Beating the Odds
Lakeview Staff Newsletter - Oct 5
October already?
• Upholding a learning culture. We deliberately choose to be curious, supportive, action-oriented, and all the other words we chose for our Lakeview norms and values.
• Being patient and open-minded. We are in the midst of some some big-picture changes (Instructional Coaching and Intervention services are the top two that come to mind). We are building systems. Both of those two examples touch every aspect of our school in ways that might not seem obvious at first.
• Diving into every student issue. I truly appreciate how effective all of you are at problem-solving student issues (which might be academics or behavior) with compassion. Your solid thinking, willingness to deal with it, and communication with families does not go unnoticed.
• Being highly-skilled instructors. After over 50 classroom visits so far this year (meaning that each visit was long enough and wasn't for a behavior reason), I am so pleased to work with such a talented staff. My favorite thing to do is spend time in classrooms, learning about our students with you.
Looking Ahead
Tuesday, October 9
3 p.m. assembly in the gym for Cherrydale PTO fundraiser kickoff
Plan for 20 minute assembly
Wednesday, October 10
Staff meeting 7:15-8:15
Thursday, October 11
PTO Meeting, 7-8 p.m. in the library
Taco Thursday - organized by Sunshine
Tuesday, October 16
Firefighter visit for first grade - 2:30 p.m.
Friday, October 19
Grandparent's Day 8:30-10:00
Bits & Pieces
Halloween - Please continue the practice of not having costumes for Halloween. If students or families ask you about this in the coming weeks, just say "no".
CPR certified - Last week, I asked who was CPI certified. This week's question is different - If you are CPR certified, please let me know.
Family newsletter - Here is a link to this week's family newsletter.
PD Reflections
• 7 people engaged in conversations about PALS data and WTW groupings
• 4 people were engaged in Trauma Sensitive Training and 1 in Science
• Many people had conversations about delivering intervention services
• 2 people talked more about creating authentic audiences through blogging
• 2 people worked on math interventions because their students have a need in that area
• Many people engaged in content-specific areas of personalized professional development
Your afternoon time should take what you learned in the morning and allow you to find ways to explore and apply it more deeply to your own students. Continue this work, please. Your personalized PD should always tie directly back to student achievement.
Literacy Lab Dates
K-2 on November 29
3-5 on December 4
Roxanne will be putting in for subs on these days, so you may get an AESOP notification. More info will follow in your grade-level meetings with Jen and Janice.
Educator Effectiveness
• If you are a New Staff/Probation teacher in Years 1, 2, or 3 - please schedule your first formal, announced observation with me in the month of October. We will need a pre-conference time at least one day before the actual observation time. Please use my Google calendar and send me an two separate invites (one for the pre-con and one for the observation).
• For those of you in the "Continuing Year 3" category, we will schedule your announced, formal observation in the coming months. Please do not schedule at this time.
• I will be starting to come in for informal, unannounced observations for the people in years requiring these. These will be much like the walkthrough visits I have been doing, except that I will collect observation data while in your room.
Grandparent's Day
The rigor of questioning
I was in a classroom recently where the students were beginning to explore TCI science and one of the questions was "What do you wonder about [the picture displayed]?" As I went from student to student, I noticed they had trouble formulating questions or wonders. Instead, the students wanted to explain the phenomenon. It made me realize we need to keep demonstrating rigorous questioning and celebrate the questions students ask.
Character Dares & Trauma Sensitive Schools
Our next character dare is below! (For those keeping track - yes, it says #7. They may not always be in order.) . Remember, building consistent relationships is a TSS practice. Use character dares for that!
Lakeview Elementary School
Email: csepersky@sdsm.k12.wi.us
Website: lakeview.sdsm.k12.wi.us
Location: 711 Marion Avenue, South Milwaukee, WI, USA
Phone: 414-766-5252
Twitter: @sepersky