February 3, 2020
A Communication Tool for the Seven Hills Staff
February is for Filling Emotional Bank Accounts!
We all know how a regular bank account works. We make deposits, save up money, and when we need that money later we make a withdrawal. An Emotional Bank Account is an account of trust instead of money. It is an account based on how safe you feel with another person.
One of the six strategies Covey recommends for filling EBAs is "attending to the little things." Don't you find that the little things become the BIG things when they do not receive our attention? Doing the little things is how we honor and show respect for others: small kindnesses, a smile, a little extra effort, a hug, doing something you didn't have to. These are the things that build trust.
Throughout the month of February, we are going to work as a staff to fill Emotional Bank Accounts through a Kindness Campaign and Fabulous February activities. Not to mention, the Staff EBA Action Team AND the Kindness Club have a few additional things up their sleeves! Which makes me wonder....What ideas do you have for filling EBAs in your classrooms?
This Week's Kindness Campaign:
- Write a celebration note to a staff member this week. Don't forget about the office staff, specials, specialists, etc!. Blank note cards will be in mailboxes on Monday.
- Put a little love in your heart! Tell the ones you hold dear what you love most about them! you might even make a top ten list and share it with them!
Fabulous February:
- Monday: 100th Day of School...wear jeans with a 100th day shirt OR the red Lighthouse Leader shirt, because we have been Lighting the Way for 100 Days!
- Tuesday: Spread some love! Smile at 10 people today!
- Wednesday: Warm - Up Wednesday! Warm your heart with a kind word to a student, staff member or peer today! And, wear warm-ups of course!
- Thursday: Look for a treat in your mailboxes today.
- Friday: "We love 7 Hills Day!" Show Seven Hills some love by wearing jeans with a 7 Hills shirt today
Leader in Me Online
EIGHT more staff members joined the new LIM online last week. This message will keep running until EVERYONE is a member! So, if you haven't taken time to log-in to the new website, please do so this week!
To date, only 31 staff members have registered for the new Leader in Me online resource. Please make sure you have done this. You cannot access the Leader in Me Weekly, the online curriculum, etc. if you are not registered...:)...
Hello,
As part of the exciting Leader in Me process, we have been granted access to Leader in Me Online. It includes so many great resources you can use! By setting up your account, you will also receive Leader in Me Weekly. These practical, tactical classroom implementation idea emails will come directly into your inbox each week. Let’s get started!
To set up your account:
1. Go to https://www.leaderinme.com/users/sign-up?code=SHES2
2. Enter this Registration code in the box provided: SHES2
3. Fill out the form and click Sign Up
4. You will be granted access to the Leader in Me Online
Registration code not working?
Find your school in the drop down list, fill out the form, and request access. A School Administrator at your school will be sent a notification where they can grant you access to the Leader in Me online.
If you are having difficulty with this process feel free to reach out to support@leaderinme.com for assistance.
"Getting Better" with Literacy Instruction:
- Feedback Cycle with Campus Administrator: Each ELA teacher will be assigned a campus administrator as a partner to engage in a feedback cycle. The teacher will determine an area of focus, and the administrator will observe in the classroom to provide the teacher with evidence from the lesson observed. The goal would be for the teacher and administrator to engage in at least ONE session before Jonathan and Jepi visit in February. Focus areas you might consider are components of the lesson delivery, conferring, how you are using the tools you have (tool for moving readers up, progressions), strategy group lesson delivery and organization. The focus is on instruction not environment The partnerships are linked here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VqNuHl4rF2Dxbw-cPDvw-E6HyW5du8FqK9I6sC36Zcs/edit?usp=sharing
- Grade Level Teams Engage in Instructional Rounds With a Partner Grade Level: Each K-2 will be partnered with a 3-5 grade level team to conduct feedback walks during your PLCs on February 11. We will use the tool used during Learning Teams in December to gather evidence, and we will debrief during vertical teams on February 13. The look for tool that we used is linked here so that there are no surprises, and this might also help you with thinking about a focus area: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wpbVwL9Pbfcu_dJmthFz9I--AI_USO_PLNZN8-ciMlY/edit?usp=sharing
From Tanya:
Safety and Security- we will have a hold drill and lockout drill this week. Please make sure you and your students are prepared and know what to do in each drill.
Feb 12th-Lockdown with Law Enforcement at 9:00 a.m.- remember: Locks, Lights, Out of Sight-we must take this serious, DO NOT open the door for anyone. They will have a master key to open doors. Wait for instructions announced on the PA system before returning to regular schedule.
RTI PLC, February 4th-teachers make sure your progress monitoring is updated in Estar before the meeting. Jennifer Bailey, RTI coordinator, and myself will use a protocol for collaborating about our students in RTI.Be prepared to discuss student struggles and support you need.
