Principals’ Weekly

June 30, 2009

Note: Principals’ Weekly is published every other week during the summer.
The next issue will be published on July 14.

Table of Contents

• Calendar of key dates and deadlines

Which
Description When?
schools?
Administrative Announcements
Elem Updates on Kindergarten Waitlists This week
Elem Gifted and Talented Program Rosters Next week
Elem, mid Preliminary Progress Report Metrics This week
All Select Computer Repair Vendor and Service Plan By 7/10
Elem Second Round of Pre-kindergarten Admissions Process 7/13-31
Elem, mid Item and Skill Reports for ELA and Math Tests Available in ARIS Connect FYI
All New Features Now Available in ARIS FYI
All Data for Discharged Students in ARIS Parent Link FYI
All Updates on Periodic Assessments FYI
All Revised Summer Administrative Payroll Delivery Schedule FYI
All Obtaining a DOE Identification Card During the Summer FYI
Reminders (Announced in Previous Issues)
Elem, mid Verify Course Assignments for Teacher Data Reports By 7/2
All Complete Survey on Data, Technology, and Collaboration By 7/2
All Submit Change Requests for NCLB/SED Accountability Data By 7/3
All Update Bilingual Education Student Information Survey in ATS By 7/17
All Delivery of Core Curriculum Materials 7/20-8/7
High Recommended Curricula for New Algebra 2 Course FYI
Grants, Workshops, and Other Opportunities (New)
Elem, mid Workshop on Collaborative Team Teaching for Teachers and Administrators 7/8, 8/26
All Summer Professional Development for Parent Coordinators FYI
All Wilson and Fundations Support for 2009-10 School Year FYI
Grants, Workshops, and Other Opportunities (Reminders)
All Summer Professional Development in Science and Math Jul, Aug
Elem, mid Teachers Can Register for Free Social Studies Core Curriculum Institutes 7/3 or 7/10
High Free Hindi Language Program for High School Students 7/6-24
All Administrators Can Register for Free Workshop on “All Kinds of Minds” By 7/10
All Administrators Can Register for Free Intro to Wilson Reading System By 7/10
Mid, high P-Credit Course on Theater with ELLs 7/13-17

1
All Hire Technology Interns from CUNY By 7/15
Mid, high Free Workshop for Administrators on Reading Program for Spec. Ed. ELLs 7/15
Elem Administrators Can Register for Free Intro to Fundations By 7/15
All Receive Group Discount for Renzulli Differentiated Instruction Online Program By 7/24
Elem Free Workshop for Teachers at Schools That Ordered Fundations This Year 9/3, 4
All Free Workshop on Hudson’s Quadricentennial 9/4
All External Opportunities, Grants and Resources for Students and Educators FYI

Administrative Announcements

Updates on Kindergarten Waitlists

Elementary schools / Event: This week

Updated information for schools with kindergarten waitlists will be available by this Friday, July 3 on the
Principals’ Portal. For additional information, contact Kim Cobb at kcobb@schools.nyc.gov.

Go back to the top

Gifted and Talented Program Rosters

Elementary schools / Event: Next week

Schools with gifted and talented programs will receive rosters of students who accepted offers to their
program during the week of July 6. For additional information, e-mail ES_enrollment@schools.nyc.gov.

Go back to the top

Preliminary Progress Report Metrics

Elementary and middle schools / Event: Next week

Elementary, middle, and K-8 schools will receive their preliminary Progress Report metrics next week,
along with preliminary Progress Report data files that will contain all of the student-level data that
supports the preliminary metric calculations. Schools can input this information into their Progress Report
modeler, which is located in ARIS Connect, to gain a preliminary view of their Progress Report score.

Final Progress Reports will be based on data that is pulled from ATS following the July 17 data verification
deadline. Schools can expect to see their unofficial Progress Reports in early August, and reports will be
made public a few weeks later.

Go back to the top

Select Computer Repair Vendor and Service Plan

All schools / Deadline: July 10

By July 10, you should select a computer repair vendor and a computer service plan for your school using
FAMIS. To make your selection, sign in to FAMIS and select the “PCS” option. For additional information
about the selection process and resources to help you make your selection, visit the Principals’ Portal. If
you do not select an option by July 10, your school will be automatically enrolled in the standard service
plan.

