Richmond Elementary Staff Bulletin
Making a difference today to create a better tomorrow.
December 4-8, 2017
I BELIEVE you matter!!
I Believe in Keeping Our Day
We believe in you matter, we believe in relationships, we believe in helping others be successful, and we believe in living above the line. This month, our focus combines these Top 20 facets with Keeping Our Day. Each of us has strong beliefs and positive values regarding our influence on students, including maintaining personal dignity, providing a positive role model, and treating children with respect. Keeping our day reminds us that even in times Below the Line, we need to strive to display those values. We can effectively do this by taking the time to ask for feedback, listening openly and non-judgmentally, expressing thanks, and deciding whether or not to deposit the feedback into our emotional bank accounts. Top 20s do not allow those Below the Line moments to become part of our emotional bank accounts and take our day. We are given 86,400 seconds each day. Focus on the positive within those seconds. Find the good. Be the change you want to see in the world so Below the Line moments cannot be repeated. Invest the time you are given so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success.
RICHMOND RECOGNITION
To Carrie, for organizing the donated art supplies and turning them into an important part of upcoming holiday celebrations for all Richmond Elementary students and staff. Carrie also donated paint supplies to assist in the projects. Thank you for making a difference today to create a better tomorrow!
First 6 Weeks: Maintenance
The first six weeks of school were focused on establishing rituals and routines for our school. We will continue to teach and practice these behaviors throughout the school year, and now, as we look forward to the season of joy. "As educators, we have the responsibility to educate and inspire the whole child—mind, heart, and soul... we can put more joy into students' experience of going to school and get more joy out of working inside one," quotes author Steve Wolk in the article linked here "Joy in School". I agree with Wolk, who believes that many of our greatest joys in life are related to our learning. To assist us in helping our students find joy in learning, he offers these reminders:
- Find the pleasure in learning
- Give students choice
- Let students create things
- Show off student work
- Take time to tinker
- Make school spaces exciting
- Get outside
- Read good books
- Offer more gym and art classes
- Transform assessment
- Have some fun together.
Reading is Our Super Power!
As we work toward achieving our WBWF Reading Goals, I shared the following resource in our parent monthly newsletter. Please check the link to access resources from PreK through high school. Information from the Kindergarten Roadmap is noted below; it is an excellent reminder of the importance of strong foundational skills used every day throughout all grade levels.
The Council Of Great City Schools, whose Parent Roadmaps are linked HERE, understands that the ways we learned in the past do not prepare our children for the demands of college and careers today and into the future. To increase English Language Arts literacy, they propose activities to read and write in a variety of ways both at home and at school, including
- Read to your child and have him or her read to you every day for at least 15 minutes. Pick out words that might be new to your child or words that have multiple or complex meanings. Discuss those words and how they add to what the writer is saying.
- Ask your child to retell a story in his or her own words by telling what happened first, second, third, etc.
- Ask your child to think about what the message of a story may be or what he or she learned from an informational book or article.
- Look for opportunities in everyday places to build your child’s vocabulary.
- Be sure your child has a library card. Children should select books in which they are interested to develop a passion for reading. Many libraries have book clubs and family activities that make reading fun for the entire family.
- Use technology to help build your child’s interest in reading. There are several websites where students can read books or articles online. The computer will help with words the student cannot read independently. Libraries also have computers students can use to access those sites. Feel free to ask a librarian or teacher for suggestions
Teacher Evaluation
Teacher Evaluation Forms can be found HERE
MENTAL HEALTH REFERRALS
Students already receiving counseling services from True Balance will not be effected. They will continue their own services.
OUR WEEK AT A GLANCE December 4-8, 2017
Monday
- Office Open
- Staff Meeting 7:30 Media
- Mary at Meeting DO 1:00
- Conferences 3:30-7:30
- Office Open
- Mary at CMLP DO 1:00
- Conferences 3:30-7:30
- Office Open
- Mary at PLC Meeting 9:30 DEF
- Mr. Kulla's Hour of Code 12:50
Thursday
- Office Open
- Mary
Math Webinar 7:30 RI Office - 11:20 SRWD 5th Grade
- Conferences 3:30-7:30
Friday
- Office Open
- District RtI DO 7:00
- Mary out of the office
Upcoming Important Dates
December 1: Chamber of Commerce TreeMendous Event 5:00-7:00; Parade at 7:00
December 4, 5, 7: Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences 3:00-7:30
December 6: Mr. Kulla's Hour of Code 12:50-1:50
December 7: Kindergarten Gingerbread Day
December 8: Hour of Code Media/Art A.M.
December 20: 1:00 Dairy Princess Presentation (30 Minutes, schedule TBD)
December 21: Sts. P & P Program: Arrive at 12:45
December 22: Skating at Richmond Arena 12:30-2:30 ** We will be walking. Please dress appropriately!
December 23-January 2: Winter Break
January 3: Welcome Back!
COMMITTEE UPDATES
District Level
- Meeting 12/7 7:00am
- http://www.rocori.k12.mn.us/rti
- Meeting 12/15 7:00am
- http://www.rocori.k12.mn.us/curriculum-instruction
- Meeting 1/5 7:00am
- http://www.rocori.k12.mn.us/staff-development
- Referendum passed!!
Building Level
Staff Meeting
- Meeting 12/4 at 7:30 Media
- Meeting 12/13 7:35 Media
- Meeting 1/24 2:50 Kelly's Room
- Meeting 12/19 2:50 Media
STANDARDS LINKS
All Standards HOME link- http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/dse/stds/
Arts Link- http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/dse/stds/Arts/
PE Link- http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/dse/stds/hpe/
Reading Link- http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/dse/stds/read/
ELA Link- http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/dse/stds/ela/
Math Link- http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/dse/stds/Math/
Science Link- http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/dse/stds/sci/
Social Link- http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/dse/stds/soc/
World Languages Link- http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/dse/stds/world/
ABOUT US
Email: holmbergm@rocori.k12.mn.us
Website: http://www.rocori.k12.mn.us/richmond-elementary
Location: 34 2nd Street North, Richmond, MN 56368
Phone: 32-597-2016
Facebook: facebook.com/richmondelementaryk5