Week 9

Great Things I Noticed:

• FALL FESTIVAL!  Thank you for Participating!
• Instructional Design/Shared Leadership Team
• Gallup Faculty Participation - THANK YOU!  (I don't have results... yet.)
• Student of the Month Assemblies - What a great reminder of the AWESOME students we have!
• Character Counts committee returning from a great conference and getting to work!
• Red Ribbon Week! 
• Shadows in Mrs. McVey's Class 

 
 

 

Nuts and Bolts:

• Gallup Student survey for 5th and 6th graders - Please complete with all students
• Halloween Parade on Tuesday at 2:00 - You will have the students back for time to hold a small celebration if you choose
• Remember to send your "Common Commitments" plan to me by Wednesday
• We will start TRRFCC Tuesday announcements on Tuesday morning
• To follow up on your Data Meetings we will be scheduling Brandi Neal (Staff Developer) to meet with grade levels on specific planning days to discuss MAP results and using MAP to make instructional decisions .  
• Let me know when your PL goal setting/planning days are scheduled
• Instructional Rounds - We have room in our Instrucitonal Rounds Sessions for 3-4 more teachers.  During Instructional Rounds Session #1 we will be visiting each others classrooms and looking for evidence of student learning like structured collaborative conversations, precise academic language and feedback.  This is an exciting opportunity to see how students learn and how your colleagues facilitate this learning in their classrooms.  Send me an email if you are interested.

Friday Focus:

The October Blues

This is the time of year when we start to feel a bit tired, a bit run down.  When repeatedly having to remind students to be safe, respectful, responsible and ready to learn gets tiresome and tedious.  

Why? What is it about October?

• The excitement and enthusiasm for the beginning of the school year has faded
• You are BUSY and the Holiday vacation is a LOOOONG time way
• You know your students... the little things that are difficult will be difficult for the next 7 months

How can you beat the October Blues?  

• Be bold and daring!  Don't be afraid to try that strategy you never got to in September.  It's not too late!  You can reset and restart, just be consistent and enthusiastic.
• Don't think too far ahead... Be focused on today, and remind yourself that focusing on the future, is not productive or helpful for your students TODAY.
• Stop comparing your present reality to what you had hoped for in August. Every teacher gets thrown a BUNCH of curve balls over a school year.  Flexibility and resilience are needed every day in our profession.
• Actively search for the GOOD STUFF!  We have wonderful students and families and a fantastic staff, don't let one or two blind you to the 800+ that are AWESOME! (This one is for me) - How about making 2 or 3 POSITIVE parent phone calls to end the month?

You’ll feel a lot better if you spend your evenings celebrating the good stuff and looking for new ways to make the next day better instead of rehashing problems.

As we move towards the craziness of November and December, let us all remember to be strong and dig deep.  Behavior has spiked this week, let's reset our students and take the time to return to the lessons and conversations we had the first weeks of school.  Reteach and remind your students the procedures for proper line behavior, proper cafeteria behavior, proper classroom behavior.  The October Blues can become the November/December Slide... Let's be mindful of our energy, mindful of our goals and relentless in our desire to have a school filled with students of excellence.   

Upcoming Events

10/30 - Data Meetings K-3

10/31 - Halloween Parade 2:00

11/1   - Data Meetings 4-6

11/2   - 3rd Grade Field Trip 

11/4   - Family Engagement Summit North High School

11/6   - School Board Meeting

11/8   - AVID School Walk Through with Sarah Zuetel

11/9   - Minimum Day Students Dismissed at 12:05

11/10 - Veterans Day (Observed) No School

11/13 - Instructional Rounds Session #1

Week 8 - This place is GREAT!

Great Things I Noticed:

 

 

  

• STEAM in Ms. Montgomery's class (Math and Art using Starry Night) 
• Pink Day 
• Ms. Seaton, Ms. Gallegos, Ms. Harris and Ms. Ramirez all participating in your School Site Council!
• AVID binders and Six Pillars of Characters!
• Students discussing how to cut a  piece of ribbon that is a yard and 2/3 into equal parts in Ms. Wakefield's class! 
• California Regions fold-ables in 4th grade!
• Depth of Knowledge in Mr. Carrasco's class... connecting collaborative conversations, high level questions, academic language and literacy across ELA and Science!
• Art to Go in Ms. Wilbur's class!
• Our reminder from Mr. Sheffield that we can always find something to be thankful for... Thank you Mr. Sheffield for also reminding us that we must maintain our close personal relationships with our dirty dishes ;) 
• Ms. Duncan covering for Cindy for TWO WEEKS!  THANK YOU! 
• TK/K going to the pumpkin patch!  
• Great work on the the Shake Out!

