Magers Memo
September 29th, 2018
Grade level pod meetings are in the conference room on Monday! See you there! Coffee will be ready!
Thank you for giving "your best" every single day. I see it-I appreciate it!
Updates from Crystal
Please complete the survey as soon as possible on Monday morning, so we can win a catered breakfast! Third-Fifth Grade teachers please have students take the survey on Monday. I would suggest talking about each question as students respond to hopefully valid results.
- The fall BrightBytes survey will be available to staff and students October 1-19. The Blended Learning department will provide a hot breakfast catered for the staff on the date of your choice for the first three elementary schools, first two middle schools and the first high school to have 100% participation by staff and reach statistical significance for students.
- The required mental health training has been moved from the 4th to November 6th from 4:00 to 6:00. Remember all staff are required to attend and are compensated for their time.
On a random note, 6 feminine products were removed from the pipes in the teachers restroom near the break room. Please do not flush these down the toilet, instead throw them in the trash can. A large paper towel was also found in the pipes, these don't flush either. Thank you!
This Week:
Monday:
- GL Pod Meetings are all day on Monday with Catherine Castillo. Please bring math data and any questions you have about the Bridges Intervention.
- Bri out all day
- Take Bright Bytes Survey! Remember, this is a part of our Sherwood Report Card...
- Have students take Bright Bytes Survey (3-5) today or Tuesday. Please go over questions with students to help them understand what is being asked. You can access the questions here.
Tuesday:
- All Specialty Teachers will have subs in morning for their 1/2 day PL
- Hat Day for Allison Loughary
- Shark cards should be in your box with attendance. We may be late, depending on the card production and if they are ready.
Wednesday:
- Kindergarten & First Grade Teachers will have subs in the morning for their 1/2 day PL
Thursday:
- Crystal out for meeting at Bentley from 8-10 a.m. Carla & Kate are lead teachers in charge.
- School picture day! The schedule is here.
- Put stickers on students as a reminder that Boys and Girls Club is closed on Friday if not going on field trip.
Friday:
- Intruder drill: 9:30 Get ready to respond utilizing the escape plans created in staff meeting.
- Boys and Girls Club closed unless going on field trip...
Next Tuesday we are having a Hat Day for Alison Lougherty! Bring one dollar and wear a hat! Please share with students!
Celebrations:
- School-wide picture was a success!
- First All Pro Dad Breakfast was a HUGE success! I found two dads who want to run this moving forward-a great addition to Sherwood!
- Coach A-aka: Sherwood the Shark can dance! Thank you Casey for making the assembly so fun! The kids LOVED you! They talked about it all week! Thank you to everyone for passing out the cards each week, encouraging good attendance & being willing to dance in front of our students! Rob came out and fixed the volume issue in the gym so the music will be louder for the next round!
- Kate Marble and Vicki Bunn received grants from the Foundation for Public Schools! Way to go Kate and Vicki! Kate received tons of books for her classroom and Vicki can now purchase more instruments for her classroom!
- Callie received a PBL Grant from SPS! Woot, woot!
- Lots of great instruction happening daily in each classroom! Every time I am in rooms I am impressed by the level of instruction but also the relationships being built. Thank you for figuring out each students story and listening!
I know several others wrote grants that they did not receive...and I wanted to remind you that the Donors Choose grants will become available in October! I plan to write one!
Sherwood Fall Festival
Friday, Oct 19, 2018, 06:00 AM
Sherwood Elementary School, South Golden Avenue, Springfield, MO, USA
Read this in an article this week, thought it was worth sharing!
THE FIVE STEPS OF RESTORATIVE PRACTICES
Restorative practices can be implemented in five steps that are rather simple to describe but can take some effort. First, the group gathers in a type of circle or around a table with clear sightlines between all participants, and the adult leader sets the purpose of the meeting. The purpose can be to build a learning community in the classroom or among a particular group, or it can be to address a pressing concern. Second, some type of token or totem should be used—the person speaking holds the token, and only the person with the token is allowed to talk. This skill should be explicitly taught and reinforced.
The third step: Once the purpose of the meeting is established, that should be the sole focus of the discussion—any deviation should be redirected to that focus. In this way, a very specific issue is the only topic discussed. In the case of addressing a concerning behavior, only one skill is addressed, which helps students understand its pointed importance.
Fourth, teach students to use “I feel” statements as those can better lead to empathetic growth when the problem is the behavior or actions of a select few students. When those individuals feel how their actions affect the other students in the group, they’re more likely to change their behavior. Herein lies the true power of restorative practices: the building of family, community, trust, and understanding.
Finally, once everyone wishing to speak has been allowed to have their say, the group agrees to any changes that will occur, accepts moving forward together, and forgives transgressions. This is of paramount importance to let all members move forward and not hold lingering resentment. Everyone needs to practice forgiving as well as letting themselves be forgiven from time to time—this is a hugely important life skill.
A new understanding is igniting in the minds of educators today. Long have the best teachers recognized that relationships are the driving force behind real learning and growth for students. This revelation is actually the very old truth that is the kernel of a renewed emphasis on connection and understanding as cornerstones of school community. Restorative practices let schools grow as a community and give students permission to learn from failure and forgiveness rather than punishment.
https://amp.edutopia.org/article/suspensions-dont-teach?__twitter_impression=true