October 2008/9 ES Meeting Compilation

(A compilation of questions and answers from the all ES meeting this month)

ES Specific Info:

For your Professional Growth Questions this month:

Refer to http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/esjob/iemprogroplan.htm. Click on the new link for SB1209 in the first sentence for additional information and descriptions of state approved professional development activities. The summary would be that it must either be an official program in the educational community, or school provided PG. If you still have questions about PG, contact your ES advisor who is your PG advisor.

Should ESs bring a copy of the ES Agenda and attachments to their ES Group meetings?

Yes, it is appropriate and expected that you will go prepared to your ES Group meetings! You may not need to print out all of the attachments, especially if you bring your laptop with you. We do ask you to print out your ES Agenda to use as a timeline/checkoff reminder during each month. It is productive to take that copy to your ES Group meeting so that any helpful notes can be added during your meeting. Your AF will send a reminder email of any additional pages you do need to print and bring—we do not expect them to print for you!

What is going on with FRED? We are being kicked off, the screen is freezing up, difficult to get on, etc.

Use the process to let them know! Contact Cenion! If no one communicates, they will not know what is happening, and will not get it fixed for you! Be pro-active and don’t assume someone else is communicating your IT issues!

We would like to know how to discuss location problems with students. For example, if an ES feels uncomfortable coming to the home but is willing to meet the student elsewhere.

This is a great question, and one your ES Advisor would be happy to discuss with you individually! They all have experience along these lines and strategies for you to try!

Is it okay for an ES to send an email to all of their families on one email, showing all email addresses?

No, that would be a breach of our school’s confidentiality. If you do wish to send out one email to all, then in the “TO” section, put your email address and then add all of the families’ email addresses in the “BCC” (blind copy) section. Then only your email address appears for everyone, and this is fine.

A few ES’s with jobs outside of the IEM school were wondering if some WebEx trainings could be offered later in the afternoon or on the weekends to accommodate their other job?

Not at this time.

It would also be helpful to have the information in printed form (a pdf print of all the text on the screen), and have a letter template to send to parents with the new curriculum information.

I have passed this request to the appropriate personnel. A pdf will not be available, but the information is typically available elsewhere on the school website.

Will past Webex’s be offered again? Some ES’s were on wait lists for past ones and were disappointed they did not get to participate.

Let the person who offered that WEbex you wanted know you are still interested and we will schedule as many opportunites as we are able.

Can IT hold off changes until breaks (winter/summer) unless absolutely necessary rather than mid-semester?

Actually,no. If you understand the IT world, you know you are always running to keep your technology up to date and functioning properly. It is one area where you can’t afford to wait until it is broken to fix it, or you are in big trouble!

Educational Info (POs, Curriculum, Vendors, LRs, etc )

In the ES Only (protected area), when do I go into Curriculum, and when do I go into Vendor Info?

Before the change to the website last July, the Curriculum section was the “public” view section, and the Vendor Info section was being developed as the “not for public view” ES section.   The Curriculum section still houses the featured curriculum by growth area, the standards review ordering information, the ESL ordering information, the school-wide writing assignment, the a-g List of Textbooks, and more.  At this time, no more information is being added to the Curriculum section.  All new development is being done in the Vendor Info section. 

What is the vision for the “Vendor Info” section?

The vision for the Vendor Info section is to have one place for the teachers to get the information they need by grade level.  At the top, you will see the links to the CA standards and released STAR test questions.  Below that you have all of the CA Edition textbook ordering and pricing information by grade level including the a-g List of Textbook ordering information.  To the left are the links to the subject “departments”.  Each of these departments is broken down by grade level.  So if you have a 4^th grade student, you will go into the elementary department for that subject and there you will find the recommended textbooks, supplemental materials, homeschool favorites, related websites, online vendors, standards review materials, and so on for that 4^th grader.  Any correlations that the curriculum committee is writing are being put here as well. It is being updated almost daily, so do check back regularly to see what has been added!

Do you have the direct link to Vendor Info?

