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September 21, 2022

In This Issue:
  • Flu Vaccination Clinic
  • Benefit Enrollment Deadline: Sept. 23
  • Sept. 26 PD Schedule
  • The Great Reconnect: How Even Tiny Gestures Can Rekindle Friendships
  • Links to Phenomena for Science
  • ThinkLink is Ready
  • Data & Assessment
  • Dyslexia Specialists Training
  • Shout Out!
  • Upcoming Events
NEED TO KNOW

Flu Vaccination Clinic

The best protection you can get and give is a flu shot.

Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans get the flu each year? Don’t let the flu stop you! Stop by the District 742 flu vaccination clinic. Learn more

Benefit Enrollment Deadline! Friday, Sept. 23

Our enrollment period deadline for all employee benefit plans and programs has been extended to Friday, Sept. 23 at 4 p.m. Our health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance and flexible spending account plans renew for the 2022-23 plan year on October 1, 2022.


Staff must complete online enrollment/changes through the Ease Platform if any of the following apply:

  • Enrolling in any of these benefit plans for the first time.
  • Making any changes to current health, dental, vision and/or life insurance benefits.
  • Elect either the Medical and/or the Dependent Care Flex Spending Account(s), you MUST make these elections each year. Learn more.

Open enrollment closes at 4 p.m. on Sept. 23.

Sept. 26 PD Schedule for Licensed Staff

Sept. 26 will be a combination of building and professional development.

"Meeting the Needs of All Learners” is a professional development delivered by Dr. Dennis King, EdD, from Solution Tree. This session will focus on using intentional instructional cycles and tiered support to meet the learners’ needs across content areas. Dr. King is expanding the work he started with our District MTSS teams in August. With 28 years of experience in education, Dr. King led both traditional and alternative urban schools and districts to implement effective PLC processes leading to student-centered instruction.

Dr. Dennis King, EdD
Solution Tree
Please be sure to check the schedule on StaffNet for room assignments and more information.
HAPPINESS HABITS

The Great Reconnect: How Even Tiny Gestures Can Rekindle Friendships


When it's been months and months since you reached out to a pal, it's tempting to just write off the friendship ... but a few words can work wonders.

“This is a perfect time to reconnect with people,” says the psychologist and friendship expert Marisa Franco.

We spoke about how to strike up brand new relationships in our last article, but maintaining the friendships we already have is just as important.

Marisa points to research suggesting that “every seven years we could lose about half our friends”. In normal times, says Marisa, we can make good on some of these lost friendships by adding people to our social network – by befriending a new co-worker or a new neighbor.

But the COVID-19 pandemic and all the disruption it has caused made that natural cycle of replenishment more difficult.

“I think this is a really hard time for us to make new connections. And so what I tend to say people is that while it is a hard time to meet new people, it has been a time of reconnection.” Continue reading

THE ED CORNER

Links to Phenomena for the Science Classroom



A key feature of instruction related to our new science standards is that students are actively working to “figure it out, not just learn about.” The “it” most often refers to a phenomenon for which students might be curious enough to want to figure out how it works or what causes it. Some of the more effective phenomena are local and connected to student experiences, such as weather events, behaviors of local animals, rides at the playground, technological objects or events in the news.

Students encounter a phenomenon by being presented a situation by pictures, video clips, an object, a demonstration or a story. They make observations and form questions. The teacher helps the students consolidate the questions and determine questions to investigate and methods to use.
~Taken from https://www.mnsta.org/cgi/page.cgi/MN_Science_Standards.html.

Check out these Phenomena Resources or visit the Science Resources listed in each K - 5 Curriculum Grade Level section. Go to StaffNet > Learning and Teaching > Curriculum K-5 > Science Resources.

ThinkLink is Ready!

ThinkLink is our new platform for FOSS elementary science materials. Our students have been rostered for use in ThinkLink. 

Or click on the word FOSS in the right hand corner after you have logged into ThinkLink. Select “Getting Started” for step-by-step directions.

If you have any questions, please contact Julie Barkley in the learning and teaching team at julie.barkley@isd742.org ext.8064.



Data & Assessment

ALL licensed staff, deans, BRSs, BSSs, BCSSs, EEOCs and BTIs should visit eduCLIMBER Headquarters where you will find helpful information including:

  • Training Modules: Start by learning how to log in for the first time.
  • Academic, Incident and Attendance Data
  • MTSS: Interventions, Progress Monitoring and Documentation
  • Creating custom courses for non-classroom teachers (case managers, EL teachers, counselors, etc)
  • How to enter Running Record Scores and more

This site is updated daily with short screencasts, tutorials, and helpful tips. Please check back often.



 

Visit Assessment Headquarters to learn about all assessment information and updates including:

  • The transition from Enterprise to Unified scale score for Star
  • How to edit preferences for audio, extended time, and manage monitor passwords
  • STAR FAQs
  • District Testing at a Glance and Detailed Calendar
  • Assessment Targets and more...
If there is something you are hoping to see on either site, but is not yet published, please click on the banner across the top of the screen to share your needs. Please contact your building assessment coordinator or academic coach for any questions you may have. You are always welcome to email Jaime.Conway@isd742.org or Donna.Roper@isd742.org with any additional data and assessment questions.

Reminder: Dyslexia Specialists Training

Sonday 1

  • Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2:30 - 4 p.m., DAO Room #111
  • Please bring your Learning Plan Book if you have one and sign in to MyLearning Plan.

If you teach at the secondary level, and you need to be trained in Sonday 1 or Sonday 2, Katie Schnider will be reaching out to you in the next week to set up a time to get you trained.


If you have already been trained in Let's Play Learn, Sonday 1 and/or Sonday 2, but would like a refresher, have missing materials, or have any questions, please e-mail Katie Schnider at katie.schnider@isd742.org.

SHOUT OUT

Keeping Things Flowing


Left to Right: Adam Molde, Austin Gross, Ahmed Tobe

A big shout out goes to our information services team, Adam Molde, Austin Gross and Ahmed Tobe. What everyone may not know is just how many of our district systems flow through this team daily. From access to email and Skyward to teacher and student schedules, grading, transcripts, and various resources like EduClimber and curricular applications – there is a good chance it has been worked on by this team. 

Thank you to this team for all you have done to make District 742 better this school year already.


Submitted by Ryan Cox

Do you know a person or a group of people who have gone above and beyond and deserve kudos? Submit a Shout Out by email to communications@isd742.org and we'll get your message out in the next Notebook. 
ODDS N ENDS

Districtwide
Events

Sept. 21
School Board Meeting

Sept. 24
District 742 Surplus Equipment Auction

Sept. 26
NO SCHOOL: Professional Development

Oct. 4
League of Women Voters School Board Candidate Forum

Homecoming Celebrations

Tech
Sept. 24 Homecoming Coronation
Sept. 24 Homecoming Dance

Apollo
Sept. 28 Homecoming Coronation
Sept. 30 Taligate Party
Oct. 1 Homecoming Dance

 
Help us get the word out about all the great things happening in our schools! We want to showcase events and stories visually through as many forms of media as possible. Use this form to submit 742 news, story suggestions or upcoming events.


 
 
Do you have a submission for the Notebook? All Notebook messaging can be emailed to communications@isd742.org and are due by noon on Tuesday. 





















 






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St. Cloud Area School District 742 · 1201 S. Second St. · Waite Park, MN 56387 · USA