Beasley Updates
Week of 10/26/2015
Principal Brasfield-Carpenter's Message
Congratulations Beasley. We are a Level 1 School again!!!!
Our school continues to demonstrate excellence in:
- Reading (Scored better than 73% schools nationally)
- LRE Reading (Scored better than 95% schools nationally)
- Student Attendance (95.2%)
- My Voice, My School (Well-Developed)
- Data Quality (100%)
However, in order to achieve Level 1+ more intention is needed in Math (CIWP 2 ) to include LRE students, and the area of Supportive Environment (CIWP 6). We are off to good start implementing our Targeted Instructional Action (TIA) that includes 1: emphasis on algebra, 2) argument centered literacy, 3) Math Coherence Maps and 4) Math Quarterly Assessments. 6th-8th are our pilot grades for our strategic priorities. K-5th grade are scheduled to receive more supports after we assess the value-added impact these priorities have with learning.
How We Can Improve to Have a More Supportive Environment?
I read an article in Educational Leadership called the The 7 Habits of Highly Affective Teachers by Rick Wormeli, (October, 2015). In theory, to improve our Supportive Environment category, our teaching should have more intention built around being affective or how we make our students feel when they learn from us. As a result, our teaching will become more effective.The article made an interesting statement..."We think think our purpose is to teach content and skills only, not to deal with the touch-feely stuff ." All of us should know that this is not true when it comes to Beasley. In fact, our CIWP 6 strategic priority Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) considers the importance of making emotional health a habit of instructional practice.
The articles stated the following 7 Habits of Highly Affective Teachers:
1. Find joy in students' success (celebrate students)
2. Cultivate perspective and re-frame (Are you an optimist when you teach?)
3. Ditch the easy caricature (Can you see more than just the class clown, drama queen or basketball player?) Instead of saying students are bad or can't learn by caricature, can we use more positive framing understanding that they are busy or they need more support?
4. Explore the ethics of teaching (Are you open to students critiquing your teaching?)
5. Embrace humility. (This can be tough for all of us but it is needed...Classroom Learning Walks (CLWs) from colleagues, administration and parents)
6. Value Intellect (Let's breathe new life in last year's lesson or curriculum unit)
7. Maintain passion and playfulness (Let's have fun with our students)
REACH Domains 1b, 2a and 2b considers the emotional habits of learning when it comes to children. Please take the time to Self-Renew in these areas. "We need to consider which elements are ineffective and need to be dropped from our practice, what we need to change, and how to generate hope for today's students and our profession. Taking this time to renew whenever we can will enable us to move forward in positive ways."(ASCD, 2015, p 15)
Walking to Success (Motivational Seminar 7th/8th Grade Students) 10/23/2015 (CIWP 6)
Spoken Word Poets (Featured)
Healthy Celebrations
This policy does not apply to staff :).
32nd Annual Chicago International Children's Film Festival - Free Field Trips for K-8th (CIWP 5)
Moreover, this field trip will lend an opportunity for you to create a lesson on what was learned. The films will come with a free comprehensive curriculum called Facets aligned to the CCSS. The trips are free for students, and students are scheduled to attend viewings at either the University of Chicago Logan Center for the Arts or the Music Box Theatre. Students will need to bring a lunch. The film schedules are as follows:
10/26/2015 - 1st Grade to see "Halloween Tricks and Treats"
10/27/2015 - 3rd and 4th Grade to see " "Communication Station"
10/28/2015 - 2nd Grade to see "That's What Friends are For"
10/28/2015 - 5th to see "High Hopes"
10/29/2015 - Kindergarten to see "Animal Adventures"
10/29/2015 - 6th-8th Grade to see "Get Up, Stand Up"
Beasley Hosts the Chicago Middle School Debate League Tournament 10/24/2015 (CIWP 1)
We are happy to announce that our Varsity team won 1st Place!!!! We Support. We Grow. We Compete. We are Beasley! A special kudos goes to Mr. Spicer (6th Reading) for volunteering as our Debate Coach and Ms. Sanford (Security) who made sure our building was safe and secure during the tournament. Peirce and Hernandez debaters also featured.
One of the hot debate topics was Do We Need U.S. Stingray Devices (Cell Phone Hacking) to Prevent Terrorists Attacks and International Crime?
Beasley Goes Pink Monday, October 26th
Have a Great Weekend!
Dr. BC