Head U Gator News
October 16, 2016
A grateful heart...
My heart is grateful for....
...Kim Graham for overseeing the Student Council speech assembly as well as the election. What a great learning opportunity for our students!
...Donna Waters, for her professionalism and compassion during a parent meeting this week.
...Samantha Watson for organizing the Spirit Lunch on Friday. It was nice to have so many yummy choices for lunch!
....Will, Kami, Julie, Lynette, Michael, Cindy and Jeanette for sharing their learning on Monday in order to help us all get better!
Changing the Odds Conference
The conference was primarily about the importance of compassion. Most of what we heard just re-affirmed for us many of the practices we use here at Glenhope, including Restorative Practice, and even provided neurological proof for the importance of some of the practices.
Probably the highlight of the conference, however, was the ending speaker on Friday afternoon. She is a 27 year old native of Austin named Lizzy Velasquez, who has an amazing story. She was born with a syndrome that keeps her from putting on weight, but also impacted her eyesight, her bones, and her overall health. She currently weighs 63 pounds, and is truly skeletal looking. When she was 17, she found a video on You Tube entitled "The Ugliest Woman in the World" and realized it was about her. The video had over 4 million hits, and she described how she recovered from this devastating blow to become the person she is today.
As Tiffani shared Friday, listening to Lizzie puts life into perspective. Our problems, which seemed to weigh us down, are really nothing compared to the tremendous challenge she faces and the resiliency with which she faces them. Here is a link to her YouTube Channel
and an anti bullying video she created https://www.youtube.com/user/lizzitachickita
Here is a Ted talk she gave in Austin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c62Aqdlzvqk
Her story is amazing, and is going to be shared on a Discovery channel movie this weekend. If you have Frontier it is channel 620.
28 teaching strategies for gifted students
This was an article from a Gifted resource I received this week. Many of the strategies are things you regularly use, but I thought you might like to see if there was a new one or two to add to your toolbox:
http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/28-student-centered-instructional-strategies/
Substitute shortage
Human Resources Hub: Within the last few years, the Human Resources department has put a great deal of focus on the need for quality substitutes in our district. We are firmly committed to providing the students of GCISD with a strong educational leader each and every day.
- Beginning in November of 2015, all potential substitute candidates have been individually interviewed. We feel this is a necessary step in ensuring we are hiring the best candidates to spend time in our classrooms.
- The Board understood our need to compete in the market place and with surrounding districts. Beginning in August of 2016, our substitute rates were increased and currently there is no surrounding district that has higher substitute rates than GCISD.
- We continually collaborate with other districts to address the statewide shortage of substitute teachers. During times of positive economic growth in North Texas, the number of people needing to substitute for a supplemental income lessens. Those wanting to work daily often increases as the economy struggles. Our need for substitutes is constant and we strive to look for new and innovative ways to retain these employees.
- Currently we are finalizing helpful information for our substitutes in our new GCISD Substitute Handbook. This publication will outline all guidelines and expectations and will provide substitutes with methods and strategies leading to successful days on our campuses.
- Beginning in the second semester of the 2016-17 school year, there will be a required minimum number of days per semester that a substitute must work. By creating a minimum number of days worked, the sub will need to give priority to GCISD in order to remain in our employment.
- October is historically one of the highest need months in relation to substitute teachers. Research shows that this is the case all over the country. We, however, have seen a drastic increase in the number of substitutes needed during the first week of October 2016 in comparison to the first week of October in the previous 4 years. We have had days of over 135 absences called in. In a typical week, we see 50-80 vacancies a day.
- We have more than enough substitute teachers employed to cover these large numbers but many of the subs are not picking up jobs for reasons such as doctor’s appointments, illness, only being available on certain days, etc.
- We will continue to hire all qualified candidates each month and add to our pool.
Shout out!
Education Foundation- grant applications
We now want to give back to you the opportunity to get busy and apply for grants! This year our grant process is totally electronic. You can click on the link below that takes you to a google form, complete all the information requested, hit submit, and your grant application automatically goes into a shared folder by Curriculum & Instruction and myself with the date and time submitted recorded. We will only accept applications in this manner. All applications go to Curriculum & Instruction first, and then to me to distribute to our Grants Review Committee. I am also attaching the guidelines for this year's grant process. The below link and guidelines are also posted under Teacher Grant Applications on the employee-only GCISD website and on our GCEF webpages. Many THANKS to Dr. John Doughney for developing the google form and assisting us with our new process! If you have any questions, please let us know. The deadline to hit SUBMIT isNovember 1, by 4 p.m. Again, THANKS to the BEST for all that you do!...Click the link below now to get busy completing your grant application.
TED TALK- Sal Kahn, Teach for Mastery
ADHD videos
This is only 3:20 long, and it is aimed at parents but again, it can be helpful for teachers as well. Just substitute the advice to parents and pretend it's to you.... (8D)
You'll hear some advice that should be familiar if you've used behavior data sheets with students before!
Calendar
Monday, October 17
Yes, You Can program @8:00 for K,2,5 and 9:00 for 1,3,4
Math Lab 2:55-3:45
Art Club 2:55
Tuesday, October 18
La Academia Spanish classes 2:55
Breast Cancer Awareness day. Students and staff are encouraged to wear pink t-shirts and jeans.
Wednesday, October 19
4/5 grade Choir 2:55
GCISD will be celebrating Unity Day to support anti-bullying efforts. Students and staff are asked to wear orange and jeans in support.
Thursday, October 20
Kinder to Farm
Good News 2:55
Mad Science
Friday, October 21
Gatorville
La Academia Spanish 2:55
Bricks 4 Kids 2:55
Bowman Sports 2:55
Saturday, October 22
Fall Festival and Silent Auction 2-6
Be sure to plan to come by for a while!