EAST PAULDING MIDDLE SCHOOL
August 4, 2017
meme of the week
YOu made it! The first week is always the hardest.
UPCOMING EVENTS
8/9/17 - Safety Drill #2 - Code Red
8/10/17 - Professional Learning - Room 816 - PLC Team-Building Activity!
8/11/17 - SafeSchools HR Assurances Due
8/15/17 - Para Pre-Conference - Room 502 - 8:00am
8/17/17 - Professional Learning - Room 816 - Vocab Focus - Giving & Receiving Feedback
8/21/17 - Eclipse Day - Extended Release - 4:30pm
8/23/17 - Fall Picture Day - During Connections - Faculty Pic at 7:55am
8/24/17 - Professional Learning - Room 502 - Pre-Conference, PLPs, and PLGs
8/25/17 - 8th Grade Science and Social Studies Reading Strategies PL @ Moses MS
8/25/17 - 1st Official Day of TKES Observation Season
8/29/17 - PTSA Back to School Dance - 4:00-5:30
8/31/17 - Professional Learning - Ghost Walks - SIP Pre-Data
9/1/17 - RTI Meetings - Planning
2017-2018 School Improvement Plan
STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES
1. Teachers will utilize academic vocabulary and anchor charts to increase student achievement in the classroom.2. Teachers will provide specific daily learning targets as a tool to direct student focus for each class period and monitor student progress via feedback and assessments.
WHERE ARE WE NOW
At the end of our initial Anchor Chart PL with Darlene Pitts, we established two expectations for the beginning weeks of school.
1. Determine where in your room you will place your anchor charts that will be optimal for student use.
2. Develop a system for how you will archive them so that you and your students can utilize them throughout the year.
Within your Daily Snapshot, you should be identifying what you determine as your daily learning target. At this time, some of you may be writing this as an EQ, and there is nothing wrong with that. The most important things to remember with your learning targets is that students are aware of them, they align with the standards you are teaching, and the instruction or activity you have planned supports the learning target.
MONITORING
As we are currently visiting your rooms informally, we are not only observing the classroom environment and teacher student interactions, we are also looking at the physical make-up of your room. We are hoping to see that you have some reserved space for your anchor charts and vocabulary.
Additionally, we are beginning to take a close look at your Snapshots. We are looking to see the connections between the learning targets, standards, and activities occurring in the classroom.
UPCOMING PL
The next scheduled PL that will specifically support our SIP will occur on 8/17. We will discuss how to give and receive feedback as we prepare to include all of our teachers in the process of monitoring our SIP. Come ready to grow professionally and as a team!
Professional Learning in August and September
I want to encourage you to come ready to learn if it is new, to support if you are an expert already, but always with a positive, growth mindset with the belief that WE ALL can continue to improve.
The goal of our PL is to continue to build our tool box so that we can provide students the support they need that allows them and our school to be successful, to grow as individual professionals, and continue to nourish the family atmosphere we have here at EPMS.
Encouragement
Now that we are moving into week two, we are looking forward to you diving into your curriculum. We are excited to see the engaging learning opportunities you provide students each day along with your personality and love for what you teach.
I want to encourage you to "be you" when one of our administrators, district leaders, or one of your teaching colleagues visits your room. It is very noticeable when a teacher "puts on a show" with buzz words or quickly changes expectations from the norm. Student reactions are a dead give-away, and there is not a natural pace or flow to the classroom environment. Avoid teaching to the observer - trying to make sure the observer sees or hears everything that is happening - teach your students as if no one else is there.
Intentional planning and preparation will allow you to be real and your class will flow naturally. When you are naturally engaged in your lesson and your students, you are at your best. Plan and prepare so you CAN "be you".
Challenges will present themselves, but remember to take things one step at a time. Failure is not fatal and perfection is boring. Don't be afraid to be creative, think out of the box, and challenge yourself. Utilize your personality and your passion; allowing your "why" to shine. And as always, if you need support, have questions, or if you just want to bounce ideas around and "talk shop", let us know. Observing (formally and informally) is one of my favorite parts of this job, and I am looking forward to joining your classes!
But that's not you....!
But don't forget; we are also taking attendance in each classroom. We are using this year to practice for state implementation next year. We will soon begin to monitor classroom attendance on a daily basis. Please take the time to do this each day to develop the habit before the 2018-2019 school year - when it definitely counts!
don't be late for lunch! There is no time for "hangriness".
Eclipse Plans
I do want to let you know that PTSA has agreed to purchase the Eclipse glasses. We will have a pair for every student and each staff member. Please do not share that information at this time. We will be sending home information with students once we have received it from the district office.
5 QUICK OPERATIONAL REMINDERS
2. Know your role and responsibility during safety drills. It is important that you are able to operate calmly to ensure a safe drill for our students (especially if the drill is not really a drill).
3. Take attendance! Obviously...this is important!
4. Be at your assigned duty stations (AM, Class Transition, PM) on time each day. Consistent supervision provides our students a safe, secure environment.
5. If you notice a visitor without a Visitor's Pass, politely welcome them to our school, find out their destination and purpose of their visit, and escort them to the front office to obtain a visitor's pass. If you see an administrator along your journey, you can do a quick hand-off, and we will take it from there.
Building those great teacher-student relationships
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR AUGUST BABIES!
8/4 - Craig Winckler 8/17 - Shea Childers
8/7 - Sharon Maddox 8/18 - Dawn Benedit
8/7 - Deana Rhadans 8/19 - Shannon Hemminger
8/8 - Connie Dunwoody 8/19 - MaLissa Hogan
8/8 - Mariya Borisova 8//22 - Yvette Ford
8/10 - Rene Howey 8/25 - Joelle Whitener
8/10 - Annette Pearson 8/25 - Claude Phillips
8/12 - Freddie Harris 8/26 - Kenny Norton
8/13 - Phylis China
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Contact Information for Tom Alverson
Email: talverson@paulding.k12.ga.us
Website: http://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/Domain/29
Phone: 678-350-8027
Facebook: facebook.com/eastpauldingmiddleschool
Twitter: @epmsraiders