wild, wild about early childhood!curriculum.austinisd.org/schoolnetdocs/early...the new 2015/2016...

June 2015 ● Volume 4, Issue #11●

Happy June!

I hope your June is joyful. I know this is a super hectic time of year. My hope is that the June newsletter will be a place for you to find out all of the information you need about summer options for professional growth and information for next year to assist you in your planning. This issue is all about this summer and next year, so it is fine to read it a bit later this month if that helps. I was so thrilled to see all of the prekindergarten and kindergarten Teachers of the Year and Teachers of Promise. Congratulations on your accomplishments. We were so proud of you!!! Thank you for all of your hard work this year. Our students are happy, healthy, and one year smarter, thanks to you! Thank you for your extra effort. I know that you often go above and beyond. Thank you and enjoy your summer!

PK3 Robbie Polan, Early Childhood Childcare Liaison

This year AISD piloted two prekindergarten for three-year-olds (PK3) classrooms at Zavala and Oak Springs. They were a huge success and we are ready to expand! Because of a grant through the United Way, AISD will be able to open additional PK3 classrooms for the 2015-16 school year. The proposed campuses are: Sims, Reilly, Dawson, Jordan, Pleasant Hill, Boone, Allison, Cunningham, Galindo, Overton, Pecan Springs, and Guerrero Thompson. The PK3 children will qualify in the same manner as the PK4 children. If you have any questions or are interested in learning more about our new program, please call Robbie Polan, in the Early Childhood Department, at 414-7487.

Austin ISD Prekindergarten Newsletter June 2015 Jacquie Porter, Director of Early Childhood Vol. 4, Issue #11

WILD, WILD ABOUT EARLY

CHILDHOOD!


Engage Jacquie Porter, Director of Early Childhood

Next year we will switch from Tango systems for our assessment to Engage. The Engage platform is an online platform much like Tango, but will be free to us from TEA. If you are familiar with CPALLS+, the new CIRCLE Progress Monitoring System will look much like CPALLS+. There will be opportunities, this summer and next fall for training, but the system will work much like Tango. You can also login to texasschoolready.org/cli-engage to find out more details in case you want to know more!

Testing Windows for Next Year

BOY - September 28-October 30 MOY - January 19-February 12

EOY - April 11-May 13

Back to School Reception

Once again this summer we will host our annual Back to School Reception. In response to your feedback, we will offer several options for you to attend the reception. We are hosting a prekindergarten session on July 15th right after the Early Childhood Summer Institute, but if you are unable to make it to that session, we will also have a session at the Performing Arts Center on July 29, 2015. We will be rolling out our new curriculum documents for 2015- 16, and

talking about our focus for the coming year. We will talk a bit about our new assessment platform and of course there will be some fun prizes as well. We will provide a snack and lots of great information to start out your year. We hope that you are able to attend. Please register in HCP for your session so we can plan for the correct numbers.

Fall Prekindergarten Registration Prekindergarten registration will take place one again during the second week of August (August 10-13, 2015). We are excited that this August, prekindergarten teachers will be paid for six hours of registration work during this week. You will not need to take additional registration training if you have a certificate from your March/April training. We will send you more information regarding registration and payment in your August newsletter.

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Pre-K YIs and CRM Updates: Documents for Pre-K Curriculum Planning

Brian Mowry, Early Childhood Specialist

Summer Professional Development Sylina Valdez, Early Childhood Administrative Supervisor

If you are interested in attending professional development over the summer, see the attached flier for all of our offerings.

Most of our professional development will take place at our Early Childhood Summer Institute on July 15th and 16th at Uphaus EC Center. Onsite registration will be available. For more information please visit:

https://sites.google.com/a/austinisd.org/2015-aisd-early-childhood-summer-institute/

The new 2015/2016 Yearly Planning Guides (YIs) are now posted on Schoolnet. As you look through the guide, you will notice that very little has changed from the previous school year. One new item that I did include at the very top of the document is a disclaimer, which states that the scope-and-sequence of units outlined on the left-hand side of the itinerary is optional. What is NOT optional are the focus PK Guidelines that are listed on the right hand side of the document—these are the student outcomes that are assessed formatively (on an on-going basis) during that particular week. Please note that the CRMs will be posted on Schoolnet by July 13. The translations will be ready by August 11. Happy planning!

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https://sites.google.com/a/austinisd.org/2015-aisd-early-childhood-summer-institute/


Sylina Valdez, Early Childhood Administrative Supervisor

Next year we will offer year-long PD opportunities. Registration in these classes will be through application only. Applications will go out with the August newsletter. See more details about each class below. Writing in Pre-K This class focuses on best practices related to literacy instruction in the preschool classroom. Participants will be exposed to and review the language arts teachings of writing in early childhood of Matt Glover, Lucy Calkins and Maria Montessori. Topics will vary according to the focus of a specific section. More specifically, we will concentrate on preparing a writing environment, literacy centers, nudging rather than pushing development, composition vs. conventions development, choice-topic and genre, read alouds, guided and shared writing, picture books, alphabetic knowledge, phonemic awareness and much more. Sections will provide a balance between presenter lecture and modeling and participant interaction, discussion and classroom practice. All purposely designed to facilitate and enhance children's attainment of those related knowledge and skills. All sessions will take place at Lucy Read PK School. Presented by Cecilia La Cour, Bilingual PK Teacher, Lucy Read Engage Learners with PBL (project based learning) Book Study

