Week 7

Great Things We Noticed: 

• Student Council Induction.  Thank you Tina Sumerford!
• AVID/PL Share out with mixed teams!
• The Community Walk Through!
• Student of the Month Assemblies!
• Book Fair Grand Parents Day! 

Nuts and Bolts: 

• On Friday 10/4 Longi and I will be walking classrooms with Mariana Robles.  The purpose of this walk if to calibrate our knowledge of Danielson with what we observe in classrooms.  This is not evaluative and is a learning opportunity for us to deepen our knowledge of the application of the four domains of Danielson.  
• The third and final opportunity to learn the Gateway 10-Step Lesson Plan for our K-2 reading intervention is scheduled for October 8 & October 10. Both days are required. This training will take place at the District Office, Rm 1 from 3:45-6:45. Emails were sent to teachers currently on the waitlist. Please encourage them to indicate their intent to participate here (link). Official enrollment on Sched is forthcoming. Questions should be directed to Judy Fuhrman, x41638
• Smithsonian Science How will be broadcasting live from the Carrie Bow Cay Field Station off the coast of Belize on 10/8 at 11:00 am and 12:30 pm. The broadcasts are 30 minutes long. During this time, Smithsonian marine scientists will introduce students to coral and coral reefs and the ways in which they monitor coral reef ecosystems, their health and how they respond to changes in the environment. Check out this LINK for more details.
• RUSD is excited to offer six lessons to all TK-6th grades with the Riverside Art Museum’s Art-to-Go again this year. Three of the six lessons will be either Math/Art or Science/Art lessons, and the other three are your choice from the subjects offered. All lessons (to take place September through May) must be scheduled as soon as possible but no later than Friday, October 18. Click here to schedule lessons. For more information about Art-to-Go please email art2go@riversideartmuseum.org or call (951) 684-7111 x311.
• Writing Assessment Deadline has been extended until 10/10. Please do not score the assessments until after the norming at SLTs.
• Check out our new ELA/ELD Newsletter: bit.ly/RUSDElemELA
• Check out our new site (in progress): bit.ly/RUSDELAElem (Gateway and Wonders Resources and Writing Materials)
• Updated ELA/ELD PD dates (with SLT site breakdown)
• ELA “Wonders Day #3”: Writing/ELD Dates
• Check out all the updates, opportunities, and resources available for RUSD Science teachers by clicking this LINK to the Science Newsletter. For more information, please contact Ashley Fulmer (afulmer@rusd.k12.ca.us)
• RUSD School Calendars 
• The 2020-21, 2021-22 & 2022-23 School Calendars are on the RUSD Website Calendars
• The Department of Innovation and Learner Engagement will be hosting a Digital Citizenship Family Night which will address some of these parent concerns. This family night will be at Central Middle School on October 17th from 5:30-7:00 pm. Dinner will be served from 5:30-6:00 pm. The family activity and speaker will be from 6-7 pm. Space is limited to 50 families and they can sign up at bit.ly/FamilyDC2019. Here is the flyer with information regarding this event.
• Take your STRENGTHS ASSESSMENT!  You don't have to read the book to learn your strengths! Find the link to the results survey here.
• 2020 Lois B. Krieger Water Project Grants for Educators Western Municipal Water District is offering educators in western Riverside County the opportunity to apply for grants for water-related projects.  This program helps fund creative classroom projects that further a better understanding of water and the role it plays in the community.  All teachers in Western’s District, both private and public schools in grades K-12 are eligible to apply for the grants.  The deadline to apply is Friday, November 8, 2019.  If you are interested, click the following LINK. 
• Mystery Science Training RUSD has purchased Mystery Science for all Elementary sites.  If you have teachers that are interested in learning more, please have them sign-up to attend the training on September 26 from 3:45-5:30 pm at Earhart (B4).  Teachers will need to sign up on SCHED and their time will be compensated. 
• Project Learning Tree: SAVE THE DATE - Oct 5, 9:00-3:00 at Earhart B4 Use the environment to engage students indoors and outdoors!  This award-winning curriculum workshop would be a great addition to a Saturday School.  Teachers learn how to engage students with environmental issues and help students acquire skills to be creative problem solvers.  Teachers will be time carded and will receive a book of lesson plans K-12.   

