Weekly Update for Week of 5/8/23

 Team, 

Something Personal: 

This last weekend, Ashley and I woke up as tired parents and did what we knew inherently wasn't good for Bennett...we turned on Bluey in hopes to distract him for a few in order to have a quiet moment with our coffees. He looked at the TV for a moment, but then immediately stood up on the couch and started looking outside. As he looked out the window, he started jumping with excitement and pointing to birds he was watching as they constructed a nest on our pergola. Bluey continued on in the background, but Bennett just continued to stare and point, communicating for us to come over and notice as well. 

This perspective comes so naturally for a toddler, and even elementary aged students are able to view the world with wonder and awe; but everything in our sight is competing for our attention. Our smart phones and all the apps within have brilliant minds constructing click bait that have a goal to engage us for as long as possible, creating a dopamine hit when we click or view our likes--this leads us to want more. Our work tells us to work beyond our regular hours and to always be available. The news tells us that there is so much we should be worried about, and that we should constantly be looking toward the future. 

Despite all of the changes our world has faced, kids still look with wonder and awe at birds. Our students are still mesmerized by the salmon swimming upstream in a creek, and bunnies that have created a home near the playground. Our youngest humans have an innate ability to notice and to look at the world with complete amazement. 

We have six weeks left. The weather is changing, and although the to do list is growing by the day, I challenge you to ignore Bluey on the TV and to stop and notice the birds (like Bennett did!). I challenge you to put down the screen from time to time and allow yourself to notice what's happening in the sky, or notice the flowers sprouting up.

When we stop and notice, it keeps us centered and allows us to live in the moment. It reminds us that all we really need to worry about is this moment. That's it. 

I hope you have a weekend full of noticing, sunshine, and inner contentment. And of course, if you are a QUEST mom, I wish you a very Happy Mother's Day! 

Something Professional: 

QUEST being a trend setter with the Zones (Zones Pilot in 23-24)!

Below are survey results from earlier this year. To summarize, it appears that most of us believe that teaching self-regulation is essential. 

Action: QUEST is going to start a pilot journey next year regarding the Zones of Regulation. Our mental health team is looking for 1 classroom teacher from each level, 1 special area teacher, and 1 specialist to adopt the Zones and to pilot the zones, with support from the mental health team and one another. Staff meeting time would be used to collaborate around the Zones as well. 23-24 is going to be a pilot year with the goal of being implemented school-wide, if all goes well, in 24-25.

If you are interested in participating in the pilot for 23-24, please email Derek. 

Please know this is not to add something to the plate. Instead, it is a management approach to your entire classroom...an approach that teaches self-regulation! 

MTSS Coach

As you know, the Leadership Council has been working collaboratively to develop a plan for full implementation of Multi-tiered Systems of Support over the next few years. Out of that work came the recommendation of MTSS coaches for each of the elementary buildings. Pending approval of the budget vote on Tuesday, May 16th, we will post for 2.5 new positions at the K-6 level with the title of MTSS coach. 1.0 coach will be placed in Village and 1.0 at Northwood, with a 0.5 FTE at QUEST to serve in this role. Below is a job description that has been co-created with input from the Leadership Council members, HCSTA leadership, and the Office of Instruction. Give the timing in the school year, the District and the HCSTA have agreed to a five-day internal posting for this position. If the budget is approved, we will post these positions after May 17th. 

 

MTSS Coach Job Description 

 

• Plan, lead, facilitate MTSS meetings at the building level 
• Collect, analyze, and communicate building benchmark data on cyclical basis 

• Apply criterion and norm referenced data to inform decisions on qualification for beginning, changing, or ending a student’s services 
• Assist teachers in the collection of qualitative data measures 
• Provide leadership in the implementation and maintenance of MTSS systems 
• Scheduling of interventions by student need 
• Systems for progress monitoring student growth  

• Creation of SMART goals for students 
• Determination of appropriate interventions 
• Monitoring of cut score validity 
• Serve as a liaison between the building and Office in Instruction regarding MTSS 
• Collaborate with building level administration 

• Participate in shared decision making among buildings and with administration 
• Provide professional development, resources, and/or coaching to colleagues to support MTSS 
• Ad hoc participation in specific Leadership Council Meetings, compensated with claim form 
• Participate in District-wide MTSS coaches meetings 
• APPR evaluator will be Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and/or designee