IEM October ES Agenda 2008/9

Please read the agenda, along with each of its highlighted links, then print out as a guide for this month’s ES job duties.

The agenda quiz must be completed in your ES WEBfiles on or BEFORE October 27, 2008 and prior to attending your ES meeting if yours is on that day! Help all of your colleagues by going to your ES Meeting prepared!

 

Please note that if you must miss your ES meeting, you should inform your Area Facilitator and ES Advisor and make arrangements with another AF to attend another meeting that month. (All meeting times and dates are posted in the ES handbook along with AF e-mail addresses and meeting date, time, and location). If you miss the meeting altogether, you will be reminded of your responsibility to attend and will be held responsible for the information given at the meeting. If you miss another meeting, it will become a discipline issue and may result in a drop in your student load. We do not believe that you can effectively serve your students if you miss critical information about the school and your job. Thank you for making these meetings a priority as you schedule your time for this school year!  The ES Support Department.

 

1) Dates to Remember and Dated Duties

a) CELDT deadline October 31, 2008: Check the info in your CELDT packets (if you received one from the office) for students who started at the beginning of the year. Return materials as soon as you have tested to Fina in the IEM Placerville office. Contact Fina if you find you will be unavoidably late.

 

b) October 20, 2008 at noon:  Payroll Snapshot date.  Any forms not entered by the office by this date will not be paid in the October 30 paycheck. The office needs approximately 3 days to get paperwork entered after they receive it. Plan ahead! Refer to the ES Pay and Benefit Program document for details.

 

c) October 24, 2008: Complete your SCANTRON /WRAT tests for continuing students by the end of the testing window. New enrollees are still to be tested all year long as they enroll!

 

d) October 24, 2008: All ESs complete your 1st semester High School Report card coding and your Transcript sub-coding. (Review Transcript Coding Webex as needed)

 

e) October 27, 2008: Deadline to take and pass your October ES Agenda 2008/9 Quiz in ES Webfiles! 

 

f) November 3, 2008: Begin 1st semester portfolio assembly now (if you haven’t already), so that in November you can collect any and all  missing samples from 1st semester.

 

g) November 14, 2008: All ESs who were with us last year and wrote “ES Goals” on their ES Webfiles View/ES Detail page on the OG/SS Prof. Growth Goals tab are to enter a short written Progress report on how you have met your 2009 ES goals to date, and what you expect to do next semester. Also email Linette Harris (iemtraining2@ieminc.org) with any CSET exams you have signed up to take this year, or courses you are enrolled in as she plans for your next NCLB certifications. (We have found a brand new VPSS online program—details to come!)

 

h) November 21, 2008: Mail all 2nd semester Student Agreements to the office for those students who will continue with us next semester. Plan now for this! Remember also that faxed copies are not acceptable to the auditor, so please only send these in by mail. Also incomplete course info will result in an “error” designation for that student; do not send until the report card with course names has been created, all info is completed and signed and dated by all 3 required persons (2 for an adult student). If a student is in doubt, send in an SA and then drop them later as necessary. Please audit your own paperwork carefully before mailing!

 

i) November 21, 2008: For 1st semester graduates, you must submit (complete and click “DONE”) your Webfiles report cards with estimated 1st semester grades.  Yes, we know it is hard to estimate the grades and credits for some, but assume the best, and we can make changes later if needed.

 

j) December 5, 2008: Plan ahead to be able to submit the completed grad packet to your ES Advisor in one package and enter graduate updates as needed into ES Webfiles student Detail page.  The ES Advisors need this lead-time to be able to complete their job by the end of the semester.

 

k) December 19, 2008: Remind your families of the deadline to provide to you their Respond to Literature writing assignment this month at your LR meeting. Refer to last month’s agenda for more detailed info. Give them any help they need to get started if they haven’t yet started. You may want to have the students do their writing while at the meeting with you.

 

2) Things to Do

a) School Materials:

·        If items have moved from the original family to another family, please update the list of who has what items over $350. Go to View/ Materials and click on the detail for that item.  You can then tell us who has the item.

·        Missing Materials form is available from that same page for items over $350.  If lost/damaged items are under that amount, use the generic MM form posted on the school website forms page. MM forms can be submitted to the office  at any time—don’t wait for a student to be ready to graduate or leave the school before submitting forms for items you know are lost or willfully damaged. Refer to this document for more information: http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/instrfunds/missingmaterials.htm .

