February 4, 2019
A Communication Tool for the Seven Hills Staff
February is For Filling Emotional Bank Accounts!
We all know how a regular bank account works. We make deposits, save up money, and when we need that money later we make a withdrawal. An Emotional Bank Account is an account of trust instead of money. It is an account based on how safe you feel with another person.
One of the six strategies Covey recommends for filling EBAs is "attending to the little things." Don't you find that the little things become the BIG things when they do not receive our attention? Doing the little things is how we honor and show respect for others: small kindnesses, a smile, a little extra effort, a hug, doing something you didn't have to. These are the things that build trust.
Throughout the month of February, we are going to work as a staff to fill Emotional Bank Accounts through a Kindness Campaign and Fabulous February activities. What ideas do you have for filling EBAs in your classrooms?
This Week's Kindness Campaign:
- Write a celebration note to a peer. Blank note cards will be in mailboxes on Monday.
- Put a little love in your heart! Tell the ones you hold dear what you love most about them!
Fabulous February:
- Monday: The groundhog did not see his shadow! Wear black with jeans!
- Tuesday: "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" wear jeans with pink, red, or purple
- Wednesday: "We love 7 Hills Day!" Show Seven Hills some love by wearing jeans with a 7 Hills shirt today, and work to prepare halls, scoreboards, and classrooms for Symposium!
- Thursday: Look for a sweet treat in your mailboxes today.
- Friday: Symposium and Valentine's Party Day. Wear professional pants/skirt with the "Empowering Leaders is My Jam" shirt and a pop of RED! No jeans.
Time to Prepare for Symposium:
Symposium Pom Team:
Please make sure you have added your students, have sent the video home to parents, and are pumping this up with your leaders. :)
- Kinder - 2nd Grade: 8 total per grade level (2 per class)
- 3rd Grade : 10 total (2 per class - not Lighthouse Leaders)
- 4th & 5th Grade: 8 total (1 per class - not Lighthouse Leaders)
Please choose your "pom team" leaders and update this form by the end of the day on Monday: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IOZejNZxz3XsvPf_N6wr3qCbUcJ1P4QCyxVd8rmR_iA/edit?usp=sharing
We will have some practices at school. A video will be shared on Tuesday that can be sent home to parents for students to practice at home.
Symposium is here!
It's almost here...our BIG day...our time to shine! I wanted to share a few reminders as we put the final touches on our site visit. Remember, I am calling on every staff member to step up and help make sure the Symposium site visit sends the message that GREATNESS happens at 7 Hills Elementary!
- A “Synergize for Symposium” preparation check list has been created to help everyone prepare for the event. Please take care of the items on the list – the Seven Hills way! The checklist is linked Here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qJ0KuPq9B9PPKKZT4d26DBKF6yBCepaRnhvvyTmltF0/edit?usp=sharing
- Location of Program: Gym (We will keep the program in the gym)
- No Specials Classes: a schedule will be created to have specials teachers rotate through each grade level to provide a conference time.
- Lunches: No change in lunch times. Due to tours and tables in the gym, students will eat in the classroom.
- Staff Attire: Empowering Leaders is My Jam shirt with red (for Valentine's Parties). No jeans. Professional bottoms.
- Student Attire: Navy "My Adventure Begins Here" shirt (please begin advertising to students and parents)
- Campus Tour Practice: We will continue to practice Monday - Thursday. We will pull tour guides during Habit Huddle and possibly in the afternoons. On Tuesday, we have several NISD, CTMS and NHS staff join us from 9:00 - 10:30 to practice tours. They will offer feedback on our building, scoreboards, tours, classroom tours, etc. We will share the feedback provided on Tuesday so that there is time to make any adjustments. Remember, this isn't just for Symposium, it is for Lighthouse Review as well. It is important to note that tours will come in to classes at these times as well, offering your students another opportunity to practice. If your class is at specials, etc. when they come in, please do not worry.
- Classroom Tour Guides: If you are a host classroom, the tours will be stopping by Monday - Thursday. The tour guides will hand the guests over to your classroom leaders (Note: this is the most awkward part of the tours. Please talk to your class tour guides about who takes the lead, introducing themselves, etc.). Please make sure they are prepared. Remember the talking points shared in the Synergizing for Symposium document and a Google Document linked below are a starting point. Your students need to be comfortable sharing their own experiences, etc. If your students will not be in class during the tour practice, please make sure you have practiced with them each day. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mnmv1y58QCE1-hmmF1tJPwLGR1_uTygdAi67oNJYp2c/edit?usp=sharing
- Valentine Parties: K-5 parties will be from 2:00 - 2:50
Note: On Friday morning, any staff that does have a homeroom class or small groups will need to help set up in the gym. We cannot set the tables the night before due to basketball practice.
GREATNESS!
NOTE: This activity is not going away! We will reflect on it in PLCs this week! :)
Take note that identifying areas that are “Ok” is done in an effort to help us all get better…this is absolutely not an opportunity for pettiness or to point fingers.
