EMS Friday Focus
January 11, 2019 #17
EMS 2018-2019 Goals
ALL EMS students and staff will feel connected to our school community - safe, respected, seen, heard, and valued.
All EMS students will find meaning in the work they are tasked with.
Weekly Message
Team -
Last week I shared a list of strategies Pedro Noguera suggests as Pathways to Equity. This week I want to highlight his emphasis on day to day teaching practices or "First, best instruction."
I am sure the above quote by Kristen Souers resonates greatly - it is in fact our reality.
Our challenge each day is to consider how to support our students in being learning ready - which means ensuring their basic needs are met and their emotional state is in a place to self regulate.
In an attempt to feed your hunger for HOW we do this - I've included suggestions from Kristen Souers and Unconditional learning for how to foster learning readiness below.
In his article A Pernicious Myth: Basics before Deeper Learning - Jal Mehta details several effective strategies for driving meaning and engagement in all students - including those with fewer advantages once they are learning ready.
Look below for more of the HOW. These strategies require us to maintain high expectations but adjust how students get there.
- identify student's assets over their deficits and plan accordingly
- shorten the text you are asking them to read
- break down the task over several days to provide scaffolding
- shorten the writing test
- identify compelling content/text that considers your audience
- allow student choice in topic
- allow student choice in outcome that reflects the assigned question, research, investigation...
- ensure tasks are intentional and serve a greater purpose.
As you look to next week - consider a how you can challenge yourself to try or recommit to.
In partnership and with gratitude,
Meg
TASKS
- This week I noticed more hoods going unaddressed. In order to ensure consistency please hold ALL students accountable for no hats or hoods. Additionally - for consistency across the district students are NOT allowed to wear doorags.
Core teachers will receive schedules from guidance for Quarter 3/Semester 2 on Thursday afternoon 1/17 so you can distribute to students on Friday. Schedules will be given to Team Leaders who will then pass them to the rest of their teams.
Announcements and Logistics For the Week
Please welcome our newest Faculty member - Vicki Everett. Vicki is our new building sub as Mike transitions to working with Jim as his TAP intern.
Thank you Laura for hosting EMS’ annual holiday party.
01/11 - 3rd floor off limits after 7 p.m. - BPD will be using it to run drills tonight!
First to respond gets my parking spot for next week.
Julia is now putting together the lunch detention instead of Fieh. That said - please be in touch with Fieh regarding any after school detention needs - he is still putting that list together and the one supporting communication with families.
Because of the government shutdown, Vermont’s Department for Children and Families (DCF) will be issuing February 3SquaresVT benefits early, on January 20th. These benefits will be for the entire month of February, so it is important that participants budget accordingly.
Because these benefits will be issued early, DCF needs to complete interviews and receive any required documentation from 3SquaresVT applicants and participants on or before January 15th (Tuesday).
If you need to complete an interview for your 3SquaresVT application or re-certification, please call the interview line at 1-877-403-7668 right away.
If you are currently in the application or re-certification process, if you need to complete an interim report, or if you recently received a notice from DCF requesting documentation (pay stubs or proof of income, proof of medical expenses, etc.) you must send your documents in immediately to continue your benefits.
If you aren’t sure if this applies to you, call the Benefits Service Center at 1-800-479-6151 to speak to a benefits specialist who can help. Expect a long wait time, but please stay on the line and do not give up! It is important that you hang on and get the information you need.
This is an ongoing situation, and there will likely be more updates to share in the coming days. Please visit https://www.hungerfreevt.org/government-shutdown for the most up to date information.
Congrats to our amazing music Department
- To those who were unable to attend last night's concert, it was truly amazing. Thanks so much to Michael and Graham for all they do for our students. Please take 20 seconds to watch the clips below-they capture the energy that could be felt throughout the event.
- Congrats to Cathie Ott and her chorus. They performed at Governor's Inauguration yesterday. What a tremendous honor and experience for all!
Howard Monthly memo
Hello School Colleagues,
As we celebrate MLK day, please find resources below that offer ideas for opening dialogue to address issues of race, privilege, stereotypes and diversity. We can work together to create school and classroom environments that promote inclusion and celebrate diversity. Please let me know how I can support your efforts.
Thank you – your School Services Clinicians
Sharon, Emily, and Hillary
- Uplifting youth through healthy communication about race and proactively engaging in Racial Ethnic Socialization (RES) (K - 12) http://www.apa.org/res/parent-resources/engaging-my-child.aspx
- Quick videos to open dialogue on race, privilege and stereotypes (K - 12): https://www.edutopia.org/blog/5-minute-film-festival-talking-about-race-and-stereotypes
- Books that promote diversity (primarily K – 8): https://assets2.hrc.org/welcoming-schools/documents/WS_All_Kinds_of_Families_Books.pdf
Wednesday's Faculty Objective
SWBAT: Understand how our implicit bias' and actions as educators impact the experience of our students each day.
Calendar:
Connecting To Best Practice
Link to the EMS Blog: This week's entry- "Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood" by Mr. Chandler
Do you have a tool, lesson plan, idea, video, article, or something else that directly connect to one of our our "EMS goals" and to our "indicators of success"? If so, please let us know using this form. Compensation will be as follows: Blog Contribution- $25, Teach Meet presentation- $25, workshop presentation- $100