February 12, 2018
A Communication Tool for the Seven Hills Staff
Filling Emotional Bank Accounts in February:
Kindness Campaign:
- Be kind to yourself by sharpening the saw this week: drink lots of water and eat a healthy snack every day; engage in physical activity at least 3 days.
- It's Random Act of Kindness Week: do something kind for someone...how can you promote RAK during Habit Huddle?
- Friday: Spread kindness...Smile at 25 people!
Fabulous February:
- Monday: "I'm tickled pink to work with such an amazing staff!" wear jeans with pink today.
- Tuesday: "We love NEF Day!" Wear jeans with a college shirt or colors
- Wednesday: "Valentine, you make my heart POP!" Wear jeans with a "POP" of color and look for a treat that POPs in your mailbox!
- Thursday: "We love 7 Hills!" Wear black polo with your choice of bottoms today, no jeans please.
- Friday: Wear jeans with a shirt of your choice
Seven Hills is Managing the Whirlwind and Focusing on the Wildly Important!
4Dx:
The Gradual Release Model:
Note: We are excited to host the West Learning Team on Thursday for walks to look at the gradual release model in action. Think about everything you have done this year to improve instruction that aligns with this model. Sadly, these walks will only focus on ELA, but we know that math has been working just as hard! We will only visit ELA classes on Thursday morning. Our learning team has decided to invite teachers to join our work. Whitney Beck and Kevyn Austin will represent 7 Hills on Thursday. As a result of these invitations, our groups will be larger than is typical. Thank you in advance for opening your classrooms and showcasing high quality instruction!
We are beginning our ELA learning cycle and the focus is on scaffolding within the Readers and Writers Workshop. We must provide the appropriate level of scaffolding to ensure student independence and success. In order for scaffolding to be effective, it must be gradual, I Do-You Watch; I Do-You Help; You Do; I Help; You Do-I Watch. The “Gradual Release Model” is pictured above for your reference. During walk-throughs, we will be looking at both what the teacher doing and what the student(s) doing. Our feedback to you needs to be used to reflect on your instructional practices. How can you increase student independence with learning tasks by using the appropriate level of scaffold?
While this learning cycle is focused on ELA, the gradual release model absolutely applies to math instruction.
I Do- You Watch: Modeling/Read Aloud/Think Aloud
Look For: Teacher
- Modeling
- Demonstrating
- Thinking aloud
- Teacher doing the work
Look For: Student
- Processing
- Active listening
- Engaged
- Observer
I Do-You Help: Shared Reading/Shared Writing/Interactive Writing/Read Aloud/Think Aloud
Look For: Teacher
- Shares responsibility of work
Look For: Student
- Engaging
- Processing Active Listening
- Doing some work to “Help”
You Do-I Help: Guided Reading/Strategy Groups/Book Clubs
Look For: Teacher
- Mostly observes and gathers data
- Guides and prompts to use strategies and resources
Look For: Student
- Engaged
- Student doing most of the work
- Practice
- Refer to charts or classroom resources
You Do-I Watch: Independent Reading/ Independent Writing/Reading Response
Look For: Teacher
- Observes and assesses
- Check-in
- Kid-Watching
- Record observations
Look For: Student
- Students doing the work
- Use tools/resources independently or with peers
- Independent and peer work
We know that Lexia is a priority and know that students will be working on Lexia during walkthroughs. We will be looking for student engagement while students are on Lexia.
Habit Focus for the Week: Habit 6 Synergize
Wonder
Precept for the Week: will be shared on Monday
Campus and District Announcements and Updates:
- Technology Usage: The district devices were purchased to support high quality instruction and student learning. Through walk-throughs and in looking at Go-Guardian, we are becoming increasingly aware of usage that does not support instructional purposes. Students have been using devices to watch wide range of YouTube videos, play a variety of non-instructional games, and listen to music (some of which has been reported as highly inappropriate). Additionally, students are frequently accessing personal devices during the school day for non-instructional purposes. Because we have district devices available, there should not be a need for students to access their personal devices during the school day. It is my expectation that you take time to reflect on student technology usage in your classroom. How much screen time is afforded students? Is this screen time limited to instructional use such as Imagine Math, Lexia, research? Do you allow for device usage during PAT time? If so, do you pre-determine what students are allowed to access? What are your practices to ensure student appropriate usage of devices? How do you monitor usage? Do you need to have a conversation with students about appropriate usage? Do you need an administrator to support this conversation? Technology is not a babysitter. Students should be engaged in an instructional task when on any device during the school day. Thank you for your careful attention to this expectation.
- Congratulations! Seven Hills is Common Sense Media Certified!
- TELPAS: Teachers will complete TELPAS Calibration in Room 209 on February 12 or February 13 from 3:00-5:00. Remember to bring your computer and earphones.
- TELPAS: The window to collect TELPAS Writing samples opens on Monday, February 12.
Save the Date:
February 12:
- LHT Meeting, 3:30
- Grade Level PLCs: (3-5 RtI with Jennifer Bailey; K-2 PLC Learning Cycle)
February 14:
- Math planning with curriculum coaches K-2...reflective questions as you engage in this planning..."Are you using the opportunity to plan with coaches to yield the greatest results? Are you only looking at one lesson each week, or are you planning problem solving block, how to spiral review hot spot standards, backward designing based on pre-tests and CBAs, etc.?" We have been gifted a level of math coach support that is not afforded to other campuses. Please make sure you are using this time effectively, in order to make the greatest impact on student achievement.
February 15:
- 7 Hills hosts West Learning Team Teachers, Principals, and Curriculum Coordinators in the morning
- Kim, Leslie, and Hayley off campus in the afternoon
- No professional learning meeting today
- 2nd and 3rd grade providing chili lunch for staff
February 16:
- Leader Rally 7:40 - 8:00 in the gym
- Early Release Day, students dismissed at 11:40
- Campus Professional Learning in afternoon, PD begins at 12:00 with lunch provided by the campus (Wise Guys pizza and salad)
Happy Birthday to You: