Principal's Newsletter
December 9th, 2016
WOWs
WOW to Cheryl O’Brien! She has been an excellent addition to the SPED department. She certainly is innovative and helpful in assisting in the learning of some our most vulnerable, needy, and unique students. She is patient and has a real compassion for the students she serves. Thank you, Cherly-Nikki Lovelace
WOW to Katie Fazio! Thank you for telling our friend, "no." Megan Brown
Thank you to the mystery person who left highlighters in the second grade teachers' mailboxes. --Alicia Baehler
Thank you to Kim W. and Stacey C. for their words of encouragement. --Alicia Baehler
WOW to Cheri for all her hard work preparing for Candy Grams and Holiday Raffle sales. STUCCO reps that came to my classroom Friday did a great job explaining.--Carrie Alvernia
WOW to Angie Reagan for taking pictures at first grade's grandparents day and Dr. Deweese for putting them on our facebook page!--Susan Bayne
Thank you to Shanna for spending her morning being a "grandparent" for five of my kids. They loved spending that time with you!--Susan Bayne
WOW to the data team for another great book discussion. I love the ideas and the depth of the conversation taking place. --Dr. DeWeese
WOW to the SPED team. Thanks for all of your ideas, questions, and suggestions this week. It was a great PLC meeting.--Dr. DeWeese
WOW to the kindergarten team for problem solving how to help remind students of the recess expectations. --Dr. DeWeese
WOW to all the teachers who participated in the Self Meetings this week for students. It was a great team approach to help our kiddos. --Dr. DeWeese
WOW to the EDCs for asking great questions when learning about our MAP results and our next steps. --Dr. DeWeese
WOW to Linda Murphy and Greg Vest for holding a special meeting with the 4th grade boys to help them better understand the words they use.--Dr. DeWeese
WOW to everyone who has adopted a family or who has been out picking up items to help our families during the holiday season. --Dr. DeWeese
WOW for Drew sharing his Harvey High Fives with me!--Donna Baeten
WOW to Kristy, LaTonya and Sherri for making me laugh! --Susan Adams
WOW to Becca for all the things you do for 2nd grade as our EDC that we don’t even realize you do! You’re amazing!--Susan Adams
WOW to Shanna and Angeline for working with me to plan a great coding experience for our students at The Ridge!--Susan Adams
WOW to Shelly Gotsch for taking the time to meet and help brainstorm ideas and problem solve for one of our shared students. Sometimes two minds are definitely better than one! Even though it is a work in progress I appreciate the open communication and dialogue as needed. Thank you! --Jodi Fitzgerald
WOW to Angeline and Nathan for taking the time to meet and brainstorm ideas for one of our shared students. Nathan, I appreciate you giving up part of your plan time to help motivate a student and provide support. Thanks for being a part of his village! --Jodi Fitzgerald
WOW to Kellie Heslin for taking the time to find and share resources for me to learn and better help/support one of my students. I appreciate your help and support! ---Jodi Fitzgerald
WOW to Natalie and Angeline for sharing books, articles and resources to help me grow as an educator. You are appreciated!--Jodi FItzgerald
WOW to Debbie Pryor for asking if I needed support with a student (because I did). It's not always needed but it's always nice to be supported! Thank you-Megan Brown.
WOW to Mr. Swope and Mr. Rector for watching over my classes as the stage has been reassembled over the past few weeks after performances/assemblies. This has really helped me out and I greatly appreciate you taking on the extra load. Thanks! –Mr. Button
WOW to The Dr. DeWeese Food Truck for bringing some most delicious treats to Harvest Ridge. -Mr. Button
WOW to the Veterans Day Task Force and anyone else involved in honoring our veterans. I know this is a little late but I think it’s so important to show our students how to honor those in service. I’m blessed to be a part of a school that participates in such a wonderful tradition. –Mr. Button
WOW to Candy Gehricke for her expertise in writing the new art curriculum. I had the pleasure of watching Candy share the curriculum at the Academic Strategic Planning Committee. Her passion for her work and the dedication to creating a rigorous curriculum was amazing. Way to represent the Ridge Candy!!--Dr. DeWeese
WOW to Susan Adams for her willingness to take on extra friends that need a little tough love. It is appreciated!--Dr. DeWeese
WOW to Megan Baker for jumping in and taking Kody’s class to his room without any notice.--Ruth Zerface
WOW to Todd Swope for being flexible and taking one of my students even though it wasn't his PE time.--Lisa Chamberlain
WOW to the Character Committee and to everyone who has recently attended to weigh in. There is a lot of passion and I appreciate everyone taking the time to share their ideas and suggestions. --Dr. DeWeese
WOW to Alicia Baehler, Stacey Cervera, Lisa Chamberlain, Becca Lewis and Kim Whitworth for being flexible with a last minute intervention for the 2nd grade girls. My team ROCKS!!!--Susan Adams
WOW to Mrs. Mack and Mrs. Murphy for helping our 2nd grade girls be all they can be!!!!--Susan Adams
WOW to 4th and 5th grade for a wonderful collaboration day. They worked very hard together and had a good day.-_Dr. OH
WOW to Jane for coming in over Thanksgiving break to help me decorate the office.--Dr. OH
WOW to Natalie for baking goodies for the staff, they were delicious.--Dr. OH
WOW to Katie for being a super star transporter. --Dr. OH
