GRE Staff Newsletter
January 1, 2020
Dear Team,
I hope you've had a great weekend. A HUGE thank you to those of you that were able to attend Friday nights Holiday Staff Party. We had a blast (as you'll see from the pictures)! It was so nice to be able to put school down for a night and just have fun together!
On Friday I got the message below in my inbox. It's all about creating the energy you need in order to be the best version of you. As I moved around the building I tried to keep these thoughts in my head and create an energy that students and staff wanted to be around. I wasn't perfect in every moment, but I brought everything I could to the table. Did you? What would happen if you focused on bringing your best energy to school this week? How would your students benefit? How would your team mates feel around you? Read below for more inspiration:
Why you need to create your own energy
Something energized has a hard time staying still. Energy moves things. It turns them on, lights them up, and allows them to run.
Energy is a power source. A person without energy, or the right kind for the context, is without power to do what’s required at that moment. You want, at minimum, the power to do something even if you don’t always use it.
Not only that, but people feel, see, and hear your energy. We still don’t know how or why we can pick up on people’s energy, but we can. We can sense calm, excitement, confidence, and concern. Whatever energy exists within you can’t be hidden from others, so be smart about the energy you create and carry each day.
Figure out what turns you on, lights you up, and allows you to run at your best. Create your own power source and plug it in.
-Brian Kight
Here's to a great week full of energy!
Kate
News to Share
1. This week we will meet with Kinder through 2nd grade this Tuesday in the STEM Hub. You can find a draft agenda for this meeting here. Kinder through 2nd Grade teachers, please come prepared to share a writing artifact that you feel represents your strength in writing instruction (ex. Personalized student samples, writing conference checklist, writing checklist, anchor chart, TpT resource, etc.).
2. Here are the notes for Chapter 4 in Power of Our Words. They will be posted in Schoology so that we can have our online discussion at Tuesdays staff meeting. The discussion and image are also posted in Schoology.
3. We have Literacy/STEM Night this Thursday, January 16th from 6-7PM. Thank you to those that are able to attend and help out. If you have questions, please direct them to Katie or Angie. As a reminder, there will be a brief meeting tomorrow, Monday, Jan. 13 at 8:15 for all that are helping with STEM/Literacy Night. We will review the activities and logistics for the evening. Be sure you have shared the invite with your families!
4. February parent teacher conferences are right around the corner. Please complete this document for every student in your classroom. The conference schedule will match the one we used in the Fall. Conferences begin at 4:00 and are 20 minutes in length. If you need to adjust your times at all just remember that Angie will make an announcement at the conclusion of each conference time. Dinner will be from 5:40-6:20 in the STEM Hub. If you would like support for a conference, please be sure to invite, Kate, Katie or Chelsea! We are here to help!
5. It's WIZARD time! GRE is in need of two players to represent our school at this year's Wizards Game! Last year Ginna and Casandra represented GRE-who's bringing their skills this year? Please let me know if you are interested...or I'll start cold calling:) The game is on April 7th. Players will need to be there by 5:00 with a 6:30 tip off!
6. There will be a short staff meeting with Angie and Jeremy on Wednesday, January 22nd from 3:45-4:00 PM in the STEM Hub. They will be sharing important information about the upcoming levy. Please plan to attend. This event has been added to the staff google calendar as well.
7. I will be heading around this week to begin my 2nd round of Walkthroughs for those of you on Full OTES. I've sent out several emails asking to set up your observation times. If you haven't heard from me yet, you will soon:) You'll also see Katie and I out and about checking out your reading blocks. As a reminder, this was the exit ticket from our December waiver day-to invite us in to check out your reading block. We are excited to take a peak in your rooms!
8. 3rd and 4th grade teachers, if you haven't sent your Reading Resolution pic to Kate yet, please make sure you do so. This will help to guide our work during this second half of the year!
9. One staff member (way to go Cailyn!) has responded to the following request-be brave, be bold, our community would love the chance to get to know you!
Big Walnut is looking to feature staff again on their Social Media Accounts. GRE will have three dates where a staff member will be featured. Especially if you are new to BW this is a great opportunity for you! Big Walnut is such a close community and they love learning about the adults their children spend their days with. Please consider completing the following information and sending it, along with a photos, to Samantha at socialmedia@bwls.net.
Questions:
Need 2-3 Photos (example: 1 good headshot, 1 of family, 1 fun/ working)
Name -
Current Role-
Time with Big Walnut Local School District-
Hometown-
Education-
Family-
Hobbies-
What does #InspireAndGuide mean to you?
Upcoming Events
Monday, January 13th- A Day;
Tuesday, January 14th- B Day; K-2 Staff Meeting 7:30
Wednesday, January 15th- C Day; PBIS Meeting 8:00 in Megan Sweet's Room
Thursday, January 16th D Day; SLC Meeting 8:00; STEM/Literacy Night 6-7; Happy Birthday Jen Valentik!
Friday, January 17th- E Day;
Upcoming Events
January 16 Literacy/STEM Night 6:00-7:00pm
January 22 Staff meeting with Angie Hamburg and Jeremy Buskirk 3:45-4:00
Jan. 18-Feb. 1 Yearbook Sale
January 20 NO SCHOOL: MLK Day