Benchmarks-we will have a 5th grade Reading benchmark this week.. Please note the following upcoming benchmarks this month.Be aware that schedules may change on these days and support staff will be involved in administering.
5th grade Math-February 18th
4th grade Writing=February 19th
4th grade Reading-March 2nd
4th grade Math-March 5th
3rd grade Math-March 6th
3rd grade Reading-March 19th
From the CIT:
January reading text levels are due on Monday! If any of you need help with getting DRA levels for your students by the deadline, I can help you on Monday! Remember, this is a warm read running record. Don’t be shy and sign up with the link below—I would love to help :
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RZH8ywBXA1uOlkdHupDv1G4aS7W5LLi9bAmOTUhOXU0/edit?usp=sharing
Assessments this week:
4th Grade:
February 4-7 Drama/Poetry CBA
5th Grade:
February 6 Reading Benchmark
Upcoming Assessments:
3rd Grade:
February 17-21 3.ELA.3.CBA Jump!
4th Grade:
February 19 Writing Benchmark
due in Edugence by Feb 25.
5th Grade:
February 18 Math Benchmark
From the Intervention Team:
Please share your lesson plans with Mario and Rupa each week by sending it to their e-mail or sharing the Google File where it’s located so that they can access it easily. We would like them to be as prepared as possible when working with the students.
Mario and Rupa can also help with STAAR Online Practice- Providing students the opportunity to practice using the tools, navigating through the test, and answering STAAR test questions. The more practice the more comfortable our students will be the day of the test. Please E-mail Mario and Rupa to schedule a day to start practicing for STAAR Online.
Rupa’s Schedule: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r6QOBRK7MsO14DIfE8BzwraEl035j_qh/view?usp=sharing
Mario’s Schedule:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BCN7QcbLT_yygCOzpeBbVF_jTYvVjweQ7nN2a2yPYRU/edit?usp=sharing
**Remember, Rupa and Mario can help students with Lexia skill builders and direct teach lessons. However, Lexia lessons on the computer need to be completed independently** - Per Kim
The intervention team will be in PLCs Tuesday, February 4th. We will not meet with groups.
Habit Huddle Connection:
Habit 5 Connection:
People form opinions based on their own experiences. Unless they work hard to understand the other person’s perspective, two people can see the same thing and form completely different viewpoints because they are understanding “autobiographically.” Covey shared:
“If you’re like most people, you probably seek first to be understood; you want to get your point across. And in doing so, you may ignore the other person completely, pretend that you’re listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning entirely. So why does this happen? Because most people listen with the intent to reply, not to understand. You listen to yourself as you prepare in your mind what you are going to say, the questions you are going to ask, etc. You filter everything you hear through your life experiences, your frame of reference. You check what you hear against your autobiography and see how it measures up. And consequently, you decide prematurely what the other person means before he/she finishes communicating.” - Stephen Covey
In order to be a good teacher, teammate, friend, a good parent, etc. you need to listen so that you can understand. It’s important to get the facts from everyone involved, and (this sounds obvious, but you’d be amazed how many people fail to do this) never make big decisions based on one half of a story — no matter who is telling it.
Have you made a decision recently without being open and honest with the person you’re judging? Have you asked their opinion and been open to listening... really listening to hear and understand, not just listening to respond or talk?
Reminders and Announcements:
- January Text Levels are due in the Lag Measure Data Google Doc by Monday, February 3.
- If you have not turned in January Positive Parent Phone Call Logs to the folder in the office, they need to be turned in on Monday.
- SLO checks are due February 15 in Edugence. Don't wait until the last minute! Many of you already have the data needed to update this progress check.
- Valentine Parties: IMPORTANT...per FERPA rules, you cannot sent home class lists for Valentine Parties. Students simply need to label their Valentines "To a Friend"
Save the Date:
NOTE: It's National School Counselor Week this week!
Monday, February 3:
- Celebrate 100 Days of Lighting the Way...Kindergarten's 100 Day parade will be at 8:00 am.
- Math RtI Webinar (in place of Thursday Staff Meeting) 3:30 - 4:30 - Tanya sent this communication last week
- Parent Communication will begin about next week's safety drill with law enforcement
- Grade Level PLCs - RtI Updates and Planning with Tanya
Wednesday, February 5:
- Accountability Teams Meeting, 3:35 - 3:45
Thursday, February 6:
- 5th Grade Reading Benchmark
- Kim off campus at DLT
- Leadership Teams Meeting, 3:30 - 4:30
Friday, February 7:
- Sharpen the Saw Clubs Round 2
Happy Birthday to You:
Julianna Lockard 2/6