Yes.  To go directly to this area, go to, http://www.sscs.cc/currindex.dwt .It is the same link for South Sutter and Ocean Grove, it is just being housed for sharing on SSCS’s website.

Every time I go into Vendor Info, I get a drop down for South Sutter Charter School.  Then when I click on a grade level, I get the same South Sutter drop down again.  What am I supposed to do when I get these drop downs that have SSCS on them?

ESs for both schools simply need to enter their school specific ES username and password.  ESs in OG will see SSCS on the dropdown as a result of files that were merged over the summer to save server space.  OG ESs just need to enter their ES username and password any time they see this dropdown and do not be confused by the SSCS.  If you need help with this, or forgot your ES username and password, contact your advisor. 

What is the vision for the ES Only (protected) Curriculum section?

This section is housing the information that was previously in “public view”.  Much of it is old information that needs to be re-worked and updated.  This section is not being added to; rather updated information is being written into the Vendor Info section under the “departments”.  As the new information is written in Vendor Info, the old will be removed from Curriculum with the notation “moved to Vendor Info”. 

Should next semester SAs be mailed by Nov. 21st or in the office by Nov. 21st?

Your deadline date is to “mail”.

Where can you find the blank dice mentioned in Shelly's presentation?  Many local teacher supply vendors do not carry them.

You may want to network with your group to find out who has been successful in locating this item, or other items you are looking for throughout the year.

Why do you see some vendors advertise classes on listserve and not others?

All vendors are offered the opportunity to advertise and are sent guidelines as to how to do this in their vendor packet. Nancy Mack coordinates this with our vendors. If some choose to not advertise, that is their choice.

We see where in webfiles to move an item from one family to another but where is the button to move an item to a different ES?

That takes an email to your advisor from both ESs before the advisor will make that change for you.

Could Shelley send out an email with the math links along with the brief descriptions that were on the video so that we could forward it on to our families?

The links are all posted in the vendor info section of the ES Protected page for you.

How do we record a $350 item that was dispersed to several families? One ES ordered a science kit series that totaled over $350. When returned, she checked out individual kits to various families.

Keep track on an optional form on the forms page. One family who has some of the materials will still need to have responsibility in the database.

Can families spend second semester IF on classes that start this semester? Ie, if a class starts 11/18 is it OK to use the money towards it?

When it is deposited, it can be spent with agreement from the ES and parent. There are no other time restrictions except to not spend it if it is not in, and do not spend if the family will not be enrolled 2^nd semester! If they are not enrolled 2^nd semester, then that money is not “REAL”, and therefore can’t be spent. It would be a good practice to not spend unless you have a signed SA for 2^nd semester already in hand.

Do ES’s still save packing slips now that we have the parent receipt?

Yes.

Is there a way to print all items a family has ordered onto one page from Filemaker?

Not at this time.

In learning records for elementary school students, can we list concepts/skills learned in bullet points? Do they have to be written in complete sentences?

Yes if your format meets your advisors approval—have a conversation around your specific student/format.

Do we have to list all items purchased with instructional funds in the learning record, including reading books, or just more expensive items?

If in doubt about an item, consult with your advisor on your specific situation.

What is the update on the science wet labs we are offering?

We are not able to offer any this year. Email Shelley Ross for specifics of what course you need for your school for next year so she can plan to have that in place.

Can the school look into getting a school site license for Read Naturally as it is a more cost effective?

Not at this time. Remember, the state had major budget cuts….and is still in debt… The IF budget needs to cover the instructional costs for your student.

Is it possible to create a direct-link to the textbook ordering information available on the protected curriculum website on the school website so that parents can access it themselves?

Since the ESs are the ones who place the school POs, it is the ESs who need this information.

Regarding PO’s, if a packing slip comes with the curriculum, are we still suppose to use the new parent receipt? 

Yes.

We discussed “Teaching Textbooks” for math during our networking time and wondered if the grade levels are up to California State Standards?

The Curriculum Committee will add this to their list of projects. Email Shelley if you have specific curriculum you would like to be reviewed by her committee.

Can the PO printed parent receipt, the original invoice and the materials checkout sheet all serve the same purpose (for tracking materials)? Can we have the parent sign any of those three?

