The Pulse of the Nation
Week of January 4
Principal's Corner
Hi Nagel Nation!
Happy New Year! Welcome back to finish up the second quarter. As you know we will hit the ground running, so here we go.
Please bookmark the linked timeline for the remainder of the school year. This includes important dates that pertain to teams. This aligns with the Staff Google Calendar as well. Please email Lizzy if you see any discrepancies.
January-May Nagel Middle School Timeline
Item #1 High School Recommendations
8th Grade Core Teachers - Please complete recommendations for high school courses. In a separate email from Lizzy you will find your team google doc in which you will complete a rubric score and a recommendation. This document also includes some of their testing data, and columns for teacher rubric scores as well as a final column for the final course recommendation for 9th grade (the columns you need to complete are in purple). Lizzy will be in 8th grade teams this week to discuss this process. Please complete the rubric as well as the final recommendation by next Friday, January 15th.
Materials to support rubric scores and recommendations
Rubric Guidelines by Subject Area
Course Expectations for 9th Grade
Item #2 - OTM Recommendations
In an effort to provide students with additional opportunities to succeed at Nagel we are piloting an Organization, Time Management class. Jamie Verdin and Jimmy Byrnes have graciously volunteered to test this for us this year. If the OTM proves to be useful we hope that it will expand but for now we are starting small to work out any problems.
What is it?
OTM, Organization and Time Management (OTM), is a tier 2 intervention designed to provide a structured environment in which students are able to focus on learning executive functioning skills. This class is offered on Monday and Friday mornings from 7-7:40. A lesson is taught at the beginning of each class followed by time for work completion. Students set individual goals, monitor progress book and schoology, as well as develop new habits to help them succeed in school.
We need your help
During 2nd semester we hope to find 5-10 students in the building who would benefit from OTM. As a team please look through the criteria and send suggestions of 2 students to me by January 15th.
OTM Admission Criteria
No guarantees
The RtI committee will review the list of names submitted to determine placement in OTM. Again, this is small so only 5-10 students total will be chosen to help pilot the class.
Item #3 - PLAB Assessment
PLAB will be given on 1/14 during advisory and/or core time.
Please read through the linked information on the PLAB including information on locations and test proctors for small group accommodations. Please see Lizzy with any questions.
Item #4 - World Language Recommendations
Will take place from January 11th-22nd. More information to come in next Monday's Pulse letter.
Item #5 - Conferences
Conference Directions
Date: January 21, 2016
Time: 4:30-8:00pm
Website: www.myconferencetime.com/nagel
Staff Login:
Username: firstnamelastname@foresthills.edu
Password: nagel15
· Please login into your account and check to make sure your account information is correct ASAP.
· If you need any corrections to your account, please contact Kim Calder.
December 14th-January 7th - Staff contacts parents and schedules high priority conferences
· Conference times for a single teacher are 10 minutes.
· Teachers can adjust conference times for one or more teachers for a maximum of 20 minutes as needed. If this is the case, use two 10- minute slots and just repeat the name of the attendee.
Please note: The Counselors are partnering with Child Focus to offer parents the opportunity to learn more about meeting the social and emotional needs of middle school age youth. This session will be held at 5:30 in the Learning Commons the evening of conferences. Please mention this to parents as you are scheduling high priority conferences if you feel it would be helpful. Thank you.
January 8th – January 21st - Parents have access to MyConferenceTime to schedule conferences
· A letter will go home to parents on December 18th and MyConferenceTime will be open for parents to schedule conferences on January 8th.
· Parents can schedule 10 minute conferences only.
· Parents are asked to schedule with only TWO core teachers plus encore teachers.
· If you find that parents are scheduling with more than TWO CORE teachers, please contact Kim Calder. Kim cannot check for this so you will need to talk as a team to determine if this is the case.
Breaks have been included in your schedule on the allotted time you are scheduled for conferences
Item #6 - 3rd Quarter Grades
Please CLICK HERE for details regarding grades.
Item #7 - Beginning of 3rd Quarter
Even though technically the beginning of 3rd quarter is on Friday, January 15th, we will NOT be operating under 3rd quarter schedules until January 19th. Please communicate this to the students as well. They should continue in their 2nd quarter classes on 1/15. 3rd Quarter/2nd Semester classes will begin on 1/19.
Item #8 - NEWSELA
How do you like it? Are you taking advantage of all the features this software offers? We will be assessing by March 1 if we are able to renew for next year. It is 47% of our budget, so we certainly hoping you are exploring the many ways you can utilize it. Please see Cathy B or Kyle Mack for ideas, suggestions and support.
Item #9 - Copying
Our December report is showing we are moving higher in our copy count than we would like to see. Please try your best to submit your large copy jobs to Sue Price at http://copiersubmission.foresthills.edu/ . Sue will print directly from there and your copies are usually returned the next day.
Item #10 - Staff Meeting
Please note this month's meeting will be on Wednesday, January 20th. Please refrain from scheduling any conflicts on this date and all future meeting dates. Everyone is expected to be there at 2:25 as will be begin promptly. Everyone is expected to be there until 3:10 including those of you who cover study tables, coaches and club advisors. We will have coverage If you have any conflicts, please email John prior to the meeting for approval. Thanks.
UPCOMING EVENTS - JANUARY
JANUARY
5 - Regular CAT
6 - Team Leader @ 2:30 Room 115
6 - Advisory Rep @ 2:30 Room 131
11 - Bully Unit begins in Health
12 - Extended CAT: LA/SS
13 - Achievers @ 2:30 Room 115
14 - Math Exams
14 - End Q2
15 - STAY IN SAME CLASSES
18 - NO SCHOOL - MLK, Jr
19 - NO CAT
20 - Staff Meeting - ****** @2:30
20 - Grades Due
20 - Activity Pics - on Stage
21 - Conferences 4:30 - 8:00
22 - STW Site Visit
22 - Activity Mics - Music and WEB only
25 - Extended Team Time - (see shared doc from TL)
26 - NO CAT
27 - WEB Coordinator Meeting @ 2:30 - Amy Office
28 - Extended Team Time
30 - District Science Fair
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Tech Bytes
Schoology Non-negotiables
Our big district focus across grades 7-12 this semester will be on Schoology usage across all of Nagel. Kyle will be meeting with Team Leaders to discuss what we will be working on first here at Nagel this week. He will also meet with CAT leaders to discuss his attendance in your CAT meeting in the future so that he is available for your questions and to assist you as we work together to ensure everyone feels well supported.
Flexible Furniture Pilot
Allie and Lisa’s room (237 & 239) is available for any teachers who are interested in bringing students into a room with flexible furniture. Most teachers are reserving the space for 2-3 consecutive days so that they have some experience with the furniture as we begin discussing what to purchase for all of our flex rooms next school year. There are still a few spots left! Please email Kyle if you are interested.
Display Pilot
Team 8-4 is currently being fitted with multi-display classrooms. The project completion date is set for this Wednesday, January, 6th! Kyle will be sitting down with these teachers to train and discuss ideas for usage. After a week or so everyone will receive a few updates and a schedule will be sent out with after school times so that others can stop by and see how the devices function.
Ansley Grace Shaffer
Congrats Elizabeth and Jake!
Caroline Diane Shaw
Congrats Kayla and Cameron!
Larissa Wren Servis
Congrats Lara and Justin!
Nagel Nation
Email: johnvandermeer@foresthills.edu
Website: foresthills.edu/nagel
Location: 1500 Nagel Road, Cincinnati, OH, United States
Phone: 513.474.5407
Facebook: facebook.com/NagelMiddleSchool-HomeoftheNagelNation
Twitter: @NagelNighthawks