Focus: 

Culturally Relevant and Responsive Teaching: 

Dr. Pedro Noguera is a Distinguished Professor of Education in the Graduate School of Education and Information Sciences at UCLA.  His research focuses on the ways in which school are influenced by social and economic conditions as well as demographic trends in local, regional, and global contexts. 

In a presentation entitled "Racial Inequality and American Education: Policies, Practices and Politics," Noguera addressed the segregation by race and social class with in the education system.  He asserted, "We cannot separate student's learning needs from their non-academic needs.  The achievement gap is a manifestation of social inequality.  We must invest in children of color: They are the future." 

Noguera speaks of the core value of educator and student relationships and the power of teaching expectation in influencing student performance.  Skilled teachers build students' strengths into confidence and competence.  Noguera has developed 10 practices to promote achievement for all students. 

1. Challenge the normalization of failure.  Race and class should not predict achievement.
2. Stand up and speak out for equity.  Schools must confront the ways in which some students are denied learning opportunities.
3. Embrace immigrant students and their culture. 
4. Provide students with clear guidance on what it takes to succeed, including such things as study skills, "code switching," and seeing models of excellent work.
5. Build partnerships with parents based on shared interests.  Faculties must be trained to communicate respectfully and effectively across race and class differences and work with parents to help reinforce school objectives at home. 
6. Align discipline practices to educational goals.  Be consistent across grade levels on expectations, values, and norms that reconnect students to learning, rather than exclude them from learning.  
7. Rethink remediation and focus on acceleration. Monitor learning and provide access to enriched, rigorous curriculum with needed support and personalized  interventions. 
8. Implement evidence-based practices and evaluate for effectiveness.  Consider such things as peer study groups and assessment, content literacy, and direct instruction.  
9. Build partnerships within the community to address student needs. 
10. Teach to the way that students learn, rather than expecting them to adjust their learning to a rigid, set way of teaching.  Focus on evidence of mastery and performance, viewing the work produced by students as a reflection of the teaching done in the classroom.

Upcoming Events:   

• 9/30-10/4 - PTA Book Fair D108
• 10/1 - Leadership Team Meeting - 2:55
• 10/1 - School Board Meeting - Seth Neal (6th Grader) giving the pledge - Central Middle School 5:30
• 10/2 - Walk To School Day! Please communicate with your students! 
• 10/2 - DELAC Meeting - Carrie out 8:30-10:30
• 10/2 - Lunch on the Lawn - Invites going out Monday 
  
• 10/2 - Title I Contact Meeting - Carrie out 3:00
• 10/3 & 10/4 - Miles of Smiles Dental Screening Education
• 10/3 - K-12 Principals Meeting - Carrie out 8:00-12:30
• 10/4 - Danielson Calibration Walk with Mariana Robles - 1:00
• 10/7-10/11 - Miles of Smiles Sealant Clinic
• 10/8 - SLT Round 1 - Bournes 
• 10/8 - AAPAC Meeting - Sierra Middle School 6:00pm
• 10/10 - RUSD Leadership Team Meeting - Longi and Carrie out 2:30
• 10/11 - Hawk Shop 

Birthdays: 

10/2 - Sara Gallegos-Garcia - 2nd Grade

10/7 - Raquel Schnakenberg - 2nd Grade

10/8 - Patty Kaplan - IA RSP

Week 6

Great Things We Noticed: 

• WIN TIME!  We are so impressed with the work you have started - You are working to help our students become BETTER EVERY DAY! 
• Classrooms that passed the fire inspection!  
• A great turnout for our ELAC (English Learner Advisory Committee) meeting!
• Student Council Speeches and Elections!  THANK YOU TINA! 
• Mr. Sheffield playing the piano in the morning. Definitely adding a nice touch to our coffee with the principal’s.
• Karla playing movie trivia while students are waiting in line.
• Spirit wear thanks to our PTA!
• Fourth grade doing a “scoot”. Student scoot around to learn and practice grammar skills.

