December 16, 2019
A Communication Tool for the Seven Hills Staff
Blackburn's Favorite Things Extravaganza...Just 4 Days...Have You turned in all of your red tickets?
Gingerbread Houses Due Thursday Morning
Congratulations!
- Kelly Bryan
- Laura Sammons
- Courtney Sparks
- Kara Jones
- Lauren Grady
- Nicole Wallis
- Kevyn Austin
These nominees will complete an application packet which will be reviewed by a campus committee against a district created rubric. The results of this review will determine our campus Exemplar Educator.
Elementary Learning Teams...A Time to Shine...And a Time to LEARN...Learning Teams Look Fors:
Learning Teams on Monday:
We are excited to host Learning Teams on Monday. 30+ guests will be here from Lance Thompson, Thompson, Prairie View, and Schluter Elementary Schools as well as the C&I department. This is our opportunity to share our story with TCRWP so far…remember…stories matter…they shape our character, build relationships and foster culture.
In Leadership Teams on Monday, we discussed the expectations for being as prepared as we possibly can be on Monday. I mentioned to everyone that I know some staff frequently wonder if we “put on a show” when guests come to visit. This is no show. This is our time to SHINE. This is our time to LEARN through feedback. We were given a gift that only ONE other campus in NISD has been given, and we must showcase all we have done with this gift to date. In our walks on Tuesday, each classroom likely received feedback on areas that could use some fine tuning before Monday. Please make sure you have addressed these areas.
Tanya and I are also sending a follow up email from Tuesday’s walks. Kelly and Rebecca have talked to each team about needs instructionally and with book baggies in preparation for Monday (and beyond). Please plan on teaching a mini-lesson (either in poetry (3-5), phonics K-2, or in a spiral review of a reading skill from a previous unit in K-2); conferring with readers using the progressions rubrics (you should all physically have progressions rings we made in a mega lab or in a PLC or after TCRWP – if you do not – you need to get these ASAP) or using the Tool for Moving Readers Up, or be in a strategy group when we visit. You will notice in the look fors, there are no surprises, and you will see lots of similarities between the walks on Tuesday and the rounds we will engage in on Monday. #transparency. In Leadership Teams I shared that we need to have student writing displayed. Our focus in not on writing for these rounds, but writing is a part of our campus instructional focus, and it will be discussed. Please have writing easily accessible and visible in classrooms and/or in halls. I am aso excited about these walks I can hardly stand it! Thank you for being a leader and learner in this journey!
Learning Teams Look Fors: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wpbVwL9Pbfcu_dJmthFz9I--AI_USO_PLNZN8-ciMlY/edit?usp=sharing
Learning Teams Walk Through Schedule: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pRG0TAsekoWrrtuypiidCnNMbYP_GLUvkWHzYYriYAM/edit?usp=sharing
Focusing on the Wildly Important:
Repeat From Last Week:
In order to meet our campus WIG and end of year proficiency standards in literacy, we must be paying careful attention to the MOY goal! Knowing that Christmas slide is just as real as summer slide, we need to push students to finish strong before break. To ensure that we reach MOY goals, these things need to continue to happen over the next 9 Days:
- Adhere to rituals, routines, structures, and procedures of the workshop regardless of assessment windows. Abandoning these now will undo the work you have done all year. Think about it, potentially 3- 6 weeks without the rituals, routines, procedures and structures. To get back what has been undone will take time in January, you simply do not have.
- Conferring/guided reading/strategy groups happen for your lowest readers daily if at all possible. K-2 we know the DRA schedule has your schedule packed pretty tight. Should a schedule change impact your day, make sure you are finding time to meet with your struggling readers every day.
- Students should be taking home books to read daily. Homework Hub will be open on Tuesday and Thursday mornings this week and next if there are students who need to read to an adult or Student Leader. I strongly encourage you to send extra books home to read over the break.
- Students should have the opportunity to write every day in all content areas...remember this is a lead measure directly connected to our campus WIG.
- LEAD Time happens 3-4 days a week, and students are engaged in meaningful work and lead measures that are aligned to WIGs, predictive of achievement of WIGs and influenceable by teachers and/or students.
- Students should have the opportunity to complete weekly Lexia minutes in pursuit of target units , and should be tracking progress on a scoreboard. Teachers need to be checking the home screen to make sure that students are progressing through the units as well as completing the minutes. You will be using Lexia data on January 8. Remember, you can also encourage students to practice with Lexia at home over the break. You might also consider printing packets of skill builders for students to practice over the break.
While our campus goal is focused on literacy, we simply cannot forget about the whirlwind over the next 2 weeks.
Math: When determining where you may be able to give and get a little more time, do not take time away from math instruction or the problem solving block. When planning math instruction and intervention, the following need to be considered:
- Problem solving block needs to be occurring regularly to apply the math skills learned during the instructional block/guided math block OR spiral review of hot spot TEKS identified during assessment.
- Students need to be writing in math...daily is preferred, multiple times per week is a non-negotiable. This hasn't really been an area we have pushed this year. It has been a clearly stated expectation, but not something we have consistently reinforced. We will be reinforcing this in the spring semester.
- If you need any support with math, remember, Madeline Price is eager to partner with you!
- Lead Time should happen 3-4 days a week,which would be a great opportunity for students to engage in Think Through Math.
- I encourage you to send communication to parents to have students log-in to TTM over the break for practice.
