Burchfield's Bulletin
October 30 - November 3, 2017 (School Days 48-52)
A Note from Me to You
With that in mind, I hope you are thinking about what type of novelty act or "hook" you can use this week to really keep your students in tune with your teaching and ultimately their learning. If that is what it takes to focus our students, that's what needs to be done.
Before the upcoming S.M.A.R.T. Night, I want to encourage you to encourage every student to be present for at least a little bit of the evening. So many have been preparing for the event and we do not want to disappoint. The Relay for Life Team has prepared for nearly 300 for supper based on RSVPs so we know we'll have at least that many attend. I am sad that I will not be able to attend due to an out of town funeral but please take pictures and send them my way. Dave has sent out logistic details and everything is in great hands with Jessica, other Goal Team leaders, and everyone of you.
REMINDER MONDAY and/or TUESDAY CLUB LEADERS: If your club is not meeting due to SMART Night or Halloween, send out a reminder early in the day so parents will be prepared to pick up at regular time.
This past week was a BIG WIG week. (Sorry that just happened.) I know there are a couple of teams finalizing the wording of your Wildly Import Goal for Reading and Writing. (The WIG is what we will accomplish - Lag Measure.)
WIG = X (current standing) to Y (desired standing)
by When (target date of completion) = Wildly Important Goal
This week our focus will be on the HOW to accomplish the WIG. Your team will be naming 1 to 2 Lead Measures that are predictive of students' success. While the Lead Measuresl predict success they can also be influenced by YOU! A Lead Measure is the starting point of the actual CLIMB! (See pic below.) A Lead Measure is what you will measure to determine progress. This is the toughest part of the process to explain so let me give you some simple examples:
I
WIG - Increase Weight Loss
Lead Measures: Increase exercise AND reduce caloric intake
(Both Lead Measures predict weight loss and I influence them.)
II
WIG - Reduce break downs of my car
Lead Measures: Follow oil change schedule and other maintenance checks according to the manufacturer's recommendation
(All Lead Measures predict lowest possible car break downs and I influence them.)
Do not misunderstand me, determining the BEST Lead Measures is not simple BUT understanding that we can predict and influence how we reach our goals is simple. We can predict and influence everyday!
So again, this week is about picking the absolutely top 1 or 2 things you can do to "move the needle." Friends, the needle has got to start moving if it hasn't already. We have about 3 weeks until a full 9 day break from teaching our students. Quite frankly, it may be 9 days of some students not rehearsing or sustaining their learning like they would on school days. This could be scary if we do not engage them in a clear and focused direction of being accountable for their learning. I know you're working hard but we have to get the students working hard too.
Mason's Message
This week’s quote is from British graffiti artist, BANKSY and I hope it inspires you as much as it does me. Last week several team leaders from Bransom visited The Academy of Arts and Dual Language at Corey Elementary in Arlington ISD. Along with the usual campus tour by their administration, your team leads also had an opportunity to speak with two 3rd grade teachers about arts integration on their campus. For me, there were two big takeaways from their conversation;
They too are expected to integrate at least one art based lesson/activity into their lessons every six-weeks.
The teachers integrate the arts into their lessons a lot more than once per six weeks.
In fact, the two teachers we spoke with were currently using music (sound) to teach science; what would a solid sound like and what would a gas sound like? And theater/acting by pairing students and having them create an interactive classroom performance (or informance) about out how different neutrons and electrons interact with each other. These two teachers had already created their required one art integrated lesson for the six weeks combining art and math, and they continued to use the arts to help reinforce the concepts being taught in their class...without permission and without being asked. #why not?
Thank you to all the teachers, students and classes who participated in the Fill the Boot Harvest Bowl campaign. Bransom delivered 263 boxes of Mac & Cheese to Centennial High School to help them beat cross-town rival, Burleson HS. Congratulations to Mrs. Carrington’s class for bringing the most boxes with 98 boxes of delicious, creamy Mac & Cheese! Your class will receive a prize for their efforts.
What does, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas have in common? That’s right, T-TESS. It’s T-TESS season and Joy and I are meeting with teachers to schedule your pre-conference and observations. More to come.
CONGRATULATIONS, NICOLE MUTURI AND MRS. JOHNSON
I really appreciate everyone in 3rd - 5th grades participating in the community event. I hope you will search out other opportunities to get our students' writing out and in the public.
