Wednesday Words
January 16- January 23, 2019
Nurture-Personalize-Engage-Succeed
New Prospect Elementary School Staff Notes
Staff Spotlight: Rafael Jordan
ACTION ITEMS:
1. Turn in nominations for Teacher and Professional of the Year! (Due Friday)
2. Screen certain students on Fastbridge aReading and aMath (see email from McLeod)
3. Continue with BAS testing
Staff Birthdays!
January 16th- Suzie Portnoy
January 18th-Brooke Maurer
January 21st-Robin Hubble
January 23rd-Cindy Heibel
January 25th-Heather Alterman
January 25th-Susan Messina
January 26th-Becca McGowan
UPCOMING EVENTS
January 16th-#onealpharetta Balance Night
January 18th Teacher and Professional of the Year Nominations Due (See last week's WW for links)
January 21st-No School-Holiday
January 25th Jump Rope for Heart Assemblies (Info. below)
January 25th BAS Complete
January 25th-26th-School Play (Friday 7:30, Saturday 7:00)
February 4th-RFF Day (Schedule is coming)
Curriculum Corner
Essentially the terms borrow and carry are not accurate because you are not getting the same thing back. For example if I borrow $5 from you...you should get $5 back right? That is not how we use those words.
This is especially confusing for ESOL students because that vocabulary means something different in different contexts.
How do we fix? Trade, regroup and exchange refer to the action that is happening. It takes the focus to the place value level and accurately describes what is happening not only when using manipulatives for the concrete representation but also when students learn how to solve the math problems abstractly.
Make sense?
- Amy
Social Studies Resources Adoption!
YOU can go look at these resources and review/vote on what you would like from Jan. 18-Feb. 22 after school.
Located at the North Learning Community, Creekview Elementary, and State Bridge Crossing Elementary.
Please try to go with your team to have a say in what resources we receive! We will probably have these resources for another 10 years. :)
From the Media Center
Cecilia will be offering push-in classroom help to support you. Some examples are:
- Novell Engineering lessons that incorporate problem solving, higher-level thinking with picture books and technology. These will involve a two-part lesson (maybe one in the media center and one in the classroom).
- Picture Perfect Science Lessons that demonstrate science through picture books.
- Introducing or highlighting web-based resources, reading stories, helping with Makerspace activites, small group/whole group projects, or just to have another set of eyes/ears/hands in the class during a specific lesson.
Our Admin team will be setting up an Outlook calendar so that teachers can sign up for push-in support, which will be offered during the first two weeks of every month. The second two week period will be for class sign-up for check-out in the Media Center. When you sign up, please email Cecilia.
Reminder… because the Media schedule is flexible, you can send students with Media Passes to check out any time during the day, 7:10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., except during Brain Building lessons.
Six Flags Reading program: When students turn in their reading logs, please forward them to me. Students must read 6 hours to earn a FREE Six Flags ticket. If your students need forms, send them to the media center for one. They should turn in completed forms by 2/16. There is still plenty of time to accomplish this goal!
iReady Diagnostic
This can provide you with some great data to see how your kids have progressed so far this year!
If you need help looking at your current data and how your kids are progressing through their work, I am here to help! - Diana Z
Jump Rope for Heart Assemblies
Our Jump Rope for Heart assemblies will take place on January 25. Please see below for times. If your class is meant to be in Specials during the assembly time, the Specials teachers will supervise your students. Otherwise, you will need to attend with your class.
8:30-9:15 (Presentation for 5, 2, 1)
9:30- 10:15 ( Presentation for 4, 3, K)
5th grade teachers come in to watch their students at 8:30. Specials will watch 2nd grade during the 8:30 presentation. Specials will watch 3rd grade during their 9:30 presentation.
Tech Tips from the Vanguard Team
Jigsaw Planet
Looking for a fun way to hook your learners at the beginning of a lesson? Jigsaw Planet is a website where teachers can create a digital jigsaw puzzle for students to solve. You can browse the site’s immense library of puzzles that have already been created, or you can upload any picture you would like and make your own. You can choose the difficulty of the puzzle (number of pieces), as well as piece shape to suit the needs of your class. This is a fun way to build engagement and excitement as students start to guess what your lesson topic for the day will be! This is a great tool for teachers who are 1:1 with devices. All you have to do is share the puzzle link with your students and let them go.
Want to learn more? Diana Anderson can help.
January is Gifted Education Month in Georgia
As we focus on growth mindsets at NPES, please consider this:
Mindsets matter for all students, but there are some additional considerations for what this powerful idea means for gifted students. Many of our TAG students often do not have to persevere through a challenge or work hard until they reach college or graduate school. Some may develop fixed mindsets and avoid challenging tasks—especially those with perfectionistic tendencies or those who like to stay in their comfort zone. And, while one child’s comfort zone may be above grade level and appear “challenging,” based on what the student is actually capable of, it may not be “challenging” enough for that student to make continual progress.
When students are not challenged, this could set the stage for fixed mindset beliefs to develop. Students that are not used to hard work may avoid persevering through difficult tasks and intellectual risk-taking when they are finally faced with such challenges.
Thank you for continuing to challenge our gifted students. If the TAG team can support you as you work with these students in your classroom, please reach out to us.
To read "Mindsets Matters for Gifted Children," visit:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0iqhh3588czjt2j/Mindsets%20Matter.pdf?dl=0
Makerspace 101 by our SWAT Team
Jan. 17th at the Makerspace Area
Hyperdocs by Suzanne Petersen
HyperDocs, transformative and interactive, can replace the worksheet method of delivering instruction. With strong educational philosophies built into each one, HyperDocs have the potential to shift the way you instruct with technology. Come learn tips and tricks for creating a HyperDoc of your own!
Jan. 23rd in the Design Lab
Gimkit by Kelly Beasley
Do you love using Kahoot or Quizizz? Gimkit is a interactive game show for the classroom that requires knowledge, possible collaboration, and strategy to win. Gimkit allows your students to answer questions at their own pace, earn $$$, and buy updates to get more “money”. Come learn how you can make Gimkit a crowd pleaser in your classroom today and stand back watch the fun!
Jan. 31st in Ms. Beasley's Room