Knight Notes
January 25, 2016
Happy Monday!
Celebrations
- Congratulations to FHN Publications for once again being named a Finalist for the national First Amendment Press Freedom Award. It's an honor they have have earned the last 5 years. Way to go, publications.
Congratulations to freshmen Reiley Lawson, Hannah Zimmerman and Sarah Zimmerman on placing 6th Nationally for overall quality of their Alum crystal made of aluminum potassium sulfate dodecahydrate at the US Crystal Growing Competition. The event was sponsored by University of Buffalo, New York who provided the necessary chemicals. Students had to make a supersaturated solution of the alum compound and then allow to slowly cool to form seed crystals. The seed crystals were placed back into solution to grow larger. Students would check on crystal growth every other day and rotate the crystal in solution to help have even crystal growth. Students had from Halloween to Thanksgiving to grow their crystals and then ship to the University of Buffalo. Sponsor Donna Malkmus had 4 teams containing 3 students each that began the compeition at FHN. Only two teams per school were allowed to submit crystals for the competition. Results were released on Jan 13,2016 to the respective sponsors nationwide. This is the first year FHN competed in this national science event.
Congratulations to Mr. Janes for presenting the Board of Education with information about the leadership program that he been facilitating.
Five Quick Facts
Barry Morrison – ESC
- I am blessed to be a dad to two great kids – my 20 y/o daughter is a sophomore at Central Missouri and my 16 y/o son is a sophomore at Parkway South.
- I am an identical twin, so I have had a life long friend to always do things with (good and bad). I am the oldest….by 8 min.
- Nothing better than riding my Harley…. we have rode West to Las Vegas, East to North Carolina, and of course to Sturgis a few times! My brother and longtime friends from high school ride together on trips as well as with other guys we know.
- Prior to coming to FHN my career has been providing direct counseling/mental health services to at risk youth, abused and neglected youth, and working with families. I received my license (LPC) in 1999. I have had a private practice since 1998 and I worked at Epworth Children and Family Services for 13 years before making the change to FHSD in July 2014.
- I’m a home grown guy. Grew up in Webster and graduated from Webster Groves High School (BEAT KIRKWOOD!!) Went to college in Illinois, south of Chicago (Olivet Nazarene University) came home and completed my Masters in Counseling at UM-St. Louis.
Zach Wierzbicki is up next!
Attendance
Our Committee to Improve Attendance has recently launched a new program called Attendance Allies where caring adults in the building work to build a meaningful relationship with some of our students who are struggling to attend school regularly. Our hope is that this mentoring will lead to better attendance, a more positive attitude towards school, and higher academic achievement.
Behavior
Check out this recent article on Restorative Practices for Schools.
http://hechingerreport.org/happens-instead-suspensions-kids-talk-mistakes/
Climate
Student surveys will be in your mailbox this morning. Please check your folders to make sure you have all of the materials you need. Read over the instructions and let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for your help!
The Climate Committee will meet today, January 25th at 2:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. Feel free to join us in the College and Career room!
Tools for Your Toolbox
I wanted to start the Tools for your Toolbox section of the newsletter as a way to share some different teaching strategies. I am sharing this strategy, but I would love to hear what you are doing in your class. If you would like to be published in the weekly Knight Notes, please send me a strategy that you are using and how you use it. If I do not have anything submitted for the week, I will share some different tools. If you try the tools that are listed in the Knight Notes, I would love to hear how it went and how you used it, so please send me an e-mail or stop me in the hall! There are a lot of great tools being used every day an North, so let’s share some of those great things!
Hold-ups:
How they work:
1. Ask the students to think about and discuss their responses to a set of prepared questions.
2. Before students hold up their cards, have them pair-share or confer in small groups. They should not hold up their cards until told to do so.
3. Say “Hold it up”
4. Students hold up their cards. Select students to share their group’s rationale for their choice.
How to apply:
· Whiteboard Hold-Ups
· Use individual white boards or laminated paper for students to write their answers on
· Ask questions of varying levels of thinking – some recall and some higher order
Technology
Please sign up for the Lunch and Learn on 1/29. Mrs. DiCarlo will be presenting on Google Classroom and Raising Cane’s will be provided. The sign up link is below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1QVVjHw-5GxPt6WEG_mldDPMOjDwL3248f59VaNl-06Q/viewform
In an effort to create an in house directory of technology for all staff we need your feedback on what tech you are familiar with. Please complete this brief form to help us create this for you.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1vjqw7UtWamZu6zdzRnitlUHCsN4B2M9m2VJD-B9froQ/viewform
EOC and ACT Testing Window
4/11- 4/19 ELA, Alg 2, and Gov
4/19 ACT
4/25- 5/3 Alg 1 and Bio
PD Committee Meeting
Wednesday, Jan 27, 2016, 02:30 PM
Learning Commons
After-School Chat with Dr. Sloan
Thursday, Jan 28, 2016, 02:30 PM
Learning Commons
Lunch and Learn
Friday, Jan 29, 2016, 10:15 AM
Leaning Commons
Staff Section at Pink Ribbon Game
Friday, Feb 5, 2016, 06:00 PM
Gym
Student Climate Survey
Tuesday, Jan 26, 2016, 07:15 PM
Your Classroom
Snowcoming Assembly
Schedule:
1st hour: 7:20-7:50
2nd hour: 7:55-8:25
Assembly: 8:30-9:30
3rd hour: 9:35-10:07
4th-7th: Regular Schedule