February 17, 2020
A Communication Tool for the Seven Hills Staff
February is for Filling Emotional Bank Accounts!
We all know how a regular bank account works. We make deposits, save up money, and when we need that money later we make a withdrawal. An Emotional Bank Account is an account of trust instead of money. It is an account based on how safe you feel with another person.
One of the six strategies Covey recommends for filling EBAs is "attending to the little things." Don't you find that the little things become the BIG things when they do not receive our attention? Doing the little things is how we honor and show respect for others: small kindnesses, a smile, a little extra effort, a hug, doing something you didn't have to. These are the things that build trust.
Throughout the month of February, we are going to work as a staff to fill Emotional Bank Accounts through a Kindness Campaign and Fabulous February activities. Not to mention, the Staff EBA Action Team AND the Kindness Club have a few additional things up their sleeves! Which makes me wonder....What ideas do you have for filling EBAs in your classrooms?
This Week's Kindness Campaign:
- Take your class to the kindness board and read the message posted. Take a picture of your students. Send them to their parents. Tween them and use the hashtag.
- Promote the Kindness Bingo challenge with families.
- "Pay it Forward" - Pay it forward this week by treating someone to a Sonic drink or other fun snack, offer to help make their copies or pull resources from the library or leveled library, offer to cover someone's duty, etc.
Fabulous February: If you participate in the Kindness Week dress up days you may wear jeans. Except for Thursday. Thursday is professional dress for spring pictures.
Friday Night Lights...Winning the TEA Improvement Game!
NOTE: Invites went out last week. It is very important to know that these invites are not intended for one specific targeted group. There are a variety of targeted skills and needs being addressed, and this should absolutely be seen as a positive with students! We still need volunteers and we will need grade level help with resources!
- Resources for state testing preparation such as Fast Focus
- Comp Ed tutor - I have been looking for a math comp ed tutor to support students in grades 3-5 during the school day.
- Tutorials beyond the school day - Tuesday Tutorials and Friday Night Lights
Friday Night Lights was a successful tutorial program last year, and we WILL be offering it again this year. Based on our new designation with the state, we are going to have to open it up to more students, which means we are going to need more staff support. Friday Night Lights will run for 10 sessions, beginning Friday, February 21st. Staff can sign up for all sessions or only a few. Sign up sheets will go out this week, and we will discuss the details in the Thursday meeting. We will also meet with 3-5 teachers this week to talk about specific students being invited.
Results matter. Seven Hills does have a designation with the state this year that we simply cannot ignore. We have been afforded CompEd funds to support efforts to change these results. We need your help! ALL staff can sign up to support this effort...professional and paraprofessional! $25 an hour! This is a win-win...support our Stars and earn a little cash in your pocket! More details to come this week, but I wanted EVERYONE to have time to think about how they could help be a part of changing the results at Seven Hills!
From Tanya:
Benchmarks-Please note the following upcoming benchmarks this month.Be aware that schedules may change on these days and support staff will be involved in administering.
5th grade Math-February 18th
4th grade Writing=February 19th
4th grade Reading-March 2nd
4th grade Math-March 5th
3rd grade Math-March 6th
3rd grade Reading-March 19th
From the CIT:
Text Level Assessment at the end of the Month
The end of February is quickly approaching, so we want to make sure we are all on the same page and consistency takes place across the grade levels when administering monthly running records. Kim and Tanya came up with a great plan--please read this carefully:
If your students are reading below EOY grade level as per NISD guidelines, they should be assessed each month. (Example: if a 3rd grader is already reading level 40 and above, they do not need to be assessed. If they are reading below a 40, they do need to be tested.)
This should be a cold read. Suggested resources include the DRA progress monitoring toolkit (Molly has shared these assessments with all of you via Google Drive), the Reading A-Z running records, LLI kit running records, Rigby reader running records, etc.
You want to wait to assess your lowest readers until the end of the month to give them the most time to grow.
It is important to remember that the target changes from month to month in most grade levels.
This may feel overwhelming to you. Molly, Rachel, Kelly, Goosey, Tanya and Kim are willing to support you. You simply need to ask for help.
