SPHS Teacher Updates
Week of 9/28 - 10/3
C-Day information:
October 12th, is our first early release day of the year. First and Second Block classes will meet F2F with A Day students on campus. B-Day students will have Remote Learning. All Virtual school students will meet for first and second block class. More Information will be forthcoming this week.
Focus Team Tuesday
All faculty is expected to select a primary and secondary Quality Focus Team and attend the monthly meeting each 4th Tuesday of the month. Please select your quality focus team(s) and send your selection to Mrs. Runyans by September 28.
Please click here to view information about each of this years Quality Focus Teams.
Please click here to complete your Quality Focus Team selection.
Teacher Professional Development Opportunities
Incorporating SEL(Social Emotional Learning):Any teachers interested in learning more about incorporating SEL in your courses can review the attached flyer for an optional opportunity.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LX2B5IDHmw3T5DgHTTPoR9gHRNPCANyc/view
Read to Succeed Training Opportunity: Read to Succeed course for middle and high school teachers is now in KickUp for registration. Facilitator: Queenie Hall
Please be sure to read the course information carefully before registering. Thank you!
Walk It Out Wednesdays!
Instructional Leadership Team Reminder: We will meet this Monday, September 28th from 1:30-2:30 in the media center.
Virtual Gradebook Setup Sessions
Gradebook setup review sessions will be held Monday, September 28th and Monday, October 5th via Zoom. The purpose of these meetings is to support accurate gradebook setups to streamline grade reporting and student progress monitoring. All teachers must attend one of the four sessions offered below. Please see attached the SPHS grading general guidelines and practices for your review.
Session Date: September 28th Session Times: 11:00-11:30
3:00-3:30
Session Date: October 5th Session Times: 11:00-11:30 3:00-3:30 Zoom Link: https://rockhillschools.zoom.us/j/6373578537?pwd=MHBlQWFsUTFPMDEyYytlejRLNVdhQT09
Teacher Evaluation: Preliminary Period
A big thank you to all of our mentor and peer evaluators who play the important role of supporting our new to the profession and/or district teachers! Peer evaluator and mentor evaluation orientation sessions were held last week by our district teacher support specialist. Please contact K. Williams if you did not receive information to attend.
Teachers under formal evaluation which includes, induction, annual/formal and recertification teachers, please be sure to attend the district evaluation orientation meetings this week. All other teachers and certified staff will receive a school-based orientation in October. At that time, we will share information on the evaluation process for this year and the updates that have been made to support our current instructional models.
Student and Teacher of the Month
Homecoming Ticket Information
Staff Tickets are now available for Homecoming game against Lancaster this Friday 10/2 at 7:30pm
Please go to spstallions.com and go to tickets. Click on the football game and then "Have a passcode". Passcode for staff this week is TEACHSP20. The tickets are free
Please remember that capacity at the stadium is limited and everyone must have tickets to enter the stadium. There are limited seats available in the Teacher section. Present your QR code at any gate. Also remember that we have a clear bag policy at all athletic events. Bookbags and large purses will not be allowed in the stadium or gym when metal detectors are in use.
School Google Calendar
Things to add:
Club Meetings
Auditions
Performances
Meetings
Faculty Activities
Sporting Events
Please send any events we need to add to Mrs. Runyans
2020-2021 1st Semester Grade Reporting Calendar
RHSD Real Time COVID - 19 Dashboard
Content in the dashboard is updated no later than 5 p.m. each week day. Data is provided as cumulative totals since the first day of school by each location, by grade bands, by non-school locations, overall summary, and "week-at-a-glance", which shows new reports for the current week. Information shown may differ from the SC Department of Health and Control reports, which are released on Tuesday and Friday each week.
How to Avoid the October Blues
1) Start by recognizing that you’re thinking way too far ahead.
You’re already anticipating the stress of things that won’t happen for many more weeks, and trying to figure out how you’re going to have energy to do something that’s months away. That means you are creating your own stress by anticipating problems that haven’t actually happened yet. You’re worrying about how you THINK the year will unfold, instead of focusing on today.
You don’t need the strength for 185 days of school right now. All you need is strength for today. And if even THAT feels overwhelming, break it down even further. You really only need strength for this very moment, right here in the present. Can you make it through the next ten seconds? Yes, you can. Then make it through the next ten seconds. When the panic starts to fade, take it ten minutes at a time. Can you make it through the next ten minutes? The next hour?
Stop living in the future. Don’t let your mind race ahead and try to solve problems that haven’t even happened yet.
Remind yourself: These are not real problems for me to face right now. The only thing I need to deal with right now is the tasks that are in front of me, and my circumstances right in this moment. I can do this. Keep bringing your mind back to the present moment.
2) Stop comparing your present reality to what you had hoped this school year would be like.
Let go of that idealized version of teaching that you dreamed about over the summer and embrace what is actually happening. Every teacher gets thrown a bunch of curve balls: we end up teaching a different grade level or in a different classroom than we thought, we get new students added to the roster at the last minute, and we have changes sprung on us overnight. That is par for the course in teaching, so we can’t hold on too tightly to what we want our work to look like.
Flexibility and resilience are not optional character traits for teachers: flexibility and resilience are crucial elements of our success. Embrace those little –and big– annoyances that cause you to learn how to be flexible and that give you the opportunity to practice resilience.
3) Actively look for ways to find and emphasize the good stuff
Find an experienced teacher in your building who is just unshakeable: nothing seems to throw him or her off, because that person has seen everything and is done riding the emotional rollercoaster. When you start to get overwhelmed, go hang around that teacher. Surround yourself with people who are determined to love teaching no matter what, and who will encourage you to keep going during tough times.
You’ll feel a lot better if you spend your evenings celebrating the good stuff and looking for new ways to make the next day better instead of rehashing problems.
Even though it sounds like a cliche, you MUST stay focused on the positive. Complaining and focusing on the negative will wear you down. So use your interactions with other teachers to talk about SOLUTIONS, rather than seeking out people to vent with you.
You are not alone. And it’s going to get better in the months to come. The hardest weeks of the school year are behind you. Look at what you have accomplished already! Celebrate every little success, not only in your mind when you’re tempted to replay your endless to-do list but also out loud with children.
Don’t get distracted by the documentation and paperwork and meetings –-handle your business, but always, always, keep your heart and mind focused on the kids. They’re the best part of this job, and it’s only going to get better with them from here on out.