spotlight on literacy - bisd...

TLI Project Year 3 Highlights

Spotlight on Literacy S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3

T H E T EX A S S T A T E

L I T E R A C Y P L A N

( T S L P) A T B I S D All LASERS modules have been com-

pleted! CBLTs are to be congratulated

for reaching this TLI grant milestone.

Based on the work of the CBLTs, the

following are the district wide focused

action steps for Age 0 - Grade 12:

LEADERSHIP Action Step: 6 Establish a

coaching model aimed at fulfilling the goals

of the Data-Informed Plan (DIP)

ASSESSMENT Action Step: 3 Use

assessment data to determine students’

specific instructional needs

STANDARDS BASED INSTRUCTION

Action Step: 5 Develop and implement a

school wide system for teaching academic

vocabulary across all content areas.

EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL

FRAMEWORK Action Step: 3 Provide

evidence-based literacy interventions to

learners in Tier II of the RtI framework.

REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABIL-

ITY Action Step: 3 Examine and com-

municate site/campus performance data and progress toward goals in the Data-

informed Plan

SUSTAINABILITY Action Step: 2 Imple-

ment systems to build & maintain the ability

to provide effective literacy instruction

CBLTs at each campus have con-

firmed their focus action steps for each

TSLP LASERS module. They will

now ensure that their campus improve-

ment plan reflects these focus action

steps.

The Texas State Literacy Plan is avail-

able at the http://tea.texas.gov/literacy/

TLI/

Calendar of Upcoming Events

05/01 TLI Teacher Specialists’ Meeting 1—

4 CAB Cafeteria for LE consultation & In-

structional Rounds Training

05/6-7 USDE TLI Grant Evaluation Visit

05/07 End of Year (EOY) Data Analysis

Meeting TOT (AM & PM) with Campus

Teams by cluster & GIT

05/15 3rd Annual Launching Literacy

Event-Evening with the Authors, Hanna

05/29 Reading Rules Summer Training

05/30 C & I Summer School Training

June TLI EOY Principals’ Clearance

06/09 TLI Summit in San Antonio

06/29-07/01 TLI Institute in Houston

BISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or genetic information in employment or provision of services, programs or activities.

2015 Texas Literacy Initiative

(TLI) Summer Institute

BISD will be represented by 120 partici-

pants at the 2015 Texas Literacy Initia-

tive (TLI) Summer Institute in Hou-

ston, Texas.

Day One of the TLI Institute will fo-

cus on the importance of and need for

providing explicit instruction. Day Two

will provide participants the opportunity

to select content sessions that will sup-

port high-quality instruction in their K-

12 classrooms. Day Three of the TLI

Institute will support participants plan-

ning for implementation of the instruc-

tional practices and content discussed in

Days One and Two. All participants will

explore a four-step implementation pro-

cess and work to create an implementa-

tion plan for sustainability.

2015 Texas Literacy Initiative (TLI)

Leadership Summer Summit

The 2015 Leadership Summit will focus

on district leadership of the TSLP, with

concentration specifically on district, site,

and campus activities for the 2015-2016

school year. During an opening presenta-

tion by Dr. Susan Hall and a closing ses-

sion by Patrick Briggs, participants will

consider how to lead effective implemen-

tation at the site/campus level through

work with Grant Implementation Teams.

Grant Implementation Team (GIT)

Sustainability Meetings

05/07 Focus: End of Year (EOY) Results & TEA Quarterly Report

06/9 TLI Summit in San Antonio

Dr. Esperanza Zendejas, Interim Superin-

tendent of Schools, shared a study from

University of California, Berkeley, on

the early literacy gap by Bruce Fuller.

“Differing Cognitive Trajectories of

Mexican American Toddlers,” highlights

the importance of early childhood litera-

cy practices for oral language develop-

ment nurtured by par-

ents for toddlers as

early as age 1. Parents

play a key role in that

literacy development.