I have created a Google Doc sign up sheet to support teachers with this task. I will even make copies of the running records you wish to use--just email me what level with the title to avoid a repeated assessment. Please feel free to sign up more than once, especially teachers who team. I’m here to help you! Sign up below:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1B2PbFi-bUk2Ajxy2-pgxeDvW9OISfXBpFMqWCm9C_no/edit?usp=sharing
Assessments this Week:
3rd Grade:
February 17-21 3.ELA.3.CBA Jump! (due in Edugence by Feb. 26)
4th Grade:
February 19 Writing Benchmark -- due in Edugence by Feb 25
5th Grade:
February 18 Math Benchmark
Upcoming Assessments:
Kinder
February 28 - March 3 KMath.3.Module 7-9
3rd Grade
February 27- March 2 3Math.3.Modules 7-9
4th Grade
February 26-28 4Science.3.Earth Space
5th Grade
February 27-March 2 5Science.4.Space
February 27-March 2 5.ELA.5.CBA Stage Fright and Fear Takes
Center Stage
From the Librarian:
From the Intervention Team:
The TELPAS Writing Window is Opens! Make sure you are getting at least one writing sample a week. See the TELPAS manual for all the requirements. ALL 5 writing samples are due March 3 by 3:00 to be verified by Mrs. Bryan and Ms. Goosey. You will begin to rate student writing samples when you return from Spring Break.
Our second scheduled round of TELPAS Calibration will take place this Monday, February 17. If you signed up to Calibrate on Monday, Mrs. Bryan has sent you a calendar invite for a reminder. Calibration will take place in Mrs. Bryan and Ms. Goosey’s Room from 3:00-5:00. Remember your computer and earphones. No cell phones please. We will provide a copy of the PLDs and scratch paper. Good Luck!
For students who are taking STAAR Online:
Please schedule with Mario and Rupa a day and time for them to help your students practice with STAAR Online- providing students the opportunity to practice using the tools, navigating through the test, and answering STAAR test questions. The more practice the more comfortable our students will be the day of the test. Please E-mail Mario and Rupa to schedule a day for students to start practicing for STAAR Online.
Habit Huddle Connection:
How did you and/or your team refresh Habit Huddle last week? What will you do this week to add components for Habit 7? Will you reconnect to Habit 4: Think Win-Win as you celebrate Random Act of Kindness Week?
Habit 7 Connection:
This is provided by me as a connection to help staff connect the habits to their personal and professional lives. The connections provided here can be used in the classroom as well.
Habit 7 Connection:
Did you ever hear this story growing up?
A woodcutter strained to saw down a tree. A young man who was watching asked “What are you doing?”
“Are you blind?” the woodcutter replied. “I’m cutting down this tree.”
The young man was unabashed. “You look exhausted! Take a break. Sharpen your saw.”
The woodcutter explained to the young man that he had been sawing for hours and did not have time to take a break.
The young man pushed back… “If you sharpen the saw, you would cut down the tree much faster.”
The woodcutter said “I don’t have time to sharpen the saw. Don’t you see I’m too busy?”
Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have--you. It means having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. Here are some examples of activities:
- Physical: Beneficial eating, exercising, and resting
- Social/Emotional: Making social and meaningful connections with others
- Mental: Learning, reading, writing, and teaching
- Spiritual: Spending time in nature, expanding spiritual self through meditation, music, art, prayer, or service
Living a life in balance means taking the necessary time to renew yourself. It's all up to you. You can renew yourself through relaxation. Or you can totally burn yourself out by overdoing everything. If you are not taking time to sharpen the saw, remember the paradigm of change....Change starts with you!
Reminders and Announcements:
Save the Date:
PTA Fundraiser kicks off this week
Monday, February 10:
- TCRWP K-2 - see the schedule sent by Kim last week; Rebecca has been working with each team on the lesson to be prepared with
- PTA Board Meeting, 6 pm
- Lighthouse Team, 3:30
- PTA Kicks off Fundraiser in Rally during Habit Huddle - in Gym
- 5th Grade Benchmark
- GATES field trip
- Grade Level PLCs - agenda will be sent to ILT members later
- Tanya off Campus at STAAR Training
Wednesday, February 19:
- Accountability Teams Meeting, 3:15 - 3:45
- 4th Grade Benchmark
- Tanya off Campus
Thursday, February 20:
- TCRWP 3-5
- Spring Pictures (schedule coming soon)
Friday, February 21:
- Sharpen the Saw Clubs Round 2
- Friday Night Lights
Happy Birthday to You:
Martha Yosko 2/18
Kim Blackburn 2/21