EAST PAULDING MIDDLE SCHOOL
January 2, 2019
FACULTY AND STAFF NEWSLETTER
I can remember believing that my teachers always had the answers, and if my parents didn't know an answer to one of my random questions, they would respond with "ask your teacher". As children, we often looked to adults for answers, and our teachers were the main source for those answers; a safety net and an example of perfection because we never saw them have a wrong answer, fail, or mess up.
What I have discovered in my years of teaching is that the perfect image they provided was nothing more than a trap! There have been times where I have not had the answers to my students' questions, I have failed, and I have messed up...a lot! Those instances have only increased since I have become a principal. There are times where I don't have the answers you need, where my decisions have not helped us be successful, and I have just flat-out missed on some things. Again, I failed...
But over the past two years, I have realized that maybe failure, ultimately, is what leads to the answer....it's okay to fail. Because if we don't fail, we aren't trying, we aren't stretching ourselves, and we aren't doing the very thing we expect of our students.
I want to encourage you to stretch yourself over the next 9 weeks. I know that you are thinking that you are already stretched...too thin, and I don't disagree. But if I am honest, we do that to ourselves. We are afraid to let go of what we have always done to truly invest in the new things that are being asked of us. We want to play it safe, because failure can be a scary place.
Failure can be good if you are willing to respond to that failure with a growth mindset. In failure, we can lead our students to the answers. When this occurs, we have taught them the most important thing they will need to help them be successful!
UPCOMING EVENTS
1/2 - Teacher Workday
1/2 - Faculty Meeting - 9am - Cafeteria
1/2 - Posting Window Closes
1/3 - 8th Grade YouScience PL - 601 - Professional Block
1/4 - 8th Grade Science Benchmarks
1/4 - Grade Reports Issued
1/7 - 6th and 7th Grade RI #3
1/8 - 8th Grade RI #3
1/9 - RI Make-ups
1/10 - 8th Grade YouScience
1/11 - Leadership Team Meeting - 7:30am - Media Center
1/11 - Academic RTI Meetings - 601 - Professional Block
1/14 - SBIT - 7:45am - 601
1/14 - Behavior RTI Meetings - 601 - Professional Block
1/17 - ELA PL - Webinar Recordings
1/21 - MLK Holiday
1/25 - Achieve 3000 Visit
1/25 - TKES Walkthrough #3 Due
1/29 - ELA Title II Day
1/31 - ESEP Meeting - 7:45am - 601
Let's Ask ourselves some questions
How am I creating a consistent, positive, and engaging classroom environment?
Am I consistently implementing a 3-part lesson structure?
How am I using learning targets, vocabulary, and anchor charts to engage learners?
How am I supporting the literacy growth of all students?
Am I planning quality, balanced assessments?
Am I planning rigorous lessons for my highest learners and scaffolding down to meet the needs of all students?
Learning Targets & Self-Assessment for Students
NBI & LITERACY
TIMELINE
We will remain in HR during our NBI period on January 3rd and 4th. This will give Mrs. Raley an opportunity to correct and adjust any scheduling issues. We will continue with our current NBI groups on January 7th.
RI & REGROUPING
Students will take the 3rd RI the week of January 7th. During this week, we will also begin regrouping students as needed. Please remind students that we are looking for consistency to determine if they are ready to move out of a support group. Please encourage them to do their best. We will do our best to have all regrouping completed by the end of the week so that you can provide that information to your students for the week of January 14th.ENRICHMENT GROUPS
To give you some time back in your normal class periods, we will not add an additional day of literacy focus to your normal instructional time. However, each NBI enrichment group will be asked to introduce their new topic through literacy each Monday during NBI. We will share more about how this can look in our January 2nd Faculty Meeting.
WEDNESDAY LITERACY ROTATION
We will continue to monitor the implementation of ARS within all contents on a rotating basis each Wednesday. Please know when it is your week, and work together to plan ahead!
digital Learning Days
This is another reminder for you to be sure that your Digital Learning Assignments are prepared within Canvas. All teachers should have 3 days of digital assignments planned in advance of any potential weather, prepared and ready to be published in the event of an unexpected school closure due to inclement weather.
**Your assignments should be no longer than 20 minutes total per day.**
check out the SWAY link below from Dr. Prince and the TLCC Group
AESOP
Below are a couple of reminders regarding reporting absences and requesting time off.
Unplanned Sick Absence
1. As soon as you know that you need to be out, enter the absence into AESOP AND call Mr. Jacobs. His number is 678-779-9541
2. If you are unable to enter the absence into AESOP, call Mr. Jacobs.
3. After 6am, you are no longer able to enter an absence in AESOP, please call Mr. Jacobs.
3. If a job fails to fill or if the sub cancels, there is a strong possibility that we will have to cover the absence from within that specific department or use other subs when they are on their planning.
Planned Sick Absences
1. As soon as you know that you need to be out, enter the absence into AESOP AND inform Mr. Jacobs and Mrs. Suttles of the upcoming absence.
2. If a job fails to fill or if the sub cancels, there is a strong possibility that we will have to cover the absence from within that specific department or use other subs when they are on their planning.
Personal Absences
1. All personal absences must be requested 5 days in advance. The request must be made to Mr. Alverson.
2. You can speak to Mr. Alverson in person or send him an email.
3. If you request an absence via email, please include Mrs. Suttles.
4. All personal absences will be entered by Mrs. Suttles.
5. If you have already arranged for one of our regular subs to work for you, please provide that information.
6. if a job fails to fill or if the sub cancels, there is a strong possibility that we will have to cover the absence from within that specific department or use other subs when they are on their planning.
It is important to remember that absences designated as sick days cannot be used for personal events or activities. If you have questions, please let me know.
ABSENCE ANALYSIS
I want to thank everyone for your efforts to be here during the month of December. I believe we had one of our best staff attendance months since the 16-17 school year. We finished December with 45 total sick and personal absences (39 sick absences and 6 personal absences).
I appreciate everyone's efforts to be at school every day!
January Birthdays
Nick Cooper- 6th
Michelle Mello-7th
Aimee Kinzer- 11th
Jessica Wilson-13th
Michael Ussery- 16th
Kara Johnson- 19th
Stephanie Carpenter-21st
Vaughn Irby-27th
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Contact Information for Tom Alverson
Email: talverson@paulding.k12.ga.us
Website: http://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/Domain/29
Phone: 678-350-8027