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TUESDAY UPDATE
January 6, 2015
MILTON KUYKENDALL
SUPERINTENDENT
DESOTO COUNTY SCHOOLS
Yesterday, we held a reception for our newly elected school board member, Mrs. Sarah Doss-Thomas, here in
the county office. Afterwards, we had a very informative school board meeting where we heard from MAE
President, Joyce Helmick, and also K. C. Grist who directed the “Better Schools for Better Jobs” Initiative
(Initiative # 42) for Mississippi. After their presentation, the Board voted unanimously to support this initiative on
the ballot for the upcoming election. Below is a copy of their letter of endorsement and support, which will be
given to each of our DeSoto County Legislators this week.
Principals, the bus drivers are taking every precaution during the extreme cold weather this week, which may
cause some buses to run a little later than scheduled. I ask you to take safeguards for the safety of our students
and be understanding of the severe cold at bus stops, etc.
Keith Williams
Associate Superintendent-Pupil Services/Parent Liaison
Middle and high school principals, please send the dates that are planned for the abstinence education classes,
as well as the number of participants and opt outs to Patsy Davis.
High school PE teachers that were trained to teach CPR to students were instructed to keep a class roster for
documentation of teaching CPR. The roster should show which students attended the class. Please check with
these PE teachers to make sure this required documentation is complete.
Jennifer Weeks
Assistant Superintendent-Academic Education
Christy Ryan – Elementary
* Elementary Administrators ELA/Math Meeting will be January 28th in the small conference room during grade
specific times listed below.
K-2 principals: 8 - 10am
K-5 principals: 10 -12pm
3-5 principals: 1-3pm
* Fourth grade CC Math Captains meeting is Tuesday, January 27th in the Inservice Room from 4:00- 6:30 p.m.
* Fifth grade CC Math Captains meeting is Thursday, January 29th in the Inservice Room from 4:00- 6:30 p.m.
* Second Grade Math Assessment Writing CEU
1.0 CEU
When: 1/8 and 2/5 from 4:00 -6:30 pm
Where: Computer Lab (County Office)
The participating teachers will be required to create test items (during and outside of our meeting) which will be
assigned at the first meeting. Participants may register online through MUNIS.
Lindsey Jones – Middle School ELA
Teachers and administrators are invited to join us in our Just Read, Desoto! Twitter Chat with content area
literacy expert Dave Stewart. The chat will begin at 7:00 pm following hashtag #chatdcs.
Shannon Eldridge – Content Area Coach
There will be a training session for middle school special education teachers who provide inclusion support in
science and social studies. This session is designed to provide training on the Common Core State Standards
for content area classes and will provide strategies for incorporating reading and writing into science and social
studies. The training will be held on January 9, 2015, from 8:30-10:30 in the Central Office Board Room.
George Loper - Instructional Technology
The winter window for the STAR Reading and Star Early Literacy Assessment for grades K-3 is January 14thFebruary 13th. All of the assessments during this window will accessed from the Renaissance Learning DeSoto
sight. https://hosted21.renlearn.com/88935/default.aspx
Star Walk Media Pilot Grant Program
Welcome, and thank you for participating in the StarWalk Kids Media Pilot Grant Program for DeSoto County
Schools. As promised, we have set up a no charge subscription for your organization that will run from now
through December 31, 2015. I have set up your new account with the following usernames and passwords (all
case-sensitive):
Username Password Type of access:
Sample Student account desoto desoto for the simpler student usage experience
Sample Teacher
account desototchr desototchr for advanced searching and other features
The Student and Teacher accounts can be shared and used simultaneously. You also have the ability to add
individual students and teachers with unique usernames and passwords.
You can also view online tours hosted on Vimeo at the following URL’s: * student tour at
http://vimeo.com/75144046 * teacher/librarian tour at http://vimeo.com/77225297 * administrator account features
at http://vimeo.com/77486982
When you are ready to get started, point your web browser to:
https://logintoread.com/sign-in.html (bookmark this page for future visits)
Enter the username and password for the level of access you want to use (we suggest you start with the Student
account), and you will be taken directly to an account profile page (or to the student search page if you login as a
student).
If you are using this subscription with tablets, such as the iPad, Kindle Fire, or latest generation Android tablet, I
suggest that you visit the respective app store, then download and install the SWKids Reader app for your device:
* for iPad https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/swkidsreader/id649636218?mt=8 * for Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.starwalk.app&hl=en * for Kindle Fire
http://www.amazon.com/StarWalk-Kids-Media-SWKids-Reader/dp/B00IG1P6AO/ref=sr_1_1?s=mobileapps&ie=UTF8&qid=1393680702&sr=1-1&keywords=SWKids+Reader
Michael Putnam – Formative Assessment
Many of the Case 21 dates for the spring semester have changed. Please scan through the following dates and
mark your calendar accordingly. These dates do not include the 5th and 8th grade Science windows as those
have not changed.
