Thursday Thriller January 28, 2022

Thursday Thriller

January 28, 2022

SHOUT OUT to RIGO!! This is from Jen Golden:  Assisting our two new monolingual students adjust to their new schedule here at Garrison. In math especially, he has been working with them directly by diving right into our lessons and basically teaching/tutoring them what we have recently been working on. I can already tell he is making a positive impact for our two students by being kind, patient, encouraging, giving direction and building a teacher-to-student type relationship with them. They have responded really well and seem eager to learn! It's been awesome to see and I'm thankful he's here with us!

Krystal, Fahima, Nathan, Ian, Cody, Mary, Tobi, Babett and Rigo are amazing para professionals!!! Watching them make connections with students, build relationships and even 'child whisper' in cases is so fun to watch!!

Look at these two!  New to us from Edison Elem and New Mexico, Tracy and Christy serve our 6th and 7th grade students in math, science and social studies.  They are also whittling spoons!!! Maybe they could teach a little class. :D  They have been stellar additions to the Garrison Family!!

Nuts-n-Bolts

1.  New semester means a reset! :D  Want to clarify and resend information.  Here are the slides we went through on September 1, 2021. Student Support and Student Discipline.   In addition classroom teachers, you can assign a lunch detention for 3+ tardies.  Email Ruben and/or Babett.  Most importantly STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE TO STAY IN YOUR CLASS FOR CONSISTENT INAPPRORPRIATE BEHAVIOR OR DISRUPTION TO THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.  Please ask for assistance making plans for students who are chronically struggling.  Carina and I are always open to feedback as to how we can support better, change systems or procedures.  We can't change the law.  However, we can help.  Please don't suffer in silence.

2.    If you have a student who is a chronic non-mask wearer, assign a lunch detention.  Follow the same process, email Ruben and/or Babett. 

4.  Streamlining and re-setting-6th grade parents/students go to Becky Jo, 7th to Angie, 8th to Steve.  They listen, problem solve, vet information and then follow up with either Carina or me.  Secretaries will be doing the same with incoming calls from families.  This way we are not doing double duty or dropping the ball.

5.    Don't forget to wear orange tomorrow for Unity Day! :D

6.    Feb. 4th-early dismissal.  The morning is planned with an activity hour (actually 50 mins).  I know in years passed teachers had coloring, bingo, and/or other activities in your room.  Students will be 'signing up' for a few activities so we know where they will be at.  There is no dance...yet.  Maybe if we hit the mark of 3500 lessons and COVID  goes away we might get to have a dance this year.

 We wanted to give students something to look forward to on Friday, Feb. 4th.  We will finalize how and when students will be choosing where to go. 

Our thinking is GST grade levels work together and host activities by grade level.  Links for the Jamboard are below.  Click on your grade level link and read the directions. 

NOW, if you don't like this idea please let us know and share your solution.  The goal is to keep grade level students with grade level students, have some fun with different activities for a little less than an hour and reward students who have completed the 8+ iReady lessons.  The VIP room will be the gyms for possibly gaga ball, volleyball, etc.  We wanted to put students in classrooms to have the gyms available. We (Amy, Carina and I) will help with supplies, set up, etc.  Approximately 68 students have earned the VIP room activities.  Braddock, Davin and Reid, we will find classrooms for you to go to since the gym is taken and the stage will be too noisy. 

6th Grade GST Teachers

7th Grade GST Teachers

8th Grade GST Teachers

5.  ASB and Sources of Strength are working to incorporate February Attendance Frenzy. At the end of each week the office will help us determine which 1st period class(es) had perfect attendance for that week.  We will EXCLUDE those that are quarantining. 

 

Something to Ponder

Hope you find a gold nugget-even a small one.

Everyone:

Competence Queen or King:D

Most Powerful Question in Education

Keys to Champion Classrooms

Social Studies

3 Strategies to Support English Language Learners in Social Studies

Math

How Math Journals Help Students Process Their Learning

Little Humor

      My family has a group text in which we communicate daily; sending pics of the grandbabies, what is for dinner on Sunday, etc.  I won't name which daughter but in our our group text she wanted to know why the humidifier wasn't working.  We told her check to see if the green light was on, water filled to the max level and give it few minutes.  Still wasn't working.  We said add a little salt that helps.  This daughter didn't have any salt.  She asked: "Can I scrape the salt off my potato chips?"  I'm going to give you a moment to process that.  I can't blame this daughter too much since her mother didn't know there was a spice called Cream of Tarter and added tarter sauce to the Christmas cookie dough mixture. 

Quote

"We are what we teach." -Parker Palmer

Calendar of Events

Friday, January 28th                    Unity Day Wear Orange!

