Tiger Times
NEWS AND INFO FOR SLATER STAFF 9.9
"Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship."
Denzel Washington
The first few weeks of the school year are over and we are full steam ahead now. As the year picks up steam, so do the amount of challenges, conflicts, and demands we face. Making progress is not easy or comfortable. It requires us all to step out of our comfort zone and jump into the learning zone.
As we move forward into a rigorous academic program, remember Denzel's words, and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. One way that we will all be challenged is the adoption of a rigorous coaching cycle and weekly data meetings that will challenge us to move beyond what is easy and comfortable for us, to perfect our practice as educators and better serve our students.
All of the GOATs need a coach. Serena needs a coach. Michael needed a coach. Simone has a coach. We want our students to reach the top of their game, so we will use coaching to help us perfect our skills. It's not easy, but it will be worth it.
During this short week of 9/2 we had 82 messages sent to families, 63 photos and videos shared (up from last week) and 85% of the student feedback was positive. We are still striving for 90% positive feedback school wide. Please remember to add Principal Kemp, Dean Amos and Dean Moultrie and Coach Turner as co-teachers. Shout out to the 4th grade team for being the first to add admin as co-teachers to 100% of their ClassDojo classes.
Remember it only takes a moment for a spark to turn into a fire. Monitor your students closely and remember that we (adults) can also be triggers for students.
PBL Timeline
- Project planning (though projects are always living, breathing documents that can be refined based on data and student interest)
- Entry Events
- Project Calendar
This Week:
- Students should be completing (or have already completed) the first benchmarks of project products and tasks. Remember that students complete tasks in a scaffolded process along the way, as opposed to assigning major tasks at the end of the unit.
Next Steps
- Make sure you have rubrics for the tasks that will be completed throughout the project.
- Make sure that you are following your project calendar to get tasks completed.
- Make connections to the project and the problem everyday.
Although this is just a progress report, as we move closer to our first report card, please remember the failure checklist and make sure you are completing all of the steps required before a child receives a failing grade. This checklist can be found in the handbook and is also linked below.
If you receive the Keep it 100 note, it means you are at 100% execution with excellence with a particular system! By teacher demand, there will now be a box in the main office for teacher tickets. If you have received a "Keep it 100" ticket, place it in the box. A winner will be chosen each week to win a prize from Mrs. Kemp.
Terrific Tigers!
We are moving full steam ahead with our anti-bullying campaign! Students have been very responsive to your guidance. They have taken a proactive approach to seeking support from adults! Let’s take a proactive approach to looking for bullying and supporting our students.
We just completed our first week of our Tiger Tracker Incentive Program. Be sure to have a count of the number of students who met the goal and the number of students who achieved the 100% club ready when we come around next week.
Is your Go Pack still stocked? Are you still taking it to each and every recess? Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Caught Being Kind ticket fever is spreading! Keep providing cards to students you caught being kind! Extra tickets are in the office. You can also use the attached document to print your own.
- 1st weigh-in: Tuesday, 9/3
- There will be 3 winners: 1st place - 70% of the pot. 2nd place - 20% of the pot. 3rd place - 10% of the pot. The more participants, the bigger the pot!
Want to work out with a group? Join us TUESDAYS after school for T-25/Insanity Max 30 workouts!
The competition begins Tuesday! Let's go!
Instructional Resource of the Week
Who: K-5 ELA, Social Studies, and Science Teachers
What: ReadWorks is a reading resource that provides high quality non-fiction and fiction articles and passages at varied lexile ranges. In addition to passages/articles, you will also find eBooks, vocabulary activities and an audio option for each passage.
Activities may be accessed in the digital classroom or printed.
When: This resource may be used to teach a comprehension skill during guided reading groups or during shared reading. Science and Social Studies teachers may also find this resource beneficial for integrating reading comprehension skills.
How: Click HERE to access this resource.
Culture Resource of the Week
What: MindUP is a not-for-profit organization created in response to the global epidemic of childhood aggression, anxiety, depression and suicide. Based firmly in neuroscience, MindUP gives children the knowledge and tools they need to manage stress, regulate emotions and face the challenges of the 21st century with optimism, resilience and compassion. There are a plethora of strategies and resources for teachers available.
Who: All staff
How: Click HERE to use this resource.
.
- Motherland Mondays - Wear African print or clothes that represent your heritage.
- Tiger Tuesdays - Wear school colors
- Wisdom and Wellness Wednesdays - Be on the lookout for staff activities
- Thankful Thursdays - Give a note to a colleague or student that you'd like to thank. Consider having your students participate!
TO DO LIST
Setup Gradebook and enter grades by 9/13th.
- Lesson plans are due on 9/9 for the week of 9/13.
- Be sure you communicate what you are teaching and what students are learning in your “Monday Communication Folders”.
- Remember to document daily behavior issues under minor incidents in Educator’s Handbook.
- Click on the link at the bottom of the newsletter to submit ALL calendar requests (time off, in-school, out-of-school event, and field trips)
THIS WEEK
IMPORTANT LINKS AND NUMBERS
Lesson Plans
- Calendar Requests
- YouTube Whitelist:
- Supply Request:
- Tech Requests:
- Digital Instructional Resources: www.portaportal.com Guest Access: dkemp