If you have any questions, contact your borough technology manager or e-mail
PCSQuestions@schools.nyc.gov. For more information about the allocation your school received to pay
for a computer service plan, click here.

2
Go back to the top

Second Round of Pre-kindergarten Admissions Process

Elementary schools / Event: July 13-31

The dates for the second round of the pre-kindergarten admissions process are as follows:

Monday, July 13: Second round application period begins. Directories and applications will be available.
Friday, July 31: Second round application deadline.
Friday, August 28: Offer letters mailed to families.
Wednesday, September 9: Families register at schools.

Go back to the top

Item and Skill Reports for ELA and Math Tests Available in ARIS Connect
Elementary and middle schools

Later this week, item-level reports for the 2009 ELA and math tests will be available in ARIS Connect. You
can access these reports in Excel format in your private community in ARIS. For more information, please
contact the Accountability Service Desk at oaservicedesk@schools.nyc.gov or visit the New York State
Test Community in ARIS Connect.

Go back to the top

New Features Now Available in ARIS

All schools

Log in to ARIS using your DOE username and password to check out the following new data and features
that are now available:

• EPAL results for early elementary students and NYSAA results on class views and student
profiles
• NYSESLAT results for ELL students on student profiles
• Standard and strand-level reporting for science and social studies tests and performance
indicator-level reporting for science tests
• “QuickStart Reports” with pre-selected parameters to give users easy access to reports
• Correlation report to find relationships across student results over time
• Ability to search related content in Connect based on reports

Go back to the top

Data for Discharged Students in ARIS Parent Link

All schools

When students are discharged from the New York City school system, their data is no longer available in
ARIS Parent Link. However, data for students who are discharged after June 30 will remain available until
early August when ARIS rolls over to 2009-10 data.

For additional information, please contact ARISParentLink@schools.nyc.gov.

Go back to the top

Updates on Periodic Assessments

All schools

Visit the Periodic Assessment Team’s Web site for the latest updates on periodic assessments and

3
professional development opportunities. Here are this week’s updates:

• New schools should submit their periodic assessment selections for 2009-10 by July 15. The
selection tool will be available on the Principals’ Portal starting July 1.

• Please read the “Acuity Predictive Data and Research Memo” to learn about the resources we
will be providing over the summer to help you and your staff better understand the Acuity
predictive data to see student growth.

• Once the state releases its new test calendar, we will let you know about any changes to the
periodic assessment administration schedule that result from the moving of the ELA and math
tests to May.

• The Acuity system will be unavailable July 4-13 due to scheduled system maintenance.

If you have any questions, contact periodicassessment@schools.nyc.gov.

Go back to the top

Revised Summer Administrative Payroll Delivery Schedule

All schools

Click here to view the revised summer delivery schedule for H and Z-Bank administrative payrolls
(effective July 9 through August 20). The schedule also includes locations for the deliveries.

Go back to the top

Obtaining a DOE Identification Card During the Summer

All schools

During the summer, DOE staff members who are requesting an identification card must provide an official
authorization letter from a hiring manager, principal, director, administrator, or payroll secretary that is not
more than 30 calendar days old. School-based staff who are not able to contact their school’s HR staff
over the summer and who need a new authorization letter should contact their ISC or CFN.

Go back to the top

Reminders (Announced in Previous Issues)

Verify Course Assignments for Teacher Data Reports

Elementary and middle schools / Deadline: July 2

The deadline to update teacher course assignment data in ATS for use in your school’s Teacher Data
Reports is Thursday, July 2.

All schools with grades 3-8 that administered state tests in 2008-09 should use the Teacher Data Initiative
(TDI) verification screens in ATS to review and update teacher course assignments. The updated data will
be reflected in the Teacher Data Reports for your school. The Teacher Data Reports Verification Page on
the Principals’ Portal provides complete details on how to complete this verification.

If you have any questions about teacher course assignment data verification or need technical
assistance, please contact the Teacher Data Reports data verification help desk at (212) 374-6646 or
TeacherDataReports@schools.nyc.gov.

