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New Educator

Welcome Guide

Great Teaching Matters

Revised: August 2015

| New Educator Welcome Guide

Table of Contents

Introduction 1 Your First Month ____ 3

Checklist for New Educators Your Building Contact Information Information as you get started Marcus Johnson Fund Printing Discounts UW Swap

Setting up Your Classroom or Workspace________________________9

Routines Space Medical information

Strategies We Like_________________10 Icebreakers Behavior Management

Other Helpful Tips

Beyond Your First Month _____ 14 Parent / Teacher Conferences

Infinite Campus Testing Quarter Dates Mandatory Reporting

Student Programming 15

After School Programs Madison Community Centers Attendance Areas Alternative Programs


District Information 19

District Contacts Collective Bargaining Agreement Extended Long-Term Substitute (formerly

Temporary Contract) Surplus Professional Advancement Credits Salary Schedule MMSD Acronym

Your Personal and Professional Growth__24 Personal Growth Professional Development Course Portal Mentoring New Educator Support Seminars Dane County New Teacher Project Building-based coaching and support License Renewal: Professional

Development Plan

Special Education 27

Information for General Educators Information for Case Managers

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Introduction

Now that you’re here, we wish you the best, we hope you’ll be at your best, and we’d like you to stay! MMSD has identified the following outcomes, based on the support you receive this year:

Short-term outcomes for new educators in MMSD:

Experience a warm welcome to the district

Understand the overall district mission

Understand tools, expectations, and strategies available

Establish key professional relationships

Long-term outcomes for new educators in MMSD:

Become an engaged and reflective learner

Develop effectiveness

Experience a supportive work environment

Establish a lasting, meaningful career in MMSD

The purpose of this booklet is to welcome you to MMSD and to offer you the information we think you’ll want to refer to often. Just one year ago we were in your shoes, newly hired.

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Advice from the First Year

Kelsey Beach: “My advice to new educators is to be as flexible as you can, things will change throughout your first year and things will happen that you never expected, try to just “go with it” as much as you can!” Janelle Jeter: “My advice is to not let the little things stress you out. The 1st year goes by super quick so enjoy it. Make sure that you make time for you. And again don’t sweat the small stuff.”

Maria Oliveras: “Everyone says you learn a ton your first

year teaching, but what they don’t tell you are about the times you want to cry or eat your weight in chocolate. To get through my first year I wrote down nice things students or colleagues said about me or my work. Then, on bad days, I would look back at these compliments and it would make me smile.”

A sincere thank you to Kelsey, Janelle, and Maria in their work and contribution to the New Educator Welcome Guide.

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Your First Month If you look at anything in this handbook, LOOK AT THIS SECTION. In this section you will find information and tools to help you get through your first month of teaching. In this section you will find a space to record information about your school, important contacts, important questions to ask, setting the right tone, and classroom strategies

Checklist for New Educators This checklist was created to provide you with the essential information that you will need for the first year at your school. If anything was not discussed at the professional development training please be sure to follow up with your principal.

Building Information

Notes:

Access to the building

Cost of lunch

Daily schedule

Keys

Mailboxes

Organization of Teams and/or Committees

Parking

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Staff lounge & lunchrooms

Staff restrooms

Procedures Notes:

Great Teaching Cycle

Behavior Education Plan/PBS Structure

School Master Schedule and Calendar

Communicating with the principal

Electronic devices for students (Students’ cell phones, MP3, tablets)

Electronic devices for employees

Email & Voice mail (public record, etiquette)

Emergency contact information & procedures

Educator Effectiveness Evaluation System

Field trips

Hall pass procedures

Library operations

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Building Contacts Names, phone numbers, email, or

best way to contact

Principal/Assistant

Principal

Clerical staff

New Educator Mentor

Department chair and/or

team leader

Instructional Coach

Counselor

Social Worker

Library Media Specialist

Tech Support

PBS Coach

Making copies

Subs and sub folders

Supervision (lunchroom, hallways, recess, busses)

Use of Infinite Campus (attendance, grading, communicating w/families)

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Psychologist

Nurse

Custodian

Security

Union representatives

Materials Notes:

Teacher Team Toolkit mmsd.org/tttoolkit

Location and allocation of office and school supplies

Location of textbooks and teaching materials

Map of the building

Staff roster

mmsd.org/tttoolkit

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Your Additional Questions

1.

