STAR Staff Newsletter
Week of November 11 - 15, 2013
Reminders...
DCA’s
Per the current AR "the DCA is a measure of student acquisition of instruction and counts as a daily grade, which may be adjusted based on pacing and content." This does mean the DCA needs to be recorded in TAC. If a student is new or has had several absences where they missed some of the material the grade could be adjusted accordingly. The AR also states that, as with other assignments, a student who does not show mastery on a DCA should be retaught and may be reassessed.
Morning Welcoming Committee
Thank you to the Morning Welcoming Committee who are out in front at 7:30, music playing, dancing taking place! Awesome job! Keep it up! Reminder - if you are part of the welcoming committee, please be out front at 7:30, as our kids are being dropped off then.
Rise & Shine
Reminder to be in the Auditorium by 7:50 so that students are monitored. Welcoming Committee may stay outside.
Could I please get a few eager folks to stand up front - in the empty space in front of the students?
Please kindly help escort parents out.
Please, please, please use this time to welcome, greet and speak to as many students as possible. You all do such a great job with this, but let's remember, this is only time to see every child.
Hallway Work
Student work in the hall needs to be updated. The work that was up for Open House was fabulous, but we are now one month past open house - wow time flies. Include the student expectation with work posted in hallway. Please update by Friday. In addition, the fire marshall is coming soon. We have a LOT up. We need to downsize a bit before then.
Data Boards
Please update data boards in the hall by Friday.
Guided Reading
Continue to work in your guided reading groups and get levels. You guys are doing a great job!
We need volunteers to help in the guided reading library. Our library is so wonderful, people will be coming to see it! Yea! PLUS, we just got classroom readers that need to be labeled before joining the classrooms. Help is needed!
Math
Math is not just about activities in Investigations - but about making sure that we are teaching to the verb in the student expectation. Want to challenge students, choose some of the following - use some of the verbs below when planning with VESTED:
(remember) defines, describes, identifies, knows, labels, lists, matches, names, outlines, recalls, recognizes, reproduces, selects, states
(comprehends) comprehends, converts, defends, distinguishes, estimates, explains, extends, generalizes, gives an example, infers, interprets, paraphrases, predicts, rewrites, summarizes, translates
(application) applies, changes, computes, constructs, demonstrates, discovers, manipulates, modifies, operates, predicts, prepares, produces, relates, shows, solves, uses
(analyze) analyzes, breaks down, compares, contrasts, diagrams, deconstructs, differentiates, discriminates, distinguishes, identifies, illustrates, infers, outlines, relates, selects, separates
(create) categorizes, combines, compiles, composes, creates, devises, designs, explains, generates, modifies, organizes, plans, rearranges, reconstructs, relates, reorganizes, revises, rewrites, summarizes, tells, writes
(evaluate) appraises, compares, concludes, contrasts, criticizes, critiques, defends, describes, discriminates, evaluates, explains, interprets, justifies, relates, summarizes, supports
This week
Check out the collaboration calendar for this weeks events, testing, etc
Stop Whining & Start Winning by Jon Gordon
I wanted to say something but I couldn't get a word in.
My wife's friend Rachel wouldn’t stop complaining.
For twenty minutes she bombarded me with a series of complaints. She complained about her job. She complained about her company’s new policies. She complained about the economy. Most of all she complained about her lack of sales.
I don't remember saying this but Rachel likes to remind me that I finally stopped her from complaining by saying, "Rachel, Rachel, will you please be quiet."
Then I said, "It’s really simple. You have a choice. You can accept your company’s new policies, come to work with a positive attitude and decide to be your best every day or you can find a new job at a new company. But whatever you do, stop complaining because it’s not doing you any good. Either change your job or change your attitude about your job."
The conversation was over and so was our friendship, I thought, because Rachel wouldn't speak to me for a few months.
Then my wife and I saw her at a party and she told me that while it was hard to hear what I had to say she decided to take my advice. She stayed in her job, stopped complaining and started selling more.
Three months after changing her attitude her sales were up 30%.
A year later her sales were up 70%.
Everyone in her company wanted to know how she was doing it. Rachel graciously and honestly told people about our conversation and I was invited to speak at her company's annual sales meeting.
Three years after our initial conversation, I caught up with Rachel again. We hadn’t spoken in a long time and I was wondering how she was doing.
Rachel told me that during the last two years her sales continued to grow. She has been promoted twice and is now in her dream job, leading a division of her company. It's the job she always wanted and she’s more excited and passionate than ever about her work.
Rachel stopped whining and started winning!
How about you? Is complaining sabotaging you and/or your team?
If complaining is holding you back I know how you feel. I use to be a professional complainer. That’s why I knew what Rachel needed to hear. I was in a similar situation 11 years ago.
But I've learned that when you stop whining and take positive action, you start winning.
Give it a try!
How are we doing with the implementation of Practice #1?
District Professional Development Opportunities Week of 11-11 to 11-15
You've Got Heart!!
To Tori A. - "Thank you for creating a spreadsheet of documenting GSD blood sugars when the computer is down or if there is no nurse in the clinic." ~Nurse Valerie
To Tracey H. - "Thank you for helping a TPRI newbiee finish the process for the first time. I so appreciated her taking time out of her busy day to help our students." ~Mary D.
To Cindy J. - "Thank you for helping me sort throught the many TPRI reports to find just the one I was looking for. And by seeing that I printed the correct parent report for TPRI and CPAA." ~Mary D.
To Shelia M. - "Thank you for modifying art materials so that STACC students with fine motor delays could complete the weaving activity alongside their peers." ~Shannon F.
To Betzaly H. - "She is a great addition to our WRES team. Thanks for sharing your resources and celebration's of each child's success. Anytime4 I need a certain item, she is willing and cheerful about sharing. I lso enjoyed reading with our 2nd grade buddies in Mrs. Alfonso's class. Thanks for your care that each student can succeed." ~Clarice L.
To Marelyn A. - "Mrs. Alfonso has been a great addition to our WRES family. She always exemplies repect to her students. She has also shared resources with me and other teachers. She understands what TEAM is all about. Her interest is in the success of all students and teachers. I enjoyed buddy reading with Ms. Huerta's first grade class today." ~Clarice L.
Cheryl W. - "Mrs. Wallace took the initiative to help me prepare for some Red Ribbon activities before her morning duty." ~Janie S.
To Janie S. - "Such a special person. Always willing to listen. I feel that she is so much more than a co-worker. I am honored to call her a friend. In times of need, Janie is there." - Barb J.
To Allison M. - "Allison is always so encouraging and uplifiting. She is constantly wearing a smile and has a positive attitude. Working with her is such a joy." ~Nicole W.
To Nicole B. - "Thanks, Nicole, for promoting the PTA reflections program, and being the first teacher on campus to request forms for your students." ~Jennifer J.
To Karen T. "Thank you for all of the technology help of letting us explore new things coming in!." ~Amanda L.
To Laurie P. - "Thanks for the great teamwork while planning ELA." ~Renee G.
To Kaye H. - "Kaye shows that she is heart at work by being outside greeting students. She is always upbeat, dancing and being a cheerleader." ~Araceli L.O.
To Michelle C. - "Thank you for all of your gradebook help." ~Amanda L.