Monday, Jan. 31st                        Happy Birthday to both Tobi and Conor! New Semester
Tuesday, Feb 1st                           Carina is attending a PLC conference with other District 
                                                        members in Arizona.  She will return on Friday. 

Wednesday, Feb. 2nd                    Did Punxsutawney  Phil see his shadow?  Collaboration-we
                                                        have a reflection activity for each staff member.  It will be
                                                        sent to you.  There will be no "official" collaboration this
                                                        first Wednesday.  After completing the reflection, your team
                                                        could talk about Friday activity hour.

Friday, Feb. 4th                            Students are dismissed at 12:25, staff will have the ENTIRE afternoon
                                                        to collaborate. :D  The "We Belong" training will pick up in March 

Thursday Thriller January 20, 2022

 Thursday Thriller
January 20, 2022

SHOUT OUT 

TO 

JAMI and KARA~  

Our library is one of the main 'hubs' of our school.  It is welcoming and offers not only a large selection of books but a safe and fun place for students to hang out during lunch.  Kara and Jami are also advisors for ASB (Kara) and NJHS (Jami).  On behalf of Garrison, THANK YOU for making the library a great place to visit, encouraging reading through engaging challenges, offering outside community members to bring in hands on learning and giving students the opportunity to give back!!

Jami is our part time librarian and part time math teacher.  She and Kara create a welcoming space for students and staff.  Jami is mom to Micah who is in 7th grade and Macy in 9th.  Her husband, Bryan, is an elementary PE teacher.  This is the busy time of year for the Eggarts traveling to basketball games and tournaments for both kids.

Kara wasn't so sure about having her picture taken. :D Kara is a certificated teachers who taught 2nd grade many years ago.  She works part time for us in the library and has an amazing back story remember her son Cooper with "Cooper's Pumpkins" and the donations she and her family make each year to the  Ronald McDonald House.  Her daughter Emery just won the Young Entrepreneur Award!  Jami and Kara do a fabulous job decorating up the library and making it welcoming place for all.

Nus-n-Bolts

1.  February 4th is a couple weeks away.  Students will not have met the 3500 iReady math goal.  However, to give a little 'teaser' and to look forward to some fun, we are planning an activity hour.  The preliminary draft of the half day will be to roll over the activities we did not do from January 14th and then to do an activity hour.  This might look like different teachers hosting Bingo in their room, coloring, Minecraft; something that is not hard but manageable. Students who completed their 8 lessons will get a VIP pass for some special treats.  The goal is to give students some 'light at the end of the tunnel' for some fun.  I am open to suggestions.  We don't want this as a time that students just wander around the school for an hour.  We will come up with a way that they select where they are going. Again, this is a 'draft,' we want to offer some fun for students, not punish those that didn't do iReady and offer something special for those that did.  Again, send your suggestions/ideas  my way for activity hour and/or VIP treats.  THANK YOU!

2.  There is hope on the horizon with the Omicron variant.  Keep your fingers crossed something else isn't coming in its wake.  Our office staff is working to make sure absences are coded correctly.  Thank you, teaching staff, for that extra step of either copying assignments to send to the office for students and/or uploading into Google classroom.  YOU ARE APPRECIATED!  Sara and Brook always have a full office not only testing students upon return from quarantine but those whose parents come in with their students and sometimes siblings to test 'just to be sure.'  Sara and Brook have also gone out to families in their cars to test them.  Everyone is working together whether it's coding absences, calling parents, testing students and athletes, making home visits, covering classes we ARE A TEAM and it shows!

3.  I'm anxious to see these posters throughout the building.  They are beautiful!  It also represents students working together for a collective goal.  Thank you, Leadership students, Nate F and Agnes for this activity!

4.  Carina and I have been making our rounds with the GC team conducting 10-15 mini observations.  Our goal is to make sure we are calibrated when we give feedback.  We are looking forward to getting into everyone's classrooms! :D  

5.  Feb. 4th we will be discussing chapters 7-8 via Zoom.  Here is the link to last week's Jamboard. from January 14th.  The feedback, comments and observations were insightful.  We may not be getting into 'deep discussions' around race, religion, etc. However, we needed to start somewhere.  Starting on common ground, building relationships with one another and talking first about what it means to belong.  As we continue to discuss this book, how can we continue the dialogue about everybody belonging from staff down to students?  What more do we need to do?  How do we train everyone to have difficult conversations if they arise in class or with each other?  I think as we hear more from community members regarding various books that needed to be banned due to content raises questions, awareness and the natural catalyst for conversations.  IT's okay to disagree view points.  How do we do it respectfully and maintain everyone's dignity? If you get the opportunity, read the book The Hate U Give.  It really opened my eyes and helped me to see more than just my view. 

6.  The Study Spot is open to students who need tutoring and time to complete assignments.  It is Mons, Tues, Thurs from 3:30-4:30 and Wednesdays from 2:30-3:30 in room 116.

Something to Ponder

Changing it up a little bit the next couple of weeks. :D  Always open to feedback.  The articles this week pertain to everyone.  In the next couple of weeks, I'll post articles for everyone AND articles that relate to specific content areas.  Sometimes it's nice to have specific content that pertains to what you are teaching daily. 

For everyone:

Dealing with Pushback on Standards-Based Grading

A High-School Teacher Has One-on-One Conferences with Students

Why Is Social-Emotional Learning More Challenging with Adolescents?

Getting Teens to Ask for Help When They Don't Know They Need It

QUOTE:

The question confronting most schools and districts is not, "What do we need to know in order to improve?" but rather, "Will we turn what we already know into action?"

                                                                                                  -  Learning By Doing Eaker, DuFour

Little Humor

Taken us back in time, a few laughs and a little inspiration. :D 

CALDENDAR of EVENTS

Friday, 1/21/22                Wear your Garrison Swag, Grade input opens today

Monday, 1/24/22               Kim and Carina at MS PD in the morning and then again in the PM around 1:30

Friday, 1/28/22                  Wear Orange for UNITY DAY, Semester 1 ends.

Thursday Thriller January 13, 2022

 Thursday Thriller

January 13, 2022

Shout Out to Brook and Sara!! They have been working round the clock with testing, calling families, trace contacting on top of the regular health room responsibilities!!  THANK YOU!!!

Staff Spotlight

Jen Golden teaches 7th grade math.  One of her teaching partners is Robin Brown.  Robin teaches both 7th and 8th grade math.  They are also on a Thursday Night Trivia Team and apparently BEAT Nate's team?  Rumor has it...

This is Nate Carrera.  Nate co-teaches 6th grade math, Res. Room Math and Res. Room ELA.  Nate, too, is on a trivia team.  What you are seeing below is his expression after Jen and Robin started talking smack about his team. I'm just reporting the facts. :D

Burwood Brewing has Trivia Night tonight!  Who will come out on top?

Nuts-n-Bolts

1.    Please refer to the schedule for tomorrow that Carina sent out.  Also, Agnes and Nate F.'s Leadership students delivered the MLK, Jr. activity for you to complete next week. 

2.    1:00 we will collaborate via Zoom for our "We All Belong" training.  Please make sure have chapters 5 and 6 read.  Here is the Zoom Link.

3.    Lockdown drill tomorrow  at 9:25.

4.   5 boxes X 5,000 sheets of paper = 25,000 PAPER COPIES.  We have GOT to START USING THE PRINTSHOP.  Armida order 6 boxes last week; we have one left.  Also, check  the staff workroom and see if your copies have printed before printing another set of copies.   WWPS  printshop@wwps.org

5.  Tuesday the 18th- approximately 20+ students will be returning from quarantining.  Before school begins, these students will need to be tested. The cafeteria commons (side closest to the outside doors) will be used as our testing station. 

6.    Club pictures for the yearbook have been postponed until March.  

7.     To be more efficient with time, Carina and I will both send emails after we have completed an informal observation.  We will add a 'reader receipt' so that we can continue the conversation when we see you in passing or schedule time to meet.  This allows for two way communication that is efficient. .  This is not a 'gotcha' to see what time you opened up the email; rather a way to carry on the conversation if needed after a quick walk through.  It's accountability for Carina and me to make sure we give you feedback either in person or via email.  Even if we give you feedback in person we will follow up with a quick email and then load it into eval.   Let us know if you have questions. 

Something to Ponder

Picking up from last week's blog-showing up to work is showing up for students.  Today at lunch a group of students wanted to play some music on my jammypack.  I of course asked them if they were 'clean' lyrics. :D  One student put a song on and then a couple in the group began to dance.  I sat down, watched, laughed and enjoyed the little dance party.  

Today, I needed this!  My motivation was lacking.  Is it the unknown that COVID brings?  Yes.  Is it  getting close to the end of the week?  Yes.  Do we need to incorporate nap time in the day?  Yes. :D  Needless to say, my 'head' was not in the right space.  As the day progressed, talking to some of you and seeing the kids completely changed my perspective.

I found this short video.  It is a TedTalk by Jeremy Anderson. It reminds me, again, WHY I went into education.  I hope you find a gold nugget in this video where Jeremy tells his story and thanks educators. 

