Warrior Beat
Student Focused-World Class
Word for the Warrior...
CORE VALUES
What we believe.
· Exemplary student learning
· Guaranteed and viable curriculum
· Collaborative professional learning communities
· Engaging families and the community
· Data-driven decisions for continuous improvement
· Culture of shared leadership
This week, I wanted to take some time to address some items that I believe will bolster the effectiveness of our weekly collaborative team meetings.
Collaboration, according to research and best practice surrounding professional learning communities, is student focused. Teams that are truly collaborative protect and value this time and meet regardless of whether an administrator is present or regardless of whether or not a field trip landed on their planning day.... because the collaboration is what drives and supports instruction. Traditional teams can cooperate and communicate about WHAT is being taught-this is the traditional planning that has happened in schools across America for years. This can happen in isolation and doesn't require much dialogue. True collaboration requires teamwork. Collaboration moves beyond the WHAT and moves to the HOW, WHY and WHO.
In KCS, collaboration is not a recommendation, but an expectation. It's a Core Value of our district. It's what sets us apart from many schools in our region, our state and our country. In order to achieve exemplary student learning, in order to have a guaranteed and viable curriculum, and in order to have time to use data to drive instruction, we must depend on collaboration.
According to our survey results and in talking and working with various teams, we are all on the same path and we are all moving and growing in the same direction, but it is clear that there are areas that need clarification and areas where we need to be more systematic. Regardless of whether or not you work in a department of teachers who have worked together at Sevier and in your particular grade level and subject for years OR whether you are with all new people in an all new department, we need to be consistent in our meeting protocols. Like we have said before, this may feel a bit hokey at first, but having a systematic process for our business is critical if we are to have consistent expectations for students and adults across our school.
As we move into the second nine weeks, let’s remember the following:
1. Please begin each meeting with norms. It is hard when there is a team member who is consistently late for meetings. It's difficult when a team member is more engaged with their cell phone than on the topic at hand. It's challenging when a team member talks more about problems than solutions and derails the meeting. To address these issues can be difficult, but so is enduring these types of behaviors. Reviewing these norms up front can help. So, let's review the norms each meeting as protection for the teams who ARE functioning and for those who may have room to grow.
2. Ensure that each meeting begins by addressing the student focus for the time being planned. It is easy to assume that everyone on the team understands what students should know and be able to do. This isn't always the case. Doug Reeves (author of Elements of Grading) reports that teacher clarity of student expectations and the communication of this expectation to students have a statistically significant effect size. That means that it is critical for us to ensure that we spend time at the beginning of each meeting talking with one another about what we want students to know and be able to do AND we need to articulate what that looks like. In doing this, we are addressing the first two critical questions of learning. Most of you have spent time in nine weeks planning and have a curriculum map. If you have done this, then this part of the meeting should not take long, but without time being spent doing so, we run the risk of talking about activities rather than learning.
3. We need to ensure that teams are discussing learning at the student level. At the very least, we need to be reviewing student work through data conferencing on the common formative assessments (CFAs) planned for each nine weeks. Most teams have created at least two CFAs each nine weeks. These assessments and checkpoints do not have to be just be a multiple choice assessment. Some teachers use writing assessments as a CFA and others use projects. All are appropriate if the results help us determine what our students know and give us insight into our next steps. Please email all admin the dates when your teams will review the CFA data for this nine weeks. We will prioritize these times and ensure that we are present. This year, our school will get a grade for performance based on our new assessments. High performing schools all have one thing in common. They regularly spend time monitoring student achievement and progress. This does not mean that we need to skill and drill students and focus only on a test. It DOES mean that we need to carefully plan HOW we will know if students have learned material and that we respond with either reteaching or enrichment as a result.
Many times, a little goes a long way...SO...this week during collaboratives, please remember to:
1. Begin each meeting by reviewing meeting norms.
2. Spend the first few minutes of each collaborative sharing with one another about the standard(s) of focus so that all teachers are clear about what is expected of students and are confident in what that looks like when it is mastered.
3. Email admin your dates for data conferencing results of your CFAs.
Sevier is a staff of teachers who work collaboratively and who are focused on student learning. Making our work systematic will move us forward.
Here's looking forward to a great week!
