Orioles Nest
Newsletter for Bessie Allen Middle School Staff
Monday, 10-17-16
District Driving Belief:
Our district believes that all students will be college, career and life ready.
District Goals:
#1. All Students Get Better at Literacy!
#1. Engaging and Effective Instruction!
#1. Create and Maintain a Happy (Positive Emotional) Environment!
Guiding Principles for Improvement:
Our conversations and actions will center on maximizing learning for all students.
Through the use of research-based professional educational practices and collaboration, we will make decisions that ensure all students will learn to be effective and independent problem solvers, critical thinkers, lifelong learners and positive community members.
BAMS Building SLO:
By June 2017, students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade will show growth in their opinion writing rubric scores from earlier assessments given in Fall 2016 and Winter 2017. This level of growth will be assessed as follows:
6th Grade: 70% ---- 7th Grade: 75% ---- 8th Grade: 80%
Mr. Gonzalez's Mantra:
"I commit to serving people kindly so that they feel valued, acknowledged, supported, understood and loved."
Shout Outs - Orange Frog Moments
Kim and Adam Broten: going above and beyond to help a student overcome obstacles to learning.
Aaron Sadoff: covered for the office secretaries today as they had lunch with the District Office.
Custodial Staff: Had a rough week with gym floor and bathroom issues, but pulled through with a smile!
BAMS Staff: High school has reported that incoming 9th graders have had smooth transition to Oriole Way at HMHS, mainly due to your work with these students during the past three years!
Celebrations and Updates
- Both the 7th and 8th grade girls' basketball teams won their games against Lomira this week. The 7th grade Lady Orioles defeated the Lady Lions 36-16. The 8th graders completed the sweep with a 28-15 victory on Parents' Night. Congratulations to both teams! They also won against Horicon. 39-1 for 7th grade team and 32-2 for 8th grade team.
- BAMS Cross Country: The O s Boys team placed first and the Girls team second in the Flyway Conference meet
- Many celebrations and updates not included here are on District's Facebook and Twitter.
Grant Opportunities
This grant is being sponsored by Save On Energy. Go here for all the grant information and submission form: https://www.saveonenergy.com/teacher-grant/
The grant application deadline is October 21, 2016.
Contact information:
Elizabeth Brown
Communications Director
6860 North Dallas Parkway Suite 228 | Plano, TX 75024
elizabeth@admin.saveonenergy.com
www.saveonenergy.com
Find Save on Energy: | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn |
Professional Learning Opportunities
October 28th Inservice Agenda:
AM Schedule (8-noon)
-- Welcome and Reflection
-- Learning Target & Level of Questioning PD
-- Finalize “I” Statements
-- BREAK
-- Orange Frog Feedback to Area Superintendents
-- General News and Notes
--K-12 Math Meeting in DMR, 6-12 Content Team Meetings in various locations
LUNCH (on your own)
PM Schedule (4 hours)
-- Educator Work Time (meeting in PLCs, reviewing data, group planning, etc.)
-- Where: High School PAC
What to Bring: Pen, technology, "I" statement draft from August
See Adam Broten for more details on the following PD opportunities:NOVEMBER
Academic Discourse - Importance of Talk In High School Classrooms (Grades 9-12)
Thurs., Nov. 3, 2016
NATIONAL SPEAKER
Stephanie Harvey: Comprehension, Collaboration and Inquiry (Grades 3-8)
"Teaching our kids to comprehend and think strategically is the foundation in literacy instruction. But we don’t reserve comprehension instruction just for the literacy block.
We teach comprehension across the curriculum, every day, all year."
Thurs., Nov. 10, 2016
Systemic Approach To Building Academic Vocabulary (Middle School and High School Level)
Wed., Nov. 16, 2016
Introduction to the Literacy Continuum (Grades K-8)
Fri., Nov. 18, 2016
Please note. . . .
Calendar Highlights: Please review the BAMS Events Calendar on Google that has been shared with every staff member for important dates throughout the year.
Mr. Gonzalez will be OUT this week:
- Tuesday, 10/18/16: Leadership Team Meeting in DMR (9am - 11am)
Key Dates:
- Names due for Medal of Excellence: October 17th
- Parent/Teacher Conferences: October 17th (3-7pm) and October 19th (3-6:30pm)
- BAMS Bucks Drawing: October 21st during Nest
Penny War for United Way: Ends on 10/21/16. The NESTING class that raises the most money will get to decide what Mr. Gonzalez will wear for Halloween Day. Make sure to follow rules indicated on daily announcements. Pizza party for winning nest as well. United Way will count pennies for us.
Gym Floor: This has been fixed since Wednesday.
Restrooms: All good as well.
