Friday Update
March 26th, 2010
After Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - I hope you enjoy the break. Find something fun to do and do it. April, May and June are tough so get all the energy you can over the break.
“Vacation used to be a luxury, however, in today's world, it has become a necessity.”
-Anonymous
**You can now view the Friday Update at the following URL address: http://swefridayupdate.blogspot.com/ We will continue to send the Friday Update via email AND at the blog address for a few weeks. Please begin to use the “blogspot” address to view the Friday Update. If there are corrections, they can be made in the comment section.
Next week
Monday 3/29 – Snow Make-up Day (treat as regular Monday - week 3B) (students at school - No Tutoring), Tech 21 Cohort Training 3:15-4:15
Tuesday 3/30 – Teacher work day
Wednesday 3/31 – Teacher work day
Thursday 4/1 – Spring Break
Friday 4/2 - Spring Break/ Holiday
Week of 4/5-4/9
(4/5) 3rd grade PLC @ 12:10, SAT
(4/6) Principals Mtg., Kindergarten PLC @ 8:50, Specialists PLC @ 9:30, Science Training, Donatos Night
(4/7) 1st grade PLC @ 10:20, EC PLC @ 12:00, 4th grade PLC @ 12:55, Spring Pictures, Report Cards Turned In
(4/8) 2nd grade PLC @ 11:05, 5th grade PLC @ 1:40, Technology Workshop
(4/9) Southwest Golf Tournament
Duty Schedule
*Breakfast –Weiss, Aikins, Sereika, Letoutneau
FYI/Reminders
-Please remember that due to continued issues with physical contact, football is no longer an acceptable activity during recess. Please remember to actively supervise at recess.
-The 2010 TWC Survey is on-line at http://www.ncteachingconditions.org/ - look for more information from Pateah East about how we can earn incentives for our school.
-The Teacher Notification of Intent web site is ready! The link is now up and available to teachers via the Employees page of the WS/FCS web site. All full-time teachers need to complete an intent form (we have a different process for part-time teachers). The deadline is April 16th.
-The RJM Financial Southwest Golf tournament is scheduled for Friday, April 9th at Salem Glen Golf Club. We are still seeking players, teams, sponsors as well as donations for the raffle. During the next three weeks, students may pay $1 to have their name put on a “golf ball” that will be used to decorate the hallway. Please send your collection envelopes to Cathy Weiss daily.
- There has been some interest in forming a Southwest team to participate in the Hospice 5K/10K walk/run on Saturday, April 17. Please sign up to join us in the glass office or go to www.support4hospice.org for more information.
- If you are unable to join us on April 17th for Southwest's Hospice Hope Team, there is still another way that you can help support Hospice. Southwest will be having $1 Jean days for the whole week after we come back from Spring Break. April 5-8 pay $1 per day to wear your Jeans to school. Please give your $1's to Nellie. If you are planning on walking or running for Hospice on the 17th... you can still participate in Jean days as well.
.
Staff Stars
Carolanne Rosenberger – Great job with your hands-on Math instruction.
4th grade – Nice job with “unpacking” your first standard.
All instructional staff – Your work with Classroom Walkthrough data was the best yet.
Amy Hancock, Terri Lowe, Katie Chamra – Thanks for representing SW at the board of education meeting.
Noche Hispana folks – Great job with Tuesday’s dinner and information session.
Hospitality committee – Thanks for the Friday meal idea.
PBS committee – Thank you for your work on Tuesday.
Becky Drummond – Nice job with using the office as a temporary refuge for your friend and then giving him a “second chance.”
Kristie Tsolis – Thank you for working closely with your parent to help with your student’s issues.
Great job with end of quarter testing!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Friday Update 3-19-10
Friday Update
March 19th, 2010
I shared with you at this month’s staff meeting that the central office administration had shared some information about stress. This year has been especially stressful and we are going into our most stressful time of every school year. In order for all of us to be “the best” for our students (YES, me included), we must be mindful of our own stress levels and how to handle it in healthy ways. The tips below were part of the information that was shared with principals.
Find Ways to Dispel Stress
• Get time away. If you feel stress building, take a break. Walk away from the situation.
• Talk it out. Sometimes the best stress-reducer is simply sharing your stress with someone close to you. The act of talking it out – and getting support and empathy from someone else – is often an excellent way of blowing off steam and reducing stress.
• Cultivate allies at work. Just knowing you have one or more co-workers who are willing to assist you in times of stress will reduce your stress level. Just remember to reciprocate and help them when they are in need.
