Miner Minutes
October 7, 2018 #itsgreattobegold
The Week Ahead
Tuesday: CCS Program Choice Fair at JM Robinson HS 5:30-7:30
Wednesday: PLCs
Thursday: PLCs
Friday: Tell a student how much you look forward to seeing them every day!
Saturday: Happy birthday to Ms. Hatley!
(Reminder that this is a jeans week IF you chose to donate for the Kids Golf Tournament that helps raise money for our school nurse program!)
Congratulations to Mr. Driver!
Welcome to our new Media Coordinator, Jennifer Nicholson!
Take a moment to recognize a staff member!
Reminder - Student safety
What should HOMEROOM look like daily?
Morning: Once students arrive in the morning into homeroom (after having gone to their lockers), the bell rings, and you should begin taking attendance and pulling up the Concord Scoop for the day. Just wait until after the very brief morning greeting to start the day. After you show the Scoop, you should pull up the QTNA and discuss. Students should be sitting in their seats and participating in the class discussion as this is also a "check in" time for you to see how your homeroom students are doing. You can also use this time to remind students of any school wide events or needs. Morning homeroom time is a time for teachers to build relationships with students - not sitting at your desk or in the copy room doing administrative items. It's important that you are present and interacting with students, and that they have a structure and routine that is predictable. At no time should students be gathered around the classroom hanging out in small groups and doing whatever because the homeroom teacher is not setting up proper expectations. It is essential that we start the day off with clear expectations and structure.Afternoon: I know it's a shorter amount of time and logistics can be more complicated with lockers (and students going AFTER the bell). But you should also be taking time to check out with students and launch their day positively before dismissal. Students should not be roaming the room during afternoon homeroom, either, as their being seated and calm will result in a calmer and less dramatic dismissal.
CCS United Way Employee Giving Campaign
Next month, we will begin our annual United Way Employee Giving Campaign. Our district has a long-standing tradition of supporting this campaign. Many of the agencies that receive funding from United Way support our students – agencies such as Academic Learning Center, Boys & Girls Club and Big Brothers Big Sisters to name a few. The goal for the campaign is to have 100% participation. You will be hearing from Ms. Hurlocker on more information as she is our school coordinator.
IB Notes
Program Choice
You will receive Program Choice Renewals papers in your mailbox this week. Please distribute them to your homeroom on Oct 10. The county is asking all students to renew their placement at CMS for next year if they are planning on staying. For those students who are applying for a different Program Choice school for next year, the application opens on October 10.
IB Service Learning begins
Two of Mrs. Farrell's art classes will be participating in service learning activities this month at Irvin Elementary. Our students will be face painting as a part of their PBIS reward system!
Think about what type of service learning you would like for your students to lead!
Staff Handbook Reminder Tip of the Week - Leave Requests
Requests for all types of absences must be submitted using the proper CCS form. Personal and annual leave requests must be submitted in advance for approval by the principal. New teachers (within your first 4 years of teaching in NC) do not have annual leave above the 10 required annual leave days. Thus, you may take a day without pay or use FLEX TIME. New teachers (within your first 4 years of teaching in NC) have very little personal leave. Be careful when requesting leave that you do not go above the number of days you are allotted.
Every effort should be made to schedule medical appointments after regular school hours or on workdays. Sick leave can be taken in half-day increments, which should cover most medical tests and appointments. Staff members need to be prepared to furnish a doctor’s note for any sick leave taken if requested by CCS or school administrator.
In the event that you are planning to be absent you must do each of the following three (3) things:
Fill out a Request for Absence Form; this is due five days in advance. (If the absence is unexpected, this form is due to the principal on the day of your return. Please turn this in promptly.)
Record your absence in AESOP.
Secure a substitute to cover your absence thru AESOP.
If you are out unexpectedly two (2) additional steps are required:
Call Secretary in the main office by 7:30am.
Call an administrator on their cell phone and your Grade Level Coach.
You must complete all the steps above. In the event you will be absent and have not previously submitted a request form, be prepared to give lesson plans over the phone or email plans to GLA. Remember, plans need to be for work that can be done silently without the expectation of the substitute teaching. We may not have a sub and your colleagues may be covering.
In compliance with CCS policy, on the last day of school before a school holiday and on the school day after a school holiday, you should make plans to be at school. If you are absent (sick day), you must be prepared to bring a doctor’s note explaining your absence. Without such a note, you may not be paid for the absence and your check may be affected.
MTSS Reminders
CICO is one of our current Tier 2 Behavior interventions that we have at CMS! The goal of this intervention is to give students adult attention throughout the school day!
The CICO papersthat students bring with them from class to class are also used to help monitor this intervention to determine if it is effective or not! Therefore, if you are a Homeroom Teacherwho does CICO—PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE turn in either your daily points sheets for students or this CICO Weekly Recording Sheet to your grade level counselor EVERY FRIDAY!!! If the student does not return a paper to you at the end of the day, please document this on the recording sheet so that the counselor is aware of this!
On Friday’s-If a student meets their goal (earning 25 out of 30 points) 4 out of the 5 days of the week, please allow them to choose one of the rewards on this pass!
GOLD Committee Reminders
- Our hallway behavior needs to be improved! Please revisit the Hallway expectations with your students on Monday during Homeroom!
- Respect Self- Arrive to class on time and ready to learn. Use lockers at designated times. Have all of your materials (pencil, paper, etc)
- Respect Others- Walk on the right side of the hallway no more than 2 people wide. Use manners. Keep all body parts to self.
- Respect School- Follow staff directions. Talk at level 2. Put trash in the trash cans.
- An adult presence is enough many times to keep misbehavior from occurring and can help with specific students and areas that have a high prevalence of behavior issues. When this adult presence is unpredictable and frequent, Behavior incidents decrease.
- Just a friendly reminder-ALL teachers should be supervising the Hallways & Bathrooms during class change! All teachers should walk their students to the BUSSES at the end of the school day!
- Why do we need to teach/ re-teach middle school students how to behave?
- To learn a new behavior, it needs to be repeated an average of 8 times.
- To UNLEARN an old behavior and replace it with a new behavior, it must be repeated an average of 28 times! ~ Harry Wong
Student Recognition - Caught Being IB...
Long term planning
October 15 - 19: Fall Spirit Week
October 16: Faculty meeting 7:30am
October 18: Gold committee meeting 7:45am; Happy birthday to Ms. Hurlocker!; Reading benchmark and 2 hour delay schedule
October 19: SIT meeting 7:45am; fall pep rally last block; math benchmark and 2 hour delay schedule
October 22 - 26: Fall book fair; pizza with police
October 23: Happy birthday to Ms. Farmer-Edds!
October 25: 7th grade to Renaissance Festival; Happy birthday to Mr. York and Ms. Whitaker!
October 26: End of quarter; Halloween Dance 4-6pm by STUDCO
October 29: Uncapped workday
October 30: Absentee pictures; grades due by 4pm
See Kelley Carpenter...
Ms. Carpenter has 4 week long jeans passes for THIS WEEK (in honor of the Kids Golf Tournament) and these will be given to the first 4 people that send her an email after reading the MM. It's first come, first serve. Good luck!