2.

3.

Information As You Get Started

Marcus Johnson Fund The Marcus Johnson Fund was established to assist employees who are experiencing temporary financial difficulty. A loan from this fund is available to any employee who is actively working for the MMSD and who has the ability to repay the loan through payroll deduction.

CONDITIONS In order to receive a Marcus Johnson Fund loan, an employee must:

1. Be actively at work 2. Currently have no other active loan outstanding (with

the district) 3. Currently have no payroll advance outstanding

RULES 1. The maximum loan amount is $200.00. 2. Repayment will normally be $41.00 per month for five

(5) months ($205.00 total).

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3. Accelerated repayment may be requested. The decision to grant an accelerated repayment rests exclusively with the Payroll Supervisor whose decision is final.

4. A maximum of two (2) loans will be allowed per school year (July 1 through June 30).

Discounts Many merchants provide a discount for educators. (Ann Taylor Loft, J.Crew, NY & Co, Barnes & Noble, JoAnn Fabric & Crafts, ShoeBox, etc.) Please ask when you make purchases.

UW SWAP UW-Madison's Surplus With A Purpose is a multi-faceted operation designated by Wisconsin's Department of Administration as a delegated authority for disposing of the State's surplus property. In an effort to restrict the amount of waste sent to landfills, the items they receive are typically reused, recycled, or sold. The items that they do not reuse or recycle are available for purchase. Check out their website at http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/swap/ for more information.

Printing If you have bulk things to print that you don’t need right away you can send it electronically to the district print shop and it will be mailed back to your school. This is available on the “staff only” web page.

http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/swap/

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Setting up your Classroom or

Workspace Routines

● Ask your school administrator if there is a school wide

system for greeting students in the morning and sending

students home at the end of the day.

● Be sure to know your daily schedule including lunch times,

specials, and recess so you can best organize your day

and set solid routines for your students right away.

● Be mindful that some students arrive to school late or

hungry. It is important to understand that the home lives of

our students vary. Check in with your principal and school

social worker to better understand the challenges that your

students may be faced with on a daily basis.

Space

When setting up your space consider the following:

● Does the arrangement support instructional goals?

● Do you need your desk located by the phone?

● Do you have a view of the whole room from your desk?

● Do you have enough tables and chairs for everyone?

● Do you share your room/work space?

● Did you confer with your roommate about room

supplies and separate work spaces?

● Do you have a space for students to take a timeout

(Take a Break)?

● Can all the students see the board?

● Do you and your students have easy access to the

supplies needed?

Medical information

Be aware of allergies and medical conditions your students

may have. Keep this information confidential but easily

accessible. Always know which students have life-

threatening allergies.

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Strategies To Start the Year:

Icebreakers Younger Students: Silly Name Game

On the first day, gather the children in a circle. Go around the

circle and have each child pick a word to go with his or her

name (either rhyming or beginning with the same letter as the

name). Each child must say his or her name and repeat the

names that came before ("I am Marshmallow Megan and that

was Willowy Wendy and Soccer Sally and Jumping Jimmy...").

It's a fun way for young children to get to know one another

and learn everybody's name.

Getting to know you

Children stand in a circle. The teacher starts off the game by

throwing a ball at someone in the circle and asking at the

same time "What's your name?” The person who catches the

ball must answer the question and then throw it to the next

person and ask a new question. The game works best if you

keep it moving quite quickly, so you may have to step in to

prod very young children.

I like to...

Sit the class in a circle. Ask everyone to think of something

that they like to do, to eat or to play. Then pick someone to

start by telling the group for example “I like to swim”. The

person to their right will then tell the group what the first

person liked and adding what they like to do, for example “Ann

likes to swim; I like to eat ice-cream”. This continues right

around the circle until the last person has to say what

everyone likes to do.

