In a couple days, we will have been in school one month. As I continue to go through the buildings, I'm seeing so many wonderful, authentic, experiential lessons taking place: Bruce, and his pendulum experiment (1 bum, 2 bum); Kim, and her Yankee Doodle prepositions song (we'll all get to experience this soon); Jelena, and her thick and thin question formations; Catherine with her chicken dance; Scott, and his writing to build paragraphs from questions answered at home....there are so many great things, I can't possibly list them all! You are doing an amazing job with kids. Kids and parents are saying great things. Despite the challenges we have had this year, no one would guess! That says a lot for your dedication to your profession and to kids. I appreciate your professionalism!
I know we have many challenges, and with your help, we will work through them. 1st--schedule--despite great intent for added common prep time, the transitions to move kids between the classes may be defeating the purpose. My original intent was to have preps be a 50 minute block, but that type of schedule didn't work well for PE or music. So many factors to consider. I look forward to your ideas how to make this better for next quarter. 2nd--math focus--some teams have found a way to switch kids that seems to work for them...some are experimenting with other ways to differentiate to meet kids' "at need instruction," beyond core. How often does it need to happen? What are the foundational skills all kids have to have? So many questions...Improved math proficiency (growth) is a school goal. Many of you have been creative in your ways to address this goal, and many of you have been reaching out to the resources we have in Gretchen, Rebecca, Angie, Jayna, other teachers, etc. I appreciate your thoughts and professional conversations. 3rd--time--with professional development days geared to a more cohesive district focus, fewer assistant positions, new administration at building and district levels with goals and assignments, new testing, new standards...I know you are feeling the pressure. I am too. I love the way you support everyone in the building (including myself) and remain positive and optimistic in these times. You are a group working to solve problems, not create them. 4th--growth in student numbers--with student growth, we've gotten a lot of students who are learning the "Heights" way, and behaviors seem escalated and even more distracting when the classrooms are full. I love that you focus on the positive (PBIS) that is happening all around us. There is much more positive than negative. Please do be honest in reporting those we do have concerns about (either Skyward or ODRs). We have to have data in order to best determine how we can help. Any time a student comes to the office, or behaviors are continually repeated, parents need to know, and it should be documented. 5th--portable computer lab--I don't have answers yet. I'm working on it. One day it was here, the next, it was gone. The IT department has been overwhelmed with the roll-out at the high school. I know this impacts your focus time and class projects...we're working on it.
TO DO:
* Sign up for cafeteria plan time on Monday or Friday of next week.
* Optional 403B information and lunch on Monday--sign up to get a sandwich
* Did you get your substitute folder in? All EAs and Teachers...
* Did you get your management plan in? All certified staff
* Collaboration Notes turned in--(I will be changing the form to add a section for you to ask questions, etc.) for administration
* Keep giving out Hawks Tickets--We really want the kids to make their 2000 goal!
* Teach To--This week--lunchroom; next week--assembly
TO KNOW:
* C of I will be bringing interns for a field experience to our school again this year. They will be spending a couple hours T/Th 8:00 - 9:15, October 29th through Thanksgiving (supervised by C of I personnel) in classes...it looks like we will have about 12 students. We really would like them to be working with students and experience the classroom. If you would be willing to have a student for these few weeks, please let me know.
* Counselor--Alyssa has returned to our school this week. She is grateful to be back to work. She is slowly transitioning back. She was here 1/2 day on Tuesday, and will be here 1/2 day Friday. She plans to be back T, Th, F next week 1/2 time. We welcome her back!
* Assembly next Friday
* Bounce Back to School was a great success! Hundreds showed and seemed to enjoy themselves. PTA was pleased and plans to continue with a back-to-school event next year
* Grade level team members will be attending the math unit study in either Nov. or Dec. to work on Math Unit #5. I believe a final unit study will be done in the spring.
* Oct. 3-4: Get excited for these two PD Days for all Classified and Certified Staff! They are going to be great! Topics include: Classroom Engagement, Technology Integration, & Love & Logic. These are contract days. No other state level PD opportunities will be funded.
* In our last Middleton Leads meeting, we heard a saying, "I am not on a witch hunt...I am on a treasure hunt." This really hit home with me. I truly have found so many treasures in each of you! Thank you for your communication, support, help in understanding things I'm not familiar, being patient, making me laugh, being empathetic with my "crazy-kids" days (--so far only 2 bus citations this week! Much better than the 10 or 15 I was getting prior weeks :-), being models for all in our district/community, sharing your successes and challenges, and being yourselves! I love my job, not because of the job, necessarily. (The job of principal is much the same anywhere), but because of the people I work with!
To Think About:
At the last PTA meeting, some parents asked about common core curriculum and the SBAC test. My answer was that these are designed to create more continuity across the nation, to lend themselves to more cross-curricular work, and to provide more authentic learning experiences. They are meant to create opportunities for students to be thinkers, risk-takers, and solution-developers. One parent stated she hasn't seen any difference in homework. Can she expect that? Of course, I gave my answer...but something for you to think about...Do we send home 5 math problems, or do we send home one problem to be solved five different ways? Do we send home spelling words to write 5 times or do we have four squares to address all words: to illustrate, to write in a paragraph, write with the antonyms, etc?? Just food for thought as I'm sure these questions will be posed more and more as we move forward with common core.
Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.
William Butler Yeats
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