Single+Subject+Teachers

-How to complete a stand alone unit planner; include possible student initiated action, summative task, all six stages of the inquiry cycle and all reflection sections -Strong finish to the end of the year with all outstanding work completed
 * Apr 23rd, 2014**
 * Present:** Mo, Shanelle, Aaron, Trish, Brenda,Nathaniel **Apologies**: Jess & Rob (2 hours)
 * Discussion:**
 * -**Formative assessment grades need to be added to the gradebook when they are completed

-Gradebook check,
 * Next meeting:**

-Feedback from Mr Ahmed Saleh relating to Health & safety issues-Ms Shanelle reported that lights are still being turned off at 3:20pm -Ms Mary Vedra responded to suggestion of specialist grading by saying that she will look into it as Grade 1 will be using Managebac reports next year -ENS Job alike to be scheduled for August when staff return after the summer as it was deemed to be more useful then -PYPC has emailed other Abu Dhabi based PYP schools to arrange a specialist job alike-no response yet, -Mr Mohammed suggested donating items from lost and found to the Syrian embassy
 * Mar 17th, 2014**
 * Present:** Mo, Shanelle, Rob, Jess, Aaron, Trish, Brenda **Apologies**: Nathaniel (Duty)
 * Discussion:**

-Mr Aaron will contact the music teacher at GEMS -Contact more PYP schools in AD (Trish) -Source catalogues for ordering materials for next year (Trish) -Make rota for Wednesday integrated meetings (Trish)
 * Action:**

-PYPC support: invited suggestions, write to other PYP schools in Abu Dhabi to see if it is possible to organize some observations of single subject lessons, ENS Al Ain suggested and then rejected as the distance is too far -PYPC will observe specialist lessons next week and provide written feedback -Re: Grading, no response yet from Ms Mary but hopefully will be able to ascertain an answer at next PYPC meeting -After School Clubs-difficulties with the lights being turned off in the pool and gym -Swimming pool tiles very slippery has caused a number of falls already
 * Mar 3rd, 2014**
 * Present:** Mo, Shanelle, Rob, Jess, Aaron,Trish **Apologies:** Brenda **Absent**: Nathaniel
 * Discussion:**
 * -**Interschool sport competitions-could be a possible way of improving the school's public image and the students' self-esteem, health and understanding of sportsmanship

-Email PYPC in Gems, Al Raha, ENS Al Ain to ask if possible to observe specialists (Trish) -Email Mr Ahmed Saleh about the lights and the pool tiles (Trish)
 * Action:**


 * Nov 17th, 2013**

-We now need to add planning onto Managebac-stand alone planners -No reply from Mary about November PD for single subject teachers -Integration into 1/2 quality units, 2 pieces of work to be added per Grade
 * Oct 6th, 2013**
 * Present:** Mo, Shanelle, Rob, Jess, Aaron, Brenda, Nathaniel, Gill, Trish
 * Discussion:**
 * -**All single teachers have added their planning onto the q drive

Managebac: add stand alone planners Share portfolio pieces -PD in November-options online courses/private coaching etc -PS PE sharing approach to planning with the KG team -Aaron will work on planning with Brenda
 * Next meeting:**
 * Sept 29th, 2013**
 * Present:** Mo, Shanelle, Rob, Jess, Aaron, Brenda, Nathaniel, Gill, Trish
 * Discussion:**

Decision about how many portfolio pieces required (research-Trish)
 * Action:**

-PS PE sharing Grade 1 planning with the KG team -PS PE discussion about this year's sports day
 * Sept 22nd, 2013**
 * Present:** Mo, Shanelle, Rob, Aaron, Brenda, Nathaniel, Trish
 * Discussion:**

-Weekly planning to be saved on the q drive for all single subject teachers
 * Sept 15th, 2013**
 * Present:** Mo, Shanelle, Rob, Aaron, Brenda, Nathaniel
 * Discussion:**
 * -**Planning, all unit integration to be added on Managebac grade planners, stand alone units also to be added

- Portfolios: some teams still reporting that they have not received work samples from SSTs. They have received emails informing them that work is coming. Request that this not be left until the last minute. - Unit contributions: in order to make the process easier, Nathan and Brenda requested to write up their unit contributions and Glenn will transfer them across - Visit questions specific to SSTs: will likely include how often do you meet with teams, how do you communicate outside of carousels, how do you plan for integration etc.. - Request that SSTs think about ways that they can find more time to plan with grade level teams (for 2013-2014). SSTs attending Wednesday afternoon grade level meetings is definitely one way that this could work
 * NEW ACADEMIC YEAR**
 * May 12, 2013**
 * Present:** Mo, Shanelle, Nathan, Glenn
 * Discussion:**

- Gym displays: Glenn to go check them out (and take pictures) - Portfolio work samples to teachers asap (SSTs) - Classroom environments: as per the checklist (SSTs) - Overview of SST integration developed and sent to Glenn (Nathan and Brenda)
 * Action:**

- We will review SST contributions to planners, progress with regards to classroom ennvironments (displays), and ways that SSTs will be able to cobnnect more with grade level teams for 2013-2014
 * Next Meeting:**

- Documentation of unit contributions by SST teachers - Brief review of bubble planner direction (section 6) and a review of how differrnt grades are completing this section - SST reflections will likely fall into sections 6 and 7 - Reflection section: G2 planners organized a little differently that G1, 3, and 4: record SST activities/tasks in section 9 for G2 and within the inquiry cycle for the other grades - Reflection redundance due to repeating the lesson multiple times across the grade and modifying throughout: ideally the SST contributions should be recoded from the outset - not at the end of the unit. When this is done, unit reflections will be more meaningful as they will be able to indicate how the task was modified throughout, rather than how it ended up - Integration carousel: looked at which units grades are transitioning into - POI revision: briefly discussed how we will begin this process (at Tuesday's PD)
 * February 17, 2013**
 * Present:** Aaron, Nathan, Brenda, Glenn (Apologies: Mo, Shanelle)
 * Discussion:**

- Contact Abdul Ala and make sure that all SSTs have modify permissions for unit planners (Glenn) - Continue to document unit contributions to planners (SST team)
 * Action:**

- Review progress
 * Next Meeting:**

- Major focus units: SSTs need to look at units that they have contributed to so far and ensure that their contributions have been documented on the unit planners. Reflections for those units must also be included. - ICT requirements as laid out in the new ENS standards document provide a challenge for facilitator to integrate with every unit
 * February 10, 2013**
 * Present:** Nathan, Brenda, Shanelle, Brenda, Mo, Glenn
 * Discussion:**

- As above. End of Feb is the requested deadline for this to have been acheived. (SSTs)
 * Action:**

- Review..
 * Next Meeting:**

- Integration carousel reflection: better.. - SST (unit integration) animoto: for next carousel - Documenting SST contirbutions to units on the planners: - No concrete timeline/due date for this, but it should be on the list of priorities
 * January 27, 2013**
 * Present:** Nathan, Brenda, Shanelle, Brenda, Glenn
 * Discussion:**

- Choose which units SSTs have had a major focus on; the add contributions to the inquiry cycle. The reflection sections of these unit planners should also indicate the reflections of SSTs involved (SSTs)
 * Action:**

- Review progress
 * Next Meeting:**

- PD schedule - how SSTs can use this time productively when the focuses of the sessions are not relative to their area of responsibility - Planning: goal that by the end of year all SSTs are using the planner (in some capacity) - Portfolio submissions: dues by end of quarter
 * January 13, 2013**
 * Present:** Shanelle, Nathan, Mo, Brenda, Glenn (Apologies: Aaron)
 * Discussion:**

- Review progress
 * Next Meeting:**

//*Team meeting held independently (Glenn on leave)//
 * January 6, 2012**

- Process of POI revision: need to get revised science and social studies standards forst so that I can look at which units will be changed or modified. From there SSTs will be able to look at whole school POI and choose which units they think they can contribute most to. - After the above has been acheived, we need to work out how we can organize our time to ensure that SSTs are a part of the POI revision process
 * December 10, 2012**
 * Present:** Aaron, Mo, Shanelle, Brenda, Glenn
 * Discussion:**
 * Not discussed:** SST submissions for porfolios for S1: these need to be organized and supplied to teachers as soon as possible. The absolute outside date for submission would be one week prior to Q2 parent conferences (which will be roughly the first week of Feb)

- Prepare portfolio submissions and communicate wioth classroom teachers about how and when these will be submitted (SST team)
 * Action:**

- Review progress with regards to the above..
 * Next Meeting:**

- Reflection on integration carousel #2:
 * November 11, 2012**
 * Present:** Aaron, Mo, Brenda, Shanelle, Nathan, Glenn
 * Discussion:**

//Yellow Hat:// - Able to share - Timing went relatively well: 5-10 minute slots with Glenn moderating - Scheduliong it into PD ensures that it happens - Provides for a good overview/review of where we are at