Untying Knots

Take a long rope and tie one knot about every three

feet. There should be one knot for each person. If you have

more than six in the group, you might want to have two ropes.

Lay the rope on the ground or a table in a straight line. Have

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each child stand by a knot on the rope. Have the children pick

up the rope making sure each player has one hand on either

side of the rope. They have to untie the knots without letting go

of the rope. Usually it will take some time to figure out how to

untie the knots. Some groups end up with more knots before

they figure it out! Give them time to solve the challenge. Be

aware that the players may end up in close physical contact

with each other during the game.

Older Students: True or False?

This activity is always fun, and everyone learns something

interesting about one another! The teacher starts. Write out

four facts about yourself on an overhead

transparency/document camera. Three of the facts are true,

and one is false. Students take the little true-false test. Then

survey students to learn the results. Go back over each

question to see what they thought about each statement. That

gives you a chance to tell a little about yourself. Then, on a

sheet of paper, students write three interesting facts about

themselves that are true and one that is false. Throughout the

day, ask a few students to try to stump the rest of the group.

Alphabetical Roll!

After introducing yourself, create some chaos. Tell students

they have three minutes to complete their first assignment:

"Sort yourselves in alphabetical order by last name." After the

initial shock and after they succeed, remind them how capable

they are to handle their first day, and every day, by asking

questions, getting help from others, working together, trying

and evaluating strategies to "just do it"! Whatever "it" might be,

they can do it!

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Autobiography Poem The first day of school tell your students that their first

assignment will be to write a poem about themselves. The first

line is their first name, the second line is three words that

describe themselves, the third line is three things they like, the

fourth line is three things they do not like, the fifth line is three

movies they have seen (could do books they have read, but

movies usually get a better response), the sixth line is three

fears they have, the seventh line is three things they like about

school, the eighth line is two goals they have, the ninth line is

a place they would like to visit, and the tenth line is their last

name. You could adjust any of these lines to suit your classes.

Read the poems aloud and have the students guess which

poem goes with which person omitting the first and last lines.

Behavior Management Techniques SLANT*- Keeping students engaged and listening will help with behavior issues in class

Sit-up

Listen

Ask Questions

Nod your head

Track the Speaker

100 Percent*: “There’s one acceptable percentage of students following a direction: 100. Less, and your authority is subject to interpretation, situation, and motivation”.

Strong Voice*: There are five principles of Strong Voice:

Economy of Language

Few words are strong than more words

Do Not Talk Over

Every student has the right and the responsibility to hear what you are saying

Do Not Engage o Avoid other topics until you have finished the topic

you started Square Up/Stand Still

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o Make sure your body language is expressing the seriousness in your words

Quiet Power o Louder does not always mean the students hear

you. Try dropping your voice and make the students strain to hear you.

Consistency Make sure that when you put a rule in place that it is

followed all of the time, not some of the time. *From Teach Like a Champion, Copyright 2010

Other Helpful Tips

Take the time to smell the roses! Listen, really listen to the

kids and enjoy the moments of the first few days. There will

be plenty of time to catch up after the first few days. Get to

know the kids, the staff, and parents. We can't turn back

time no matter how hard we try.

● Students love to know about their

teachers, but also love to tell about

themselves. The quicker you KNOW

them as individuals, the better. Take

photos of them the first day to learn names as quickly as

you can.

● Learn from the past, but don't dwell on what has been,

always keep looking forward and never regret anything, life

goes on and on :)

● Have students fill out a "getting to know you" questionnaire

that includes their hobbies, interests, activities, favorites,

etc. It gives you a way to get to know your students and

make connections with things outside the classroom.

● Begin with a poem such as George Ella Lyon's, "Where I'm

From" to invite students to begin creating a community of

readers and writers. Write your own "Where I'm From"

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poem, and ask students to write theirs as well. This idea

comes from Penny Kittle's Write Beside Them.

www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html

● Get enough sleep so you can laugh with your students

● Find out what makes each student tick by asking them.

