The Yuletide Villager
Spring Edition
April 1, 2019
The vision of GCS is to inspire success and a lifetime of learning.
McAdenville Elementary
H.O.P.E.
Have Only Positive Expectations
Principal's Note
Testing all week
Celebrations for Classes with +5 Growth or More on Friday
- Celebration consist of Class Name called over the intercom on Friday PM and +point growth acknowledged.
Interesting Items For the week
iREADY Diagnostic
April 1-8
MONDAY - Math
TUESDAY - Math
WEDNESDAY - Reading
THURSDAY - Reading
FRIDAY - Completions / Make-up / Celebrations
Coming Soon...
Schedule Change
Specials Change Next WeeK
Thanks, Team MES!
Mental Health Awareness Week
"My Life Matters
Class Posters or decoration for the Week posted on doors by April 8th
Mr. Otis will give you more details soon!
Instructional Focus
April Instructional Focus
Math Focus (planning for)
3rd Grade EOG Review
4th Grade EOG Review
5th Grade EOG Review
Science Focus
Completed unit/lesson plans from the science professional development
_________________________________________________________________________________________
MES Focus
- Vocabulary
- Focus Standards - EOG Question Format
- Calculator Use
- Scratch Paper Usage - practice with i-Ready
EOG Review Questions
Math
Students will be given 1-5 questions 2-3 times weekly through a google form. These are Released EOG questions that have been formatted so that students can quickly read and answer just like taking our EOG. Please provide scratch paper and 2-3 minutes per problem. The Google forms are NC standards aligned so that you will quickly see if your students have an understanding of the standard as prescribed by the EOG.
Reading
NC suggested QUESTION STEMS for NC standards. Please Notice that on April 1 you will begin your district review packet. The document shared by Mrs. Griffith will be aligned with the standards covered in the packet.
I ask that you place the question stems in at least one of three places.
- Read Aloud
- Shared Reading
- Independent Reading (with accountability)
Please place the questions that you choose to use in your weekly lesson plans. This way we have full access to your teaching and expected student learning. I look forward to reviewing this in your rooms and in your plans next week.
Mastery Charts
Math Standards
- iReady Standards Mastery
- EOG Question Goole Forms results
- Check-in Data from 1/2/3
Color Code
- 70-100% - Green
- 60-69% - Yellow
- Not Yet - None
Critical Thinking Pathways By Todd Finley
Critical Thinking Pathways
By Todd Finley
Teachers are always striving to show more and tell less when introducing students to new information, concepts, and skills. Education researcher Pauline Gibbons tells us, “Rather than trying to simplify information, amplifying the curriculum means finding as many ways as possible to make key information comprehensible.”
New teachers often struggle to find ways to amplify their curriculum. Video clips can be a great tool to assist students in gaining that deeper understanding of content. It’s important to be mindful of how often and how much we use video—it’s important to have a clear purpose for using that film, documentary, or news clip.
PURPOSES FOR USING VIDEO
Building background knowledge on a topic. We know that students learn best when they take in information via multiple modalities—through reading, drawing, listening to the teacher’s oral explanations, and viewing visual media. We also know, from much research, that using visuals is key for those acquiring a new language. In California and many other U.S. states, we have a large number of English language learners (ELLs) in our schools. Images and videos support the learning of new content, concepts, and ideas.
An example: In a level one English language development class, students are in the early stages of their journey acquiring English. They’re working on a unit on weather, learning the words hurricane and tornado. The teacher turns on a five-minute video clip that shows examples of hurricanes and tornadoes and how their aftermaths differ. Students discuss what they saw in the video clip and write sentences using the new vocabulary.
Enriching a text or text excerpt. Whether they’re reading a piece of fiction or nonfiction, students benefit from contextualizing the person, place, or thing they’re learning about. Video clips can assist them in visualizing an event or a person, while setting the context historically, politically, socially, and emotionally.
An example: An 11th-grade history class is reading an article about the civil rights movement and Jim Crow laws. Before they read, the teacher shows an excerpt from Ava DuVernay’s award-winning documentary 13th that highlights the segregation and restrictive conditions of the South in the post–Civil War period. The visuals and audio reinforce students’ reading, enhancing their understanding of the need for a civil rights movement.
Deepening or solidifying students’ learning. Child-friendly how-to or instructional videos are readily available on the internet. Typically under seven minutes, these can serve to reinforce what students have learned or are already learning. YouTube, TeacherTube, and BrainPop, for example, provide brief instructional videos on different academic topics and subjects, such as how to do short division or how to write a letter. Watching a short instructional video created for kids is a nice break for students—and something novel or fresh can really stick with them.
An example: Fifth graders have been writing narrative essays. The teacher has provided instructions, a couple model essays, and a graphic organizer to help them write their first drafts. While they do that, she adds to the instructional mix a humorous five-minute video on the dos and don’ts of narrative writing as told by teenagers dressed as famous storybook characters.
