Maysam Alie-bazzi

The district evaluation committee meeting was held on December 10, 2015.  A list of attendees and a summary of topics with outcomes follows.  The next meeting is scheduled for February 10, 2016 at 3:00pm.

Members in attendance:  Mahmoud Abu-Rus, Roni Abdulhadi, Dana Addis, Maysam Alie-Bazzi, Wanda Beydoun, Martha Burch, Jill Chochol, Wyatt David, Andy Denison, Fatme Faraj, Hassane Jaafar, Linda Lazar, Shannon Peterson, Colleen Schumm, Rob Seeterlin, Christine Sipperley   

Members not present:  Kamel Bazzi, David Hardoin, Christine Rosbury, Marwan Salamey, Steve Saleh, Kristi Waddell

Highly Effective Ranking for Year-End Evaluation – Guidelines

This was applied last year.  The committee aligned the language used with the Danielson Framework Rubric.  

If a teacher is rated overall as HE, the following conditions must apply:

1. Receive a HE rating in Domain 3: Instruction plus at least two other domains
2. No ineffective components can be present
3. Receive a HE or Effective in all components
4. The majority of components in a Domain must be highly effective in order to receive a highly effective rating in that Domain.

Effective 2016-17:  The “unscheduled observation” explanation.  

The law states, “Unless a teacher has received a rating of effective or highly effective on his or her 2 most recent annual year-end evaluations, there shall be at least 2 classroom observations of the teacher each school year.  Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, at least 1 observation must be unscheduled.”

Question:  If a Plan II teacher is only receiving one formal observation, is it scheduled or unscheduled?

All Plan I teachers = minimum 2 formal observations, 1 unscheduled beginning 2016-17

Plan II teachers requiring 2 formal observations, 1 unscheduled beginning 2016-17

Plan II teachers who only require 1 formal observation, per the evaluation committee the one formal observation should be scheduled in conjunction with a minimum of two unscheduled walk-throughs.

Evaluating Teachers After an Extended Leave

Question:  After a teacher returns from an extended leave (FMLA) OR isn’t hired until mid-year, how many observations are required?  Answer:  One formal and two or more walkthroughs.  

Overall Ranking of Domains

Question:  What would the year-end ranking be for a teacher that has a few components ranked “minimally effective” and the majority of components ranked “effective” for a Domain?  Answer:  The overall ranking for the Domain would be the majority of the component rankings.  Example:  4 out of 6 components are ranked as effective and 2 are ranked as minimally effective.  The domain ranking would be effective.

Teachscape “Scoring” Feature & Year-End Evaluations

Scoring components throughout the year does NOT impact the year-end evaluation.  After referencing the observations from the entire year, evaluators will manually rank components (first section) and rank the student growth goal (2nd section).  

Aligning “Artifacts” – Quick Reference Rubric

Fatme Faraj provided a “Quick Reference Rubric” to assist teachers and administrators to align artifacts to the Danielson Framework.   

Artifacts may be uploaded under the year-end section on Teachscape OR under the artifact section located below each formal observation tab.  

Walkthroughs & Teachscape

Sub-Committee:  Dana Addis, Martha Burch, Jill Chochol, Fatme Faraj, Linda Lazar, Shannon Peterson

This committee will pilot the walkthrough feature available via Teachscape and inform the evaluation committee of their findings at the next meeting.  This information will be used to determine whether the Teachscape Walkthrough form will be implemented district-wide or if each level will develop a form.  Maysam Alie-Bazzi will inform the sub-committee when this feature has been activated and is available for exploration.

Ancillary & Other Staff Rubrics for 2016-2017

• The SE department developed OT, PT, SW, SPL, PSYCH rubrics aligned with the Danielson framework, which are currently being implemented.
• Counselors – The Danielson Counselors’ Rubric will be used for 2016-17.
• Interventionists / Resource Teachers / Instructional Coaches – Linda Lazar will identify applicable components from the Danielson general teacher rubric.  Feedback from teachers in these positions will be solicited prior to evaluation committee approval.
• Media Specialists – Shannon Peterson will work with Troy Patterson and media specialists to identify applicable components from the Danielson teacher rubric and add other measures as necessary.
• Graduation Interventionists – Possibly use applicable components from the counselor rubric.
• Parent Educator – Possibly use applicable components from the general teacher Danielson rubric.

