Cougar Chronicles (for Adults)
V3, i13 Nov. 16-20
What's Up @ the Crest
- YOU all are REALLY growing our students this year!!!! YIPPEE! & This week is THE full week in November.
- Here's the calendar for this week. A lot of extra opportunities to learn
- ValuTeachers is scheduled to be here this Friday if you are a current client
- Faculty Meeting this Thursday- don't forget; lots to share including our School Improvement Plan & other important data
- Don't forget about mandatory K-5, TitleI, and ESL (PreK and EC will be in trainings with their departments) for Thursday, Dec. 3 for the 1/2 day dismissal. Our focus is teaching the English Language Learners and others with limited Academic Vocabulary + Guided Reading + Technology Integration
- Don't forget the email from Keith Lawson about pay periods. November check on 11/24 & Dec. on 12/17 which will also include the $750 for all state employees who currently earn benefits
- HUGE thank you to our local credit union, Self Help Credit Union. Not only have they taken up and contributed multiple school supplies for our students, they have also collected two different monetary donations for our school. This money will help to purchase reading materials for students and to help purchase supplies in our needy children's fund. If you are around town and near there, please stop in and tell them THANK YOU!
- Don't forget to turn in your parent/teacher conference log if you haven't already done that. Please see email from laustin on Sunday at 7:50pm if you have any questions.
- Feedback from AWARDS DAY last Friday. Please click on "feedback from awards day" on this line and complete the short questionnaire. THANK YOU! We will continue to have decisions about the assembly be decided in grade level meetings.
- PLEASE help us out by taking pictures in your classroom. Upload to the google drive that Greg Lail shared. If you need help in how to share these photos, please let us know. The yearbook is a HUGE undertaking. We are so fortunate to have such a great teacher team willing to put in all of these hours of work on a high quality product! We want all students to have multiple chances to be in the book. Please take photos. If you are doing something where cool yearbook photos could be captured, please let Ms. Pearson, Ms. Towery, and/or Mr. Lail know. THANK YOU!!!!!
Lesson Plans continued... Recently, I was asked how I challenge our school. This is my challenge: Each day at MCES, we will have meaningful lesson plans executed by thoughtful teaching practitioners dedicated to student growth and achievement.
- We're going to continue through the rest of the year doing our walk throughs in your classroom. Remember, we want to see your lesson plans when we do this.
- There is no 1 set lesson plan format we expect you to follow.
- We do not care if your plans are written, typed, on the computer, or on different sheets of paper.
- WE DO NOT WANT TO DISRUPT YOUR TEACHING TO FIND YOUR LESSON PLANS. Please have them pulled up on the computer- minimized or on a different tab, or have them out on your desk so we can find them easily. You have YOUR format. We'll learn it.
- The 6 point lesson plan is not needed, but here is a list of the bare minimums you need to have in your plans:
The specific lesson objectives from the standard course of study. Otherwise, how are you going to know if you are spending 2 weeks on RL2.1 and not really any on RI2.2?
You should have a plan for each subject you'll teach on this day, including guided reading groups.
These lesson plans are not written for administration. These plans are for you! If you use shorthand/make notes to yourself, don't stop! These strategies are OK and applauded!
Instructional Resources- This Month's Foci : RTI/MTSS & EVAAS = STUDENT GROWTH!
- Here's a tool when you want to know some things to do, especially for reading interventions
- Here's more information about RTI/MTSS- as we're pooling resources at MCES for our students. It is important to note and understand that if you have more than the 10% who need Tier 2 in your classroom on any given subject, then that really needs to be addressed as at TIER 1 issues- to adjust for the CORE for EVERYONE. This link is from Florida, but it still applies to what we are moving toward in NC. I love the MYTH section as it explains things quite well for us!
- Don't forget all the other ideas and booklet shared with you earlier by Mrs. Temple. We'll be working with you on ways to log the interventions, progress monitor, and what else
- We'll be meeting over the next 2 weeks during your planning/after/before school to discuss your individual EVAAS information, review the grade level information for growth and proficiency, and look at your students' data for this year thus far. Look for your invitation.
- Meeting with Ross Rumbaugh to discuss more specifics about growth information Monday, 11/23 for grades 3-5 during your planning
- GREAT NEWS TO REPORT! I'VE REVIEWED THE EVAAS DATA FOR TEACHERS AND ALL OF YOU WILL BE HAPPY. OUR K-5 RESULTS ARE VERY PROMISING! IF WE DID THAT WELL LAST YEAR WE ONLY ANTICIPATE BETTER THIS YEAR!!!!!!
WHAT TO DO...this is more of what we're going to be focusing on in coming months
ALL ABOUT ACADEMIC VOCABULARY- APPROPRIATE CONTENT DISCOURSE
As you watch this video, pay close attention to see the spoken and writing frames that are used for the students. ALL of these ideas are applicable to ALL grade levels. What is your TAKE AWAY from this video clip? We'll ask this in the faculty meeting this week. Please share one idea you take away from the clip.