Week At A Glance
November 13 - 19, 2017
Before and After PLC on 11/13
Stop by again after PLCs in the Bookroom to pick up a different surprise. Please note that your name will be on this surprise....so don't just grab any item...look for your name. :)
Basketball Game Assistance Needed this week!!
Basketball season is right around the corner! The first home game is next week on Tuesday, 11/14 and our first home STAY-AFTER game for the student body on Wednesday, 11/15. We are need of individuals to work the clock and take tickets. (We are in desperate need of volunteers to monitor students!)
Notes:
- Pay is $25 for clock & ticket taker. (We are still in need of ticket takers!!)
- Individuals must be able to already run the clock to work this position.
- Individuals working any of these positions must occur outside of your normal work hours.
Feel free to sign up for all interested times/positions even if someone has already signed up for it. (sign up link: https://goo.gl/ppjy4W) If more than one individual signs up for each time, I will split up the times/positions to evenly balance the opportunities. (Note: Please edit the document in the browser to add your name – do not download.)
Also, on 11/15 and 1/18 are AFTER-SCHOOL games ~ the student body can stay after school for the games. We need volunteers for crowd control and dismissal!! For those new to FCI, students stay after school who have a ticket/or note & $$ for ticket, teachers take to the gym for the game when announced from the office, student dismissal begins at 5pm with dismissal going until about 5:30pm.
Any assistance you can provide on those days is greatly appreciated!!! For us to continue to offer this fun opportunity we really need your help. YOUR ASSISTANCE IS INVALUABLE TO MONITOR FOR SAFETY!! It is also great for students to see you outside of the classroom participating in a school event if you are able.
Please sign up at the same link above. (https://goo.gl/ppjy4W) for crowd control and consider this voluntary opportunity. :D
Let Kim or Randy know if you have any questions.
Team meetings this week
HSE 21 Corner
**If you haven't read the article here, please do before our team meetings. Dr. Bourff will be doing his tour of FCIS on Tuesday at 1:00. He visits every building at least once per semester and enjoys hearing from the students about their learning. **
Dr. Bourff sent the principals an article from Ed Week that describes trends which have strong ties and implications for HSE 21 instruction. (https://goo.gl/3n3PeU) Check it out and see where you think we/you are currently and how this may affect your future in teaching and schools in general. (location: FCI intranet/documents and forms/staff reading_articles)
Safety Drills
Here is a video that you may choose to use in discussing ALICE: http://safeyoutube.net/w/G3Rb
Mindfulness (from last week's WAG)
Our goal is to indicate options for the week that will make you and your class confident in getting started. Use them or something else that you would like. Of course, if you have taken the course, feel free to proceed with the curriculum or other resources you may have. You are encouraged to teach/share with your colleague(s) as you have successes and find things that work for you especially those of you who share the same students.
Because mindfulness is meant to convey a specific quality and tools students will hopefully use throughout all portions of their lives, it is important to remember and encourage the following things:
- Mindfulness is present-moment awareness, non-judgmental, being still
- Mindfulness should be used to lovingly encourage awareness
- Mindfulness is NOT a disciplinary tool. - Never use mindfulness to demand a certain behavior.
- Avoid using mindfulness vocabulary or practicing mindfulness with frustration, irritation, or impatience. - You could indicate that you were frustrated and suggest as a class to take a minute to practice mindfulness.
Below are listed our next step expectations and resources. Regarding resources, please make sure that you have reviewed any resources you plan to use prior to using to make sure it is a good fit for you and/or your class. Remember that there are many of us that are eager to assist you begin to get comfortable with mindfulness as we make this a foundational activity here at FCI to assist our students.