• Find humor in the situation. When you – or the people around you – start taking things too seriously, find a way to break through with laughter. Share a joke or funny story.
“Teaching is painful, continual and difficult work to be done by kindness, by watching, by warning, by precept and by praise, but above all, by example.”
-John Ruskin
**You can now view the Friday Update at the following URL address: http://swefridayupdate.blogspot.com/ We will continue to send the Friday Update via email AND at the blog address for a few weeks. Please begin to use the “blogspot” address to view the Friday Update. If there are corrections, they can be made in the comment section.
Next week
Monday 3/22 –3rd grade PLC @ 12:10, Grades 3-5 testing window begins, SAT, Sagebrush Night, Volunteer Committee Mtg. @ 3:00
Tuesday 3/23– Kindergarten PLC @ 8:50, Specialists PLC @ 9:30, PBS Mtg., Board of Education Mtg., Noche Hispana
Wednesday 3/24 – 1st grade PLC @ 10:20, EC PLC @ 12:00, 4th grade PLC @ 12:55
Thursday 3/25 –2nd grade PLC @ 11:05, 5th grade PLC @ 1:40, Watch Dog – Sean Eller
Friday 3/26 - End of quarterly testing, Admin. Team Mtg., Kindergarten to SciWorks
Week of 3/29-4/2
(3/29) Snow Make-up Day (students at school - No Tutoring), Tech 21 Cohort Training 3:15-4:15
(3/30) Teacher work day
(3/31) Teacher work day
(4/1) Spring Break
(4/2) Spring Break/ Holiday
Duty Schedule
*Breakfast –Weiss, Aikins, Sereika, Letoutneau
FYI/Reminders
-The 2010 TWC Survey is on-line at http://www.ncteachingconditions.org/ - look for more information from Pateah East about how we can earn incentives for our school.
-The Teacher Notification of Intent web site is ready! The link is now up and available to teachers via the Employees page of the WS/FCS web site. All full-time teachers need to complete an intent form (we have a different process for part-time teachers). The deadline is April 16th.
-Just a reminder that if you would like to make a contribution to the FCAE campaign fund please see Terry Zimmerman, Pateah East, or Kathi Lawrence
-The RJM Financial Southwest Golf tournament is scheduled for Friday, April 9th at Salem Glen Golf Club. We are still seeking players, teams, sponsors as well as donations for the raffle. During the next three weeks, students may pay $1 to have their name put on a “golf ball” that will be used to decorate the hallway. Please send your collection envelopes to Cathy Weiss daily
- If anyone has any extra ziploc sandwich bags or paper towels in their classroom that they would be willing to donate to the health room, they would be greatly appreciated.
- Thanks for the “goodies” we have been enjoying for Friday lunches. Just a reminder for the last week:
March 26th – Administration, 1st grade teachers and PRTS
-Please remember that next week is the designated week for the Social Studies lessons on the Census. If you recall, Debbie shared some resources with you at our last staff meeting.
Staff Stars
Sandra Garcia – Thanks for helping with a difficult conference. You are amazing and so caring. It is a pleasure to have your presence in conferences.
Nellie Broyhill – Thank you for your work to line up substitutes and lunch for our extended PLC/Planning days.
Kim Skinner – Thank you for always greeting our guests with a smile.
Science Festival crew – Great job with the festival!
School Improvement Team – Thank you for representing your colleagues well.
Brooke DiSorbo – Thanks for being an advisor on all things "Animal Safari" related! Thanks also for keeping all your notes from last year!
Heidi Lee and Nicole Skinner – Thank you for sharing some great math stuff and following in the "spirit" of our recent PLC! :)
Jennifer Cohn – You have been a great addition to the kindergarten team. Keep up the good work!
Erika Coffield, Patty Overby & Donna Williams – Thank you for the ways in which you work with our students who need that extra push.
March 19th, 2010
I shared with you at this month’s staff meeting that the central office administration had shared some information about stress. This year has been especially stressful and we are going into our most stressful time of every school year. In order for all of us to be “the best” for our students (YES, me included), we must be mindful of our own stress levels and how to handle it in healthy ways. The tips below were part of the information that was shared with principals.
Find Ways to Dispel Stress
• Get time away. If you feel stress building, take a break. Walk away from the situation.
• Talk it out. Sometimes the best stress-reducer is simply sharing your stress with someone close to you. The act of talking it out – and getting support and empathy from someone else – is often an excellent way of blowing off steam and reducing stress.
• Cultivate allies at work. Just knowing you have one or more co-workers who are willing to assist you in times of stress will reduce your stress level. Just remember to reciprocate and help them when they are in need.