Elementary Schools:
2nd Testing Window (February 2-6):
Monday 2/2: CCSS ELA (Grades 3,4,5) Posttest (Comprehensive of Current Grade Standards) (90 minutes
timed)
Tuesday 2/3: CCSS ELA (Grades 3,4,5) Posttest (Comprehensive of Current Grade Standards) (90 minutes
timed)
Wednesday 2/4: CCSS Math (Grades 3,4,5) Posttest (Cumulative of Current Grade Standards) (90 minutes
timed)
Thursday 2/5: CCSS Math (Grades 3,4,5) Posttest (Cumulative of Current Grade Standards) (90 minutes timed)
Friday 2/6: CCSS Make-ups
Middle Schools:
2nd Testing Window (February 9-17):
Monday 2/9: CCSS ELA (Grades 7 & 8) Posttest (Comprehensive of Current Grade Standards) (90 minutes
timed)
CCSS Math (Grade 6) Posttest (Cumulative of Current Grade Standards) (90 minutes timed)
(Grade 6 will take the Calculator Active)
Tuesday 2/10: CCSS ELA (Grades 7 & 8) Posttest (Comprehensive of Current Grade Standards) (90 minutes
timed)
CCSS Math (Grade 6) Posttest (Cumulative of Current Grade Standards) (90 minutes timed)
(Grade 6 will take the Calculator Inactive)
Wednesday 2/11: CCSS ELA (Grade 6) Posttest (Comprehensive of Current Grade Standards) (90 minutes
timed)
CCSS Math (Grades 7 & 8) Posttest (Cumulative of Current Grade Standards) (90 minutes timed)
(Grade 7 will take the Calculator Active; Grade 8 will take Calculator Inactive)
Thursday 2/12: CCSS ELA (Grade 6) Posttest (Comprehensive of Current Grade Standards) (90 minutes timed)
CCSS Math (Grades 7 & 8) Posttest (Cumulative of Current Grade Standards) (90 minutes timed)
(Grade 7 will take the Calculator Inactive; Grade 8 will take Calculator Active)
Tuesday 2/17: CCSS Make-ups
High Schools:
2nd Testing Window (March 16 - 20):
Monday 3/16: CCSS English 1 & II (Year-long & Semester) Posttest (Comprehensive of Current Grade
Standards)
(90 minute timed session each)
Tuesday 3/17: CCSS Algebra 1 (Year-long & Semester) Posttest (Cumulative of Current Grade Standards)
(90 minute timed session)
Wednesday 3/18: SATP US History (Year-long & Semester) Posttest (Cumulative of Current Grade Standards)
(Untimed)
Thursday 3/19: SATP Biology (Year-long & Semester) Posttest (Cumulative of Current Grade Standards)
(Untimed)
Jo Cox – Continuing Education
We have just posted several CEUs starting in January. They include the following:
2nd Grade Math Assessment Writing on 1/8/15 & 2/5/15 with Christy Ryan at the district office computer lab.
Partnering with Parents Session III (Chapters 6 & 7) MATH Grades 6-8 with Michelle Corbin on 1/13/15 at the
district office from 4:00 to 7:00 pm & 2/10/15 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at Lewisburg Middle.
Classroom Management: A Positive Approach for Grades K-12 with Dr. Linda Grisham on 1/20/15 & 1/27/15 at
the district office from 4:00 to 9:00 pm.
Introduction to Being a Writer Grades K-5 (prerequisite must be utilizing Being a Writer in your School) with Dee
Thompson on 1/22/15 & 1/29/15 at the district office computer lab from 4:00 to 9:00 pm.
This Kid Doesn't Speak a Lick of English Grades K-12 with Lisa Curry & Ralph Dixon on 2/03/15 & 2/10/15 at the
district office from 4:00 to 9:00 pm.
In order to sign up for a CEU, you must go to MUNIS Self Service at
https://desoto.munisselfservice.com/default.aspx Remember your user name is
the first initial of your first name in MUNIS and your last name all caps and your KRONOS number, no spaces
(Example: DCOX224400). The first time your password is the last four digits of your Social Security Number that
your have to change immediately and remember for further use. Make sure you put your new email address in
MUNIS Self Service in order to get responses from MUNIS.
Please remember that 1 CEU is 10 hours of instruction.
WHEN DO YOU NEED TO RENEW YOUR LICENSE?
Continue to check our 2014-2015 Continuing Education Calendar on the DCS website under Continuing
Education Department and in MUNIS Self Service under Training Opportunities. New CEU opportunities are
being posted two to three weeks before the start date.
If you are having problems getting into MUNIS Self Service, please contact Employees Service at
employment@dcsms.org. They are the only ones who can help you with this.
If you have any questions, please contact jo.cox@dcsms.org or my office at 662-449-7151.