Participants will deepen their understanding of project based learning (PBL) by studying the inspirational works of Lillian Katz and Judy Harris Helm. This book study will extend over four sessions. Participants will conduct one project and complete a documentation panel to share with the group. Collaboration is the key as we plan, organize, and enrich the learning of our students with deep project work. This class is for prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers. All sessions will take place at Mathews Elementary in Room 109. Presented by Diana McMillan, ESL PK Teacher, Mathews Elementary

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Looking For Summer Reading? Robbie Polan, Early Childhood Childcare Liaison

Heart-Centered Teaching Inspired by Nature

“This book will help you find ways to support children that comes from a place of love for each other and a place of awe and appreciation for the wonders of the world around us. Connections to the natural world provide strength and inspiration for all of us, as well as helping children discover who they are and what they have to contribute to the world.”

Heggerty Schedule

Irene Campos, Early Childhood TLI Specialist

Research has shown that phonological awareness knowledge is one of the greatest predictors of reading success. The Heggerty phonemic awareness curriculum is one of the tools that we will continue to implement In pre-K and kindergarten to help our students develop in the area of phonological awareness. We have seen amazing progress in PA skills in the classrooms that are using the lessons consistently. The schedule for Heggerty lessons can be found as an attachment to this newsletter for your use in planning for the upcoming school year.

TIP = Teacher Induction Program Melinda Servantez, Early Childhood Specialist

This year all teachers that are new to pre-K or kindergarten are invited and encouraged to attend TIP. For example, if your team is absorbing a teacher from second grade, then we highly encourage your new teammate to attend these fun-filled informational sessions. Please share this information with your principal and the newest member(s) of your team.

Pre-K should contact Sylina Valdez at 414-9682 or [email protected] Kindergarten contact Melinda Servantez at 414-7485 or [email protected]

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mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


Summer Rejuvenation Crystal Castañeda, Early Childhood TLI Specialist

It is summer time! Take time to relax, put teaching aside for a bit, and just enjoy your family and your own life. Here are some ways to recharge so you can be energized, de-stressed, and ready for when the school year starts again!

• Catch up on your reading list: One of my favorite things to do is cozy up with a good book! Half Price Books provides educators with a 10% discount, just go to http://www.hpb.com/community to sign up!

• Journal or blog: Documenting events in your life can be very therapeutic and exciting. http://www.blogger.com or https://www.wordpress.com are both user-friendly sites to start creating a blog, but curling up with a journal and pen can also be a great outlet to get your ideas flowing.

• Meditate: Start by committing to just a few minutes a day at a specific time. Pick a quiet

spot, sit comfortably, and focus on steady, slow breathing for those few minutes. In this five-minute https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6eFFCi12v8, you can get some beginner’s ideas for fitting meditation into your busy lifestyle.

• Take advantage of free events: These websites offer lots of free and fun events around

the Austin area. http://freefuninaustin.com and http://365thingsaustin.com/category/free-things-to-do-in-austin/

• Other ways to rejuvenate:

Take a nap!

Put on some music and

dance!

Turn off all electronics!

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http://www.hpb.com/communityhttp://www.blogger.com/https://www.wordpress.com/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6eFFCi12v8http://freefuninaustin.com/http://365thingsaustin.com/category/free-things-to-do-in-austin/http://365thingsaustin.com/category/free-things-to-do-in-austin/


Read Aloud Routine for Pre-K Alexa Obregón, Early Childhood TLI Specialist

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Mind in the Making Training As shared by Sandy Chilton, Bilingual Literacy Coach, Uphaus ECC

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University of Texas Summer Institute As shared by Joanna Mitchell, Project Manager of OPEN

Hello, Early Childhood Professionals! Registration for the 2015 Summer Institute: ‘Nurturing Nature in Children: More Trees, Please!’ is underway and you are invited to participate. Please click on the link in the attached flyer. While registering, you will be given the opportunity to pre-order a box lunch for Friday, June 26.

I am hoping you can participate--we have several speakers lined up prepared to share information on emergent curriculum for a natural classroom, how to bring nature inside in meaningful ways, how guidance in an outdoor natural classroom can differ from a traditional

playground, and other topics of interest.

Training certificates with CEUs will be offered at the completion of the institute.

Questions are welcome--you may contact me by telephone (512-475-9188) or at either email address: [email protected] or [email protected].

Looking forward to receiving your registration!

AISD EARLY CHILDHOOD

Jacquie Porter

414-4740

Debra Caldwell 414-4790

Sylina Valdez 414-9682

Brian Mowry 414-9683

Robbie Polan 414-7487

Melinda Servantez 414-7485

Diane Smith 414-9684

Irene Campos 841-6561

Crystal Castañeda 841-6561

Alexa Obregón 841-6561

Office Fax 414-9879

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Happy June!Austin ISD Prekindergarten NewsletterJune 2015 Jacquie Porter, Director of Early Childhood Vol. 4, Issue #11