WOW to Rob and Hasan for helping set up study carrels delivered from warehouse for students.--Dr. OH
WOW to the Character Committee for the extra meeting and working hard to come to consensus.--Dr. OH
WOW Linda Appelbaum, Jamie McCoy, and Deb for their quick action in a medical emergency. Linda for driving the little brother and the mother’s car to the hospital so that mom could ride in the ambulance. Jamie McCoy for following and bring Linda back to the building.--Mrs. Fazio and Dr. DeWeese
WOW to Susan Bayne making me aware of the situation before it was too late to fix it.--Dr. OH
WOW Erica Coyne and Drew Button for an amazing choir concert celebrating the holidays!- Dr. DeWeese, Dr. OH, and Mrs.Fazio
WOW to Betsy Arnold and Melissa Barth for helping me on Thursday with taking a student who couldn’t be in the regular classroom. He loved working with you both.--Mrs. Fazio
WOW to Pete Beck, Chris Rector, and Katie Fazio for a great day at CPI training.--Dr. DeWeese
Oops
Oops
There was a concern regarding multiple grade levels being out on the same day for PD and if there is consideration to avoid that situation.
Response
Yes, there is always consideration to avoid a large number of teachers being out at one time. It has happened multiple times this year due to individual PLC teams taking a day and then district requesting a different group of teachers for the same days. When planning for release there are a number of factors that we have to account for. We have to abide by district policy and the release calendar and sometimes we are stuck to particular dates based on the availability of content leaders or other district supports. District office is aware of the issue and principals have had a number of conversations about it. Not sure what the future holds, but release days is listed as a possible cut to the budget. If this were to happen it will become a non-issue, however teachers would no longer have release time for professional development. I will keep you updated on what the board approves for the future of release days and we will continue to be diligent in making sure a small number of teachers are gone at one time. The administrative team feels it when teachers are gone and we want our teachers in the classroom as much as possible.
Oops
Instead of playing music in the morning over the intercom could we please have Jane Hepler sing Christmas Carols.
Response
I will see what I could do. Perhaps if Mr. Button would do the announcements everyday Jane would be willing to sing!
Climate Updates
In the link above you will find our climate data from the survey taken in November. It is a comparison to our results from 4th quarter of last year. The last column of the chart shows you the percentage of change by question and answer from last year to this year.
The administrative team has spent a considerable amount of time reading the results and creating a list of themes or big ideas from the comments. We have also spent some time researching, reflecting, and seeking input from other administrators in the district.
There was input sought last year on creating a climate committee and the decision was that the building felt like we didn't need a committee. After reviewing our results the administrative team would like to put together a climate committee. There is a common idea among all the research we have reviewed stating the climate has to be the work of everyone in an organization. Without a committee the work of our climate isn't really the work of everyone and without a committee it is difficult to come up with solutions. Below you will find how we would like to make up the committee and the big ideas of the work this committee will undertake.
Committee Make Up
- Literacy representation (reading teacher or literacy coach) (1)
- FHEA representative (1) - can overlap with classroom teacher or SPED teacher
- Office representative (1)
- SPED para (1)
- Interventionist (1)
- Non- EDC K-5 Classroom Teachers (1 from each team)
- Vacation Station representative (1)
- SPED teacher (1)
- Counselor or ESC (1)
- Learning Commons (1)
- ELL Teacher (1)
- Administrative Team
- Cafeteria/Recess Para (1)
The reason we would like different representation than an EDC is just because EDCs will be doing much of the same work in future EDC meetings.
If there is more than one person interested in a position than we will draw names.
Committee Tasks
- Determine climate action steps
- Set up staff team builders
- Research staff support system
- Identify problems/causes/solutions
- Possible more to be determined
Sign up for the committee will take place on January 4th during our building PD.
One Book One School
Report Cards
Last year I know teachers thought the report card seemed very negative with all the comments. Providing parents a comment in the box with the growth their child is experiencing or something positive might help with that. Ruth will be printing report cards on January 3rd. Please let me know if you have any questions about report cards.
Data Entry
Hi. I am the Special Education Department Chair from Hollenbeck who attends the transition IEP meetings and I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how awesome I think your staff members are. Brandy Leffler, Jamie McCoy, and Stacey Schuette have just been amazing and I really appreciate all of their hard work. They have done a great job of showing an accurate depiction of the students who are transitioning, as well as helping to prepare them middle school. It is always a pleasure to come to meetings in your building because I know I will have good information to share with my co-workers.