Proud to be a Warrior,
Holly
Week of the Warrior
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31
Celebrations and Recognitions Action Team-3:00-JSMS Conference Room
Girls Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Boys Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Wrestling Practice 3:00-5:15
Sevier on Stage (Full Cast) 3:00-5:30
6th Grade Good Behavior Trip
STAFF FLU SHOTS 10:00-12:00
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1
Girls Basketball Game vs Unicoi @ Sevier JV 5:30 Varsity 6:30
Boys Basketball Game vs Unicoi @ Unicoi JV 4:30 Varsity 5:30
Wrestling Practice 3:00-5:15
Cheerleading Practice 3:00-5:00
Student Council Meeting 3:00-3:30/Mrs. Wagner's Room/344
Swim Meet vs Vance @ DB/Warm-ups 5:00/Start Time 6:00
Kingsport City Schools has designated Tuesday, November 1, as "KCS Backs the Blue Day". We will be honoring our SRO, Brad Conkin, for his hard work and dedication to our Students and Staff. Please WEAR Blue to Support Office Conkin!!!
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2
Picture Make-up Day/Small Gym
8th Grade Book Club 7:00/Mrs. Young's Room/338
Girls Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Boys Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Wrestling Practice 3:00-5:15
Cheer Practice 3:00-5:00
Dance Team Practice 3:00-5:30
Sevier on Stage (Full Cast) 3:00-5:30
Winter Sports Pictures 2:45 (Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball, and Wrestling)
Sequoyah Scribe student newspaper will meet 2:45-3:30. All staff members are
required to attend. The editorial team will meet until 5:15.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3
Girls Basketball Game @ Gate City (No Bus) JV 4:00 Varsity 5:00
Boys Basketball Game @ Gate City JV 6:00 Varsity 7:00
Wrestling Practice 3:00-5:15
Bridge Club 3:00/Library
Natural Helpers 3:00-4:30/Room 241
Swim Team Practice 3:00-4:15
Sevier on Stage (Full Cast) 3:00-5:30
STUDENT FLU SHOTS---Student Flu Shots will ONLY be given to students who turned in paperwork in August requesting a flu shot.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4
Girls Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Boys Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Wrestling Practice 3:00-4:30
Chess Club 3:00/Library
Swim Team Practice 5:00-6:00
STAFF JEANS DAY/Fundraiser in Memory of Rosemary Smith
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5
Wrestling Match @ Science Hill 9:00
Pentathlon Meet @ KAC (TBA)
Sevier on Stage (Full Cast) 9:00-3:00
SAVE THE DATE:
11/10 Sevier on Stage: Shrek, JR Student Performance
11/11 Veterans Day Program (Please notify Marty Meade if you served in the Military)
11/11 & 11/12 Sevier on Stage: Shrek, JR Performance 7:00/Auditorium
11/14 Red Boot Club Rally 1:15-2:45/Auditorium
The JSMS Jam...
ROSEMARY SMITH MEMORIAL
We will be accepting donations for Rosemary's memorial all week long in the office to show our love for our dear friend. Anyone who donates at least $5 may wear jeans on Friday.
Dr. Ailshie Visiting Sevier ALL DAY on November 17th
Dr. Ailshie has made a commitment to be in schools this year more often. He will be at Sevier on November 17th all day and plans on visiting classrooms as well as being present for you to come to talk to him during your planning times if you wish. At this time, I do not expect that there will anything formal. His desire is to be present for you.
TN COMPASS INFORMATION
- You will be expected to use TNCompass to input self-scores prior to the post-conference. The website is https://tdoe.tncompass.org. If you are a new teacher, you will need to register.
- The NIET Best Practice website (www.nietbestpractices.org) is a great resource to watch sample lessons and participate in training modules centered around the rubric.
- The Team website (www.team-tn.org) is another great resources. Specifically, you can find valuable resources on the IPI pages (http://team-tn.org/ipi/ipi-for-teachers/ and http://team-tn.org/ipi/ipi-resources/)
JSMS Yearbooks On Sale!
If you have not reserved your 2016-2017 yearbook, it's not too late! Order your full-color yearbook with personalized color for $23, or without name for $22.
To order, visit www.inter-state.com/yearbook and enter code 11192D or return an envelope with cash or a check made out to John Sevier Middle School.
Student Advisory Board
Students who are interested in being a part of the Student Advisory Action team may pick up an application in the main office. This team will meet monthly with JSMS Administration and be briefed on all items pertinent to school life. This team will provide student input to decision making at Sevier.
Warrior Weekly Update
Rather than send faculty the Weekly Warrior Update that goes to families, from now on I will only include the link. IF you are interested in what is shared with families, you may click on that link:
https://www.smore.com/6exu0-weekly-warrior-update
PTA Needs YOU!
Don't forget to join PTA! Membership is just 5$ and your membership and helps support the students of JSMS! Please print the slip below (it is also an attachment to the email with this link) and return the form and your $5 membership/donation to the JSMS office! Thank you!
ASC News
New Teacher Summit
The State of Tennessee's Teacher Advisory Council is hosting new teacher summits across the State.
On Saturday, Nov. 5, one will be held in the Knoxville area from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT. This professional learning opportunity is planned specifically with new teachers in mind. Sessions will be developed and led by teacher advisory council members and include topics that appeal to all grade levels and content areas, such as classroom management, parent and community engagement, and more.
There is no registration fee, and lunch will be provided. This opportunity is ideal for teachers in their first or second year of teaching who eagerly seek out professional learning opportunities and display exceptional leadership potential.
Teachers may click here to register. For more information, contact Leigh Cooksey or Adam Moss. Adam, from the Cleveland district, will be leading the summit in Knoxville.
From the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM)
"What Makes Music Education Great in Your School District" Recognition Program Kick Off - Beginning today, eligible school districts throughout the U.S. are invited to submit an online application with a link to an original one-minute student-produced and faculty-advised video on the theme, “What makes music education great in my school district?” Since 2014, The NAMM Foundation has hosted 13 residencies in communities throughout the U.S. celebrating music education, and students, teachers, school and community leaders that are creating music learning opportunities for all students. Your school district could be next!
Submit a Video to Win! - Review the official rules and submit an online application here. A link to your video is required. Winners will receive a two-day residency with the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, guided tours of the Bus as well as the opportunity for a group of students to work with Lennon Bus producers and engineers to create a music video for an original song. During the two-day residency, The NAMM Foundation will host a town hall event to showcase music programs in the district and feature performing groups, teachers and school administrators sharing their stories of the value and importance of music education for school and community. View the eligibility requirements and read the official rules by clicking here.
Application OPENS: 9/14/16
Application ENDS: 11/18/16
Anticipated Award Notification: 12/1/16
Subscribe to the "Talking Up Music Education" podcast - Talking Up Music Education is a podcast produced by The NAMM Foundation about music education. Download and subscribe today.
Warrior Whoop! (Celebrations and Recognitions)
*Thank you to Marty Meade, Angela Miller and our counselors for our first meetings targeting our failure reports. We reviewed each student in each grade who received an F on their report card by name to determine next steps (conferences, assigning tutoring/homework help, calling Matthew Smith, calling parents, meeting with students, Road to Success Club, etc). I believe this student focused approach will really help support our students and our families in knowing that we care, we are relentless and that we will do whatever we can to ensure that our students succeed.
*Thank you to David Flanary for creating our distribution lists! Please make sure you follow his directions and take time to download the lists so that we can cut down on the number of emails that we receive daily. Another recommendation made was to blind copy everyone when you send a mass email to prevent mass replies.
*Thank you to Wesley Idelette and PJ Ryan for continuing on as our JSMS Wrestling Coaches. If you don't know Wesley and PJ, you should stop by in the atrium after school and get to know them. They are such positive role models for our students and they care about our kids!
*Congratulations to the JSMS/RNR OneTribe Swim team who took first place in their first meet last week! Our joint team took first place in 22 out of 23 events and was the overall winner! Go Tribe!
*Both Girls and Boys Basketball teams played great scrimmages last week against Colonial Heights! JV and V Girls won their scrimmages. Varsity boys also won and our JV boys fought a tough game losing by just 2 points in the last second of the game! A great season is ahead!
*Phase Two of our Jr. Tribe Time roll out is off to a great start with many enrichment opportunities beginning last week for our students! In addition to these opportunities, Jr. Tribe Time provides all students with opportunities to have reteaching over material for which they need help and also provides students an opportunity to complete work and get ahead! Stay tuned for what's ahead in Phase 3!
JSMS/RNR joint Swim Meet-1st Place!