• Find humor in the situation. When you – or the people around you – start taking things too seriously, find a way to break through with laughter. Share a joke or funny story.
“Teaching is painful, continual and difficult work to be done by kindness, by watching, by warning, by precept and by praise, but above all, by example.”
-John Ruskin
**You can now view the Friday Update at the following URL address: http://swefridayupdate.blogspot.com/ We will continue to send the Friday Update via email AND at the blog address for a few weeks. Please begin to use the “blogspot” address to view the Friday Update. If there are corrections, they can be made in the comment section.
Next week
Monday 3/22 –3rd grade PLC @ 12:10, Grades 3-5 testing window begins, SAT, Sagebrush Night, Volunteer Committee Mtg. @ 3:00
Tuesday 3/23– Kindergarten PLC @ 8:50, Specialists PLC @ 9:30, PBS Mtg., Board of Education Mtg., Noche Hispana
Wednesday 3/24 – 1st grade PLC @ 10:20, EC PLC @ 12:00, 4th grade PLC @ 12:55
Thursday 3/25 –2nd grade PLC @ 11:05, 5th grade PLC @ 1:40, Watch Dog – Sean Eller
Friday 3/26 - End of quarterly testing, Admin. Team Mtg., Kindergarten to SciWorks
Week of 3/29-4/2
(3/29) Snow Make-up Day (students at school - No Tutoring), Tech 21 Cohort Training 3:15-4:15
(3/30) Teacher work day
(3/31) Teacher work day
(4/1) Spring Break
(4/2) Spring Break/ Holiday
Duty Schedule
*Breakfast –Weiss, Aikins, Sereika, Letoutneau
FYI/Reminders
-The 2010 TWC Survey is on-line at http://www.ncteachingconditions.org/ - look for more information from Pateah East about how we can earn incentives for our school.
-The Teacher Notification of Intent web site is ready! The link is now up and available to teachers via the Employees page of the WS/FCS web site. All full-time teachers need to complete an intent form (we have a different process for part-time teachers). The deadline is April 16th.
-Just a reminder that if you would like to make a contribution to the FCAE campaign fund please see Terry Zimmerman, Pateah East, or Kathi Lawrence
-The RJM Financial Southwest Golf tournament is scheduled for Friday, April 9th at Salem Glen Golf Club. We are still seeking players, teams, sponsors as well as donations for the raffle. During the next three weeks, students may pay $1 to have their name put on a “golf ball” that will be used to decorate the hallway. Please send your collection envelopes to Cathy Weiss daily
- If anyone has any extra ziploc sandwich bags or paper towels in their classroom that they would be willing to donate to the health room, they would be greatly appreciated.
- Thanks for the “goodies” we have been enjoying for Friday lunches. Just a reminder for the last week:
March 26th – Administration, 1st grade teachers and PRTS
-Please remember that next week is the designated week for the Social Studies lessons on the Census. If you recall, Debbie shared some resources with you at our last staff meeting.
Staff Stars
Sandra Garcia – Thanks for helping with a difficult conference. You are amazing and so caring. It is a pleasure to have your presence in conferences.
Nellie Broyhill – Thank you for your work to line up substitutes and lunch for our extended PLC/Planning days.
Kim Skinner – Thank you for always greeting our guests with a smile.
Science Festival crew – Great job with the festival!
School Improvement Team – Thank you for representing your colleagues well.
Brooke DiSorbo – Thanks for being an advisor on all things "Animal Safari" related! Thanks also for keeping all your notes from last year!
Heidi Lee and Nicole Skinner – Thank you for sharing some great math stuff and following in the "spirit" of our recent PLC! :)
Jennifer Cohn – You have been a great addition to the kindergarten team. Keep up the good work!
Erika Coffield, Patty Overby & Donna Williams – Thank you for the ways in which you work with our students who need that extra push.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Friday Update 3-12-10
While all of the requirements of this year have made it hard to see the value of PLC's - there is value. If you remember, we started preparing for our "PLC journey" on those 1/2 day PLC days during the 2008-09 school year. As I said during the staff meeting on Tuesday, your collective growth as a staff is tremendous. You have all come a long way in terms of your ability to put away the "noise (frustrations, personal crises, etc.)" in order to focus on student learning. As we continue on our PLC journey and get ready for next week's extended PLC's, I wanted to remind you of the key parts of a true Professional Learning Community taken from the Richard DuFour book Learning by Doing (2006).