Habit Focus of the Week: Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
Habit Huddle Connection:
Habit 5 Connection:
People form opinions based on their own experiences. Unless they work hard to understand the other person’s perspective, two people can see the same thing and form completely different viewpoints because they are understanding “autobiographically.” Covey shared:
“If you’re like most people, you probably seek first to be understood; you want to get your point across. And in doing so, you may ignore the other person completely, pretend that you’re listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning entirely. So why does this happen? Because most people listen with the intent to reply, not to understand. You listen to yourself as you prepare in your mind what you are going to say, the questions you are going to ask, etc. You filter everything you hear through your life experiences, your frame of reference. You check what you hear against your autobiography and see how it measures up. And consequently, you decide prematurely what the other person means before he/she finishes communicating.” - Stephen Covey
In order to be a good teacher, teammate, friend, a good parent, etc. you need to listen so that you can understand. It’s important to get the facts from everyone involved, and (this sounds obvious, but you’d be amazed how many people fail to do this) never make big decisions based on one half of a story — no matter who is telling it.
Have you made a decision recently without being open and honest with the person you’re judging? Have you asked their opinion and been open to listening... really listening to hear and understand, not just listening to respond or talk?
Campus and District Announcements and Updates:
Bell Schedule: The bell schedule is 2 minutes (at least off). Please keep this in mind for arrival and dismissal.
Sharpen the Saw Clubs: Clubs begin at 7:45. Please do not send students before 7:45. Also, please do not dismiss before 8:30. Thank you.
- Please remember to check ride changes every day in the google folder. We add changes until 2:45 when the bell rings.
- C&I Newsletter: https://www.smore.com/265jt GREAT information about next year's calendar, Edugence reports, EXPO, and more!
- February 18th PD Schedule: schedule: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nB8cYCFoUPjEgtJINX7vygry5sL7qjUEdl5DvEPw4iY/edit?usp=sharing
From the Assistant Principal:
Interim Assessments- window will be open from January 22nd-Feb 6th. Tanya will touch base with classroom teachers, Interventionists, and Special Ed. to determine who needs content support and text-to-speech. We will use this information to plan interventions and tutoring support for our students.
Attendance- please make sure you are communicating with Tanya about students who have excessive absences. There are important steps we must take to improve attendance for these students. Thank you to those who are diligent about letting Tanya know.
RTI- Please remember to continue to progress monitor your students in tier 2 and tier 3.You should be assessing them once every two weeks and enter the information into Estar.If you need a refresher, see Google classroom for info. We will be having follow-up RTI meetings for tier 2 in February.
From the CIT:
Assessments this week:
Kinder-5th Grade:
None
Upcoming Assessments:
Kinder-3rd Grade
None
4th Grade
Feb 14-19 4Math.4.Modules7-9
5th Grade
None
From the Librarian:
This week is Schedule B, please check below to see if this is your week. The UBC team will meet with me during Habit Huddle each day this week. The District Competition is next Tuesday, February 12 at NHS.
Please write me into your notes, put a post it on your computer, I will be happy to bring you an 8 X 10 photo of me to help you remember to include me in your planning. Send me things you are working on so I can include them in my library lessons. I’ve created Google Classrooms for a few grade levels where I post things I think could help or benefit them. I want to collaborate and support you and our students. Use me, I am a great resource!!!
Week B rotation schedule
Monday: Library admin duties, attend grade level planning meetings… Teachers can sign up to use the library space for, request a special lesson, pop-in, etc.
Tuesday, January 22 Feb. 5, 19, March 5 and so on...
Grade level: Kinder
8:30 Beck
9:30 Rusin
11:40: Davis
1:30 Reyes
Wednesday: January 23, Feb. 6, 20, and so on….
*Pre-K (25 minutes each time)
8:45-9:10
12:15 -12:40
*PACEE 9:30
*Every week
Thursday: January 24, Feb. 7, 21st and so on...
Grade Level: Second
8:15 Sammons
9:15 Tucker
10:15 Heady
1:00 Mitchell
Friday, January 25, Feb. 8, 22, and so on….
Yosko/Henderson: 9:35-10:00 and 12:00 to 12:30
Save the Date:
Notes:
- This Week is National School Counselor's Week!
- February 15th is a half day PD day on campus.
- February 18th is a full day district PD day.
Monday, February 4:
Tuesday, February 5:
- Tour Practice 9:00 - 10:30
- Grade Level PLCs
- Staff Meeting, 3:30 - 4:30 (This is not a change. This has been on the calendar all year)
- Tanya off campus at AP PLC
Wednesday, February 6:
Thursday, February 7:
- Symposium Day 1
- UIL Competition
Friday, February 8:
- No Sharpen the Saw Clubs (we will reschedule this date)
- Symposium Day 2....SITE VISIT...WOOT WOOT!
- Valentine's Day Parties, 2:00 - 2:50 - any left over cookies, candy, food, etc. needs to be brought to the lounge after the party for the Daddy - Daughter Dance on Saturday.
- Friday Night Lights
Saturday, February 9:
- PTA Father Daughter Dance, 6:00 pm at Seven Hills
Happy Birthday to You: