Eagle Updates
Week 4 - September 14-18, 2015
Where Does this “Fear” Come From?
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? …And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”- Marianne Williamson
When you think of 21st Learning what do you see? What does the classroom look like? What do you see in the hallways? What does the library look like? What technologies are being used? But more importantly how has your teaching style changed to fit the needs of our 21st century learners?
On Friday, Alley Theater invited me to sit in on a panel discussion to talk about the impact of art integration on student learning during the 5th annual Houston Arts Partners Conference in Houston. I was honored to be a part of this conversation along with Dr. Drew, the Director of our Fine Arts program with Fort Bend ISD.
During this discussion teaching artists from Alley Theater presented research and data to support the effectiveness of art integration on student learning. Alley Theater helps students bring subject area content to life through Staging Stem, using interactive games and exercises to increase student learning as they make connections with real life experiences. Students are asked to move desk aside and put away their textbook as they are introduced to subject area concepts that stimulate and motivate them to express their learning in creative ways.
During this intriguing discussion-- principals, district leaders, teachers and other professionals expressed the reasons behind the reluctance and opposition for districts and leaders to embrace the arts in our content area subjects. Despite all the research that supports that human beings learn by “doing” and putting knowledge into action there is still a fear of allowing teachers to integrate these practices into our schools.
So at one point I posed a simply question: Where does this “fear” come from?
One of the attendees politely reminded me that many districts and schools are fearful of diminishing test scores and ultimately losing their jobs. Let’s think about that for a moment. Although there has been several studies that support art integration and it impact on student learning and engagement - - we are reluctant to embrace it because of our “fear” of change.
Dictionary.com defines fear as a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined.
So is the fear of art integration for the purpose of student learning real or imagined? If schools are to be true learning communities, shouldn’t we embrace and provide our students with new opportunities to learn and demonstrate knowledge? Shouldn’t true learning communities foster risk-taking in a safe environment?
I believe that we cannot continue to teach the same way in which we were taught if we want to have different results. The most infamous cliché of all times reminds us that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
In order for our students to develop the skills needed to solve problems and prepare for jobs that have not yet been created, we must have the courage to change the way we involve students in their learning.
At Quail Valley our mission statement reminds us that we exits to inspire and equip all learners to create innovative solutions to learning by becoming leaders of their own learning.
At Quail Valley we are on the cutting edge of doing great things! Many of you are taking risks and tailoring your teaching styles to meet the needs of our 21st century learners. You understand the importance of art integration as we observe you providing students with choice, using rhymes to introduce new concepts, and getting students out of their seats so that they can physically demonstrate their learning.
At Quail Valley we want to be a model of the change we wish to see in the world. We realize that we are agents of change that are destined to make a difference in our school and our communities simply because we have the courage to be bold and unique for the mere purpose of student learning.
Let’s make it another great week of learning or not. The choice is yours!
What's Happening at QVE this Week?
Monday, September 14th Grandparent's Day *more info coming soon!
Tuesday, September 15th Faculty Fund Due to Ms. Rodriguez
Wednesday, September 16th -VIPS 101 - Homeroom Parent Meeting at 8:15
Wednesday, September 16th - Big Kahuna Launch Assemblies for the Color Run
PreK- 2 will be held at 2:00 and 3rd-5th will be held at 2:30 in the cafeteria.
Wednesday, September 16th - Committee Meetings after school 3:30-4:30
Thursday, September 17th QVE Open House 6:00 - 7:30
Friday, September 18th - Lunch provided for staff by Freedom Friends Church
Friday, September 18th Staff Get Together - Cafe Adobe
Saturday, September 19th - QVE Skeeters Spirit Night at Constellation Field at 5:00 pm
Tuesday, September 22nd QVE Celebrates 40th Anniversary from 4:00-5:30
Friday, September 25th Holiday/Fort Bend County Fair Day
Testing Windows
PAPI Window: The PAPI window is open from 8/24-10/2
DRA Window: The window opened 8/24 and closes 10/2. You have plenty of time to complete; starting tomorrow, you have 26 school days. J
Math DNA: The window to administer the performance Math DNA is Aug. 31-Sept. 11
Grade Reporting Information
- August 24th Start of Grading Period #1
- September 11th Progress Report #1
- September 15th Progress Report #1 goes home
- October 2nd - Progress Report #2 (end of 1st six weeks)
- October 6th - Progress Report #2 goes home
- October 16th - End of Grading Period: REPORT CARD #1
- October 20th - REPORT CARD #1 Goes Home
*Please subscribe to activities calendar to review other important dates and information. Need help subscribing? Contact Ms. McKinnon at shelley.mckinnon@fortbendisd.com
QVE September Staff Outting at Cafe Adobe!
