Weekly Teacher Download for February 22, 2021

Note: Due to last week’s storm, we have updated the WTD with limited information. If you have updates, we can make those changes in the online story but not the email. The first section is an important update from Academic Support.

ALL TEACHERS

Monday, 2/22, and Tuesday, 2/23: All district offices and campuses will be closed as a weather day.

• Campus leadership will be planning and organizing for the coming week(s). Staff may be invited to virtual staff meetings to share updates or information.
• Teachers can check in with their students to conduct wellness checks, gather feedback on connectivity readiness, and determine any needs. As needed, contact your campus administration, CIT, wraparound specialist, etc., for support.
• If you have unique circumstances, communicate with your principal.

Wednesday, 2/24: Teacher Preparation Day
Teachers have the option to work at their campus or remotely for Wednesday only.  

• All staff will resume checking in using Axiom.
• This is a planning day for teachers to review instructional activities to plan/adjust for the week and remainder of the fourth (4^th) six weeks. 
• Students will complete virtual instruction based on the student information found here. 
• Curriculum and Development will provide guidance for adjusting the scope and sequences and pacing calendar to accommodate the instructional days lost due to weather. The adjustments will be provided as an outline to compact instruction for the remainder of the fourth (4^th) six weeks. Refer to the C&D websites for forth-coming guidance. 
• This planning day is also for teachers to connect with students for wellness check-ins and instructional engagement readiness if not completed earlier this week.
• Teachers will record Wednesday, 2/24, attendance for all students no later than Thursday, 2/25, aligned to normal attendance procedures, based on student lesson/activity engagement.

Reminder: According to the Asynchronous Student Learning plan, students need to complete at least one (1) assignment and submit for attendance credit for the day. Students may complete work online and/or submit information via email.  As some families and students may still experience connection/technology and other challenges, teachers may reach out to students to determine and support engagement. 

• Thursday, 2/25: Teachers return to campus to teach virtually from their classrooms. Teachers will take attendance. Attendance for February 24 and 25 should be recorded for all students based on lesson engagement.
• Friday, 2/26: Teachers on campus to teach virtually from their classrooms. Attendance for February 26 should be recorded for all students based on lesson engagement. 

Teachers may schedule a 1:1 booking with AIT department M-F for the HUB, Teams, digital resources or other support. Click the following link to schedule: Book an Online Instructional Tech Appointment. 

ASSESSMENT Updates

The dates for the following events have been adjusted:

• Circle Assessment window will end Friday, March 12
• MOY Renaissance screener window will end Friday, March 12
• STAAR Survey completion is extended to Wednesday, February 24 (original due date was 2/19)
• HISD Student survey window will begin Thursday, February 25, and end March 7
• Snapshot #2 has been extended to February 25-March 5 (Gr. 3-12)
• Renaissance 360 Progress Measure 3 is now April 1-16 for Grades 1-3
• Release STAAR test administration is adjusted to April 12-23

The HISD COVID Student Engagement Survey is currently open for all students in grades 4-11. Students may access through a link placed prominently in the HUB and have through March 7 to complete it. The survey is not timed and should take students 5-10 minutes. It should be done in a structured environment—at home or at school—and can be done on a computer, tablet, or mobile phone. For more information, see this flyer (note that it still has the old deadline). Student responses are confidential but not anonymous. The survey asks students about their experiences with virtual and/or in-person learning, and about any supports they may still need to be successful with their schoolwork during and beyond the pandemic. The survey will be administered in English and Spanish. Principals may share the linked document with school staff, as it contains information on the survey and strategies to encourage student participation. Principals are also encouraged to communicate with families about the survey using the sample statement on the attached document. HISD is collaborating with Rice University’s Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC) to administer the survey and expects to have results by April 2, 2021.

Special Education

 Big Ideas In SPED:  All teachers (general educators and special educators) are strongly encouraged to enroll in the OSES Campus Instructional Support (2020-2021) HUB course to access instructional resources, Special Education updates, and professional development recordings and session materials related to supporting students with disabilities.  To get started, click here.

