Enhancing Our Practice 

Following Through With Next Steps...

Last week, embedded PD covered opinion writing and student progression towards completion of an opinion writing piece for cycle 3.  As we move towards student mastery, how are you planning for the following:

• Review exemplars with students each week, comparing the exemplars to the rubric you are using with students
• Allow students time to practice with the rubric, self-assessing their progress and growth needs
• Prepare mini lessons for adding components to writing, editing, and revising
• Leverage technology and have students type their work (as appropriate) this will also help with revisions and multiple drafts

Remember, writing is a process - be sure students have time to learn and grow within this process.

MAP Data Analysis

In PLCs, you worked with resource teachers to analyze your data and set up next steps for planning tier 1 instruction using this data.  As you plan in grade level teams this week use this information to reflect and plan for upcoming learning.

• Review the data for your class - what are strengths and growth areas for particular students
• Use results to plan for tier 1 instruction
• Discuss progress and goal setting with students
• Have students complete the student led conference forms regarding their progress this school year.

Please remember to check the living calendar and daily updates.  

What Does Excellence Mean?

Our north star and way forward is building a culture of excellence.  Excellence means doing our best work and being our best self each day.  Below is a short video on fixed versus growth mindset -- after you view it reflect on your mindset and what you cultivate in students you work with.  Do you provide space for their growth and expect their best work each day?  How is this communicated to students?  How do you communicate the high expectation for learning and having a growth mindset in your classroom?

Embedded PD

Tuesday, 2/20/2018 there will be an embedded PD session (Room 303) during planning for each grade level team -- the purpose is to check on progress with opinion writing (our cycle 3 writing piece).  Be prepared with one of the exemplars you have used to demonstrate a finished product and high quality writing piece, a sample of pre-writing, and the rubric you are using to teach students.

Professional Learning Communities 2/22/2018

You received an email from Mrs. Stith regarding PLCs this week.  We will analyze our MAP data and   in order to be prepared you will need to bring two reports with you.

1.  Class Report
2. Class Breakdown Report

Below is a link to help you find these reports on the NWEA site. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10l4vCzJwGqZsyJVm4PXC9isq-2NncFYAu8_-piylj1U/edit?usp=sharing

Please email Stith if you have any trouble finding the reports.  

Accountability

• Progress reports go home Monday, 2/19
• Intent to Return forms are in your mailboxes (certified teachers), please complete and turn in to Ms. Foster by Friday, 2/23/2018
• Please remember to check the living calendar and daily updates

Have a productive week!

Every Kid Needs A Champion

I'm sure I have shared this video with you before, but it is a great reminder of The Why we do this incredible job.  Please take seven minutes and watch this video as you prepare to bring meaningful instruction and activities to our students this week.

Last week, we celebrated kindness and students displayed leadership throughout the building creating positive posters, reading with younger students, helping one another, and just being kind little people.  It was a great display of students following great examples and having opportunity to show what they can do.

We have had students participating with Amazing Races moving throughout the building, locating clues and solving puzzles that engaged them in learning.

We have students winning contests, digging deeper into their learning, celebrating fluency success, making suggestions, and providing feedback in a short survey.  Our students are primed for learning, we must be EXCITED about teaching  and learning.  The more we enjoy our daily activities, the more students will value and enjoy experiences.  Our students need experience and exposure -- how do we get to the student level and make them the center of our universe?

In The Power of Positive Leadership, Jon Gordon talks about having a north star that guides our work and our organization. Our north star is to build a culture of excellence.  Our vision is for all students to demonstrate academic proficiency, develop individual talents, and display leadership throughout our school and community.  Our mission is to provide rigorous, engaging instruction and remove barriers to learning so students believe in their own ability to achieve success.

Building a culture of excellence involves every person in our building.  It's how we teach, how we supervise, how we clean and take care of our building and materials, it's how we prepare food, celebrate accomplishments, build relationships, and use data for continuous improvement.

Student Led Conferences -- March 6th and 7th 

Please view the video below to see how a kindergarten student facilitates her parent-teacher conference.  Our students will do this.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=student+led+conference+videos&qpvt=student+led+conference+videos&view=detail&mid=911696FE4BC3FFB23F46911696FE4BC3FFB23F46&&FORM=VRDGAR

Dates and Reminders

• See the living calendar and daily updates
• Progress reports (printed from Infinite Campus) will go home Monday, February 19, 2018
• MLK Celebration will be Friday, February 16th.

Be great this week!

The Push Forward

The month of February can be tough with no off days in sight, but this is the perfect time to push students to proficiency.  With consecutive days of learning, we have opportunity to celebrate student growth, set goals, and outline the strategies to reach individual, class, and school-wide goals.

Mr. Tomanic is showing fourth and fifth grade students how to access the student portal in Infinite Campus so they can view their grades in progress, to further promote ownership in their learning.

Recently, we have updated some technology in classrooms, providing five Chromebooks to each second grade class and each K-1 class has six tablets (iPads and Nooks).  With this, each student is able to use iRead each day for at least 20 minutes.  We will continue to update technology.  Please ensure you are setting daily expectations for taking care of equipment and that you have a clear, consistent plan for assigning devices and locking them away when not in use.

Kindness Week

This week, we are celebrating Kindness Week at King Elementary.  Thank you to Mrs. Holloway for sharing information and thanks to Mrs. Lamb and Mrs. Schuhmann for putting together the presentation for the morning meeting and planning activities for the week.  Please remember, we are the model, show kindness daily to all.

Monday - everyone wear bright colors like yellow and orange so we can shine bright for kindness 

Tuesday - dress up like your grandma or grandpa to show that we are never too old for kindness 

Wednesday - I‘m Crazy for Kindness Day. You can wear mismatched clothes to show that you are Crazy for Kindness

Thursday - everyone should wear their favorite sports attire to show that we are on team kindness

Friday - everyone can wear their pajamas to show that we are all dreaming of kindness 

***Tuesday and Thursday themes were switched to accommodate the circus field trip

Faculty Meeting -- Room 311

• National Teacher Associates will discuss optional insurance benefits -- first ten minutes
• Committees

• Next Tuesday 2/13 -- We will not have faculty meeting.

PLCs

• Most classes will go to the circus Thursday, so on Tuesday each team will meet with Dr. Parks for the first 15 minutes of planning to review your classroom management plans and alignment to school-wide expectations.

• Next Tuesday, 2/13, Dr. Kent will do an embedded PD session during planning time to discuss three MAP reports and using this information to plan tier I instruction.

• Next Thursday 2/15, we will have PLCs as we normally do in room 104.

Dates & Reminders

Please remember to check the Living Calendar and Daily Updates

**Valentine's Day celebrations should be held on Wednesday, 2/14**

District Staffing dates for your information...

• Teacher transfer application window closes March 22nd
• March 1st -- hiring freeze on non-administrative positions
• March 18 - April 18th -- Classified employee transfer application window
• March 28th - Prior school year transfer list closes
• June 1st - Teacher overstaff placement begins