Find out what they want to learn. Assess their desires,

learning styles, interests, and share the same about

yourself. Do team building games. Discuss the standards

for each subject and let students vote on what they want to

learn first.

● Have high expectations for the new year, but remember

that flexibility is essential. Oh, and lots of chocolate in your

drawer for yourself and your colleagues.

Beyond your First Month This section includes some helpful information that you will need as the school year progresses. It may not include everything you need to know, but may be good to look through when questions arise.

Parent/Teacher Conferences In November, parent conferences occur. For the 2015-16 school year, parent/teacher conferences will be held in the evenings on October 9, February 25 (Lafollette High School) November 11 (Memorial, East and West High Schools) November 13, January 29 (Middle Schools) November 17, March 8 (Elementary Schools)

Infinite Campus (IC) Infinite Campus is essential to know and learn during your first year. It will include students’ contact information, attendance, enrollment status, special education documents, grades, standardized test scores, credits, behavior write-ups, class rosters and more. Take time to explore this application. This is the

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application you will use to report progress, quarter, and semester grades. Enter your grades ASAP! There are often professional development classes offered through the district that teach IC, check them out in the PD Portal on the MMSD website.

Testing Every year students participate in district and state standardized testing. Depending on your position and the level at which you are working, you may be required to proctor these tests, or provide accommodations for students. These days in the school usually have an unusual schedule so beware of when they occur and plan accordingly. English Language Learners also take the ACCESS test at various times throughout the year.

Quarter Dates End of first quarter: November 3 End of second quarter: January 26 End of third quarter: April 7 End of fourth quarter: June 10

Mandatory Reporting If you suspect a student is being abused or neglected you are mandated, through WI state law Act 81, to report it to CPS. If you have any questions about how to report or who to report to contact your school social worker.

Student Programming Parents, students and other teachers will expect that you know about the programs students may attend after school and community services available. It is also helpful to know the neighborhoods that feed into your school so you have a better understanding of your students’ backgrounds and can provide culturally appropriate practices.

After School Programs After school programs are vital options for families that need child supervision after school hours. They are also great resources for continued education, recreation, and socialization for MMSD students of all ages. Here are just a couple common organizations

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that provide after school programs. The community centers listed below also may provide after school options. Boys and Girls Club is an organization that provides youth development. They have numerous programs both after school and during the summer. They are located in two locations, on the south side of Madison and in Fitchburg. Their website is http://www.bgcdc.org. Madison School and Community Recreation (MSCR) is a department of the Madison Metropolitan School District that provides public recreation for the residents of Madison. There are many after school programs offered for elementary, middle, and high school students. Check out their website at www.mscr.org to find out about the programs offered. YMCA of Dane County is located on the east, west, and northwest sides of Madison. The YMCA provides programs for children with special needs, sports leagues, summer camps, health and fitness programs, and more. Look at www.ymcadanecounty.org for more informal.

http://www.bgcdc.org/

http://www.mscr.org/about-mscr

http://www.mscr.org/

http://www.ymcadanecounty.org/

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Madison Community Centers

(from: cityofmadison.com) Bayview International Center for Education and the Arts 601 Bay View Madison, WI 53715 (608) 256-7808 Boys & Girls Club of Dane County - Allied Family Center 4619 Jenewein Road Madison, WI 53711 (608) 204-9722 Boys & Girls Club of Dane County - Taft 2001 Taft Street Madison, WI 53713 (608) 257-2606 Bridge Lake Point Waunona Neighborhood Center 1917 Lake Point Drive Madison, WI 53713 (608) 441-6991 East Madison Community Center 8 Straubel Court Madison, WI 53704 (608) 249-0861 Goodman Community Center (Formerly Atwood Community Center) 149 Wabesa Street Madison, WI 53704 (608) 241-1574 Kennedy Heights Community Center 199 Kennedy Heights Madison, WI 53704 (608) 244-0767

Lussier Community Education Center (formerly Wexford Ridge Community Center) 55 South Gammon Road Madison, WI 53717 (608) 833-4979