From now on, we want you to use the Parent Receipt for first time delivery. Do not go back and have anyone resign for items already delivered where one of the other methods were used. Just start now. For items going on to a 2^nd or later home, you will still need to use the materials checkout sheet.

Are the items that you told us to keep in our files all mandatory? Or are some optional?

Items which are optional are labeled as optional. Consider the rest mandatory and consult with your advisor if you need any clarification.

What does a family do with a computer that is not working---they sent it to the warranty people and the warranty people said it could not be repaired? Do they have to pay to have it fixed?

If they broke it, they pay for it out of their pocket. If it is normal wear and tear, and the warranty is expired, typically it is not worth repairing.

What should the Es do with broken computers?

We are working on this issue—no answer for you yet.

If a student pays for ballet out of pocket should we not mention ballet?

Yes, ballet is a course that we COULD pay for, even if we aren’t, therefore the skills learned and activity done should be listed. But, there should be no “EA”, as we AREN”T paying for it.

If a student uses ALEKS does it have to be mentioned in their LR?

Yes, absolutely! We are not only paying for this one, but for many of our students we are using grant funding for this, which must be closely tracked!

Will there be more ALEKS WebEx training in the future?

IF there is a curriculum training you feel you would benefit from, contact Shelley Ross.

Is there a place to buy all the materials for Roll’n’Write in one place?

No, sorry!

Just double checking that ES’s can click on standards outside of the students grade level if they apply and they stay in the same grade level for that subject area.

Only use one grade level set of standards for each subject per semester. Anything done outside of those standards should just be listed in the description area.

Is it true that sub-coding cannot be done until courses are entered into the transcript?

YES! It is only done in the transcript file, not in the report card file.

Portfolio Questions:

How can we avoid what happened with portfolios last year when many ES’s had to meet after school was out to “fix” portfolios?

Be sure when you do your group’s portfolio review that all portfolios leaving your ES Group meeting in March are perfect! The extra care done by your peer reviewer at that meeting will make all the difference for everyone!

What vendors have a “no return” or “30 day return” policy? One ES has had trouble with receiving products that were poor quality and expensive, but then couldn’t return them because they were from a “30 day” vendor without the ES or parent knowing it.

Many of our vendors have a limited return policy. Check their vendor websites for details. We cannot dictate to a business vendor how they should run their business.

Do we delete old Report Cards, transcripts, etc. from students in the past (i.e. 2005)?

NEVER!! They are a part of the student’s permanent record we keep forever in our school database.

When printing out the AESS and IF chart what track should we enter?

Both SSCS and OGCS are on track C. You will see that info in your student info in Webfiles.

Why can we not sign up students for AESS A below 7th grade? Some families need and want an ES to come weekly and do more for them.

Option A is open to all grade levels by policy: http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/aess/iemaess.htm .

Can a student be assigned to AESS and have funds borrowed from second semester (if first semester is showing insufficient funds for one of the options)?

No. You will need to start the contract later when there is sufficient funds, or move to a lower level of AESS.

Why does it take so long for funds to get back in student accounts after a service vendor and product vendor has been canceled?

The vendor must bill for the part that the school owes before funding can be unencumbered/returned.

Assessment Info (Scantron, Writing assignment, state assessments, etc):

Can students be Scantron tested more than one time in a year?

You can Scantron test everyday if you want! You MUST test once a year, but it is a tool for your usage all year long.

Can the ES be given more time to CELDT once they receive the materials?

No. The CELDT deadlines are set by the state. Most of their schools have the students onsite to test immediately, therefore we are not well-acommodated as a distance IS school. But, it is out of our control and ESs must be ready to test quickly when contacted.

Will an email be sent out once we have a firm site and dates for the Star testing so that we can forward it to our families so that they can plan around it?

Yes.

Writing: Most families are no longer opposed to the writing assignment. However, several parents have expressed dislike of the 6th grade selection and requested an alternative. ESs have been embarrassed to give parents selections that contain spelling errors. Any solutions?