 

b) Credit Summary on Transcripts: As your transcripts are being entered for your high school transfer students, remember that you are the one who does the credit summary. Info can be found here, and at the “HELP button in the transcript credit summary box in Webfiles: http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/carnegie/transcripts.htm . (See 1d for October 24, 2008 due date for those whose transcripts are currently in the system.  Code those who are entered later within 20 school days. Please review this report card/transcript document: http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/repcardtrans/repcardtranscogss.htm  and the Transcript Coding Webex as needed.

 

c) ES Webfiles “Create” vs. “View” Reminder: Use the “VIEW” tab once a document has been created for a student. Do not “create” a new document to go back to a document that you have already created.  On the view lists, please clean up duplicated SAs/report cards/LRs with same dates by deleting the ones you do not need. If the duplicates are left here, it will cause conflicts later in the year.

 

d) Email Reminder:

·        Remember to always run emails you are sending out to all of your families, or emails to correspond with a parent that may result in an “issue” by your ES Advisor first!! This is for your support and protection! The Advisors are beginning work on a project to create and post sample emails for various ES job situations on our webpage for your usage. You will be notified of these as they become available.

·        Be aware that email you send/receive on your school work email address that mentions your students/parents by name are a part of the official student records for that student.  School email correspondence should always be professional and not divulge confidential school information to partied who do not have a right to that information!

·        Also, remember that we have asked that all school email going out from all school staff not include any non-essential information/colors/backgrounds/slogans/etc. Please also look at what is included on an email you may receive and delete any of these type items before sending out to others in our school or clients of the school.  At this time of year, we all are typically receiving email with, for example, political slogans/weblinks/other advertising attached to it.  This should be deleted prior to responding back, for example, to a parent or prior to forwarding on to your advisor.  “School email” should remain professional and school related only.

 

e) WEBEX Training Reminders:

·        Optional Webex trainings are on a limited space, first come, first serve basis.  After that, a waiting list is generated.  If you reserved a space, and cannot attend, please let the Webex instructor know ASAP so that your space can be given to the next ES in line.

·        At the Webex training or soon after by email you will be notified of what is required in order to receive the time credit for your PG for participating in this training. Until you have completed the small “assignment”, you will not receive the “hours” of PG. 

·        You may choose to attend a Webex training and not receive PG hours (For example, if you already have 36 hours) .  If this is the case, the assignment is not required.  Do notify the Webex instructor and your Advisor that you are not pursing the PG hours.

 

3) Training Items

a) IF and the IF Calc chart: Please review this document at http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/instrfunds/if.htm . Note that the state only pays ADA on the first 140 school days. Go to View/IF Calcs in webfiles, choosing Track C,to see the amount of IF that can be spent on a student on the day they enroll.  Be careful not to give out inaccurate funding information to new enrollees who are starting after school has started.  Please print out a copy of the IF calc chart to carry with you. 2nd semester funding will be deposited in mid-November, and decreases from that point on. (IF Webex)

 

b) AESS and the AESS Calc chart: Go to View/AESS calcs to see how much money your student will need to have in their account in order to enroll them in AESS A or B.  Do not submit an AESS form if the student doesn’t have enough money in your IF account to cover the expense. Select Track C for OGCS and SSCS. Refer to AESS policy for details at: http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/aess/index.htm .

 

c) POs:

·        Create POs for: You will see more new choices when you create a PO.  These are currently there for other IEM school’s usage. OG/SS ESs should ONLY create a Student or a Family PO!

·        School owned items:  Please create school labels or write your school name or initials in permanent marker into all school owned (purchased with a school PO) non-consumable materials before giving them out to your family.  Just writing in a consumable textbook does not make it consumable! An item is consumable if it is meant to have one user and be written in/used up. Use the new form in Webfiles  on View/POs detail link at the “Get Parent Receipt” button at the bottom of the page to check the items out to your family when it is ready to be delivered. When an item is returned, you may use the form posted on the website to check out that item to another family: http://www.ieminc.org/genericforms/materialschkout.pdf . The Webfiles database only tracks items over $350 (ones an auditor could ask us to produce on a moment’s notice, so we must know exactly where they are at all times!), and we rely on and expect our ESs to track ALL school owned property. Please keep any and all receipts of what you have checked out to your family in your student’s file.

·        Mark in your POs! When you go to "view" POs, on the far right, you see which POs you have marked "complete" and which might still need your attention. A “Complete” might also mean a PO has been cancelled. Check through the ones not marked complete to see if you have forgotten to mark your received items in, or if you need to ask Vendor Relations to check on an item for you.  Complete a PO Inquiry on the PO Detail page to follow-up on an ordered item not yet received.  Remember the turn around time is 4 weeks (or slowest vendor’s timetable), so do not fill out a inquiry form until that time has passed, but do not let orders go longer than that without completing an inquiry.

