Team Thomson News & Notes
Week of: September 1, 2019 #ThomsonRocks
Important Information for You!
Routines and Relationships
I am always amazed by how quickly our little ones learn school routines and the Cardinal Code, but that doesn't just happen. I can not tell you how much I appreciate the time you take to intentionally teach these and practice them (sometimes over and over) until they become automatic which may take longer or more practice than we hope it should. Remember to be patient and model the attitudes, behavior, and mindsets that you want your students to have. This is especially true as you being to add more core content into your day...go slow to go fast.
Also, I love seeing the strong relationships that you are already building with our kiddos. The smiles are big, the separation tears are less, and some of the challenging behaviors that we have seen are lessening all due to the relationships you have already built. Thank you for continuing to make this a priority!
DIBELS, NWEA, & KRA Assessments
Well, for the most part we have finished our first formal assessment of the year...DIBELS DONE! This week we will be completing the NWEA Reading and Math Assessments. Thank you Megan C. for working out the schedule. We will be sure that the library is set up each morning, but since all of us have experiences with this assessment now Megan and I will not be spending the days in the library as there are just to many things going on. We will, however, be available if there is a problem. Please be sure your assessments are all set up prior to your assessment time frames. If you have any questions, please see Megan or me.
Don't forget, next week will be when the KRA 'Swat Team' will be moving from Hill to Siple to Thomson to complete some of the items on the KRA. We will go over our building schedule at our staff meeting this week.
While I am sure that many of you have watched the Gerry Brooks Kindergarten Assessment video, I thought I would share the link to bring a little smile to the start of your week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcq_S1DA9EQ
5D+ Self Assessments, Growth Plans, and Growth Plan Meetings
Thank you for getting your 5D+ Self Assessments in! This Friday your Growth Plans are due. Please remember that the focus this year is on the Actions Steps...what are you going to do to improve the areas that you have identified for professional growth. If you have questions as you are completing your Growth Plan, please let me know. I am happy to help you through the process. I am excited to begin Growth Plan meetings this week. If you haven't already, please get with Anna to schedule your Growth Plan meeting. If you haven't scheduled a meeting by Friday morning, we will schedule one for you.
DK & K Curriculum Meeting
Thank you to those of you who were able to attend the DK/K Curriculum Meeting last week with Dena and Julie! Last Wednesday, all three DK teachers worked together while the three K teachers from Siple, the two from Hill, and six from Thomson worked together to set the curricular stage for this year. Please remember that Dena and Julie have really worked to streamline and condense these meetings down to just three this year. It is important that we have as many teachers at each of these meetings as possible as this is when important curriculum discussion and decisions are going to take place. Please make note on your personal calendar of upcoming dates.
Success Criteria & Expectations
Christy Flowers shared the video below in her newsletter this week and I truly appreciated the kindergarten example of what Success Criteria could look like in a kindergarten classroom. While we are just at the beginning of the curricular year, this is a great way to think about everything we are asking students to do. Please take a moments to watch this short 3 minute video. Think about how this might translate to other areas we are teaching students...for example routines and behavior. What does this look like if students are doing it successfully? What about going through the lunch line? Coming to the carpet and sitting in rows? Think about how you might add success criteria to other areas outside of curriculum to help students really know what it looks like to do something/anything successfully.
Quotes Worth Reading
“[Kids] don't remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.”
― Jim Henson
Do ONE Thing and Make a Big Difference!
If you haven't figured it out yet, this little section of the newsletter will be suggests, requests, ideas about one thing that you can do during the week to make a big difference. Last week, I asked you to identify one student and implement the 2 x 10 strategy with. Since we only had four days of school last week, please email me the name of the student you are currently doing this with. This will help me know which students I also need to be keeping a closer, caring eye on.
This week, check in on one of your co-workers. See if they need something...help with something, an idea to share, to listen, maybe a compliment...even if it is just you checking in, I promise it will put a smile on both of your faces and make you feel good. This is for everyone: teachers, secretaries, parapros, playground monitors, kitchen, custodians.
Celebrations & Announcements
Birthdays This Month & Week: September 1st, Cheryl Nitzschke and September 6th, Amy Chorley
Happy, happy birthday to you both!
Important Upcoming Dates:
Monday, September 2nd-Labor Day-No School
Tuesday, September 3rd-NWEA Testing Begins
Wednesday, September 4th- Staff Meeting, 7:35 a.m. (Agenda: ALICE Review, KRA Q&A); District Climate Committee Meeting, 8:00-10:00 a.m.; ALICE Drill
Thursday, September 5th-General Admin Meeting (Natalie)
Friday, September 6th-Picture Day!
Monday, September 9th-No School for Students, District Teacher PLC Day; Board of Education Meeting, High School AMR with a new teacher reception at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 12th-KRA Swat Team; Fire Drill; Elementary Principals Meeting (Natalie)
Friday, September 13th-KRA Swat Team; $5 Pizza Lunch
Monday, September 16th-Poverty Training @ GISD (Natalie); PTO Meeting 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 18th-Staff Meeting, 7:35 a.m. (Agenda: Behavior Review, Student Behavior Data Collections w/Jen Seal); District Improvement Meeting for ALL SI Chairs, 4:14-5:15 p.m. in the AMR at the HS
Thursday, September 19th- Elementary Principals Meeting (Natalie); Motor Moms and Dads Training for Parents @ 10 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.; CMC 4-7 p.m.
Thomson Elementary
#ThomsonRocks
Home of the Thomson Teddies!
And..
Where Kids Come First and Futures Begin!
Email: nmiller@davisonschools.org
Website: www.davisonschools.org
Location: 617 East Clark Street, Davison, MI, United States
Phone: 810-591-0911