Nuts and Bolts: 

• Data Meetings - Please come prepared to discuss the following questions:
• Who are the students you are most concerned about? 
• What is the data telling you about their assets and deficits? 
• What is your plan to address the needs of these students? 
• What data are you using to progress monitor? 
• What is the plan if they do not make progress?  What is the plan if they do make progress? 
• What support do you need (ELA specialists, Math specialists?)? 
• Writing Assessment Update: 
• There has been a delay in the distribution of materials
• K-5 Assessments will arrive by 9/24 and grade 6 by 9/25 - the window has been extended to the 10th 
• This affects our SLT meeting on 10/8 in which we were to analyze and norm the writing samples - the timeline is much tighter.  
• An email will be forthcoming from the ELA department, however, plan to administer the assessment between the 24th/25 - 7th.  
• Thank you for your patience and we roll out the formative writing assessments. 
• 9/24 - AVID/PL Share out Team Meeting - Please be prepared to share an AVID Inquiry strategy or a blended learning model with mixed grade level teams.  You can provide lesson examples to share  and/or pictures, etc. 
• Take your STRENGTHS ASSESSMENT!  You don't have to read the book to learn your strengths! Find the link to the results survey here.
• 2020 Lois B. Krieger Water Project Grants for Educators Western Municipal Water District is offering educators in western Riverside County the opportunity to apply for grants for water-related projects.  This program helps fund creative classroom projects that further a better understanding of water and the role it plays in the community.  All teachers in Western’s District, both private and public schools in grades K-12 are eligible to apply for the grants.  The deadline to apply is Friday, November 8, 2019.  If you are interested, click the following LINK. 
• Mystery Science Training RUSD has purchased Mystery Science for all Elementary sites.  If you have teachers that are interested in learning more, please have them sign-up to attend the training on September 26 from 3:45-5:30 pm at Earhart (B4).  Teachers will need to sign up on SCHED and their time will be compensated. 
• Project Learning Tree: SAVE THE DATE - Oct 5, 9:00-3:00 at Earhart B4 Use the environment to engage students indoors and outdoors!  This award-winning curriculum workshop would be a great addition to a Saturday School.  Teachers learn how to engage students with environmental issues and help students acquire skills to be creative problem solvers.  Teachers will be time carded and will receive a book of lesson plans K-12.   
• On 9/27 we will be holding our first Community Walk Through - This includes members of the Hawthorne Community learning about our school and the work we do in the classrooms - 9:00-11:30 
• Please complete the Classified Employee Nomination Form and return to Cindy by 10/1.  Let's honor the work of our classified staff! 

Game of the Week: 

Get to know something about your students (and your WIN students) by using this Icebreaker: I Love My Neighbor... https://www.playworks.org/game-library/i-love-my-neighbor/

FOCUS: 

Page 11 of the Guide for Instructional Direction focuses on the academic, behavioral and social-emotional learning we provide for our students.  By offering Multi-Tiered System of Support we provide students: 

• Deliberate lesson planning of high quality core instruction that reduces barriers and ensures mastery of essential learning. 
• Identification of and connection with students to proactively provide support and real-time intervention and acceleration. 
• Small group and/or individualized support to maximize access to the core curriculum as well as enrich and extend learning. 
• Regular, ongoing progress monitoring driven by multiple data points. 
• Use of universal screeners to establish a baseline for identifying learners who need additional scaffolds and support to access core, as well as acceleration for high achievers. 

The high quality core instruction we provide our students, our WIN time and our SAP programs along with our design and implementation of PBIS  is a multi-tiered system of support for students.  Through these systems we provide prevention and instruction for ALL students.  We identify what help each student needs and are proactive in providing that help.  We intentionally design and redesign services and supports that are matched to needs of our students. 

