Nuts & Bolts
January 20, 2020
Messages from Administration
It is such a pleasure to work with MMA community. I have felt gratitude for your professionalism and welcome. You are a remarkable group. Thank you so much as we work together and make the vision and mission of the school have a great influence on the lives of our students and parents. Great things are happening and will continue to do so.
We wish Ms. Kim well as she begins her maternity leave, that all will be well with her and her new baby. We also had Ms. Kimber go out on an emergency surgery and hope for a speedy recovery for her. Hopefully Ms. Shauna is feeling better since her surgery and will be back with us soon. Let me know if there are others that could use well wishes and thoughts due to difficult circumstances.
With gratitude,
Mr. Mike
Breathe- Learning to Breathe
Weber Human Services Programs: We have arranged for Aracely Warner, Education Director from Weber Human Services, to oversee Learning to Breathe for all Jr High Students by coordinating with Ms. Shanan’s health class. She will bring in trained teachers and provide all of the materials and instruction.
PARENTING Classes and Opportunity for you growth: Also - beginning mid to late February Aracely will begin a series of parenting classes: Love and Logic and Emotion Coaching. Schedule to be determined. Classes can be held in the seminar room from 1:00 - 3:00 pm. If you can make arrangements for your class and feel that these classes would benefit your parenting as well as teaching expertise, I recommend the principles that are taught for better management tips at home and our profession.
Procedural Updates from Mr. Mike
ATTENDANCE must be taken daily: Roll must be taken in each period. We are funded on our Average Daily Membership (ADM). It must be accurate.
Nightly closure: classroom doors are to be shut and locked as you leave the building. Safety issue - to prevent loss or damage due to break in or fire.
Daily Building Security: We are under obligation to keep students safe from all types of harm. ALL unused areas of the building are to be kept off limits to students to prevent injury to mind or body. Please secure and lock unused areas so that student access is restricted. Please make sure students are supervised in all activities daily. This weekend we had kids (non students) playing behind the school. The gates were locked but the correct combination was visible (I have a picture) so the kids were able to open the gate. This is a huge liability so please be careful to not leave combination visible or give combination to any student. There was also a door found propped open at this time and so these kids had full access to the school.
Fire Drills or Safety Drills: Always take seriously when an alarm or notification sounds. Please make sure students understand procedures with each safety protocol. Every teacher should be taking roll for the class they a responsible for teaching during this time. Each teacher has rosters for their classes. Aspire is not always active, as we know with internet problems- so please have a hard copy of your class or classes in your classroom in the event of an emergency. You should have a folder, that is easily accessible and noted for Emergency and Substitutes- inside the folder should include:
- class roster
- evacuation map
- Class management (CHAMPS- EC, LE, UE/ ACHIEVE- JH)
- Substitute emergency plans
Adopt-a-space: This is a beautiful building. I was so proud of its appearance for the visitors to come to the storytelling festival. Thank you for making it such a pleasant environment to walk through. The following areas are not being restored, if we could all lend an extra helping hand to make sure these spaces are restored daily: Jr. High commons, Stage, Jr High work room and gym.
PTO: Know your of available PTO. Check with Amanda for balances. If you are over, you will need to make arrangements with HR at Academica West how it will be charged if you are salary. Now is a good time to take care of this so that end of year payroll is not garnished with the total amount.
Requests for Time Off: Emergencies happen and we will do our best within the faculty to cover. However, we are still under a strict no hire policy for the remainder of the year in order to recoup approximately $500k to stay solvent as we begin to staff for next year. Please make sure you give adequate notice of leave by filling out a form and placing it in the box near my door so it can be approved or not. Amanda then can enter your absence for the correct account to bill.
Re-employment Survey: This is to determine available teachers and staff for next year. It is not a guarantee of employment. Our staffing depends on enrollment and we will determine that in March - May. If you have not filled out the survey, it is required, otherwise the assumption will be made there is no interest in returning next year to MMA. Please go to: https://forms.gle/fAmktMmRdmRT8Ntz6 if you have not completed it. This is available for hourly employees as well.
CPI Training: I’ll send out surveys for everyone that would like to participate in CPI. This training covers how to de-escalate students and also teaches correct methods to physically restrain students if needed. Non trained is a full day / recertification is ½ day training. Most likely will be done on a Saturday since our full PD days are about used up.
