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BGE Principal’s Newsletter kelli.mcdonald@houstonisd.org Vol. 1 No. 20 Dec. 18, 2020

Briargrove Elementary School An International Baccalaureate World School

Kelli McDonald

Principal

Tari Shaw

Communications

Greg Coker

Communications

Happy Holidays, Briargrove!

Leadership and faculty spent the last 8 weeks of 2020 learning to deliver instruction in a way it that has never ever been tried before. This week, we hosted experts from schools and departments all over HISD for instructional rounds. We observed some great things happening on campus and some things we can tweak to

improve the delivery of instruction and mastery of concepts.

As life-long learners and true IB Scholars, we could not leave for Break before reflecting on our experience by

asking those 2 big questions: What is working well? and What can we do better? As a result, you can expect some changes in the way instruction is delivered when students return January 4, 2021. Not all changes will

take effect across all grade levels on January 4, but we are committed to making in person learning resemble traditional learning as closely as possible, as soon as possible, while maintaining the safety of our students and

staff.

GT parents, look for your invitation to grade level Parent Meetings the week we return from Winter Break. We will discuss GEPs, state and campus delivery plans and more. We are excited to visit with you about what GT

looks like at Briargrove!

From all of us here on campus, we wish you and yours a safe, healthy, and happy Holiday Season!

Love those Roadrunners!

Ms. Mc

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Ready for vacation

1st grade learning

Diwali dance moves

All aboard Ms. Wendler’s

Polar Express

5th grade students

picking up holiday gifts.

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Have a great and safe winter break!

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Briargrove Links: • Briargrove’s Instructional Continuity Plan: https://www.houstonisd.org/Page/183485

• BGE Website: https://www.houstonisd.org/briargrovees

• PTO Website: https://www.bgepto.org/

• Briargrove Communications Policy • Briargrove is IB

• G/T at Briargrove

HISD Links: ▪ Communicable Disease Plan (CDP): https://www.houstonisd.org/Reopening

▪ Covid-19 Health Alerts: https://www.houstonisd.org/healthalerts ▪ Student Email Accounts: how to access student email ▪ HISD Connect Parent Portal: https://www.houstonisd.org/psc

IMPORTANT

REMINDERS

Parents, we need your help complying with carpool procedures

In-person drop off is at 7:10. Parents are arriving late, and students are not prepared to exit the vehicle. Lots of

lost time fumbling with winter gear, backpacks, and masks. Students need to be in their desks by 7:30.

Calendar

Kwanzaa Dec. 26-Jan 1 Christmas Day Dec 25 Winter Break Dec 21-Jan 1 Back to school Jan. 4

School Hours

Monday – Friday

7:30 a.m. - 2:55 p.m.

• 7:10 a.m. Doors Open

• 7:30 a.m. Tardy Bell Rings

• 2:55 p.m. Dismissal

Just Click & Go

Covid-19 Precautions Remain in Full Force and Effect

Please observe ALL Covid-19 precautions. The following are just a few key precautions:

• Students must always wear a proper mask. Lunch and

recess are the ONLY exceptions. Violation of this safety precaution puts everyone at risk. A student who repeatedly removes his/her mask will be sent home for virtual instruction for the remainder of the grading period.

• No visitors to campus.

No items delivered. This includes food. Breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner are provided daily.

Please be advised that HISD has updated quarantine guidelines to be in alignment with CDC

guidelines for quarantine.

• Exposed to a Confirmed Positive or Presumed Positive COVID-19 case, there are two additional options for how long quarantine should last for exposed people without symptoms:

o Completion of self-quarantine for 10 days o Completion of self-quarantine for 7 days and a negative COVID-19 test result taken on or after day 5 from

exposure date. If negative, may return on day 8. o After stopping quarantine, people should:

▪ Watch for symptoms until 14 days after last exposure date.

▪ If symptoms develop, self-isolate and contact their school nurse/supervisor or healthcare provider.

Safety first! Please remember morning drop-off is at 7:10. Our crossing guards, police officers, and carpool team must leave their morning post at 7:25. After 7:25, there is no adult on duty outside. It is not safe to drop your student at the curb. If you arrive after 7:25, ple ase park, walk your student to the front door, and wait with your student until someone opens the door and scans temperature. We ask that you wait with your student because students who arrive with fever cannot enter the building. A parent or guardian must be in attendance to take the student home for quar antine. We are keen to

keep everyone safe and healthy. Thank you for your continued cooperation!