Meadowood Neighborhood Center 5734 Raymond Road Madison, WI 53711 (608) 467-8360 Neighborhood House 29 South Mills Street Madison, WI 53715 (608) 255-5337 Northport Apts. Community Center 1740 Northport Drive Madison, WI 53704 (608) 249-9281 Packer Community Learning Center 1927 Northport Drive Madison, WI 53704 (608) 249-0160 Vera Court, Neighborhood Center Tom Solyst, Executive Director 614 Vera Court Madison, WI 57304 (608) 246-8372 Warner Park Community Recreation Center 1625 Northport Drive Madison, WI 53704 (608) 245-3690 Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center 953 Jenifer Street Madison, WI 53703 (608) 257-4576 Wisconsin Youth & Family Center 1201 McKenna Boulevard Madison, WI 53719 (608) 276-9782 Ext. 14

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Alternative Programs for Students Our district recognizes that some students need alternative learning opportunities that are different from those offered in our more traditional schools. Our alternative programs provide smaller learning environments with reduced class sizes that allow for increased attention to the individual needs of students. If you have questions related to the services provided by the Department of Alternative Education, please call us at 608-442-2972.

AERO (Alternative Education Resource Options) Alternative Program East Alternative Program West CRIS - District-wide (Credit Recovery and Increasing Skills) DCP (Diploma Completion Program) East High School - VIP (Vocationally Integrated Pathway) Horizon High School Hospital School La Follette High School - New Directions LEAP (Landmark Elementary Alternative Program) MAAP (Memorial Alternative Achievement Program) MATC for Credit MATC HSED/GED Memorial OnTrack Metro Middle and High School - Dane County Huber Work Release Metro Middle and High School - Dane County Jail Metro Middle and High School - Dane County Juvenile Detention Center Metro Middle and High School - Dane County Shelter Home NEON (New Educational Options and Networking) Off-Campus/Homebound Instruction Omega HSED/GED Operation Fresh Start HSED/GED Phoenix Project ROAD (Refocus on Achieving a Diploma) REPLAY SAPAR (School-Age Parent Program) School-Age Pregnant and Parenting Students: Services in the High School Shabazz City High School

https://altedweb.madison.k12.wi.us/node/175































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TLC (Transition Learning Center) West High School - CRIS (Credit Recovery and Increasing Skills) West High School-SAIL (Specialized Academics for Individualized Learning) Work and Learn Center For a description of each program see: https://altedweb.madison.k12.wi.us/node/139

MMSD Attendance Areas https://www.madison.k12.wi.us/areas.htm

District InformationA lot of information will be provided about district policies, benefits, and payroll information during the orientation days in late August. Below is a recap/review of these items plus additional items that past new educators felt were important to know in your first year.

Contacts: Benefits Manager: Sharon Hennessy (608) 663-1795

Contract Information: Emily Nyquist (608) 663-1698

DPI: (800) 441-4563

DPI license information: http://tepdl.dpi.wi.gov/licensing/educator-licensing

GUI: Sarah Mcgee (608) 663-5942

Health Insurance: Kathi Oestreicher (608) 663-1746

Human Resources (general questions/reception): (608) 663-1693

MSCR: Lisa Roscoe (608) 204-3028

MTI Downtown office: (608) 257-0941 (also check for union representative in your school)

New Educator Support (mentors, seminars, etc.): Sue Gorud (608) 442-2921

New Hire Information: Beth Weber (608) 663-1747

Payroll: Jeanie Hadden (608) 663-5373

PDP: Sue Gorud (608) 442-2921

Salary Placement: Allison Heil (608) 663-1710

Subfinder and Substitutes: Emily Moe (608) 663-1862 Technical Services: (608) 663-5430







https://www.madison.k12.wi.us/areas.htm

http://tepdl.dpi.wi.gov/licensing/educator-licensing

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Collective Bargaining Agreement Many questions regarding contracts, surplus, lay-off, salary, and sick/holiday/personal days can be answered in the CBA which can be found online at: www.madisonteachers.org

Extended Long-Term Substitute (formerly Temporary Contract) If you are hired as an Extended long-Term Substitute then you are only guaranteed work for that school year. At the end of the school year you will have to re-apply and re-interview for any positions in the district. However, you have complete union coverage and benefits for that school year. You are not automatically enrolled in the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). Once you have worked one full year (800 hours) and continue employment you will begin to receive WRS contributions. You will receive health benefits which will discontinue on July 31st.

