Weekly Staff Letter
November 11th - November 16th
What Teachers Make (3 min Video)
District PD: November 11th (Assessment Part 1 - Literacy)
I. Measurement Topics and Proficiency Scales
II. Classroom Assessment
III. Reporting and Grading
Learning Targets for November 11th:
LT 1: Understands the advantage of using a Proficiency Scale versus current grading practices.
LT 2: Understand how to create valid, reliable, unidimensional assessments using Proficiency Scales. Understand why behavior and academics have separate Proficiency Scales.
LT 3: Is skilled at generating current summative scores by examining the mounting evidence in Empower and accurately logging the summative score in Empower.
Week at a Glance:
Monday, November 11th:
8:00 - District PD @ GVHS
Leadership Team will meet during lunch on this day.
- As always the Leadership Agenda (GVHS)/ Notes are open for all to view or check back on.
Tuesday, November 12th:
9:36 - CMC Application Workshop in Career Center
4:30 - Winter Sports Coaches Meeting
Wednesday, November 13th:
9:36 - Sophomore Class Meeting-JOSTEN’S (Cardinal Hall)
9:56 - Senior Class Meeting-JOSTEN’S (Cardinal Hall)
Thursday, November 14th: (No Access or Opportunity today)
9:36 - 10:26 - All-School "Healthy Kids Survey" (Students need their Chromebooks)
Friday, November 15th:
STAFF TO DO:
- We are doing a minimum of 1 responsibility grade and 1 content grade per week. 24 total grades minimum for the semester should be entered by Thursday before 12:00.
- Keep up the great work on positive phone calls home. Some of you have already seen the positive effects this has on students.
The Anatomy of a Positive Phone Call Home
A positive phone call home doesn’t have to contain over-the-top praise in order to be effective. It only takes a few minutes to do, start to finish, and can reap significant rewards. Just follow this basic formula:
Identify yourself:
Start by telling them who you are. It’s likely they saw the school’s name and/or number on their caller ID, but it never hurts to introduce yourself.
Immediately assure the parent you are not calling for a negative reason:
Most parents’ first reaction will be to assume something is wrong. Tell them straight away that no one is hurt, sick, or in trouble.
Tell them the good news:
This is where you tell them, very specifically, what positive behavior you have noticed in their child. Anything from politeness to kindness to hard work is fair game for your praise.
Resist the temptation to talk about challenges:
Even if you are dealing with negative behavior from this student, this is not the time to address it.
Thank them for their time:
Make the phone call brief and to the point. You want to leave the parent with a positive feeling. Thank them for their time and end the call.
Building Strong Parent-Teacher Relationships
Parents who have never received positive feedback about their child might be astounded to receive such a call. The simple act of a positive phone call can help them to refocus their view of their child in relation to school. It can also help change the dynamic of the school-home connection.
Parents who receive positive feedback from teachers feel they have an ally at school. If they feel the teacher sees the good qualities of their child, they may be more comfortable reaching out to that teacher when they have concerns instead of going straight to your administration. This communication between parent and teacher benefits the student in many ways.
Any time is a good time to make a positive phone call home!
Dave's Schedule
Monday: At GVHS
Tuesday: At GVHS
Wednesday: At GVHS
Thursday: WSL Meeting / State VB
Friday: State VB
Kelly's Schedule
Monday: At GVHS
Tuesday: At GVHS
Wednesday: 7:30-3:30 District Admin Meeting
Thursday: At GVHS
Friday: At GVHS