Team Thomson News & Notes
September 11, 2017
Important Information for You!
Leadership Team
As you meet in your PLCs this week, please do not forget to send me the representative from your team that will attend Leadership Meetings. Additional staff members that are not in a formal PLC and would like to attend please let me know as your input is very much appreciated as well. Our first Leadership Team Meeting will be Friday, September 22nd at 7:15 a.m. and I will bring a treat!
Watch DOGS Kick-off
Don't forget, our Watch DOGS Dads and Kids pizza kick-off event is this Wednesday. Thank you to those of you who have already volunteered! If you haven't yet volunteered, but are willing, there are two sessions (4:30-5:30 p.m. & 6:00-7:00 p.m.) with more volunteers really needed for the second as we are expecting a far bigger crowd for that session. I know how busy life is, but these events are so important to our students, families, and school and are not possible without the help of our school family.
Restorative Practices
I have loved walking into classrooms as seeing the 'relationship circles' that Holly did with us in practice and kids sharing with kids. However, in order for these to have the biggest impact remember the following:
- The kids must be sitting in a circle facing each other. When the students and teacher are seated in a circle the conversation is with everyone. When the students sit in rows, the conversation is directed to the teacher. We want the conversations and relationship building to take place between all parties, student to teacher, student to student, teacher to student.
- All members of the circle should be seated at the same level. Whether it is in chairs, sitting on the floor, or standing in the circle, all participates including teachers/adults should be at the same level. This puts everyone on the same 'level' ensuring that one person is not deemed 'more important' than another.
- You may choose to use a 'talking stick', microphone, or other 'tool' to pass from one speaker to the next. This may be helpful if students are struggling with speaking one at a time or talking over each other.
When a challenging behavior occurs:
- What happened?
- What were you thinking of at the time?
- What have you thought about since?
- Who has been affected by what you have done?
- In what way have they been affected?
- What do you think you need to do to make things right?
- What did you think when you realized what had happened?
- What impact has this incident had on you and others?
- What has been the hardest thing for you?
- What do you think needs to happen to make things right?
Constitution Day
Don't forget we will be recognizing Constitution Day (September 17th) on Monday, September 18th. Social Studies Coordinator, Dena Downey, sent an email and memo attachment on September 5th with links to educational resources that you may find helpful if needed. Remember, she has asked that you share your plans with her as well. As a school, we will celebrate with 'Red, White, and Blue Day' and will send a flyer later this week.
Success Criteria: A Learning Journey
I have appreciated the conversations that I have had with some of you around lesson plans, learning targets, success criteria, and performance tasks. As you all already know, knowing what you are teaching, why you are teaching it, and how you will know how well the students are progressing toward the goals of learning are keys to education. Lance Harper shared the following videos in with his staff and having watched them, I think that they are very valuable and will help all of you as you continue to develop your understandings of Success Criteria. In some instances you have to get past the semantics in what our U.K and Canadian friends call learning targets. Again, the videos provide a base for discussion and refinement of our learning about success criteria. Remember: Our dialogue on this topic is a learning journey and the videos this week are not a "destination." Thanks for viewing!
Quotes Worth Reading
"You have been assigned this mountain to show others it can be moved."
-InspriationalQuotesMagazine.com
"Do everything with so much love in your heart that you would never want to do it any other way."
-Ester.com.Au
Thomson Elementary
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
Important Upcoming Dates:
- Week of September 10th-PLC Week
- Monday, September 11th-Julie's Baby Shower, 4 p.m. MD's; Board of Education Meeting with New Teacher Reception at 6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 12th-Playground Monitor Training 8:30-10:30 a.m. in the High School AMR; District Improvement Mtg, 4:15-5:15 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 13th-Watch Dogs Kick-off...Staff Volunteers Needed PLEASE!
- Thursday, September 14th-Fire Drill; ELA Curriculum Meeting, 4:15-6:15 p.m.
- Friday, September 15th-FOR FUN: Matlida Jane Party at my house from 5-7 p.m. If you'd like to join and need directions, please let me know.
- Week of September 17th-Christine will be doing Trading Post mini-assemblies in the libraries.
- Monday, September 17th-Constitution Day (Wear your Red, White, & Blue); Lock Down Drill; PTO, 6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 18th-Kindergarten District PLC; Crisis Team Training, 4-5 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 19th-Staff Meeting, 7:35 a.m. (Agenda: Restorative Practices, 'Purpose', Halloween); Early Release Day, dismissal at 1:28 p.m., PD for certified staff, parapros, and Challenge Coordinator from 1:45-4:45 p.m.
- Friday, September 22nd-Leadership Team Meeting, 7:15-8:15 a.m.; PINK OUT Day