Blog Archives

Spring Book Fair

4/30/2015

Book Fair Notes for Teachers

The Spring Book Fair is coming! I know the kids will be excited, here are a few notes to help:

Book Fair is May 18 -22

Special Family Night Event, with the Choral Concert on May 21, 5:30-7:30pm
o   Please advertise this with your families. This is a fundraiser that benefits Malvern, so buying books here helps our school.
o   All students who come Thursday night will be entered in a contest to win BOOKS!
o   Teachers are encouraged to attend this event as well!

Schedule of Class Visits
o Students will NOT have a preview day for Book Fair this time, please make your students aware that when they come they should bring MONEY the first time. Your class has one scheduled time to visit the book fair. Of course students who forget their money will be encouraged to create a wish list and allowed to return with money the next day or with their family to our family events.
View Schedule here

Open hours for SHOPPING
o   Teachers are welcome to shop before, during or after school any day of the week Monday – Friday Buy 3 get 1 free IS in effect for this book fair!!
o   The book fair will NOT be open for students until 8:15am. Please do not allow students to visit in the morning BEFORE 8:15.
o If you have a student who forgot their money on their scheduled day, they may come the next day when you decide is best for your schedule. I strongly encourage you to send students between 1-2pm, when we will have the most free time to help these students. Please send 2-4 students at a time, and ONLY those who have money.
o The Book Fair will also be completely open on Field Day, Friday May 22nd for families or students to shop. Again, please send 2-4 students at a time, and ONLY those who have money.

You or Parents can shop ONLINE instead of coming to the school, and it still supports Malvern. The link can be found on the Malvern Learning Common’s Website OR it is:
http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/malvernelementaryschool2

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Spring Map Testing

4/28/2015

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Map Testing will take place at
Malvern May 4 - 26

During this time the computer lab will NOT operate on its normal schedule. The computer lab will be closed and only open to those teachers scheduled for Map Testing. The normal schedule will resume on May 27th.

The library will also have testing taking place for several days during this time. Several class book checkout times WILL be rescheduled to accommodate the testing schedule.

MAP Deadlines

Before first MAP test:
Login to your account, and assign your students the Reading, Math and Science Tests.
On test day: Come in prepared to do your best. Please do your best to be prompt. I will make every attempt to have computers running and fully functional. Students will need to open the MAP Program, while you login to the administration site and launch the test. PLEASE ENSURE YOU SELECT THE CORRECT TEST. You will need to find your Saved Test Sessions and press Test Now.
Make the session name and password visible to students.
They will then select their name and test, and confirm. You will need to confirm students as they login on the administration site.
After the test: Make sure you checkout the Map Reports, Class Reports and the Learning Continuum. New teachers should discuss and explore these reports with their mentor and teams are encouraged to explore and discuss best practices.

Important MAP Information

MAP Testing Schedule

Don't remember your password?
Go to https://mckinneyisd-admin.mapnwea.org
Log in with your current MISD e-mail
Click on "forgot password"
A temporary password will be e-mailed to you.

Need Help?
Login to the MAP system using the link above and click on HELP.
OR post your question on our discussion board for other Malvern Teachers.

Have a resource, tip or idea to share with other teachers?
Please share on by adding a comment on this discussion page!

Map Resources

Understanding and Using the Reports

How to Administer Tests: Video Tutorials

Setting up a Testing Session

Test My Class Option

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Preparing for New Computers

4/1/2015

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Congratulations! Your new MacBook is on its way!

These should be ready for you to pick up by April 6 (and no this is no April Fools joke!). However before you can pick up your new laptop you need to prepare to give up the old one. Please be aware that you will probably never see that computer again, it may be wiped or handed to someone else in its future life. Please complete the following before turning in your laptop:

Backup all files. The district provides you with Google Drive for this purpose. You can upload all of your files here if you like. You can upload using Drive.Google.com or if you have installed Google Drive on your computer you can drag all of your files into this folder. Any questions about backing up, your MRS is happy to help.
BEWARE: Please double and triple check to make sure that ALL files upload. This can be very time consuming if you have a lot of files, or large files, or both. Anytime you close the computer, or it loses connection, this may cause files to not sync properly. Before you delete anything or turn in the computer it is suggested that you double check that you can see and access each file using a DIFFERENT computer and visiting your Google Drive (drive.google.com).
How to make sure it is synced:  This is the most important part of using Google Drive. Just because you dragged your files to the Google Drive does not mean that they are backed up. Look at the VERY top right on your computer screen. Do you see Google Drive’s triangle icon? Pull that down. Does it say Sync complete or return an error? If there is an error you need to make sure that you are signed in correctly and all files sync with the web. I suggest visiting Drive.Google.com, can you see the files online? If not something is not right. Video Directions: http://youtu.be/gj-TGlPntrY
If you would like to delete your files from the Google Drive folder in your Finder, please first watch this video and head its warnings! http://youtu.be/JrTzRk5fE3k

Note: You may also backup your files to external hard drives, usb drives, other services like Dropbox, however these are not district provided (or funded).
Backup all other files, settings and misc. items:
Outlook: If you have any personalized settings in Outlook (groups, etc.) or addresses in your address book you may want to create a backup of your Outlook and move this to your Google Drive (or the special external drive or service you have selected to use to backup ALL of your files). Directions on how to do this(select the first option “Backup using Export Feature”): http://recover-email.blogspot.com/2012/10/how-to-back-up-outlook-2011-for-mac.html

iPhoto: Many of us have priceless images that we do not want to lose, all stored in iPhoto. Make sure that you back up your photos! These are irreplaceable and I would not want you to lose them. Directions: http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/01/25/how-to-safely-move-your-macs-iphoto-library-onto-an-external-drive DRAG TO YOUR GOOGLE DRIVE (or the special external drive or service you have selected to use to backup ALL of your files).

Bookmarks: Have you saved your favorite sites to Chrome, Safari or Firefox? If so you may want to back this application up and DRAG TO YOUR GOOGLE DRIVE (or the special external drive or service you have selected to use to backup ALL of your files). If you have been using Chrome and you are signed in, your bookmarks and settings will automatically sync with your new computer. However if you have been using Chrome without signing in, or Safari or Firefox: please use these directions:
Chrome: http://askthecomputerlady.com/questions/2012/01/how-to-backup-chrome-bookmarks/
Safari: http://macs.about.com/od/usingyourmac/qt/safari-bookmarks-backup.htm
Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1022134 or http://smallbusiness.chron.com/transferring-firefox-bookmarks-new-mac-using-external-hard-drive-35878.html

ALL of your files?? Are you sure? If you open the finder (the two faced box at the bottom left on your dock) do you see all of the folders? Have you backed these ALL up? Are you sure? Do you see Pictures, Music and Movies on that list? If not you may want to Click on the Finder menu --> Preferences and then make sure that all of the folders are checked under Favorites. Close that and go back, backup any missed files to GOOGLE DRIVE (or the special external drive or service you have selected to use to backup ALL of your files).
Make sure you know your passwords! Do you have all of your passwords just automatically saved on your old computer? Are you about to turn in that computer? If this is true for you……you may want to take some time to make sure you KNOW each of these for your NEW COMPUTER :-) Here are a few hints to help:

Saved passwords in Chrome:
1. Click the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar.
2. Select Settings.
3. Click Show advanced settings.
4. Click Manage saved passwords.
5. This will show you each website that you have told Chrome to save your passwords to, your username but only how many characters are in your password…..but it is a start.
Saved passwords in Safari:
1. Open Safari
2. On the top Safari Menu click on Preferences
3. Click on Passwords (icon KEY)
4. Find the list websites and passwords, hidden by asterisk, that are saved by the system.
5. Highlight the website you want the password for and check box below Show passwords for selected websites. It will ask for your computer's main password.
Please deauthorize iTunes. You may have authorized that computer to use iTunes or turned on “Find my Mac”.............but you do not want to continue to keep track of that exact computer any longer and it should be deauthorized.

Open iTunes
Click on STORE (top menu bar)
Select Deauthorize this computer
Click on STORE again
Select Sign Out

At time of turn in you will be asked to check AGAIN to ensure that all files are backed up, iTunes is cleared. When you are ready you may click on Logout and hand that computer to the MRS.

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Spring Book Fair

Spring Map Testing

Preparing for New Computers

Susan Hefley

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