Professional Learning Community (PLC)"Educators committed to working collaboratively in ongoing processes of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. Professional learning communities operate under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is continuous job-embedded learning for educators." Learning by Doing (2006)
What Are Professional Learning Communities?It has been interesting to observe the growing popularity of the term professional learning community. In fact, the term has become so commonplace and has been used so ambiguously to describe virtually any loose coupling of individuals who share a common interest in education that it is in danger of losing all meaning. This lack of precision is an obstacle to implementing PLC concepts because, as Mike Schmoker observes, "clarity precedes competence." Thus, we begin with an attempt to clarify our meaning of the term. To those familiar with our past work, this step may seem redundant, but we are convinced that redundancy can be a powerful tool in effective communication, and we prefer redundancy to ambiguity.
A Focus on Learning
A Collaborative Culture With a Focus on Learning for All
Collective Inquiry Into Best Practice and Current Reality
Action Orientation: Learning by Doing
A Commitment to Continuous Improvement
Inherent to a PLC are a persistent disquiet with the status quo and a constant search for a better way to achieve goals and accomplish the purpose of the organization. Systematic processes engage each member of the organization in an ongoing cycle of:
Gathering evidence of current levels of student learning
Developing strategies and ideas to build on strengths and address weaknesses in that learning
Implementing those strategies and ideas
Analyzing the impact of the changes to discover what was effective and what was not
Applying new knowledge in the next cycle of continuous improvement
Results Orientation
Finally, members of a PLC realize that all of their efforts in these areas—a focus on learning, collaborative teams, collective inquiry, action orientation, and continuous improvement—must be assessed on the basis of results rather than intentions. Unless initiatives are subjected to ongoing assessment on the basis of tangible results, they represent random groping in the dark rather than purposeful improvement. As Peter Senge and colleagues conclude, "The rationale for any strategy for building a learning organization revolves around the premise that such organizations will produce dramatically improved results."
This focus on results leads each team to develop and pursue measurable improvement goals that are aligned to school and district goals for learning. It also drives teams to create a series of common formative assessments that are administered to students multiple times throughout the year to gather ongoing evidence of student learning. Team members review the results from these assessments in an effort to identify and address program concerns (areas of learning where many students are experiencing difficulty). They also examine the results to discover strengths and weaknesses in their individual teaching in order to learn from one another. Most importantly, the assessments are used to identify students who need additional time and support for learning. Frequent common formative assessments represent one of the most powerful tools in the PLC arsenal.
DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many (2006). Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work™, pp. 2–4.
For more information, read the article "What Is a Professional Learning Community?"
“Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can - there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did.”
Sarah Caldwell
**You can now view the Friday Update at the following URL address: http://swefridayupdate.blogspot.com/ We will continue to send the Friday Update via email AND at the blog address for a few weeks. Please begin to use the “blogspot” address to view the Friday Update. If there are corrections, they can be made in the comment section.
Next week
Monday 3/15 –SAT, Science Festival Kick-off, 3rd grade ½ day PLC in Dice’s room, EC ½ day PLC in Barnes’ room
Tuesday 3/16– Science Festival, Progress Reports Go Home, SIT, PLC Facilitator Mtg., Time to Eat Night, Kindergarten ½ day PLC in Dice’s room, Specialists ½ day PLC in Barnes’ room
Wednesday 3/17 – Science Festival, CC Mtg., 4th grade ½ day PLC in Barnes’ room, 1st grade ½ day PLC in Dice’s room
Thursday 3/18 –Science Festival, 2nd grade ½ day PLC in Barnes’ room, 5th grade ½ day PLC in Dice’s room
Friday 3/19 - Watch Dog – Todd Stephens, Admin. Team Mtg.
Week of 3/22-3/26
(3/22) 3rd grade PLC @ 12:10, Grades 3-5 testing window begins, SAT, Sagebrush Night, Volunteer Committee Mtg. @ 3:00
(3/23) Kindergarten PLC @ 8:50, Specialists PLC @ 9:30, Dental screening for grades K, 3, 5, EC, PBS Mtg., Board of Education Mtg.
(3/24) 1st grade PLC @ 10:20, EC PLC @ 12:00, 4th grade PLC @ 12:55
(3/25) 2nd grade PLC @ 11:05, 5th grade PLC @ 1:40, Watch Dog – Sean Eller
(3/26) End of quarterly testing, Admin. Team Mtg., Kindergarten to SciWorks
Duty Schedule
*Breakfast – Biggam, Trinkle
FYI/Reminders
-Just a reminder that if you would like to make a contribution to the FCAE campaign fund please see Terry Zimmerman, Pateah East, or Kathi Lawrence
-The RJM Financial Southwest Golf tournament is scheduled for Friday, April 9th at Salem Glen Golf Club. We are still seeking players, teams, sponsors as well as donations for the raffle. During the next three weeks, students may pay $1 to have their name put on a “golf ball” that will be used to decorate the hallway. Please send your collection envelopes to Cathy Weiss daily
- If anyone has any extra ziploc sandwich bags or paper towels in their classroom that they would be willing to donate to the health room, they would be greatly appreciated.