Inspirational

QUOTE

I loved Betty White. Here is quote from her to Katie Couric on CBS Sunday Morning, 2011:

“Kindness and consideration of somebody besides yourself keeps you feeling young.”

Little Humor

You have probably seen this one.  I only hope to have these dance moves as I get older (to be honest...I think this lady and I are about the same age. LOL)

Dancing

CALENDAR of EVENTS

Friday, 1/14                        Early Dismissal @ 12:25, We All Belong training @ 1:00 via Zoom

Monday, 1/17                     No School in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tuesday, 1/18                     COVID Testing for students returning from quarantine in the commons before school begins, Happy Birthday, Maria!!!

Wednesday, 1/19                2:45 Collaboration with your team

Thursday, 1/20                    7th grade SST @ 8:00, POD A @ 8:55, POD B @ 11:55

Friday, 1/21                          GC Meeting @ 7:30 in Agnes' room

Monday, 1/24                    MS Leader PD @ 7:30 Kim and Carina out of the building

Friday, 1/28                        Unity Day WEAR ORANGE

Thursday Thriller

 Thursday Thriller

January 6, 2022

Nuts-n-Bolts

1.  Happy New Year to you all!!  I truly hope each of you were able to relax, unplug and charge your battery!  I spent time with family and snuggled up my yummy grandkids. :D

2.    Carina and I appreciate the time and effort you put into the Jamboard yesterday.  We will reflect with the GC.  Stay tuned!

3.  Let's talk about the elephant in the room-Omicron variant.  As we know by attendance, this is hitting hard.  We suspect that it will get worse before it gets better.  It's critical that assignments, homework, etc. are either uploaded into your Google classrooms or printed and placed in folders in the office to be delivered.  In addition, make sure your plans are ready to go.  Being out upwards to 10 days is a LOT of time!

It's no secret that we are going to have to help cover classes because the reality of sub coverage is dismal.   We are emergency certifying anyone that meets requirements.  We know it can be a burden to cover a colleague's class during your prep.  However, please consider covering when Armida sends out the "SOS Need Help" email because it may be you that is out and needs the coverage.

4. January 14th is a half day.  8th grade students will attend a field trip to the high school.  The time of the field trip has been adjusted due to transportation logistics.  Students will return at 11:15 not 12:15.  HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE ACTIVITIES PLANNED so don't stress. :D  6th and 7th grade GST activities have also been planned.  Amy K will send this out for your viewing by Monday.

5.     We All Belong training will be via Zoom on the 14th.  Please make sure and read chapters 5 and 6 for this training.  Link will be sent out next week.

Something to Ponder

Monday I received this letter from a former student. This is not to 'toot-my-own-horn,' but rather for you to stop for one moment and  TOOT YOUR OWN HORN! Each and every one of you makes a difference!  You may not know your impact until years later.  Your words and actions speak loudly. Whether you are new to education or not, stop for one minute and think about a former student who has let you know that they appreciated you!!!  SEE!!!  I bet you have several examples.  This is WHY you do what you do EVEN when you have students who drive you bat sh*t crazy!  Showing up everyday is showing up for students. :D

Research to support the relationships you have with students is POWERFUL!

This is a repeat video but worth listening to again.  3 mins and 41secs. :D

The Power of Relationships in Schools

Research shows that students who feel safe and supported by adults at school are better able to learn.

Quote

"Never forget to remain a student while you teach others."

- Jerry Cortsen.

Little Humor

Denzel Washington is one of my favorite actors AND we share the same birthday :D

Calendar of Events

Happy Belated birthday to Jose!!! His birthday was yesterday, Jan. 5th! 

Friday, Jan. 7th                GC CANCELED, Fri Yeah!! Wear your Garrison Swag
Monday, Jan. 10th            Carina and Kim will be out of the building at training until 9:00AM
                                            Ashley begins at Prospect Point!  She is going to be an INCREDIBLE addition to their staff.  She went on a couple of home visits with Alex yesterday.  When we asked her about them, she had a sparkle in her eye. :D  Good luck, Ashley!!

Tuesday, Jan. 11th             8th graders need to turn in permission slips for Friday's field trip
Friday, Jan. 14th                1/2 Day, 8th graders to WA HI, 6th-7th participating in activities in their
                                            GST class.  Staff will Zoom for the "We All Belong" training, Chps 5 & 6

Monday, Jan. 17th                No School in observance of MLK Day. We will be doing something school wide to honor and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Please don't limit your classroom discussions to just the activity we send you (this will be forthcoming).  Check in with one another about what discussions you are having around this day of observance. 
Tuesday, Jan. 18th                Maria's birthday