·        Do not put extra info in the description area of a PO.  If student/parent/ES info is requested, it will state that in the notes area for that vendor when you create the PO.  If there are vendor notes, please read and follow them to save everyone time. Remember some vendors (K12, ALeks) require an additional form along with our school PO, which is posted on our curriculum/Vendor webpage.  Complete the PO first, then do the form as soon as that PO request has been assigned a PO number.

·        New ESs:  Please complete training “Phase 7” before completing POs as there are steps you need to be aware of when doing a PO.   

 

d) Late Notices: Read about the late notices we have started running this month at: http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/esjob/latenot.htm .  The important information is, do not ignore a late notice! If there is an error, we want to get it corrected sooner, rather than later. Email right away with your advisor if you receive a late notice, then do all you can to get it corrected before the next week’s notices are run.

 

e) Learning Records: We reviewed LRs at the August All ES Meeting, but this section is a quick review and reminder for those ESs who are now receiving “Error” emails on their LR reviews. Review the info at this link http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/learnrecord/lrdodont.htm and the LR checklist http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/learnrecord/lrchecklst.pdf  . Then correct your LRs ASAP and get into a good habit ofProfessional writing excellent LRs every time! (Good examples to view here)

 

Items not contained in the standards section that need to be added to the written section (Use the new LR template for help):

  • Methods of assessment or evaluation needs to be recorded in the top section of the LRs
  • Specific school provided resources used in this study (PO items, classes, computer programs).
  • ROP course names with information
  • CP/GEA/HQT course names if school paid
  • Services paid for by the school must be listed on the LR (not the name of the business/instructor), with some information of what was done in that service.
  • A course without standards will need more details listed in the top section of the LR

Items that do not need to be written into the LR:

  • Special Ed services do not need to be listed in the LR, as they are covered in the students Special Ed IEP.
  • Time for any activity (we are performance based, not time based)
  • Any course taken at the community college that is not needed to count towards graduation or for NCLB certification (those only should be listed as community college).
  • Any sectarian instruction, as that would not be done under our school time.

How to enter info into the LR:

  • Use Bloom’s Taxonomy verbs as much as possible (http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/learnrecord/Bloomstax.htm )
  • Please use complete sentences, especially for high school LRs
  • Please use appropriate grammar
  • Use correct spelling and use spellchecker (this document may be seen by outside educational/legal entities)

(We recommend writing your “LR blurbs” in a Word document, spell and grammar check, then copy and paste into Webfiles)

  • Designate a Learning Choices activity with (EA).

 

f) FAQ for ES’s files: Read this document to see what you need to keep in your file on each of your students, and how long we suggest you keep each item.

 

4) Messages from School Departments

a) IT/Website Changes/Updates:

·        On View/POs, you will now see in this list the actual amount paid on that PO after it is completed.

·        On Search/Vendor, then select one to go to the vendor detail page, you will now see both the vendor and educational notes that show up when a PO is created.

·        The school STAR Testing window has been updated on school calendar and in Webfiles on the General Info Sheet.

·        As Tech Support, We are here to help you the best that we can. We want to respect your time and for you to respect ours.  In order to give you the best most efficient service possible, we ask that you follow some basic guidelines before calling for technical support.

1.     Please be in front of your computer when you call

2.    Be prepared to spend at least 30 minutes with us in front of your computer

3.    Keep distractions and background noise to a minimum. (e.g. Have children cared for by others during this time.)

If you will follow these guidelines, we will be able to give you the best service possible!

·        All the print buttons on the LR tabs have been updated:

* Print Yearly Not Done (on yearly not done tab)  -- Prints the student's Yearly Not Done standards for that Growth Area.

* Print Yearly Done (on yearly done tab) -- Prints the student's Yearly Done standards for that Growth Area.

* Print Yearly Standards (top right of screen) -- Asks user if they want to print the grade level standards for the current Growth Area or all standards.

 

b) Guidance: Please see school specific a-g information at your school link: OGCS   SSCS  

 

c) Assessment:

·        Please read attached document for information.

·        The assessment department has requested that when you email them about anything, would you please put your school name after your name at the bottom of the email.  They work for multiple schools, and a response time back to you is shortened if you will add this piece of information.

 

d)   CURRICULUM

1.   Change to Curriculum Page on School Website – the “Public View” page

·        Some links on the Curriculum website page (for public view) were removed.

·        At some future time, many will be re-added to other department’s websites. 

·        Go to the ES Protected page for your complete Curriculum information.

