Wildcat News
January 8 - January 12
Weekly Updates/ Reminders:
- WELCOME BACK!! 3rd Qtr. begins today, Monday, January 8th.
- Weekly data/collaboration meetings will begin this week.
- Please complete all Alpha kids and QRI assessments and enter scores into Tyler--this is due by COB, Wednesday, January 10th (please refer to email for details)
- Please make sure you look at the Weekly Worksheet for any upcoming meetings or events. Please understand that we are doing our best to keep to this schedule, however, at times there will be unforeseen circumstances that cause us to have to reschedule.
- Make sure you are monitoring your students who have attendance punch cards and removing students die cuts when they are late or absent! --See Ms. Grossman's email for more details.
- ACTION: After school tutoring will begin January 29-- 4th graders who need mandatory tutoring will take the first seats, if we have availability after that we will continue to fill seats with other students in need of tutoring (these students will be identified by teachers)
Check out the awesome things happening at Wheatley!
1st grade watching the Gingerbread Man
Winter Program Fun!
Magic Show w/ Grades 3-6
Professional Development
- Wednesday, January 10, 20178 Professional Development: Building PD
- Thursday, January 11th-- Session 2 -- Trauma Sensitive PD in the library from 4:30 to 5:30
Instructional & Cultural Levers:
WEEKLY LOOK-FORS:
- I can statements that align to the MO Learning Standard and are in student friendly language.
- Student task aligned to Missouri Learning Standard
- Small group and guided reading group instruction
- Continue working on incorporating DOK 3 and DOK4 questions into your lessons during guided practice and utilizing exit tickets that incorporate writing, explanation and evidence from the text
Return from Holiday Break:
Please ensure that you take advantage of this first week back- it's like a second chance at the first day of school! Tell your students we're starting new with a clean slate. While not all students will admit it, they're excited to come back and get back into a structured environment.
Please see below for a few tips and ideas:
- Welcome or greet your students individually. Let them know you're glad they're back and you're excited to start school. Write each student a message on a notecard or leave a sticky note on each desk welcoming them back. You could leave a sharpened pencil on each desk, serves as a gift and assures everyone is ready to work.
- I want to get my students thinking about all the things they like about school, so I'm going to start off with the top ten reasons they're glad to be back. I want to start off by getting them to think of the positive side of school. I'll have it on their desk to complete as morning work. This will also serve as an interest survey, letting me know what they enjoy most about our class.
- Review classroom procedures, expectations, and class rules. This is your chance to set the tone for the "New Year" and make sure your students are off to a great start. Plan to go over each procedure as you come to it during the day. Review these for several days to make sure everyone is on the same page and expectations are clear.
- Spend some time getting organized and prepared. Make sure desks are clean and that students have what they need to begin the 2nd semester. Spending a little time doing this now, will pay off in the end.
- After reviewing procedures and expectations, ease into your day with something fun and meaningful for your students. My students will be completing individual goals on pennants and creating a class book for goals to make our class even better than it already is. We brainstorm and discuss setting reasonable goals and small things that would make a big difference in our classroom.
- Be flexible with your schedule remembering to review procedures all day. Don't rush this process, you'll be happy you took the time to create community and set expectations.
- Ease into your instruction...don't want to waste valuable academic time, but know they need a day to ease back into routine, so plan to do lots of review.
- Start a new chapter book or have a mentor text ready to read to your students. They love being read to and this mentor text could be used the next day or later in the week for your "real" lesson. Give them some independent reading time too, so they can start building up their endurance again.
Counselor Notes:
- Mr. Cherry will be sending out Title IX permission slips to parents and families this week before beginning Title IX presentations in your classrooms
Restorative Justice Focus:
Shout Outs
- Ms. Williams and Mr. Miller for putting on a fantastic Winter Program.
- All teachers and staff who pitched in to help ensure the program was a success.
Growth Mindset Quote of the Week:
"Strive for progress, not perfection." -Unknown