Thursday June 19th, 2014

Our students will have the opportunity to be involved with robotics in the Fall. Michelle and Steve have spent two days at O'Leary learning and building. Here is a robot they made:

Here is more information from Michelle:

We designed, built, and programmed a robot. It moves rings to different positions on a game board with point values. We got 230 points, and only landed one out of sixteen in the wrong spot. It is amazing!!  

Here are a few more pictures of the robot in action:

Friday June 6th, 2014

After the TFEA breakfast, we will be having a lighthouse meeting and then data day/staff retreat. 

Here is a video Mrs. Mason made from different Science activities during the year. I love the faces on the students! Science has been great to observe this year. Students have been learning academic vocabulary words that they can take right back to the classroom, as well as writing and reading embedded in the lessons. Common core standards and STEM are included; which is exactly what students need.

Science Video

With fewer posts during the summer months, I’ve created a top ten list you can refer to throughout the summer months. These are topics we’ve talked about either as a grade level, during staff meetings, or during other conversations. Several of the articles have been shared before. This is a great list to refer to as you are reflecting on your classroom for next year. These are all important topics in education right now. As the staff blog winds down, feel free to follow on the summer school blog if you are interested:

Title 1 Summer School


Top 10 List

1. gmail account: Most people have signed up for gmail. If you haven't, this will open your world to collaborative opportunities, the cloud, and engaging interactive tools:

Setting Up Gmail

2. Discipline/Classroom Management: This is always a topic for reflection. These articles could apply to any students at our school:

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3. Communication: This is always an area we are striving to increase:

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4. Technology: Always an important topic:

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5. Homework: Oh, the always hot topic:

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6. Innovation: Love! 

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7. Classroom Environment: This does matter, not just the classroom, but also the school. Please remember that learning is not bound by your four classroom walls:

Webinar- click on link under the date on the left. 

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8. Sharpen the saw: Probably the most important on the list:

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9. Books: I have so many stack of books around my house and with my kindle app. I picked out a small snapshot of titles so each staff member might be interested in reading just one. There are a variety of topics, so everybody might see one book that catches their eye. If you read one this summer, I would love to discuss in the Fall. 

Book List

10. Twitter: What a powerful professional development tool, anytime, and anywhere. For any staff member, classified or certified, twitter will provide an opportunity to connect and collaborate with people in a similar position. What a great learning opportunity! I am always tweeting and emailing principals not only around the US, but the world.

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Thursday June 5th, 2014

Here are the videos from the surprise singing for Chris on Tuesday morning. Look at all the students on the playground! Thanks Marsha for practicing with students and organizing the surprise!

This first video was taken by a fifth grade student with an iPad. Yes, it is sideways at times. This is exactly perfect! That is how our students will learn. I love that we had a student learning to take a video with an iPad. Then I helped Marsha set up a gmail account and upload the video to the cloud, her first item! Two firsts, a student and a teacher!

First Video

The second video was taken by Bev. Thanks Bev!

Second Video

Here are a few pictures from Mrs. Lent from the first grade activity day at Frontier Park. They walked there and then had stations for students to rotate through:

What a great carnival on Wednesday! Thank you to everybody who helped with activities! I loved seeing students reading and holding books, everywhere! We also had great family participation.

Please send any pictures of the carnival if you took some, and I will add them to our school website. I put together two videos with pictures, and these would be great to share with students.

Carnival Video 1

Carnival Video 2

There are two dates this summer that you might be interested in:

Thursday July 17th is the last day of the 21st century grant STEM enrichment weeks with CSI. Students will be in the gym presenting their final projects, 1:30-2:30, and families will be invited to attend. You are invited to attend as well.

Monday July 21st is the first day of Title 1 summer school. As we have students from all seven schools, the first day can be a bit on the crazy side. If you are interested in helping students find their classrooms, 8-8:30, let me know.

Hard to believe, but it is the last day of school!

                                              

Wednesday June 4th, 2014

Last day of school for our kindergarten students!

Kindergarten students all come to school together in the afternoon at 12:30. Let us remember that we have 109 kindergarteners, and two teachers! Thankfully we have an awesome support staff and para-professionals.  It is amazing to see the growth of the students this year, despite the large class sizes, because of all the assistance and support from our staff. Feel free to assist during the carnival today!

Here are a few pictures from the third grade canyon field trip on Tuesday. For many of our students, end of the year field trips are an opportunity to participate in activities they normally wouldn't be able to- even though they are usually just a few miles from their home.

School carnival today! I love that our school carnival is during the school day, and that there is no cost for students. Siblings not enrolled can purchase punch cards. We will start after lunch. Let the fun begin! It is a sharpen the saw habit #7 day!

                                                   

Tuesday June 3rd, 2014

You know those short weeks, or weeks where students are eagerly anticipating an upcoming vacation or holiday? Could be Thanksgiving week, before Christmas break, or before Spring Break. Instead of watching movies, here is an option for an engaging opportunity from another school. I loved seeing kindergarten on Monday rotate through engaging learning centers on the front lawn in a similar manner.

Video-Teach Like A Pirate Day

Article: Teach Like A Pirate Day