Important Links Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment
Teacher Resources
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Content Resource Site
Grading Resources ● Grading Guidelines
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HCISD Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Expectations
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Grading Timeline - Elementary
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HCISD Lesson Planning Guidelines
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Grading Timeline - Secondary
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District Assessment Calendar
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TEAMS Guide for Teachers
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Academic Calendar
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TEAMS Update 2023-2024
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C&I Org Chart ●
TEAMS Skillbook for PreK
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TEAMS Guide for Monitoring Grades
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Exchange Day Info and PD Options
Technology
Schoology
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Technology Help Desk
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Schoology District PLC Codes
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Parent Resource Site
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Schoology Parent Resources
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Student Resource Site
SEND A HAYS HIGH FIVE HERE! The Hays High Five program is a way for you to salute any Hays CISD employee who goes above and beyond what is expected. Whether you're a parent impressed with that special touch your child's teacher added to a moment, or you're a coworker who thinks the campus PEIMS clerk doesn't hear often enough about the great job she is doing - you can send a Hays High Five! Anyone can award any Hays CISD employee.
Table of Contents Department Pages Assessment Digital Learning Professional Development ● INSPIRE New Teacher Academy Human Resources Intervention Multilingual Department Pre-K Student Services
Content Pages Advanced Academics ● Gifted and Talented Athletics Career and Technical Education (CTE) Fine Arts Literacy ● Elementary ● Secondary Mathematics ● Elementary ● Secondary Science ● Elementary ● Secondary Social Studies K-12
Assessment & Accountability February District and State Testing Updates TEA Stand-Alone Reading Language Arts Field Test February 5th - 9th (Campus picks one day) Campus must shut down like STAAR. Teacher Info and Test Administration Directions (Sign your Oath!) NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) Testing Thanks to LHS, SMS, HES, and MMS As needed, your Campus Testing Coordinator will provide more info. Hays CISD Reading Language Arts Benchmark Exam February 21st or 22nd (Campus chooses) Campus will shut down like STAAR. It’s OK to talk to students during a benchmark! Encourage students to use strategies and designated supports! Review the doc below for more tips: Other Benchmark Reminders TELPAS and TELPAS Alternate Hays CISD’s TELPAS window will be February 26th - March 8th No other distinct assessments will take place during that time! Your Campus Testing Coordinator will provide more info.
Campus Data Walls STAAR-tested RLA and Math teachers, have you seen your campus data walls? They are (or soon will be) updated with your CBA 2 data. These make it easy for campuses and teachers to find groups of students that may need additional supports and help your campus Domain IIA (and your personal Teacher Incentive Allotment goals!!). #GrowthForAll
Student Support Tools for Online Testing Want to learn more about how online testing student supports look in the classroom, Eduphoria, and on STAAR? Check out this document.
Digital Learning Ongoing PD opportunities Use the Strive Catalog to search for the courses below! Getting Started with Schoology Schoology Assessments Using Portfolios with Schoology Schoology: Learning Objectives, Mastery and Rubrics Schoology: Managing and Using Rubrics Recording Teacher Videos with MyVRSpot Get Your Students Creating with Canva, Adobe Express or Screencastify! Accessibility Resources in Hays CISD You will find a Schoology course code in the notes. When you are complete, we will grant credit in Eduphoria.
Curriculum and Instruction
Professional Development 2024-2025 Exchange Day In the 2024-2025 calendar, there is one Exchange Day that staff will complete with professional learning in order to be awarded credit. In Hays CISD, we created the Exchange Days to allow teachers to have the choice and flexibility to engage in professional learning to help them build their knowledge and skills. We have made adjustments this upcoming year with one Exchange Day and built in eight days throughout the school year to support teachers and staff in continuing their professional growth by engaging in campus and district professional development as well as teacher preparation time. We value our teachers and staff and want to ensure that you are able to continue your professional learning. More details about how to track and submit hours coming soon! We have included the information below from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) on the requirements for continuing education credits in Texas for various types of standard certificates. Continuing Professional Education (CPE) is required for all Texas educators holding a standard certificate. The appropriate number of clock-hours of continuing professional education (CPE) must be completed during each five-year renewal period (TAC §232.11). ●
Classroom teachers must complete 150 CPE hours. No more than 150 CPE hours are required, even if the educator holds multiple classroom certificates. ● Teacher Certificate Requirements (PDF)
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Administrative and/or Student Services Certificate. No more than 200 CPE hours are required, even if the educator holds multiple certificates, such as, Classroom and Administrative and/or Student Services Certificates. ● Librarian/Resource Specialist/Educational Diagnostician/Reading Specialist Certificate Requirements (PDF) ●
Counselor Certificate Requirements (PDF)
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Principal Certificate Requirements (PDF)
All educators must maintain written documentation of all CPE required activities (TAC §232.16(a)). Completion of each CPE activity should be evidenced by documentation (e.g., transcripts, certificates of completion, or attendance logs). The documentation is not required to be submitted at the time of certificate renewal; however, it must be submitted to TEA in case of a certificate audit.