TIPS FOR USING VIDEO
Be selective. A clip can have a big impact, so you’ll want to pick the most dynamic and telling parts of the film, news segment, or documentary to show students. Be first clear on your purpose—that will help you determine what to show and how to frame it for students.
For upper grades, there might be a film that has value but is too racy or controversial. You don’t have to dismiss it—just be strategic. In the film Schindler’s List, for example, there’s a lot of intense violence and some adult sexual content. So I showed only a few select clips to amplify my 10th graders’ understanding of the Holocaust.
Provide a mission. How can we make sure students actively watch? Provide a mission before playing the video. For example, “As you watch, I want you to pay attention to....” Setting a goal for what students are about to watch will keep them accountable and attentive.
Pause to ponder (and write). Give students time to reflect by pausing the clip. Avoid having students do a task like writing notes or answering questions while they watch. This is especially difficult for ELLs. (For all of us, frankly. Try it.) Watch a few minutes and then pause the video to ask students to discuss what they just saw, write down reflections, or answer a question you provide. Pausing every few minutes allows students time to process what they’re viewing, which is especially valuable if it’s an information-packed video, or if you teach an early elementary grade.
Turn on closed captioning. Students can read along as they watch. For content-packed video clips, consider including the transcripts, as a handout or digital copy, especially if your students are going to be required to apply the information they learn from the video.
Going The Extra Mile
WE HAVE A WINNER!
Going The Extra Mile Nominations
This is an Instructional Department recognition. Please look at the nomination form for info.
Okay MES Lets nominate one of our own. We have people going the extra mile every day.
Extra Mile March Award Winners
Lorna Ross - Brookside
Robin Blackburn - Costner
Laura Boone - Tryon
Beth Crosby - McAdenville
Amanda Tutundjian, Belinda Lewis, Allison Miller - Lowell
Steve Smith - Accountability
Donna Kelly - Ida Rankin
Thomas Plecnik - Carr
YOU ARE A WINNER
April Lottery Winners....
Duty Team A
School Events Agenda
Monday
iReady Math Diagnostic @8:30am
Tuesday
- iReady Math Diagnostic @8:30am
Wednesday
- iReady Reading Diagnostic @8:30am
- Hornets Book Bus - 4/3 @1pm
Thursday
- iReady Reading Diagnostic @8:30am
Friday
- Make-up Check-ins
Events and Dates To Come
April 8-12, 2019 Mental Health Awareness Week
- Roster Verification Teacher Phase: April 20 - May 17
Referrals
MES School Counselor - Eric Otis
Please use this referral form for student School Counselor Request
MES Social Worker - Whitney Hill
Please use this referral form for student Social Work Request.
MES School Nurse - Sheri Martin
Please use email scmartin@gaston.k12.nc.us
Discipline - https://incidents.educatorshandbook.com/
GASTON COUNTY SCHOOLS INSTRUCTIONAL EXPECTATIONS
ELA
MATH
GCS Instructional Focus
Instructional Focus/Concentration:
Elementary Report Card K-2 Standards Sheet (Tabbed Grade Levels at Bottom)
Building The Foundation Professional Development. The sessions will be offered throughout the school year.
Instructional Focus/Concentration:
Engagement and Worksheets
How often are you using worksheets for instruction and homework each day? How can we reduce the number of worksheets used during the school day?
Teacher - Student relationships
How can we change the tone of how we address students? It’s not what you say sometimes it’s how you say it. Model what they expect. The modeling sessions may have to be repeated a number of times, but model the expectations (Behavior and Instruction) with grace and respect for the student.
Agenda and I Can Statements - Daily Expectations
Each classroom should have an agenda listing what will be taught each day.
Each classroom should have I Can statements posted each day and tied to a standard.
- Standards Mastery
- Conferring
- Building Assessments from Standards-Based Instruction
- Small Group Instruction
- Student Proficiency
Elite Education Society of Wildcats
2018-2019 School Improvement Team Members
Congratulations to our newest team members and thank you to all others for continuing to serve as members of this great group.
Committee Positions ` Name ` Email Address ` Date Elected
Principal Lucretia Rice lrrice@gaston.k12.nc.us 7/1/2017
School Improvement Team Chairperson Bobbi Neely blneely@gaston.k12.nc.us 9/12/2018
Teacher Representative (Process Manager)Beth Crosby edcrosby@gaston.k12.nc.us 6/1/2014
Teacher Representative Kelly Shore kdshore@gaston.k12.nc.us 8/1/2017
Teacher Representative Kirsten Marett kcmarett@gaston.k12.nc.us 8/1/2017
Teacher Representative Bonita Truesdale bgtruesdale@gaston.k12.nc.us9/12/2018
Instructional Support Representative Charlotte Griffth chgriffith@gaston.k12.nc.us 9/12/2018
District Representative TBD TBD@gaston.k12.nc.us --/--/--
Parent Representative Erika Sutphin mollysmama2008@gmail.com 6/1/2014
School Improvement Team Chairperson
Bobbi Neely