TLI has shared the

Infant and Toddler

Guidelines as a support

to inform our parents.

They are available at http: earlylearningtexas.org/itelg.aspx

http://tea.texas.gov/literacy/tli/

http://tea.texas.gov/literacy/tli/

http://earlylearningtexas.org/itelg.aspx

Spotlight on Literacy

On March 2, 2015, TLI joined United Way in the Annual Birthday

Bash for Dr. Seuss at Dean Porter Park. TLIs prepared activities

such as rhyming games, arts and crafts, reading stations, and a

photo booth to promote literacy in the community.

BISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or genetic information in em-ployment or provision of services, programs or activities.

Several campuses par-

ticipated in Dr. Seuss

activities during the

first week in March.

Shown are Pullam El-

em., Veterans ECHS.,

Stillman M.S., and Vil-

la Nueva Elementary.

National Library Week in April was supported by

numerous administrators,

community members, retired

teachers, who read to stu-

dents at our campus libraries.

Pictured below are students

at Putegnat engaged and add-

ing to their love of reading!

HEB Read 3 Spring project

in 5 PK classes at Canales,

Egly, Hudson, Vermillion,

and Victoria Heights was a

success! Students from the

UTB came and provided in-

teractive literacy lessons for

our PK students.

UTB Students at Hudson Elementary


Neuhaus Tier 2 Implementation

A teacher from Stell Middle

School is demonstrating a lesson

on derivatives from Neuhaus

Academy to her class.

All schools were given the opportunity

to introduce or review Neuhaus training

for Tier II intervention. The sessions

were facilitated by TLI Teacher Special-

ists online. Elementary teachers were

trained on Language Enrichment I and

Kinder Readiness. Secondaries were

trained on Vocabulary Academy and Ac-

curate & Automatic Decoding. Reading

tools are found at http://neuhaus.org/

reading-tools/ and http://neuhaus.org/

consumables/

GRAPHOPHONEMIC KNOWLEDGE

Elementary TLI Teacher Specialists and BISD teachers were trained by

Becky Beegle, M.Ed. on graphophonemic knowledge routines and inter-

ventions to support phonic elements. She reviewed TPRI data and aligned

it to the Journeys/Senderos scope and sequence for K-2. A teacher from

Champion is demonstrating a GK lesson to her elementary students.

UT Health Science Center (UTHSC) at Houston Visits BISD in January

Keith consults with Anna Cruz, DLL,

and Angela Hughes, TLI Teacher Spe-

cialist, at Garden Park Elementary.

A teacher from Faulk Middle

School working on decoding

words through identifying the

syllable type. This is from the

Accurate & Automatic De-

coding Training.

Keith Millner, TLI Director and Darcy

Dycha, State Literacy Liaison, visited

selected sites and met with teachers,

TLIs and DLLs. This grant required

leadership support provided insight as

to what was observed at sites visited,

missed opportunities in the lessons

were noted, and ways of improving in-

struction were recommended. District

Administration also met and focused on

the role of the DLL and discussed sup-

porting schools for the coming months. Keith Millner, TLI State Director, listen-

ing to Porter students work in small

groups using TLI strategies.

http://neuhaus.org/reading-tools/

http://neuhaus.org/reading-tools/

http://neuhaus.org/consumables/

http://neuhaus.org/consumables/


3rd Annual Early Childhood Symposium

C&I and TLI

Over 200 Pre-Kindergarten,Kindergarten

teachers, SRI & Three Year Olds teachers and

NINOS Head Start staff attended this year’s

Spring ECH Symposium at the ITECC building.

The topic for the general session was Litera-

cy: Cross Curricular Vocabulary Develop-

ment, and it was presented by Susan Theall &

Josie Fields, UTHSC Children's Learning Insti-

tute representatives. Teachers also listened

to TLIs and Curriculum Specialists present on

ELA and Math Framework updates. Mrs. Ber-

tha Pena and Mrs. Bea Garcia shared insights

throughout the sessions on ECH.