//Black Hat:// - Some charismatic personaities/challenging dynamics within teams - Some unrealistic expectations that specialists shuold have a major focus on every unit

//Green Hat:// Pre-communication with teams, asking questions, sharing ideas may be helpful - Glenn to preface session with a reminder that not all SSTs have a major focus on every unit - Space: make sure the tables are rearranged so as to accomodate the large groups (Glenn) - SST animoto: start session by sharing some of the work that is happening in SST classes

- Unit planners for PE submitted to Glenn ! - Unit planners for Art, Music - Outcomes and planning for ICT
 * November 4, 2012**
 * Present:** Aaron, Brenda, Mo, Shanelle, Nathan, Glenn
 * Discussion:**

- Meet with Brenda tomorrow re. planners (Glenn) - Send first unit planners to Glenn (Aaron) - Develop overview for unit #3 ICT (Nathan)
 * Action:**

- Review progress
 * Next Meeting:**

- Frustration with the amount of assessment that need to be completed: try to cluster outcomes.. - The PE classes for PowerSchool Gradebook are not yet inputted correctly - PD reflection: how this will work for SSTs - Different ways of generating portfolio submissions: worksheets? Pictuers with teacher/student scribed reflections? - PD reflection task: explanation of what it is asking - Art Portfolio vs. student portfolio - Portfolio submissions: discussed where team is at with regards to this and plotted out a timeline for submission. Also, it was pointed out that the wording of the essential agreement could be interpereted in such a way that SSTs were only responsible to produce 2 submissions per year. Despite this, most of the team were already repparing themselves to submit 2 work samples per grade through out the year. The words 'for each grade level' have been subsequently included to the Portfolio Essential Agreement, and now reads:
 * October 21, 2012**
 * Present:**Aaron, Mo, Shanelle, Brenda, Glenn (Apologies: Nathan - attending to MAP set up)
 * Discussion:**

//* Single Subject teachers (Art, Music, and PE) will be required to submit at least one work sample **for each grade** for each semester. These will be linked to the unit where possible (Major focus units).//

- Complete PD refelction document (SST team) - Sgare Classrrom Connections withSST team (Aaron)
 * Action:**

- Review progress
 * Next Meeting:**

- Development of unit-aligned documentation - Using the planner to document alignment
 * October 14, 2012**
 * Present:** Aaron, Mo, Shanelle, Brenda, Glenn (Apologies: Nathan - at Esis training)
 * Discussion:**

- Continue to develop documentation (SST team)
 * Action:**

- Review progress
 * Next Meeting:**

- Sharing of progress with regards to aligning standards with unit-related documentation and planning - SST stand alone planners - SSTs involvement with Grade level meetings on Wednesdays: should attend at least a couple per unit (major focus units), contact the Coordinator to either let them know you are coming and/or find out which meetings wouold be best to attend
 * October 7, 2012**
 * Present:** Aaron, Mo, Nathan, Shanelle, Brenda, Glenn
 * Discussion:**

- Continue to develop standards alignment. A consistent format would be best. Goals is to be ready when asked by visitors how we are addressing the integration of content/skill based standards within units of inquiry (SST team)
 * Action:**

- Review progress with regards to alignment documents - Other...?
 * Next Meeting:**

- SST integration carousel: generally went well. Some requests were unreasonable (lack of resources, being spread too thin). Request nmade to have the sequence documents confirmed for accuracy prior to each of the scheduled sessions in the future - Major/minor focus: looks different in each area - SSTs should be integr5ating where possiible across the board but major focus should only be when they are able to authentically contribute to the delivery of the CI/LOI - Unit planning sessions: now that all (Grade level) team meetings are being held on a Wednesday - SSTs should be attending meeting(s) that concern their major focus units - Teacher questions: SSTs can be using/modifying them for effective integration within their area - How to document integration on the unit planner: ideally this will be done in section 3, and include: task descritor and linked evidence outcome. Concern as to whether this would be 'doubling up' on planning that has already been done - integration needs to be documented on the planner
 * September 30, 2012**
 * Present:** Aaron, Brenda, Mo, Nathan, Glenn (Apologies: Shanelle)
 * Discussion:**

- Continue to develop ICT planning docs aligned with NETS indicators (Nathan and Glenn) - Attend Grade level team meetings on Wednesdays (SSTs)
 * Action:**
 * -** Look at planners and think about how/when SST integration can be documented (SST team)