Professional Advancement Credits (PACs) and your salary Professional advancement credits are used advance on the salary schedule. The credit may be an academic credit given by a college or university (usually for a fee), or a credit that has been established by the district and awarded for participation in a district-sponsored course or committee (at no cost to the participant).

PACs act like academic credits in allowing you to cross the salary schedule horizontally and vertically for Improvement or Incentive Levels. When they are used, 1 PAC = 1 University Credit.

Both academic credits and/or professional advancement credits are accepted for vertical movement on the teachers' salary schedule and may be used for track transfer to Tracks 2 (BA+12), 3 (BA+24), 5 (MA+12), and 6 (MA+24). Only academic credits will earn placement on Tracks 4 (Masters Degree), 7 (Masters + 48 Academic Credits) and 8 (Ph.D, MFA or 2nd Masters).

To advance on the salary schedule beyond levels 8.0, 12.0 and 15.0 (vertical, longevity-related), bargaining unit members must earn six (6) professional advancement

http://www.madisonteachers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Teacher-CBA-13-14.pdf

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credits every four (4) years to cross an improvement level and earn three (3) professional advancement credits every two (2) years to cross an incentive level.

Here's the PD Department's page with information about PACs: https://staffdevweb.madison.k12.wi.us/pacinfo.htm

Information can also be found in the Collective Bargaining Agreement: http://www.madisonteachers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Teacher-CBA-13-14.pdf

Salary Schedule For current district salary information, please visit the district Human Resources webpage at: https://hr.madison.k12.wi.us/

https://staffdevweb.madison.k12.wi.us/pacinfo.htm



https://hr.madison.k12.wi.us/

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MMSD Acronyms ABL Above the Line AMAO Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives AODA Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse AT Assistive Technology AYP Annual Yearly Progress BICS Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills BIP Behavior Intervention Plan BEP Behavior Education Plan BRS Bilingual Resource Specialist BRT Bilingual Resource Teacher CALPS Cognitive Academic Learning Proficiency Skills CC Cross Categorical CCF Children Comes First CCIES Centrally Coordinated Individual Educational System CCLE Common Core Learning Expectations CD Cognitive Disabilities CESA Cooperative Educational Service Agency CGI Cognitively Guided Instruction CLRP Cultural and Linguistic Responsive Practices CHAT Center for Hmong Arts and Talent COC Code of Conduct COPS Classes on Personal Safety CSF Common School Fund DHSS Department of Health and Social Services DIFI District Identified for Improvement DLI Dual Language Immersion DPI Department of Public Instruction EA Educational Assistant EBD Emotional Behavioral Disabilities EC Early Childhood EE Educator Effectiveness EEP Educator Effectiveness Plan EIS Early Intervening Services ELI Early Learning Initiative ELL English Language Learners ELPA Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis ESL English As a Second Language ESY Extended School Year FAPE Free Appropriate Public Education FAST Families and Schools Together FBA Functional Behavior Assessment GRR Gradual Release of Responsibility IT Instructional Team ISS Integrated Student Services LD Learning Disabilities LEA Local Education Agency LEAP Landmark Elementary Alternative Program LEP Limited English Proficiency LMC Library Media Center

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LRE Least Restricted Environment LT Leadership Team MTI Madison Teachers Incorporated NEM Not Eligible for Membership NEON New Educational Options &Networking NGSS Next Generation Science Standards OHI Other Health Impairment OI Orthopedic Impairment OT Occupational Therapy PAC Professional Advancement Credit PBST Positive Behavior Support Team PDP Professional Development Plan PDS Professional Development School PECS Picture Exchange Communication System PLAA Primary Language Art Assessment PLAAFP Present Level of Academic Achievement & Functional

