Scarlet News and Notes
October 5, 2018
Assuring Learning Excellence and Readiness for a Changing World
Homecoming Week
Homecoming is a week full of fun, tradition and excitement at West. It is an awesome opportunity for us to come together as a school community and celebrate both the past and the present.
One way to build community is to get involved. Show that Scarlet Spirit and participate in the dress up days and the staff dance. The kids love to see the staff engaging in the same things they are.
Send me pictures of your dress up days, you can be solo or send a group photo. I will send them out for students to vote on the best pictures each day.
Staff dance - do it! I had to do Dancing with the Mankato Stars last year, and I don't know how to dance, so I think we can all get in on this fun. "You don't dance 'cause you can, you dance 'cause you want to."
Thank you to all of you who have already put in so much time and energy into making this a fantastic celebration. Friday will be an amazing day. Supervision sign up will come out soon, please be sure to sign up for a supervision duty for Friday.
The Week at a Glance
Monday
- Groutfit Day - get your gray on!
- Link Crew Dodgeball Tournament is at 6:30 pm. Don't miss out on the fun!
Home Events: Boys Soccer Section Game - 7:00 pm, Caswell
Tuesday
- Tacky Tourist Day - how tacky can you be?
- PLCs meet at East at 7:45 am.
Home events: Volleyball - 7:00 pm, Gym
Wednesday
- Staff wears black.
- Staff meeting - SBG groups, 3:15 - 3:35
Thursday
- Game On! There are so many amazing things happening in classrooms, go see it!
- Tye Dye Day
- New Teacher meeting 7:45 am.
- Hall of Fame Banquet - 5:30, Wow Zone
Home Events: TBD - Boys Soccer Sections
Friday
HOMECOMING DAY
8:15 - 8:30 am - Band marches hallway
8:30 - 9:30 am - Activities
Classrooms (students report to their 2nd hour class)
9:30 - 10:55 am - Talent Show
Auditorium
9:30-10:45 am - 25 Year and 50 Year Alumni Reception and Tours
Cafeteria
11:00 - 12:00 noon - Coronation
Gymnasium
12:00 - 1:00 pm - Lunch
(open for all students)
1:00 - 1:10 pm - Dodgeball
Gymnasium
1:10 - 1:40 pm - Gender Wars
Gymnasium
1:40 - 3:00 pm - Kato Karaoke
Auditorium
7:00 - 9:00 pm - Football Game vs. Faribault
9:00 - 11:30 pm - Homecoming Dance
Gymnasium
Saturday
- Girls Soccer Section Tournament, 1:00 - Caswell
West Staff Resource Site
Please be sure to make yourself aware of the information in our staff website. One page I would like to draw your attention to is the Forms Library page. On this page, you will find links to forms you may need, such as field trips, PD requests, tech requests, Educare grant applications. If you think of a form that should be included in this page, please let me know.
Engagement and Collaboration
Game On! I have had the opportunity to visit some classrooms with teacher partners. Not only do I get to see the incredible things happening in the classroom, I get to share them with someone else! If you would like to join me on a Thursday, just let me know.
This week I saw students engaging in philosophical chairs, student led tutorials, station work, small group investigations, small groups creating discussion questions, and partners creating power points to "teach" the class. I heard a teacher tell students that if they received below a 3 on the assessment, they needed to complete a retry contract, signed by parents, and schedule the retry.
Comments from students this week:
"Tutorials are a lot of work, but I learn so much when I do them." "I like when I can work with a partner because then I feel more confident in my work." "This is my best year; I am passing all of my classes. My teachers really care about me and I want to be here every day.""Renovations"
Social Media
A Few Reminders
- It's mid-quarter time. If you have a student failing, please reach out to parents and ask them to partner with you to help support their child's success.
- Champion Students - make sure your student(s) are passing all of their classes! Do whatever it takes to support their success. If you're not sure what to do, ask your team! Ask other teachers, our counseling/support staff, our admin, we are all here to help. Be their Champion!
- Be your BEST (Be respectful, Engage in learning, Show integrity, Take responsibility) at West
- You Rock!
West High School Staff Resources website
Please bookmark this website https://sites.google.com/isd77.k12.mn.us/weststaffresources/home and read through the site for important information. If you see mistakes, or think of something that should be included in this site, please let me know.
Please know that people notice how amazing you are...
This is a quote from an email I received, after the sender had witnessed an interaction between a West staff member and a student out in the community.
"I think that the job of a teacher covers so many things and often times goes without the appreciation that is so deserved, working in a school I often times hear more of the grief than the good. I just wanted you to know how great I think that staff member and his actions were. Please on my behalf and on behalf of all the students who so depend on teachers like this who paid close attention thank him. Its something I won't soon forget."