Professional Development
INSPIRE New Teacher Processing Time ● ●
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What age student do you teach? ○ Focus → 1 minute per age of child (20 minutes max) Do you give your students time to drink? ○ Imagine your student’s brain is like a cup and information is a drink you’re pouring into the cup. If you just keep pouring eventually the cup will overflow and certain information won’t stick. However, if you stop and take sips from the cup it creates space to add more liquid. ○ Processing time = taking sips. Processing can be thinking, writing, speaking, and moving ○ May be an accommodation or modification
Ways to Process ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Cooperative Learning Structured Conversations Written Response Drawing an Image Graphic Organizer Sketchnoting Lead4Ward Instructional Strategies Playlist
Human Resources
Intervention
Shout out to MMS Read 180 Teachers for working with our students!
Ms. Garcia- Fite’s Class
Ms. Ruybal’s Class
Aim for a minimum usage
20 minutes 3 x week in independent reading
Check out “A Birdseye View” blog
Professional Development February 16, 2024 10:00 am - noon
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Dyslexia Team @ PES D. Watts Room Intervention Team @ Upper BES 308
Multilingual Department Bilingual Campuses: Our next bilingual/DL after school meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 2/6 at Science Hall Elementary, 3:35-4:35 pm. Please register in Eduphoria. Email patricia.melgar-cook@hayscisd.net if you are interested in attending the Adelante conference on Saturday, 2/24/24.
All Campuses: District Multilingual Parent Meeting flyer Date: 2/6/24 Time: 6-7pm Location: Lehman High School Black Box Topics: Spring Testing & Community Resources Are you a teacher that needs their ESL certification? Check out the information below for the TExES ESL Supplemental Test #154 prep course. They are back in person. Register in Eduphoria. ESL Academy Flyer, 2023-24 The free 190 Bilingual Target Language Proficiency Courses for certification courses have been published by TEA! https://www.txel.org/bilingualcourses
We are excited to announce the Call for Proposal window for the 2024 Hybrid Title III Symposium is now open. Please visit the Title III Proposals page for more information on how to submit your proposal and please feel free to share the Proposal Guidebook with other potential applicants. https://www.txel.org/Events/
The Symposium dates are July 15 & 16 at The Kalahari Resort in Round Rock
Know someone who is a Language Learner Rock Star? Nominate them today for the Language Learner Rock Star Award. Language Learner Rock Star Award Nomination
Multilingual Department Whether it’s meeting with parents, training or classroom instruction, we’re hitting the ground running in the new year with & for our multilingual learners!!!
Ms. Garza’s 4th grade small group math instruction at Blanco Vista Elementary
Our Assistant Principals at Campus Testing Coordinator training & AP meetings #learningneverstops
Ms. Moncada’s 2nd grade small group RLA instruction at Uhland Elementary
WMS Multilingual Parent Night
Pre-K Shout out to our BVES Pre-K team for presenting how they are implementing the early stages of writing development at our Pre-K PLC.
Ms. Sauro, Ms. Levrier, & Ms. Gordillo
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Now that our MOY CIRCLE data collection window is closed, take time to analyze the data with your Pre-K teachers and CELEBRATE! Review this helpful webinar in the CLI Engage system on Analyzing Pre-K CPM Data for MOY. After data analysis, the next step is to use CLI Engage to group your students and plan for small group instruction.
