Paxton Faculty Newsletter
Week of September 17,2018
At Paxton, we do everything with PRIDE, PASSION & PURPOSE in EPIC proportions!
Mission:
It’s H.A.M.R. Time!
High Expectations + Accountability + Motivation = Results
EPIC Shout Out!
Thank you from Mrs. Watson!
Thank you to Kelli Adams, Sandra Hooper, Tina Shaw, Jennifer Bradley, Laura Radney, Lora Brazile, Leslie Chest, & Wendy Jones for allowing the collaboration between my AP Psychology students and your students. My students were assigned a project and they were able to utilize students of different ages across the campus because of your flexibility and cooperation. This is an example of what makes Paxton GREAT!
In the Spotlight
Coastal Clean Up at Paxton
We picked up 1,694 pieces of trash for a total of 46.8 pounds. Science in Action!
September is National Suicide Awareness Month & October is Bully Prevention Month.
Albert Einstein said," Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
Let's be "The Harbor" for each student by being sensitive to their needs and truly listening to what they are saying to us - even the students we do not understand. One of the most powerful teaching strategies is building positive relationships with our students. Remember that they do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.
For more information visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/.
Differentiated Accountability: We are proudly educating 795 future leaders. We will be adding more to this number next week.
Instructional Focus
Learning Targets
- The first instructional round of our targeted feedback cycles has begun. This consists of a 10-15 minute pre-meeting, a 15-20 minute observation focusing on the "look fors" you and I establish, and a post-meeting to analyze the results. The intent of instructional rounds is for professional development. It is NOT evaluative.
- Administrative walk-throughs are focusing on Daily Learning Targets, Student Engagement, & Intentional Questioning.
How Learning Targets are used...
Example for multiple preps or subjects
Example including content, skill, and success criteria
Professional Development Updates
Important Information
- Interim Reports: Interim Reports go out on Tuesday, Sept. 18th. Utilize the Interim Report page in Student Planners. This does NOT require you to fill in each students planner. Let the student do it and have them write it in pen and check that they have recorded their grade correctly. I always initialed the grade. Some teachers prefer to print out interim reports. This if fine, but please have students transfer the grade to their planners. This is really important for B.R.A.G. It is also recommended to request parent conferences for students that are struggling. There are a lot of parents utilizing the FOCUS Parent Portal so sending Interim Reports home should not be a shock for parents if FOCUS grades have been entered in a timely manner throughout the 9 week grading period.
- Book Fair: The book fair will be open Monday, September 17th through Friday, September 21st. Please encourage students and parents to come browse.
- B.R.A.G. Mentoring Program:
Purpose: Build a caring and supportive relationship with mentees in order to provide academic, career, and social/behavioral guidance and support that will enable students to reach their highest potential based on their goals and aspirations for the future.
Goals: Improve school achievement, Increase graduation rates, Increase self-esteem, Increase school attendance, & Decrease in discipline referrals
First Session should include the following:
- Get To Know You Activity
- Discuss Planner/Organizational Skills
- Review Interim Reports
- Set academic, attendance, and/or behavioral goals
- PTO Cookie Dough Sales end on Sept. 21st.
- Baseline Edge: We do not have access to Baseline Edge at this time. I will let you know as soon as it is available to access.
- Deliberate Practice: Goal #1 - As a result of incorporating daily learning targets in my classroom, students will increase their ______ performance from ____ to ____.
- Cell Phone Usage in the Classroom: It is imperative ALL teachers adhere to the following classroom procedures regarding cell phone usage in the classroom. All cell phones are to be off and out of sight in the classroom. This includes listening to music with earphones. Classroom Disciplinary Procedures regarding cell phones: Record the infraction on the Behavior Tracking Form in the Student Planner and take the phone up. The phone should be sent to the office and parents will be contacted. It is imperative we all have the same expectations regarding cell phone usage in the classroom.
- Attendance: Attendance should be taken each day. Secondary teachers need to take attendance each period in an effort to monitor students throughout the day.
- Safety:
- Review ALICE Lockdown procedures. We will be having a schoolwide lockdown drill on Thursday, September 20th at 8:15 am.
- ALL classroom doors MUST be locked at all times.
- Passes: If you give verbal permission for students to go to the bathroom before the tardy bell, please ask them to take a pass.
- Substitutes: Please use only the CURRENT and APPROVED Substitute List if you choose to obtain your own substitutes.
- Passwords: Please do NOT give out your passwords to anyone.
- Absences: Any time you are going to be out, please contact Ms. Cain, Ms. Neale, or Mr. Jackson.
Calendar Additions:
NOTE: If there are any changes or additions, please contact the front office.
Math PLC
Monday, Sep 17, 2018, 10:30 AM
Conference Room
Reading Retakes
Tuesday, Sep 18, 2018, 07:45 AM
Computer Lab
Open House
Please remember to have a sign in sheet for parents.
Don't forget to go by the Media Center and visit the Book Fair and Art display.
Tuesday, Sep 18, 2018, 06:00 PM
Paxton School, U.S. 331, Laurel Hill, FL, USA
Fall Pictures
Friday, Sep 21, 2018, 07:45 AM
Paxton School, U.S. 331, Laurel Hill, FL, USA
B.R.A.G. (Activity Schedule)
BRAG teachers,
Please remember to take attendance. Also, refer to your BRAG Handbook for goal-setting ideas for your BRAG students. Teacher Mentors, please assist our new teachers with this.