This Week
Monday - S.M.A.R.T Family Night; Harvest House Food Drive Begins
Tuesday - Jeans Day (with donation to Sr. Celebration); Halloween
Wednesday - PTO Write-A-Check campaign fundraiser kicks off today,Show PowerPoint from PTO to class; Goal/Team Leaders Meeting
Thursday - Character Luncheon at Pathway Church
Friday - 3rd an 5th Grades to Russell Farms; End of 2nd 6-Weeks Grading Period; Popcorn Friday from PTO
Upcoming Calendar
Teachers, please check carefully for accuracy. Let me know if there are mistakes. I want to make sure I am sending correct information to parents as they anticipate events through the end of the calendar year. Thanks)
November 5 (Sunday): Daylight Saving Time ENDS, Fall Back!
November 7: Harvest House Food Drive ends
November 8: WACky Wednesday to support the WAC PTO campaign - Red, White and WACky out of Uniform
November 10: Veterans Day Observed; BISD Veterans Assembly at CHS; Bobcat Pride Breakfast; Students receive "Bobcats are WAC" bracklets for WAC campaign
November 11: Veterans Day
November 13: BISD School Board Meeting
November 15: 1st Grade Rehearsal for Thanksgiving Program at CHS; WACky Wednesday - students can have WACky hair but in uniform
November 16: 1st Grade Thanksgiving Program at CHS; TAG Field Trip to Reunion Tower
November 17: Jeans Day for Burleson Opportunity Fund participantsNovember 20-24: Student Holiday; Staff Earned Off Days and Holiday
November 28: Academy of the Arts Film Screening Festival
November 29: Christmas Card Picture/Film/Skit???
November 30: Make-Up Picture Day
December 7: Bransom Sound Concert
December 8: Bransom Sound Caroling; Kindergarten Gingerbread Man Hunt
December 11: School Board Meeting
December 12: 3rd Grade to Ball Performance Hall
December 14: Teacher Jeans Day for Senior Celebration participants; BISD Film Festival
December 15: Kerr MS Select Drama Improv Night in our cafeteria (may see former students)
December 18-21: Christmas Cafe Performances
December 19: 4th Grade Parent meeting for Austin Trip
December 20: Kindergarten Polar Express Day
December 21: First Day of Winter; Class Christmas Parties
December 22: 11:45 Release for Students; End of 3rd 6-Weeks Grading Period
Duties and Birthdays
DUTIES
Gym: Dietz & Garavito
Da Vinci Hall: Blair
Escher Hall: Neel
BIRTHDAYS
Oct. 31 - Crystal White
Nov. 2 - Cindy Matthews
TEACHERS ARE GREAT SPORTS!
All of the things that sound like "Extra Stuff to Do" isn't always what it seems.
PTO's WACky fundraiser will help 1) our students receive additional musical playground equipment, 2) you receive hospitality events (lunches, breakfasts), 3) student hospitality events, and 4) our AR program.
WIGs, Lead Measures, and Scoreboards will help us focus on what is most important to move the needle toward important accomplishments.
Student performances in the arts give students opportunities to grow in areas they are passionate about or may eventually be passionate about.
Campus events like S.M.A.R.T. Night provide our parents the needed opportunity to participate in their child's education.
P.A.W. Time, Bobcat Pride, and PAW CARDS are celebrations students need to experience so they will continue to be feel great about building character and
"Doing the Right Thing!"
Recognizing students for their accomplishments in writing, such as monthly writing displays in hallways, participating in community writing events, and attending the community-wide Character Luncheon may be what propels our students to
writing greatness.
CONSIDER THIS...
- When your students are finished with work, have them read a book.
- When your students are riding a bus to a field trip, let them read a book.
- When your students are waiting in line for lunch, let them read a book.
- When your students are rained out of a recess period, suggest they read a book.
- When your students are listening to you read to them, provide additional copies of the book so some students can read along.
- When students are doing MATH word problems, have them follow along in their books while you read, have them read the word problems together, have a single student read the word problem aloud or maybe ALL OF THE ABOVE. Most students can read the problem alone if they've rehearsed it together enough.
- Reread the previous bullet point and instead of "MATH word problems," say "Social Studies passage" or "Science question."
- Make suggestions to your students for the next book to begin. For a well read teacher, this is a no-brainer!
It all sounds so simple but are we really using every opportunity to get books in the hands of our students and opportunities to read throughout every day?
Academy of the Arts at Bransom Where teachers can do it all!
Website: http://bransom.burlesonisd.net/
Location: 820 S Hurst Rd, Burleson, TX, United States
Phone: 817-245-3600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BransomBobcats/
Twitter: @BransomBobcats