Points of Pride
August 3, 2018
Instructional Focus:
I saw some some great community building activities, as well as, clear expectations and rules being solidified. Thank you all for helping to teach our new PBIS Matrix, as we look to solidify our expectations for all students.
As we move towards week two, keep building on these and reinforcing them. If students are not following your procedures exactly to your expectation, have them practice again. While it will seem redundant and arduous now, you will make up the academic time later. Every student benefits by predictable classroom routines. Our students crave structure, even those that fight it.
Mission Possible....
With that in mind, I want to be more intentional about using our "Mission Possible" folders.
If you need one, please email me this week so we can get it made.
Safe Schools Videos....
Additionally, we are ALL required to do the "Playground Supervision" one. This can be found using the following instructions:
- Log into Safe Schools by clicking http://gilbertschools.az.safeschools.com/login
- Use your short name as your user name
- Click the Interested in Extra Training arrow. Scroll down to the Social and Behavioral section where the Playground Supervision training video is located. Click "Playground Supervision" to take you to the course screen.
- Click "Full Course" and then "Accept" which will take you to the sections.
- Click "Introduction" to begin the training.
There is no need to submit the certificates to me, as I have access to see who has done them and who hasn't. Classified staff, you can earn comp time for watching these videos.
Possible Class Visitors?
On Friday, I got a flyer about how they are trying to provide affordable in class presentations as well. They will come in and do presentations that are about an hour long for $35 a classroom.
Here is what they provide, and contact information if you are interested:
Safety Procedure Update:
Good afternoon,
So just like that, the first "week" of school is done! I got a chance go around to each of the classes this week, and noticed some outstanding community building going on in the classrooms. It's so nice to have the students back, as this place is way too quiet without them. Here are some odds and ends to check out as we head towards our first full week of school:
- Thank you so much for all your patience with our new traffic flow procedures. Parent drop off has gone very smoothly, and we are clearing out parent pick up within 15 minutes. We have a couple ideas to help shave a little more time off that, but for the first week, we are very encouraged.
- At SPE we are continuously looking for ways to proactively make our school as safe as we can. Last year we implemented a procedure in which we will ask for ID in the front office before calling a student out of class (unless someone in the front office recognizes you). We use the ID to reference the contact information in our computer system. If you are coming to school to talk to, or take home a student, please expect for someone to ask for your ID, and pass this information along to the "emergency contacts" you provided.
- This year, we increasing the aforementioned protocol by asking for ID anytime someone wants to go past the front office. Again, if someone recognizes you, they might not ask, but it might be someone new, so please be prepared to show ID when you are on campus.
- Additionally, starting the week of 8/13 we will be having all visitors on campus, when students are present, sign in at the front office. This will include parents that are coming on campus before/after school to drop off/pick up students. Again, parents will be allowed on campus; however, you will need to sign in with the front office to receive a visitor's sticker first. The staff at our gates will not have a sign in sheet or visitor's stickers at that time.
Thanks in advance for your understanding in these procedures. These were recommended by our district to ensure the safety of all our students and staff. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Have a great weekend!
New Recess Law Information.....
Be careful with holding students back from recess to finish work or for disciplinary reasons. You can withhold recess for both reasons but do it sparingly as the intent of the recess law is not to use it as an incentive but rather something students receive every day as it was enacted under the belief daily recess is important to the health and emotional well being of students. Having a student not participate in recess on occasion is fine but if a student is missing recess everyday then I would suggest you (admin) and the teacher(s) look to find something else as this consequence is not working if they are missing recess on a daily basis. Perhaps working on positive rewards but also looking at other consequences.
Fire Drill Information....
Our new "Emergency Response Plan" is in each of your fire drill folders to view. This is the one page document that is replacing those annual "flip books" we used to get.
I would love to get our first drills in very soon.
Discrimination Video....
K-3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ04ldnqgQA&feature=youtu.be
4-6: https://www.youtube.com/embed/uuIKnx7dEvI
When your homeroom class has viewed this video, please send me an email.
Upcoming Events....
- Week of 8/6: Focus on the Circle Map
- 8/6: 7:45-Circle Map Review with Heather; if you have not been trained on Thinking Maps, your attendance is required; if you would like a refresher, please plan on attending
- 8/7: Dad's Club meeting @ 7:00
- 8/8: 2:15 Release-PLC
- 8/9: PTSO Meeting @ 3:30
- Week of 8/13: Focus on the Bubble Map
- 8/13-Bubble Map Review with Heather; if you have not been trained on Thinking Maps, your attendance is required; if you would like a refresher, please plan on attending; 10 minute chair massages in the lounge from 8:30-2:30 (Maria sent out the sign up earlier this week)
- 8/14: New to SPE Meeting @ 7:30; preschool curriculum night @ 4:30; kindergarten curriculum night @ 5:30; 1st grade curriculum night @ 6:30
- 8/15: Donuts with Dad @ 7:45; 2:15 Release-PLC; COPE curriculum night @ 4:30; 2nd grade curriculum night @ 5:15; 3rd grade curriculum night @ 6:15
- 8/16: ALP curriculum night @ 4:30; 4th grade curriculum night @ 5:15; 5th grade curriculum night @ 6:15; 6th grade curriculum night @ 7:15
- 8/17: Faculty Meeting @ 7:30
Staff Handbook....
Importance of Communication...
With some of this year's students moving up a grade level in math, it's critical that you connect with each other when something comes up in the schedule. As many of our grades move towards starting to introduce academics this week, ensure that you have discussed with the other grades when you plan on starting math.
Curriculum Nights...
I had mentioned that I had read a book called "Beyond the Bake Sale," and was really inspired by it this summer.
They provide the following six ideas to add more meaning to Curriculum Night:
- Ask parents to talk about their favorite teachers and what was special about them. Make a list of main points.
- Talk about why you became a teacher. Describe your qualifications and training to teach the class.
- Express your vision for teaching. What kind of teacher are you? What is the role of your students in your classroom? How will you encourage a love of learning? What skills and knowledge will your students gain over the year? Ask parents if this is different from when they were in school.
- Discuss how you will help students who are struggling and challenge students who learn quickly. Describe your commitment to making sure that every student does well.
- Do a mini-demonstration of a lesson you have taught in class so that they can get the feel.
- Explain how you will stay in touch with parents about student progress. How and when can parents contact you with questions or concerns?