Beasley Principal's Update
Back to School
First Week of School
If these systems are perfected, then misconducts should be at a minimal. The earliest arrival time for students is 8:30 a.m. We will continue to dismiss all students with the exception of Orion's University outside of the building to go home at dismissal.
Effective Leadership
1. Provided Teacher Professional Development in REACH, Second Step Curriculum, Think Through Math, Kitchen Community, Playworks for recess play (also provided class game kits) and Trauma Lens.
2. Wrote the Beasley Staff Handbook, customized Master and Resource Schedules.
3. Created the First Week of School Entry Plan to include signage throughout the building, parent support areas and stations in the gym, Robo-calls to parents, 10 Entry Plan Binders to include Alpha Lists, Drop off location areas, and bus route information; and arranged for Orion's University to provide before and after care for students.
4. Won the Chicago Cares Grant to include: hallways painted, murals in the Commons, signage on the Wabash Street side and play supports in the courtyard.
5. Interviewed/Hired Ms. Brittyne Griffin, (SPED), Mr. David Kruskol (PE), Ms. Angela Cunliffe (6th Grade Science), Ms. Sabrina Cowling (3rd), and Mr. Bruce Cabell (SECA).
Ambitious Instruction
1. K-5th structured Balanced Literacy Block Schedules (includes daily small group activities for targeted differentiation). Please have your small group schedules posted for reading in the classroom.
2. Second Step Tuesdays implemented in the mornings. To begin this week.
3. Instructional Strategies of "Think CERCA" (Claim, Evidence, Counterargument, Rationale, Audience), "5 Parts of an Argument", and "RICE" (how to make sense of problems). Please see Ms. Mitchell's Rice Wall (Room 292) to get ideas of how you can make this work in your classroom.
4. Increased usage of Think Through Math and ST. MIND. Login rates at the school level will be closely monitored for compliance.
5. We will have conversations around the topic of busy work and engaging work. According to a MetLife Survey, The Homework Experience, not all parents are happy with the type of work coming home everyday. In fact, 40 percent of the parents surveyed felt that their child was being asked to do busy work, not homework.
Collaborative Teachers
1. 9 Teacher Teams
2. MTSS/ILT Team on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 7:45 a.m. LRC
3. Senior Leadership Team (Every Wednesday)
4. Clinician Team (Every Friday)
5. Building the Gifted Committee (Every 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:45 a.m. in the LRC.
6. Behavioral Health Team Please see Ms. Wilson-Turnbow
7. Lead Teacher/PPLC Team (requesting Mondays before LSC meeting after school at 3:45)
8. PPC Please see Ms. Fallon
9. Culture and Climate Committee (Mondays at 8:45 a.m. to include some Resource Teachers)
Supportive Environment - Trust Culture
BUILDING TRUST IS A PROCESS. I read an interesting article that stated...And it's not just about trust between teachers and students, but between teachers and other teachers, and support staff too (Teach for All, 2014). Students potentially believe that we may not trust each other and as a result they do not trust us. That was why I came up with the idea of the Been in Your Shoes Challenge for students. The bulletin board with all of our baby pictures or pictures when we were young was to appeal to their emotions and convey powerful messaging that we want to gain their trust and that we care.
Second Step Tuesdays and daily Morning Meetings are other ways to create a trust culture at Beasley. Some other ways is to look at the layout of your classroom. Does it say to students...you can trust that I really want you to learn and do well? Or, is it saying something else? Is it cluttered, unorganized, print rich with student supports everywhere, appealing with color and life?
You can also plan lessons on the theme of trust. Focus on students as individuals and do not make generalizations about groups of students. I intend for the Student Council to serve as Student Advisory Council and I will meet with them on Fridays. If they could send something out to other students that we value their input it may help to establish trust.
Parental/Community Involvement
We will continue our partnership with the Children's International Film Festival and you can expect that we will be going on a field trip. We ask that you use the FACETS Curriculum and I asked Ann Vikstrom if we could get it in advance because this could be part of your unit plan in October/November.
- Held a New Parent Summer Orientation Meeting in August.
- Held a Summer Girl Scout Troupe (July -August).
- Hosted a Summer Step Up to Kindergarten Program and Step Up to Success 3rd Grade Program for one week in August.
- Met with Alderman Pat Dowell in August.
- Presented at the Bronzeville CAC Organization in August.
- K-2 Open House is September 12 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
- Open House is September 29 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
- 8th Grade Parent Potluck in on September 22 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.