Team Thomson News & Notes
Week of: September 8, 2019 #ThomsonRocks
Important Information for You!
Greeting Students
As you all know, greeting students at the door is the number one factor we control at school in helping them feel welcome and starting the day off on the right foot. At the beginning of the year with our little ones, it is a delicate balance of being 'in and out' of the doorway to ensure that students are mastering the arrival routine. Please let this just serve as a reminder not to get sucked into the classroom while students are arriving, try to be sure you are bouncing back and forth as students enter the building. Thanks for all you do to get their days off to amazing starts!
Monday, September 9th
By now you have all received your agendas and locations for Monday, September 9th. If I have read the agendas correctly, you are all beginning your day at 8:00 a.m. in your respective locations. If you have any questions about where you are supposed to be, please call me on my cell phone this weekend!
Leadership Team
As many of you know, each year I ask the PLC Teams, the Specials Team, and SE Team to pick a team leader that can meet with me once a month at Leadership Team Meetings. I have always found this time valuable as we discuss, problem solve, and plan around a variety of topics. As we settle into the school year, please work with your PLC Team to determine who will be your team leader. Once established, please let me know. Our meeting typically will take place the third Friday of the month at 7:15 a.m. and participants have in the past received PD for this work.
Classroom Schedules
Classroom teachers, please make sure that you turn in a copy of your daily schedule for the week. I will review these for curriculum fidelity and use them for planning observations, so that I can give intentional feedback around your areas of focus. If you have any questions, please let me know. These should be turned in no later than Friday, September 13th.
Behavior Data Review
At our General Admin meeting last week, Student Services Director Holly Halabicky shared the end of year behavior data with us from the 2018-19 school year. While it can sometimes seem that behavior is a big problem, the data shows that it really is not. Our Board Climate Goals looks at the number of students within a set of office referrals categories. The goal is states that office discipline referrals will remain at or below the following benchmarks:
- 85% or more students will have 0-1 Office Discipline Referrals
- No more than 10% will have 2-4 Office Discipline Referrals
- No more than 5% will have 5 or more Office Discipline Referrals.
For Thomson last year, our data showed that:
- 98.5% of all students had 0-1 Office Discipline Referrals (ODR)
- 1% (4 students) had 2-4 ODR
- .5% (2 students) had 5 or more ODR
- 93% of all students had 0-1 ODR
- 4% had 2-4 ODR
- 2% had 5 or more ODR
So, what does this say? First, there is lots to celebrate in terms of behavior! You should all be very proud of the work you do to building relationships with students, teach and re-teach behavior expectations, put into place interventions when needed, and work with your colleagues to determine what needs to be done to support our kids who are struggling behaviorally or social emotionally. For our building, I know the challenge has been and will most likely continue to be, how do we support those couple of students who can take up almost an entire day with behavior...and for this there are no easy answers. And while this is something we will continue to work on, today, please celebrate your hard work and all you are doing for our kids!
KRA 'Swat Team'
This week will be when the KRA 'Swat Team' will be moving from Hill to Siple to Thomson to complete some of the items on the KRA. I was able to get more testing kits from Melissa Wing at the GISD, so we will only need to borrow your testing booklets on Thursday and Friday.
Intersession
Intersession registration is now open and flyers have been sent home. Please take a moment to mention this in your classroom weekly newsletters. If you have a student with a financial restraint that you would like to nominate for a scholarship, please email me with the student and why. This is such a great opportunity for our kids. I hope lots of them are able to attend.
Quotes Worth Reading
“[Kids] don't remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.”
― Jim Henson
Do ONE Thing and Make a Big Difference!
This week...do one thing for a colleague! Did you know that one act of kindness at a minimum positively affects three people. It has a positive affect on the person you do it for, for you, and for anyone that witnesses the act.
Celebrations & Announcements
Birthdays This Week: None...
Don't forget about the $5 pizza lunch on Friday! Also, Sarah Driskill sent out an email about a brownie sundae bar...thanks to those who are chipping in on that delicious treat!
Important Upcoming Dates:
Monday, September 9th-No School for Students, District Teacher PLC Day; Board of Education Meeting, High School AMR with a new teacher reception at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 12th-KRA Swat Team; Fire Drill; Elementary Principals Meeting (Natalie)
Friday, September 13th-KRA Swat Team; $5 Pizza Lunch
Monday, September 16th-Poverty Training @ GISD (Natalie); PTO Meeting 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 18th-Staff Meeting, 7:35 a.m. (Agenda: Behavior Review, Student Behavior Data Collections w/Jen Seal); District Improvement Meeting for ALL SI Chairs, 4:14-5:15 p.m. in the AMR at the HS
Thursday, September 19th- Elementary Principals Meeting (Natalie); Motor Moms and Dads Training for Parents @ 10 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.; CMC 4-7 p.m.
Friday, September 20th-GISD Elementary Principals Meeting, 7:30-9:30 a.m. (Natalie)
Tuesday, September 24th-Data Day; Fire Drill
Wednesday, September 25th-Early Release Day, PD will be held at Central from 2-5 p.m.
Thursday, September 26th-Data Day; Watch DOGS Pizza Night/Kick-off, 4:30-6:30 (VOLUNTEERS NEEDED)
Friday, September 27th-Go Gold for Childhood Cancer, $5 District Jean Day
Thomson Elementary
#ThomsonRocks
Home of the Thomson Teddies!
And..
Where Kids Come First and Futures Begin!
Email: nmiller@davisonschools.org
Website: www.davisonschools.org
Location: 617 East Clark Street, Davison, MI, United States
Phone: 810-591-0911