4
Go back to the top

Complete Survey on Data, Technology, and Collaboration

All schools / Deadline: July 2

You still have a few more days to participate in an online survey conducted by the American Institutes for
Research about how educators use data and collaborate with colleagues online. By filling out this survey,
you can help improve online tools and professional development opportunities in New York City. The
survey will take approximately 7-10 minutes to complete. It’s completely confidential and voluntary. The
deadline is July 2.

For additional information, visit the Principals’ Portal.

Go back to the top

Submit Change Requests for NCLB/SED Accountability Data

All schools / Deadline: July 3

Change requests for NCLB/SED accountability data are due July 3. You should have received a pre-
populated change request spreadsheet earlier this week. More details are available in the Quick Start
Guide on the Intranet.

The deadline to complete Progress Report and NCLB/SED data verification is July 17. Detailed
instructions and a “known issues list” are available on the State and Federal Accountability intranet page.
Elementary and middle schools can view their data using the REMS report in ATS, and high schools can
view their data using the RHSV report.

You will need to certify your NCLB accountability data on the data specialist SharePoint site by July 22
(user ID: dataspecialist; password: password). Preview accountability overview reports will be available in
nySTART on Thursday, July 2. Please be sure to keep a copy of the final accountability verification
report and accountability overview for your school when it is available in August, since appeals will not be
accepted without this data.

If you have any questions or need technical assistance, please contact the nySTART support hotline at
(212) 374-5765 or nySTARTsupport@schools.nyc.gov.

Go back to the top

Update Bilingual Education Student Information Survey in ATS

All schools / Deadline: July 17

The Bilingual Education Student Information Survey (BESIS) is open again in ATS until July 17. This
survey collects information about students identified as English Language Learners, including their
placement in a bilingual, ESL, or dual language program. Data from this survey affects funding you
receive from the State and your compliance with State accountability requirements. Please add recently
admitted English Language Learners to the survey and ensure that you have properly identified all the
ELLs at your school.

For more information on completing the survey, contact your district’s ELL Compliance and Performance
Specialist.

Go back to the top

Delivery of Core Curriculum Materials

All schools / Event: July 20-August 7

Delivery of core curriculum materials will begin July 20 and run through August 7. Please let the contact
person you designated when you ordered your materials know that vendors will reach out to them about

5
the delivery for your school. Please set aside space for boxes during the delivery window. As the boxes
arrive, please write a room number on them to assist your custodial staff in placing them in the correct
location. Updates on the delivery process will be available throughout the summer on the core curriculum
intranet site. Additionally, you can view box counts for your school on the core curriculum inventory site.

For additional information, or to order additional materials, contact the core curriculum response team
(718) 935-3334 or curriculum@schools.nyc.gov.

Go back to the top

Recommended Curricula for New Algebra 2 Course

High schools

Implementation of the last of the three new high school math courses (Algebra 2 and Trigonometry) will
begin in September 2009. About 20% of the topics in this course have not been taught in previous high
school math courses. The Division of Teaching and Learning has just issued a list of recommended
curricula for the course. Publishers on this list are committed to providing schools that choose their
curricula with pacing calendars and summer professional development, which will be organized through
Teaching & Learning.

Go back to the top

Grants, Workshops, and Other Opportunities (New)

Workshop on Collaborative Team Teaching for Teachers and Administrators

Elementary and middle schools / Events: July 8, August 26

The Office of Special Education Initiatives is offering two one-day workshops on July 8 and August 26
for teachers who will be team teaching next school year at the elementary or middle school level. The
workshop will help teachers define, describe, identify, and apply the six different collaborative team
teaching models, incorporate team building techniques to enhance productive partnerships, improve
communication with the other member of their team, and plan collaboratively based on students’ varied
educational needs. Staff from the Office of Special Education Initiatives will make one follow-up visit to
participating teams. The general and special education teachers assigned to the collaborative team
teaching class are encouraged to attend as a team, and administrators are encouraged to attend with
their teams. Attendance is limited to 30 participants. A co-teaching manual will be provided.

