Peek at the Week
January 2-5, 2018
Happy New Year!
I hope you all are well-rested, well-fed, and ready to get back into the groove! :) Don't you wish the last two weeks of school flew by as quickly as the two weeks of winter break? I am thankful and READY to get back to you and our sweet kids for the second half of an amazing school year!
Grade-Level Planning
As we get back into our routines, I want to be sure we are all aware of the expectations for each Wednesday during GLP. Each point below is vital to the success of our instructional planning.
- The grade-level chairperson facilitates GLP by keeping the team discussion focused on planning. Megan is there to ask questions and offer suggestions. I will be attending as much as I possibly can.
- Each team member will share their subject's tentative outline for the upcoming week, which is based on the scope and sequence for the nine weeks. The standards for the upcoming lesson should be the heart of the discussion. Our basis for planning and teaching is not driven by seasons, events, or even "what we did last year", but according to student need and state standards.
- The second topic of discussion should be the assessment. Begin with the END! Does your assessment match your standards and what you want students to be able to know or do? This is the primary conversation to have before you discuss instructional strategies and daily plans. How will your daily plans lead students to their highest level of achievement on the assessment at the end of the unit or lesson?
- Consider replacing the terms: "Review" "Go over" and "Cover" with specific strategies for how to do each of those things.
- Each team member should bring to GLP all potential assessments, handouts, or other documents for review by the team during the discussion. (hard copy or google doc)
- This outlined "plan" for each subject should not be completed, but this should be a time of discussion and bringing all ideas to the table. Once ideas are discussed, the team should agree on the best strategies to meet each standard. Many teams, if not all, will be completing their planning time after school.
- GLP is not a time to grade papers, check folders, or do 'other things.'
- As a Reading Coach, Megan is there - per my requirement - to ensure each of you are providing the best possible instruction for our students. She has already created several integrated units for teams, a focus that we will continue to have moving forward. These units are not optional. I will be doing observations and looking for this integrated instruction.
- Remember that we are a team. If you have questions, concerns, or need assistance, Megan is only here to support and help. Her strengths are in modeling, coaching and team teaching. I am here to listen to your concerns as well. Do not complain within your team; complain to me. Each of our jobs is to make North Pointe students GROW, become successful and prepared for the future.
- Thank you for putting in the work it will take to do what we are tasked to do.
RTI Meetings
We will have a data meeting / RTI discussion during your planning this Thursday. Come to my conference room and bring the completed data from your google drive. This was labeled with your name 2017-2018 Data Form. The ELA and Math pages must be current and completed when you arrive. You do not need a hard copy, only your laptop. We will be discussing interventions and entering information into Enrich.
Thinking Maps
Several years ago, Thinking Maps were a vital part of our district's professional development plan. Many schools still use these and many of you still use them as an integral part of your daily instruction. Though they are not necessarily a 'mandate', I do believe Thinking Maps allow students to process and synthesize information more efficiently. If you are interested in obtaining the Thinking Maps notebooks and the maps for your classroom, please let Megan know. I am working with another school to obtain these for North Pointe.
Copier / Printers
We are in the process of evaluating the number and usage of copies within each team. Some of you have run out of copies or been told you have no more available copies on your printer. This is being corrected by Mrs. Hampton as she and I both learn about the system the district uses. If you need to print copies, we encourage you to use either the Riso or the Sharp copier in the office. DO NOT PRINT on your printer! This is highly expensive. Donna is going to provide you with information on how to send items you want to print from your laptop directly to the Sharp copier. When you come and log in to the Sharp copier, the copy will appear and you can determine how many you need. Thank you for helping cut costs this way!
Student-Led Conference Night
As you know, this evening will be on Thursday, January 11th from 6:00-7:00. Please work with your team to plan this event. Only homeroom teachers are required to attend.
Upcoming Events
January 3: First Responders training @ 3:00 in PD Room
January 11: PTO Board meeting @ 8:15 am
4K Speaker @ 8:30 in auditorium
January 12: Author's Cafe (more info coming from Megan)
January 15: MLK Jr. Holiday
January 16: PD Day / School-based Guided Math training
(Last module: Full implementation begins Jan. 17)
January 18: Last day of 2nd 9 weeks
RTI Meetings
January 19: Hustle for the Heart Pep Rally @ 1:45 in auditorium
January 22: Mid-year SLO conferences begin
January 25: Report Cards
1st Grade PTO Performance @ 6:00
January 26: Spirit Day / Kona Ice