A Make and Take closed out this event! Teachers

walked away with ready to use activities and resources

to support literacy in reading and math. The evalua-

tion comments were positive and encouraged the con-

tinuation of this annual event. Texas has opened a

new platform called CLI Engage and will provide nu-

merous resources for Early Childhood educators in-

cluding CPALLS. Go to https://cliengage.org

https://cliengage.org/


Hanna’s Use of iPads for ELA

Paredes Implements iStation in K-5 Oliveira Implementing DIS

Perez Using NOOKs for

reading

Burns using iPads for

Academics

Egly ‘s use of technology

Literacy Lines’ Literacy Focus

Lopez HS Parent Meeting Palm Grove Elem. Parent Meeting

El Jardin Parent Meeting Besteiro MS Parent Meeting

Aiken Elem. Parent Meeting

Lucio MS Parent Meeting



Kinder Fluency at Sharp Elem.

Del Castillo Elem. teacher modeling

fluency Students at Cromack Elem. using a

fluency passage

Fluency Passage reading

Victoria Heights 1st Grader

Longoria Elem. students working on

fluency with a paired reading

Second grade Tigers review Greek & Latin roots .

Grizzly Bears’ Academic Word Wall

Kindergarten Ocelots

Word of the Week at Manzano MS Patriots’ Teacher working on oral Language development. Warriors” Math Word Wall


Vermillion Elem. using the Frayer Model

Making Connections at Pena Elem.

GK Routine: Kinesthetic Scaffolds at

Champion Elem.

Modeling at Stillman MS

Coaching at Veterans HS


Modeling at Villa Nueva Elem.


We are excited to intro-

duce new additions to our

TLI team: Astrid Lefort,

Nilda Martinez, Clara

Vergara, and Melinda

Zarate. They started at

their schools training, ob-

serving, co-teaching, and

modeling!

We want to thank the TLI

Teacher Specialists that

have assisted these

schools in the interim, and

then, mentored them. Your

assistance has greatly im-

pacted their smooth transi-

tion into their new role.

Ms. Lefort,

Pace ECHS

Ms. Martinez,

Skinner Elem.

Ms. Zarate,

Garcia MS Lopez Literacy Line meeting at Lopez High School Ms. Vergara,

Martin, Elem

Display Case at Main Office showcased TLI activities for all

the Literacy Lines during February.

Leadership

Support

The DLLs have assisted their clusters by conduct-

ing training sessions, co-teaching, and modeling.

They have also provided refresher trainings for TLI

Teacher Specialists. They have provided feedback

on the curricular supports developed for the BISD

frameworks. UTHSC Coordinator has been busily

uploading the curricular supports for the second

semester. They are found in the BISD curriculum

website. She continuously monitored staff devel-

opment documentation and submitted the TSLP

tracking sheets for all TSLP uploads to TEA.

Project Share - http://www.bisd.us/

ProfessionalDevelopment/projectshare_videos/

bisd_project_share_training.html

Think Central—http://www.thinkcentral.com/

Check out TLI link in the website for your campus

for more resources and literacy ideas! http://

www.bisd.us/html/03_Directory/02_Campus.html

All schools were visited from January to

April to check TLI grant documentation.

Melissa Garza, TLI Grant Specialist and

Oneida Peña, UTHSC Coordinator,

teamed up and reviewed the CBLT, Re-

source, Data Binders and visited classes

for evidence of implementation. All ef-

forts will expedite the EOY clearance pro-

cess. Forms for EOY Clearance are posted

on Project Share.

TLI PEER REVIEW CAMPUS VISITS

http://www.bisd.us/ProfessionalDevelopment/projectshare_videos/bisd_project_share_training.html



http://www.thinkcentral.com/

http://www.bisd.us/html/03_Directory/02_Campus.html

http://www.bisd.us/html/03_Directory/02_Campus.html

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