The cost for this training is $100 per participant. The July 8 workshop will take place at 1780 Ocean
Avenue in Brooklyn. The August 26 workshop will take place at the Bronx ISC (1 Fordham Plaza, 8th
floor). To register, visit http://pd.nycoit.org using activity code 051-10-015-011 for the July workshop or
activity code 051-10-015-012 for the August 26 workshop. For additional information, please contact
Hector Uribe at huribe@schools.nyc.gov or Paula Magdalena at pmagdal@schools.nyc.gov.

Go back to the top

Summer Professional Development for Parent Coordinators

All schools

The Office for Family Engagement and Advocacy will host professional development sessions for parent
coordinators throughout the summer. Click here for more information about the trainings. Please share
this opportunity with your parent coordinator.

Go back to the top

Wilson and Fundations Support for 2009-10 School Year

6
 All schools

The Office of Special Education Initiatives will offer support packages for schools implementing the
Wilson or Fundations reading programs in the 2009-10 school year. If you purchase a support package, a
trainer will come to your school three times during the year to observe, demonstrate a lesson, and meet
with small groups of teachers to review program strategies and procedures.

The cost of a support package is $750 (FAMIS #S48010316 for Fundations and #S48010317 for Wilson).
For additional information, contact Sharon Grunfeld at sgrunfeld@schools.nyc.gov.

Go back to the top

Grants, Workshops, and Other Opportunities (Reminders)

Summer Professional Development in Science and Math

All schools / Events: July and August

The Office of Teaching and Learning is offering a number of professional development opportunities in
mathematics and science this summer. Opportunities in mathematics include a three-day workshop
covering the new high school Algebra 2/Trigonometry course, as well as additional courses covering
grades K-12. Opportunities in science include a variety of two-day workshops to support the core
curriculum rollout in grades K-2 and a separate course for cluster teachers. There will also be many
science workshops for teachers of upper grades.

The courses will take place at locations in Manhattan. You can register for these courses online. For more
information, contact Joe Quigley at jquigley@schools.nyc.gov.

Go back to the top

Teachers Can Register for Free Social Studies Core Curriculum Institutes
Elementary and middle schools / Deadline: July 3 or 10 / Events: July

The Department of Social Studies invites teachers of grades 5 and 8 to attend free training in the new
core curriculum materials. Schools are invited to send one teacher leader to attend a three-day institute.
Participants will be registered for sessions that support the program chosen by the school
(comprehensive textbook or trade book). The training will focus on Unit 1 and will include information on
fostering historical thinking, inquiry-based learning, using primary sources and reading in social studies.

The 5th grade training will take place July 14-16, and the registration deadline is July 3. The 8th grade
training will take place July 21-23, and the registration deadline is July 10.

Go back to the top

Free Hindi Language Program for High School Students

High schools / Event: July 6-24

High school students who speak Hindi at home or in their community who want to deepen their Hindi
language skills can register for the Summer Intensive Hindi Program, which will take place July 6-24 at
Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Education High School in Jamaica from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on
weekdays. The program will prepare beginning and intermediate students for post-secondary studies
while preparing advanced Hindi speakers for the Foreign Language Regents Hindi examination. All
students who successfully complete this free program will receive a $100 stipend and an opportunity to
gain foreign language exemption credits from New York University. For more information, click here or
contact Sushma Malhotra at (718) 640-5259 or smalhotra@schools.nyc.gov.

7
Go back to the top

Administrators Can Register for Free Workshop on “All Kinds of Minds”

All schools / Deadline: July 10 / Event: July 23

The Office of Special Education Initiatives is offering a free half-day workshop introducing administrators
to the neurodevelopmental framework for learning developed at All Kinds Of Minds. Participants learn
how this service delivery program can meet the diverse learning needs of all students across all content
areas. The workshop will take place on July 23 at the School Construction Authority (30-30 Thomson
Avenue, Long Island City) from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. All participants will receive a copy of A Mind at a
Time by Dr. Mel Levine. To register, please e-mail Bill Stone at Wstone@schools.nyc.gov by July 10.
This course is limited to 40 participants.

Go back to the top

Administrators Can Register for Free Intro to Wilson Reading System

All schools / Deadline: July 10 / Events: July 15 and 16

The Office of Special Education Initiatives is offering a free workshop for administrators who want to find
out more about the Wilson program for grades 3-12. The workshop will provide an overview of the
program, including supervision of teachers using Wilson, administrative checklists, training options, and
support services.

Since space is limited, you need to pre-register to attend by July 10. You can register for one of these
sessions:

• July 15, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Manhattan CSE (333 7th Ave., 7th floor conference room). E-mail
Maura Hersh at mhersh@schools.nyc.gov to register.

• July 16, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at 1780 Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn. E-mail Sandi Feldman at
sfeldma3@schools.nyc.gov to register.

Go back to the top

P-Credit Course on Theater with English Language Learners

Middle and high schools / Event: July 13-17

Drawing from Lincoln Center Theater’s successful LEAD (Learning English & Drama) project, secondary
teachers of English Language Learners can explore how theater-based lessons for the classroom
can enrich the study of poetry, folklore, and dramatic literature while promoting students’ English language
skills. Video of LEAD Project classroom sessions will be used to demonstrate student learning and
assessment practices. The course meets at Lincoln Center Theater (150 West 65th Street, Manhattan)
from Monday, July 13 to Friday, July 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The course costs $215 ($100
ASPDP course fee and $115 fee for registration and materials). You can register online.

Go back to the top

Hire Technology Interns from CUNY

All schools / Deadline: July 15

College students from the City University of New York (CUNY) are available to assist your school with its
technology needs, from hardware and software installation and maintenance to technical support for your
staff. These interns are working toward degrees in computer-related fields and are screened by both a
program manager at CUNY and a borough technology manager at DIIT.

You can hire an intern for either 14 or 19 hours a week. Participating schools will receive on-site
technology support for 39 weeks of the year, from August 31 through June 30 (excluding school breaks).

8
Hiring an intern for 14 hours a week costs $9,600 (FAMIS # DIIT00001). Hiring an intern for 19 hours a
week costs $12,500 (FAMIS # DIIT00002). After you schedule the appropriate funds in object code 998 in
Galaxy and purchase the service in FAMIS, CUNY will e-mail you a registration form. The deadline to
purchase this service is July 15.

For additional information, please e-mail Colleen.Baldino@mail.cuny.edu or call (212) 652-2862.

Go back to the top

Free Workshop for Administrators on Reading Program for Special Education ELLs
Middle and high schools / Event: July 15

The Office of Special Education Initiatives is offering a free half -day session introducing administrators to
the Reading Instructional Goals for Older Readers (RIGOR) program developed by Dr. Margarita
Calderón. Participants will learn how this program can meet the diverse learning needs of special
education students who are English Language Learners in middle schools and high schools. The
presentation will include actual teachers using the program in special education settings. Participants will
receive a copy of Demystifying Secondary Inclusion: Powerful Schoolwide & Classroom Strategies by
Lisa Dieker.

The workshop will take place on July 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at 101 West End Avenue, in
Manhattan. To register, e-mail Stella Sánchez at ssanche@schools.nyc.gov. Participation is limited to the
first 30 participants who register.

Go back to the top

Administrators Can Register for Free Intro to Fundations

Elementary schools / Deadline: July 15 / Events: July 20 and 23

The Office of Special Education Initiatives is offering a free workshop for administrators who want to find
out more about the Fundations program for grades K-3. The workshop will provide an overview of the
program, including supervision of teachers using Fundations, administrative checklists, training options,
and support services.

Since space is limited, you need to pre-register to attend by July 16. You can register for one of these
sessions:

• July 20, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at PS 48M (4360 Broadway). E-mail Sharon Grunfeld at
sgrunfeld@schools.nyc.gov to register.

• July 23, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at 1780 Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn. E-mail Sandi Feldman at
sfeldma3@schools.nyc.gov to register.

Go back to the top

Receive Group Discount for Renzulli Differentiated Instruction Online Program

All schools / Deadline: July 24

Please note the new deadline.