-Please submit your vote for our 2010 Volunteer of the Year. Turn your votes in to the glass office by Wednesday, March 17th.
- Thanks for the “goodies” we have been enjoying for Friday lunches. Just a reminder for the rest of the weeks:
March 19th – Kindergarten teachers and assistants, 2nd grade teachers and OWLS
March 26th – Administration, 1st grade teachers and PRTS
Staff Stars
Gateway tutors - Thank you for your wonderfully patient work on Mondays and Thursdays.
5th Grade Teachers - Great job with the ABC book on weather to promote Science vocabulary.
Becky Drummond - Nice use of manipulatives with your equivalent fraction lesson.
Multiplication tournament organizers, judges, announcers and participants - Thank you for your work to keep this a positive experience for our students.
Science Festival planners - Your time and efforts to prepare are greatly appreciated.
Katie Chamra + Terri Lowe - Thank you for being leaders and being so involved with new WSFCS PE initiatives.
Golf committee - Thank you for your efforts to make our tournament successful.
Jennifer Crain/Sarah Baldwin - Great job sharing DIBELS info with the grade level.
Erin Gough - Thanks for taking such great care of your hurt student.
Jan Barr and friends - Thanks for your help in locating our missing student.
Joyce Wilson/Jennifer Fausch - Your support for your student's family has been wonderful.
Sherry Marceron -Thank you for being such an outstanding advocate for your students.
Professional Learning Community (PLC)"Educators committed to working collaboratively in ongoing processes of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. Professional learning communities operate under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is continuous job-embedded learning for educators." Learning by Doing (2006)
What Are Professional Learning Communities?It has been interesting to observe the growing popularity of the term professional learning community. In fact, the term has become so commonplace and has been used so ambiguously to describe virtually any loose coupling of individuals who share a common interest in education that it is in danger of losing all meaning. This lack of precision is an obstacle to implementing PLC concepts because, as Mike Schmoker observes, "clarity precedes competence." Thus, we begin with an attempt to clarify our meaning of the term. To those familiar with our past work, this step may seem redundant, but we are convinced that redundancy can be a powerful tool in effective communication, and we prefer redundancy to ambiguity.
A Focus on Learning
A Collaborative Culture With a Focus on Learning for All
Collective Inquiry Into Best Practice and Current Reality
Action Orientation: Learning by Doing
A Commitment to Continuous Improvement
Inherent to a PLC are a persistent disquiet with the status quo and a constant search for a better way to achieve goals and accomplish the purpose of the organization. Systematic processes engage each member of the organization in an ongoing cycle of:
Gathering evidence of current levels of student learning
Developing strategies and ideas to build on strengths and address weaknesses in that learning
Implementing those strategies and ideas
Analyzing the impact of the changes to discover what was effective and what was not
Applying new knowledge in the next cycle of continuous improvement
Results Orientation
Finally, members of a PLC realize that all of their efforts in these areas—a focus on learning, collaborative teams, collective inquiry, action orientation, and continuous improvement—must be assessed on the basis of results rather than intentions. Unless initiatives are subjected to ongoing assessment on the basis of tangible results, they represent random groping in the dark rather than purposeful improvement. As Peter Senge and colleagues conclude, "The rationale for any strategy for building a learning organization revolves around the premise that such organizations will produce dramatically improved results."
This focus on results leads each team to develop and pursue measurable improvement goals that are aligned to school and district goals for learning. It also drives teams to create a series of common formative assessments that are administered to students multiple times throughout the year to gather ongoing evidence of student learning. Team members review the results from these assessments in an effort to identify and address program concerns (areas of learning where many students are experiencing difficulty). They also examine the results to discover strengths and weaknesses in their individual teaching in order to learn from one another. Most importantly, the assessments are used to identify students who need additional time and support for learning. Frequent common formative assessments represent one of the most powerful tools in the PLC arsenal.
DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many (2006). Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work™, pp. 2–4.
For more information, read the article "What Is a Professional Learning Community?"
“Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can - there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did.”