This is an intentional dedication to provide equitable access to all students.  This is the work of equity, to know what our students need and to provide what they need every day.  Our high quality core instruction might not reach all, so we have created a system in which we can supplement that instruction to meet the needs of our students, maybe they need remediation, maybe they need acceleration but we can offer both and meet our students where they are. 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• 9/23 - ELA Comprehension (K-2) and Writing Assessment (K-6) opens through 10/4
• 9/23 and 9/24 - Data Meetings 
• 9/24 - Picture Day - EVERYONE NEEDS A PICTURE FOR SECURITY BADGES
• 9/24 - Team Meeting - AVID/PL Share out
• 9/24 - Co- Admin meeting - Longi out 8:30-12:00 
• 9/25 - Progress Reports DUE for review
• 9/25 - Student of the Month Assemblies
• 9/26 - Elementary Principals Meeting - Carrie Out 8-10
• 9/27 - Community Walk Through - 9-11:30
• 9/27 - All In Attendance Day #1 - Classroom Competitions - Spread the word! 
• 9/27 - Progress Reports go home 
• 9/30-10/4 - PTA Book Fair D108 
  
• 10/1 - Admin Hearing Panel - Longi 
• 10/1 - Leadership Team Meeting - 3:05 - E103
• 10/1 - School Board Meeting - Hawthorne Leading the Pledge - 5:30 Central 
• 10/2 - Walk To School Day
• 10/2 - DELAC Meeting  - Carrie Out 8:30-11:00
• 10/2 - Lunch on the Lawn 
• 10/2 - Title I Contact Meeting - Carrie Out 3:00
• 10/3-10/4 - Miles of Smiles Dental Screening/Education - 8:00-3:00
• 10/3 - K-12 Principals Meeting - Carrie Out 8:00-12:00 
• 10/4 - Danielson Calibration Walk - Carrie. Longi, Mariana visiting classrooms

BIRTHDAYS: 

10/27 - Robin Campbell - IA SDC M/S

10/2 - Sara Gallegos - 2nd Grade

Week 5

Great Things We Noticed: 

• Vocabulary work in Mrs. Tavaglione's class and 3 column notes!
• "What we noticed"  - the beginning of success criteria for RDW!
• Writing with Ms. Ramirez! 
• 10 Dots in Mrs. Borza's class... What would you make with 10 dots?
• Fourth graders playing four square at recess. Encouraging each other and giving each other feedback!
• The Equity Conference! 
• Erin Masi holding down the fort on a Friday the 13th... with a full moon!!  
• Shadow science in Ms. McVey's Class!
  
  

 

 

 

Nuts and Bolts: 