Performance PPG Professional Practice Goal PST Program Support Teacher PTO Parent Teacher Organization REACH Reinforcing and Enriching Achievement for All Children REPLAY Re-directive, Pro-Social, Learning Alternative for Youth RSG Ready, Set, (Go)al RTI Response to Intervention S/L Speech and Language SAGE Student Achievement Guarantee in Education SAIL Specialized Academics for Individualized Learning SALT Systematic Analysis of Language Transcript SAN Storage Area Network SBA Standard Benchmark Assessment SBS School Based Services SEA Special Educational Assistant SIMS Student Intervention Monitoring System SIP School Improvement Plan SLD Specific Learning Disabilities SLO Student Learning Objective SMAL Student Moving Across Levels SMART Strategic, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, Time bound SPE Specialized Physical Education SRI Scholastic Reading Inventory SSIT Student Support and Intervention Team TAG Talented and Gifted TEP Transitional Education Program VI Visual Impairment WAA Wisconsin Alternative Assessment WAA-SwD Wisconsin Alternate Assessment for Students with Disabilities WAES Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools WCER Wisconsin Center Educational Research WEAC Wisconsin Educators Association Council WKCE Wisconsin Knowledge Concepts Examination

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Your Personal and Professional

GrowthPersonal Growth Your first year of teaching in a new district (especially the months of October and November) is often stressful for new educators. This year is a good time to establish great professional habits. Seek to be your professional best. Find supports that help you do great work for students.

o Meet with a mentor. It seems like an extra thing sometimes, but can be time well-invested to help you get back on track when you feel behind.

o Meet with colleagues. Your team and your school can make your first year more fun and can provide social and professional support while you’re figuring out how best to do the job.

o Meet with your supervisor. The first observation occurs during this time and you can begin planning for it now. You can also share successes and concerns with principals who can provide resources for you.

o Participate in New Educator Seminars.

Take time for yourself outside of work. o It is recommended that you attend social outings organized

by colleagues to get to know the people you are working with and to make your job more fun!

o Balance time away from school rejuvenating so that you’re at your best for students.

o Check out the mental health and physical wellness programs offered by the health plan, such as ($30/hour) discounted massage, yoga, mindfulness classes.

o This could be a good time to take one of your personal days (one paid, one unpaid) that you receive each year. Speak to your building secretary about the process.

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Professional Growth for Great Teaching Professional Development Catalog Browse the catalog for current and future course offerings and register for them using the Course Portal. Information and a link are provided at the Professional Development web page: mmsd.org/pdcatalog

Building-based coaching and support Every school has a coach or learning coordinator in addition to administrators. These friendly colleagues are available to provide school-specific answers and they know where to find district-wide resources. Often, a building-based “buddy” will be assigned to help newer colleagues find their way, and some schools offer their own after school new educator support seminars.

Mentoring All who hold an Initial Educator license and are in their first year in the profession will be assigned a mentor. This is roughly half of all new hires, and includes teachers, speech & language clinicians, library media specialists, nurses, social workers, counselors, and psychologists. If you do have one, it is recommended that you take advantage of this support. MMSD’s First Year Initial Educator Mentoring Program aspires to…

● Build the initial educator’s reflection skills and habits in order to strengthen practice.

● Introduce the initial educator to her/his support network within the district and foster those collaborative relationships.

● Provide professional and emotional support for the first year of each MMSD initial educator, ensuring a solid introduction to the Madison School District’s mission and structure.

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MMSD hires highly qualified educators to provide mentoring. Training is provided during the summer and throughout the year during monthly mentor meetings. MMSD employs 48 mentors in 2012-13, serving 170 new first-year educators. What happens during mentoring sessions?

● Mentors listen to initial educator’s joys and concerns, successes and challenges

● Collaborate to identify and illuminate ways to meet challenges

● Mentors increase awareness of the many district resources (both people and materials) and help the new educator learn ways to access them.

