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.
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:
Social Studies
Math
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.
"We are what we teach." -Parker Palmer
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
