SDP Educator Weekly
newsletter
April 29-May 3
in this issue
Dear Educators,
Last week’s Board of Education was the final meeting for five of the nine sitting Board members. It was my honor to spend some time celebrating the distinguished tenure of this group of public servants. Their partnership and support helped me navigate a new landscape as I transitioned into the role of Superintendent. They have continued to be valuable partners and sounding boards as we pursue the goals and guardrails and work to Accelerate Philly. They have been stalwart advocates of Philadelphia schools, students, and communities, especially during the return of the District to local control – a flashpoint in the esteemed history of the School District of Philadelphia. And so I hope you’ll join me in saying a very special ‘thank you’ to:
- Julia Danzy
- Leticia Egea-Hinton
- Mallory Fix-Lopez
- Lisa Salley
- Cecilia Thompson
One of the final acts of this Board was a vote to approve the naming of the District’s Central Office to the Constance E. Clayton Education Center. Dr. Clayton – the first black and female superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia – was a personal mentor to me and a pioneer in education. She developed a national reputation for many things including, but not limited to, putting students first, standardizing curricula, and requiring the teaching of African-American history. Her leadership and legacy influenced our Accelerate Philly vision to prepare all students to imagine and realize any future they desire, and I cannot imagine a better person after whom to name our headquarters.
Last week the Board of Education held their public budget hearing of our Capital Budget while tomorrow, the City Council will hold their public budget hearing to review our budget. Both events will have an impact on our final budget for the upcoming year. You all have been engaged in our budget development process more than ever before, and for that I thank you. I want to remind you that our Finance Office has developed resources to help all of us understand how our budget is developed and applied. You can find the FY2024-25 Consolidated Budget Book, 2024-25 Guide to School Budgets, and the FY2024-25 Budget 101: Understanding the District’s Budget on the Employee Hub under the heading District Budget & Finances. Parents and families can access these resources on the Family Hub under the same heading.
Finally, as promised in last week’s principal town hall, I want to acknowledge the members of the Superintendents Principal and Teacher Advisories. You can find their names on the District’s Leadership website. The advisories have been extremely important this year, as we have tackled a number of critical issues together. Thank you all for your hard and strategic work!
In partnership,
Tony B. Watlington Sr., Ed.D.
Superintendent
The School District of Philadelphia
Action Items
The Closing of Cornerstone
Our Observation platform Cornerstone, will be sunsetting and will not be accessible after June 28th 2024. To prepare for this end date. We HIGHLY encourage all users to download and save important documents from the online platform.
We have also provided a stepper to walk you through downloading your documents.
Questions? Please email Amadi Hayes, Observation Evaluation Coordinator, at ahayes@philasd.org or 215-400-6194.
General Announcements
The 2023-24 Philly School Experience Survey (PSES) opens for teachers on May 1
The Philly School Experience Survey opens tomorrow, May 1 for students, teachers, support staff, and principals/assistant principals!
Starting May 1, teachers can take the survey by clicking the "2023-24 Philly School Experience Survey" tile with the PSES logo in your employee portal.
(Note that this year, SBTLs can also take the survey even if you are not currently teaching any classes.)
If you are supporting students in grades 3-12 with completing the survey, remember that the student PSES is combined with the Student Well-Being Survey (SWBS) Window 3 this spring.
The last day to take the surveys is June 14.
For more information, visit: philasd.org/pses. Thank you for your support, and please do not hesitate to email us at schoolsurveys@philasd.org with questions!
MTSS Tier 2 & 3 Guidelines
The purpose of the document is to provide schools with guidance on implementing the School District of Philadelphia’s MTSS Framework at Tiers 2 and 3. Through an integrated approach, schools will review data, identify root causes, and make data-based decisions to move students along a continuum of evidence-based supports for:
*Academics
*Attendance
*Health and Wellness
*Social, Emotional, and Behavioral (SEB) Well-being
MTSS Tiers 2 and 3 supports are intended to supplement high-quality MTSS Tier 1 core programming. The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) will leverage the MTSS approach to ensure all students, including high-ability learners, receive a level of support that is appropriate to meet their needs and that students are not over-identified for special education services. Question(s)? Email Moira Murphy (memurphy@philasd.org).
