Thursday Thriller October 31st

 Thursday Thriller
October 31, 2024

Halloween Fun!

Nuts-n-Bolts

1.  FYI:  If you email both Nicole and me, one of us will respond. We both do not generally respond. Just wanted you to know that.  We do talk and share.

2.  Lockdown drill tomorrow. Remember we are not telling students or advertising when.  Nicole has sent a parent square notifying families that sometime this week we will have a drill, type of drill and why.

3.  Clubs-We are finding it difficult to catch students and adults to meet before school and/or lunch time due to supervision, practices with both Jazz Band and sports plus some students taking geometry arrive much later in the morning. What if we try a rotating class period schedule-with the exception of NJHS? They are all 8th grade students and it works for 2nd lunch with Jami E.  Our clubs are Latino, PAC, Sources and Green.  The biggest 'ugh' is that students may be in all of these clubs and how much class time are we talking about? WE ARE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.

4.  Election:  This topic is not just for Social Studies classes. In preparation for the election and whatever the outcome might be, fostering civil disagreements, one view is not right or wrong over the other, we must remain neutral and foster healthy dialogue. I'm sure you have already been doing this as the topic may or may not have come up.  I will focus on this message on GNN next week. 

5.  Hearing and Vision retakes will be Monday, November 4th between 9:00-11:00.

6.  Friendly Reminder:  When you are going to be gone, please share your sub plans with both Nicole and me.  It has been really helpful when there are no subs and we have to cover from within the building.  It is a quick print of plans and go. 

Finding the balance between over planning and not planning enough is difficult.  We know iReady lessons (Personal Pathways) is not a lesson plan. It can FOR SURE be a default when students have completed their other work. If one of you has a template you use for sub plans, could you share it?  Thanks

Something to Ponder

This blog by Dave Stuart Jr. is packed with practical insights! The title had me hooked: "Why We Start Class Well." Nicole and I often emphasize, "Go slow to go fast," and here, Dave demonstrates exactly that—sharing how he sets the tone for his classroom through consistent routines over 5-6 weeks. He even includes a short 3:39-minute video showing how he transitions students to self-govern effectively with simple, consistent practices.

 Key Highlights:

   - What makes a strong start to class?

   - "The Bell is the Boss" approach

   - Engaging students immediately with the day’s work

   - Handling hard-to-manage classes

   - Warm-ups that communicate intentional messages

This resonated with me for several reasons:

   - Student Ownership: Empowering students to take charge of their learning and use reflection to drive instruction is at the heart of building both student and teacher efficacy.

   - Time Management: Time is always a precious resource. Embracing “The Bell is the Boss” helps kick off class smoothly, even with challenging periods.

   - The Power of Quick Writes: Quick writes are a valuable tool for developing writing fluency and focus.

This blog includes valuable links and insights from Dave, a practicing high school English teacher actively implementing these strategies.

Hope you find a gold nugget in this week's Something to Ponder.

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"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity"  -Amelia Earhart

Don't forget to try and 'spill' a little bit!  It will be worth it!