Viking Staff Newsletter
Week 15 - Dec. 2-6
Action Required and Deadlines
From the Principal's Desk
- Can you believe it's almost December!! I know it's about to be a very busy time of the year. Please get some rest and relaxation over Thanksgiving break and take time to remember all that you are thankful for.
- I was proud this week to bring several administrative people around to see displays in the hallway, what you are doing in the classrooms and our data in the PLC room. You received several compliments! Makes me very happy to hear things like, "I haven't seen this caliber of work here before." Kuddos to all of you!
- As you make instructional plans for the 3 weeks in December, please remember to make your lessons and activities meaningful so that continued learning takes place everyday. We don't want to waste even one day of potential learning, especially right before the students are off for 2 weeks. Keep your schedules as regular as possible.
- From the data collected by the district on Take Care Thursdays, only 4 teachers completed last month's lesson. Probably more did, but did not do the exit ticket. For K-2, the teacher completes the exit ticket; for 3-5 each student needs to complete the exit ticket. We rescheduled November's lesson for Thursday, Dec. 5, unless you followed the schedule and did it this week. See Kendra's note below for specifics. Participating in these lessons is a great way to show proof that you are meeting the Social/Emotional needs of our students, which is a part of your T-TESS. Please be sure to include these in your lesson plans for next Thursday.
From the Assistant Principal's Desk
Thank you for an awesome week! Please enjoy your break with your families and friends. This is a special time to rest and relax. You deserve it.
Instruction: Shout out to the awesome risk taking and instruction being developed, adapted, and implemented within the classroom. Central Admin have made specific compliments of purposeful, intentional, and strategic instruction occurring- based off the needs/ext within MAP data. As we get deeper into vertical alignment, this is an opportunity to synthesize the best practices used across the campus.
Restorative Practices: Many of you have taken risk incorporating restorative practices for students that seem to struggle or need connection to their behaviors. Even if the first time doesn't seem to resolve impacts in the room, remember the risk is worth the gamble. What if you find the restoration the student and you need? That's an investment that will pay for itself in the long run.
Some additional resources added to Norwood Website:
-MAP Data, Projection Proficiency Percentages for grade levels
-MAP Data, Recommended Goal setting for Winter MAP for Reading/Math- All grades
-Intervention, Documents for easy print & reference
If you have any additional suggestions of resources that need to be provided on the Norwood Site, please contact Mrs. Cook.
PLC Team Time This Week
PLC teams will meet with Rachel and Sheila on RtI. Please be sure to have data on your Tier 2 students - what you have tried and what has worked.
From the Counselor's Corner
We will complete the second "Take Care Thursdays" lesson on the Thursday after Thanksgiving break. At an elementary age, students are exploring different avenues of interest and expression. This lesson is focused on the mindset "Passion First"and teaches us that we are happiest and feel the most fulfilled when we are doing something that we love and feel successful at. In this lesson, we will learn that by focusing on what we are good at, passion will follow.
You can follow the below link to the lesson.
REMEMBER....to complete the EXIT TICKET.
https://sites.google.com/bisdmail.net/socialemotionallearning/take-care-thursday-lessons
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, Dec. 4
- Staff Meeting - Vertical Alignment
- 3:30 in the library
Thursday, Dec. 5
- Take Care Thursday lesson for November
Friday, Dec. 6
- Spelling Bee 8:00 am
Thursday, Dec. 12
- Take Care Thursday lesson for December
Friday, Dec. 13
- Kinder Field Trip to Museum
- 3rd grade Field Trip to Mainstay Farm
- Staff Christmas Party
Happy December Birthdays!
18th - Jessica Garcia (custodial)