Principal Update
December 1, 2014
Welcome Back!
I certainly hope that you all had the most amazing and restful break the past five days. Turkey Day has provided us all another opportunity to either work out more or buy larger belts, I am leaning on option two today. Believe it or not we only have 15 school days to go prior to the end of the 1st semester.
Knowing that time is short it is of upmost importance that we focus every ounce of our daily time and energy to purposeful instruction. Please use the final 15 days to ensure that you complete your mid-year assessments, communicate any celebrations/concerns to parents (no surprises at report time), and tighten your belt on procedures throughout the building.
Data reviews will be scheduled for January when we return and the format has yet to be decided. This will most likely occur with your team and the RTI chairs/TDS/admin in a one hour morning or afternoon session. Our goal is to ensure that we use the time with great focus on ensuring that all of our students are receiving the "right" services or most optimal resources available. Commit to the core as always and ensure that you have the tier 2's in extra rotations for both math and reading. Remember we ARE obligated to teach both and to the highest potential possible. If you are finding difficulty with hitting both make sure your team and I are aware. We will problem solve as a team to find a solution!
The next three weeks we can assume the following:
1. We should have a final decision on redistricting. After the final maps are released I'll begin to work on a transition plan for all of our students with great guidance from a district leadership team.
2. We will need to continue to ask ourselves what we have done to improve/change/increase our PBL/Inquiry as individuals and as teams. Mid-year evaluation conferences will occur in January/Feb. to measure such changes. Feel free to send me an invite for this meeting (January/Feb).
3. We will soon meet our new Super, in January, and assume that we will engage in a great deal of show and tell. This means we will need to ensure our wall spaces are up to date with accurate depictions of authentic learning outcomes. Remember, if it is store bought, take it back for a refund. Let your walls tell the story of learning and let your students do the work in posting! We currently have an amazing environment that reeks of learning, thank you for that! We can hit the reset button when we return.
4. The mid-year holiday season has arrived. Please show your professional cultural competency by ensuring that you keep your instruction focused on the academic standards. If you integrate such seasonal topics please ensure that they remain acceptable and respectful to all of our students' cultural/religious backgrounds. Have a question about anything you plan, just ask and I'll give you my professional feedback.
5. Recess supervision numbers are as low as we can possibly allow to make our contract work at BSE. I am thankful for the current specials rotation etc. and know that our open access process will ensure further academic achievement positive outcomes. Statistically we can guarantee this will occur, so thanks to all of you who are maximizing your use of the open access library and Patrick's resources for PBL/inquiry and general instruction. Let's keep our eyes very much on the students during recess and spread our limited adult eyes throughout the grounds. PLEASE ASK STUDENTS TO STAY OFF THE HILL DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
As the clock ticks I am only three weeks away from hitting my third year as principal at BSE. Each semester I have completed I find great reason to celebrate the work that you have all completed. Our work is far from over, but you must take great pride in what you have accomplished the past few years. I am highly confident in this team and respect each of you for taking risks and pushing yourselves and your teams to increase our students opportunities to interact in a collaborative and constructivist environment each and every day.
Keep up the great work and thank you!
dk
December Staff Meeting
CANCELLED...PHONE CHANGES ARE DELAYED. Instead of adding a meeting to the short three weeks I prefer to let you focus on your instructional planning. Run hard, run smart, collaborate, and have a great final three weeks.
LLI -Need assistance or have questions? Hit Coach Rich and she will take great care of you.
NEXT STAFF MEETING:
JANUARY 16TH, HALF DAY 1-3:45pm
HSE21 Vertical Artic Sessions - Details later
Congratulations and Thanks!
Thank you to all of you who participated in the United Way Campaign the past month. Your donation, big or small, goes a long way to assist the folks in need in our local community!
Thank you Kristin P. for the MANY extra hours you put into the Scholastic Book Fair.
Thank you Bill A. for the awesome coach of the Spell Bowl team!
Thank you to Jennifer M. and all of the staff who made the Kona Can Challenge a success. The distribution of ice went so smoothly because of all of you!
Congratulations to Erin Nix (former Breiner) on her marriage last Wednesday!
Thank you Fatima R. for the many extra hours you spent helping the BSE staff get LLI ready and started!
HSE Foundatin Giving Tuesday ...remember
Please send out the Giving Tuesday letters that were distributed to you last week. If you already sent them that is ok!
Please hit the link below to get more information on this event.