Sarah Caldwell
**You can now view the Friday Update at the following URL address: http://swefridayupdate.blogspot.com/ We will continue to send the Friday Update via email AND at the blog address for a few weeks. Please begin to use the “blogspot” address to view the Friday Update. If there are corrections, they can be made in the comment section.
Next week
Monday 3/15 –SAT, Science Festival Kick-off, 3rd grade ½ day PLC in Dice’s room, EC ½ day PLC in Barnes’ room
Tuesday 3/16– Science Festival, Progress Reports Go Home, SIT, PLC Facilitator Mtg., Time to Eat Night, Kindergarten ½ day PLC in Dice’s room, Specialists ½ day PLC in Barnes’ room
Wednesday 3/17 – Science Festival, CC Mtg., 4th grade ½ day PLC in Barnes’ room, 1st grade ½ day PLC in Dice’s room
Thursday 3/18 –Science Festival, 2nd grade ½ day PLC in Barnes’ room, 5th grade ½ day PLC in Dice’s room
Friday 3/19 - Watch Dog – Todd Stephens, Admin. Team Mtg.
Week of 3/22-3/26
(3/22) 3rd grade PLC @ 12:10, Grades 3-5 testing window begins, SAT, Sagebrush Night, Volunteer Committee Mtg. @ 3:00
(3/23) Kindergarten PLC @ 8:50, Specialists PLC @ 9:30, Dental screening for grades K, 3, 5, EC, PBS Mtg., Board of Education Mtg.
(3/24) 1st grade PLC @ 10:20, EC PLC @ 12:00, 4th grade PLC @ 12:55
(3/25) 2nd grade PLC @ 11:05, 5th grade PLC @ 1:40, Watch Dog – Sean Eller
(3/26) End of quarterly testing, Admin. Team Mtg., Kindergarten to SciWorks
Duty Schedule
*Breakfast – Biggam, Trinkle
FYI/Reminders
-Just a reminder that if you would like to make a contribution to the FCAE campaign fund please see Terry Zimmerman, Pateah East, or Kathi Lawrence
-The RJM Financial Southwest Golf tournament is scheduled for Friday, April 9th at Salem Glen Golf Club. We are still seeking players, teams, sponsors as well as donations for the raffle. During the next three weeks, students may pay $1 to have their name put on a “golf ball” that will be used to decorate the hallway. Please send your collection envelopes to Cathy Weiss daily
- If anyone has any extra ziploc sandwich bags or paper towels in their classroom that they would be willing to donate to the health room, they would be greatly appreciated.
-Please submit your vote for our 2010 Volunteer of the Year. Turn your votes in to the glass office by Wednesday, March 17th.
- Thanks for the “goodies” we have been enjoying for Friday lunches. Just a reminder for the rest of the weeks:
March 19th – Kindergarten teachers and assistants, 2nd grade teachers and OWLS
March 26th – Administration, 1st grade teachers and PRTS
Staff Stars
Gateway tutors - Thank you for your wonderfully patient work on Mondays and Thursdays.
5th Grade Teachers - Great job with the ABC book on weather to promote Science vocabulary.
Becky Drummond - Nice use of manipulatives with your equivalent fraction lesson.
Multiplication tournament organizers, judges, announcers and participants - Thank you for your work to keep this a positive experience for our students.
Science Festival planners - Your time and efforts to prepare are greatly appreciated.
Katie Chamra + Terri Lowe - Thank you for being leaders and being so involved with new WSFCS PE initiatives.
Golf committee - Thank you for your efforts to make our tournament successful.
Jennifer Crain/Sarah Baldwin - Great job sharing DIBELS info with the grade level.
Erin Gough - Thanks for taking such great care of your hurt student.
Jan Barr and friends - Thanks for your help in locating our missing student.
Joyce Wilson/Jennifer Fausch - Your support for your student's family has been wonderful.
Sherry Marceron -Thank you for being such an outstanding advocate for your students.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Friday Update 3-5-10
Friday Update
March 5th, 2010
Article excerpt from “New Horizons in Comprehension” by Ellin Oliver Keene in Educational Leadership – March 2010
Key Reading Comprehension Strategies
Monitor for meaning. Know when, as a reader, you fully understand or don’t understand
Use schema. Relate the new to the known; activate prior knowledge to help you understand new information. Make connections between texts, portions of the same text, the text and broader knowledge, and the text and the reader. If you realize that you lack necessary schema to understand a text or concept, create schema using a variety of methods.
Infer. Predict; make independent decisions about inexplicit meanings; form opinions and defend them; draw conclusions and defend them.
