Principals’ Weekly

May 1, 2012

Table of Contents

  • Chancellor’s Memo
  • Calendar of key dates and deadlines

Schools / Description / Dates
Administrative Announcements
Elem / G&T Sibling Verification Process and Seat Availability Survey / 5/4
Mid, high / Round 2 Results and Appeals / 5/11, 18
Mid, high / Schedule Students for the Regents Examination in STARS / 5/24
Elem, mid / New Grade Request Process for Grades 3-8 / 5/25
High / High School Commencement Information / 5/25
All / Submit 2011-12 Annual Title I Meeting Information / 5/31
Elem, mid / Grades 3-8 Stand-Alone Field Testing: Extended Window for ELA and Math / 6/5-12
Elem, mid / Preparation for June Promotion Decisions / FYI
All / Summer School / FYI
Elem / Periodic Assessment Updates / FYI
All / New Notification of Employee Disciplinary Flags / FYI
All / Quality Review: 2012-13 QR Rubric Principal Focus Group / FYI
All / IP Digital Video Surveillance Update / FYI
All / New Frozen Snacks Available for School Fundraising / FYI
All / Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses / FYI
All / Teacher + Staff Appreciation Week / FYI
All / New York State NCLB Waiver Application / FYI
***Updated Announcements***
All / Submit Teacher Tenure Final Recommendations Update: Guidance / FYI
All / Lead Teacher Application Update: Deadline Extended / FYI
Reminders (Announced in Previous Issues)
All / Core Curriculum Ordering Period / 5/11
All / Chancellor’s Principal Conference / 5/14, 6/11
All / Annual Arts Education Survey / 5/16
All / Submit Session Time, Extended Time SBO, Request for Voluntary Programs / 5/16
All / Online Courses in Emergency Management / 6/30
All / Exclusion from Proms or Graduation Ceremonies / FYI
Mid / Webcast: High School Admissions Process / FYI
All / School Survey: Preliminary Response Rates / FYI
All / Clustering Activities for School Psychologists and School Social Workers / FYI
All / Wireless Communications Ordering FY12 Close / FYI
All / Payroll Benefit Deadlines for Summer Pay / FYI
All / NYSESLAT Administration / FYI
All / Material from SE Reform Principal Feedback Sessions / FYI
All / Immunization Compliance Update / FYI

Grants, Professional Development and Student Opportunities

Opportunities available to schools are posted on the following webpages:

This Week’s Highlights:

Grants(you can visit the grants Web site on any computerusing this link)

  • 2012-2015 Learning Technology Grant Application
  • National Endowment for the Arts School Based Projects Grant

Professional Development and Student Opportunities

  • Sign-Up for May-June: “Let’s Move!” Presidential Active Lifestyle Award Challenge
  • Participate on May 10: NYC Leadership Academy’s Workshop about the High School Principal – Assistant Principal Relationship
  • Nominate by May 21: Outstanding Teachers for Education Update’s Awards

We appreciate your feedback on the ways we share information with you. Please let us know what you think.

Chancellor’s Memo

Dear Colleagues,

This weekend, I joined 3,500 sixth- and seventh-grade students andfamilies to launch DREAM—The Specialized High Schools Institute (DREAM-SHSI). Organized by the Division of Equity & Access, DREAM-SHSI is designed to prepare eligible NYC students for the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT), a requirement for admission into the City’s eight specialized high schools, through rigorous coursework after school, on the weekends, and over the summer.

DREAM-SHSI will help ensure that traditionally underserved students are prepared to succeed on the SHSAT, making the great opportunities available at specialized high schools accessible to a wide variety of promising students. Admission to the program is based on a student’s income level, State ELA and math test scores, and attendance record. In its first year, the program will support 2,600 low-income middle school students in 18 locations across the City, helping them develop their verbal and math skills, time management, and test-taking strategies. The two-year program begins in the sixth grade and ends in the eighth grade when students take the SHSAT.

The energy at this weekend’s orientation event was palpable, with thousands of students and families committing themselves to working hard in order to prepare for academically rigorous high school options. I congratulate all of the students and families participating this year, and thank all of the teachers, staff, and partners involved with this program. If you would like to learn more about DREAM-SHSI, or if you would like to encourage students and families to consider this option for next year, visit the DREAM-SHSI Web site or e-mail Greg Jaenicke.

Sincerely,

Dennis M. Walcott

Chancellor

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Administrative Announcements

1

G&T Sibling Verification Process and Seat Availability Survey

Elementary schools/Deadline: May 4

Elementary schools with gifted and talented programs must complete the sibling verification process; students with a verified sibling have priority for G&T admissions.

Log in to SEMS and access your sibling verification list (SVL) to verify whether applicants will have a sibling enrolled in grades k-5 in your school for the 2012-13 school year. You must complete sibling verification by May 4.

