The Grass Valley WAG
Week at a Glance: 3/2 - 3/6
A note from Casey...
Continue to reflect on:
- Which of OUR students still need that "caring adult"?
- How could you be that "caring adult" for one of these students?
Thank you for the intentional ways in which you show up to support ALL of our students each day!
Respectfully,
Casey
Grass Valley at its Finest!
Black Family Engagement: Mural Painting
Jamila Harris (parent of a Kinder student) and Kristen Vetterlein are working to engage our families in painting a mural on the side of the cafeteria, in addition to working with our 5th graders to design/paint new panels to go on the fencing around our school. We are so appreciative of this support!
Celebrating Black Heroes
While February is "Black History Month," the Grass Valley community knows Black History should be celebrated ALL the time. Continue to find ways to celebrate our scholars and community in these last months of school!
Families attend Springboard Workshops
Last week held our 2nd Springboard Family workshop. Families have learned how to support their scholars in finding a book on their level and how to coach their scholar through the word.
Week at a Glance (WAG)
Monday
- sign in/out daily
- Springboard Afterschool
Tuesday
- sign in/out daily
- Pedestrian Rodeo (K-3) see schedule
- Coffee with the Principal (8:45a, Staff Lounge)
- Springboard Afterschool
Wednesday
- sign in/out daily
Wednesday Minimum Day for PD/PLC in Portable D
- ALL Staff: Potluck (1:45-2:15) and PD (2:15-3:00)
- Teacher PLCs: Math Shifts - Rigor/Concept (3:00-3:45)
Thursday
- sign in/out daily
- Springboard Afterschool
Friday
- sign in/out daily
- College Gear Day!
- Superhero Circle
- Springboard Afterschool
*Community Circle, daily at 8:30a on the Yard
Upcoming Dates
- 3/3: Pedestrian Rodeo (K-3)
- 3/3: Coffee with the Principal (Mural Presentation)
- 3/4: PTA
- 3/9: Staff Meeting
- 3/10: Lockdown Drill
- 3/11: SELLS
- 3/11: Emergency SSC
- 3/13: End of T2
- 3/20: Grade Level PLCs
- 3/20: Report Cards DUE for teachers
- 3/23: Committee Meetings
- 3/24: Earthquake/Fire Drill
- 3/25: SSC
- 3/26: Student of the Month
- 3/26: Report Cards sent home to families
- 3/27: No School
Important Reminders - ALL
- Staff Room Cleanliness Be sure to remove any food/personal items from the Staff Lounge and fridge before you leave daily. On Fridays, we will clean out anything from the Fridge that is left over.
- Notification When Absent
- Any personal days require notification, in writing, in advance of the requested time off.
- If you determine you need to take a sick day, I ask, as a professional courtesy, that you text (804-922-7728) and/or email ASAP...even if it is 5 in the morning! Our goal is to limit the need to split classes this year, but in order to do so, we need advanced notice about absences in order to do our best to find coverage.
Important Reminders - TEACHERS
- Report cards are DUE to Casey for review on March 20 - you may use our March 20 minimum day to complete them.
- All report cards should have comments (a positive, a growth opportunity, and a way in which families can support scholars at home) and reflect either a grade OR X (not yet assessed) for each standard.
- Report cards will go home with families on March 26 (the last day before spring break!)
STIP Calendar We will continue to work to have regular coverage by a sub. This Google Calendar will reflect the STIP's Schedule. If you'd like to schedule time with them, please reach out to Casey.
Instruction & Assessments
Instruction
Our instructional focus for the 2nd semester will be on tracking student learning through Exit Tickets. During PLC, we will develop exit tickets and find a way to track them whole school. This valuable data collection will inform our work ILT and PLC for the remainder of the year. Our goal is to MAKE IT HAPPEN for ALL of our students in this last half of the year.
- DELIVERABLE Daily math exit tickets should be entered HERE
- DELIVERABLE Weekly Action plan based on math exit ticket data HERE
Assessments
- F&P/Foundations: All assessments should be entered into Illuminate!
- 3-5 IABs: All assessments should be complete. Be sure you have scored the Reading IAB constructed response questions for ALL of your students.
- 3-5 FOSS Map: All assessments should be complete. Be sure you have scored the constructed response questions - reach out to Elizabeth Cooke or myself for support.
The Grass Valley Way
Grass Valley Way Community Circle Leadership
This month, classes will begin leading Community Circle on Tuesdays-Wednesdays-Thursdays! We are so excited for this opportunity for our students to not only demonstrate, but DRIVE the Grass Valley Way!
Toolbox
Toolbox is a social-emotional learning curriculum that supports students in building concrete skills to help them self-regulate when escalated. ALL STAFF should be supporting students in learning the tools and building skills to self regulate.
Concept: Listening with one's heart is the key to strong relationships and conflict resolution. Listening with one’s heart brings empathy. This is most important. When we listen, the rest of the tools work easily. This ability to listen is naturally within each person. When we breathe from a quiet place inside, then listening become easier.
Icon: Carpenter's Hand - "I listen with my ears, eyes, and heart."
Hand Gesture: Emulate a carpenter tapping on a wall and listening for the location of a stud behind the wall. With two fingers, gently tap near your ear reminding yourself to "listen into" what is being said.
Support students in using the Listening Tool:
- With your student, practice tapping on the walls/objects to determine if they are filled or hollow.
- Discuss "What does it mean to actively listen?"
- Discuss "How do you listen with your eyes and heart?"
- Discuss "How do you feel when others DON'T listen to you? How do you feel when others DO listen to you?"
ST Math Progress
This is a reminder that ALL grades should be using ST Math as our primary intervention/online math program. When used with fidelity, ST Math has proven to increase and support students logic, reasoning, and problem solving skills.
Our Current school progress is 7%
Our goal for the END OF YEAR is 80%
ST Math Expectations:
- All students should be working on ST Math for 15-20 minutes daily
- ST Math should be the primary program students use during online math time
- ST Math should be the first program students get on when they are on chrome books during math time
- To show progress, students MUST log out properly (by clicking the "back" arrows" - for questions, follow up with Paula)
Appreciations!
Thanks to all of the amazing teachers, staff, and families who supported our Black History Night Celebration/Potluck and the Fish Fry! We could not do it without you!
Kudos to Rasheedah Jones, Dee Orozco and Alexa McDougal for their work with Springboard Afterschool!
I appreciate Julie Slater for attending the PBIS conference and getting ready to plan for our Grass Valley Way kick off next year!
Kudos to Rasheedah, Monique and Paula for their work with Agency by Design as we get feedback on our Vision and Mission as a school!
Thanks to Paula, Coach and Tahira for holding it down while Casey was out!
Want to include an appreciation for a colleague in the next WAG? Add it HERE!