Aligning Evaluation “Artifacts” – Quick Reference Rubric

Below is a “Quick Reference Rubric” to assist teachers and administrators align evaluation artifacts to the Danielson Framework.  Click here to access the resource.  

QuickreferenceforUploadingEvidenceand&Scripting.docx

Good morning,

I hope everyone enjoyed the extended weekend and holiday!

This is a reminder regarding the three courses listed below that must be completed by all employees each year.  The yearly cycle will follow the school calendar beginning in August and ending in June.   Once you click on the link you will enroll by using your district network login name and password. If you have any trouble logging in please contact the help desk at 73003.

Response to Bullying Behavior: https://moodle.dearbornschools.org/course/view.php?id=279

Office of Civil Rights (OCR): https://moodle.dearbornschools.org/course/view.php?id=961

Bloodborne Pathogen: https://moodle.dearbornschools.org/course/view.php?id=23

Listed below is how you can verify if you completed the 3 required classes at the following link.

https://moodle.dearbornschools.org/badges/mybadges.php

They can go here upon logging in and should have 3 icons verifying they completed the courses.

Individuals that email me questions should not expect to receive a response to their email from me directly, but will receive the email from Media Services as a follow-up to questions I receive.

In addition, please remember that it is important to update your address and phone number with the Human Resources Department if you have moved or had any changes.  Please call the Human Resources Department at 73003 or email Hala Dakroub at dakrouh1@dearbornschools.org.

All Dearborn Schools’ administrators were required to complete between ten and fifteen hours of Teachscape Observation Proficiency training and pass a six to eight hour Teachscape assessment.  In order to earn re-certification administrators will be required to complete “calibration” training during the 2015-16 school year.

Successful teacher evaluation systems start with well-trained observers who can demonstrate proficiency in conducting observations and check their scoring accuracy regularly. Teachscape Focus is a complete online system that establishes proficiency in observers who use Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching for evaluation of teaching, and helps observers maintain their skills over time. • Observer training • Scoring practice • Initial proficiency assessment • Calibration • Recertification

This online training was developed to help administrators increase their reliability and accuracy in identifying, categorizing, and scoring evidence of teaching practice. With modules covering all four domains of the Framework for Teaching, Teachscape Focus training helps observers accurately differentiate teaching at all four levels of performance.

Scoring practice uses master-scored videos to help prepare administrators for real-world classroom observations. Administrators viewed and scored classroom videos using rubrics, compared their scores with those assigned by a master rater, and reviewed the rationale for the scores.

Click the link below for additional information about the Teachscape Observer Proficiency training and assessment.

The district evaluation committee meeting was held on November 5, 2015.  A list of attendees and a summary of topics with outcomes follows.  The next meeting is scheduled for December 10, 2015.

Members in attendance:  Mahmoud Abu-Rus, Roni Abdulhadi, Dana Addis, Maysam Alie-Bazzi, Kamel Bazzi, Wanda Beydoun, Jill Chochol, Andy Denison, Fatme Faraj, Hassane Jaafar, David Hardoin, Linda Lazar, Christine Rosbury, Steve Saleh, Rob Seeterlin, Christine Sipperly, Kristi Waddell   

Members not present:  Wyatt David, Julia Maconochie, Shannon Peterson, Youssef Mosallam, Marwan Salamey

Self-Evaluation and “Highly Effective”

The self-evaluation is only required once per year, at the beginning of the year prior to developing the Individualized Development Plan (IDP – goal-setting).

If a teacher ranks her/himself as highly effective in September, he/she may upload “artifacts” throughout the school year as evidence of the his/her self-evaluation highly-effective ranking. The purpose of the self-evaluation is to 1) ensure a unanimous understanding of the Danielson rubric, 2) identify potential professional growth goal(s) for the IDP, 3) fosters self-reflection and instructional dialogue with the administrator.  The self-evaluation is not to be officially included as part of formal observations or the year-end evaluation.   