• WIN Time starts officially on Tuesday - Please let us know if you have any further questions, concerns or supply needs.  We can't wait to see your hard work in action!
• 9/24 - AVID/PL Share out Team Meeting - Please be prepared to share an AVID Inquiry strategy or a blended learning model with mixed grade level teams.  You can provide lesson examples to share  and/or pictures, etc. 
• MANDATED REPORTER TRAINING: Complete by 9/20! If you do not complete your mandated reporter training my 9/20 you WILL BE PLACED ON UNPAID LEAVE! 
• Take your STRENGTHS ASSESSMENT!  You don't have to read the book to learn your strengths! Find the link to the results survey here.
• Resume Writing and Interview Skills Workshop Department of Personnel – Leadership and Development is offering workshops to ALL classified employees providing tips on building a strong resume and on how to create the greatest impact during the interview bringing you closer to obtaining your career goals. 
• Dates & Times for Workshop 
• Sept. 24, 2019 10:00am – 12:00pm
• Sept. 26, 2019 5:00pm – 7:00pm
• Feb. 19, 2020 5:00pm–7:00pm
• Feb. 25, 2020 10:00am–12:00pm
• All workshops will be at the District Office: 3380 14th Street, Riverside. Please contact Personnel Department with any questions: (951) 788-7135 ext. 80104
• The Riverside Art Alliance and Riverside Art Museum, in partnership with the City of Riverside Parks, Recreation, and Community Services, invite all RUSD students to submit works of original art for the “Paint That Pup!” art contest! This is in conjunction with a huge, public art show of Art Pups by local artists called Art Bark in the Park, coming up October 4–10, 2019. Submissions due Sept. 20. More info 
• Also, check out these fun lesson plans in preparation for the Art Bark event!
• The Arts Partners newsletter is back with a wealth of resources for teachers and students in the arts.  Check it out here. Also, sign up to receive the newsletter direct to your inbox here.
• 2020 Lois B. Krieger Water Project Grants for Educators Western Municipal Water District is offering educators in western Riverside County the opportunity to apply for grants for water-related projects.  This program helps fund creative classroom projects that further a better understanding of water and the role it plays in the community.  All teachers in Western’s District, both private and public schools in grades K-12 are eligible to apply for the grants.  The deadline to apply is Friday, November 8, 2019.  If you are interested, click the following LINK. 
• Illuminate Tiles - Update We are excited to share with you how we re-organized the 2019-20 Illuminate Tiles! The goal with restructuring these tiles is to streamline the process for end users to more easily find assessments and reports within the Illuminate system. Please see below for details: • For elementary, we created tiles by grade level (K-6) and by GenEd, SDC, DLI (7 grade levels X 3 types = 21 elementary tiles).  • For secondary, we created tiles by content area/department (ELA, Math, History, Science)
• These recently re-organized tiles will be available as our Assessment Technicians continue to finish the assessment shells (in collaboration with the Curriculum & Instruction Department). Login to Illuminate  now to view the new tiles! If sites are interested in accessing the tiles that were launched during the 2018-19 school year, we preserved the functionality but converted them all to gray tiles: 
• Please contact us at RAE with any questions. Valerie Backstrom vbackstrom@rusd.k12.ca.us, ext. 80805, and Melanie Maxwell, mmaxwell@rusd.k12.ca.us,  ext. 80812, RAE Main line, x80800. 
• Gateway/K-2 Institute Make-up for K-2 Teachers New or Those Needing a Review We are providing a Saturday training opportunity on 9/21 from 8:00-3:00, site Rivera Elementary, Rm. 17.  Enrollment is available on Sched.  Please add any new K-2 teachers that are missing from this list and inform them of the date.  If you have a teacher who was trained by has not taught the intervention in a would like to attend this training to review, they are welcome, as well.  A series of afternoon sessions will be scheduled for teachers unable to attend on this date..  If you have any questions, contact Judy Fuhrman, Staff Development Specialist at (jfuhrman@rusd.k12.ca.us) 
• Mystery Science Training RUSD has purchased Mystery Science for all Elementary sites.  If you have teachers that are interested in learning more, please have them sign-up to attend the training on September 26 from 3:45-5:30 pm at Earhart (B4).  Teachers will need to sign up on SCHED and their time will be compensated. 
• Project Learning Tree: SAVE THE DATE - Oct 5, 9:00-3:00 at Earhart B4 Use the environment to engage students indoors and outdoors!  This award-winning curriculum workshop would be a great addition to a Saturday School.  Teachers learn how to engage
  
  students with environmental issues and help students acquire skills to be creative problem solvers.  Teachers will be time carded and will receive a book of lesson plans K-12.   
• On 9/27 we will be holding our first Community Walk Through - This includes members of the Hawthorne Community learning about our school and the work we do in the classrooms - We will be sending notices out to classrooms asked to participate ASAP. 

Focus: 

We all know the importance of writing across content areas and grade levels.  Sometimes, the emphasis on writing is focused on long response or process writing, but any opportunity for students to apply their language skills is important.  Edutopia had an interesting and short article on the power of short writing assignments and how to use these short writing assignments in the classroom.  Enjoy! 