Upcoming Dates ●
District PLC ~ February 16th ~ 10:00 - 12:00 ~ New Location: CRES ~ Register
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Pre-K Assessment Calendar ~ Pre-K Annual Calendar
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Spring CEC Window - February 6th - March 22nd
Student Services As teachers, you play a key role in addressing chronic absence. ● ● ● ●
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Take roll regularly showing students that you care when they miss school Reach out to frequently absent students to find out in a supportive manner why they are missing school and what would help them attend more regularly. Work with parents to stress the importance of early education and to learn about any barriers to good attendance. Create a nurturing, engaging classroom that will encourage children to come to school. Work with colleagues to develop and implement a school-wide system of incentives and reward for good attendance. Encourage families to partner with other school staff, such as social workers or nurses, as well as community agencies to get needed supports to help children and families solve a significant barrier to getting to school.
Attendance-based funding Did you know that our funding for schools comes from our student attendance? When we are encouraging our students to come to school, not only do students learn more, we earn more. This funding has a direct impact on staffing and resources. Do your part and take attendance every day and work to encourage our students to come to school every day…every period! Dr. Brian Dawson
Gifted and Talented (G/T) CALL FOR NOMINATIONS!! Know someone who is doing an awesome job supporting the needs of gifted and advanced students? One person from each campus will be recognized. Nominate someone for the G/T Spotlight Award by clicking on the link below. G/T Spotlight Award Nomination
Spring Gifted and Talented courses are now open and will close on April 30. A list of available courses can be found at THIS LINK. Please contact Tish Cawley at tish.cawley@hayscisd.net or x45035 if you have any questions.
Gifted and Talented (G/T)
G/T students in Ms. Adams 1st grade class at Pfluger had the challenge of creating a weather shelter on a budget. Students then tested their weather shelter against the rain.
Students in Mrs. Martinez’s 4th grade class at Fuentes created their own business/marketing plan. These entrepreneurs set up a hot cocoa stand and sold hot cocoa during their lunch/recess time.
Fourth grade students at Blanco Vista worked on their Hays History Day projects.
A G/T student from Mr. Herrera’s class at Blanco Vista worked on her career research project which will be displayed this spring at the IDEAS showcase.
Blanco Vista second grade students shared products created from the G/T extension choice boards.
Advanced Academics Preparing to Launch into 2024-2025 Teachers of core content AP, OnRamps, and some advanced courses at the high school level received AP Potential or other PSAT-related data on January 24. High school administration and lead counselors received links to folders with the same data on January 25. Please use this data to recruit students for advanced and college-aligned courses. 8th grade teachers, middle school administrators, and counselors be on the lookout for updates about which of your students you should be encouraging to challenge themselves even more than they already are!
BIG thanks to Middle School Academic UIL Coaches and Coordinators for your work with students to create a great competition on Saturday, January 27! We could still use some judges! Interested? Sign up here.
Hays CISD Athletics
Congratulations to all 3 of our high school cheer squads at Hays CISD for doing an outstanding job at the UIL State Spirit Championships in early January! Hays and Johnson advanced to the finals placing 11th and 9th respectively. Lehman finished the highest in school history just missing making the finals! Great job coaches and cheerleaders!
Hays CISD Softball and Baseball Turf Projects are nearing completion. Hays HS Softball has been completed and is currently being used for practice and games! Johnson HS and Hays Baseball are soon to follow while Lehman is projected for completion in early March due to the complete renovation of all of their facilities to be the same as Hays and Johnson! They look and play great!
Hays CISD Athletics
Several sports are happening across the district right now with all of our basketball teams pushing for the playoffs and district swim and wrestling happening through the next week. We have also started softball and baseball along with track practices beginning. Middle school basketball wraps up on Monday and their track season will soon follow!
Hays CISD would like to welcome the new Athletic Coordinator and Head Football Coach at Hays HS Mark Torres! Coach Torres was approved by the Board on January 21st and came to Hays CISD from El Paso Pebble Hills High School. Coach Torres is the first El Paso representative on the THSCA Board of Directors and has a reputation as a great program builder. We are excited for his addition to the community
CTE (COOLEST TEACHERS EVER!) Wallace MS Teacher, Jaelynn Garcia was Pugged! Our CTE Team went to Wallace Middle School and "pugged" our teacher, Jaelynn Garcia. Ms. Garcia is pretty unbelievably great! She has multiple preps from Yearbook (1,2 and 3) to Professional Communication to Digital Art and Digital Design AND always has a smile on her face! We are so glad to have Ms. Garcia in CTE!
