Measures of Academic Progress, Growth tests last year, but it didn’t take off on a large scale since a lot of our families were learning remotely.
How it works: The tests are adaptive, meaning questions get harder if a student answers correctly, or easier depending on the student’s level. Through this adaptive process, MAP Growth generates a learning plan for each student.
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This method helps challenge students who are excelling while not overwhelming struggling students.
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Any outcomes or scores aren’t used to evaluate teachers.
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The scores are there to quickly give you an idea of what your student knows so you can personalize their learning.
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MAP Growth measures a student’s academic growth over time.
Cristina’s thought bubble: One of the reasons we’re diving into this is because my boss, Jason, was subbing last week and proctored a MAP Growth assessment at a middle school.
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Some of the students he spoke with didn’t understand why they had to do the assessments. One student had all A’s on his report card and didn’t know why he had to keep taking the test.
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It’s my hope that if we’re all on the same page, the data can be more useful and our students and families will also understand the why a bit more when the testing windows come around.
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The overall total COVID-19 cases increased by 40% this week, coming in at 1,812. However, staff cases saw a modest decline.
This week:Student cases increased sharply by 84%, totaling 1,441 cases.
The bottom line: If you’re not feeling well, stay home, and get tested.
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5. Save time and money with FREE school meals
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Save a step in the morning and have your child eat FREE meals at school.
Why it matters: Eating meals at school not only saves your family time and money, it also helps 鶹ý ISD invest in quality food, maintain local jobs, and support the Texas economy.
Go deeper: Even if your child brings food from home, they can still choose to select sides to accompany their food. As long as a student chooses three meal components, it counts as a meal.
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For example, does your child love peanut butter and jelly from home? Have them grab milk, banana, or veggie dippers at school and it qualifies as a free lunch meal.
The bottom line: It’s never been easier to choose school meals.
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Our menus feature chef-prepared, scratch-cooked recipes made in kitchens at each school using locally-grown or produced, sustainably raised, and clean label ingredients.
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View daily menus, nutritional information, and allergens at .
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We offer accommodations for documented food allergies or special diets. Families may have their doctor complete a Request for Dietary Accommodation and submit it to the school nurse.
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All schools offer vegetarian and/or vegan options daily. Families may request milk alternatives, gluten-free bread, and vegan accommodations by contacting their school’s café manager.
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6. Give us feedback on our ESSER plan
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Submissions are now being accepted for the2022 Kent S. Butler MemorialGroundwater Stewardship Scholarship Groundwater Essay Contest!
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Thanks for having me. Have a great weekend!
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