Team Thomson News & Notes
#ThomsonRocks Week of: October 1, 2018
Important Information for You!
Thank you again to all of you who volunteered your time at either our Watch DOGS Kick-off and/or the Homecoming Parade, your time was greatly appreciated by me and our school community! The parade may have been a little wet, but boy did Lori make it a little more enjoyable with her megaphone and 'shout outs'.
Data Days & IRIPs
I am working to finalize October 9th and 10th as Data Days for the fall. With the move to EduStaff, it looks like we will be able to implement official Data Days this year. In preparation for Data Days and as a follow-up to the validation meetings I held with PLC teams last week in Megan C's absence, please work on completing the MLPP assessments for those students you are most concerned about. As we discussed the NWEA RIT cut-off scores will be coming following the elementary principals meeting this Thursday, but use your other data points to get started. All this will be used to write IRIPs, determine push-in interventions, and plan for instruction at our Data Days.
Halloween
Can you believe it is already October? As we did last year, we will plan for our Halloween costume parade in the morning (time to be determined) with classroom parties being held in afternoon. At a staff meeting a couple weeks ago, Erin shared an idea we had discussed about a building costume theme 'School is a Magical Place'. With this theme you can get as involved or simple as you which...anything magical counts...unicorns, mermaids, magicians, Harry Potter, witches, fairies, you are only limited by your imagination. I hope that you will consider joining in and really making this a theme that is building wide and represents the team and family that we are.
Cardinal Code Focus of the Week: Assemblies
Although we do not have an assembly scheduled for this week, please use this as an opportunity to really discuss the Cardinal Code focus as a way of participating in a large group. As you review/reteach Cardinal Code in the Assemblies this week, please be sure to review the following points:
- Eyes on the speaker.
- Sitting criss-cross, hands in your lap, so that others behind you can see.
- Voices off, so that everyone can hear.
Thank you for taking the time to formally review these points and the Cardinal Code Assembly lesson.
Literacy Essentials
Although we should be focused on Literacy Essential all year long, fall is a perfect time to 'set the stage' for literacy in your classroom and create a positive and exciting environment for reading and writing that lasts all year long. Literacy Essential 1 focuses on: Deliberate, research-informed efforts to foster literacy motivation and engagement within and across lessons.
During which the teacher:
• creates opportunities for children to see themselves as successful readers and writers
• provides daily opportunities for children to make choices in their reading and writing (choices may be a limited set of options or from extensive options but within a specified topic or genre)
• offers regular opportunities for children to collaborate with peers in reading and writing, such as through small-group discussion of texts of interest and opportunities to write within group projects
• helps establish purposes for children to read and write beyond being assigned or expected to do so, such as for their enjoyment/interest, to answer their questions about the natural and social world, to address community needs, or to communicate with a specific audience
• uses additional strategies to generate excitement about reading and writing, such as book talks and updates about book series. The teacher avoids attempting to incentivize reading through non-reading-related prizes such as stickers, coupons, or toys, and avoids using reading and writing as “punishment” (e.g., “If you can’t listen, I’m going to send you to sit and read in the library”).
In the video below, the teachers and students share examples of creating developmentally, appropriate, instructional choices that have a great impact learning and literacy development. What intentional choices can you provide your students with choices during literacy that change and are exciting for students?
Quotes Worth Reading
"Be stubborn about your goals, but be flexible about your methods."
-hplyrikz.com
"Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that's the one that is going to help you grow."
-Caroline Myss
As we venture further into this year and we settle in, remember that we are working with students when they are the youngest. While this does not mean we should lower our expectations, it does mean that we must reflect on ourselves, our teaching, our need for reteaching, the words we use with them, the tone we take, and the love we give them everyday. How your students will remember you is beginning now...what will they remember?
Thomson Elementary
#ThomsonRocks
Home of the Thomson Teddies!
And..
Where Kids Come First and Futures Begin!
Email: nmiller@davisonschools.org
Website: www.davisonschools.org
Location: 617 East Clark Street, Davison, MI, United States
Phone: 810-591-0911
Celebrations & Announcements
Birthdays: Lora Entrekin, September 30th; Karen Brown, October 4th; Sara Howes, October 6th...Happy Birthday to You All!
Important Upcoming Dates:
Tuesday, October 2nd-Fire Drill; Child Study Day
Wednesday, October 3rd - Staff Meeting, 7:35 a.m. (Agenda: DEF Presentation; Jason will share information from the Counseling department; ALICE); Count Day; Kindergarten ELA ACC Day
Thursday, October 4th - Elementary Principals Meeting (Natalie)
Week of October 7th - PLC Week
Thursday, October 11th - General Admin. Meeting (Natalie); Kindergarten Math ACC Day
Friday, October 12th- Leadership Team Meeting, 7:15-8:15 a.m.
Monday, October 15th - DK-Kindergarten Curriculum Meeting, 4:15-6:15 p.m.; PTO Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 16th-Lockdown/ALICE Drill
Wednesday, October 17th- Staff Meeting, 7:35 a.m. (Agenda: Scheduling Follow-up, please bring your reflections and any updated schedules; Balanced Literacy Push-in); Word Study Learning Lab
Thursday, October 18th-Elementary Principals Meeting (Natalie); CMC Meeting, 4-7 p.m.
Friday, October 19th-GISD Elementary & Literacy Principal Meeting (Natalie)