Ask questions. Generate questions before, during, and after reading. Use questions to focus, delve more deeply, and extrapolate to insights within and beyond the text.
Create images. Use images that emanate from all five senses and from the emotions to understand more vividly.
Determine importance. Make decisions about which ideas and concepts are most important in a text; articulate why those ideas are most important.
Synthesize. Be aware of how one’s thinking changes during reading. Create a cogent expression of key points after reading, which may contain information from a variety of sources outside the current text.
"Regardless of your lot in life, you can build something beautiful on it."-Zig Ziglar
Next week
Monday 3/8 – 3rd grade PLC @ 12:10, SAT, Admin. Team Mtg., Multiplication Tournament, 1st grade to Millis Regional Health Center (Tilley, Wilson, Lawrence)
Tuesday 3/9 – Kindergarten PLC @ 8:50, Specialists PLC @ 9:30, Watch Dog – David Rhyne, Multiplication Tournament, Staff Meeting/Marzano training (please plan to meet until 4:30), Big Shotz Night, Board of Education Mtg.
Wednesday 3/10 – 1st grade PLC @ 10:20, EC PLC @ 12:00, 4th grade PLC @ 12:55, Multiplication Tournament
Thursday 3/11 – 2nd grade PLC @ 11:05, 5th grade PLC @ 1:40, Multiplication Tournament, Principal’s Mtg., Technology Workshop – Digital Storytelling
Friday 3/12 - Watch Dog – Doug Ford, Admin. Team Mtg.
Week of 3/15-3/19
(3/15) 3rd grade PLC @ 12:10,SAT, Science Festival Kick-off
(3/16) Kindergarten PLC @ 8:50, Specialists PLC @ 9:30, Science Festival, Progress Reports Go Home, SIT, PLC Facilitator Mtg., Time to Eat Night
(3/17) 1st grade PLC @ 10:20, EC PLC @ 12:00, 4th grade PLC @ 12:55, Science Festival, CC Mtg.
(3/18) 2nd grade PLC @ 11:05, 5th grade PLC @ 1:40, Science Festival
(3/19) Watch Dog – Todd Stephens, Admin. Team Mtg.
Duty Schedule
*Breakfast – Womble, Aikins, Letourneau, Sereika
FYI/Reminders
-Just a reminder that if you would like to make a contribution to the FCAE campaign fund please see Terry Zimmerman, Pateah East, or Kathi Lawrence
-The RJM Financial Southwest Golf tournament is scheduled for Friday, April 9th at Salem Glen Golf Club. We are still seeking players, teams, sponsors as well as donations for the raffle. During the next three weeks, students may pay $1 to have their name put on a “golf ball” that will be used to decorate the hallway.
-Get well – Joanne Baker, Jan Hipp and Tiffany Larson
Staff Stars
Pateah East and Jan Womble – Thank you for all the hard work (and paperwork) you do for our children. You both do such a wonderful job!
Cornelia Hauhuth- Thanks for the work you do
Hospitality committee – Thanks for your efforts to brighten our winter blahs
Kindergarten – Thank you for bringing Dr. Seuss alive this week.
Gloria Allen – Thank you for your guidance with Black History Month and Music in schools month.
Bus and Car duty staff – Thank you for helping to make sure our students arrive and leave safely on a daily basis.
Kathy Wilheit – Thank you for your efforts to keep SIT on track.
PRT’s and assistants – Your work in our classrooms is invaluable!
Kim Cressman, Tom Keener, Debbie Herrin – Thank you for your continued leadership.
3rd Grade and Kiki Hutcheson – What a wonderful baby shower for Jennie Currie!
Ann White – Thanks for working with teachers to get our science lab off to a running start.
Jan Freshwater – Great job with using DIBELS data to monitor your students.
Can-Do Winners for 3/5/10
K-2 Mrs. Lawrence 3031 (new record high for one week!!!)
3-5 Mrs. DiSorbo 430
Honorable mention:
Ms. Cohn 660
Mrs. Sutcliffe 254
**You can now view the Friday Update at the following URL address: http://swefridayupdate.blogspot.com/ We will continue to send the Friday Update via email AND at the blog address for a few weeks. Please begin to use the “blogspot” address to view the Friday Update. If there are corrections, they can be made in the comment section.
March 5th, 2010
Article excerpt from “New Horizons in Comprehension” by Ellin Oliver Keene in Educational Leadership – March 2010
Key Reading Comprehension Strategies
Monitor for meaning. Know when, as a reader, you fully understand or don’t understand
Use schema. Relate the new to the known; activate prior knowledge to help you understand new information. Make connections between texts, portions of the same text, the text and broader knowledge, and the text and the reader. If you realize that you lack necessary schema to understand a text or concept, create schema using a variety of methods.