Infinite Campus-Student Information System Upgrade
We are taking an update to Infinite Campus during the evening of April 26. Infinite Campus will be unavailable that evening. After the upgrade, teachers using the ‘Classic View’ will have a new way of navigating to the Grade Book. Teachers using the ‘New Look’ will navigate to the Grade Book in the same way as before. For both views, there will be new features with Classroom enabled. We are providing a stepper and video to help support teachers with the update.
Resources on SISHelp.philasd.org
Classroom in Campus Instruction Stepper
Classroom in Campus Instruction Video
Please email SIS PD, SISpd@philasd.org, with any questions.
Professional Development
We are a group of literacy leaders committed to improving literacy outcomes for children by sharing our ideas, challenges, resources, and research. We are teachers, principals, coaches, curriculum writers, tutors, researchers, advocates, and leaders. We meet via Zoom seven times a year. Participation in our group is free and flexible, please join us as you are and when you can; no pre-work is necessary.
Our next meeting is Thursday, May 2, from 4:00-6:00pm--Bridget Nolen from Mastery Charter Schools will be presenting a problem of practice about best instructional delivery (whole group or small group) for phonological awareness and phonics.
If you are interested in joining our community, complete our survey, and we will send you calendar invitations for the year (with Zoom link). Please email Megan Zor, mzor@philasd.org, with any questions.
Together Teacher Evening Edition
Are you a new or veteran teacher who is looking for a great opportunity to finish the year strong and be ready to tackle the next year? Then, the Together Teacher: Evening Edition event led by the Together Group may be for you! This event is $55 and will be led by Maia Heyck- Merlin, who is the author of the book, "The Together Teacher". Please visit the Together Group contact site with any questions.
K-12 Teacher Induction - Registration is Open!
Registration for K-12 Teacher Induction is now open! The Teacher Induction Program is a state-approved program of study that all PA educators must complete as one of the requirements for permanent certification.
- Teachers who will complete PAR at any time during SY23-24 are required to register for and complete Induction during SY24-25.
- Teachers with Emergency or Level I certificates who completed PAR prior to SY23-24 and have not yet completed Induction are strongly encouraged to register for and complete Induction during SY24-25.
Questions may be directed to teacherinduction@philasd.org.
Save the date for the Math Summer Institute on June 18th!
You are invited to join the Math Team for a 1-day Summer Institute on June 18th. In K-5, participants will focus on best practices to plan for and implement Centers. In 6-12, participants will reflect on lessons learned from this year to support planning for next year.
Sessions will be posted on Cornerstone on April 26th.
General Information:
- In-person at Daroff School, 9 am - 3 pm, with 1 hour break for lunch
- Participants will receive both payment and Act 48 hours
We encourage anyone who teaches or supports math to join us on June 18th! Questions? Email math@philasd.org.
Registration is now open for the 2024 Science of Reading Summer Institute!
K-3 ELA Teachers are invited to join the Office of Curriculum and Instruction’s 2024 Science of Reading Summer Institute in-person at Motivation High School (5900 Baltimore Ave). Participants can either attend Session A: Monday, June 24 and Tuesday, June 25th OR Session B: Wednesday, June 26th and Thursday, June 27th. Registration for each 2-day cohort is limited to 600 teachers, so register now in Cornerstone (search: 2024 Science of Reading Summer Institute)! Participants will be paid, meals are provided, and there is limited parking at the school. Questions? Email ela@philasd.org.
Scholarship $ Available for Summer Teacher Institute @ Penn Museum
We have scholarship funding for SDP teachers. All grade and all subject teachers are welcome! Apply by May 1, 2024.
