Monday Memo
September 12th - 16th
People with goals succeed because they know where they are going. -Earl Nightingale
Fifteen years ago today, I was teaching G/T students at Burks in Barbara Peebles' library. While I can still vividly recall how the events of that day were revealed to us, in all this time, I have yet been able to wrap my brain around how a group of humans could be filled with so much hatred that they could do such a thing. I found myself today unable to watch much of the coverage in the news. My heart simply could not take the sadness of the number of families who began that day, much like any other, unaware that they would not return home, or if they did, someone they loved deeply would not. I often wonder what they would have done differently in the days and weeks before had they only known that they were about to be robbed of the life they had imagined. It is in that thought that I am reminded of how fragile life is, and how no one is guaranteed a certain number of days. Given that, as cheesy as it sounds, each day really is a gift that I get to choose how to spend. Not knowing if today is my last, did I make this one count? Did I support my team so that they could do their best work, or did I drown them with negative energy? Did I encourage and inspire students to persevere in order to reach their full potential, or did I tolerate them counting the minutes until 3:30pm? Did I bring a value add to the lives of those I love, or did I just take them for granted while I tried to bust through my to-do list? When I think about those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, or the countless others in my life who died too soon, I wonder what they would do if they were given the opportunity to live each day I have been given since their death. We owe it to them and to ourselves to make each day count.
How will you choose to use your gift?
Make today count,
JL
---------------------------------------
Professional Learning Communities
Last week, I even included a helpful step by step video of what a PLC would look like in the event that teams needed a reminder. From my perspective, it didn't seem too much of a stretch than from what many of you have been doing. It was just giving it a strategic focus and providing a common structure.
For those who ask yourself why you have to change what is already working for you, I want to remind you of our STAAR data last year. Remember how proud we were when we looked at McGowen data alone? It was good and something to be proud of, but when we compared our performance to 40 other schools across the state who most resemble us, we quickly saw that we ranked in third and fourth quartiles. It was evident then that what we have always done was no longer good enough to keep us competitive with our peers.
In addition, based on 40 years of research, Frank Marzano has identified practices that all successful schools employ. He organized the findings from this research into a High Reliability Schools Framework. Part of this framework includes teams utilizing the structures of a PLC in the foundation of the hierarchy of needs. Consider this for a moment, it is not a stretch for us to believe that a basic need of schools is safety. If the students and staff do not feel safe, they cannot function effectively. However, along with being safe, Marzano's research also revealed another basic need, and that without the PLC framework, schools cannot function effectively. Given as hard as you work and as talented as you are, why would you not want to utilize something that will maximize your talent and effort?
I will find the time for us to discuss this in greater detail and address any of the hurdles you and your team are facing with the implementation of the PLC framework. Our success hinges on our ability to implement this framework with fidelity. Until that time, I ask that every one of you watch the two videos below. The first video helps to identify why you should want to do this in a way that maybe I haven't been able to convey. The second video is the exact same one that I shared in last week's newsletter. While I know that a few of you have watched it, my guess is that based on the level of anxiety some of you experienced last week, many of you did not. This video speaks to exactly what we are experiencing now and clearly lines out what your PLCs should look like. My hope is once you see it, you will recognize that it is not as big of a change as you fear and that YOU CAN DO IT.
---------------------------------------
Crape Myrtle Fun Run
Saturday, September 24, 2016
McKinney Boyd High School
600 N. Lake Forest, McKinney, TX 75070
Starting Times
*1 - Mile Run/Walk at 8:00 a.m.
* 10K Run/Walk at 8:30 a.m.
* 5K starts at 8:45 a.m
Awards and Prizes
* Overall and Master male and female finishers
* Prizes in many age groups. Chip timing required to be
eligible for awards.
WATCH VIDEO FROM PAST "CRAPE MYRTLE RUN"
Participants will be rewarded with jeans passes...
---------------------------------------
Front Office
End of the Day
Language Target Icons
Last year, as we focused on clearly identifying the language targets of our lesson, I made everyone language icons to help you and your students understand the language level the learning target would be assessed on. If you are new to McGowen or just find yourself in need of another set, please let me know. As long as your language target is clear, you are not required to use them. However, you are free to use them if you need the support or if you just prefer to do so.
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Team Leader Agenda
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
ELM Support
---------------------------------------
Shoparoo
Did you know that each week I give out jeans passes to those who are one of the top three participants on Shoparoo? I know that many of you have already joined, but if you haven't, it is not too late. Simply go to www.shoparoo.com to create your account. If you use veft4467 as a referral code, McGowen will earn money for you just signing up. Please feel free to push this information out to your parents as well. Once you sign up, Shoparoo will give you a referral code for your parents to use when they sign up. Schools with just 40 supporters are earning an average of $1,000 every year.
Congratulations to Krista Daniel, Barbara Peebles and Connie Morris for being in this week's top three on Shoparoo!