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Hello Briargrove family!

We are on our last rotation for our Holidays Around the World and we are concluding our Unit of Inquiry by

reflecting on our central idea: We express our beliefs through holiday traditions.

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What is “Gifted and Talented” (G/T)?

The state of Texas defines a Gifted and Talented student as a student who performs at or shows the potential for performing a t a

remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who: (1) exhibits

high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area; (2) possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or (3) excels in

a specific academic field.

What does the GT Service Design look like at BG?

In 2020-2021 Briargrove has shifted from a pull-out model to a full-inclusion model aligned with IB.

What is a full inclusion model?

GT students are clustered in the regular classroom with opportunities to work together as a group, work with other students,

and work independently during the school day throughout the entire school year.

What kind of work will GT students complete?

A continuum of learning experiences that lead to the development of advanced-level products. This array of learning

opportunities is to commensurate with the abilities of G/T students and emphasize content in the core academic areas, as

well as the areas of creativity, the arts, and leadership. Teachers will create learning opportunities based on the Renzulli

Profiler learning modalities and the GEP.

What are Gifted Education Plans (GEPs)?

A GEP is a written statement for each student that includes:

1. A statement of the student’s present levels of academic achievement;

2. A description of how the student’s education shall be differentiated based on GT identifications results and past academic

performance; and

3. A statement of the curricular modifications or supports for the school personnel that shall be provided for the student.

How can I find my child’s GEP?

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the district extended GEP completion to January 29th. Parents will have access to the plans in

HISD Connect upon finalization.

What is the Renzulli Profiler?

What is the Renzulli Profiler? The Renzulli Profiler quickly identifies student strengths, interests, learning and expression styles, and then matches each student with thousands of personalized engaging enrichment activities. Teachers will use the information from the profiler to create and implement GEPs and differentiated instruction. Resource: https://www.houstonisd.org/Page/181060

BRIARGROVE ELEMENTARY

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How does International Baccalaureate (IB) align with GT service delivery?

IB is a curriculum framework that helps students build conceptual understandings. The Primary Years Program (PYP)

begins with the premise that students have choice, voice, and ownership in their learning process. In each Unit of Inquiry

(UOI) students are tasked to explore the central idea through meaningful activities, questioning, and a project-based

assessment. By learning through inquiry and reflecting on their own learning, PYP students develop knowledge, skills, and

the attributes of the IB Learner profile.

What is the Great Thinkers Expo? Opportunity for GT Scholars to showcase their projects and have an authentic audience.

Briargrove support for GT?

• G/T students will participate in the Great Thinkers Expo.

• G/T small groups will be scheduled once a week. This time will be utilized to extend whole group learning

objectives, provide feedback on previously assigned tasks, and direct student inquiries.

• In addition to meeting with the teacher once a week, G/T students may elect to work with like-minded peers.

• Teachers will meet with G/T parents once a semester to discuss child’s progress and development; per HISD/TEA

guidelines.

• Teachers will maintain G/T compliance and attend professional learning as needed; per HISD/TEA guidelines.

• Teachers will collaborate w/G/T Coordinator, IB Coordinator, and/or Instructional Coordinator as needed.

Leadership and classroom teachers, and specialists will ensure G/T students have agency: opportunities to express voice,

choice, and independence.

Parent Resources

• Houston ISD GT Website: https://www.houstonisd.org/GT

• Houston ISD GT Twitter: https://twitter.com/HoustonISD_GT

• Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT)

o The Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT) is an organization of educators and parents

dedicated to meeting the unique needs of Gifted and Talented students. TAGT promotes the awareness of

the unique social, emotional, and intellectual needs of Gifted and Talented students in an effort to ensure

that they are provided appropriate educational services. TAGT is a state organization that offers

scholarships, a list of summer programs, and conferences.

o www.txgifted.org

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• National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)

o The National Association for Gifted Children is an organization of educators and parents dedicated to

meeting the unique needs of Gifted and Talented students. NAGC is a national organization that offers

informational resources.

o www.nagc.org

• Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG)

o SENG is dedicated to fostering environments in which gifted adults and children, in all their diversity,

understand and accept themselves and are understood, valued, nurtured, and supported by their families,

schools, workplaces, and communities. SENG is an organization of psychologists and specialists in Gifted

Education that offers many resources for parents.

o www.sengifted.org

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