Staff Blog Update- June 22, 2023

Team -

Enjoy the wonderful days of summer ahead.  How fortunate we are to live in Vermont.  The sun sets across the ridgeline, the clear air and fresh water.  Thank you all for a truly joyous year.  And to:  

Kate, Ellen, Tom, Chris and Bruce - Thank you for your years of incredible service to the Harwood community.  To your deep dedication to our students and for your model to lead with high expectations and an open heart!  Live up the retirement ahead.  

Becky Busker, Tara, Kevin, Allie and Korie - Your work with students made them truly feel safe - seen, heard, respected and understood.  Enjoy your next adventure ahead.

Duane - your humor and connectivity to ALL at Harwood will be missed beyond words.  And, we are grateful that you’ll be just down the street continuing to support our district.

Calendar:

• 07/17-07/21 - Summer Session week 1

• 07/24-07/28 - Summer Session week 2

• 08/18 - New Staff Orientation

• 08/21-08/23 - Start of year inservice

• 08/23 - 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. Start of year conferences (no inservice on 8/24 or 8/25)

• 08/28 - 7th/9th grade Smart Start

• 08/29 - First day of school for 8th, 10th , 11th and 12th graders 

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Appreciations:

Staff Member	Appreciations
Teagan, Tim, Chris U, Tom, Jackie, Laura, Rob, Genevieve, Jonah and Marcus	For volunteering to be students in a last minute sample lesson!
Jess and Erin	For the delicious breakfast treats during Tuesday’s rotations
Chelsea Turley	Bringing the Responsive Classroom training to Harwood

Safe - seen, heard, respected & understood:

Topics	Information/Links
TA update	On August 23 we will be holding welcome conferences with students and families to start the year. The purpose of the conferences is to provide an opportunity to connect with students and families and to provide important information to help start the year.  What?  For all students: Information will be shared regarding the schedule, Harwood support systems, clubs and extracurricular information and the purpose of advisory. In addition we have developed some connection questions to provide an opportunity to hear from students and families. This also is an opportunity to ask any lingering questions that they may have.  In addition: Grades 10, 11 and 12 will be provided a helpful checklist about planning for high school and beyond as well as an introduction to Naviance, the tool students use for planning and exploration.  How will the meetings be scheduled? For grades 7-10 the meetings will be solely on an individual basis. Liz will be setting up Canyon Creek for families to sign up for an appointment.   For grades 11 and 12 there will be two options for families to choose:  Group-a 30 minute block for families preferring to meet with other students and families. Two TA groups will be combined and the supporting school counselor will attend the meeting. The remaining time will be available for families who prefer meeting individually with their TA teacher.  These meetings will be scheduled using a Google Doc.  What support is being provided for TA teachers? All of the information to share with families will be provided as a resource to you during inservice with an opportunity to review in your TA grade based meeting during inservice Liz will set up Canyon Creek for 7-10 and a Google doc for 11 and 12 will be created and shared Letters to families with the information about the conference and sign up strategies will be sent out in early August What do I need to do? When we return on August 20th check your sign ups on Canyon Creek or the Google doc and contact any families who have not yet signed up Review the conference resources and seek any assistance from Ellen prior to the 23rd; I’m happy to help! Spend quality time with your students and families between 3:00 and 6:00 on the 23rd Please note that you will not be required to be in school on the 24th as the hours for this day will be a combination of the welcome conferences and staff participation in the October open house.

Rigorous & Robust Academic Program:

Topics	Information/Links
Performance Indicator and Rubric updates	On Monday and Tuesday, we met to look at data and feedback on our Performance Indicators and rubrics, and work in small groups to discuss and decide on any revisions. Here is the slideshow with that information. A brief overview of the changes: PS.07 Define a problem that involves the development of a process or system with interacting components, criteria, and constraints. (Indicator removed) PS.06 Design, evaluate, and/or refine a solution to a complex problem. (Rubric changes) IT.13 Make hypotheses based on observations. (Rubric changes to Advanced) PGE.02 Demonstrate understanding of customs, beliefs, cultural differences, and traditions worldwide. (Rubric changes) PS.02 Identify patterns, trends and/or relationships to find solutions/meaning. (Rubric and Indicator language changes) PS.03 Create or identify strategies to solve a problem, adjusting approach as needed. (Rubric changes) PS.08 Design an investigation that leads to the collection of specific evidence to answer a testable question. (Rubric and Indicator language changes) CCE.02 Demonstrate organized communication. (Rubric changes) LIT.08 Determine the central ideas and conclusions of a text. (Rubric changes) IT.06 Analyze textual and/or visual media and PGE.01 Participate in classroom dialogue. (Changes to Harkness-specific rubrics) NEW! IT.14 I can synthesize and apply learning on an AP performance task. (New Indicator, rubric being developed over the summer) In the HUUSD Learning Expectations document, look for red berry text to note an indicator or rubric where language has changed.
Summer Learnin’ (A lot like summer lovin’, with some key differences)	Here are a couple interesting, cross-content course/workshop offerings that have come across my radar recently that I (Jess Deane) wanted to share, in case they are of interest to you! Interested in learning more about current AI technology, how to leverage it, and its implications on curriculum and assessment? Jonah and Phil are taking this self-paced course in the fall. Jonah: “I have done some work with the guy who is teaching it, and I really appreciate his knowledge and pedagogy.” Jacki and I attended a workshop in the spring with adolescent literacy expert Dr. Sarah Lupo, and she’s going to be back in Vermont in September with a workshop focused on tier 1 disciplinary literacy skills. Check out the description here (day 1 specifically) - this could be great for teachers in different departments to attend, and then come back and share some strategies. If interested, send me an email and we can coordinate a small group to attend.
Act 173 - Enhance the effectiveness, availability, and equity of services provided to all students who require additional support in Vermont’s schools.	If you are interested in reading the full text - see here. What does this mean for my actions and responsibilities as a classroom teacher? Continuing to grow your universal supports in your classroom that provide access to ALL your students. Track data to help identify effective vs. ineffective supports to provide access to ALL our students.
2024 Bell Schedule	Here is the bell schedule for 2023 - 2024 And, for you Middle School minded folks, here is additional detail
Extended Studies	Here is the plan for Extended Studies at Harwood for next year! Thank you to the Teaching and Learning Collective (specifically the Scope and Sequence Subcommittee), as well as the English, Social Studies, and Science departments and student focus groups who provided ideas and critical feedback along the way! Key components of the plan: Extended Studies will be offered as an option next year in 9th and 10th grade core English, Science, and Social Studies courses In order for students to earn Extended Studies in a course, they will complete three additional assignments across the year that challenge them to engage with new and/or more challenging material When students earn Extended Studies, it will be noted for that course on their transcript Once successfully completed, Extended Studies assignments will be noted in JumpRope, but the individual scores will not contribute to the overall course score, making it a low risk, high reward opportunity

Positive school climate and culture:

Topics	Information/Links
	Meet one of our new paraprofessionals, Victor Toman: Victor moved here from San Francisco, California and currently lives in Montpelier. He has a BA in Dramatic Arts from the University of Oregon, and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, Davis. He has been acting, directing and teaching theater for over 20 years. Since moving to Vermont, he has been on the faculty at Essex High School and Winooski Middle High School as a Theater Arts teacher and at Montpelier High School as an Instructional Assistant.
	I work for HomeShare Vermont, where, for over 40 years, we have been matching people who have room in their homes with those seeking an affordable place to live.   Our guests might be asked to help with some chores around the house for a reduced rent. On average, our guests pay $340/month in rent, far below Vermont’s average for a one-bedroom apartment.   Currently, we have several opportunities in the Mad River Valley and surrounding areas.   I’d love to make our program and these opportunities known to any of your employees who might be looking for housing and would be interested in homesharing.   If anyone has any questions or would like more information, I’d be happy to speak with them.   Regards, Ric Cengeri Communications Specialist HomeShare Vermont 412 Farrell Street, Suite 300 South Burlington, Vermont  05403 (802) 863-5625  www.HomeShareVermont.org