Next Step Expectations:
Note: Please feel free to only participate in the announcements portion of mindfulness until after Thanksgiving if that would make you feel more prepared and comfortable to be able to begin. All staff should be practicing mindfulness with their classes as outlined below following Thanksgiving. Be sure to ask for assistance if you need it!! :)
- Announcements - A Moment of Mindfulness will be led during announcements. Initially this will also include brief explanations/teaching. This may transition to a brief 'lesson' on a Monday with 'silent' sits for the remainder of the week for one minute. Please do participate in the sits along with your students as you feel comfortable. Perhaps the first couple times you may want to peek to see if students are okay, but then join in. Remember that students may not take this seriously the first couple times because they may not want to look silly; that is okay and expected. However, once they know that you realize it is an important time and others are participating as well, they will join in. Your attitude and approach to the importance of what we are doing will set the tone. :)
- Class sits - The School Improvement Team is asking that all teachers utilize Mindfulness at least once per rotation throughout the week. This means students will be exposed daily on announcements then 2-4 additional times per week at a minimum depending on how many classes are on your team. Of course, you are encouraged to practice Mindfulness with your students on a daily bases. Many of you will find that it is extremely helpful to do additional sits before transitions, after transitions, after coming in from recess, before a test, if a chaotic class period is occurring, etc.
Resources
- Trained Staff:
- Feel free to seek out teachers who have been officially trained, use mindfulness in their classrooms, and/or feel comfortable sharing. There are many of us who are willing to come in to your classes to assist or have you few our classes as well.
- Those trained: Ruth, Lauren, Jessica, John, Kim K, Randy, Darren, Jaime, Michelle, Chris, Kim D, Marcia, Johnny, Hannah, Trae, Cari
- Websites:
- Mind Yeti - https://www.mindyeti.com/
- account: fci-general@hse.k12.in.us
- password: falcons1 (case sensitive)
- This site has videos that allow you to just play and not have to speak instructions if you are not yet comfortable. Categories: Calm, Focus, Getting Along, Reset, etc.
- You can create your own account, but the free version has limited lessons/videos. The fci-general account has been purchased so that you may have more than one lesson/video to explore.
- Smiling Mind - https://app.smilingmind.com.au/programs/4/
- You need to create your own account, as it keeps track of what you have done. It is suggested that you select the 10-12 year old program and work through it.
- The sits are good; you may or may not find the activities something you want to do.
- FCI Intranet Files:
- K-5 Classroom Teacher Mindfulness Manual - Basic overview including simple, quick scripts to use - https://goo.gl/fZFRjj
- Curriculum - https://goo.gl/Wq8yXT (Although it says K-5, it is appropriate to use for 6th grade.)
- Folder of mindfulness items on FCI intranet - (https://goo.gl/1yZHLb) Feel free to explore and find out what others have done with the materials. There is a document in that folder that has been started to list resources. Feel free to use and add to that list!
Mindfulness Options - Week of 11/ 6-10
Gratitude in the Classroom - Here are the basics of a gratitude lesson for any age. Feel free to expand and innovate!
- Explore the concept of gratitude.
- Differentiate genuine gratitude, which is spontaneous and heartfelt, from contrived gratitude, which is often forced onto children by adults as part of the socialization process (“Say ‘Thank you.'”)
- Do a brainstorm of the things for which students genuinely feel grateful.
- Have them notice how they feel, after just talking about gratitude.
- Explain a bit about our minds’ ability to learn internal skills as well as external skills. Gratitude is an internal skill.
- Guide the students through the three basic steps of gratitude practice:
1. Begin with some mindfulness of breathing.
2. Think of something for which you’re grateful. Make it specific and picture it in your mind.
3. Enjoy any feelings of warmth, delight, happiness, or ease that come.
Additional Options
- Smiling Minds - (https://app.smilingmind.com.au/programs/4/) Ages 10-12 program - "The Bubble Journey"
- Mind Yet - ((https://www.mindyeti.com/dashboard) ) watch 'Welcome to Mind Yeti' video (for students - with or without visual based on what you know will be successful for your students)
- Mind Yet - (https://www.mindyeti.com/dashboard) Powers - Breath - "Hello, Breath"
- Mindful Schools - K5 Curriculum pdf 2014 (https://goo.gl/Wq8yXT) Class One: Introduction - Mindful Bodies & Listening
- Begin Mindfulness journal - https://goo.gl/1bvuiz - in COMMONS SHARE/Mindfulness/Mindfulness journal_workbook options
- Create/have students take pre-mindfulness survey - https://goo.gl/4RXamM - in COMMONS SHARE/Mindfulness folder on intranet
Pre-observation (optional)
TDS News
Something to think about:
This might be helpful:
Humanities:
- "If you want kids to be better readers, they must read. And if you want them to read a lot, much, perhaps most, of what they read must be what they choose to read."
