Redbird Roundup, Vol. 5
Friday, September 13, 2019
Our Mission and Vision
Norris Middle School prepares all students for their future by providing a safe, caring, and diverse school environment that maintains high expectations, academic excellence, and respect for all. Success, achievement, respect…It’s a Redbird thing!
La Escuela Secundaria Norris prepara a todos los estudiantes para su futuro ofreciendo un entorno escolar seguro, atento y diverso que mantiene altas expectativas, excelencia académica y respeto para todos. Éxito, logro, respeto…Es una cosa de los Redbirds!
Principal's Greeting
Happy Friday Norris Staff!
I want to give a big shout-out to Katie Collington for all her preparation for MAP testing. Things went incredibly smoothly (minus some connectivity issues the third day) and this is a great schedule to have in place for the remainder of our testing. Several NLT were also running around troubleshooting all morning, and that is much appreciated.
And to you all, awesome job administering an assessment to almost 1,200 kids! You were well-prepared and able to problem-solve, and kept your testing environment as productive as possible for your students. Way to go!
Next Tuesday is our Open House, it is a required event for staff. Please be here by 5:45. Please also work with your RBB to decorate your door and make your room extra bright and welcoming for our families. We will have many events taking place that evening.
Our first VILS PD of the year is Thursday, September 19. I am so excited with what Sara is going to share with you about your personalized PD paths for the year. She has put a ton of work into differentiating VILS PD, and I think you will enjoy it!
Last, Friday, September 20 is our SIP/Curriculum Day. More info is below!
Have a great weekend!
Dr. Carr
September 16-20
Monday, September 16: Grades due
Tuesday, September 17: Volleyball at Buffett; Open House from 6-8 p.m.
Wednesday, September 18: Team Leaders Meeting at 7 a.m. in room 129; Home Norris Cross Country Invite, JV VB Quad at Marrs
Thursday, September 19: Creighton students visiting Norris from 12:45-1:30; FB vs. Beveridge; VB vs. King
Friday, September 20: AM-Redbird Pride Breakfast, Appraisal Notification, Wellness Activities; PM Curriculum Days at Assigned Locations
Friday, September 20 Schedule
7:30-8:00-Breakfast
8:00-8:15-Appraisal Notification
8:15-8:25-Announcements
8:30-9:00=Rotation 1
9:00-9:30=Rotation 2
9:30-10:00=Rotation 3
Rotation Options: Volleyball, Walking, Calm Activities, Nutritious Cooking, #KeepNorrisBeautiful, Stress-Relieving Art
PM Curriculum Locations are posted on Norris Staff and begin at 12:30. Remember, our goal is 95%!
Staff Introductions
Up Next Week in the Redbird Roundup
I do three staff introductions each week. You'll be getting an email from me with questions. Even if you have done it before, please participate and do it again! Please respond and include a picture by Thursday! I will do the first week.
Up next: Zach Henery, Meghan Schumacher, and Heidi Wallin
Dennis Damewood-Special Education Long-Term Sub
Name: Dennis Damewood
How many years have you been teaching/in education? 35 years, mostly in alternative school or correctional facilities
What is your favorite thing about Norris Middle School? The kids are the best
How would your friends describe you? Slow motion
What website/app do you use most often? Webs??? I just send the spiders on their way
What is the best thing that happened to you this week? Coming to Norris Middle School
Would you rather go 30 days without your phone or an entire lifetime without dessert? I hate my phone. I am willing to go a lifetime without it.
What’s the farthest you’ve ever been from home? Tecate Mexico
Tatiana Eskridge-Vocal Music Teacher
Name: Tatiana Eskridge
How many years have you been teaching/in education?
I am in my 6th year of teaching full-time.
What is your favorite thing about Norris Middle School?
My favorite thing about Norris Middle School is that I get to return and contribute to a community that poured into me. It’s amazing to be colleagues with people who taught me. I also enjoy that the administration and staff are very positive and helpful.
*How would your friends describe you?
My friends have often used the words loyal, kind, funny, crazy (in a good way), unique, smart, and helpful.
*What website/app do you use most often?
It varies, but Viki, amazon, and unintentionally most of the time Facebook.
*What is the best thing that happened to you this week?
I am predicting it will be getting paid. Pay day is always a great day, especially when you have to wait a month for it. Well, at least I’m learning patience.
*Would you rather go 30 days without your phone or an entire lifetime without dessert?
I would go 30 days without my phone. It would probably be blessing in disguise and I absolutely love dessert! However, if I went 30 days without dessert I would loose more weight… Nah, I will stick with giving up the phone.
*What’s the farthest you’ve ever been from home?
Canada
*What would you sing at karaoke night?
“Crazy” by Patsy Cline or “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston
Ryann Pratt-6th Grade ELA
Ryann Pratt
First year teaching
Favorite thing: creativity and diversity of students
Website/app: Scribd. It’s an audiobook and ebook app that gives you unlimited reads for only about $10 a month. Very handy for long commutes to work.
Something you would never guess about me: I was a part of a competition clogging team for 5 years and a member of my high school’s Step Squad/Drill Team for 4 years.
Best thing that’s happened this week: went to the Backstreet Boys concert with my best friend and signed papers to move back into my childhood home.
Tv show to binge watch if you had the time: Bob’s Burgers
Karaoke night: something from Phantom of the Opera. I pretend to be both the phantom and Christine.
The photo is a picture of me, my two best friends, and John Roberts who does the voice of Linda from Bob’s Burgers who we got to meet when he came to visit my sister’s college.
Wellness Word to the Wise
Powerful Practices
Learning Goals
Activities Connected to Learning Goals
Welcome Egon!
Green Team in Action
Norris Staff and Students Seen and Heard
Congrats Veronica Switzer!
Congrats Jody Boyer!
Congrats to our very own Jody Boyer (or as I like to call her, my Artist in Residence) on having her work selected for the 2019 Nebraska Art Teachers Association Educator Exhibit! This is a juried exhibit on display at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts in Nebraska City, NE through September 28. We are so proud of Ms. Boyer!
Title: Prairie Plant from the Sandhills of Nebraska #1
Medium: Wet Cyanotype with Acid on Watercolor Paper
Dimensions: 18 x 24 inches
Teambuilding
Quinceañera
Tailgate Potluck
What it's all about
Final Thought
This article was shared with me this week on the impact of positive interactions with kids. We know the research that says negative experiences can have lifelong effects on kids (physical/mental abuse, substance abuse etc.). But this article speaks to what we can control-our positive interactions with students. They are just as powerful as their counterpart, and we have a billion opportunities every day to make them happen.
"Every moment matters. Every interaction with a child has a reaction in that child."