Principal Walder's Tuesday Memo
For the week of April 14
Time to Recharge!
Let's hope this snow brings great some great green grass soon!
All that jazz on social media...
Over the weekend, I found it easy to skim through my social media feeds and find an awful lot about "THIS and THAT" resource about "How to teach Remotely." It felt like every Tweet, Blog Post, and Instagram image was taking me to a TPT page to buy something, sign up for another webinar about another new tool, or someplace I should sign up for a resource that was free for the next 90 days. Now, do not get me wrong, there are good things out there, but I just shook my head... what immense pressure so many hopefully well-intended companies and people are putting on all educators.
Please do not "buy-in" to the pressure of "All that Jazz" to do something new and fancy each day from all the Social Media Edustars...
You have already done a great job in setting up routines and procedures now to transition to an online learning environment. As you know, more change is not what is best for our Titans. Students know what to expect with Learning Boards or Unit plans and where to look for assignments. Students and parents know the best way to contact you already. The change to online learning was big enough... there is no need to reinvent the wheel each day.
The resources that we are currently using are all high-quality and will continue to create high-quality, At-Home Learning Experiences for our Titans. All of you are already adapting (or are working to adapt) all our curriculum to an online learning environment. We may continue to find new features within the resources that we already have, but there is no need to go find NEW resources. Let's just keep working to find all of the features within what we already know. ((For example, see the new feature below that Google just provided to Schools within Google Classroom to make what we already use simpler.))
There will always be challenges and opportunities to adapt and grow as educators, just like when we were in the physical classroom. I am confident that our Titan Teaching Team will continue to rise to the challenge. We do not need "All that Jazz" to make each day anew-- we just need to continue to do what we do best-- teach our students like we know how to do.
As has been said time again, keep up the great work. Thank you for all you are doing for our Titan students. I am as proud as ever to be the Legacy Principal and support our team through this journey. --Samantha
Checklist for the Week:
- Dr. Walder will send regular Staff Monday memo (this document) and Parent Memo before 2:00 pm
- Send the parent email with the attached learning board or unit plan between 2:00- 7:00 pm and include Dr. Walder on the email.
- Share your Learning Board/ Unit Plan for the upcoming week with Dr. Walder by 4:00 pm for Feedback.
- Regular, expected communication should be present in the form of a daily message to students. It may be a morning meeting video or message on Seesaw or Google Classroom. Be creative!
Complete Engagement Spreadsheet by 4:00 pm.
As a professional reminder, our contract days involve an 8:00- 4:00 pm time frame. We are not asking you to sit quietly at a desk with your computer/ email open. We just want you aware in the event families or school personnel are trying to communicate with you.
Friday:
- Send a Friday Wrap Up to all parents (JK-5) to all parents between 8:00- Noon. Include me on this email.
- Place your final, approved copy of your Learning Board/ Unit Plan for the upcoming week in our At-Home Plans folder by the end of the "day."
- JK-2, SPED, Specials post on Legacy Learning Hub Page before 2:00 pm Sunday
Dr. Walder's Schedule
During this time, all meetings will be held virtually using Google Meet. I will not be in my office to adhere to the new guidelines. Please feel free to contact me via phone or schedule a Meet. Thank you.
PLC for the Week: Wear your favorite graphic tee to show off during our Google Meet PLC this week! It's our "Favorite Tee PLC" Week!
Tuesday:
- 7:30 Admin Meeting
- 8:30 IEP- MG
- 9:00 5th PLC
- 10:00 4th PLC
- 11:00 Specials PLC
- 2:00- 3:00 3rd PLC
- 4:00- 6:00 pm Meal Distribution Support at Venture
- 6:30 School Board Meeting
Wednesday:
- 10:00 Elem Admin Appt.
- 11:00 Elem Admin Appt.
- Noon All Teachers' Draft Learning Boards/ Unit Plans shared via Google Drive for Feedback
- 2:00 Elementary Admin Meeting
Thursday:
- 9:00 2nd PLC
- 10:00 1st PLC
- 11:00 GOLD Team Meeting
- 12:30 Intervention Check-in
- 2:00 JK/ K PLC
- Reminder to have Learning Boards/ Unit Plans in the Google Drive Folder.
Friday:
- 11:00 SPED/TLR PLC
Contact Dr. Walder
Email: Samantha.Walder@k12.sd.us
Website: https://www.teaschools.k12.sd.us/
Location: Tea, SD, USA
Phone: 6058817381
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeaAreaLegacy/
Twitter: @swalder7