Lincoln Lowdown
September 7, 2018
Welcome
I am including a video that was shared by Amy K from Bell Graham, I felt this was a great way to gain a glimpse of how students perceive the school day, let's create a welcoming school and take the time to be present for all students. I appreciate the patience, and caring nature I have seen many staff greet and attend to the needs of our students. Thank you for your warmth and caring for all of our students.
Safety Drill-Tomorrow
Tomorrow we will have a round of practice safety drills. We will not have the police department or fire department join us. We will start at 9:30 with our fire drill. Once we are back in our classrooms, we will move on to our lockdown drill. I will announce, “Students and staff, we have a stay-put alert, please lock your doors”. At that point, please move your students quickly and quietly to their designated locations. I will come around to check the doors and look for any potential issues and announce when students can move. Once we have completed that drill we will move on to our severe weather drill. Please keep your eyes and ears open during these drills so we can problem-solve any issues.
Read aloud/social-emotional lesson with Mrs. Woodring
As we are already into our second month, I want to continue visiting your classes for a few reasons. One to build a relationship and get to know your students, the second to read to them and share stories that can build on our social-emotional lessons, and third I would like you to take the opportunity to visit and observe a colleague. As we have been learning collaboration is key to building strong instruction within our classrooms. During September, I would like you to plan a time I can come into your class for about 20-30 minutes, and at that time you will visit a fellow teacher who is doing something you are interested in seeing, this may include number talks, conferring, reading workshop lessons a writing mini-lesson. Please let me know a time you would like me to come in.
A Note from your ISC
The new year has come with some newer additions to our curriculum and instruction at Lincoln. As you plan for implementing Number Talks, Math Tasks, Second Steps lessons, Reading Workshop, and Reading Units of Study, please consider inviting me in to support your students and partner with you and/or your team. There are lots of ways we can collaborate and grow in our professional learning together! Many ideas were shared on our August 31st SIP day exit slip or we can chat about other possibilities. Looking forward to working with you and your students!
Tuesdays PLC--
We will begin together in the LRC for continued learning and discussion about PLC. Then we will split off into groups, according to our focus content areas of K-2 (math) and 3-5 (literacy).
Grades K-2 will continue discussions regarding math. Please bring ideas or experiences to share regarding number talks you have implemented since last week’s meeting. Also, there will be a discussion of the number sense screener in hopes to decide how to implement this going forward so that we can gain more information regarding our students' understanding related to math.
Grades 3-5 will remain as a group. If you could bring examples or tools you have used to keep conferring notes, anecdotals, or ways you gather information about your students as readers. We will discuss how you have or may group your students looking at reading data, considering a similar tool highlighted in our reading workshop presentation from Friday, Aug 31.
Also, next Thursday September 13 is designated as the 5th PLC/Staff monthly meeting. This could involve the whole team or can even be grade level specific, partnering with special ed supports or Kim or Gina as well please let me know when you plan to meet Thursday for this meeting.
Student recognition-
On our staff bulletin board, I am posting addressed envelopes to each of our students. As the school year progresses I would like to recognize our kids for various accomplishments. As you notice students doing things please take the time to write a personalized note using the card and addressed envelope from the bulletin board and drop it into the mail. You can write one for any student, I am sure they would love to get some from former teachers, assistants, any adult that can recognize what they are doing to make Lincoln special. (Ideally, if we could send these home to all students by the end of the first trimester.)
Important Dates
Friday, September 7th – Safety drills starting at 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, September 8th-Staff Picnic at Ferson Creek Park
Monday, September 10-First cycle of interventions begins and small group instruction during reading workshop.
Tuesday, September 11-SST meetings
- PLC K-2 Math, 3-5 literacy focus (please bring requested items)
- Performance series window closes
- 5th Grade field trip Otter Creek in the morning,
- Rachel Gilmore returns and AIMSweb literacy and math window assessment open
- AT Math Curriculum Night at Lincoln school