Friday Faculty Focus
News and Notes about #BeBCMS-Issue #1- 2018
Welcome 2018!
I'm already in love with 2018! What a great first week back! I know it was a little crazy with snow days, but we were able to get right back into the swing of things.
January is a very busy month. All TKES mid-year conferences are due by Jan. 26th. Lesson plans for the week are due each Friday before you leave the building. The focus on instructional designs and instructional experiences is number one. We will be beginning the planning for SY 18-19 and many of those decisions will be based on data from this school year.
Please make sure you are continuing to build the very best relationships with our scholars! That magic is in the people!
Still have questions or thoughts? PLEASE take time to fill this out. I would love for you to take some time to fill out this form to prepare for our Learning with Liz on Tuesdays. What questions do you have for me? What can I help clarify or understand? Fill this form out and I will make sure to get all your questions answered!
#BeBCMS Elite PBIS update!
PBIS updates for January:
Jan 2018 DATA to date:
Positive Behavior Referrals: 19 representing 25 scholars! WOW!
Educator's Handbook:
6 majors
22 minors
January 2017 Data (Full month)
80 Majors
133 Minors
Semester ONE 2016 compared to Semester ONE 2017
48% decrease in MAJORS and 21% decrease in MINORS!
OSS/ISS update:
To date:
193 days of OSS
161 days of ISS
This data supports that building relationships is ALWAYS the answer.
RTI News and Notes
Please take the time to review the RTI Tier 2 and 3 list so please bring any progress monitoring you have on those scholars. Check the list for updated information. Here is the most up-to-date RTI list. https://docs.google.com/a/bryan.k12.ga.us/document/d/1z0gCRzYHFIky-1apjSnooY0nqdOPAPPnkutAB_URbDM/edit?usp=sharing
Ms. Sines will meet with teams on Tuesday after Learning with Liz.
Please make sure you are taking the time to keep up to date with the rosters and bring your progress monitoring.
Keep the main thing: the main thing!
2018 Spelling Bee Scholars!
Staff Celebration Breakfasts!
Our next Staff Breakfast is coming soon!
Friday January 26th - 6th grade team
Friday February 23rd - 7th grade team
Friday March 30th - 8th grade team
Friday April 27th - Connections
Friday May 18th - Office Squad
Important Events!
Monday- #CelebrateMonday, NO School!
Tuesday- #TerrificTuesday, Leadership, Learning with Liz, TKES reviews, Basketball AWAY
Wednesday- #WinWednesday, Basketball AWAY
Thursday-#ThankfulThursday,Leadership , Health Department Scoliosis Screening(6th and 8th grade- 11:00 AM) , Basketball, HOME
Friday- #FocusFriday, Principal's Advisory Council 12:00-- Planning Kindness Week
Upcoming:
Kona Ice 1/26
Accountability Meeting 1/29
The Innovation Center 1/24
Thursday Tech Days with Dana...beginning this Thursday
Valentines Sales will begin in February: Candy Grams!
Focus on..... Sustaining Quality Instruction
Please make sure all lesson designs are updated in your collaborative team folder.
Also, please turn in a hard copy of your lesson plan in the main office before the end of the day Tuesday.
Going forward, all lesson plans are due (HARD COPY) in the folder on your way out of the building Friday.
We are looking at the Instructional Framework and the use of the Instructional Objectives.
QUICK REVIEW of our instructional strategies 1-4
1. Instructional Objective: Have it visual, aligned, and reference it
2. Suffix/Root Words/Prefix: Have them visual and accessible. Model use
3. Gradual Release: I do, we do together, we do collaboratively, you do. How are you using this in your teaching?
4. Types of Text: How are you using both informational text and literary text
Remember:
1. Collaborative Planning is made up of three buckets:
- Lesson Designs
- PLCs
- Data Analysis / Digging
Learning with Liz times:
7th grade 8:45-9:15
6th grade 11:15-11:45
8th grade 2:00-2:30
Learning with Liz EXIT TICKET: Due Jan. 4th by 3:30
January focus is on TKES and review of Instructional Practices 1-4: Seeing those in action!
ALL teachers are expected to attend and there will be a sign in sheet.
Check out this lesson design template: (make a copy first) https://docs.google.com/a/bryan.k12.ga.us/document/d/1YGAYfD7wP-xieqvJk0PXu7CXLgonm7JfSTQAuTpWOKY/edit?usp=sharing
a. Come to School- BE AMAZING- Go Home! Repeat
b. Bell to Bell instruction
c. ALL instruction/teaching will be on grade level and standards based
d. Take a STAND for teaching and learning. Get up!
Some questions:
1. Where are your team notes located?
2. How are you using agenda/minutes to drive collaborative conversations
3. Are you special education teachers joining your content meetings
4. What kind of differentiation are you providing for your scholars?
Congratulations to our Bee Winners!
Nuggets and News
- The Innovation Center: Please be on time and be intentional in your learning!
I am VERY proud of the work we are doing in The Innovation Center and we are ExExExCited for this incredible site based , intentional professional learning!
Q3 will be required by all staff.
TEACH LIKE A CHAMPION!
Sessions:
Engaging Students in your Lessons (Dr. Rice)
Setting and Maintaining High Behavioral Expectations (Ms. Swindell)
Challenging Students to Think Critically (Ms. Waddell)
Helping to get the MOST out of Reading: Critical Skills and Techniques (Ms. Ennis)
Classes will begin January 24th and run through Wednesday March 7th
Each class will have a class schedule.
