Monday Memo
November 7th - 11th
It is not joy that makes you grateful. It is gratitude that makes you joyful. -Brother David Steindl-Rast
A question came up this past week that I think everyone would benefit from trying to answer. It stemmed from a parent wanting to know how their child could earn a 4 on the report card in a given content. I think that is an excellent question that aligns with the 4th critical question of a PLC, and I want all of us to be able to answer for each content we teach with specificity. Please spend some time discussing this with your teams as well as determining if your students are given the opportunity to achieve what you have identified as a 4 performance with each content area. Let us know if you would like us to be part of the conversation.
Our next Team Leader Meeting will be held on Monday, November 14th. This is a great opportunity to collectively examine our current practices, address concerns and make needed adjustments. If you have a question or a topic that you would like to be addressed at this meeting, please use this link to have it included on the agenda.
I need to ask for your help. Lately, the workload for copy moms has gotten a little unbalanced. There is very little work for the moms earlier in the week and the volunteers who work on Friday are often up at school until 7:00pm trying to get everything done. We are so fortunate to have copy moms and would like to continue having them. In order to do this, I need to remind you of our protocol. Copy requests placed in the copy box will be made the following day. Therefore, anything placed in the copy box on Friday will be copied on Monday. Rather than requesting an entire grade level's copies be completed all on the same day, please space them out over a few days to allow more flexibility for our volunteers if needed. In addition, please refrain from asking a parent volunteer to make copies for you in lieu of utilizing copy moms. When this occurs, you are asking the parent volunteer to compete with the copy mom for the use of the machine. Your help with this will not only be greatly appreciated by me but by the copy moms who volunteer quite a bit of time on your behalf.
A year ago today, one of our 5th grade students was spending his last few days battling cancer. Thoughts about what his younger brother and sister and the unimaginable sadness his mother must have felt consumed me. My heart ached for them and for the loss of such a precious life. It is hard to imagine that a year has already passed, but as I think about the sadness of that time, it reminds me of how important maintaining perspective is in our daily life. Even in the midst of a tremendous work load and the pressures of meeting the needs of so many unique individuals, our loss last year helps put perspective on what we are dealing with today. This, we can manage. For that, I am grateful.
Count your blessings and make today count,
JL
---------------------------------------
High Reliability Schools
Thank you to all of the teams that submitted lagging indicators for HRS leading indicator 1.3! This week, we will be focusing on leading indicator 1.4: Teacher teams and groups meet regularly to interact and address common issues regarding curriculum, assessment, instruction and the achievement of all students. As you think about the lagging indicators (evidence) on your team that align with this leading indicator 1.4, make sure to drop a few things in your team folder located at https://goo.gl/c7VxKe.
Team planning (common planning period protected on Tuesdays) PLC RtI meetings Data meetings Sneak Peeks PD Kid Chats Informal meetings Parent conferences ARD/504 meetings Content PLC Behavior Committees All committees Protected Wednesdays and all important dates are shared via Google Calendar at the beginning of the year ELM support ELM design time Instructional adjustments based on data Academy Sneak Peeks District PD Region 10 training TL meetings Google Docs Staffing meetings Special Ed. CLASS meetings STAAR Trainings Behavior/Inclusion Chats A-Team TL Meetings
---------------------------------------
Professional Learning Communities
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Fire Drill and Reverse Evacuation Drill
Fire Drills:
- The last person out of the room should turn off the lights and shut the door.
- We will begin to communicate in the CC the days we have fire drills scheduled but will not share the time.
Reverse Evacuation Drill
- The purpose of this drill is to see how quickly we can get back in the building in the event a danger presents itself outside of our school building.
- Because you cannot count on someone being at a door to allow you access, you must reenter the building at a door with badge access. This might mean that you reenter the building at a different door than you originally exited the building.
- One Reverse Evacuation Drill will be conducted each semester.
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Shoparoo
Did you know that each week I give out jeans passes to those who are one of the top three participants on Shoparoo? I know that many of you have already joined, but if you haven't, it is not too late. Simply go to www.shoparoo.com to create your account. If you use veft4467 as a referral code, McGowen will earn money for you just signing up. Please feel free to push this information out to your parents as well. Once you sign up, Shoparoo will give you a referral code for your parents to use when they sign up. Schools with just 40 supporters are earning an average of $1,000 every year.
Congratulations to Krista Daniel and Barbara Peebles for being in this week's top three on Shoparoo!
---------------------------------------
Focus for 2016 - 2017
In order to help every child their personal best, McGowen teachers and staff will:
- Knowledgeably speak about our current practices that contribute to McGowen becoming a Level 1 Certified High Reliability School.
- Actively participate in grade level and content Professional Learning Communities.
- Engage in collaborative team planning and lesson design that addresses the four essential questions of a PLC.
- Present lessons in such a way that students understand and can speak knowledgeably about posted learning and language targets.
---------------------------------------
Remind for Staff
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Appreciations
- Shannon - Thank you for all that you do behind the scenes to make sure that everyone is safe. -JL
- McCartney - Thank you for maintaining such a positive attitude and continuing to be an amazing partner in the face of difficult circumstances. Words cannot express how much I appreciate you. -JL
- Stacie - Many thanks for always keeping me in the loop. I really appreciate it. -JL
- MC - Thank you for leading Kid Chats last week. - JL
- Many thanks to my Sonic Fairy last week. Your timing could not be more perfect! -JL
- SL - Thanks for the newsletter treat today! It is funny how the simplest of things can bring such joy! -JL
APPRECIATIONS are due to the entire Office Staff. They are the friendliest office staff I have encountered…always serving with a SMILE! J JJ Mrs. Oliphant
Michelle Haas: Thank you for covering my duty, so that I could attend a training. I really appreciate your help! -Jaime
Trisha: Thank you for all that you have been doing for our friend. I know it is a lot of work and I appreciate the effort you have invested!! -Jaime
Sylvia & Melanie: Thank y’all both for getting us going with oral admin on Google Classroom. This resource is already making a positive impact! -Jaime
Sylvia: Thanks for the Sonic drink -yum!! -Jaime
---------------------------------------
Bad Dude
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
McKinney ISD's Vision, Mission and Beliefs
Any time we have an idea, concern, solution and/or comment, this is the filter through which we should speak. Let's help each other live up to our vision, mission, and beliefs.
Vision:
We are a cohesive, diverse community providing engaging learning experiences for all.
We will provide engaging learning experiences so students can become effective communicators, quality contributors and socially responsible citizens.
Beliefs:
- Partnerships between students, parents, community members and staff are foundational to educational success.
- Positive school culture and a safe environment foster growth.
- Everyone has inherent value and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
- Learning is an active process requiring engaging tasks and engaging minds.
- Relevant and authentic experiences ignite continuous, deeper learning.
- Meaningful relationships enrich learning.
- Confidence fuels risk taking and higher achievement.
- Financial stewardship ensures a tomorrow for education.