Infer. Predict; make independent decisions about inexplicit meanings; form opinions and defend them; draw conclusions and defend them.
Ask questions. Generate questions before, during, and after reading. Use questions to focus, delve more deeply, and extrapolate to insights within and beyond the text.
Create images. Use images that emanate from all five senses and from the emotions to understand more vividly.
Determine importance. Make decisions about which ideas and concepts are most important in a text; articulate why those ideas are most important.
Synthesize. Be aware of how one’s thinking changes during reading. Create a cogent expression of key points after reading, which may contain information from a variety of sources outside the current text.
"Regardless of your lot in life, you can build something beautiful on it."-Zig Ziglar
Next week
Monday 3/8 – 3rd grade PLC @ 12:10, SAT, Admin. Team Mtg., Multiplication Tournament, 1st grade to Millis Regional Health Center (Tilley, Wilson, Lawrence)
Tuesday 3/9 – Kindergarten PLC @ 8:50, Specialists PLC @ 9:30, Watch Dog – David Rhyne, Multiplication Tournament, Staff Meeting/Marzano training (please plan to meet until 4:30), Big Shotz Night, Board of Education Mtg.
Wednesday 3/10 – 1st grade PLC @ 10:20, EC PLC @ 12:00, 4th grade PLC @ 12:55, Multiplication Tournament
Thursday 3/11 – 2nd grade PLC @ 11:05, 5th grade PLC @ 1:40, Multiplication Tournament, Principal’s Mtg., Technology Workshop – Digital Storytelling
Friday 3/12 - Watch Dog – Doug Ford, Admin. Team Mtg.
Week of 3/15-3/19
(3/15) 3rd grade PLC @ 12:10,SAT, Science Festival Kick-off
(3/16) Kindergarten PLC @ 8:50, Specialists PLC @ 9:30, Science Festival, Progress Reports Go Home, SIT, PLC Facilitator Mtg., Time to Eat Night
(3/17) 1st grade PLC @ 10:20, EC PLC @ 12:00, 4th grade PLC @ 12:55, Science Festival, CC Mtg.
(3/18) 2nd grade PLC @ 11:05, 5th grade PLC @ 1:40, Science Festival
(3/19) Watch Dog – Todd Stephens, Admin. Team Mtg.
Duty Schedule
*Breakfast – Womble, Aikins, Letourneau, Sereika
FYI/Reminders
-Just a reminder that if you would like to make a contribution to the FCAE campaign fund please see Terry Zimmerman, Pateah East, or Kathi Lawrence
-The RJM Financial Southwest Golf tournament is scheduled for Friday, April 9th at Salem Glen Golf Club. We are still seeking players, teams, sponsors as well as donations for the raffle. During the next three weeks, students may pay $1 to have their name put on a “golf ball” that will be used to decorate the hallway.
-Get well – Joanne Baker, Jan Hipp and Tiffany Larson
Staff Stars
Pateah East and Jan Womble – Thank you for all the hard work (and paperwork) you do for our children. You both do such a wonderful job!
Cornelia Hauhuth- Thanks for the work you do
Hospitality committee – Thanks for your efforts to brighten our winter blahs
Kindergarten – Thank you for bringing Dr. Seuss alive this week.
Gloria Allen – Thank you for your guidance with Black History Month and Music in schools month.
Bus and Car duty staff – Thank you for helping to make sure our students arrive and leave safely on a daily basis.
Kathy Wilheit – Thank you for your efforts to keep SIT on track.
PRT’s and assistants – Your work in our classrooms is invaluable!
Kim Cressman, Tom Keener, Debbie Herrin – Thank you for your continued leadership.
3rd Grade and Kiki Hutcheson – What a wonderful baby shower for Jennie Currie!
Ann White – Thanks for working with teachers to get our science lab off to a running start.
Jan Freshwater – Great job with using DIBELS data to monitor your students.
Can-Do Winners for 3/5/10
K-2 Mrs. Lawrence 3031 (new record high for one week!!!)
3-5 Mrs. DiSorbo 430
Honorable mention:
Ms. Cohn 660
Mrs. Sutcliffe 254
**You can now view the Friday Update at the following URL address: http://swefridayupdate.blogspot.com/ We will continue to send the Friday Update via email AND at the blog address for a few weeks. Please begin to use the “blogspot” address to view the Friday Update. If there are corrections, they can be made in the comment section.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)