---------------------------------------
GUESS WHO...
and NO, it's not Jean Possehl!
---------------------------------------
Focus for 2016 - 2017
In order to help every child their personal best, McGowen teachers and staff will:
- Knowledgeably speak about our current practices that contribute to McGowen becoming a Level 1 Certified High Reliability School.
- Actively participate in grade level and content Professional Learning Communities.
- Engage in collaborative team planning and lesson design that addresses the four essential questions of a PLC.
- Present lessons in such a way that students understand and can speak knowledgeably about posted learning and language targets.
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Remind for Staff
---------------------------------------
Happy Birthday!
September
Jessica Bravo - 1st
Rico Sneller - 5th
Jaime Hardy - 9th
Jen Dickinson - 12th
Angie Cochrum - 14th
Connie Morris - 16th
Shannon Hershberger -22nd
Tara Jackson - 24th
---------------------------------------
Appreciations
- Thank you for 1st Grade Team for working so hard collectively to get plans complete! Thank you for Krista and Laura for shopping for the Science Senses Stations! Love you. Laurie
- Sharon, Lori, Angie and Renata- Thank you for your swift interventions on Friday. I know I’ve been a total mess this year and I greatly appreciate your constant support. It truly does take a village in my case!!!! Love you ladies. krystal
- Shana- Thank you for coming to check on me Friday afternoon. I am so happy you are back and I LOVE when you cut through my classroom. Don’t stop!!!! krystal
- Trisha, thank you for the yummy cookies!! You should definitely have your own bakery. ;-) KWard
- Jennifer S. thank you for taking care of lunch for me! KWard
- Survey friends, thank you so much for taking the time to answer a survey, to help me with an assignment!! ;-) Kward
- Cab – THANK YOU!!! Thank you for helping my peeps with their first iStation assessment ever! Lp
- 3rd grade team – Thank you so much for helping me out when I was sick!! It takes a village and I love my village! -O'Conn
- Thank you 5th grade and Kinder for inviting me to see some ELM elements in action. Very impressive! - Michelle C.
- Shana – Thank you for your help and collaboration. We are all so glad to have you back! - Michelle C.
- Kristi, Deanna, Jennifer S., Shana, JL, SL and SdL – Thank you for the conference and allowing me to bombard you all day on Tuesday. I adore working with each of you so much! - Michelle C.
- Laura & Krystina – Thank you for coming to my rescue as I was running out of grading time. I appreciated it so much! - Michelle C.
- Jean, Amber and Krista – Thank you so much for being just amazing and wonderful to my nieces as they make such a big transition in life. - Michelle C.
- Jen B. - Thank you for going the extra mile in learning all that you can to support your team and students. We are so lucky to have you! - Michelle C.
- Martha & SdL – Thank you for letting me take up so much of your time this week. Not sure how I could survive without you!?! - Michelle C.
- Nikki – I appreciate your willingness to learn and try all things MISD! You do it with ease, grace and a smile! We love you! - Michelle C
- Krystal- Thanks for dropping in a giving me back up! SL
- Kristi, Jennifer S, Deanna, Shana, Shiela, Michelle, JL- Thanks for coming together to meet with a parent! SL
- Michelle Cab- Thanks for all of your detective work and working 1-1 with some of our new students to have up to date data to best support them! SL
- Stacie- Thanks so much for getting all of the CSR’s sent out! SL
- Cab – Thank you for all of your help this week. I appreciate that you love and care about our kids as much as we do! - Shana
- 5th grade team – I love working with you all. Thank you for making work so much fun! - Shana
- JL, SL, MC, KWard, Dena, JenSmith – In a tough parent meeting you each made me so proud to be a Maverick! - Shana
- Jenny B – You are an amazing teacher to all of our students. You jumped right in and continue to work so hard. We are lucky to have you. - Shana
- JD – I am thankful every day for your upbeat attitude and your helpful personality. Even if I beat you to work some days, you are still the best! -Shana
- 5th grade team. Thank you so much for everything that you guys have done for me so far! You guys are all amazing!! -Hoye
---------------------------------------
Bad Dude
---------------------------------------
McKinney ISD's Vision, Mission and Beliefs
Any time we have an idea, concern, solution and/or comment, this is the filter through which we should speak. Let's help each other live up to our vision, mission, and beliefs.
Vision:
We are a cohesive, diverse community providing engaging learning experiences for all.
We will provide engaging learning experiences so students can become effective communicators, quality contributors and socially responsible citizens.
Beliefs:
- Partnerships between students, parents, community members and staff are foundational to educational success.
- Positive school culture and a safe environment foster growth.
- Everyone has inherent value and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
- Learning is an active process requiring engaging tasks and engaging minds.
- Relevant and authentic experiences ignite continuous, deeper learning.
- Meaningful relationships enrich learning.
- Confidence fuels risk taking and higher achievement.
- Financial stewardship ensures a tomorrow for education.