The Wolf Tales
Tallwood Elementary School Staff Newsletter
Week of December 7, 2015
Math and Technology Collaboration this week.
Thursday December 10-
Adjusted Dismissal; Professional Development for ALL teachers in the learning commons- GRIT for students 1:30
Friday, December 11-
Parent of the Month 9:00 am
School Board learning walk in all classrooms 10:30 am
Brandon Middle School concert for grades 3-5 in cafeteria
A Big Thanks To...
Thanks to Crystal Wilkerson for all the PINS each week! DF
Thank you to my entire 3rd grade team for their continuous support and understanding through my first couple of months at Tallwood. They have been more than patient with me and all of my questions. JJ I can’t thank them enough! Kudos to Tammy, Susann, and Brent for also popping in regularly to assist me and my students. Thank you all for working so closely with each of the friends in my room, your presence means more than you know! Thank you thank you thank you! Corie Olenych
Amanda Everton for helping me with a student’s writing. Geri Pattie for helping my students with the Hour of Code. MMBrown
Happy Birthday!
Dec. 17th- Denise Hickey
Dec. 18- Mary Malone-Brown
Dec. 19- Elizabeth Merce
Dec, 24- Geri Pattie
Dec. 31- Robin Spruill
Growth Mindset
Tug of War
Five Senses QR Codes
Upcoming Events in December
- Dec. 14 Opposite Day
- Dec. 14-Week of Reading Collaboration
- Dec. 14 Chorus Program- 9:00 Grades K-2; 2:00 Grades K, 3-5; 7:00 pm Program for PTA and parents
- Dec. 15 -PAC meeting (flipped)
- Dec. 15 PIRATE Day
- Dec. 15- Progress Reports issued
- Dec. 16- Crock Pot Day and Nerd Day
- Dec. 17- Green and Red Day
- Dec. 17 Corporate Landing Middle Teachers Learning Walk
- Dec. 18- 5th grade to Tallwood HS for Holiday concert
- Dec. 18- Fire Safety Assembly for grades K-3 9:00 am
- Dec. 21- Centerville ES teachers learning walks (9:00 am grades 4 and 5; 12:20 pm Grades 2-3)
- No Collab week of Dec. 21
- Dec. 23- POLAR EXPRESS DAY and adjusted dismissal
- Dec. 24- Jan. 3- Winter Holidays!
Connect with Tallwood ES
Make it Cool to Care
Effective teachers have a strong core of beliefs– principles that guide their decisions, touchstones that help their vision for the school year. I would like to share the core beliefs I followed in my years as a teacher and principal. I realize that these beliefs are personal; each of you must have your own core of beliefs. I outline my beliefs here for two reasons. One is to acquaint you with their simplicity. Two is to aid in understanding that the clearer our beliefs are, the more we can keep working toward them.
In great schools, the teachers tell stories about what other teachers have accomplished with students. The heroes are not the contract-negotiating team, but those who have the greatest impact on students. Some folks keep alive the legend of teachers who knock a student down with a single sarcastic comment; others revere those who pick the students up.
When a teacher’s sensitivity to students increases, so does the opportunity to reach them. We can present logical reasons why each student should give a teacher attention and respect, but that alone will not work with many students. It is easy to convince ourselves that can’t work with one student, or several. But until we connect with them emotionally, we many never be able to connect with their minds. Great educators understand that behaviors and beliefs are tied to emotion, and they understand the power of emotion to jump-start change.
Great teachers impact others in more ways than they can ever know. The legacies we build last far beyond our years. Students care about great teachers because they know great teachers care about them.