Yes! We will soon be soliciting ESs to be a part of the Writing Assignment committee for the 2010 school year. Listen to what you parents like and don’t like and come make next year’s assignment even better!

Can the Scantron window be opened wider?

NO. The window is for accountability measurements for the school and must be closely followed.

Do we CELDT our own students?

Yes.

Guidance Info:

High school coding: do we need to code for inactive students that still appear on our list but have since gone to another school?

No.

Check for your school’s a-g Q and A!

South Sutter a-g Course Descriptions

Where can I find the most recent list of SS approved a-g Course Descriptions?

Go to, http://www.sscs.cc/Handbook/Schoolspecific/ag/agindex.html. These course descriptions were approved this year, and are using the textbooks from the a-g List of Textbooks that you had all summer.  (To view the a-g List of Textbooks, go to http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/curriculum/ag_es_textbks.pdf).

What assignments does the a-g student need to complete on the HQT SME syllabus?

Now that the a-g course descriptions are available, students should begin following the assignments in the a-g course description.   The student will no longer follow the assignments on the HQT SME syllabus.  Saying that, however, there is not much difference between the assignments on the HQT SME syllabus and the a-g course description, so the transition should not be too difficult.  In general, the more specific assignments on the course description are examples of the type of textbook embedded questions that our students are required to answer.

What assignments does the student need to complete on the a-g course description?

This year, the student needs to complete the assignments on the a-g course description by the end of the course. Students may roll over any fall semester assignments to spring semester that they did not know about in time because these courses were approved so late in the fall semester. 

Who does the student give their course assignments to?

Non highly qualified ESs for the a-g course, will need to enroll their student with an HQT SME teacher for that course.  Students will give the ES their assignments for review at each learning record meeting.  Some of those completed assignments will also need to be turned into the HQT SME.  Each HQT SME teacher has a syllabus that explains which assignments need to be turned in to them to issue credits/grades.   If you have any questions about the assignments that need to be turned in, contact the HQT SME.

Only the student edition is listed on the a-g List of Textbooks.  Is that a mistake?

No.  We purposely did not list all of the items there that you need to order for your a-g student, because there are too many items to put on a list like this. Each student has different needs.  Some have a computer and some don’t.  This will change the type of item you might order for your student. To find the ordering information for the textbooks on the a-g List of Textbooks, go to this link, http://www.sscs.cc/currindex.dwt, click on the subject grade, then click on the a-g course. 

The ordering information for the a-g textbooks has more than one Teacher Edition and more than one Student Edition.  Do I need to order both Teacher Editions and both Student Editions?

No.  One Teacher Edition is typically a hardcopy version, and the other is typically the CD-ROM version.  There is typically one Student Edition that is a hardcopy version, and one Student Edition that is typically the CD-ROM version.   You only need one Teacher Edition, and one Student Edition.

What items do I typically need to order for an a-g course?

As a minimum, a student edition, a teacher edition, an assessment/exam book, and the teacher edition to the assessment/exam book.  Foreign language students will also need the listening CD’s or CD-ROMs.  Math students will need the Solutions Manual. 

Do I need to administer the exams for my student’s a-g courses?

It is required that a credentialed teacher administer the exams for all a-g courses.

Ocean Grove a-g Course Descriptions

Where can I find the most recent list of OG approved a-g Course Descriptions?

Go to, http://www.ogcs.org/handbook/schoolspecific/ag/agindex.html

Here you will see that the course titles in all-caps are last year’s course descriptions and are not textbook-specific.  The titles in all lower-case were approved this year and are textbook-specific.  When they are textbook-specific, the course descriptions are using the textbooks from the a-g List of Textbooks that you had all summer.

Why do we still have last year’s a-g Course Descriptions again this year?  I thought we could not use them for this year?

In later September, UC communicated that schools could use last years’ a-g Course Descriptions again this year to help during the transition.  When we learned of this, we only submitted for OG courses that we did not already have, so we are mostly using last year’s course descriptions again for one more year.

I see that most OG a-g course descriptions have textbooks listed on them.  None of them have the textbook from the a-g List of Textbooks. Is that a mistake? 