- Supervision: NEW QUARTER: NEW SUPERVISION: If your team has made a different supervision plan, please discuss with Mr. Scott.
- Compliance Checks - #CelebrateMonday with 5x5s! The new High Impact Instructional Look For Document is the new instrument for 5x5- Data posted in Jan.
Focus is on: Instructional Objectives
- Meetings Schedules: Monday: TEAM, Tuesday: Learn with Liz (PL), Wednesday: Math ,Thursday: ELA , Friday: Science and Social Studies
- Keep up the ELITE work with the Positive Referrals!
- Based off part one of our Problem Solving Summit, you can see our main office is getting a facelift! We are excited to create a more welcoming and functioning space for our families and for our schoolhouse.
- Semester Two JEANS passes will be on sale beginning Jan. 4th $15.00 For JEANS ON FRIDAY only....If you are wearing jeans on other days because you have old passes, please turn those in with the date to Shelby. Jeans passes are for FRIDAY's only!
#LoveTheProcess
December Winner!
Congratulations Ms. Brent! You are the December winner of the ELITE and ENGANGING instruction contest! Please get with Ms. Raeburn to discuss your "free day!"
ELA: You are up this month!
Keep up the ELITE work on engaging instruction!
What I'm Reading.... and my #OneWord connection
#BooksForDay
#MomentMakers
I was able to finish The Power of Moments over break. I have sketch noted the whole book and done plenty of rereads. The last type of moment: Moments of Connection , really captured the work that we do everyday in a middle school (or any school) .
My everyday goal is to make MIDDLE SCHOOL an amazing moment for our scholars! That is why my #OneWords fits so nicely! The book was an inspiring read. I am beginning my next book this week; Culturize, by Jimmy Casas! Stay tuned!
Think about this:
Moments of Connection:
"Groups bond when the struggle together. People will welcome a struggle when it's their choice to participate., where they're given autonomy to work, and when the mission is meaningful."
THEY are TALKING TO US, BCMS!
#MomentMaker2018
L
Tweet....Tweet....Tweet...
KEEP tweeting and telling our story! We are changing the narrative of what people know and think about Bryan County Middle School #OneTweetAtATime
Also, tag me @missliz31 and BCMS @BryanCountyMS in all your awesome tweets please!
Find five new people in education to follow on twitter!
David Geurin @DavidGeurin Jan 13
More
Before you’re too hard on that kid who doesn’t meet your expectations, remember you probably don’t always meet your own expectations for yourself. I know I don’t. It’s also a good reminder not to be too hard on yourself either. #edchat #satchat
ToddVerified account @ToddWhitaker Jan 13
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One of the biggest differentiators between more and less effective educators is an accurate sense of self. #Satchat
Lee Ann Jung @leeannjung Jan 13
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We can't brag about having an excellent school if we only selected Ss who were going to succeed anyway. #InclusiveEducators #satchat
More
Build someone up. Remind them of how amazing they are. More people need to hear the positive. Be the light. Be kind.
#bekindEDU #kidsdeserveit #tlap #LeadLAP #LearnLAP #edchat #satchat #leadupchat #g2great #eduAR #moreEDU #JoyfulLeaders #sunchat #masterychat #kindness #t2t
Dr. Tony Sinanis @TonySinanis Jan 13
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Strengths are related to passions & I’m incredibly passionate about being an educator because it brings me such great joy! #satchat
WIN-- Whatever I Need!
WIN!
Win data is posted.
If you have WIN changes, please see me!
If you are changing up your instruction in WIN, please make an appointment to talk to me.
We will use the SRI (RI) for the baseline for ALL WIN classes. More information will be coming regarding this.
You have enough lesson plans to get you through the next few weeks. The focus in on Literacy: Speaking, Writing, Listening, Reading
If you need additional resources, it is your job to let us know during LWL or Collaborative Planning.
Your progress monitoring does not have to be a short form MAP. It can be an assessment you create in USA Test Prep, a google form made TEST, a Performance Matters assessment, a RI (SRI). The link is here for you to indicate what you will be using to pre/post test your WIN class. I will be meeting with you if you are a MATH literacy group to see what your plan is (if it is different than the SRI (RI) test)
The Six R's...and #ThatOneWord
I am in love with the @OneWord project. 6th grade hallway looks amazing with all the ONE WORDS hanging up! If you are doing an awesome project within your class or team with your ONE Word, please let others know! There is always time on Monday during WIN to connect and do a project with your ONE word!
Another great idea is to take some of MLK's work and incorporate it into WIN. We will discuss doing this within Black History Month.
Dana will begin to compile the #OneWords and we will start to talk about them and reference them each day on the morning announcements.
Please input your class's #OneWord words here:
Create #Moments. Enjoy #DownTime. Be #Present and always... #RTB
L
I love college football. LOVE. And, while I have yet to transition to being a dAwg fan, I am and have been for years a Nick Saban fan. I found this blog while doing some PL and just thought it to be so parallel to our work. Teaching is Coaching. Coaching is Teaching.
- Be brave
- Take risks
- Believe in someone.
- Have a backup plan.
- The element of surprise is exciting!
- Teach from failure.
- Insist on resilience.
- Look at the big picture!
These are all qualities we need as educators AND all qualities we want to grow in our scholars! Don't worry dAwg fans......you'll get your day!
#BeBCMS
L