BA Secretaries: Make sure to email "BA Secretaries" to get Kayla and Brenda any requests you need any of them to complete. This will ensure that both of them are aware of work that needs to get done and will improve our office's efficiency.
Sports Balls in Office: There are boxes with balls in the back area of my office for any teachers taking classes outside.
Technology Question: What is our protocol for providing students with loaner devices if their original ones are broken, misplaced, or at home? Please let Mr. Gonzalez know so that we can establish a consistent policy.
Educator Effectiveness Update: Growth Survey is due on October 28th. If you need an extension, please talk with me. Also, remember to schedule meetings with me to discuss your SLO and EE Plan for the year. In addition, in terms of Self Reflection: Year 1/NEW - All Standards need to be reflected upon (briefly); Year 2 - minimum of 3 need to be done; and Year 3 - anywhere from 1 to 6 Standards can be done.
Reminders:
- Thank you for spreading ORANGE!!
- Thank you for filling out the School Perceptions Survey on proposed referendum.
- Thank you for filling out Mr. Gonzalez's feedback survey for EE.
- Thank you for writing positive postcards to students for Parent-Teacher Conferences.
- Thank for donating $25 towards the BAMS Sunshine Account to Julie Skaer.
- Add me to Google Chat or Hangout to get a hold of me when not in office.
- Thank you for letting Brandon Switz know about HW assignments for the webpage.
- Thank you for contacting parents with positives and any concerns.
- Thank you for taking attendance at the start of the hour.
- Thank you for using the BAMS Bucks Template sent by Brandon Switz earlier this week.
- If interested in heading up YEARBOOK, please let Brenda VP know!
- Thank you for signing up and attending to door duties so far this year.
- Teacher Mentor sheets are turned in to Mr. Gonzalez
- Make sure to let Mr. Gonzalez know of any students in unauthorized areas after school.
- Thank you for posting your learning targets and for reflecting on your level of questioning in class. I encourage you to continue to look at utilizing higher level questioning.
Requests and Look Aheads:
- ELC Halloween Parade: The kindergartners would love to parade through BA and HM on Thursday, Oct 27th around 9:00. They would walk through the halls in costumes from BA to HM, resting in the Commons if there is a class switch, and then back through BA home to ELC...weather permitting. They have approx. 90 students that would like to say BOO and walk in their costumes!
- Mr. Gonzalez needs lunch coverages for both session on October 26th since he will be attending BIE Day with Aaron Sadoff at Marian University.
- 8th Grade Field Trip: November 4th
- Brandon Switz will need sub coverage for the 1st Tuesday of Each Month (11:50 am - 12:20 pm) to attend District Oriole Way meetings. Please let him know if you are willing to volunteer!
- Career Connections Academy - FdLAC: Please calendar these dates. January 11th is designated for 7th grade students, and January 12 is designated for 8th grade students. Kim Broten is working on this and more information is forthcoming.
- BAMS Spelling Bee will take place on January 31, 2017 in PAC. Please prepare for a PEP Assembly Schedule on that date. 8th hour will be cut short to accommodate 1:30 pm start of event. Changes have been made in BAMS Events Calendar on Google.
- Smile 4 Life at BAMS: November 11 and November 14. More information forthcoming.
- ATODA 8th Grade Survey: February 16th during SSW/SSR (Block Day).
- Historically, clubs have met during 8th hour in order to conduct business. However this has excluded 6th graders, as they miss academic classes during the last hour of the day. Please keep this in mind when you are planning club activities during 8th hour.
Academic Contests and Activities for Students:
- Healthy Soils Are Full of Life 2017 Environmental Awareness Poster Contest. Open to K-12 students.
- Literacy Program with Milwaukee Wave: BAMS has signed up and Theresa will lead. 850 hours of reading is our goal from 10-7 through 11-10.
- Patriot's Pen Student Essay Contest. Aaron Sadoff is contact. See link below.
- YMCA Middle School Nights: MIDDLE SCHOOL NIGHTS WILL RETURN TO THE YMCA in Fond du Lac This FALL! SCHEDULED THE 3RD SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. TIME: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM FREE FOR Y MEMBERS | $5 FOR COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS. Hang out with your friends and meet new ones during these fun theme-nights open to ALL middle schoolers! 2016-2017 DATES: November 19; December 17; January 21; February 18; March 18; April 15
Links to Important Documents: Make sure to read these links below. These are PERTINENT links for this week to save you time from searching all over Google Drive.
Bessie Allen Middle School:
Email: bams@nfdlschools.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/nfdlschools.org/nfdltest/hmhs/bams
Location: 305 McKinley Street, North Fond du Lac, WI, United States
Phone: (920) 602-6700
Facebook: facebook.com/nfdl.schools
Twitter: @nfdlschools