Madras Messenger
News for Staff: 9/22/14
Upcoming Dates and Events
Please bookmark these links on your computer, tablet, and/or phone. They will give you the most current information as we receive it, including any changes.
Madras: @MadrasEagles
L. Johnson: @RainyJohnson
H. Betts: @DrHB3
D. Eskut: @deskutuwg
Happy Birthday
9/25 Patricia Burnham
9/26 Greg Collins
9/27 Kelli Lau
10/1 Jorge Sambucetti
10/5 Rhonda Lewis
10/9 Roy Hitchcock
10/14 Tonia Kemp
10/18 Jennifer McRae
10/25 Alicia Jensen
10/30 Melissa Handley
Football Duty, September 23rd
Sykes
Herring
Lutz
Randolph
Eady
Shulha
Durden
Hogan
Dohanich
Walker, K
Peterson
Adcock
Harris
Whittington
Jones
Pep Rally Schedule for Friday, September 26th
.................Showing Off Our Eagle Pride!................
Our newest Eagle, Kennedy Kane (Caren's grandson) Too Cute!
Mrs. Randolph's Class (STEAM Lesson)
"Science, Technology, Engineering, ART, Math"
Mrs. Randolph's Guitar Class (STEAM Lesson)
.......................... Oceanography STEM Lab in 8th Grade Math (Clarke) .........................
.... Upcoming Professional Learning/Meetings ....
Regular meetings are required by staff members. Please let an administrator know if you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from attending. Don't forget that district meetings and job embedded professional learning can count toward PLU's. :-)
We are also offering voluntary professional learning on topics for which teachers have expressed a need. These training sessions are differentiated to meet the needs of our staff members and will be tagged "voluntary".
- Understanding Differentiation (voluntary): Wednesday, 9/22, 9:00, 12: 00, 1:00, 2:30
- Middle School District Social Studies Meeting: Wednesday, 9/24, at 4:00 at Werz (room SD1) This was just announced Friday afternoon and was the day our school's SS dept. was to meet. Please plan to attend the district level meeting.
- SLDS Training: 10/1
...................... Classroom Walkthroughs ......................
We're ready to start the second TKES walk-through.
During the second visit we are looking at Standards 2, 3, and 8 (although you may receive feedback on additional standards). Sample indicators are listed under each standard. These were included in the laminated rubrics we gave you during preplanning. They are samples of performance but not an exhaustive list. If you have any questions at all....just ask us :-) Remember, it's' about learning and professional growth.
You may have documentation that you'd like to start uploading (especially if you're working toward a level 4 on a particular standard.) If you need help with this, let us know. We'll be talking about it at our TKES Cohort meeting next week.
Performance Standard 2: Instructional Planning The teacher plans using state and local school district curricula and standards, effective strategies, resources, and data to address the differentiated needs of all students.
- Analyzes and uses student learning data to inform planning.
- Develops plans that are clear, logical, sequential, and integrated across the curriculum (e.g., long-term goals, lesson plans, and syllabi).
- Plans instruction effectively for content mastery, pacing, and transitions.
- Plans for instruction to meet the needs of all students.
- Aligns and connects lesson objectives to state and local school district curricula and standards, and student learning needs.
- Develops appropriate course, unit, and daily plans, and is able to adapt plans when needed.
Performance Standard 3: Instructional Strategies The teacher promotes student learning by using research-based instructional strategies relevant to the content to engage students in active learning and to facilitate the students’ acquisition of key knowledge and skills.
- Engages students in active learning and maintains interest.
- Builds upon students’ existing knowledge and skills.
- Reinforces learning goals consistently throughout the lesson.
- Uses a variety of research-based instructional strategies and resources.
- Effectively uses appropriate instructional technology to enhance student learning.
- Communicates and presents material clearly, and checks for understanding.
- Develops higher-order thinking through questioning and problem-solving activities.
- Engages students in authentic learning by providing real-life examples and interdisciplinary connections.
Performance Standard 8: Academically Challenging Environment The teacher creates a student-centered, academic environment in which teaching and learning occur at high levels and students are self-directed learners.
- Maximizes instructional time.
- Conveys the message that mistakes should be embraced as a valuable part of learning.
- Encourages productivity by providing students with appropriately challenging and relevant material and assignments.
- Provides transitions that minimize loss of instructional time.
- Communicates high, but reasonable, expectations for student learning.
- Provides academic rigor, encourages critical and creative thinking, and pushes students to achieve goals.
- Encourages students to explore new ideas and take academic risks.
................................ Lesson Plans ................................
Lesson plans should be submitted on Monday morning in the folder box by the sign-in notebook unless your administrator has set up another system, such as Dropbox or Eagle Files.
Your cohort leader responsible for your evaluation will be reading your plans this year. Please one of the formats emailed to you. (Dr. Betts created one last year specifically for several connections classes.) If you have any questions about instructional planning, ask any administrator. We're here to help!