Friday, Sep 18, 2015, 04:00 PM
Cafe Adobe 2329 TX-6, Sugar Land, TX 77478 (281) 277-1700
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
QVE Celebrates our Grandparents, Tomorrow September 14th!
Friendly Reminders from Our Reading Specailist, Ms. Portugal
Some reminders:
1st & 2nd grade teachers – You need to have PAPI scores were due on Friday, September 11th.
Kinder teachers – You have 15 instructional days to complete objectives 1-4 & 7, 8 on PAPI. I will meet with your team by October 5th to help with entering into Eduphoria.
K-5 Teachers - You have 15 instructional days left to complete your DRA assessment, as the window closes October 2nd. I will meet with your team by October 5th to help you with entering scores in Eduphoria.
PDAS Self Report were Due on Friday, September 11th….If you do not know how to access it online, it is in Eduphoria. If you have not logged in to Eduphoria, you can find it on the Staff page of the FBISD website (in Chrome). Your username is firstname.lastname@fortbendisd.com and the password is welcome2012. Once you log in, you will be prompted to change your password & update your position. The home screen has “Aware,” “Management,” “Workshop,” & “PDAS.” Click on the “PDAS” link and you can click on your PDAS 2015-2016 Self Report. You only need to complete “Objectives” and “Assessment Processes” at this time. There is a link to print, save, and SUBMIT. J
Dare to Serve Challenge, Day 14-- for Monday September 14th!
Today is National Grandparent’s Day! We will celebrate our QVE Grandparents tomorrow. I will place a notecard along with an envelope in your boxes. Your challenge is to write a nice message to a grandparent so that we can provide our visitors with a handwritten message from a staff member. There will be a basket near the mailboxes so that you may submit your messages. This is a nice way for all of us to show our appreciation for “all” grandparents.
Wednesdays are now QVE College Days!
Wednesdays are QVE College Days!
Hello Eagles!
In order to help promote college and career awareness in and around our school, you will have the option of wearing a college shirt with jeans every Wednesday! To do so, beginning Wednesday, September 16th pay $1.00 to me and wear your college shirt and jeans!!
Be sure to bring your money to me first thing in the morning!
Ms. Rodriguez, Counselor
Open House is Thursday, September 17th!
Dear Team,
This Thursday, September 17th, be prepared to open your classrooms to parents and share all the wonderful learning taking place on our GREAT campus! Open House we be held from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm. Below are some important updates regarding this event:
- Ms. Spears will prepare a video message that each teacher will show at the beginning of your presentations. This message should be no longer than 3-4 minutes and the link will be provided to you by Wednesday, September 16th.
- Each team leader should submit the following information to Ms. Spears by Wednesday, September 16th at 5:00 pm --
o Please include- where you will be meeting, topics of discussion, handouts, PowerPoint, etc.
- Attire will be professional dress.
- Prepare rooms appropriately- making sure they are neat and well organized.
- Welcome signs are a nice touch along with a sign-in sheet so that you can keep track of attendance.
- Presentations should be short and sweet - we don't want to overwhelm parents with too much information.
Let's give our parents a wonderful experience as we showcase all the great things going on at QVE this year!
Want to postpone paying your faculty fund??!?
Would you like to postpone paying your faculty fund?! Yes?! Then purchase a Sugar Shindig ticket instead!!
So what exactly is the Sugar Shindig? I thought you’d never ask!
This is a fundraiser sponsored by the Fort Bend Education Foundation who awards thousands of dollars in grants for teacher’s each year.
On Friday, October 9th – you will join your QVE team members for a fun evening as we enjoy a fajita dinner, dancing to music of a live band, and most importantly an opportunity to showcase your QVE spirit.
The school with the most attendees will be treated to a grilled luncheon by our superintendent, Mr. Dupre and his leadership team!
What are you waiting for? Purchase your tickets today!
Please see our Sugar Shaker, Ms. Portugal for more information.
Video of the Week: Reframing Failure as Iteration Allows Students to Thrive
Thank you QVE Family!
Much Love,
Niki