P'ville Elementary
February 2016 - News & Notes
Upcoming Events for February
Mark your calendars with these important dates/events:
Feb 1-5: FAST Assessment Week (refer to your schedule)
Feb. 1: PD in the library (NGSS)
Feb. 3: PTO in the library @ 5:30 PM
Feb. 5: BLT committee (7:15-7:45)
Feb. 8: Tech Committee meeting @ 7:00 AM (HS Library), Vertical PLC collaboration @ 7:45-9:30 (analyze IPI and IPI-T data) - meet in library first, and 100th DAY OF SCHOOL (unless snow?)
Feb. 9 & 11: Parent-Teacher Conferences 4-8:00 PM
Feb. 12: NO SCHOOL (comp day)
Feb. 15: PLC collaboration @ 7:45-9:30
Feb. 17: New teacher mentoring meeting @ 3:45 (HS Library)
Feb. 19: PBIS committee (7:15-7:45)
Feb. 22: Tech Committee meeting @ 7:00 AM (HS Library), PLC collaboration @ 7:45-9:30
Feb. 22-26: Iowa Assessments Week
Feb. 23: PK, 1st & 2nd grade to Civic Center ("Room on the Broom")
Feb. 26: Lighthouse committee (7:15-7:45)
Feb. 29: PLC collaboration @ 7:45-9:30
BUILDING ACADEMIC GOAL: BY SPRING 2016, 100% OF OUR STUDENTS WILL BE EITHER PROFICIENT OR GROWING AT THE EXPECTED RATE ON THE FAST ASSESSMENT
TLC: Coming Soon!
As the name implies, teachers throughout our district (roughly 25%) will have an opportunity to take on new leadership capacities and some generous compensation for those duties. See this link for more details from the Department of Education. Essentially, the goals of this were to:
- Attract able and promising new teachers by offering competitive starting salaries and offering short-term and long-term professional development and leadership opportunities.
- Retain effective teachers by providing enhanced career opportunities.
- Promote collaboration by developing and supporting opportunities for teachers in schools and school districts statewide to learn from each other.
- Reward professional growth and effective teaching by providing pathways for career opportunities that come with increased leadership responsibilities and involve increased compensation.
- Improve student achievement by strengthening instruction.
As we await our final approval, keep thinking about whether you would be interested in any of the following positions, and if intrigued, feel free to ask me more about it. More in-depth job descriptions and postings will hopefully commence in the very near future.
PCSD TLC positions:
1) Instructional Coach (1 per building)
2) Mentor & Model Teachers (2 per building)
3) STEM/Tech Integrationist (1 per building)
4) C.I.A. Leaders/Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment in various content/skill areas (potentially 6-9 per building)
Counseling Corner
Our unit on bullying has or will be wrapped up soon. Bullying reports are located outside my office if students would like to file a claim. Just remind them that bullying needs to be one-sided. If they are also taking part in it (back and forth), then it's an argument/conflict and not bullying.
Thanks!
Reflecting on School Culture & The Leader In Me
Ineffective:
"Be Reactive" - make excuses, blame others, moody, focus outside the sphere of influence, wait to be told what to do.
"No End In Mind" - lack vision or purpose, no goals, constantly change plans.
"Respond to Every Urgency" - responding to crises, no time for planning or developing, lack discipline.
"Think Win-Lose" - low trust, battle over resources, don't share best practices, paranoid others are ahead of them.
"Seek to Be Understood" - neither listen nor feel understood, ignore others' feelings.
"Work In Isolation" - work by themselves or cliques, think own ideas are the best, avoid people who think differently from them.
"Stay Dull & Stagnant" - skills are outdated, unbalanced lives, lack meaning, neglect relationships.
Effective:
"Be Proactive" - exert initiative, accept responsibility, control emotions, focus on their circle of influence, make things happen.
"Begin with the End in Mind" - pursue meaningful purposes, clear goals and strategies.
"Put First Things First" - focused on important priorities, say no to frivolous requests, make time.
"Think Win-Win" - trustworthy, balance courage w/ consideration, look for ways to benefit the whole, collaborate and share ideas.
"Seek First to Understand" - diagnose before prescribing solutions, empathic, non-judgmental and free to express opinions.
"Synergize" - seek out others' ideas, value diversity, humble, high teamwork and creativity, feel free to think outside the box.
"Sharpen the Saw" - strive for continuous improvement, up-to-date, energetic, enjoy a family feeling, keep spirits high.
After looking those two lists over, how are you doing at helping this school's culture be the best it can be? What action steps will you take next to improve?
Professional Development Corner
Orange Pride Classroom of the Month for February: PKM
Pleasantville Elementary - Growing Learners & Leaders
Email: troff@pleasantville.k12.ia.us
Website: www.pleasantville.k12.ia.us
Location: 414 W Jones St, Pleasantville, IA, United States
Phone: 515-848-0566
Facebook: facebook.com/pvillefb
Twitter: @pvillecsd