All things Octoberish

Evaluations and Lesson Plans

I enjoyed getting to spend some time with many of you in CTs this week looking at qtr 1 data and discussing my expectations for TPEC evaluations, professional growth plan and lesson plan collection.  Please get me your professional growth plan and lesson plans (3-4 weeks worth) at your earliest convenience in whatever format works for you.  Thank you. 

Speaking of Professional Learning...

~Mrs. Krause is running the Engineering is Elementary training next week.  This hands on training will introduce you to Engineering is Elementary 1-5th grade STEM curriculum. During this training teachers will engage in a magnetism unit as they learn the Engineering is Elementary Pedagogy and history, structure of the curriculum and the Engineering Design Process.  You must take the training if you wish to teach the kits. They are awesome.  Sign up on TNL!   You can find it here or in THE HUB!  I LOVE THE HUB! 

~Dr. Hagstrom is hosting meetings for Quarter 1 QUEST Revisions per grade level.  You can be part of the solution.  

~ELA implementation (Reach for Reading K-3 and ReadyGen).  You get paid to plan! Go if you can. 

~Nov 9th - Mandatory, You Matter Professional Development Day.  Please sign up asap as many sections are full we all want to get the most out of this day! 

Did you know?
As common sense suggests, teacher attendance is directly related to student outcomes: the more teachers are absent, the more their students’ achievement suffers. When teachers are absent 10 days, the decrease in student achievement is equivalent to the difference between having a brand new teacher and one with two or three years more experience.  Worse yet, a number of studies have found there to be a disproportionately high rate of teacher absenteeism in schools serving low income and minority students, providing yet another obstacle to closing the achievement gap.

Such findings are hardly surprising given that teachers represent the most potent school-based factor contributing to students’ academic achievement, as has been thoroughly documented in recent years.  

In summary: YOU MATTER SO SO MUCH!  
 

Thursday, October 18th was the very first day we had all certified and classified staff in the building.  It was also the last.  😩

We also had 71 students out this morning. Thankfully just under 30 made it before the end of the half day (tardy).  We must continue to do all we can to get students here and keep them here.  I am sending home information regarding the importance of attendance. I am also doing a connect ed. Please let Ms. Erin  know if you have a student who is chronically late/absent.  She is working hard to contact the guardians of most.  
We just don't want to miss someone. 

Halloween 
...is on a Wednesday, I will take Thursday off.  I joke, but I want that to be true.  I don't have a problem with Halloween at all!  It's the day after that always seems to present great challenges.  We will be ready for them! Please check out the "Halloween 3-Pronged Policy"  below.  No surprises here, just common sense.  Oh, and please, I have NO time to prep a costume and REALLY want to participate myself.  Shoot me an email if you have some ideas for my costume (and supplies to back it).  I would love the assistance!
 
Marshall's 3-Pronged Policy -----E   (get it?)
1.  Any Halloween activities must be aligned with standards and instruction. 
2.  Aligned Halloween activities must not impact or interrupt other school programs, schedules, or special classes, including but not limited to RTI.
3.  Costumes must be school appropriate following the guidelines below.  If your students wish to come in costume, please make sure you pass along and monitor these guidelines.  

• If costumes are in any way unsafe students will be required to remove them.  
• No attire may be worn which would in any way impede the student from moving safely and quickly out of the building in the event of an alarm.
• If students do not have a change of clothing, they will be required to stay in the office until parents arrive.
• Costumes must not obstruct vision or movement or in any way present a hazard to the student or other classmates. 
• Masks may not be worn.  Not even outside the classroom.
• No fake knives, swords, or guns of any kind may be used as a part of any costume. 
• Such items will be confiscated and may result in disciplinary action including but not limited to suspension from school.
• Costumes must not be overly gruesome and overtly violent.

Also, please keep in mind: many of our constituents find the celebration of Halloween to be offensive, contrary to their religious beliefs, or just a distraction from what should otherwise be a normal, productive day of school.  In planning to incorporate Halloween into your teaching next week, should you choose to do so, please recognize and honor each individual's position on this issue and their right to hold it.  You may not choose to exclude from instruction students who choose not to recognize Halloween.  Please keep in mind: a separate-but-equal instructional program for such students is most often neither.

Thank you for you help in enforcing the "Halloween 3-Pronged Policy".  Please share your educational ideas and photos with the rest of us. 

November is Indigenous People's month.  If you have some planned events for November and the celebration of Indigenous People, could you please share those events, times, dates with me? 

Thank you! 

Coming Up

Monday, October 22  

FUSD's Keeping Our Children Safe - Free Parent Presentations at CHS
Protecting Youth Online 6pm, The Dangers of Vaping & E-Cigarettes 7:15pm

Tuesday, October 23
Governing Board meeting 5:30pm

Kindergarten Fall Family Night 6-7pm

Wednesday, October 24

Reasor, Axler and McCleskey at Threat Assessment Mtg 1-3pm

SEI Family Night 5:30-7pm 

Friday, October 26

Reasor, Overton, McAllister, MacDonald at Growth and Inspiration Council 7-8:30am.