Akers' Updates
October 5, 2018
School News
Current Enrollment: 974
Professional Development Minute
You've probably noticed that in the best teachers' classrooms, their voices remain soothing, calm, and pleasant, no matter the circumstance. Breaux and Whitaker claim that this is because great teachers know that when they speak calmly and softly, "others seem to feel that what they have to say is important. Thus, others listen."
That is not to say that there is never a time to use a loud voice. If a student is about to run out into the street, certainly, you would yell to keep the child safe! If you are coaching your students at Field Day from the sidelines, you definitely need to raise your voice in order for your players to hear you. But in the classroom, teachers' voices are most influential when calm and soothing.
Consider this scenario we have probably all encountered: A student is upset and yelling at another student. The situation is escalating. The student's voice keeps getting louder as he gets angrier. Enter the teacher... if she uses a loud voice screaming at the child to stop and to calm down, she actually fuels the flame. The fact is, a calm, professional approach is the only way to calm an angry student. The louder he gets, the softer we must become. Breaux and Whitaker state: "Fires require fuel to burn. Don't feed the fire!" When faced with a confrontational student, effective teachers remain calm. Their voices remain soothing, though serious.
So here is the strategy the authors suggest to gauge our own volume levels and tone of voice with students: Reflect. Take the time to listen to yourself. Notice how loud your voice is or is not and the tone of voice you use with students. When you catch yourself becoming too loud or sounding aggravated rather than caring, simply self-correct and move forward. Breaux and Whitaker state: "Calm environments are environments that are conducive to good student behavior."
Positive Phone Call Log
Teacher - call every homeroom student
Paras - call 10 students
Large Group and specialists - Call 20 students
When you complete your call log turn it in for 25 Redhawk Rewards!!! Spend them how you see fit! :) The FIRST 10 teachers and the first 5 paras to turn in their completed logs will ALSO receive a Sonic Drink on Meredith! :)
Let's brag on our awesome Redhawks!!!
Fri-Yay! is COMING!
We can't wait to celebrate your students!
The A-Team will be stationed in the library all day so you can send students for getting an amazing score on a DPM, for getting a score higher than last time (incremental growth!), or to celebrate growing a reading level, being a good friend, an amazing writing assignment... the sky's the limit!
We ask that you only send 2 students from your class at a time so that we don't have a HUGE line and that way they won't be missing your class for too long waiting in a giant line. Start saving great student work that you might want to send to celebrate! :)
Brown Bags
Looking Ahead
- Monday, October 8th - Parent Teacher Conference Day
- Tuesday, October 9th - Texas Roadhouse Night
- Tuesday, October 9th - College Shirt with JEANS! :)
- Wednesday, October 10th - College Shirt with JEANS! :)
- Thursday, October 11th - Committee Meetings at 7:50
- Thursday, October 11th - Spring Creek Spirit Night
- Friday, October 12th - Fri-Yay! at Rennell!!!
- Friday, October 12th - PK-2nd Fun Night!
- Monday, October 16th - Book Fair all week!
- Tuesday, October 16th - CPOC Meeting at 7:45 in the Science Lab (due to Book Fair)
Tuesday, October 16 from 4:30pm-6pm - Book Fair Family Night - Early edition
Thursday, October 18 Staff Meeting at 7:50 - in the Science Lab (due to Book Fair)
Thursday, October 18 from 6:30pm-8pm - Book Fair Family Night - Later edition :)
Staff Shout Outs!
Shout out to Mrs. T for doing an amazing job making sure students are greeted at the end of the day with a smile! Thank you for being awesome! -Laura Amador
Julie Hill for always sharing her amazing resources with me! Team work makes the dream work! So thankful to be on a team with you. -Alayna Macalla
Thank you to Sherry for always being willing to listen and help! -Jodi
Shout out to Lauren, Deanne and Donald for staying to help with Watch DOGS Pizza Night. You guys were SO MUCH help! Thank you so much! -AnnDrea
Thank you Rebecca, Molly, and Meredith for being at Watch DOGS Pizza Night. I really appreciate all the help! -AnnDrea
Belinda for registering 5 new students when I was out. You're the BEST! Thanks! -Sammie
Lauren for eagerly offering to run all over the school delivering car rider cards at the last minute. -Sammie
Shout out to Ginger Corrigan for suggesting another great option to acquire information for Read 180. -Jamie Diodato
Ms. T and Deanne for coming up with the Para group birthday plan. -Jamie Diodato
Shout out to all of the 4th and 5th grade Reading Teachers for providing data information to me on students. Also for working with me to pull their students out of class for reading inventory. -Jamie Diodato
Laura McKenna for coming in to help. -Mariana Buentello
Mrs. Rutledge for always keeping me updated on our shared students! -Ms. Szkody
Thanks to Tammy Martinez for stepping up and attending the Math Vertical Team meeting for Kindergarten! -Michelle
Shout out to Edith and Ashlee for the MANY MANY MANY hours they spent sizing little girls this week for dance uniforms! The girls will look so great thanks to you! -Akers
Shout out to Mr. Stabe for another phenomenal Lunchroom Concert! Thank you so much for giving up your planning time so that students can showcase their talents! -Akers
Shout out to Mrs. Searby who put together an amazing Watch DOGS pizza night for our dads! She had to get up and talk in front of a room full of Dads, ya'll! And she rocked it! :) -Akers
Shout out to Mr. Palomares for doing the dirty, stinky job of changing our marquee. We appreciate your efforts, so much!! -Akers
Shout out to Wynter Fuller for putting together the PBIS lessons each week. You do an amazing job so that everyone benefits and we all don't have to come up with our own thing. THANK YOU! -Akers
Shout out to Mrs. T and DeAnne for putting together a fun birthday plan to include all interested paras! I love how you guys included everyone and made it easy to participate :) -Akers
SEARBY for helping me with a mini lesson to help reteach procedures for HFO to self and getting me copies for the activity so quickly!!! -Ashlee Devereaux
Ms. Douglas for letting the dance teams use her room after school for uniform fittings every day this week! -Ashlee Devereaux
Mrs. Ng - For your willingness to go above and beyond for your peers. YOU ROCK!! -Mrs. T.
Ginger .... Thanks for all your help at the front desk when my mornings get crazy -Deanne
Shout out to Molly for adjusting our car rider procedures to be much quicker! Thank you!! - Kelsey
Belinda (BB) , Terri, Sammie, Katie ..... Thank you for all your help at the front desk. I could not ask for a better front office staff - Deanne
Jodi Ng is always so generous and kind. Thank you for all the help you have given me. - Melissa Easterly
Mrs. T , thank you for always having a smile and such kind words. - Melissa Easterly
Deanne - Thank you for the support and willingness to help prepare for the para meeting. I appreciate you. -Mrs. T.
Molly - For all of the time you have spent on afternoon car rider lines. It is paying off and we thank you for that. -Mrs. T.
Meredith Akers: positive attitude, supportive, and innovative thinker - Mary Ellen Truncali
Shout out to Mrs. Shah for having a sweet spirit and a joy to work with! - Laura Amador
Love the positivity on this campus! 32 shout outs this week! :)