Connect with colleagues as you uncover the unique stories behind artifacts and learn how they help us to understand each other and the communities we live in. Learn how the study of archaeology and anthropology and the Penn Museum’s collections can support classroom learning for your students, encouraging them to build global competencies such as observation, inference, critical thinking, active listening, collaborative learning, and the reflective process. Through interactive activities, educators will explore ways to integrate artifacts from diverse cultures into their curriculum, including selecting appropriate artifacts, developing inquiry-based questions, and facilitating student-led discussions. Learn more and register HERE. Please email Ah-Young Kim, aykim72@upenn.edu, with any questions.
Opportunities for Students
Artist Conversation: Mark Thomas Gibson
Cohosted by the Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora (Miami MoCAAD)—the country’s first virtual reality art museum—this program features Miami-born artist Mark Thomas Gibson in conversation with James Claiborne, deputy director for community engagement at the Barnes. Gibson, now based in Philadelphia, works across a range of media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, and prints, to deliver incisive, witty, and visually compelling commentary on American culture. Join us as Gibson discusses his creative process as well as his experience participating in Miami MoCAAD’s This Life: Black Life in the Time of Now, an augmented and virtual reality exhibition exploring contemporary Black existence.
Register HERE. High school students attend free with code STUDENT24. Questions? Please email Leslie Fishel at education@barnesfoundation.org.
Poster Contest - Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the Office of Prevention and Intervention is holding its annual poster contest which is open to all students in grades K-12. This year's poster contest theme is "Take a Moment". The 2024 theme reflects on the importance of destigmatizing mental health by normalizing the practice of taking moments to prioritize mental health care without guilt or shame. The theme encourages students to reflect on the ways they can “Take the Moment” by using their time to relax, refocus and reduce stress. Please share this opportunity with students. Contest guidelines are linked HERE. Please email Meghan Smith (measmith@philasd.org).
Opportunities for Teachers
The Teachers Institute of Philadelphia (TIP) Fall Announcement
The Teachers Institute of Philadelphia (TIP) invites teachers from around the School District of Philadelphia to participate in its Fall 2024 Workshop Program. Participants who complete the program will earn a stipend and Act 48 credits for each workshop session they attend.
Teachers will acquire cutting-edge knowledge from university professors and write lesson plans based on the material they have learned. These in-person workshops meet from 5-7pm on the Penn or Temple campus on the schedule given. Applications will remain open through June 21, 2024 as long as space allows. To learn more or apply visit this site or email Ameer Blackmon at ameerb@sas.upenn.edu with any questions.
Teacher Appreciation Amazon Gift Card Contest
Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card from American College of Education. Use this link to fill out the forms for a chance to win! Please email Regina Ceribelli at regina.ceribelli@gmail.com.
Summer Educator Institute: Arts Integration for Diverse Learners
This three-day institute offers Act 48 credits and focuses on the power of using art to teach, to heal, and to connect with students. Join us for hands-on workshops about creative object-based and social-emotional learning strategies led by Barnes educators and special presenters, exclusive access to the collection and the special exhibition Matisse & Renoir, and the opportunity to prepare for a class field trip to view Mickalene Thomas: All About Love this fall.
$150; $75 for School District of Philadelphia employees with code PSDTEACHER. Please email any questions to Leslie Fishel at education@barnesfoundation.org.
Teacher Focus Group with External Vendor Alma
An external vendor, Alma, is assisting the Talent team with an audit of our hiring and retention processes and would like to chat with current school teachers about their perspective on the support they currently receive from the Talent team. Alma is available for two separate virtual focus groups on 5/9 at 4pm EST and 5/10 at 8am EST. Use this Calendly link to schedule a chat. Please email all questions to Malcolm Davis at MLDavis@philasd.org.
Join the Philadelphia Affinity Group Network!
