Thursday Thriller September 19, 2024

 Thursday Thriller

September 19, 2024

1.      Students have done so well with the Student Store and cleaning up outside! THANK YOU for handing out coins!!! 

2.  One of our Collective Commitments is we teach bell to bell which means when students are packed up standing by the door we haven't use all the given minutes AND we are setting ourselves up for chaos at the door and spilling into the hallway.  There should never be any students standing in a group at the door.  

3.  Nicole and I aren't always near our computers to check emails. If something is urgent and you need to reach us, please call the office, and they will radio for us. If you're waiting for a follow-up on an incident via email, it may take us until the end of the day to respond. 

Additionally, if a student's behavior warrants a referral, please go ahead and write one. If you're unsure and need to discuss the situation, feel free to email Steve and Nicole M. We want to reserve administrative involvement as a last resort—starting with us leaves little room for escalation, if that makes sense. Our goal is to collaborate with you when student behaviors are concerning. Please reach out to Steve and Nicole with any concerns or if you're uncertain about submitting a referral.

4. iReady Incentives Update—They're Working, and We're Running Out! :D

Please remember to track your students' lessons and share your tracker with Janell, Jazmin, Stephanie, Nicole, and myself. Here’s why: we recently had a student come in with three gum tickets, which isn't possible. A student can only earn one ticket for ELA and one for math if they are passing with at least 67%.

When a student completes 10 lessons, they should receive a bag of chips, not both gum and chips. Please double-check their passing percentage before handing out prizes. While the incentives are adding up in cost, we’re committed to continuing the program. However, we will be adjusting to handing out 3 pieces of Bazooka gum instead of full packs since we’re running through them so quickly.

Students have been great about stopping by during passing periods, lunch, and after school to collect their rewards. Our students are doing an awesome job, and I want to THANK YOU for helping reinforce these guidelines!

5.  I will be attending conferences on Tuesday evening, but I will be out of town on Thursday and Friday. AWSP (Association of Washington School Principals) has invited me to serve on the Middle Level Executive Team, and our first meeting will be Thursday through Saturday in Leavenworth. While the timing isn’t ideal, I’m excited for this opportunity. Nicole will be present during my absence.

6.  Monday, September 23rd 10:00-1:30- Nicole, Nicole M, Yaneth and I will be at a mandatory ASB workshop.  I will touch base with some of you for support during lunch time. 

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Something to Consider

We are excited to start professional development focused on the choices that matter most to you. This PD will help with the "how" while continuing to reinforce the "why." Sometimes, unintentionally, we create barriers that prevent students from succeeding. Erin gave a great example in the "Would You Rather" activity—when asked if you'd prefer to listen to a podcast or read an article, only a few people stood for the podcast. If a lesson relies on a podcast, many students may be disengaged or unable to access the content. The key belief we must all share is that *all students are capable of learning.* If you don't fully believe this, there is work to do.

Nicole and I view ourselves as having a large classroom—you, our staff! 😀 If we only communicated through 30-minute staff meetings without any handouts and expected you to take notes and fully grasp everything, we might not be successful. And that wouldn’t be your fault—it would be ours as facilitators. We used one way of disseminating information.  Those that are auditory learners might have done well; everyone else -no access.

Another example: the math department knows my math skills are... well, minimal! 😄 They were discussing whether to allow students to use notebooks or notecards for tests. I asked if anyone had taught students how to effectively take notes on a notecard for a test, and they realized that to support success, they needed to teach this skill. They decided that this first time they would create a notecard together with the students for the first test. Jami E then asked, "What would you put on a notecard?" My response was, "I’d focus on vocabulary and include examples like slide, reflect, clockwise, etc."—basic things for me. The math team’s real focus was on identifying what could prevent their students from being successful, and they approached it collaboratively. It was great teamwork!

As you work with your colleagues on lessons, ask yourself: *What might prevent my students from being successful?* I hope this question sparks meaningful conversations and leads to valuable insights.

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