If you have not already done so, please complete the seat availability survey (for grades 1-3).Many schools have not coded their G&T classes as such in ATS. If you have not done so already, please update your class names to reflect G&T status.

For questions, email .

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Round 2 Results and Appeals

Middle and high schools / Deadlines: May 11, 18

Round 2 result letters will be available for pickup and distribution on May 4. All schools with eighth grade letters and schools with 15 or more ninth grade letters must pick up the letters from their designated pickup location. Please call your pickup location in advance to confirm availability of the letters.

Schools with fewer than 15 ninth grade letters must print the result letters directly from SEMS; letters will be available to download onMay 4. Youmay distribute letters as soon as they are available.

Students who wish to appeal their high school matches must submit the High School Match Appeal Form by May 11. Appeal formswill be available to download and print in SEMS onMay 4.Counselors are encouraged to meet with families to discuss concerns about their high school matches prior to submitting appeals. Counselors will have until 5:00 p.m. on May 18 to enter all appeals into SEMS.

Translated versions of the letters and Appeal Form will be available in SEMS. Continue to monitor SEMS for updates.

For questions, email .

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Schedule Students for the Regents Examination in STARS

Middle and high schools/Deadline: May 24

All schools that plan to administer Regents exams in June must schedule the majority (60% or more) of students in STARS by May 24. Note that in June, all ten Regents exams will be scanned, including Algebra2/Trigonometry, Geometry, Chemistry and Physics.

Middle schools offering accelerated courses in eighth grade are to schedule students using the STARS accelerated course/exam codes. Middle school accelerated course and exam codes are available in the STARS add/modify screen. If you need these courses added to the code deck you should provide the list of requested codes to your data/applications specialist.

For questions, contact yournetwork assessment liaison.

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New Grade Request Process for Grades 3–8

Elementary and middle schools/Deadline: May 25

Chancellor’s Regulation A-501 governs promotion policy and grade level changes for students in grades 3–8. Currently your school can change the grade level of these students throughout the school year.

Starting the week of May 28, schools in districts 1–32 will not be able to change a student’s grade level and will have to request a grade change from superintendents using the new RSQA (GRC) function in ATS. Your superintendent will review the request and make a final determination. You may continue to change other information (e.g., official class and grade code) as long as it corresponds to the current grade level. Going forward, ATS will place students in the correct grade level based on final August promotion decisions.

You have until May 25 to review your registers and make any changes; after this date you will be unable to change the grade level for students in grades 3-8.

For questions, contact your network promotion point.

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High School Commencement Information

High schools / Deadline: May 25

The high school commencement information screen is now open in ATS, allowing you to provide information about your commencement ceremony and your valedictorian/salutatorian.

On June 28, Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Walcott will host the annual Valedictorian and Salutatorian Barbeque at Gracie Mansion to honor the City’s top-performing high school students. Please submit the names of your valedictorian and salutatorian using the HSCI screen in ATS by May 25.

If your school does not name a valedictorian and salutatorian, please indicate the names of two graduates you would like to honor. The names submitted will be provided to the Mayor’s office for formal invitations. If your school will not have the names of the valedictorian and salutatorian by May 25, please indicate this using the HSCI screen in ATS. Instructions on using the HSCI screen are available here.

For questions about the commencement screen, contact your network data/application specialist.

For questions about the Valedictorian and Salutatorian Barbeque, email Courtney McNally .

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Submit 2011-12 Annual Title I Meeting Information

All schools/Deadline: May 31

Title I schools must enter information about their Annual Title I parent meeting into the School-Parent Leader Contact Information System. You should assign this task toyour parent coordinator or school webmaster to complete by May 31.This task is part of the 2011-12 Compliance Checklist (CL05).

You are encouraged to put a parent committee in place for the start of the 2012-13 school year to participate in the CEP planning process. Resources about how to establish a Title I parent committee and conduct an Annual Title I parent meeting are available on the Principals’ Portal.

For questions, contact your compliance officer or network family point.

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Grades 3–8Stand-Alone Field Testing: Extended Window for ELA and Math

Elementary and middle schools/Event: June 5-12

Stand-alone field tests for the grades 3–8 state testing program will be administered in most schools this year. Schools assigned to grades 4 and 8 science field tests were notified by NYSED in March, and schools administering ELA or math field tests were notified of their assignment on April 24. You may extend the ELA and math field testing window to June 5–12 (NYSED memos currently indicate the testing window is June 5–8), provided that pickup of the materials occurs no later than June 13. For more information, review this memo and the list of school assignments.

For questions, contact your networkassessment liaison.

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Preparation for June Promotion Decisions

Elementary and middle schools

In preparation for the June promotion process, a list of students who are recommended to receive a promotion portfolio in English Language Arts and/or math will be released to your school’s ATS printer next week. This list is intended to help you administer and prepare promotion portfolios in a timely and targeted manner. The list is not exhaustive and you should consider administering promotion portfolios to students who you feel will not meet their promotion standards on the State exams based on academic performance demonstrated this school year. Promotion Portfolio Blackline Masters and Manuals, as well as the 2011-12 Promotion Guide are now available on the Promotion page of the Principals’ Portal.

