CJH Weekly Update
Staff - Week of Dec. 10th
All the things to know...
Thank you!!
Wow, last week was a busy week. We had meetings and staff shortages nearly every day. Thank you to all of you that were able to give up a planning period to cover. I know that covering can make for a long day and that covering multiple days makes for a very long week. We appreciate your willingness to pitch in. Please know that the sub shortage situation is on our radar and we do have a few plans to address the situation, but unfortunately it comes down to the fact that there is a very small pool of individuals available. We are not the only district experiencing this, it is a discussion at the county and state level as well.
Hosting Admin Meeting
On Monday morning our Admin team will be meeting in our building. This was cancelled last time due to the snow day. Please plan on Admin being out to observe classrooms in the morning. Remember is this not an observation, just an opportunity to look at learning and for our Admin team to learn together.Progress Reports
Please make sure grades are up to date by 8:00 am on Wednesday. We will send them out by the end of the week.
Hallway Supervision
Just a friendly reminder that hallway supervision in the mornings is important. By contract everyone should be in the hallways by 7:45 a.m. Students should not be in classrooms unsupervised at any time throughout the day. Thanks for your help in keeping our students safe.
Lunches during Half Day Schedule
Starting on our half day on Dec. 21st, we will now be feeding all students in our a building a lunch prior to dismissal. This will operate much like breakfast, in that sack lunches will be delivered during 6th hour and students will be provided with time to eat prior to dismissal. We are still working out the details of how this will work, please don't panic.
The overall benefit is that we can make sure all of our students are getting a chance to eat 2x a day everyday, for some that might not be guaranteed. Thanks for helping take care of our kids!
THINK Meeting
Just a reminder that we will be meeting on Monday after school to discuss several items, PBIS initiatives, DL next steps and planning for Dec. 21st 1/2 day. All are welcome to attend.
RSVP for Holiday Party
Make sure you RSVP and provide payment ($24) to Suzie for the Staff Holiday party scheduled for 12/20 at 4pm. We will be meeting at Vineyard 2121 for dinner, dessert and drinks. Significant others are welcome!
DLD Survey
Week at a Glance
Monday
Regular Schedule
Ad Staff AM - Hosted in our building
THINK Meeting (PBIS and DL Leadership)
Board Meeting 7pm
Tuesday
ICE Schedule
Wednesday
PLC Meetings
Grades up to date 8am
Thursday
ICE Schedule
JH Boys Basketball Home vs. Watervliet
Choir Concert 7pm
Friday
Regular Schedule
Points of Pride
We are working to create a brochure for prospective students and families about why they should chose Coloma Community Schools. I would like to work on creating a list of our Points of Pride for the Junior High. Linked here is a shared document that I would like us all to contribute to for the creation of this brochure. Please take a few minutes and add the things that you are proud of in our building. This can include clubs, opportunities or day to day things that we do.
Jon Saphier on Building a Trusting Professional Culture
Trust gives school leaders the respect and credibility they need for educators to listen to, collaborate with, and follow them,” says author/consultant Jon Saphier in this article in The Learning Professional. But building trust is not an easy matter because teachers “mostly work individually and often see themselves as artistic, solo practitioners rather than working side-by-side in teams and being members of an organization.” Over the years, Saphier and his colleagues have crystallized the following description of what teachers would say of their leader in a school with a trusting culture. This kind of school, says Saphier, is an “engine for constant improvement in teaching and learning.”
- I trust that you are competent and can keep the wheels turning by staying on top of essential operations and handling crises.
- I trust that you think I am a worthwhile person because you consistently notice and comment on the things I am doing well and are interested in my life outside of school.
- I trust that you will make it safe for us to make mistakes by making yourself vulnerable; acknowledging what you don’t know and where you need help; acknowledging mistakes, righting wrongs, apologizing, and making restitution; showing loyalty by giving credit freely, acknowledging others, and not bad-mouthing anyone behind their backs; holding yourself accountable and sharing how you’ll communicate; and being a constant learner with us – and visibly so.
- I trust that you will be honest, meaning that you give me honest feedback about my performance; talk straight, let people know where you stand, use simple language, call things as they are, and not leave false impressions; create transparency, erring on the side of disclosure; confront reality, take issues head on, and lead courageously in conversations; clarify expectations, discuss and validate them, and renegotiate if necessary.
- I trust your integrity – that is, that your motives are in the interest of the students, not primarily your own career advancement, because you stand up for important values; keep your moral compass; maintain urgency for what needs to be done; keep your promises and follow through on your commitments.
- I trust that you will act courageously by protecting us from initiative overload and keeping us safe from toxic behavior.
- I trust that you will make legitimate decisions because you solicit input; explain how our input was used and why; can set limits and say no; and make decisions for the good of the school.
- I trust that you will deliver results by highlighting small victories and getting the right things done.
- I trust that you will show me respect by listening first and not assuming you know what matters most; using active listening skills; hearing out different points of view; valuing my time; having my back; sharing critical feedback because you think I can get better and deserve the chance.
- I trust that you will act in a caring and compassionate way by showing kindness in little things; being generous; and going the extra mile to show consideration to individuals.
Saphier suggests having a staff create vignettes for what some of these statements look like in everyday contexts. “These vignettes can become a playbook for any leader who wants to build trust and respect,” he says.
“What I’ve Learned: Let’s Get Specific About How Leaders Can Build Trust” by Jon Saphier in The Learning Professional, December 2018 (Vol. 39, #6, p. 14-16), www.learningforward.org; Saphier can be reached at saphier@rbteach.com.
Upcoming Dates
12/17 - Staff Meeting
12/20 - Staff Holiday Party @ 4pm
12/21 - Half Day
12/24 - 1/4 - Winter Break
1/7 - Classes Resume
6/3 - 6/5 - 8th Grade Mackinac Trip
Wendy Tremblay, Principal
Email: wtremblay@ccs.coloma.org
Website: https://cjh.coloma.org/
Location: 302 West St. Joseph Street, Coloma, MI, USA
Phone: 269-468-2405
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colomajh
Twitter: @colomajhs