Wildcat News -- It's Our Time
March 2-6, 2020
Principal Corner
Thank you again to all of our 3rd - 6th grade staff and students who worked tirelessly to complete each of the MOCK MAP assessments.
As noted on the weekly worksheet we will be having our 2nd DESE & School Leadership walkthrough this week. Please make sure that you have read through and meet each of the expectations.
March is one of the most critical months of the school year and normally marks the period of intensified prep related to the end of the year required assessments. Please continue to do all that you can to ensure that we are providing each of our students with the intensified instruction that they need and deserve-- together we will move ALL students. We will continue to work on offering as many additional tutoring sessions as possible.
This week we will also welcome Dr. Philomina Harshaw as a substitute administrator. We look forward to having her join our team for the remainder of the year. Please welcome her into your classrooms and help show her the Wheatley Wildcat way.
Weekly Updates/ Reminders:
- Please bring your homework packets up to the front office and give to Mrs. Reives each Monday morning to ensure they are placed in the homework binder.
- SRI assessments should be given to students any time you feel the student has moved up a level-- do not wait and do all of these at the end of the quarter. This should be an ongoing process.
- Ensure you are keeping track of any make-ups that will need to be given for Mock MAP. You will be held accountable for ensuring that ALL of your students complete ALL of the assessments. If you are able to give a make-up in your room or run a makeup session among your grade level, please do so. Ms. Egli will do makeups on Thursday and Friday as well.
- When calling on the radio for assistance, please be patient.
- No student should be sent to a buddy room where testing is happening.
- Please make sure that we are using the walkie-talkies for Level III offenses, nurse, or buddy room escorts.
- No student will be sent to the office unless brought by an administrator
- Make sure that we are updating our Bulletin Boards on a bi-weekly basis.
- Please ensure that you are putting in for a sub as soon as you are aware of your absence. (Please see Mrs. Reives for Sub phone numbers)
- Attendance must be taken by 9:30 am and then rechecked for any mistakes in the afternoon, failure to meet this deadline will result in a written warning.
Upcoming Dates/ Events:
- Monday, March 2nd, 2020- BLT Meeting 4:30 - 5:30
- Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020- Attendance Committee 8:15 am
- Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020- 6th Grade Central Middle Transition Day 11:15 - 2:15
- Wednesday, March 4th, 2020- Building PD
- Wednesday, March 4th, 2020- DESE & School Leadership Building Walkthrough 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
- Wednesday, March 4th, 2020- COR Bookmobile (see schedule)
Target School Walkthrough
- All bulletin board up to date with objective, standard and rubric
- Updated work posted in classrooms
- Daily objectives posted and highly visible
- MAP Prep documentation
- Lesson plans readily available
- Tasks aligned to objective/standard
Important Instructional Levers and Look For:
- I Can Statements and objectives up daily in classrooms.
- Connective Purpose Statements (What are we learning, because......, What I'm looking for).
- Instruction must be bell to bell.
- Grades 3-6; MAP Prep work with students (ELA and Math)- must have documentation of this happening.
- Writing across all content areas-- ensure that you plan for writing throughout your day.
- Update your Master trackers for 3rd quarter ELA and MATH on a daily basis.
- Checking for Understanding- Continuously check for student understanding in order to modify and inform next steps
- Track Exit tickets Daily. (If you need assistance please ask)-- this must be done consistently and kept up to date.
Shout Outs!
- Mr. Cherry for graciously taking multiple pies to the face-- It's all for the kids! :)
- 5th Grade team for working together to get the science MOCK MAP all graded
- 3rd - 6th grade teams for working so hard to ensure all of our students participated and completed the MOCK MAP assessments
- Ms. Amos for arranging arts fields trips for ALL of our students throughout the year
- Jane Rock & COR for hosting our Spring Book Mobile visit
- Mr. Cherry for partnering and arranging Justice in the Classroom for our 4th grade students
Combating Behavior Concerns
Positive Reinforcement: for every "negative" reinforcement or redirection you give a student 4-5 positive reinforcements.
- Have your ROAR tickets ready for students first thing Monday Morning, distribute them like they're skittles along with positive reinforcement for behavior.
- Hallways must remain at level 0 as we continue testing. Please be cautious of this and help model this for our students.
- Please do not see any students to the office, with an adult escort. Mrs. Reives is not able to watch students until administration gets to the office. Students should not be in the hallways at any time without an escort.
- Engage in proactive and engaging community circle activities.
- Review your classroom and school-wide rules and procedures (Wheatley Matrix)
- Use your Tier 1 Behavioral Strategies (Verbal warning, redirection, Class Dojo, safe seat).
- Follow the discipline flow-chart, before using your walkie-talkie.
- Ensure students understand the expectations for a buddy room, this is not just a meaningless break time.
- When students return from the Buddy Room, welcome those students back with open arms and restorative conversations-- this is a crucial component of restorative justice.
- Watch what we say and how we say it in front of students at all times- we are constantly modeling behavior!