6th and 9th grade trips: The board approved funding for the 6th and 9th grade trips. For 9th graders we will need to begin arrangements. Please keep in mind the word “frugality” while making the necessary arrangements.
Dirty bathroom
Clogged toilet
Thank you from Ms. Magdalena
Ms. Magdalena
Use of BATHROOMS- message from Ms. Magdalena
Ms. Magdalena is at her wits end. Bathrooms ALL through the school, have been left with stuff smeared on the walls and items (pencils, chip bags and water bottles) trying to be flushed.
LOCKER Assignments
This is roughly 402 students (20 teachers). PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do this ASAP.
Coaches Corner- LESSON PLANS
Accommodations for students
Large group instruction
Small group instruction
Individual instruction
Reading Corner
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Rp3B2KkCZOWyKCp0ciKSw9JLtXJO4R3Tb2fuimpBRLI/edit?usp=sharing
Ms. Jamie Reading Group
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11nV-WJ9M8qcaoZpILvfqA1H5vJ5b0FaOnpmWx_aYFD0/edit?usp=sharing
Ms. Lauren Reading Group
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GkppwdibpKlSddoOZIFWiSov57tQHVW51OxiJKRopyE/edit?usp=sharing
SCHOOL WIDE EVENTS- Sign Ups
MAPA messages
Gala Baskets:
Who needs help with getting the word out for collecting items for your Gala basket? Please email MAPA if you need help, have questions or concerns.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/118MJY2PFxksAWm8R7ikEgQtTrggep50ld1yvOR1bC7U/edit?usp=sharing
January and February
January
1-3 Winter Break; No School
6 Staff Meeting 3:30-5:00pm (Mandatory for all staff)
7 PLC Meetings (Mandatory for full-time staff)
8 Fire Drill
9 End of Quarter / Parent Potluck Social 5:30pm / MAPA Meeting 6pm
10 Professional Development; No School
14 PLC Meetings (Mandatory for full-time staff)
14 MMA Board Meeting, 5:30pm
17 Northern Utah Charter and Home Schools Storytelling Concert, 6:30-8pm
20 Martin Luther King Jr. Day; No School
21 PLC Meetings (Mandatory for full-time staff)
23 Redwoods Chaperone Mtg, 5:30-7pm
27 Advisory Meeting
27 WIDA Testing 8:45-10:30am
28 Vertical PLC Meetings (Mandatory for full-time staff)
29 WIDA Testing 8:45-10:30am
30 Chili Cook-off 5:30-7:00pm (school wide committee sign-up)
31 UMC Conference in SLC (optional with admin approval)
February
1 UMC Conference in SLC (optional with admin approval)
3 STEM Week
3 WIDA Testing 8:45-10:30am
3 Staff Meeting 3:30-5:00pm (Mandatory for all staff)
4 PLC Meetings (Mandatory for full-time staff)
5 WIDA Testing 8:45-10:30am
6 Science Fair
6 Land Trust Committee Meeting, 2-3pm (Committee members only)
7 MAPA Meeting @ 8:45am
10 Earthquake Drill
10 SIT Meetings
10 Junior High Parent Contact
11 PLC Meetings (Mandatory for full-time staff)
11 MMA Board Meeting, 5:30pm
17 Presidents’ Day; No School
18 PLC Meetings (Mandatory for full-time staff)
20 Land Trust Committee Meeting, 2-3pm (Committee members only)
20 Redwoods Chaperone Meeting, 5:30-7pm
21 Classic Skating Spirit Night (5:00pm-9:00pm)
TBD Box Top Store 11:00am-1:00pm
24-28 Literacy Week (school wide committee sign-up)
24 Advisory Meeting
25 Vertical PLC Meetings (Mandatory for full-time staff)
25 School-wide Spelling Bee (school wide committee sign-up)
27 Literacy Night 5:30-7:00pm (mandatory for full-time staff)
28-Mar 1 MEPI Conference in South Carolina (optional with admin approval)
Maria Montessori Academy
Email: info@mariamontessoriacademy.org
Website: www.mariamontessoriacademy.org
Location: 2505 N 200 E, North Ogden, UT, United States
Phone: 801.827.0150
Facebook: facebook.com/MMAofUT
Twitter: @MMAofUT