The Division of Teaching and Learning is offering schools the opportunity to obtain group pricing of $2,800
per school for the Renzulli Differentiated Instruction Online Learning Program. Participating schools will
receive a site license to Renzulli Learning System; online/offsite resources for developing personal
success plans for all students; onsite and offsite training; 24/7 access to online learning modules; access
to reporting tools and accountability metrics; tech skill assessment for teachers and staff; and ongoing
support. For more information about Renzulli, visit www.renzullilearning.com. To participate in the bulk

9
pricing, visit http://tinyurl.com/RLS2009-2010 and place your order through FAMIS (item # 800087100) by
July 24.

In addition, registration is now open for Renzulli’s Confratute, a combined conference, fraternity and
institute geared toward providing educators with strategies for differentiation and enrichment, which will
take place July 20-24 at the University of Connecticut. Hands-on opportunities to learn RLS will be
included.

Go back to the top

Free Workshop for Teachers at Schools That Ordered Fundations This Year
Elementary schools / Event: September 3 or 4

New York City elementary schools that have ordered Fundations materials using 2009-10 core curriculum
funds are eligible to send kindergarten, first, and second grade teachers to attend a free Fundations
workshop offered by Wilson Language Training. The Fundations Introductory Workshop is an essential
first step in supporting your teachers’ implementation of the program.

The workshop is offered on Thursday, September 3 or Friday, September 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
at the Hotel Pennsylvania (401 Seventh Avenue, Manhattan). There is no charge for the workshop (the
fee is waived for schools that purchased Fundations for the 2009-10 school year). Seats are limited, so
register as soon as possible.

Go back to the top

Free Workshop on Hudson’s Quadricentennial

All schools / Event: September 4

The Department of Social Studies invites educators to a free workshop celebrating the Hudson
Quadricentennial. September 12 marks the 400th anniversary of the voyage of Henry Hudson, who led
the first European expedition to sail up the Hudson River. Participants will consider the voyage in the
context of the Age of Exploration, and as the first link between Europe and culture of the Old World and
that of the colony that they would soon build in the New World. Participants will explore a wide variety of
resources to help bring early New York to life in the classroom.

The workshop takes place Friday, September 4 from 8:30 a.m. to12:00 p.m. at the Museum of the City of
New York (1220 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan). A tour of the museum’s exhibits “Amsterdam/New Amsterdam:
The Worlds of Henry Hudson” and “Mannahatta/Manhattan” are included in the workshop. Participants
will receive a copy of “Beyond the Sea of Ice: the Voyages of Henry Hudson.” You should register in
advance at http://pd.nycoit.org (Protraxx activity code 051-10-013-002).

Go back to the top

External Opportunities, Grants and Resources for Students and Educators

All schools

The DOE regularly learns about exciting opportunities, grants, and resources for New York City students
and educators being offered by various external organizations or educational institutions. You can access
a weekly roundup of these opportunities at http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/ExternalOpportunities. This
week’s opportunities include summer fellowship and scholarship opportunities for teachers and students;
an exhibit featuring one of the four remaining copies of the Magna Carta, opening in the fall; a free
summer program in Earth Science for elementary and middle school teachers; Facing History and
Ourselves summer seminars; the National Hispanic Environmental Council’s NYC Minority Youth
Environmental Training Institute in July; a free summer conference on Picturing America; and a summer
institute exploring the African Burial Ground National Monument.

For more information, contact Anita Cassity at acassity@schools.nyc.gov.

10
Go back to the top

11
 Key Dates and Deadlines
June/July 2009
Su M T W Th F S
28 29 30 1 2 3 4
Submit rec for Earliest start Verify course Submit PPR Acuity
principal in date for assignments end-of-year unavailable
charge for summer for Teacher summary (through
summer school Data Reports 7/13)
school programs Submit
change
requests for
NCLB/SED
data
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
No Complete
Principals’ spring
Weekly this compliance
week checklist

Select
computer
service plan
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Complete
verification of
NCLB/SED
and Progress
Report data

Update
bilingual
education
survey in ATS
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Delivery of No
Core Principals’
Curriculum Weekly this
materials week
(through 8/7)

Go back to the top

Contact Us

• By email: PrincipalsNewsletter@schools.nyc.gov
• On the web: http://intranet.nycboe.net/DOEPortal/Principals/PrincipalsWeekly/

12