·        For South Sutter  Only:  A-G List of Textbooks” link was one that was removed from “public view” and will eventually be added to the Guidance Department’s website.  You can still obtain this list in the ES Secure Website area…click Curriculum…scroll to the A-G List of Textbooks link.

For those that want to just go to straight to this link it is, http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/curriculum/ag_es_textbks.pdf

2.   ES Secure Website, Vendor Info

·        Contains California Edition (grades K-12 textbook only) ordering information.

·        Contains a-g pricing and ordering information.  No need to look elsewhere.

·        Contains explanations about the products, and occasional links to FREE answer keys and sometimes Teacher Editions.

·        Contains the login username and password for online student editions that have been registered by the school.

·        Textbook ordering information not there?  Email Shelley Ross, curriculum@ieminc.org.

3.   CAHSEE Prep:  Hardcopy Materials: Pricing/Ordering Information

v  Vendor:  AMERICAN BOOK CO.

    Each American Book Co. item includes:  Student Edition, Diagnostic Test, separate Answer Key

00 - California Math Review I - $26

00 - California Math Review II - $26

00 – California Grammar & Conventions Review - $26

00 – California Language Arts Review - $26

00 – California Reading Review - $26

00 – California Writing Review - $26

v  Vendor:  PEOPLES PUBLISHING GROUP  (CA State-adopted program)

    CAHSEE Mathematics Prep

978-1-4138-2180-2W08  Measuring Up Mathematics CAHSEE Exit Level, Student Edition, $12.95

978-1-4138-2181-9W08  Measuring Up Mathematics CAHSEE Exit Level, Teacher Edition, $17.95

978-1-4138-0057-9W08  CAHSEE Math Exit Level, Diagnostic Practice Test (DPT), Classroom Pack, $169.99

·        DPT contains 30 pack Test 1 & 30 pack Test 2 (Can only buy bundled)  

·        Email Shelley Ross for the FREE Test 1 & Test 2 CAHSEE Math, Exit Level, Answer Keys

   CAHSEE ELA Prep

     978-1-4138-2190-1W08  Measuring Up ELA CAHSEE Exit Level, Student Edition, $12.95

     978-1-4138-2191-8W08  Measuring Up ELA CAHSEE Exit Level, Teacher Edition, $17.95

     978-1-4138-0049-4W08  CAHSEE Exit Level, Diagnostic Practice Test (DPT), Classroom Pack, $169.99

·        DPT contains 30 pack Test 1 & 30 pack Test 2 (Can only buy bundled)  

·        Email Shelley Ross for the FREE Test 1 & Test 2 CAHSEE ELA Exit Level, Answer Keys

4.   ALEKS PO’s for 11th & 12th Graders Who Have Not Yet Passed the CAHSEE Math

·        ALEKS “CAHSEE grant” PO’s are processed differently than regular ALEKS PO’s.

·        After the “grant” PO is processed, the PO just goes away.  You can’t obtain the PO Number.

·        For PO Number on ALEKS Online Order Form for “grant” PO’s ONLY, simply put the Student’s Name.  ALL other ALEKS PO’s require the PO Number.

5.   ES Curriculum Meeting Trainings, given by Shelley Ross

·        Nothing to do for Professional Growth (PG) credit for Webex trainings included as a part of the regular ES Group Meeting with your AF.

·        Contact your advisor if you have questions about getting PG, or what to do if you miss your ES Meeting.

6.   Login for ES Secure Website (OG Only)

·        After you login into the ES Secure Website and click on Curriculum or ES Video, you will get asked again for the password. 

·        It is the same password as for the ES Secure Website.

·        Contact your advisor if you forgot it. 

·        It is not posted for security reasons.

7.    OdysseyWare and ALEKS

·        Online Ordering Information handouts have been updated.

·        OdysseyWare has English course supplemental novels that do not come with the online course and need to be ordered.  English novel list is part of the Ordering Information handout, http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/curriculum/vendor/vendor_info_index.dwt

8.   National University Virtual High School (N.U.V.H.S.) – Online Courses, UC Pre-Approved for a-g

·        Online courses do not require an HQT SME.

·        For program or textbook questions, contact Brian Jensen, bjensen@nuvhs.org

·        Many courses require textbook or FREE online edition textbook.  Info at this link, http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/curriculum/vendor/nuvhs_req_txtbk.dwt

·        UC does not allow online courses for VPA or Lab Sciences.

·        N.U.V.H.S. does not have an enrollment fee. 

·        See PO Educational Notes Box for special course pricing information for N.U.V.H.S.