The Power of Short Writing Assignments: 

https://edut.to/2mbMSwC

Game of the Week: 

Students are ALWAYS asking if they can play Football... Teach them this game during PE this week and they will be able to play at recess next week!  We can order Footballs if you need them - 

https://www.playworks.org/game-library/21-football-2/

Upcoming Events: 

9/17 - Fire Inspection 

9/17 - Staff Meeting 3:05 MPR - Come ready to PLAY

9/18 - Riverside Council PTA Breakfast - Carrie Out 9:00am

9/18 - Coffee with the Principal 8:15 MPR

9/18 - Principals Secretary Professional Development  - Cindy out 11:30-4:00

9/19 - K-12 Principals Meeting - Carrie out 8-12

9/19 - RUSD Leadership Meeting Carrie and Longi out 2:30

9/21 - Family Engagement Summit - Poly High School

9/23 - ELA Comprehension (K-2) and Writing Assessment (K-6) opens through 10/4

9/24 - Picture Day - EVERYONE NEEDS A PICTURE FOR SECURITY BADGES

9/24 - Team Meeting - AVID/PL Share out

9/25 - Progress Reports DUE for review

9/25 - Student of the Month Assmeblies

9/26 - Elementary Principals Meeting - Carrie Out 8-10

9/27 - Community Walk Through - 9-11:30

9/27 - All In Attendance Day #1 - Classroom Competitions - Spread the word! 

9/27 - Progress Reports go home 

Birthdays: 

9/27 - Robin Campbell - Instructional Assistant M/S 3-6

Week 4

Great Things We Noticed: 

• New bulletin board in the office thanks to special ed.
• Mrs. Rubens taking the learning outside.
• Mrs. Ebie and her students flawless transitions.
• Mr. Sheffield helping in the cafeteria during lunch time.
• Mrs. Borza and her ten dot artwork.
• Teams working together to come up with their WIN plan.
• Surviving another day of inclement weather.

Nuts and Bolts: 

• Please note the dates for SLT listed to the right - We are in Collaborative 2
• MANDATED REPORTER TRAINING: Complete by 9/20!
• Take your STRENGTHS ASSESSMENT!  You don't have to read the book to learn your strengths! Find the link to the results survey here.
• REEF Teacher Grants Last year, REEF gave $192,756 in grant funds to enrich learning for students across the district. Teacher Grants were awarded in science, language arts, math, social studies, physical education and the visual and performing arts. Since its founding 24 years ago, REEF has given 2,423 grants for a total of $2.13 million.  Applications are available now at the link below, and are due to the district office no later than 4:00pm on September 13, 2019. https://www.reef4rusd.org/teaching-enrichment-grants/   
• A list of professional development offered by the Special Education Department can be located here.   Please have staff sign up through Sched.  This includes monthly Pro-Act trainings.  http://bit.ly/SPEDpdCalendar    
• Resume Writing and Interview Skills WorkshopDepartment of Personnel – Leadership and Development is offering workshops to ALL classified employees providing tips on building a strong resume and on how to create the greatest impact during the interview bringing you closer to obtaining your career goals. 
• Dates & Times for Workshop 
• Sept. 24, 2019 10:00am – 12:00pm
• Sept. 26, 2019 5:00pm – 7:00pm
• Feb. 19, 2020 5:00pm–7:00pm
• Feb. 25, 2020 10:00am–12:00pm
• All workshops will be at the District Office: 3380 14th Street, Riverside. Please contact Personnel Department with any questions: (951) 788-7135 ext. 80104
• RUSD is stepping up its volunteerism by once again taking part in the City of Riverside’s annual 9/11 Day of Service, remembering and honoring our first responders. There are several ways to join in service for students, staff, faculty, and administration. You may remember seeing an email with this video of Mayor Rusty Bailey encouraging everyone to take part. We have a number of volunteer opportunities that have been curated specifically for RUSD schools and classes to sign up for at Giverside--a new website supporting volunteering in Riverside. As usual, sites can work with Keep Riverside Clean and Beautiful to organize clean up projects around their schools and in their neighborhoods, and volunteers can donate blood with Lifestream down by City Hall. For questions, contact Carolyn Power.
• The Riverside Art Alliance and Riverside Art Museum, in partnership with the City of Riverside Parks, Recreation, and Community Services, invite all RUSD students to submit works of original art for the “Paint That Pup!” art contest! This is in conjunction with a huge, public art show of Art Pups by local artists called Art Bark in the Park, coming up October 4–10, 2019. Submissions due Sept. 20. More info 
• Also, check out these fun lesson plans in preparation for the Art Bark event!
• The Arts Partners newsletter is back with a wealth of resources for teachers and students in the arts.  Check it out here. Also, sign up to receive the newsletter direct to your inbox here.

Focus: 

Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: 

According to Zaretta Hammond, author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, culturally responsive teaching is not a strategy or tool, but a process, and within this process teachers must do the following: 

• acknowledge and understand the sociopolitical context that has created different learning outcomes for our students. 
• Recognize the cultural learning tools that students bring to the classroom and not see them as negative behaviors, rather give permission for students to use them.  For example, many students learn through the use of storytelling, not just reading and writing.  
• Mimic students' cultural learning tools by sing similar ones during instruction (music, metaphors). 

Culturally Responsive pedagogy encompasses the social emotional, relational, and cognitive aspects of teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students.  This leads to cognition and high level thinking  and gets the brain firing in multiple areas.  

Hammond outlines six interdependent core principals or "culturally responsive brain rules" to help teachers understand how the brain uses culture to make sense of the world.

1.  The brain seeks to minimize social threats and maximize opportunities to connect with other in the community.  The brain will not connect if it perceives threat from microaggressions - the subtle everyday verbal and nonverbal messages that con serve to invalidate or trivialize culture and experiences. 
2. Positive relationships keep our safety threat detection system in check. The brain can focus on higher level thinking and taking risks when a positive relationship is established. 
3. Culture guides how we process information. Common Cultural learning adies - stories, music and repetition - help build neural pathways that make learning stick. 
4. Attention drives learning - Before learning can take place, the brain must pay attention to it;  learning must not be passive, and instead, should focus on active engagement and conscious processing. 
5. All new information must be coupled with existing funds of knowledge in order to be learned. Teachers must determine prior knowledge and how that knowledge is organized in the schema.  The teacher can then construct scaffolds between existing schema  and new content.  
6. The brain physically grows through challenge and expands its ability to do more complex thinking and learning.  For the brain to become smarter it must be stimulated with new learning and challenged with complex tasks that stretch the brain beyond its comfort zone.  

In reviewing the six principals consider how important it is to create a classroom environment that is safe and structured.  This, coupled with strong relationships, allows students to express themselves freely and take the risks needed to stretch their brains.  

Game of the Week: 

Mannequin Tag

https://www.playworks.org/game-library/mannequin-tag/ 

Upcoming Events: 

9/11 - Title I Meeting - Carrie Out 2:30

9/10-9/11 Prints Drivers Groups 1 and 2 
9/12 & 9/13 - Excellence through Equity Conference - Indian Wells - Carrie, Longi, Judid and Rhonda Out (Erin Masi Admin Designee) 

9/17 - Fire Inspection 

9/17 - Staff Meeting 3:05 E103

9/18 - Riverside Council PTA Breakfast - Carrie Out 9:00am

9/18 - Coffee with the Principal 8:15 MPR

9/18 - Principals Secretary Professional Development  - Cindy out 11:30-4:00

9/19 - K-12 Principals Meeting - Carrie out 8-12

9/19 - RUSD Leadership Meeting Carrie and Longi out 2:30

9/21 - Family Engagement Summit - Poly High School 

Birthday: 

9/11 - Rhonda Tilton - 4th Grade

9/13 - Marian Lasak - Kindergarten