Monday February 2nd, 2015

Duties for the week:

     AM Bus: Hammond
                  Simson
                  Nail
     PM Bus: Osborn
                  Miller
                  Kenyon
     Lounge: Jensen

Meetings/Reminders for the week:


February 2nd, 2015- Monday- BLT 3:45 in Library

February 3rd-4th, 2015-  Tuesday and Wednesday- Spring Concert Practice Starts, 8:10-8:40

February 3rd, 2015- Tuesday- RTI

February 3rd-4th, 2015- Tuesday and Wednesday- 1st and 2nd Dental Screenings

February 3rd, 2015- Tuesday- 1st-5th Grade Level Teaming with Title 1, Resource, and ESL

February 4th, 2015- Wednesday- Eval Team

February 4th, 2015- Wednesday- School Spelling Bee 3:45 in Library

February 5rd, 2015- Thursday- Kindergarten Grade Level Teaming with Title 1, Resource, and ESL

February 5th, 2015- Thursday- PTA 6 pm in Library

We had such a great turn out for the free dental checks, that they will be at the school for two more days.

It's National School Counseling week! We are so lucky to have a full time counselor. Not only do our students have an excellent advocate and resource, but also all of us.

We start the breakfast in the classroom program on Monday. All Kindergarten and 1st grade students will have the opportunity to eat breakfast right at their desk. We also will have a few available in the K-3 resource classroom. It is really hard for hungry students to learn.

The school spelling bee is on Wednesday. We will start after school in the library. Everybody is welcome to attend. Students can attend, but they need to make sure they have a plan for how they will get home.

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching. Let us know in the office if you have any students who need Valentine's Day cards.

We had a guest teacher in fifth grade on Friday. He was so impressed with two young ladies who asked to go out in the hall with two other students who were having difficulties in the classroom. The two peer mediators used the habits to assist their peers, because they wanted them to make correct choices and not get in trouble. A safe environment with a talking circle created proactive change that worked, and it has been a very powerful tool with students this year. Here is a resource about talking circles:

Talking Circles and Restorative Justice

Our counselor started a Wow notebook. What an awesome idea! Staff can write a compliment to a colleague and let them know how much they are appreciated. The notes received so far have been so thoughtful. We have something similar being planned for the staff room, so stay tuned!

The annual math-a-thon has started!

We have seen significant growth with our full day Kindergarten students. This week students have been learning about adjectives. Yes, Kindergarten students are learning about adjectives with the new reading program. This young lady proudly walked with her sentence strips to the office, so she could share her writing activity with adjectives.

Friday January 30th, 2015

Staff Winter party starts at 6:30!

Math-a-Thon assembly starts at 8:50 am in the gym. Please bring students directly to the gym when the bell rings, and bring a device to take attendance.

We will be having the two week summer STEM program that goes with our 21st Century grant. This will occur during the first two weeks in August. Students who attended last year loved the activities, and it was more like camp. Students have activities at both Harrison and CSI. Only Harrison students attend, so we are really appreciative of the opportunity. We will need teachers and paras. The job link to apply is now posted:

Summer STEM

Students who are service leaders finished their project for the hospital. They have been spending recess time giving, instead of playing. This young lady in fourth grade is delivering all the Valentine cards and pictures they made. If you have any ideas for service, please let me know. Something like cutting or gluing is perfect for student leaders, and then that gives you more time to focus on bigger items like curriculum and planning:

Thursday January 29th, 2015

The Wonders Reading Rep will be in the building all day to meet with staff.

Staff meeting is after school in the library.

This article is a great resource about trauma. Sometimes we have to step back and look at the big picture. Behavior concerns may actually be the result of something else occurring in a child's life, or a past situation. Poverty can even be part of trauma, which we have seen in some of our students:

Trauma

This article might require tissues, but it reiterates the importance of teachers and every staff member in the life of a student. School is a safe place for students.

School

We had our first Rocket Math awards assembly on Wednesday. A big thank you to Mrs. Sweet for not only coordinating the assembly and helping to invite families, but also for printing the certificates we read every day on the intercom:

Rocket Math

This is a great picture from Mrs. Triner's third grade reading intervention group. Students were writing persuasive papers, practicing vocabulary words with the chromebooks, and other individualized activities. Fourth and fifth grade teachers will be really excited next year. Students were so quick to log onto their email accounts and get started, with very little help from the teacher:

We have over one hundred students enrolled in the after school program. All of them, K-5, were engaged with robotics on Wednesday. There was synergy, literacy, critical thinking, and other important skills being learned:

Wednesday January 28th, 2015

Rocket Math assembly is at 3pm, in the lunchroom.

Dental sealants and teeth checks start today for first and second grade students.  We have extra permission forms in the office if students or families ask.

