The Grass Valley WAG
Week at a Glance: 1/13 - 1/17
A note from Casey...
As we continue into a new year, it's important that we continue to build deep relationships with our students. This will allow us to have compassion for their context and better inform our ability to meet their needs.
I also want to remind you that as school staff members, everything that we say represents our school and vision. Please be sure that whenever you are talking about anything, that you are conscientious about who is around you and who might hear. I know that when we are frustrated or have had a difficult day, it is easy to forget that parents/students are within ear shot, but not only is it not appropriate for these conversations to be overheard, it also ends up causing more hurt when they do. Thanks for your attention in this matter!
In community,
Casey
Grass Valley at its Finest!
First Superheros of 2020!
Preparing for the Oratorical Competition!
Wearing Scholar Swag!
Instruction & Assessments
Instruction
Our instructional focus for the 2nd semester will be on tracking student learning through Exit Tickets. During PLC, we will develop exit tickets and find a way to track them whole school. This valuable data collection will inform our work ILT and PLC for the remainder of the year. Our goal is to MAKE IT HAPPEN for ALL of our students in this last half of the year.
- DELIVERABLE: Daily math exit tickets should be entered HERE
Assessments
- K-2: Teachers should be completing MOY early literacy assessments. They are due January 17 and should be entered into Illuminate.
- 3-5: Teachers should administer the Informational IAB on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Week at a Glance (WAG)
Monday
- sign in/out daily
- Staff Meeting (3pm, Rm 7)
Tuesday
- sign in/out daily
Wednesday
- sign in/out daily
- K-2 Teachers & Support Staff: SIPPS PLC with Soraya (2:30-3:45, Rm 7)
- 3-5 Teachers & Support Staff: IAB Data Review with Casey (2:30-3:45, Port D)
Thursday
- sign in/out daily
- ILT (3-4p, Casey's Office)
Friday
- sign in/out daily
- College Gear Day!
- Superhero Circle
- COST (8:45-9:45a, Casey's office)
- Oratorical Competition (9-10a, Cafeteria)
*Community Circle, daily, at 8:30a on the Yard
Important Reminders
- Grass Valley Way Prize Cart Be sure each student is only taking 1 (ONE) prize each time they visit the prize cart. Even if they have more tickets, students should only be getting one prize each visit!
- Fire Inspection Please refer to the email from Dec 10.
- Pick up/Drop off to Enrichment Teachers are expected to pick up and drop off their students on time to each Enrichment. When you are not on time, Enrichment teachers do not have the time they need to prepare for their next class.
- Picking up students from Lunch/Recess Be sure that you are on time to pick up students from Lunch/Recess. When teachers are late, we do not have the coverage that we need to assure students are safe.
- Hall Passes Each class has a set of hall passes - please be sure students are using them while in the hallways so we know when/where students should be.
- STIP Calendar We will continue to work to have regular coverage by a sub. This Google Calendar will reflect the STIP's Schedule. If you'd like to schedule time with them, please reach out to Casey.
Notification When Absent
- Any personal days require notification, in writing, in advance of the requested time off.
- If you determine you need to take a sick day, I ask, as a professional courtesy, that you text (804-922-7728) and/or email ASAP...even if it is 5 in the morning! Our goal is to limit the need to split classes this year, but in order to do so, we need advanced notice about absences in order to do our best to find coverage.
Upcoming Dates
1/13: Staff Meeting
- 1/16: ILT
- 1/17: Oratorical Contest (GV)
- 1/20: No School
- 1/22: SELLS
- 1/24: Coffee with the Principal
- 1/27: Committee Meetings
- 1/28: Earthquake/Fire Drill
- 1/29: SSC Meeting
- 1/30: Student of the Month
- 1/30: ILT
- 1/31: PD Day (No School for Students)
Toolbox
Toolbox is a social-emotional learning curriculum that supports students in building concrete skills to help them self-regulate when escalated. ALL STAFF should be supporting students in learning the tools and building skills to self regulate.
Icon: Tape Measure - "the action of pulling and pushing a measuring tape in and out of its case can be a good way to think about slow, deliberate Breathing...it can help students slow down and self-regulate when they use the Breathing Tool."
Hand Gesture: touch thumbs and index fingers together in front of you as if holding a tape measure; slowly pull hands apart while taking a breath. On exhale, bring hands slowly back together.
Questions to support student reflection:
- How are you feeling?
- What are you thinking?
- How do we then act/feel toward ourselves?
- How might we feel/react toward others?
- How can taking a slow deep breath help you when you are struggling?
The Grass Valley Way
Grass Valley Way Videos & Community Circle Leadership
As we discussed before break, we will begin facilitating continued promotion of the Grass Valley Way through videos (spearheaded by Culture & Climate and SchoolShine Committees). In connection to that, classes will have the opportunity to lead Community Circle for a week in order to further build student ownership of the Grass Valley Way. Details are coming!
Functions of Behavior & Pre-Referral Interventions
As you are addressing student behavior using the URF, be sure that you are considering why the behavior is occurring (function of behavior) in order to determine which pre-referral intervention would best support the student.
- Be Safe
- Be Respectful
- Be Responsible
We are a PBIS school. All staff are expected to use the Grass Valley Way with students. Be sure that you are communicating in a preventative manner, and not a reactionary one, including using an appropriate tone of voice with all students.
Behavior Flow Chart for Referrals Staff members who send a student to the office should do so based on the normed behavior flow chart. All students sent to the office should be sent with a URF.
Universal Referral Forms For any student sent to the office, we should receive a URF. This is how we will communicate with families about the incident and track data on students' needs.
Pre-Referral Intervention Guide This guide shares information and examples about each of the pre-intervention techniques listed on the URF.
Appreciations!
Want to include an appreciation for a colleague in the next WAG? Add it HERE!