Weekly Notes
March 23-27, 2015
Focus of the Week: Generosity
*Battle of the Cans Begins This Week!*
Monday 3/23Happy Birthday, Lisa Hrit!
Reading Month Activity: School-Wide DEAR Right After the Announcements
Tuesday 3/24
Dr. Pam @ 4-5:30
Staff Meeting @ 4-6
JCC Meeting @ 6PM- Monica Attending
Reading Month Activity: Turn in to a good book Tuesday
Wednesday 3/25
Maurus- Admin Meeting- Muse acting principal
Reading Month Activity: Mystery Reader- Turn off TV Notes Due
Thursday 3/26
Reading Month Activity: Teacher Swap Guest Readers K/3, 1/4, 2/5
Friday 3/27
Watch DOGS Basketball Game @ THS @ 6PM
Reading Month Activity: Last Book Buddies K/3, 1/4, 2/5
Upcoming Dates:
3/30: Fire Drill @ lunch (we must do this per the Department of Homeland Security- more information to follow soon)
3/31: Maurus @ RESA all day- Shufeldt acting principal
4/3-4/10: Spring Break!
4/13: Thomas Jefferson's Birthday (Have we ever done anything on this day?)
4/13-4/17: Jefferson Facebook Contest Begins
4/14: Maurus @ MSU Job Fair
4/15: Maurus Admin Meeting AM
4/17: Spirit Day!
In-House Kindergarten Field Trip @ 10AM
Data Meetings!
Chili's!!!
MStep Testing Windows:
5th Grade: Week of 4/13 through week of 4/27
4th Grade: Week of 4/27 through week of 5/11
3rd Grade: Week of 5/18 through week of 6/1
Thank you for attending JCC this week, Monica!
Thank you for filling in this past week, Lisa H and Kay!
Thank you for being in the office this Wednesday, Linda M!
PLC Term of the Week: Instructional Rounds
Housekeeping
Guest Reader
Staff Meeting Schedule
3/24- Staff Meeting
3/31- No Staff Meeting
4/7- No Staff Meeting (Spring Break)
4/14- Staff Meeting
4/21- Common Staff Meeting (Data Analysis)
4/28- Staff Meeting
5/5- No Staff Meeting
5/12- Staff Meeting
5/19- Common Staff Meeting (Writing)
6/2- Final Staff Meeting
Please remember that these dates are tentative, and that they are subject to change. If there is a change, I will give you one month's notice.
Great Idea for Drills!
Battle of the Cans
Lunch Count
Carole and Tracie always make more to account for late students or small errors, but there were over 24 students who did not order Bosco Sticks in the morning. We had 6 students who had to wait an extra 12 minutes to be able to eat their lunch.
This is something that doesn't affect the first lunch, but ends up affecting our students in second lunch the most, particularly our fourth graders, as they usually eat last. When the count is this off, it tells me that somewhere, lunch count is not being done accurately.
Please make sure that you ensure that students do not have access to their colored tickets to be able to change their minds after the count has gone in.
I don't want to play the role of Columbo to track down exactly where this is happening!
Check out these interesting ways to get lunch count- many of them are done right here at Jefferson.
Bathroom Reminder
Remember, the expectation is that teaching staff knows who is out of the classroom at all times- if you don't have a way to know, please make sure to determine how you will implement this ASAP.
Hallways... YIKES!
We must make a concentrated effort to ensure that the hallways outside of our classrooms are clean and orderly. Not just so that others will see that we and our students take pride in our school, but to also send the message to our kids that taking care of our school and our belongings is important. If you don't have a way to ensure that the hallway is clean, please assign this as a job for a couple of students every day.
Just to put this into perspective, as I was walking the hallway with a new kindergarten parent, we walked into a chicken leg bone in the hallway. Where it came from or how it got there was beyond me.
Exhibit A
Behavior
Last Week's Trends:
Out of School Suspensions: 3- 2 were for physical aggression during recess, 1 for significant classroom disruption.
In-School Suspensions: 3- 2 were for physical aggression, 1 for relational aggression
Students at Lunch With Pam:
Over 10- Physical aggression, relational aggression, other behaviors.
Hot Spots:
Recess continues to be a hot spot outside, however, the grounds are almost dried up from the snow thawing, so the kids will be able to spread out. The Moodys are trying to come in each day to volunteer to supervise football and kickball, which has been a great help, as there have been no incidents of physical aggression on days that they are running football.
Additionally, it is that time of year when spring fever hits, and we are experiencing a lot of relational aggression, especially in the upper grades.
Once again, thank you to Lisa H and Kay for stepping in to help with many of these incidents!
To the Office, or Not to the Office? That is the Question.
Lack of Preparation
Calling Out
Classroom Disruption
Refusal to Follow Reasonable Requests
Failure to Serve a Consequence Given by a Teacher
Put Downs
Refusing to Work
Inappropriate Tone/Attitude
Electronic Devices (first time)
Inappropriate Comments
Food or Drink
Handled in the Office:
Chronic Infractions that are not resolved with Tier 2 Interventions
Leaving School Grounds
Foul Language directed at teacher
Physical Aggression Toward Teacher
Peer to Peer:
Level 2 (repeated offenses)
Level 3
Level 4
Many times, students will want to come to me when I am in the hallway or outside and talk about lower level things. I do listen and help problem solve when I am able, and I also tell the students to ALWAYS let their teacher know, as it is something that needs to be solved at the classroom level and that the teacher needs to know so they can help.
Please consult with me if there are repeated behaviors with certain students. The expectation for students who have chronic misbehaviors is that there should be an intervention implemented (Tier 2 or Tier 3 if Tier 2 shows no success). If students come to me for repeated behaviors that warrant a trip to the office, I will ask what interventions have taken place before they have been sent down (coming my way for chronic behaviors is a good indicator that Tier 2 or 3 interventions are already in place).
Do not use the office as a Tier 2 intervention- that is not being proactive, but rather, reactive, and does not get to the root or solve the underlying issue.
If you have any questions about Tier 2 interventions, remember to consult one of the PBIS committee members or your grade level coach!
Tier 2 Example: Daily Point Sheet
-Less formalized than Check-In and Check-Out, positive contact happens within the class.
-Lists 1-3 simple target behaviors, students can earn points in each part of the day where they demonstrate those specific appropriate behaviors.
-Students are working towards a daily goal and should receive some reward or positive acknowledgment when they achieve that goal.
Below is a point sheet commonly seen at Jefferson.
Here are some other examples of point sheets
Curriculum
Math Talk Buddy List!
Kay, Sue S, Emilie F
Charles and Tim
Monica and Cat
Kathy B and Tracie
Lisa H and Cacey
Beth and Ashley
If you don't see your name, pair up with a team!
We are going to have a day in the next month where you and your buddy/buddies are able to come in to each other's classrooms to observe each other to get some take aways for your own learning. Research tells us that this is the most effective form of professional development that we can do. There is a name for this practice and it is called instructional rounds.
This is our first collective try at doing instructional rounds- it won't be perfect, but we have to start somewhere!
Please email me to let me know what day you choose.