Impact Teacher, Ali Villars was Pugged!
So happy to get to pug, Ms. Ali Villars from Impact! Ms. Villars is “pretty unbelievably great!” She works so hard to make sure our students who come from other high schools get to continue on with their CTE learning—even when they have an alternative placement! So lucky to have you in CTE, Ms. Villars! Thank you!
Hays High School Teacher, Bryan Valentine was Pugged! Mr. Valentine is our Ag and Construction teacher at Hays High and he is “pretty unbelievably great!” He has recently been working with students who showed their Ag. Mechanic Projects in the Hays County Livestock show. This year HHS has two Grand Champion Projects and one reserve Grand Champion. Two of the Grand Champion winners are pictured here with Mr. Valentine, Tate Miller and Preston Wray! Good job, everyone!
February is CTE Month!
FINE ARTS Austin Symphony Orchestra & Hays CISD Collaboration Who: HS Band, MS/HS Orchestra & Mariachi, LHS Choir When: Friday, 2/2 Where: Hays CISD PAC Details: Here
VASE (Visual Art Scholastic Event) Who: All HS Art When: 1/31 Entry Deadline; 3/2 Contest Where: Online Entry; Canyon Lake HS Details: Here
Good luck to all of the fine arts programs entering spring semester competitive seasons! Make sure public events are on the FA Calendar. Congratulations to all Hays CISD Theatre Programs! Hays CISD named “Premier Communities for Theatre Education 23 - 24” from Texas Thespians!! Congratulations to all of the secondary music students that have earned TMEA All-District or higher honors! Nearly 350 Hays CISD students!!
Elementary Literacy It was great to see the 3rd-5th grade ELAR/SLAR teachers and many instructional coaches at our Just in Time PD sessions! Teachers had time to analyze their writing and collaborate across campuses. Just in Time Presentations
3rd Grade
Presentation Link
4th/5th Grade
Presentation Link
Our next full day Just in Time sessions will take place after the benchmark. 3rd Grade
3/4 or 3/5
4th Grade
2/23 or 2/26
5th Grade
2/27
Elementary Literacy Hays CISD Reading Academies We have rescheduled our January 17th session to take place on Friday, January 26th. Old Buda Upper Cafeteria If you need to make-up a session, we will get you caught up during the already scheduled sessions on 1/26 and 2/1. Please reach out if you have any questions.
23-24 Upcoming Reading Academy Training Dates: ● 1/26, 2/1, 3/6, 4/24, 5/8 ● Time: 8:00-3:30 ● Location: Old Upper Buda Elementary Cafeteria- (300 N. San Marcos St. Buda, TX 78610) ● Teachers should sign up in Eduphoria
Secretaries can use this code to enter when creating the absences: ● 199-11-6112-RA-911-11-2-0
Do you still want access to the Reading Academy Content? ● Request for Alumni Course Link
Secondary Literacy Just-in-Time It was great to see all of you at our first round of Just-in-Time days! THANK YOU for engaging in focused conversation, thoughtful reflection, and creative planning! Slides: 6th 7th 8th
Eng I Eng II
Our next round of Just-in-Time days will be focused on scoring and feedback! Dates and registration information linked here. Ms. Cyphers @ WMS gave written feedback on all of her student’s essays for CBA 2!
Writing conferences in Ms. Leighton’s class @ WMS!
Growth-focused writing in McDonald’s class @ SMS
ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS If you missed Just In Time Training, we missed you! Here are the presentations: 3rd grade 2nd grade 1st grade
We will be using 2023 STAAR Release as the benchmark. Goal setting and reflection documents coming soon!
Upcoming Just In Time Trainings: Agenda - STAAR Review 3rd grade: March 26th or 27th 4th grade: March 26th or 27th 5th grade: April 2nd or 3rd *with 5th grade Science
MIMI SALMON
6-12 MATHEMATICS Region 13 is putting out new STAAR Review tools/activities I’m attending a training Jan 30 and will share out. I’m also in the process of updating the data protocol tools that I shared last year - I will reach out with links to everything when it is shareable.
