Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Ponytail & Glasses

It's nose-to-the-grindstone time here! I'm sporting a very unglamorous ponytail & my glasses M-F this week because we (the SpEd team) are wrapping up the end-of-year paperwork with an internal audit on Friday!

I've known about this for awhile and have been trying to chip away at the MASSIVE amount of paperwork sitting on my desk & in the back of my mind.

I made a spreadsheet in cheery orange:

(don't be jealous!)

I've set up all sorts of incentive plans for myself...for every 45 minutes of paperwork, I allow myself a 15 minute break to check FB, read blogs, pinterest, etc. Then it's back to  business for another 45. I picked up Fifty Shades of Grey and my favorite fitness mags to read after I finish ALL of it.

 I'm also thinking about how I can make this bane of my existence task both easier and more meaningful for next school year. I've started putting together organizational binders & collaborating with my teammates to create useful templates, checklists, etc.  I just know there's a better way & we will find it!

If you're a master of school paperwork,  or a TPT seller with a great organizational kit,
please leave a comment & share!

My 15 minutes are already up...C'MON FRIDAY (5 pm) !



UPDATED 6/6/12 - check out this progress!!!


Please notice all the new check marks  :)



4 comments:

  1. Wow - thanks for all the great ideas!
    Our school uses Outlook, so I will definitely be putting in all the dates before the new school year begins.
    I LOVE the idea of overscheduling - I haven't done it yet, but I know that strategy really works well.
    Another thing I've been starting to put together is banks of IEP goals & objectives based on C.C. standards, as well as verbiage for our quarterly progress reports. I know I won't be using them "as is" for any future students, but this will certainly help me as I'm writing report #42!
    I really appreciate your response - thanks again!

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  2. What exactly is on the checklist? I made a checklist for annual reviews. I have an accordian file for all my annual review paperwork with students name on tabs. I give teachers incentive to turn in CBA's quick. But my biggest thing is starting early! I use a calendar too to plan my year. The main thing I do is when I start an IEP I like to finish it in the same day. I usually come in on Sunday's with a coworker and we work through them together bouncing questions off each other. Great ideas!
    Alana
    Special Teaching in the Middle

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  3. This checklist is mostly for the housekeeping of our files. We wrapped up the majority of our IEP mtgs by May 1st, so luckily that's all done!!
    We also do indirect consults to the general educators, communication logs, third party billing, daily teaching logs, getting teachers' IEP binders ready for next year, etc. These are the tasks that seem to stack up & feel like they could benefit from being streamlined. Lots of initials, copies. hole-punching...not difficult by any means.
    Thanks again for the responses - I love hearing the tips!

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  4. Okay! I will never complain about my caseload anymore! You have so much more to do than I do. I have 11 kids on my caseload and during annual reviews it is a lot to do, but your's seems so much more than mine. Bless your heart!

    ReplyDelete