Hawk Talk
Oh, The Places You'll Go!
Welcome back from the break! I hope each of you had time to rest, relax, and enjoy time with your families! It is always to recharge the batteries and return with a renewed energy and bigger smile!
It is hard to believe that it is December already...which means we are finishing up our first semester. Wow....amazing how time flies! As we work together to have a successful end to our first semester, and a successful start to our second semester there are many things that come to mind...but one that jumps out a bit more ---- planning. This time of year our schedules are filled with holiday cheer and we juggle our work and home responsibilities. We also are charged with the task of providing a clear focus on quality instruction in the classroom and ensuring a high level of student engagement. How do we keep our student engagement levels up in the classroom during the holiday season? The answer is....(drum roll)....planning. The effort and time each of you puts into planning your instruction is one of the most critical factors in maintaining high levels of student engagement. Better planning = instruction suited to meet the needs of your students and maintain their engagement = less behavior concerns = more effort and interest from students = higher student achievement.....and the list goes on. The life of a teacher is built on many things, with planning at the center. Thank you for all the time and thought you put into planning for your students and their success!!!
Speaking of planning...here are some things to plan for this week:
*This week is the ELA Evaluate Assessment window for grades 2-5.
*Leadership Troy will be visiting our building on December 3. Erica and I will be meeting briefly with some student leaders about helping with the tour. We plan to meet with students on Tuesday afternoon sometime.
* Janette will be returning tomorrow and taking a look at t-shirt orders that families have turned in --- if we do not have the minimum number of orders required by the company, then we will be returning orders/payment to families. It will come to you with a note attached if this is the case. I just wanted you to have a heads up in case we are not able to place an order and you see envelopes going home with kids.
*MacBook Airs will be distributed to certified staff at HPE on December 2. Please have your district ID badge with barcode ready so that you can receive your MacBook.
Writing Workshop
Proud to be Hawks!
Important Dates
11/30 - 12/4 ELA Evaluate Assessment Window
12/2/2015 - certified staff receive MacBook Air
12/3/2015 - Leadership Troy will visit/tour HPE
12/7 - 12/18 STAR/DIBELS Assessment Window
12/8/2015 - Baby Shower for Guyer and McAfee at 7:45 am
12/10/2015 - Staff Appreciation Dinner at 4:30 courtesy of PTO (location is Backroads), Winter Concert for grades 3-5 at 6:30 pm
12/14-18 Math Evaluate Assessment Window
12/16/2015 HPE Staff Meeting 4 pm
12/17/2015 - Character Awards Assembly at 8:30 am, Winter Concert for grades K-2 at 6:30 pm
12/22/2015 End of Second Quarter/First Semester
12/23 - 1/1/2016 NO SCHOOL -- Winter Break
1/4/2016 - Certified Staff PD Day full day
1/5/2016 - Students return to school, Grades due no later than 8:30 am (this deadline for grades is not flexible, as report cards are emailed the morning of Jan. 6)
1/6/2015 - Second Quarter Report Card Emailed home to parents
1/28/2016 Science and Math Night (Science Fair Display included) 5:30-7 pm tentatively scheduled
Tech Corner
So now that you have logged into Canvas....what comes next? Have you taken time to personalize your Canvas profile/account? Have you started brainstorming how you want to use this with students? There are some folks in district who have tested out different components of Canvas with students...hearing any success stories with that?
Remember that you will receive your MacBook Air this week and will need your district ID badge with your bar code. As we move into second semester, we will focus PD on technology integration in the classroom. We will generate a list of topics you would like to focus on as a team when we meet for our December staff meeting. Be thinking...
Team Reminders
A few reminders for the team:
*If you have not started your NEE Unit of Instruction, please be thinking of what unit you will choose. Remember, all teachers are completing the full Unit of Instruction form this year. The student growth data is required to be reported for all teachers (this is a state requirement). As you plan for your Unit of Instruction, remember that you will need to meet with me to discuss your upcoming unit and provide the range of dates for your unit. I will come in for a full observation during your Unit of Instruction. All Units of Instruction must be completed and turned in to me by February 25, as I will need to include them in summative evaluations. This means that you must be finished teaching the unit prior to February 25 in order to provide student growth data and the necessary components of your Unit of Instruction. Please take a look at your calendar and your lesson plans for December, January, and February --- as these are critical pieces to consider when planning your Unit of Instruction.
*Thank you for your work on updating and adding the mid-year check components to your NEE Professional Development Plan. I have not been able to meet with each of you individually yet to check in, but will be setting times for us to check in and chat. I have spoken with staff about how the NEE form is functioning (regarding toggling the switch for implementation approval, then having to change it back so that you can make edits, providing feedback) --- so I want to say THANK YOU for your patience as we work through the updates on the NEE website and the troubleshooting they are doing with their forms. Your patience and hard work is very much appreciated!