Will Math Teachers Eventually be Replaced by AI Programs? Read Dan Meyer’s thoughts here
COMMITTEE! Don’t Forget: Module 3 should be completed before we meet on Friday 2/16 at 12:30
PLC Dates: Register in Eduphoria
8th grade February 6th 6th Grade February 8th
Nix the Tricks book pdf link - this book came up in committee meeting discussions earlier this month, here is the pdf link for anyone that wants to check it out (committee member or otherwise) :)
Calculation Strategies - I originally put this folder together for 7th graders struggling with multiplication and division, but anyone that sees a need can use these practice materials and videos. Multiplication using partial products (video here) in a “box model” directly translates to multiplying polynomials in upper coursework!
TEA STAAR 2.0 Scoring Clarifications Check out slides 8-13 for details on math related new item scoring. Not in these slides, but confirmed at an in-person meeting: If a question asks for an answer in dollars and cents, 4.5 (without the last 0) will be incorrect.
Natalee Peterson - Secondary Mathematics
Elementary Science Upcoming Just In Time Trainings for 5th Grade Science: Agenda - CBA 2 review/data dig, intervention plans and STAAR discussions NEW DATEFebruary 29, 2024 (full day at Kimbro) https://hays.schoolobjects.com//wshop/default.aspx?cid=13197
April 2 & 3, 2024 (half days, shared with math) We will go over the STAAR plan on this day and prep for it
Check out these neat Science Fair Projects at SES and BVES
Contact- Marina Tupikov
Secondary Science CI: District PLC for 8th Grade Science
April 8th Solar Eclipse
Campus Approval Required then Register in Eduphoria via Classlink. Location: Old BES Room 308.
9/28 12:30 - 3:30 pm
Force & Motion Eclipse Timeline Begins - 12:17pm
2/22 8:15 - 11:15 am
Interdependence Among Living Systems
Peak - 1:36PM
Ends - 2:58 PM
Hays CISD will provide eclipse glasses to every Hays CISD learner & employee to view this event during school hours.
PLC Support Resources
Teacher Background Knowledge Resources
6th grade students in Mr. Gessas’ class at SMS completed an engineering challenge at the end of the fall semester. Engineering TEKS are coming to science! Try it here.
Simon Middle School
6th
TIG: 6.10B Rock Cycle
7th
TIG: 7.11C: Natural Selection & Selective Breeding
8th
TIG: 8.8A: Universe & HR Diagrams
Biology
B.8ABC: Taxonomy (STEMscopes → Essentials)
Elementary Social Studies We want to hear from you! We are looking for feedback on how lessons are going!! Please submit this form with how we can make them better for the Spring!
Need Help? Our 2nd Annual Hays History Day event was January 20, 2024 at Johnson High School. We had over 400 students involved this year!!! We will be sending 30 on to the regional competition on February 17 at Del Valle High School. We will host two trainings at Hays Con on how to get History Day going at your campus and how to host a Campus History Day across more grade levels! T-shirts are available for order! T-shirts are $15. Fill out this form if you are interested and Kim will send you a RevTrack link for payment. If you have any questions please contact Kim Peña.
Could you use some Active Classroom training? Interested in doing a large Social Studies project? Not sure how to teach certain district lessons? Reach out! Kim is here to help! Elementary Request Form for More Social Studies Support
Are you receiving the HaysCISD Social Studies monthly newsletter? If not sign up here!
Secondary Social Studies District PLC 8th Grade Social Studies Sessions Talk with your Principal and register in Eduphoria via Classlink. Location TBA. 10/3 PM
District PLC & Resource Plan for CBA 1 and DBQ
2/22 PM
CBA reflection and Plan for Interim & STAAR
Our 2nd Annual Hays History Day event was January 20, 2024 at Johnson High School. We had over 400 students involved this year!!! We will be sending 30 on to the regional competition on February 17 at Del Valle High School.
District PLC US History Sessions
We will host two trainings at Hays Con on how to get History Day going at your campus and how to host a Campus History Day across more grade levels!
Talk with your principal and register in Eduphoria via Classlink. Location TBA.
T-shirts are available for order! T-shirts are $15. Fill out this form if you are interested and Kim will send you a RevTrack link for payment.
11/3 PM
District PLC & Resource Plan for CBA 1 and DBQ Trainings
If you have any questions please contact Kim Peña.
2/13 PM
CBA 2 reflection and Plan for Interim & EOC
Are you seeing great things on your campus? Nominate a teacher for a monthly recognition and gift card!