- Revisit conversation re. documenting integration on planner - Look at stand alone planners done on Unit planner format
 * Next Meeting:**

- SST Weebly page: still under construction - Planning documentation: Art, Music and PE all using the PYP planner for the format of their stand-alone planners. Need to look at the ways they are documenting which standards are taught where, and make sure that this is explicit in their documentation. This should 't be a task that is making more docuemntation for the sake of it - but the ecore pieces of planning should all be covered within one document (be it a matrix or the unit planner) - Integration carousel: to be held next week (October 2) - Portfolio essential agreement: make sure to read through carefully and start communicating with grade level teachers about proposed work samples
 * September 23, 2012**
 * Present:** Aaron, Brenda, Mo, Shanelle, Glenn (Apologies: Nathan)
 * Discussion:**

- Look at the ways they are documenting which standards are taught where, and make sure that this is explicit in documentation (SSTs) - Read through carefully and start communicating with grade level teachers about proposed work samples (SSTs) - As Mr Ahemed about gettign a white board in the gym (Glenn)
 * Action:**

- Review documentation
 * Next Meeting:**

- Planning documentation: PE has developed a format that is organized by units and is sending to grade teams; Music is using the PYP unit planner for units that he has a major focus on, and also developing a weekly overview for other grades; Art is planned out across grades but in a different format, as is ICT: would be good to have a consistent format across all single subject domains - Student self-assessment (excel) tool: Nathan shared his new plan for keeping track of student progress, which would also provide them with regular opportunities to self assess - Grade level pages: possibility of building a single subject page (this Tuesday evening?) - Portfolio draft
 * September 16, 2012**
 * Present:** Nathan, Aaron, Mo, Brenda, Shanelle, Glenn
 * Discussion:**

- Peruse portfolio essential aggreement (draft) and discuss how well this will work (SS team) - Ask for permission to build a SST weebly page during Back to School night (Glenn)
 * Action:**

- Look at how we are aligning evidence outcomes within units, and how we are documenting this
 * Next Meeting:**

- Overview of units SST have a major focus on for this year: most specialist have a major focus with G2 (not ideal) - possibly because G2 teachers have been more proactive than other teams. - How/where you SST integrating for the first unit - Documentation: Aaron shared his unit planners (G1 and 2). Discussed both one that is 'unit aligned' and one that was stand alone. - What is effective 'integration'? (topical vs. conceptual): opened this up. - What we should really be doing: to help develop understanding of (CI and concepts): function of which is different in each area. ie. Nathan is a facilitator and therefore needs to be aligned with unit-related tasks at all times. PE and Arts may be able to make a direct connection to the CI, but at times may need to cobnnect through (key or related) concepts. - Ideas with regards to ensuring that communication (with grade teams) is effective and ongoing: Specialists thata re proactive are generally more successful at this. It must be ongoing, and an effort must be made. For unit 2 we will schedule a carousel to ensure (at least) this happens.
 * September 9, 2012**
 * Present:** Aaron, Brenda, Nathan, Mo, Shanelle, Glenn
 * Discussion:**

- SST look at POI (1-4) and decide where their major and minor areas of focus lay. Bring documentation of this to next meeting.
 * Action:**

- Review major/minor areas of focus (documentation) - discuss overlap/deficiencies - Issues..?
 * Next Meeting:**

- Portfolio - what it is: a reflective tool that is generated from year to year by classroom teachers and associated specialists - Expectations for specialist teachers: must be manageable - especially at this stage of the year - For PE and Music: focus first on developing/contributing one piece of work: possibly along the lines of a picture of the student during an activity that they can then provide a written reflection on. Can be color photocopied. Possiblityt hat classroom teacher can help to facilitate the written part - ICT: what if the work is online? (Good question - focus on generating hard copies first and then work on ideas for how to incorporate online work) - Ultimately this is a hardcopy portfolio and so hard copies of work samples must be produced - Resources ink/paper): will we have enough? - Unit planners: integration from specialist teachers must be documented on the unit planner - Specialist meetings to be held every second Tuesday of the month - Possibility of specialist teachers meeting with specialists from other campuses?
 * January 24, 2012**
 * Present:** Aaron, Keiran, Anca, Mo, Phillippa, Brenda, Glenn
 * Discussion:**

- Report resource concerns to Exec meeting (Glenn) - Document integration onto planner of current major focus units (Specialist teachers)
 * Action:**

- Review progress with regards to planner contribution - Review methods (and success) with integration/collaborative planning with grade teams
 * Next Meeting:**