·        Course Catalogue, http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/curriculum/vendor/nuvhs_course_cat_09.pdf

9. Education Express Tutoring PO Process: (For 11th & 12th “not passed” CAHSEE Math and ELA students only) 

·        ES completes short “request tutoring” form, http://www.eduexp.com/Request/Tutoring.aspx

·        Education Express contacts ES with tutoring pricing and tutor availability.  (SSCS receives special pricing.  Siblings receive special pricing).

·        ES creates PO with Education Express provided pricing/information.  Be sure to indicate the number of authorized hours.   Write “CAHSEE grant” in body of PO.  Do not mark “DONE”.  Any other information asked for in PO Notes Box.

·        After Education Express receives PO, the tutor contacts the student’s family to confirm the first tutoring appointment. 

·        Fina tracks these PO’s.  For tracking questions, email fhustrulid@ieminc.org.  For all other questions, email Shelley Ross, curriculum@ieminc.org.

10. PE/ Fitness worksheets: You may want to collect some of these to use with your students for PE to meet standards not currently being met, then provide portfolio samples.

From Remedia Publications :

  • EXERCISE   #1145B   $8.99
  • NUTRITION   #1145A   $8.99
  • HOT SPORTS   #733  $8.99
  • FAMOUS FEMALE SPORTS STARS  #477   $8.99
  • FAMOUS MALE SPORTS STARS  #476   $8.99

11.  Enchanted Learning is now a vendor again!

·        Follow the directions in the PO Notes Box.

·        Requires PO and Online Order Form.

·        The parent needs to complete the online order form, http://members.enchantedlearning.com/cgi-bin/loginuncgi/joinbypo

·        Online order form link is also in the PO Notes Box.   

·        Single-Teacher Subscription by PO pricing is on their website, http://www.enchantedlearning.com and is currently $30. 

12. NEW Mathematics Departments! (Elementary & Secondary)

·        Go to the ES Protected Area, click on Vendor Info

·        On the left side of the “grid” under Elementary Departments, click on Mathematics for grades K-5.

·        Under the Secondary Departments, click on Mathematics for grades 6-12.

13.  Power-Glide

·        Now requires an online order form. 

·        To get to the form:  Go to the school home page, click on Educational Resources, click Curriculum, click on Vendor Info, click on List of Online Vendors, scroll to Power-Glide, and click on Online Order Form, http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/curriculum/vendor/vendor_info_index.dwt

14.Webex Professional Development Training:  Mathematics

Parent handouts, websites, math games/ES tools/math intervention will be touched on for grades K-9.

Websites: The following websites have been recommended by your fellow ESs and administrators:

 

e) VENDOR RELATIONS

·        On a PO Inquiry: When you want to return an item and are requesting a call tag, please include the date in which you want the package picked up for returns you initiate. 

 

f) BENEFITS

403b Retirement Plans: If you are interested in contributing to a 403b plan in addition to STRS, access the CalSTRS web page at www.calstrs.ca.gov. From the menu on the left under "Resources" select 403bcompare.com.  From this same menu you will also find other retirement information that may be very helpful to you. Please note: School Benefit allowances may not be used toward a 403b retirement plan.

 

5) Networking:

a) Peer Help! Discuss help needed from each other for textbook ideas, CP classes, tutors, and other curriculum.

b) Discuss your Curriculum favorites!  Bring samples to share!

jm

6) Peer Tips:

*Tip_ AGS curriculum is proving to be successful for students to use. It is student friendly which encourages students to try harder.

*Some ESs had trouble printing the portfolio work sample labels from the pdf file provided by the school but using Avery #5960 worked perfect!

*Portfolio Labels: It fits better on Avery 8160.

*It was suggested that families actually have their practice writing samples ready for the ES to look over and offer feedback before they do the actual assignment.

*Strong suggestion for new ESs: Label everything immediately with student name and date, better yet with a portfolio label! Use extra samples with labels for SME samples.

*ROP: Ask all our HS students if they are taking ROP courses, since occasionally a student will sign up for ROP and not tell their teacher. Others may not know about ROP, when it is just what they need!

 *Ideas for how to remind parents about CAHSEE – email, phone call the day before, e-vite or e-card

*Listserve:  Several of us tell the parents that we will submit their email addresses, and tell them to look for an email. The email may go to their spam folder, but they must respond to it to be added to the listserve.

*STAR Results: We dislike the idea of teaching to a test, but some simple steps might help our students do better. For example: suggest test prep books as a review; provide test prep sessions for our students in the spring. Some students may know the material, but not the vocabulary (i.e. Words that mean the same are “synonyms.”)