For questions, contact yournetwork promotion point.

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Summer School

All schools

  • Hiring: You should clearly display your customized summer school postings for individual programs in your building. Generic postings, as well as directions to customize postings for your school, are available on the summer school page of the Principals’ Portal. Staff can apply for per session summer school work via the Summer School Instructional Program (SSIP). Applications must be submitted by midnight on May 17. For questions, contact your network HR director.
  • Special Accommodations: Students with an IEP or Section 504 Plan who are at risk of being retained are entitled to equal access to summer school. Students with disabilities who have met their IEP modified promotion criteria may also have an opportunity to attend summer school to assist the student in meeting grade level performance standards. In these instances, you must ensure that students with disabilities who will be attending summer school have an IEP or Section 504 Plan in place which includes any required accommodations such as curriculum modifications, testing accommodations, or nursing services. You must request summer school accommodations by June 1. For more information, please visit the summer school page of the Principals’ Portal. For questions, contact your network health liaison.
  • Non-Public School Students: Students who are residents of New York City and attend a non-public school are legally permitted to attend a public school summer program on a space-available basis. Non-public and charter schools will distribute summer school enrollment forms to their students who must bring this form to the public school in order to enroll in a summer program. Applications must be completed with course selections and a 4-digit non-public school identification number. Additional information will be made available on the summer school page of the Principals’ Portal. For questions, contact your network summer school point.

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Periodic Assessment Updates

Elementary schools

K-2 (ECLAS-2, EL SOL): The ECLAS-2 spring administration window closes May 30. See the ECLAS-2 Spring Administration memo for more details. Schools that chose to administer the optional EL SOL assessment should o request materials if needed.

Acuity will be unavailable from 9:00 p.m. on May 4 until 6:00 p.m. on May 6for routine maintenance activities.

For questions, email .

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New Notification of Employee Disciplinary Flags

All schools

In accordance with the DOE’s effort to provide more comprehensive personnel information to principals, employees who have been the subject of disciplinary action will be identified with a flag symbol in Galaxy. The DOE is currently conducting a review of prior disciplinary cases and will be updating Galaxy with disciplinary flags as this review proceeds. Going forward, flags indicating employee disciplinary actions will be displayed in Galaxy.

Please note that access to this information is limited to principals and is confidential. You may share this information with your assistant principal(s) but you should not share this information with students, families, members of the community, or other staff members.

For questions, contact your senior field counsel or network HR director.

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Quality Review: 2012-13 QR Rubric Principal Focus Group

All schools

You are invited to attend a focus group to discuss proposed changes to the Quality Review rubric for the 2012-13 school year. Pleaseindicate your preference for one of the three sessions, May 9, 16 or 23. Based on yourresponse, you will receive an Outlook invitation to save the date.

For questions, email Daniel Menezes at .

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IP Digital Video Surveillance Update

All schools

Effective April 23, you are able to report any issues you have with Internet Protocol Digital Video Surveillance systems (IPDVS)using the DIIT Online Service Desk web application. This online application was enhanced to allow the submission of incidents without requiring a call to the Service Desk.

To report an IPDVS issue:

  • enter your NYCDOE email user name and password,
  • click on the submit an incident link, complete the intake information,
  • select IPDVS from the subject menu,
  • complete the appropriate fields and submit.

For questions, .

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Spring Exploratorium Conference

All schools

Librarians and teachers assigned to the library are invited to register for this full-day professional development conference focused on the implementation of Common Core Learning Standards through building a 21st-century school library program. Opening remarks will delivered by Shael Suransky-Polakow, NYCDOE Chief Academic Officer, and Dr. Anthony Marx, President and CEO of the New York Public Library.

For questions, contact Elizabeth Naylor-Gutierrez at r 212-356-8558.

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New Frozen Snacks Available for School Fundraising

All schools

The Office of SchoolFood has approved a variety of new, frozen fruit ice snacksthat you may sell at school fundraisers. Getmore information about all approved snacks and beverages that your school can sell for fundraising.

For questions, emailLatoya Spruill at .

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Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

All schools

All NYCDOE sites must complete and submit a record of occupational injuries and illnesses for calendar year 2011. This information must be recorded on specific forms called the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (SH900), the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (SH 900.1) and the Injury and Illness Incident Report (SH 900.2).

Instructions and an informational PowerPoint presentation are available to assist school secretaries in the completion of these forms. All completed forms must be submitted by May 22 to the Office of Occupational Safety and Health, 65 Court Street, Room 706, Brooklyn NY 11201, ATTN SH-900 or faxed to 718-935-4682. Review this document for more information.