● Collaborate to keep a map of personal and professional growth

● Mentors make records of reflections and offer ways to use those records to continue professional growth and increase effectiveness

● Mentors help new educators begin to identify goals for the educator’s Professional Development Plan

New Educator Support Seminars 2015-16 New Educator support seminars are offered throghout the year. In these sessions you will collaborate with other new educators and have opportunities to share your individual expertise and explore problems of practice. Look for flyers with dates and times.

License Renewal: Professional Development Plan (PDP) Since 2004, all who receive a Wisconsin Initial Educator License must renew their license every five years by completing a PDP and having a plan verified by a trained PDP team.

You should begin this year. The PDP is a 3 to 5 year process:

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PDP Support, How-to Videos and Workshops: mmsd.org/pdp is the first stop for PDP support. MMSD will also support you by providing after school workshops several times throughout the year and coordinating the review process for all who use the MMSD WECAN PDP site. Use the PD Catolog to find a workshop that works for you.

Special EducationStudents with special needs are eligible for special education services from the age of three until twenty-one. It is important for all educators to know about the policies and procedures of special education. If you have concerns or questions regarding students, contact the appropriate support staff and/or therapists.

Information for General Education Teachers General education teachers who have students with individualized

education plans (IEP) in their classrooms should receive a

summary (aka At-A-Glance, Regular Education Summary, etc)

that includes disability areas, accommodations and modifications

for the classroom, and a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), if

applicable.

● Familiarize yourself with these accommodations as early

as possible because they are legally required to be offered

and it will help with understanding your students with

special needs.

● If you do not receive the summaries in your school mailbox

or delivered to you (electronically or hard-copy) by the end

of the first month, you can access the student’s IEP in

Infinite Campus under “special ed docs.”

IEP team member

● There is a high chance you will be assigned as the regular

education teacher on IEP teams for students in your class

throughout the year. This includes attending an annual IEP

meeting and providing information regarding the student’s

regular education performance and needs. You may also

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be involved in special education evaluations or re-

evaluations. Re-evaluations occur every 3 years and

include academic, functional, and other disability-specific

testing.

● If the meetings occur before or after school, during your

duty-free lunch, or planning times you will be

compensated.

● You are legally obligated to attend the IEP meetings for

students you are assigned. Efforts will be made to

schedule the meetings at times that work for all team

members but if it has to occur during your class time, a sub

will be provided.

Reminder: always check the list of allergies and medical

conditions that is distributed at the beginning of the year, as many

students with special academic needs also have co-occurring

physical challenges.

Information for Case Managers ● In your first week of work, you will attend a training regarding

the IEP writing software (at this time, know as GUI) and IDEA.

This training will show you step-by-step how to start a referral

for an evaluation, write an IEP, and other procedures. See the

Moodle application for the IDEA course information.

● Additional responsibilities of special education teachers that go

above and beyond classroom requirements:

● As a grade-level CC teacher or case manager for a group

of students, you will facilitate the IEP meetings, distribute

IEP regular education summaries (see above), help with

student scheduling (whether with specials at the lower

levels or course schedules at high school), train SEAs, and

follow-up with students’ behavior and academics.

● Annual IEPs must be finalized by the one year anniversary

of the last meeting! Plan meetings early, as there could be

a large IEP team with various schedules. People always

required to be at the meeting include: you (CC teacher and

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case manager), regular education teacher that has been

assigned, an LEA (Local Education Agency), and parent.

Other possible members/attendees include

speech/language pathologists, occupational/physical

therapists, psychologists, social workers, principals,

counselors and outside agencies. Plan ahead because the

due dates come faster than you think!

● IEP goal progress in GUI needs to be done quarterly and sent

home to parents on your caseload.

● High school case managers are responsible for the following

year schedules for all students on their caseload. Knowledge of

course prerequisites, offerings, and credit requirements is

recommended and can be obtained from school counselors.

● CC teachers of 5th and 8th graders will have transition

meetings with 6th and 9th grade teachers and department

chairs.

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Notes

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Notes

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Notes

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