- Students should be spiral reviewing skills and working on computational/fact fluency. I strongly encourage you to send home practice with students on this over the break.
I want you to know that while I do have high expectations for quality instruction and intervention to continue to take place, I am not suggesting you remove all opportunities for a little fun. No Grinching here! I just ask that you choose wisely. Remember, the more consistent the routines, the more relevant and meaningful the work, the more engaged students will be. Most importantly, I want to make sure you have the support you need to meet these expectations. Please let me know how my team can support you best. Tanya, Molly, Jen, the Intervention Team and I are here for YOU! YOU are our WILDLY IMPORTANT!
From Tanya:
RTI- RTI- please remember to continue to progress monitor on your students in tier 2 and tier 3. We will have follow-up RTI meetings the week of Dec 16th.
From the CIT:
DRA will need to be entered in Edugence by 5:00 PM on Tuesday December 17th. Also, remember to enter MOY information in your grade level “2019-2020 Lag Measure Data” Google Drive document. The RtI team uses and values this document! Let me know if you need any last minute help.
Assessments this week
K-5:
December 9-17 MOY DRA2
(due on the 17th by 5:00)
1st Grade:
Dec. 13-17 1Math.2.Module 4-6
2nd Grade:
Dec. 17- 19 2Math.2.Module 4-6
3rd Grade:
Dec. 13-17 3Math.2.Modules 4-6
Dec. 16-17 3Science.2.Earth and Space 1
4th Grade:
Dec. 9-17 4Science.2.Energy
5th Grade:
Dec. 16-20 5.ELA.3.CBA I Don't Want To!/
The Thick, Fat Pancake
From the Librarian:
If you would like to bring your class to the library for check in/out please sign up on this doc.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1x8D3bMwNepuzt21JB6pC3IhnVZmWA0qkrjH_Ltwu4m4/edit?usp=sharing
Our campus UBC competition will take place on Friday, January 17. If you want to be on the Teacher team please let me know. Also, if you have UBC titles in your classroom library, consider loaning them to the UBC contestants over the
break. I have lots of copies but most are checked out! ;-)
Also, please remind the UBC participants to bring their lunch to the library. If possible, let those purchasing lunch go to the front of the line.
I would love to visit some classes for Pop-In readings this week. If you are interested in having me visit your class, sign up on this doc.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LuzQfCVQTLB986XAiRyrIn3LNj7S9RVcLBAnZxKk9hY/edit?usp=sharing
Habit Huddle Connection:
Habit 7 Connection:
Habit 7 encourages us to seek continuous improvement and renewal professionally and personally. Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have--you. It means having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. Here are some examples of activities:
- Physical:Beneficial eating, exercising, and resting
- Social/Emotional:Making social and meaningful connections with others
- Mental:Learning, reading, writing, and teaching
- Spiritual:Spending time in nature, expanding spiritual self through meditation, music, art, prayer, or service
"Renewal is the principle—and the process—that empowers us to move on an upward spiral of growth and change, of continuous improvement. "
Dr. Stephen Covey
As you renew yourself in each of the four areas, you create growth and change in your life. Sharpen the Saw keeps you fresh so you can continue to practice the other six habits. You increase your capacity to produce and handle the challenges around you. Without this renewal, the body becomes weak, the mind mechanical, the emotions raw, the spirit insensitive, and the person selfish. Not a pretty picture, is it?
Living a life in balance means taking the necessary time to renew yourself. It's all up to you. You can renew yourself through relaxation. Or you can totally burn yourself out by overdoing everything.
Habit Family Challenges:
This cycle of habits, we will offer opportunities for families to learn more about each habit each week. Families who complete the challenges will receive recognition on the boards in the cafeteria. Please make sure you are turning in the packets as they are finished, and that they have a first and last name on them.
Missy Wood's Retirement Party:
Also, please share the invitation with your families.
Note: We will also have a money tree at the celebration
Save the Date:
Monday, December 16:
- Leadership Teams Meeting 7:45 - 12:00; Library closed
- 4th Grade Musical Dress Rehearsal, 2pm
- ILT Meeting; 3:30
- 4th Grade Musical, 6 pm
- 4th Grade Math MegaLab
- Lighthouse Leader invitations MUST be mailed out and phone calls made home to invite parents to assembly in January
Wednesday, December 18:
- Learning Teams at PVE - Kim, Molly, Tanya off campus in the morning
- Missy Wood Retirement Party, 3:30 pm
Thursday, December 19:
- Student Lighthouse Team Field Trip
- Blackburn's Favorite Things Extravaganza, 3:30
Friday, December :20
- Early Release Day
- Winter Parties
- End of 2nd Grading Period
Happy Birthday to You:
Friday's Schedule:
Please take note of the following important times, and make sure you have communicated to parents:
PK/PPCD Early Release Schedule:
- AM: 7:40 - 9:40
- PM: 9:40 - 11:40
Early Release Lunch Times: LUNCH IS A SACK LUNCH
10:10 - Kinder
10:20 - 2nd grade
10:30 - 4th grade
10:45 - 1st grade
10:55 - 3rd Grade
11:10 - 5th Grade
Winter Party Schedule:
PK/PPCD: AM 9:00, PM 11:00
Kindergarten: 9:00 - 10:00
1st Grade: 8:00 - 9:00
2nd Grade: 8:00 - 9:00
3rd Grade: 9:00 - 10:00
4th Grade: 9:00 - 10:00
5th Grade: 8:00 - 9:00