Peek At The Week
March 25, 2019
Team,
We are back in the saddle again! Let's analyze a word...COMMITMENT. This time of year, COMMITMENT takes on many forms. My COMMITMENT as a leader to you. The COMMITMENT of the team to the school. The COMMITMENT of students to their studies. The COMMITMENT for everyone to stay focused after Spring Break. Mike Smith, co-author of You Win in the Locker Room First, states, "To be a great leader, coach, and team member, you must be more than involved. You must be committed. You have to be committed to making your team better" (Gordon and Smith, 2015, pg. 85). Accepting less than high performance can snowball downhill quickly if there is a lack of commitment. Some of you may wonder why my expectations are so high. We must stay together, working towards 'One Team, One Focus, GROW Every Child', through consistent reminders that holding ourselves accountable to the expectations will assist everyone's commitment to the team. We must continue to row together, just as the Navy SEALS train. So I ask you to stay committed.
At the Leadership Team Meeting this Wednesday after school, we will be discussing our Summer Professional Development (PD) Plan and our back to school PD dates. Why do we do this as a team? Because the creation of intentional professional development/learning sessions for staff to partake in builds unity, morale, common vision and camaraderie, and it enhances the focal areas necessary for improvement. So, put your thinking caps on, start generating ideas for meaningful learning that will ultimately benefit our students as much as you, the teacher and share with your Leadership Team Representative.
As always, Teach Happy!
-Denise
GOOD HABITS: Fuel a Positive Attitude
Our habits are a big deal, accounting for about 40% of the things we do everyday. This is why we stress the importance of Routines and Procedures, practicing perfect and perfect practice. When we choose to focus on and sustain good habits, more optimism is brought into our lives and our students.
According to a Stanford University psychologist and researcher, B.J. Fogg, the key to creating new habits for ourselves and our students, is to focus on small changes that are both easy to do and can slip into your existing routine. Training your brain to succeed at small adjustments, helps you to gain confidence from success. To be able to do that, aim for automaticity. Fogg developed the Fogg Method which is comprised of three steps.
- Identify your specific outcome (ex. 70%, 42%, 15%)
- Identify the easy win behaviors (tiny habits) that will put you on path to goal (ex. goal setting with students)
- Find a trigger-something you already do as a habit (ex. CHAMP procedures in the classroom and hallway) and graft a new habit onto it.
The confidence of having the ability to change habits, coincides with other unexpected improvements...like, Getting One More!
Calendar: AOD Stanley
Monday- Faculty Meeting, Library 4p
Tuesday- Technology Lab open, 3:45p-4:30p; Boys Track Meet @ Liberty, 4p-8p; Girls @ Huffman.
Wednesday- Leadership Team Meeting, 4p-5p
Non-negotiable's
Following the SMS Discipline Protocols- Spring is on the horizon! Hold students accountable for their actions. They are asking for you to so that they can learn. Use Behavior Contracts, Buddy Room and Isolation Places in your classroom. Referrals should be your last resort.
Hall passes for students- anytime they leave your room.
Reset students as needed. Set the expectation, set the tone. They will meet your expectation IF they know you will hold them to it!
PLC's this Week
Monday- ELAR Interventions
Tuesday, Thursday- Math Interventions; RtI 6th grade- 4th period, 7th grade- 7th period, 8th grade- 6th period.*
Wednesday, Friday- ELAR Interventions
Thursday- STAAR Training during PLC*
Friday- PBIS/Safety w/Stanley*
*Please fill out a time and effort form for these three days if you are pulling students for intervention. See Mrs. Abney.
SMS TELPAS Timeline
Teachers turn in rating roster to Mrs. Kraemer, 3/25
TELPAS On-line Testing (ALL GRADES), 3/27 and 3/29