Are you an educator and interested in participating in an affinity group designed for educators of color? Join the Philadelphia Affinity Group Network! The Philadelphia Affinity Group Network, led by Teach Plus Pennsylvania in collaboration with the School District of Philadelphia, is a collective of 21 authentic, inclusive, intersectional spaces, shaped by and for educators of color. These identity-affirming spaces support educators in navigating and improving their school environments.
In the 2024-25 school year, Teach Plus will expand from 21 to 30 groups in Philadelphia. If you are interested in joining an affinity group for the 24-25 school year, fill out our interest form HERE.
You can also learn more about the Philadelphia Affinity Group Network HERE. Please email all questions to Michelle Kim at mkim@philasd.org.
Apply to the Teacher Leader Academy
The Teacher Leader Academy is accepting applications for the 2024-25 school year. Learn more HERE. Please email Amy Summa at asumma@philasd.org with any questions.
Illustrative Math Focus Groups
The SDP Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE) is seeking volunteers who teach or support math instruction (eg. SPECMs, ESL Point Persons) to participate in confidential hour-long focus groups (feel free to come late or leave early, according to your schedule). Interested? Sign up HERE. Questions? Email Erin McCrossan at ecassar@philasd.org.
PD and Resources for New/Novice Teachers
Teach Right Now
Teach Right Now is a new initiative from the Office of Professional Learning that is designed to support emergency certified teachers.
For an overview of emergency permit requirements and compliance, review the FAQ document HERE.
For other resources, check out the May Newsletter. Questions? Please email Sharae Graham at sgraham2@philasd.org.
Instructional Resources
TechTidbit: SMART Ink with a PDF
You can use SMART Ink to write directly into the a PDF on your computer. By adding writing or highlighter into the document, you can save and either print or share in google classroom. Do you want to learn more, then this Tech Tidbit is for you. See the video HERE. For more information, the link to the stepper is HERE. Questions? Email the Office of Educational Technology at edtech@philasd.org.
New ELA Curriculum (K-8)
Are you interested in spreading the word to parents about our new core English Language Arts resource for the upcoming school year? Feel free to use the following link to share details about Expeditionary Learning Education with parents. Parent Perspectives on the EL Education K-8 Language Arts Curriculum can be found HERE. Questions? Email ela@philasd.org.
Math Teacher Updates
As we wrap up our first year of teaching with IM, we are excited to share that more PAID virtual math PD opportunities are being added every week. By providing professional learning in May and June, we hope you will feel even more prepared for year 2 and are able to enjoy your hard earned summer. You can find a list of the newly added PDs by clicking HERE, or searching cornerstone for Math. There will be more added on a rolling basis, so we will continue to send out updates and reminders. We look forward to seeing you all in these sessions. We are incredibly grateful for all the work you’ve done and continue to do to make Illustrative Mathematics come alive in your classrooms. Questions? Email the Math Team (math@philasd.org).
StudySync Parent Resources (9-12)
Would you like to inform parents about the new core English Language Arts resource students will be using next year? Please feel free to use the links provided to share information about StudySync. StudySync Overview for Families can be found HERE. Questions? Email ela@philasd.org.
Updated Lumio Features
Lumio just added more graphic organizers, manipulatives, and tools. These new options are quick and easy to add to a lesson. The Equation Editor is now available in presentation mode for students and teachers of Math and Science. Another powerful tool, the Desmos Graphing Calculator, can be copied and pasted into Lumio. And, now, it is even easier to show your Lumio Class ID. You can now toggle on the ID, and it now stays at the bottom of the screen for easy access. Love Shout It Out? Students can now see the question on their device, as well as seeing previously submitted responses. Check out our resources HERE. Questions? Email edtech@philasd.org.
AAPI Month Resource Guide and Events
May is Asian Pacific American History Month. The OCI AAPI history month resource guide contains a plethora of information for teachers. Professional development programs begin on May 13 with this offering on Japanese American Incarceration and Philadelphia for teachers at the Shofuso Museum. Register HERE. Questions? Email Debbie Wei at dwei@philasd.org.