~Disrupting Thinking-Why How We Read Matters by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst
STEM:
~ Food for Thought ~
What's Happenin' at the Creek!
Monday, November 13, rot. I5
- First Boys' Home Basketball Game Permission Slip Due
- 7:45-10:45 - EDM PD - Tiffany, Jason, Amanda and Jaime
- 11:30-2:30 - EDM PD - Michael, Kris, Nick, and Alex
- 2:33pm - Student dismissal
- 2:40 - 3:25 - PLC time (Stop by Bookroom BOTH before and after PLC meetings for a treat & surprise from Trinity Church!)
- 3:30-5:00pm - Boys Basketball Practice
Tuesday, November 14, rot. F1
- 9:30 - 11:00 - Administrative Team meeting at RSI
- Dr. Bourff visit at 1:00 pm
- 3:00-4:00pm - Choir
- 5:30-7:30 - Boys bb game home vs. Pendleton East
Wednesday, November 15, rot. F2
- Field Trip - Team 64 - Indy Zoo
- Thanksgiving Meal Day
- 2:00 FCIS Equity/Diversity Team meeting
- 3:00-3:50pm - Spell Bowl Practice
- 3:15-5:00 - Boys Home bb game vs. SCI
Thursday, November 16, rot. F3
- Team meetings- 61, 62, 63, 64, 51, 53, 57 & 58
- Field Trip Teams 54 & 56 - Indy Zoo
- 3:00-4:00pm - Choir
- 5:00- 7:00 - Spell Bowl
Friday, November 17, rot. F4
- Asst. Principal's Conference - Kim (out of building)
- Team meetings- 52, 54, 55, & 56
- 3:00-4:30pm - Boys Basketball Practice
Monday, November 20, rot. F5
- Principal's Conference - Randy (out of building)
- Peer Observation Day (schedule to come)
- 2:33pm - No PLC- dismiss at usual Monday time, though
- 5:30-7:30pm - Boys BB at Lapel
Tuesday, November 21, rot. C1
Happy Birthday, Kim Day!
- Principal's Conference - Randy (out of building)
- 3:00-4:30pm - Boys Basketball Practice
Wednesday, November 22-26
- Thanksgiving Break
Monday, November 27, rot. C2
- Ensure you are doing Mindfulness at least once per rotation each week beginning this week.
- 2:33pm - student dismissal
- 2:40 - 3:25 -PLC time
- 3:30-5:00pm - Boys Basketball Practice
Tuesday, November 28, rot. C3
- 9:30 - 3:30pm - GAK- Kim, John, Jessica, Amanda, Laurie
- 3:00-4:00pm - Choir
- 5:30 -7:30pm - Boys Basketball Game @ Home vs. Hamilton Heights
Wednesday, November 29, rot. C4
- 7:00am - Student Council
Thursday, November 30, rot. C5
- 3:00-4:00pm - Choir
- 3:00-4:00pm - FCI Connect
- 3:15-5:15pm - Boys Basketball Game @ Riverside Intermediate
Friday, December 1, rot. I1
FCI Miscellaneous notes
Admin Acct. for new devices:
MAC: Username: Lmstaff / Password: HSEloc@1
Windows 10 Machines (Dell & Surface): Username: .\Lmstaff / Password: HSEloc@1
Front Row - (RtI/exceptional learners)
Log in- fci-general@hse.k12.in.us
password - frontrow2014
class code (any student in the school edition) - 8ztau4
NWEA windows:
Fall: Monday, August 14 to Friday, September 1
Winter: Monday, December 4 to Monday, December 18
Spring: Monday, April 30 to Tuesday, May 15