October 29, 2018
A Communication Tool for the Seven Hills Staff
Focusing on the Wildly Important:
Student WIGS:
As we bring the 2nd grading period to a close, it is time to assess and determine whether or not students have met their WIGs for the 2nd grading period. It is time to celebrate and reevaluate!
- Celebrating public victories with students is important! Take time to celebrate as a class, with individual students or send students to the office to celebrate? Need ideas? Think back to our Aligning Academics training...the opportunity to take the impossible shot, conga lines, dance party, etc. I have party hats, prizes, and confetti! Don't forget about the Celebration Station...you can take your whole class down to celebrate and take pictures!
- Remember, when students meet WIGs they should be moved to the "My Celebrations" section of the Leadership Notebook.
- Teachers will update the Student Achievement Google Doc with whether or not students met their WIGs. This will be due November 7.
- What will student WIGs be for the 3rd grading period? If you are struggling with setting student WIGs or determining the highest leverage Lead Measures, please let me know. I want and am happy to help you! 3-5 grades...check out the "shopping list" in the Leader in Me Weekly" linked below...there are some great ideas for reading skills that might bring clarity!
- Discipline 1: https://limweekly.org/is-it-really-a-wig-succeeding-with-discipline-1/?elqTrack=true
- Discipline 2: https://limweekly.org/are-your-lead-measures-lagging-winning-with-discipline-2/
We didn't get to discuss this in detail last week, and we will revisit this week:
Exciting things are coming to Seven Hills at Thursday's staff meeting! Writing Mentors...Classroom Writing Buddies...and the Secret Shopper! In order to fully engage in the discussion on Thursday, please reflect on these questions:
- What opportunities are students given to engage in meaningful and relevant writing on a regular and consistent basis at Seven Hills?
- Do students enjoy writing? How do you know? How does this compare to previous years?
- Do students know why writing in order to communicate a clear message and/or complete thought is important?
- What opportunities do students have to see leaders in the community writing?
We are looking forward to a rich discussion and creative synergy on Thursday!
#7HillsLEADS...A Challenge:
Our first #7HillsLEADS Twitter Challenge Winner is....
Kelly Allen
The challenge continues this week...
Each week, we will be monitoring Twitter to see who is tweeting and which tweets capture our GREATNESS! We are looking for instructional greatness...student greatness...team greatness...school greatness...community greatness...habit greatness...you get the idea...GREATNESS! When you tweet, make sure you use the campus hashtag, #7HillsLEADS and if appropriate tag @TheLeaderinMe , and/or me n your tweets.
Weekly winners will receive a traveling trophy (it lights up...so fun!) AND a treat. At the end of November, the staff member with the most tweets will receive a prize!
Habit Focus of the Week: Habit 1
You're in Charge of You
Circle of Influence
Practicing Habit 1
Habit Huddle Connection:
Staff 7x7 Begins This Week:
Thank you for the rich discussion about our campus Wildly Important and Whirlwind in the staff meeting last week. You may remember that we took that discussion a step further, when we shared that in order to maintain a high functioning Whirlwind and find time to work on the Wildly Important we must use the 7 Habits! In full transparency (Trust Behavior 3) are we using the habits with consistency and fidelity? Are we modeling what we are teaching our students? To engage in Trust Behavior 7 and Get Better, we are going to start the 7x7 Contract this week. Make sure you have an accountability partner (Trust Behavior 10)! Here's what you will need:- A designated time each week for you and your accountability partner to meet.
- The 7x7 Contract white book, the 7 Habits App, or a copy of the pages from week 1 of the contract (in Kim's office).
- The 7 Habits practice cards or the 7 Habits App
- The 7x7 Protocol: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S6zNMh-tXO0McEQJA22YE48dDh-YC11agvx0uPHA1RU/edit?usp=sharing
- 7x7 Accountability Form (in mailboxes on Monday)
- Commitment to engaging in the tasks in the contract each week.
Habit 1 Connection:
"Proactive people are the creative force of their own lives - they choose their own way abd take responsibility for the results." - 7x7 Contract Book. Proactivity means that as human beings we are responsible for our own lives. Our behavior is a function of our own conscious choice based on principles, rather than a product of our conditions, based on feelings. We have the initiative and responsibility to make things happen in our lives. Remember these highly effective proactive practices:
- Pause and respond based on principles and desired results
- Use proactive language
- Focus on your circle of influence
- Become a transition person
Habit Family Challenges:
This cycle of habits, we will offer opportunities for families to learn more about each habit each week. Families who complete the challenges will receive recognition on the boards in the cafeteria. Activities will be in mailboxes by the end of the day on Monday.
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month:
Are you up for a challenge? Ms. Goosey and Mrs. Bryan will post one challenge a week for you to either read, watch, or respond to. If you complete ALL 4 of the Dyslexia Challenges posted in our Google Classroom within the month of October, you will earn a JEANS or HAT PASS!!! Remember, you must complete all 4 challenges in order to receive the jeans or hat pass. Our goal is to further educate our staff in all areas relating to dyslexia. We want to provide you with a Google Classroom full of resources to help support you and your students, the characteristic of dyslexia, and the steps in the identification process.
Please let Mrs. Bryan and/or Ms. Goosey know if you have any questions! We hope you accept the challenge! (It is optional)
Join our Google Classroom with the code: rqwuql
Let us know if you need any assistance logging into Google Classroom and accessing our assignments.
From The Assistant Principal:
Classroom Management
What practices do you use to build rapport with students, both collectively as a class and individually?
So how do teachers move beyond this idea of assumed authority, in favor of a more equitable, inclusive, and culturally responsive approach to building rapport? Consider applying the following practices to earn students' respect. Cultivate opportunities for personal engagement with your students. For example, establish a class handshake, occasionally eat lunch with your students, and share personal stories or examples of your own text-to-self connections (how you relate to a story based on your experiences) in class, while offering an empathetic ear as you invite students to do the same.Avoid low-expectation style teaching, characterized by intentionally lowering rigor to meet perceived student learning deficits, assigning busy work, being overly punitive, and focusing more on behavior than grades. Teach for skills mastery and understanding of content, not for rule following. Use compassionate communication. Basic greetings and manners, like saying "please" and "thank you," can go a long way in building rapport. So can asking permission ("Would you mind …?" or "Is it OK if I …?"), admitting to mistakes or being wrong ("My bad, that came out wrong. Thank you for correcting me!"), and giving students the benefit of the doubt. Set norms for communication in your classroom and consistently model them, even when you're being tested.Developing a healthy rapport is possible in any context when we embrace a servant leadership mindset, show compassion, are culturally responsive and affirming, and demonstrate a commitment to our students' success. These actions build students' respect, trust, and confidence in you as their teacher. With this newly earned authority, comes great responsibility.
Positive Office Referrals:
In effort to promote positivity among our students, there are positive office referral forms in the basket by Tanya’s office. Please fill it out and we will call the student’s parents.
Shelter in Place and Hazmat and Seal drill on Monday. Please be sure that students know the expectations and where to go.
From the CIT:
Spelling Bee: The 1st round of competition for Spelling Bee will take place on November 6th in the classroom with a 20 word written test. Please encourage your students to study!
Mentor Reminders: Teacher mentors need to meet with their mentee this week to evaluate their goal. Molly will send reminder emails this week.
Assessments:
- 5th Grade: 10/29-11/2 5.ELA.2.CBA
From the Librarian:
Pumpkins need to be turned in this Monday! Please see the sign up doc and choose a time to bring your class to view the Pumpkins!
Just an FYI, the overdue notices are not sent by me. They are created and sent by Destiny, our circulation system, when books have been out for 14 days or more. I have no control over those.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cMrcHJiw5Xj5I0lt6AkctKJdglrNRsuOKIsTK0rOKmM/edit?usp=sharing
If you are interested in having me drop by your class for “Pop-In” storytime, please send me an email. carie.wells@nisdtx.org
Campus and District Announcements and Updates:
- UIL Update from Jen Gill: Thank you for signing up to help our kids be successful in UIL this year. We could not do it without YOU!!! Free Jeans pass for signing up to coach!! I need teachers signed up by next Friday so that I can get letters out. Please put times you will meet so that I can add that to the google forms that I send out to the kids. Any questions please ask!! :-) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1r2mlSr0CCIchDrvtCS1XT5OpIjtaqc3OxOLqX6ghXig/edit?usp=sharing
- Latest Edition of the Math Coaches' Newsletter: https://www.smore.com/z42vb
- Latest Edition of the C&I Newsletter: https://www.smore.com/kaczx
- T-TESS Observations are Beginning Now. Your evaluator will be reaching out to you to schedule your observation and pre-conference.
Save the Date:
- ILT Meeting, 3:30
- Shelter in Place Hazmat Drill and Fire Drill - For real this week
- Jeantober
Tuesday, October 30:
- Grade Level PLCs
- Fall Family Leadership Night, 5:30 - 7:00 pm (staff may wear costumes or jeans and black "Empowering Leaders is My Jam" shirts)
- Fundraiser Delivery
Wednesday, October 31:
- Meredith on campus for planning and coaching support
- Leader in ME Coaching Day (I have not finalized plans with Robin yet...more details coming Monday)
- Last Day of Jeantober...wear jeans with orange, black, or purple
Thursday, November 1:
- Professional Learning/Staff Meeting, 3:30
- 2nd Grade MegaLabs
Friday, November 2:
- End of the 2nd Grading Period and WIG Cycle
- PTA Luncheon hosted by 1st and 4th Grade Parents
- Final Sharpen the Saw Club for Round 1
Happy Birthday to You:
Paige Herr 1/31
Amanda Grounds 11/1
Stephanie Taylor
Please Share This Information With Parents:
Check Out the Latest Edition of the Campus Newsletter:
Reindeer Romp:
It’s time for the 11th annual Reindeer Romp! Join the fun as we get a great workout while raising money for your school.