The courses that were approved last school year are not textbook specific.  Textbooks from the a-g List of Textbooks may also be used for courses approved last year, but the a-g List of Textbooks MUST be used for the textbook specific courses approved this year. 

(To view the a-g List of Textbooks, go to http://www.ieminc.org/handbook/curriculum/ag_es_textbks.pdf).

Do I have to use one of the textbooks listed on the course description, or can I still use the one from the a-g List of Textbooks? 

The textbooks listed for courses approved last year are examples of the type/ level of textbook that needs to be used.  Those titles or other similar ones that provide rigorous course content, including those on this year's a-g List of Textbooks,  may be used.

Courses that were approved this year are textbook-specific and MUST use the textbook listed on the a-g List of Textbooks.

If my student is using the textbook from the a-g List of Textbooks, but now would like to switch to one of the textbooks on the course description, can he/she do that?   Is it too late in the year? 

Yes, they may change textbooks.  However, the teacher needs to be aware that textbooks do not necessarily cover course content in the same sequence.  The entire course's content must be covered by the end of the second semester.

What assignments does the a-g student need to complete on the HQT SME syllabus?

Now that the a-g course descriptions are available, students should begin following the assignments in the a-g course description.   The student will no longer follow the assignments on the HQT SME syllabus.  Saying that, however, there is not much difference between the assignments on the HQT SME syllabus and the a-g course description, so the transition should not be too difficult.  In general, the more specific assignments on the course description are examples of the type of textbook embedded questions that our students are required to answer. 

What assignments does the student need to complete on the a-g course description?

This year, the student needs to complete the assignments on the a-g course description by the end of the course.  Students may roll over any fall semester assignments to spring semester that they did not know about in time because these courses were approved so late in the fall semester. 

Who does the student give their course assignments to?

Non highly qualified ESs for the a-g course, will need to enroll their student with an HQT SME teacher for that course.  Students will give the ES their assignments for review at each learning record meeting.  Some of those completed assignments will also need to be turned into the HQT SME.  Each HQT SME teacher has a syllabus that explains which assignments need to be turned in to them to issue credits/grades.   If you have any questions about the assignments that need to be turned in, contact the HQT SME.

Only the student edition is listed on the a-g List of Textbooks.  Is that a mistake?

No.  We purposely did not list all of the items there that you need to order for your a-g student, because there are too many items to put on a list like this. Each student has different needs.  Some have a computer and some don’t.  This will change the type of item you might order for your student. To find the ordering information for the textbooks on the a-g List of Textbooks, go to this link, http://www.sscs.cc/currindex.dwt, click on the subject grade, then click on the a-g course. 

The ordering information for the a-g textbooks has more than one Teacher Edition and more than one Student Edition.  Do I need to order both Teacher Editions and both Student Editions?

No.  One Teacher Edition is typically a hardcopy version, and the other is typically the CD-ROM version.  There is typically one Student Edition that is a hardcopy version, and one Student Edition that is typically the CD-ROM version. You only need one Teacher Edition, and one Student Edition.

What items do I typically need to order for an a-g course?

As a minimum, a student edition, a teacher edition, an assessment/exam book, and the teacher edition to the assessment/exam book.  Foreign language students will also need the listening CD’s or CD-ROMs.  Math students will need the Solutions Manual. 

Do I need to administer the exams for my student’s a-g courses?

It is required that a credentialed teacher administer the exams for all a-g courses.

When will new students and Freshmen HS students have transcripts to code?

Transcripts are being entered daily as they arrive in cume files. Freshman should not have prior transcripts, therefore should not need coding at this point.

Can our schools be a part of CSF?

Not at this time.

Parent Specific Info:

Is it ok to watch curriculum WebEx training videos with parents?

No, that is not appropriate!

What would an ES do with records for a family who has left the school? Would we send them to their advisor or the office so that IEM kepts control of them for the allotted amount of time?

· For families who have dropped, and the ES is still with us, the last ES who served the family keeps the records.

· For a family who has transferred to another ES or to another IEM school, the files go to the next ES.

· For a family with an ES who has resigned, all files go to their advisor.