Staff Update

Monday, January 4th - Friday, January 8th, 2016

Week at Glance

Monday, January 4th, 2016


  • Sara is back in the Music Studio!
  • We're back from break! Happy New Year!


Tuesday, January 5th, 2016


  • 8:30AM-9:30M: School Tour for Prospective Families


Wednesday, January 6th, 2016


  • Kindergarten Speech Screenings (pre-selected children with family permission only)
  • 8:20AM-9:00AM: Community Gathering in the Gym (with Sara! Yay!)
  • 12:00-12:45PM: Monthly Attendance Meeting (Learning Supports Team and Co-Directors)
  • 1:15PM-5::45PM: Weekly Professional Development and Planning


Thursday, January 7th, 2016


  • 8:20AM-9:20AM: First Grade CST
  • 7:00PM-8:00PM: FSC Leadership Board Meeting


Friday, January 8th, 2016


  • Oak Class to American Museum of Natural History


Saturday, January 9th, 2016


  • 3:00PM: First Ever Compass Movie Night in the Cafeteria (The Lego Movie)

This Week's Events

Thursday Meetings with the Learning Supports Team

Save the Date! Every Thursday (when you don't have a CST!), the Learning Supports team (Amanda, Elizabeth, Lila) is available to meet with classroom co-teachers and/or grade level teams on specific students or concerns (that don't come up in a CST or grade level planning meeting). Please send us an e-mail by Monday of the week you'd like to meet so we can arrange our schedules accordingly.

Professional Development/Planning Schedule for Wednesday

Wednesday, January 6th, 2016


1:15-1:45: All Staff Check-In

1:45-2:50: Professional Development Session: Reflecting on, refining, and documenting Integrated Units from first part of the school year

2:50-3:00: Break

3:00-5:15: Grade Level Planning

  • Please update your planning agenda by Monday afternoon in order for Brooke, Michelle, and Kirsten to plan ahead for meetings.

Next Week's Events

Studio in a School Planning Meetings on 1/11 (K and 2nd only)
  • Studio Sara will be here on Monday, January 11th for planning meetings for our next cycle of Studio in a School. This semester she will work with kindergarten and second grade. Please plan to meet with Sara during your prep on Monday, January 11th.
  • Second grade will meet at 9:30 in the Pine Classroom
  • Kindergarten will meet at 11:15 in the Gingko Classroom
  • Studio in a school sessions will begin again on Monday, 1/25.


VTS Observation Day on 1/14


  • Gretchen from VTS will be here all day on 1/14. She will spend time observing in each classroom during a VTS session. At this point in the school year you should be around lesson 4. Please try to do a VTS lesson this coming week if you are not yet to this lesson.
  • If you have a preference for a time for Gretchen to come observe in your room, please email Brooke by Wednesday.
  • Each teacher will have a chance to lead a VTS lesson and then have a quick debrief/coaching session with Gretchen directly after.

New and Improved PLC Schedule

All three PLCs met briefly before break and we decided on a new schedule for our meetings. Each group also had a quick chat about their work moving forward. Some groups are working more as book clubs, some are working on specific projects, and some are still working out their plans. If you are still interested in joining a PLC, but did not come to this meeting, you are still welcome to join! If you want to talk to someone about a specific PLC to get more info, please reach out to one or more of the PLC members listed below.


PLCs will meet every third Tuesday during the morning recess and snack time (45 minute meetings from 10:30-11:15). We will rotate groups each week and will provide coverage to classes as needed for recess and snack time. Please let Brooke know if you plan to join a PLC so we can work out coverage for the meetings. Please see the schedule below for this month.


1/12/16: Diversity and Inclusion PLC

1/19/16: Play as a Vehicle for Learning PLC

1/26/16: Investigating Progressive Education PLC


PLC Groups and Members

Diversity and Inclusion: Amanda, Shawn, Kirsten, Sara, Paul, Michelle

Play as a Vehicle for Learning: Teressa, Brian, Anna, Brooke

Investigating Progressive Education: Lila, Elizabeth, Sivanne

Announcements

First Ever Compass Movie Night (Afternoon)!

Saturday, Jan. 9th, 3pm

Cafeteria

We're excited to announce the first ever Compass Family Movie Night!

The kids have voted on watching The Lego Movie.

Join us in the cafeteria on Saturday, January 9, 3pm.

We will provide snacks.

Feel free to bring pillows or blankets for kids to sit on.
Get Directions

Interesting Events and Reads

Lots of interesting reads this time of year!


Also, I'm a member of Teaching Beyond the Square and am planning to go to this "Teacher as Researcher" Symposium on 1/13. Let me know if you're interested in coming along.