25% Measurable Goal

The committee agreed that the 25% measurable growth goal will be weighted the same as it was during the 2014-15 school year, which is 10% classroom, 10% building, and 5% district performance.  

Required NWEA Measurable Goal Statement – Clarification (see note below)

All teachers will have the following student growth goal: All students must show growth (ideally one year or more) or maintain proficiency based on growth measures that are used for the evaluation. It is understood that this does not mean that every student will necessarily be on grade level as we measure growth vs. achievement data.  For the NWEA if they maintain or exceed their RIT status for their grade level norm, that is considered growth.  

Note:  “Maintain” means that a fifth grader with a RIT score of 218 in September that has a RIT score of 225 in May has maintained.  The student increased performance, yet remains at grade level proficiency.

Pre and Post Conference Forms

Pre-observation conference forms are required for Plan I teachers and highly recommended for Plan II teachers.  

Post-observation conference forms are required for Plan I, II, and III teachers.  This form guides the post-observation meeting dialogue about instruction.

Teachscape & Scoring Components

The Teachscape tool is designed to require evaluators to score each component.  Given this, administrators can use the scoring feature on Teachscape to help guide the post-observation conference.  However, following additional research the committee will determine how the scoring feature of the Teachscape tool impacts the year-end evaluation.  More details to follow.   

Clarification of Legislative Updates

• Beginning with the 2015-16 school year, teachers that have earned an effective or highly effective year-end ranking for the two-consecutive years are only required to have one formal observation per year.  In order to maintain an effective or highly effective year-end ranking, teachers will be formally observed one time in addition to multiple walkthroughs each year.  See examples below.

• All Plan I teachers are required to have two formal observations per year.  

• Teachers that earn a minimally effective or ineffective year-end ranking are required to have two formal observations.  

• Teachers that have earned highly effective on their year-end evaluation for three consecutive years are required to be formally observed every other year.  Teachers that qualify for this will be observed via walkthroughs and are required to receive a year-end evaluation.  (see example below). If the teacher is rated effective or highly effective in the fourth consecutive year, they will have one formal observation during the fifth year.

• In cases that formal observations are not required, an administrator may choose to conduct multiple formal observations.

Teachscape Trainers

Teachers that attended the Teachscape PD on September 3rd are only responsible for teaching and/or supporting staff with learning the Teachscape tool.  Administrators are expected to initiate the Danielson rubric PD, yet may empower teacher leaders and collaboratively implement the rubric PD if the teacher leaders are comfortable with helping in the rubric PD.    

Ancillary Staff Rubrics (counselors, social workers, instructional coaches, etc.)

At the next evaluation committee meeting, the committee will review and select rubrics that will be used during the 2016-17 school year.

Since tomorrow, November 3rd, is a building PD day this is a reminder regarding start and end times for district PD.

Past practice according to the 2006-2007 Letter of Agreement (see attached) states full day professional development begins at 8:00am and ends at 3:15pm.  Half day professional development is a total of three hours and 30 minutes including a 15-minute break.  The Letter of Agreement does not specify lunch period guidelines for PD days. However, in order to be in compliance with state requirements for earning State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs), full day professional development requires two-fifteen minute breaks and a minimum of a thirty minute lunch.

DFT letter of agreement regarding PD start and end times

Following is the official DFT contract language regarding “care of family” appropriate usage guidelines.  “Care of Family” pertains to providing “direct care due to incapacitation to an immediate family member.”  Therefore, “care of family” should not be used for reasons such as, but not limited to, caring for pets, attending a child’s field trip, child doesn’t have school (attends a different district), or entertaining out-of-town family. However, personal business days may be used for such examples.

Article XIII, B. 5

All unit members, with available time in their sick bank, shall be allowed to be off on a scheduled work day for up to ten (10) days per school year and receive 100% of pay to provide care for a member of the immediate family, who requires direct care due to incapacitation including FMLA, or when no other arrangements are possible. (The immediate family shall be construed to include: husband, wife, children, father, mother, and members of the employee’s household.).