It's a Matter of PRIDE!
March 4 - 8
Who We Are
Mission: The community of Sunset Valley will educate our students to achieve their highest standards of performance by engaging them in exceptional opportunities.
Vision: To create an optimal learning experience that promotes ongoing collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and communication with students, teachers, parents, and community members for the success of all students.
Assessment Windows
** March 4-8 - 3rd & 4th grade Science DCA
** March 28-April 5 - 2nd & 3rd DRA & K-1st AimsWeb
What's Up This Week?
Monday
- CPI Team Meeting 3:30-4:30
Tuesday
- No Grade Level PLCs
- Severe Weather Drill
Wednesday
- Kristen out 1:00 - 3:00 for MAP (assessment) next steps meeting
Thursday
- P.S. It's My Body presentations (as scheduled)
- Teacher of the Year Breakfast - Yeah, Katie!
- Bobcat Gathering @ 3:30 - Ashley Leitschuh will present her, "Pictures from Nepali"
- 4th grade performance - 6:00 - 6:30 pm
Friday
- P.S. It's My Body presentations (as scheduled)
- Assembly - 4th grade Performance @ 2:20 pm
My family and I will be heading out of town a little early to start our dream vacation three years in the making! We are heading out of town early Thursday morning. Our final destination will be in the British Virgin Islands where we are captaining a vessel for a week long cruise around the islands. Nicolas and his best friend will be with us as well as three other couples.
Team PLCs on Tuesday
Need a reminder what that document even looks like? Just go to our Shared Staff documents folder and look in your grade level folder in the Team PLC/Tuesday Meetings folder or just click on the following link.
M-W-F Jeans Days in 2019!
Wednesday - In case you forgot, get out your ROCK shirt! You can wear it with jeans.
Friday - Our normal spirit day - wear a SVES, KISD or other school shirt. Show your spirit with jeans!
You are welcome to participate in Pajama Day on Tuesday. You are also invited to wear jeans on Thursday too!!!
MOY Data Talks
Becoming a SEL Pilot Campus!
My first thought on what we can do together is to find ways to help ourselves. We all experience the stress of our jobs in different ways. Each one of us becomes overwhelmed with the responsibilities of this job. We have built a strong culture as a staff however we need to hone in on what will helps us the most. The following are programs or policies that have shown promise in reducing teacher stress and promoting their social-emotional competencies, well-being, health and performance. These are four ideas I am interested in discussing with all of you and how we can make these practices prominent in our school.
- Mentoring and induction programs for beginning teachers, can improve teacher satisfaction and retention, as well as student academic achievement.
- Workplace wellness programs have resulted in reduced health risk, health care costs, and absenteeism among teachers. Policymakers should consider the Total Worker Health approach advanced by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, CDC). This holistic approach combines policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury prevention and lifestyle promotion efforts to advance teacher well-being.
- SEL programs improve behavior and promote SEL among students, which also helps to reduce teacher stress and create more positive engagement with students.
- Mindfulness/stress management programs that help teachers develop coping and awareness skills and lead to reduced anxiety, depression, and improved health.
Let's Keep Growing in 2019! Check this Out!
Culture of Growth: Relational Trust
Learning Targets
- I can describe the role of relational trust in a school community.
- I can explain why relational trust is critical for promoting a culture of trust and a growth mindset.
- I can explain structures and practices that promote a culture of trust and a growth mindset.
Watch: Building a Community
As you watch the video below, consider the following questions:
- Why is building strong relationships among adults in a school community so important?
- How do the adult relationships affect the students?
- How does your school intentionally build community among the adults?
- How does a strong adult community support the teachers?
- What does “leading together” mean to you in the context of your school? What would it look like?
What's in the Works for the 19-20 School Year
- SEL Pilot Campus - the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
- AVID Elementary - Children learn about organization, study skills, communication, and self-advocacy. AVID Elementary students take structured notes and answer and ask high-level questions that go beyond routine answers.
- NWEA/MAP - The assessments give you a thorough picture of student learning: how much they’ve grown, what they’re ready to learn, and the specific skill gaps they need to master. It is connected to the TEKS & provides intervention resources! The MAP Suite is made up of three components: MAP growth, MAP Reading Fluency & MAP Skills. At this time, I am not sure which components we will have access to. We may get all three! Assessments will take the place of AimsWeb Plus and District Common Assessments (DCAs) in Reading & Math.
At this time we are projected to have 5 classrooms in each grade level next year. That means we get to add a teacher to our 4th grade team! As I have said to each of you during your MOY Data Talks, if you are interested in another grade level please let me know. I've never been one to move a bunch of teachers around for the sake of change however I do like to know if there is an interest before I accept any transfers or post any positions.
Saying Goodbye
Danielle Gerhardt & Joy Nettleton have made the courageous decision to try something new. We have LOTS of time to say goodbye to both of these lovely ladies. Although they've both been with us for just the year, their dedication to helping their students learn and their beautiful smiles have always been seen! Thank you for what you've done this school year AND what you have left to accomplish this school year.
Intervention Documentation
District Information
SVES Core Values
We Value:
- Care for our teachers because the impact of their work prepares students for their future.
- Passionate teaching dedicated to content and craft that inspires others.
- Relationships as the foundation for how we teach, learn, work, and play together in a safe, engaging, and caring way.
- Exploration and the pursuit of one’s passion that leads to personal growth.
- Communication and collaboration that strengthens our unity.
- Respect for the diversity of our school community through a culture of understanding and personalized learning opportunities.
Staff Remind
Text @c47d to the number 81010