Nuts and Bolts

• Data Meetings are October 30 (K-3) and November 1(4-6) 
• PLEASE complete your Gallup Survey.... 100% gets us Breakfast by Clarissa!
• Make sure you took the Gallup Survey using YOUR ACCESS CODE - I accidentlly sent out my email to all of you and could not recall all of the messages.  If you clicked on that email, you used my access code.  Double check use your email only - sorry! 
• Gallup Survey for students can be found here... 5th and 6th grade only
• Please return the walkies to their chargers ASAP  - we are running short at lunchtime
• The bulletin board in the office needs a grade level to freshen it up - We need some student art work! 
• Hour of Code:  

In 6 weeks, December 4-10th RUSD will be hosting Computer Science Education Week. Millions of students across the world will participate in the annual Hour of Code. We would love to highlight the work and impact we are making in the region by having you sign up your classroom for the Hour of Code. You can sign up your classroom HERE, and place your school on the national Code.org map.

You can also click HERE for a how-to guide on running an Hour of Code at your site. For teachers who host an hour of code, you’ll also be able to order 12 free posters from the Code.org online store after you sign up (promo code emailed to your account from Code while supplies last).

We hope you will join the movement in promoting CSforALL (Computer Science for All) by hosting an Hour of Code with your students!

• Red Ribbon Week!  "Your Future is Key, So Stay Drug Free!" 
• Clarissa and I will be out on Monday - Carol OK is in charge ;)
• Schedule your release days for PL and Data Review/Planning
• Don't forget the United Way Donations! Text uwiv rusd to 313131   or go to the www.uwiv.org/rusd 

Upcoming Events

10/23 - Carrie and Leadership Team at SLT

10/23 - Clarissa and Carrie OUT - Carol OK Admin Designee

10/25 - Gallup staff window closes

10/23-10/27 - Red Ribbon Week

10/23-10/27 Gallup Student Window

10/25 - Team Meetings - Fall Festival Prep

10/25 - 4:30-7:00 - Fall Festival

10/26 - Picture Make Up Day

10/26 - Principal Meeting - Carrie out morning

10/26 - State of the District Luncheon - Clarissa and Carrie attending

10/27 - Student of the Month Assemblies
10/30 - Data Meetings (K-3)
10/31 - Halloween Parade 2:00
11/1 - Data Meeting (4-6)

Week 7

Great Things I Noticed

• Lots and lots of Art!  
• Learner profiles of all kinds on bulletin boards throughout the school!  These students will be ready to set their goals and complete their profiles!
• Character Counts work throughout the grade levels!
• 2nd graders classifying rocks!
• 1st graders editing and revising writing using evidence!
• The attendance trophy for our elementary cluster!
• Pie in the Face! 

Nuts and Bolts:

• Construction starts Monday on our new Kinder portable.  
• Please contact us with your students shoe needs ASAP - we need to take advantage of this opportunity!
• Kinder classes are picking up from the cafeteria  - NO parents should be on campus without checking into the office first
• We are planning a new "Hawk Walk Club" to encourage students to walk to school - send us your ideas!
• Gallup Survey window is open - we will be completing as a certified staff on 10/18.  Classified staff will have computers set up in the library for your convenience.  
• Red Ribbon week is October 23-31 - this year's theme is "Your Future is Key, So Stay Drug Free" 
• Please consider giving to the United Way - We are planning incentives if we increase our donations this year.  More information at the Staff Meeting
• Per Ed Code 52720/52730 Pledge of Allegiance and appropriate patriotic exercises must be completed every morning.  Let me know if you have any questions about this.
• Don't forget to sign up for a booth at our Fall Festival - it should be a good time!
• Shared Leadership Team - Innovate Ed will be coming (10/23) for our instructional design day - please mark your calendars.  I will let you know how we will arrange the day ASAP
• Several of our teachers will be at the Character Counts Conference next week - I can't wait to see what they learn! 

Friday Focus

Keep It or Junk It

"Keep it or Junk it" is a strategy to help students drill down to the important ideas found in text.  This strategy helps students develop evidence based writing and to critcally read text for useful information.  

This video: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/help-students-analyze-text from Teaching Channel shows a 5th grade teacher in Oakland using the strategy with two of her classes.  The video is close to 15 minutes long, but you see her change her strategy as her class changes.  She also uses a reading strategy called "Jump in and Read" that keeps the students engaged during the reading review.  

Here are the basic rules for Keep It or Junk It: 

"Keep It or Junk It" compels students to sort, categorize, summarize, justify and includes collaborative conversations!  The students are showing and telling their thinking with this strategy and they will be more than ready, at the end of the process to write with strong evidence.  Remember that, as with any new strategy, it takes time and practice to refine.  I would encourage you to try "Keep It or Junk It", especially with your science and social studies units.

Upcoming Events:

10/16-10/23 Gallup Survey Open for Staff

10/16-10/20 Cindy Out

10/16-10/20 Miles of Smiles (MPR)

10/16  RUSD Board Meeting - 5:00

10/18  Staff Meeting (Learner Profiles) - 2:55

10/19  Great California Shake Out  - 10:19

10/19  6th Grade Field Trip

10/19  School Site Council

10/19  EL Contact Meeting

10/20  TK/K Field Trip

10/23  Instructional Design Session (SLT Team)  

10/25  Dr. Hansen's Visit

10/25 Team Meeting 

10/26 Picture Make-Up Day

10/26  Principals Meeting (Carrie)

10/26  State of the District (Carrie and Clarissa)

10/26  Fall Festival - 4:30-7:00

Week 6

Great Things I Noticed

• An entire school coming together to support good attendance in our students!  
• Parents, community members, teachers and staff enjoying coffee and donuts on a Wednesday morning... once we got the coffee brewed ;)
• 1st Graders learning about Polygons in Ms. Borza's class!
• 5th graders fully engaged in grammar with Mr. Wible!
• The 3rd grade team reaching out to Pati DeRobles for help in deepening their understanding of ELD! 
• Miles and Miles of Smiles -Thank you for supporting this  program for our students!
• Preschoolers learning about how our differences make us stronger 
• 4th Graders discussing "How our Actions Effect Others"
• Nelva being organized and efficient and getting everything ready for our first School Site Council - Thank you so much!! 

Nuts and Bolts

• Fall Festival - October 26th - Sign up for a booth and don't forget to send a letter home asking for donations
• Halloween Parade will be on October 31
• Please let me know if you have a received an email from "Ellevation" regarding monitoring for some of our ELD students 
• We will be have another "Coffee with the Principals" on 11/8 - We are considering allowing the parents onto campus to observe/participate in an art lesson in your classrooms from 9-10 (after coffee).  Please chat about this and let us know what you think - 
• Ed Elements is on campus Monday 10/9
• Talk to your teams about calendaring release days for Personalized Learning goal setting (after training on 10/18) 
• Cindy will be out of the office until 10/23
• The "Great California Shake Out" will be 10/19 at 10:19am
• No Team Meeting on 10/26 (Fall Festival fun!)
• I have only heard from two teachers regarding a visit to the Ron Clark Academy - please let me know if you are interested!  
• PROGRESS REPORTS!!  Have them completed and turned in by the 11th, we will sign and send out on the 13th.  

Upcoming Events

• 10/9 Ed Elements Visit
• 10/11 Progress Reports Due
• 10/11 Leadership Meeting
• 10/11 Gallup window Opens
• 10/12 Fall Pictures
• 10/12 Principal Meeting (Carrie out morning)
• 10/12 Long Night of Arts and Innovation (Riverside Event)
• 10/16 Miles of Smiles Sealants (through 10/20)
• 10/16 School Board Meeting
• 10/18 Staff Meeting (PL online learner profile training)
• 10/19 State of the District Luncheon (Carrie and Clarissa off campus)

Friday Focus

Evidence Based Writing

Evidence Based Writing is one of the focus areas that your leadership team decided on during our Shared Leadership Meeting.  This, along with Precise Academic Language, will be the two areas that we will be focusing our energies on going forward.  Both of these work into all of the areas we have already discussed this year, rigor, equity and our EL population.  

Evidence Based Writing happens when students develop an argument and use evidence directly from the text to support their assertions.  It relies on precise academic language and can be implemented across the curriculum areas.  

This video shows a teacher using evidence based discussion techniques during a science project.  The strategies the students use during her lesson, will be translated into writing  that will include the evidence and language they have used in class.  

How are you using evidence based discussion or writing with your students?  Let's make sure we are amplifying what we are already doing and using these opportunities for collaborative conversations, academic language and evidence based writing across our day.

Let's make sure we are sending out thoughts to Raquel and her family during the difficult time.  

Week 5

Great Things I Noticed:

• The collaboration, team building, open mindedness and learning that occured at the Excellence through Equity Conference! 
• Mrs. McVey leading the way on The International Day of Peace - I loved seeing all the pinwheels and hearing the discussions about what Peace means for our community and world!
• Music lessons starting in 4th grade and our Special Education Classes! 
• Student of the Month Assemblies
• Pizza Lunch Attendance Rewards for Mrs. Montgomery and Mr. Comeaux's classes - great job!
• Growth Mindset in Mrs. Larson's class
• Ms. Nichols student led and behavior focused Preamble 
• Your Leadership Team doing hard work focused our purpose at our Shared Leadership Team Meeting

  

Nuts and Bolts:

• October 4 is a BIG Day!  
• 100% Attendance - Please TALK THIS UP!!  Encourage, Cajole, Bribe, Reward your students to GET TO SCHOOL on Wednesday.  
• Coffee with the Principals: 8:00-9:00 - Parents and Community members are welcome to come and join Clarissa and I for coffee and good conversation! Stop by if you have time and grab a cup to go! 
• Walk to School Day!  Encourage your students to walk to school on Wednesday
• Kinder Teachers find the link for the Parent Booklet for Math here - I can send out to all Kinder Parents, just let me know when
• If you are interested in joining the "Character Counts" committee - Please let Clarissa know
• Looking for supplemental lessons for Art to Go?  Go to riversideartmuseum.org - click on education - Art to Go - Supplemental Lessons
• Anyone interested in attending a two-day training at the Ron Clark Academy (tentative!) please send me an email with your preference 1.  January 25-26, Travel on 24 and 27 OR 2. March 8-9, Travel on 7 and 10.  Ron Clark Academy is in Atlanta, Ga - I would be paying for registration and hotel - you would pick up the plane ticket.  
• Want to learn more about The Ron Clark Academy?  Look here and here
• Miles of Smiles will be October 5 and 6 (MPR) - schedule coming soon - remember to be flexible on those days -thank you! 
• Next week is fall pictures - October 12

Friday Focus:

I thought I would share some thoughts from our Excellence through Equity Conference.  These are just some brief take-away's that I found to be powerful.  The main idea that I think we all walked away with was the idea that to truly ensure equity for our students, we have to build strong relationships with our students.  We have to take the time to know them as people and appreciate the lives they lead outside our classrooms.

I challenge you to learn at least three things about each one of your students that have nothing to do with school.  Demonstrate to your students your desire to know them as individuals and that you are willing to learn about and teach the skills that transcend the content areas.

"Courageous conversations lead to courageous actions" - Dr. Judy White
"Rejection can be redirection"  - Tavis Smiley
"My 2nd grade teacher was first person that gave me any reason to believe I was as gifted and talented as anybody in my class.” - Tavis Smiley

Tavis Smiley talked about what he believes leads to success:
1.  Quit Quitting
2.  Be Prepared (If you don't know the answer today, make sure you have it tomorrow)
3.  There is room at the top for the best (keep striving, be resilient)
4.  It takes courage to love

And for the leader in all of us: 
"You can't lead unless you love - You can't save unless you serve"

It is about relationships, high expectations and rigor.  Tavis Smiley also mentioned the "soft bigotry of low expectations" and Ron Clark reminded all of us that maintaining high expectations and "fussing" at our students is just as important as supporting them socially and emotionally.  

As we enter into "evaluation season" and Clarissa and I do walk through's and observations,  remember that when students think and speak about teachers that have impacted their lives they don't talk about their excellent lesson plans, or how they organized their attendance.  They remember the impact that teacher had on them personally, how they were intentional in building a relationship that mattered and changed their lives.  

Upcoming Events

Duty Schedule – Week of October 2, 2017         

9:50 – 10:10 Recess

Big Yard – Masi / Sheffield / Wilbur

Kinder Yard – Lasak / Little

10:15 – 10:35 Recess

Big Yard – Luna / Montgomery / Nichols

Kinder Yard – Ramirez / Ebie

10:40 – 10:58 Recess

Big Yard – Comeaux / Harris / McVey

After-School – Blue Cross Walk

Wakefield

Lounge Duty – Week of October 2, 2017

B. Brown / Barnett / Esteva / Montgomery

Birthdays this week…

Sara Gallegos – 10/2

Racquel Schnakenberg – 10/7

Patty Kaplan – 10/8

10/2 - 6:00 School Board Meeting 

10/3 - 3:15 PTA Meeting 

10/4 - 8:00 Coffee with the Principals

                   Walk to School Day

                    100% Attendance

10/5 - Miles of Smiles

10/6 - Miles of Smiles

10/6 and 10/9 Carrie out