Part 2: Antiracism and Social Emotional Learning. Goalbook, the web-based resource that provides academic and behavior strategies, will host the second of a three-part webinar series focused on using their resources to create an antiracist learning environment so that all students succeed.  Click on the date below to register. Please contact jander13@houstonisd.org or call 713-556-6844 with questions. February 25  at 12:00 p.m. CST

Strategy and Innovation
HISD is seeking innovative project proposals from educators for HISD By Design, a new program aimed at funding innovative projects and programs from educators that directly impacts student achievement. The application deadline is March 24, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. For more information, see this flyer. Due to the storm’s ongoing impact, the HISD By Design information session scheduled for Tuesday, February 23 is cancelled. An alternate session is available on Tuesday, March 9, at 6:00 p.m. In these difficult times, resilient educators continue to be at the nexus of everything great and innovative that happens in this city. To learn more about HISD By Design, visit HoustonISD.org/HISDByDesign.

Social and Emotional Learning
Please join SEL for Live Student SEL Lessons every Friday on topics such as coping skills, anxiety, mindfulness, relationship skills, and more. Teachers may click on the link for their session of choice in real time with students. There are separate sessions for elementary and secondary students. Also, please join the SEL Relaxation Corner for self-care techniques each Monday and Wednesday for online sessions scheduled throughout the lunch hours. Scan the bar code on the attached SEL Relaxation Flier or visit the SEL Google Training Site to access the Relaxation Corner sessions. No registration is required.

ELEMENTARY TEACHERS

Soccer Starts at Home with Houston Dynamo and Dash. HISD has partnered with Houston Dynamo and Dash to provide virtual classes for early childhood students and their families with the Soccer Starts at Home Program (SSAH). We encourage every pre-K and kinder teacher to attend a training to learn about this free program and its benefits, as well as learn strategies to encourage parents to participate. Join the training on February 24 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. (Course #1449038). This targeted preschool program will focus on building the brain-body connection for students, reinforcing and building brain pathways, and reinforcing parent-child bonds. It will also provide training for Pre-K, kinder, and physical education (PE) elementary teachers on the research behind physical and cognitive development in young children, age-appropriate “ball mastery” exercises, and techniques on how to engage parents.

The Early Childhood Team is excited to announce its first Early Childhood Virtual Conference on February 27 from 8:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Join us in various breakout sessions that will address the domains of instruction in Early Childhood to build a unique and innovative learning experience. Click here to see the offerings. 

SECONDARY TEACHERS

Career and Technical Education

Visit the HUB for HISD Career Readiness resources and weekly announcements. Visit the HUB for HISD Career Readiness resources and weekly announcements. Also, visit the HISD Career Readiness website for this week’s CTE News Bulletin. Scroll through the CTE February Professional Development Calendar for trainings, webinars, and more. Please see below for amazing skills training, internships, college and career support, and job opportunities from GENESYS WORKS. And the Society of Women Engineers Houston Area Scholarship Application is now open! Details below.

Save the Date: When I Grow Up, the ninth annual career expo for HISD students in grades K-12, is going to be virtual this year. Set for 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 17, it features hands-on career exploration, summer job opportunities, raffles, prizes, and entertainment. See this flyer for more information.

The virtual town hall hiring, Seniors to Success 2.0, has been rescheduled for Thursday, March 4, from 12:00-2:00 p.m. and student registration is required. A link for the TEAMS meeting will be sent after registering. For more information, email Carolina Cano at ccano@houstonisd.org or Echos Blevins at echos.blevins@houstonisd.org.

Inform juniors about corporate internships that pay students $10 per hour during their senior year. They need to apply now to Genesys Works, a non-profit organization dedicated to changing the lives of teens. Deadline is March 5. More info in this story.

Free digital learning on the tech skills of tomorrow. Students need earlier access to industry content that exposes CTE students to potential careers in STEM. For more information visit ptech.org/open-p-tech/ or contact our Business Development Team. See this flyer for more information.

Help students find the right job. See this flyer for Employment and Training Opportunities for Youth Ages 16-24 from Workforce Solutions—Northline. They can help students get or keep a job or get a better job, train for an in-demand career, obtain their GED and/or find funds for college, and get on the path toward financial stability.

The Society of Women Engineers-Houston Area Section (SWE-HA) wants to recognize the amazing work that Houston area students do and encourage females to pursue engineering related fields. See this flyer and visit their website to find out about the scholarships offered and encourage students to apply by March 1.

CTE Career Tip Tuesdays: CTE teachers, encourage your students to join CTE career advisors every second and fourth Tuesday during February for sessions led by expert professionals and educators on how to stand out from the crowd and become a competitive job applicant. This month’s topics are Preparing for a Job Fair and Virtual Interview 101. See this flyer for more information.