This is the thought for the day:

Then I saw this, and knew it represented our staff well:

Tuesday January 27th, 2015

All students in fourth grade will be going on the Boise field trip this year. Fourth grade teachers have put together a new schedule of activities, and it reflects school goals and fourth grade standards. Great job fourth grade teachers! This is an awesome line up:

1.       Boise WaterShed- STEM

2.       BSU Tour and activities- College exposure

3.       Capital Building- Idaho History

4.       Penitentiary- Idaho History

 

We have students earning tickets and t-shirts to Canyon Ridge games, for the Read Like a Hawk program. Here are pictures:

Read Like a Hawk

We have a school newsletter going home this week. The big item is the start of the breakfast in the classroom for students in Kindergarten and First grade.

Newsletter- Front

Newsletter- Back

We have writers in Kindergarten! Here are students from Mrs. Goodwin's classroom practicing speaking and listening standards, with papers they wrote:

Writers

Monday January 26th, 2015

Duties for the week:

     AM Bus: Goodwin
                  Moore
                  Lent
     PM Bus: Porter
                  Enders
                  Lindquist
     Lounge: Pauley

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   January 27th-28th, 2015- Tuesday and Wednesday- Leader in Me Symposium- Utah

   January 27th, 2015- Tuesday- RTI

   January 28th-29th, 2015- Wednesday and Thursday- 1st and 2nd Dental Screenings

   January 28th, 2015- Wednesday- Eval Team

   January 28th, 2015- Wednesday- Rocket Math Assembly 3pm- Lunchroom

   January 29th, 2015- Thursday- Wonders Rep in Building all day

   January 29th, 2015- Thursday- Staff Meeting- Library

   January 30th, 2015- Friday- Math a Thon kick off Assembly 8:50- Gym

   January 30th, 2015- Friday- Staff Winter Party 6:30 pm


After Monday, it's a hold onto your hat kind of week! We have several great learning opportunities this week for staff.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, we will have staff in Utah for Leader in Me training. We will have 5 teachers, 1 counselor, and 1 vice principal out of the building. Please assist guest teachers, which we never have to worry about. Everybody is so good about jumping in and assisting our guest teachers.

On Thursday, we will have a Wonders reading consultant in the building all day. This will be the same schedule as the last time we had a rep. She will be meeting with grade levels during their teaming time. Kindergarten will be starting us off at 7:45 am. The consultant will also be available for any para-professionals who would like to check in with her, just let me know and I will make sure to add you in the schedule. We had a few open slots last time, and assisting para-professionals was really helpful. Any specialist teachers, like resource and ESL, can join a grade level teaming that works best with their caseload or schedule.

We have a staff meeting Thursday after school. Our agenda:

1. Leader in Me activity- Anne
2. Math- 4 teachers will be sharing a few things they learned from math classes this past summer: Goodwin (K), Osborn (3rd), Standley (3rd), and Warner (5th).

We have the PTA math-a-thon fundraiser kick off assembly on Friday. Please bring students straight from outside to the gym as soon as the bell rings. Bring your iPad or another device to take attendance. We will have both doors open to help find seats quicker.

Friday is our staff Winter party. December is always busy, so we go for a Winter party. As past years, there will several fun games and great food. Everybody is invited. We will be at the Rouge. Please remember to give social committee money for the food, and they can answer any questions that you may have.

If you are interested in working during summer school, teachers and para-professionals, the job link is now posted:

Summer School

Friday January 23rd, 2015

Have a great Friday! 

A big thank you to Mrs. Sweet for completing all the Winter IRI testing! We have several interventions this year, combined with hard work from students and all of our staff members, and the IRI scores show it. We start at 7:30 am and end at 5:30 pm. All of our students have at least one intervention time, even our higher students. There is so much excitement for learning this year, and we have students who would run to intervention classes if we let them:

Thursday January 22nd, 2015

We had a Harrison student on KMVT as the Kidcaster! She did an excellent job speaking and using her voice! Here is the video clip, and this would be great to share with students:

KMVT- Student

Please help remind students about the PTA cotton candy sale on Friday.

This picture is a great example of co-teaching between a classroom teacher and a special education teacher:

We started robotics in the after school program. A big thank you to U of I extension. We had k-2 in the lunchroom, and students were so excited. This picture sums up the enthusiasm:

Wednesday January 21st, 2015

This is a great article about the power of a coach. We all have someone coaching us this year, such as your colleagues. For me, one is our capacity builder. She can say just a few words or a short sentence to direct reflection and thinking. In fact, the last words mentioned in the article about taking care of myself are often given by our capacity builder! Step back for a second and consider the power of the coaches around you in our school building, and the coaches for our students. Coaches are powerful, and we have them all around our school.

