Black Bob Staff Memo
Week of September 7-11
Upcoming Events
This week:
Lounge Duty 4th grade
Monday Sept. 7 No School
Happy Birthday Kenn!
Papa Johns Pizza Night
Wednesday Sept. 9 D Day
8:30-11:30 Trisha at Administrative Staff Meeting
9:30 4th Grade PLC
12:30 2nd Grade PLC
4:00 BLT Meeting
Thursday Sept. 10 E Day
1:30 5th grade PLC
2:30 Kindergarten PLC
1:00- 3:00 Trisha at ESI training
3:40 Blazers Running Club
Friday Sept. 11 A Day
Mid Quarter Progress Reports go home
BRAGS rewards
Saturday Sept 12
Old Settlers Day
Next Week:
Lounge Duty 5th Grade
Monday Sept. 14 B day
SIT Day
10:30 3rd Grade PLC
12:00- 1:00 Trisha at FT
Tuesday Sept. 15 C Day
4:00-6:00 District BLT
Wednesday Sept. 16 D Day
10:30 Brent and Trisha Classroom Walk Thrus
Thursday Sept. 17 E day
2nd Grade QRI Assessments
9:00-12:00 Trisha at Elementary Principal's Meeting
3:40 Blazers Running Club
Friday Sept. 18 A Day
10:00 or 1:30 Classified Staff Meeting (note time change)
BRAGS Rewards
Just some iPad Magic for your week.
Social Dues
Be on the look out for our first staff gathering!
District Assessment Information
Did you know…Performance Levels received a “facelift” to better align with our new assessments!
NEW 2014-2015 Performance Levels
Advanced: 100% - 85%
Proficient: 84% - 70%
Basic: 69% - 60%
Unsatisfactory: Below 60%
Prior to 2014
A - Advanced: 100% - 92%
P - Proficient: 91% - 76%
B - Basic: 75% - 64%
U - Unsatisfactory: Below 64%
Volunteers
If you would like volunteers to copy for you they will have a "PIN number" that the office will give them. Because all volunteers will have the same PIN number, please be aware of the volume of copies you are asking them to do on this PIN number.
All color copies will need to be done using your own key card or ID.
Quote of the Week
I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
Jimmy Dean
Alternatives to Some Ineffective Teacher Statements to Students
“When I was a new teacher in middle school several centuries ago, I occasionally said things to students that I later regretted,” says Richard Curwin (David Yellin College) in this article in Edutopia. Since then, Curwin has collected other unfortunate teacher utterances. Here are a few, each followed by his suggestions for more-effective approaches:
• You have potential but don’t use it. This is intended as a challenge to do better, but for too many students it saps their motivation. Better to say, “How can I help you reach your full potential?”
• I’m disappointed in you. This looks to the past, which is why students often find it annoying. Better to say, “What do you think you can do to make a more helpful decision the next time you’re in a similar situation?”
• What did you say? This challenge is usually made as a student is walking away from a tense interchange and mutters something under his or her breath. The teacher’s words are “just bait for escalation,” says Curwin. “Do you really want to know what was whispered? It’s better to ignore that unheard comeback and move on. You don’t always need to have the last word.”
• If I do that for you, I’ll have to do it for everyone. Fair is not equal, says Curwin. “Each student needs what helps him or her, and every student is different. Further, no one wants to think of him- or herself as one of a herd. Better to say, “I’m not sure if I can do that, but I’ll do my best to meet your needs in one way or another.”
• It’s against the rules. This comes across as rigid. Better to say, “Let me see if there’s a way to meet your needs within the rules.”
• Don’t you ever stop talking? “This is a snide way of asking the student to stop talking,” says Curwin. “Avoid sarcasm and directly say what you are feeling.”
• I’m busy now. An alternative is: “I’m very busy now, but you are very important to me. Unless this is an emergency, let’s find a better time to talk. I really want to hear what’s on your mind.”
• The whole class will miss ---- unless someone admits to ----. “Collective punishment is never appropriate,” says Curwin. We don’t want students to learn that the world is unpredictable and they may be punished for some else’s misdeeds.
“13 Common Sayings to Avoid” by Richard Curwin in Edutopia, August 11, 2015
NOAH's Bandage Drive Sept. 14-18
Shout Outs!
Amy K: for being so flexible and understanding about the Kindergartners using the restroom before their specials (from Jean S.)
Melanie: thank you for taking care of a family that needed some paper work on Friday after school.
Staff: thank you for having a great attitude about our custodial changes and allowing our students to take some accountability in their classrooms at the end of the day.