El Dorado Monday Memo
Week 17 December 16th, 2019
#ToroFamily
Not that any of our counting but we are down to 4.5 fun-filled days before we head into a restful, restorative break with family and friends. As we wind down 2019 and the first decade of the 2000s (depending on your theory) I am reflecting on how thankful I am for each and every one of you and what you bring to our community. You all add something unique and valuable to our Toro Family that is not only supportive of our students but also provides us all with a wonderful place to come to work. Thank you all for being who you and doing what you do every day for our students.
Be sure to check out the 12 Days of Chrismukkah as this week has some fun happenings...
EDMS Student Body Relationships
Keep up the amazing work getting to know each and every one of our students! You can view and add to our EDMS Student Body Relationships spreadsheet here.
Updates for the week...
Check the IEP/504/SST Meetings Weekly Calendar for this week here.
Monday 12/16: be sure to hit up the fun (and delicious) activity happening in the staff lounge.
Tuesday 12/17: EDMS Choir 7:00pm @ Queen of All Saints. Come out and support our singers. ($10)
Wednesday 12/18: Staff Party 2:00 @ Old Spaghetti Factory, thank you Sunshine Committee!
Wednesday 12/18 :EDMS Winter Play 6:00 @ EDMS Come out and support our Drama students.
Thursday 12/19: we will be having more treats (yes!!!)
Friday 12/20: MINIMUM DAY bring your best soup to share in the staff lounge and join us in the return of the Christmas sweaters and clothes. Bring your best and be sure to come by the office after school for our group photo.
Field Trips...
Monday 12/16: 6th Grade: Ocean Ambassadors Marine Mammal Center Visit (half of 6th grade)
Tuesday 12/17: 6th Grade: Ocean Ambassadors Marine Mammal Center Visit (other half)
Thursday 12/19: 8th grade Chabot Space and Science Center (all 8th graders)
*students should report straight to the MU on the day of their trip first thing in the morning. All trips will be returning to school before the end of the school day.
Counselor's Corner...
How do you help out your friends?
When a friend is going through a hard time, it’s common to feel helpless and sad. It’s also hard to know what to do, even though you really want to help. There are many different ways to help a friend, here are a few suggestions:
Be there: one of the most helpful things you can do is just show up for your friend. Make plans to hang out. Call them regularly to check in. People who are suffering often have a hard time reaching out for help, so try to reassure your friend that you’re there for them.
Listen: ask if they want to talk about it. Good listening means that you hear them out, without interruptions or judgment.
Respect their pain: try not to say things like, “Cheer up!” or “Things aren’t so bad.” Those kinds of phrases dismiss what your friend is going through. Even if you don’t understand why they’re so upset, allow them to feel what they’re feeling without judging them.
Remember: if it is a safety issue, immediately report the situation to an adult.
Julie and Kari, EDMS Counselors
AVID Weekly...
This Week in AVID - December 16, 2019
This is an exciting time of year as we head into our winter break! However, all of our students do not share the same experiences over the two-week vacation. As we plan our lessons for January, please keep in mind that relational capacity activities benefit our students by creating a welcoming classroom environment full of energy and excitement. They also build a culture of safety, honesty and mutual trust. HERE is a collection of activities that will help ease back into the school routine in January.
Jeanne Johnson - Instructional Coach for AVID, Social Studies and Secondary Literacy
Toro Sports...
Events, Updates, Links, Etc
Dec 16th: OA MMC Field Trip 6th Grade (half)
Dec 17th: OA MMC Field Trip 6th Grade (other half)
Dec 18th: EDMS Staff Holiday Party 2:00 Old Spaghetti Factory
Dec 19th: Chabot Science Center Field Trip 8th Grade (all 8th graders)
Dec 20th: Last Day of 2nd Quarter Minimum Day Dismissal 12:16
Dec 23rd-Jan 6th: Winter Break
What we are working on...
Learning Walks (Instruction)
Progress Charts (Instruction)
Priority Standards (Instruction)
What I'm Reading/Listening to
We Got This
Switch
Links to Resources
El Dorado Middle School
Chris Clausen
@chrisclausen
@edmsinfo
Email: clausenc@mdusd.org
Website: edms.mdusd.org
Location: 1750 West Street, Concord, CA, United States
Phone: 925.682.5700
Twitter: @edmstoros