Coaches

We have free dental sealants being offered for 1st and 2nd grade students. It can be really hard for students to learn at school if their teeth hurt. Here is more information that is posted on our school website:

Dental Sealants 

We had the Times News visit Mrs. Goodwin's classroom, because of the First Federal grant. You have to love the camera man. He sat right down with students at the carpet, and students were not even phased. Students did a great job focusing on their teacher:

Tuesday January 20th, 2015

We have 4 ISU students who will be with Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Miller starting this week. Please help them feel welcomed.

We have the once a month grade level teaming meeting today. Patience is appreciated. This includes resource teachers, ESL teacher, and our Title 1 teacher.

Canyon Ridge Assembly is today in the lunchroom:

1:30- K, 1, 3

2:00- 2, 4, 5

Here is a math website with resources that were shared on Monday:

Math

We had some Harrison students compete in the robotics tournament on Saturday at CSI. They did a great job:

Robotics

Increasing collaboration is one of our goals this year, and it is also part of our school improvement plan. This is a great picture of our special education team. This was before school, but it is also very common to see them collaborating during the lunch hour. Our special education students are very lucky to have such dedicated staff teaching them. From speech, to special education teachers, and even our awesome para professionals and behavior para:

Here is a picture with students from Mrs. Coleman's classroom. Look at their focus!

Monday January 19th, 2015

Duties for the week:

     AM Bus: Miller
                  Jensen
                  Owens
     PM Bus: Triner
                  Pauley
                  Lancaster
     Lounge: Lent

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   January 19th, 2015- Monday- No Students- Practical Application, Teacher Training Day

   January 20th, 2015- Tuesday- RTI

   January 20th, 2015- Tuesday- Grade Level Teaming 1, 3, 4, & 5- with Resource, Title 1, & ESL

   January 20th, 2015- Tuesday- Canyon Ridge Assembly- 1:30 K, 1, 3 and 2:00 2, 4, 5

   January 21st, 2015- Wednesday- Eval Team

   January 21st, 2015- Wednesday- 2nd Grade Herrett Center 12:30-2:30

   January 21st, 2015- Wednesday- 4th Grade Hygiene Presentations with the Nurses at 2:15

   January 22nd, 2015- Thursday- Grade Level Teaming K & 2- with Resource, Title 1, & ESL

   January 22nd, 2015- Thursday- 3rd Grade Herrett Center 12:30-2:30

   January 23rd, 2015- Friday- PTA cotton candy .50¢

   January 23rd, 2015- Friday- 4th and 5th Skateland 12:15-2:45

The Canyon Ridge assembly on Tuesday is the new Read Like a Riverhawk program, and it will be in the lunchroom. Students will be earning tickets for sports events, and a t-shirt. This is a great opportunity for students to visit their future high school. 

Monday is Dr. Martin Luther King Day. There are several resources available online, but here are two links with ideas that you could use with instruction anytime this week.

MLK- Scholastic

MLK- Nat Geo Kids

                                                                                    image: morassociates.com

                                   
                                                                                          

Friday January 16th, 2015

School is out at 1:30 today. The rest of the day is yours.

We had a great leadership assembly. Here are a few pictures that are posted on the school website:

2nd Quarter Leadership Assembly

Here is a post with an assortment of pictures from the week. So many great learning opportunities:

Pictures From the Week

Here is an article about reflection, which can be a very powerful tool. We have been using the plus delta idea with students this year when we have opportunities to gather student input.

Reflection

Here is an article about motivation. It does a great job highlighting tips that match what we are doing at Harrison this year with the Leader in Me program.

Motivation

Have a great Friday!

Thursday January 15th, 2015

Please help remind students that school is dismissed Friday at 1:30, and that there is no school for kindergarten students on Friday.

We have an upcoming staff meeting that all staff members are invited to attend, not just certified. Dr. Dobbs will be presenting at the February 25th staff meeting. He will be sharing information about the upcoming March supplemental levy. We will start about 3:45.

The leadership assembly will start at 2:50 in the gym. We have student leaders really excited to lead the event.

Here is a resource from Khrista for betting understanding our refugee students. On the left side you can choose the country you are interested in. This is a great resource:

Refugee Populations

We had Norma Bailey visit classrooms on Wednesday. She is the region 4 school improvement coordinator, with the state department. A big thank you to all the classrooms that let a mini group of adults visit and see a snapshot of all the great learning occurring. The best has to be walking in and hearing teachers say they are trying something new with technology, and then just keep on teaching as if we weren't there. That willingness to try new things is a great example for students:

Part of leadership opportunities for students, is also training the next person. Here is our menu leader training the next leader to write the menus every morning:

Wednesday January 14th, 2015

Staff meeting is after school. 

