Thursday, January 20, 2022

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:

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





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.

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