Westwood Weekly
Staff Newsletter - Week of October 7-13, 2019
Shout-Outs!
- Happy Birthday to Danielle (10/13)!
- Welcome to Westwood Jennifer Balderrama (SEA in A3)!
- Special thanks to Christine, Patsy, Marie, and Taylor for hosting our reboot of Back to School Night!
- Thank you to everyone who came out to walk with students and their families on Walk to School Day!
- Farewell to Erin Wallin!
Highlights this Week!
All Month: Disability Awareness; Anti-Bullying Awareness
This Week:
Monday -
American Fidelity Meetings (all day, Staff Lounge)
Hip Hop Class (2:25-3:30, MUR)
Annual IEP for Rey CG (2:30, A4)
Annual IEP for Thomas B (3:30, D5)
Tuesday -
-Annual IEP Meeting for Nikko VB (2:30, B2)
-McTeacher Night (4-7pm, McDonald's)
Wednesday -
-Jill at OM Meeting (12:30-3:30, WCC)
-Principal Discretionary Day (Staff Meeting, 1:55-3:25)
Thursday -
-Lego Class (2:25-3:30, E4)
-Annual IEP Meeting for Hazanay (2:30, C5)
-Initial IEP Meeting for Ethan A (3:30, D5)
Friday -
-Coding Class (2:25, Library)
-PE Minutes Due by 2:37
Upcoming Events:
10/14 - Rock Steady Juggling Assembly
10/15 - Soul Shoppe Workshop: Fiery Feelings
10/17 - Dave & Buster's Social (5-9pm)
10/19 - EDMS Family Fun Walk - Register by October 7th
10/21 - Kids Heart Challenge Assembly (10:15-10:45, MUR)
10/23-10/31 - Red Ribbon Week/Jump Rope for Heart Fundraiser
This Week in AVID
How do our students use their notes to learn? As we plan for opportunities for our students to write to learn, this list of principles comes in handy as a vehicle to reflect on the purpose of Focused Note-Taking. In addition, it asks us to reflect on how we are coaching our students in the processing of notes.
Jeanne Johnson - AVID Instructional Coach
Google Classroom Add Code: 7uwcLg
PBIS Weekly Focus
Congratulations! We distributed 38 more Class Wows this past August/September than last year while recognizing positive behavior throughout the school! A1 came out as our top earner, receiving 25 Wows; and Michaela was our top distributor, handing out 25 Wows (and earning a Starbuck's gift card)!
Handbook Helper
Earthquake Drill – October 17 at 10:18 – In preparation for our annual Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill:
Earthquake Science Education https://www.shakeout.org/california/resources/index.html#educational
Positive Reinforcement
Positive Reinforcement - We all benefit from a ‘pat on the back’. For those students who struggle the most with making good choices, frequent reinforcement of desired behaviors can help turn the tide. Research shows it takes at least 5 positives to make up for 1 negative (5:1 rule). Here are a few tips for keeping it positive:
1. Leave the Student Positive Notes - This can be a simple Post-It stating something you saw done right by the student and could even tie-in with the Westwood Wows. Sometimes it can be harder to reward/compliment the students who seem to misbehave more often than not, but they need the compliments the most.
2. Share a Special Signal with Your Student - This signal can be introduced to your student as one you use for them when teaching and you notice them on track and want to let them know you are proud or it can be a signal introduced to the student that will be used to let the student privately know that they need get back on task. Sometimes students feel important knowing they have their own special signal with their teacher.
3. Call on the Student Every Time They Raise Their Hand - For our students that always seem to blurt out, try calling on them every time you can when they raise their hand. This is enforcing the expectation of raising hands and providing those students with instant gratification who sometimes struggle to remember that rule. This also teaches those students that you do see them and will get to them.
4. Have Student Demonstrate How to Do an Assignment - Give the opportunity to your student to be a rockstar! When you are traveling the room and see that your student is doing well on an assignment, have them show their work to the class as a model. So often students who struggle behaviorally are called out in class in negative ways and this would allow them to feel the pride that comes when getting acknowledged as a model student.
5. Compliment Everything You Can - Who doesn't love a compliment? Compliment everything you can! Compliment their haircut, their shirt, their new shoes, their work, or anything else you can think of!
Parent-Faculty Club Business
Looking for Class Talent - The PFC is looking forward to hosting our Talent Show again January 24th! Signing up and doing a solo act can be daunting. We we want to encourage as many group acts as possible. Our coordinator, Sierra Kulak, is hoping with more time teachers may be able to use PE time or music class time to put together an act representing a grade or class - consider connecting it to a theme in your curriculum. And of course, we encourage more staff members to perform this year as a treat for our students and families.