We have the second quarter leadership assembly on Thursday. We will start at 2:50 in the gym. Both doors will be open to help people find a seat quicker. We will also have the monthly principal lunch on Thursday for the December grade level leaders.

The instructional coach started the google class Tuesday after school. You can never have too many devices in front of you:

The new letters have been installed outside, and they are even our school colors. They look great! A big thank you to CSI welding, Idaho Powder Coating, Lytle Signs, and our district maintenance department. Not only are we developing leaders in our students, but also our staff:

We have the YMCA coming once a month to lead Zumba for the after school students. Here are some pictures, and one young man even started break dancing. We have talent!

Tuesday January 13th. 2015

Please make sure to thank the custodians for all the snow shoveling.

As the quarter is ending, please remember to check the third quarter schedule:

Third Quarter

One of the great things about being at Harrison is the diversity. We have new students who are from Iraq, and a few more will start when the third quarter starts. Even though the US has been in Iraq for several years, it is often said that most Americans have difficulty finding Iraq on a map. Here are some quick links to better understand our new students from Iraq, and their country:

Iraq 1

Iraq 2

Monday January 12th, 2015

Duties for the week:

     AM Bus: Fullmer
                  Moulson
                  Jacobson
     PM Bus: Taylor
                  Standley
                  Simson
     Lounge: Bradley

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

  January 12th, 2015- Monday- 2nd Grade Fire Safety 9am

  January 13th, 2015- Tuesday- RTI

  January 13th, 2015- Tuesday- WISE Team

  January 13th, 2015- Tuesday- Google Class with Coach After School

  January 14th, 2015- Wednesday- Eval Team

  January 14th, 2015- Wednesday- Staff Meeting

  January 15th, 2015- Thursday- Lighthouse Team at 7:50

  January 15th, 2015- Thursday- Leadership Assembly at 2:50 in the Gym 

  January 16th, 2015- Friday- No School Kindergarten, Early Out at 1:30, & end of the second quarter

Future:

   January 19th, 2015- Monday- No Students- Teacher Training Day- Math Focus


We had a family note go home on Friday:

Family Note Front Side

Family Note Back Side 

The staff meeting agenda this week includes:

1. Twin Falls Education Foundation Visit
2. Leader in Me Training from Coaching Day

Here is a great picture with Mrs. Moore and her students. Second grade students have been learning about similes. They were reading papers about similes that students in another classroom had typed. Great way to learn from peers:

Students love the caught being a super husky papers, and the comments on them are so impressive. We made more copies and they are on my desk. Here is one young lady from Mrs. Anderson's classroom who has been working so hard to improve with academics, putting first things first, and even coming to school before 8am in the mornings for extra practice with Imagine Learning. She had her best reading test score on Friday, and was even using her voice to help others find theirs as she assisted with helping them to improve with academics as well:

Friday January 9th, 2015

A big thank you to First Federal for our recent grant! We received the check Thursday, and I wish you could have heard each of the recipients who received grants. We have great organizations in our community that do amazing things for people. Here is a post on the school website:

First Federal Grant

We had a great Science Day. A big thank you to Mrs. Mason for not only leading the event at our school, but assisting two other schools! Here are pictures from the school website:

Science Day

We have a new activity during the after school program. U of I extension is leading a master chef class. A big thank you to Marla for helping! Kindergarten and first grade students learned about kitchen safety, washing hands, and they made hummus to eat with their carrots. We had a CSI instructor and CSI student teaching, and every student was eating the hummus. Some students even had seconds:

I saw a student walk into the lunchroom for breakfast, and he was wearing a tie and vest. I inquired about the tie, and he said he was dressed for his job. Here he is on the left, as he is working with a peer. Students love their leadership jobs:

Thursday January 8th, 2015

The big event today is the annual Science Day. All students will go to the gym during their block time. This is such a great opportunity for students, and I would encourage all staff to visit for a few minutes if you have a chance.

As we start a new year, here are two nice articles about goal setting. Our students have leadership notebooks and individual goals, and these articles have ideas that correlate:

Goals- 1

Goals- 2

                                   

Wednesday January 7th, 2015

We have all students 1st-5th preparing for the school spelling bee, and students in the after school program are also preparing for the geography bee. Here are links for more information:

Spelling Bee

Geography Bee

We've been trying to integrate geo-literacy more in the classroom. This is more than just reading a map. This involves interactions, connections, and implications. Our new reading program includes more opportunities for learning about this. Here are two apps that might be an option for enrichment, or an incentive, in the classroom. Students can practice learning another language, or you might be interested for yourself.

Geo-Literacy

Duolingo- Android

Duolingo- Apple

Tuesday January 6th, 2015

Here is your thought for the day.