Monday February 3rd, 2020

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   February 3rd, 2020- Monday- eval team

   February 3rd-7th, 2020- Monday-Friday- School counselor week

   February 4th, 2020- Tuesday- Intervention Meeting/MTSS

   February 4th, 2020- Tuesday- Tie Tuesday/Wear a bow or scarf

   February 4th, 2020- Tuesday- Spring pictures

   February 5th, 2020- Wednesday- IRI testing K-3rd

   February 6th, 2020- Thursday- Literacy coach onsite visit

   February 7th, 2020- Friday- Dental services- room 17

   February 7th, 2020- Friday- Shoshone Elementary teachers visiting classrooms

   February 7th. 2020- Friday- Friday Fun- Dress as your favorite super hero

   February 7th, 2020- Friday- Students leaders selling animal notepads for .50 cents each


Next week:

  February 12th- 4th Grade Wagons Ho field trip

  February 12th- Breakfast with Books and readers of the month



Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements:

   Jolovich- Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood

Next week: Pauley- Habit 6: Synergize



And just like that, we are into February.


I visited the UN in New York over the holiday break and it is definitely something I highly recommend. That's a great experience. Being globally literate and being able to read are two areas the United Nations focuses on. This link mentions a great resource that could be shared with families, as well as in the classroom with students. There are books in different languages:

Article

Global Books

Speaking of the UN, I'll share two pictures. One is walking up to the building and seeing all the flags that I just loved:

This is a great article about female Scientists. There are women listed that are rarely mentioned, yet, they contributed greatly to society. Science is a big part of learning at our school and I love that there are women listed from a variety of countries:

Women in Science


Pictures this week include Science learning with our preschool students. They have been learning about farm animals, they made butter, and then had yummy toast with the homemade butter. The faces are the best.

We recognized our January leaders of the month and our walking path was finally installed. A big thank you to our playground staff. It was a busy week on the playground with materials and trucks. Our playground staff and security aide were awesome as they helped to ensure that our students were safe as they played outside for recesses.

Student lighthouse members visited area businesses and invited them to our annual Leadership Day. That's always a fun activity for our kids. We have writers in first grade and we ended the week with fun 100 day activities:

Pictures This Week

Everybody has worth and value. Thought for today:

Friday January 31st, 2020

We have the dental services back today. This has been super nice to have on our campus.

This is a quick read with a great focus. Attention spans can be short. Perspectives can be different. We all see things through a different lens, depending on our experiences. Learning how to observe fits well with Science standards. One of our hardest standards is author's point of voice, thinking outside of your own thinking. Then we have empathy, an important skill to develop. All of those pieces assist in helping students to be globally literate, kind humans:

Slow Looking


We need a smile on a Friday. Just like kids, grown adults have off days too. We love everybody. Thought for today:

Thursday January 30th, 2020

I love this post. This sounds just like how we talk at Harrison. We sometimes get a few eye rolls from students. It's just how we talk with kids. This would be good to print:

How We Talk


I saw this comment in an article and it is such a great piece of advice: "Find the area of your job that brings you joy, and repeat everyday." So true. My list would include things like the lunchroom, behavior, preschool, recess, celebrating growth with kids, watching new teachers find their voice and shine, listening to experienced teachers share their experiences and tips, and a good cry mixed in with a staff member. Remember your why and what brings you joy. Feel free to share via email what brings you joy.

Life would be boring if every day was easy and the same. We work in education. Challenges can start first thing in the morning.  At Harrison, we call those challenges learning experiences. Thought for today:

Wednesday January 29th, 2020

Please encourage and recognize students completing the Great Kindness challenge checklist.


We have a staff meeting after school in the library today. We will have our most experienced staff speaking. They will be sharing what they learned their first year/years teaching and answer questions.


Thought for today:

Tuesday January 28th, 2020

We have our monthly leadership assembly first thing in the morning.

We have grade level teaming today.


So true. Every staff member, every student, is growing and learning. Don't forget to stop, breathe, and remember how far you have come this year. Thought for today:

Monday January 27th, 2020

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   January 27th, 2020- Monday- eval team

   January 27th, 2020- Monday-Friday- Great Kindness Challenge

   January 27th, 2020- Monday- Hot Cocoa bar during morning recess

   January 27th, 2020- Monday- Kindergarten teaming

   January 28th, 2020- Tuesday- Intervention Meeting/MTSS

   January 28th, 2020- Tuesday- Leadership assembly- 8:05 in the gym

   January 28th, 2020- Tuesday- Grade level teaming 1st-5th

   January 28th, 2020- Tuesday- Student lighthouse delivering invitations in the community

   January 29th, 2020- Wednesday- Staff meeting

   January 31st, 2020- Friday- Dental services- room 17

   January 31st, 2020- Friday- January student leader of the month lunch with Principal


Next week:

  February 3rd-7th- Counselor appreciation week

  February 4th- Spring pictures

  February 5th- IRI/IStation Winter testing

  February 7th- Friday Fun- Super hero day

  February 7th- Student leaders selling writing notepads for .50 cents each


Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements:

   Alexander- Habit 4: Think win win

Next week: Jolovich- Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood


This is a video to kick off the great kindness challenge week. The fun part is that there are people jumping off a bridge. We have a bridge where people jump off as well, yet our kids may not have seen people jump off a bridge before:

Great Kindness Challenge


Pictures this week include learning how to jump rope in PE, the really useful new alphabet strips, Science learning, MLK Jr learning with inclusion, and kindness:

Pictures This Week


Totally out there, but a great video if you want to learn ideas for different ways to cook eggs:

Eggs



Thought for today:

Friday January 24th, 2020

We have the dental services at our school, a yummy January staff birthday lunch, and the fourth grade hygiene presentation with the nurses at 2 pm. We also have sick kids and staff. Please encourage extra hand washing.


Have a great weekend. Thought for today:

Thursday January 23rd, 2020

We continue Spring play auditions after school. We had a great turn out on Wednesday. A big thank you to the ladies leading this activity.

The annual great kindness challenge starts next week. Please be talking about this event with students.


Thought for today:

Wednesday January 22nd, 2020

Tuesday sounded fun with no bells or intercom working. Please be watching the clock on Wednesday, as this will probably continue until the issue is resolved.

Auditions for the Spring play start today. Students will meet in the lunchroom and must have a permission slip signed.

With auditions in the lunchroom and students also using the library at times, we will have our staff lighthouse/building leadership team meeting in room 18.


January is just cold, sick kids, and gray. Our annual hot cocoa bar is coming next week for staff. Think warm thoughts. Thought for today:

Tuesday January 21st, 2020

Please help remind students about turning in permission slips for the Spring play auditions. Every student will have a part if they are interested.



Thought for today:

Monday January 20th, 2020

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   January 20th, 2020- Monday- eval team

   January 21st, 2020- Tuesday- Intervention Meeting/MTSS

   January 22nd, 2020- Wednesday- Staff lighthouse/Building leadership team- 3:10 in library

   January 22nd, 2020- Wednesday- Spring play auditions after school

   January 23rd, 2020- Thursday- Spring play auditions after school

   January 24th, 2020- Friday- Dental services- room 17

   January 24th, 2020- Friday- 4th grade hygiene presentation with nurses- 2 pm


Next week:

  January 28th- monthly leadership assembly


Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements:

   Suto- Habit 3: Put first things first

Next week: Alexander- Habit 4: Think win win


Pictures this week include the Panda Express visit about the Chinese new year celebration. It might have been 9:30 in the morning, but it's never to early to eat Chinese food. Panda Express was so kind. What was thought to be a little snack was actually a meal for the whole school. This was a great opportunity to learn about another culture and to possibly try new foods to eat. Being globally literate is important.

We have pictures of our student lighthouse team giving tours to community members and a picture of one reader of the month. We love recognizing our kids:

Pictures This Week



Thought for today:

Friday January 17th, 2020

We will have student lighthouse members giving tours to visitors today. You may have visitors in your classroom.

We have a Friday fun dress up day today- wear clothing from your favorite sports team. Student leaders are also selling fun glow in the dark bookmarks, hoping to encourage more reading.

Dental services will be occurring in room 17.


Recess help today:

9:45-10:00- Nelson- lower grade side
11:25-11:40- Jordan- upper grade side


I've been thinking this since September. In fact, it kind of looks like me. Stay warm and enjoy the weekend. Thought for today:

Thursday January 16th, 2020

We have our literacy coach with us today. We'll be visiting classrooms, looking at data, and planning next steps for the second half of the school year.

This is a great reflection article that fits very well with self care, goals, mindfulness, loving yourself, and more. You might print this and read it a few times:

Intentional Living


Recess duty help for today:

9:45-10:00: Rodriguez- lower grade side
11:25-11:40: Worley- upper grade side
11:40-12:00: Terry- upper grade side
1:15-1:30: Pauley- lower grade side


Thought for today:

Wednesday January 15th, 2020

We start the morning with Breakfast with Books and recognizing readers of the month. We end the day with a staff meeting in the library.

It's been a challenge this year with playground coverage, but like the thought for the day below, we have made it work. Thankfully, student behaviors have been pretty good or quickly corrected. To help assist with remembering who is helping with recess, an idea was to post with the daily blog post. I always appreciate reminders from others, when I need to be somewhere. This daily reminder might not only help you remember, but your friends can also help remind you.

9:45-10:00: Kenyon- lower grade side
11:25-11:40: Turpin- upper grade side



Thought for today is a great reminder:

Tuesday January 14th, 2020

We have grade level teaming for 1st-5th grade today.

Please help remind students and families about Breakfast with Books on Wednesday.



Thought for today:

Monday January 13th, 2020

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   January 13th, 2020- Monday- eval team

   January 13th, 2020- Monday- Panda Express visit about Chinese new year- 9 am in gym

   January 13th, 2020- Monday- Kindergarten teaming

   January 14th, 2020- Tuesday- Intervention Meeting/MTSS

   January 14th, 2020- Tuesday- 1st-5th Grade teaming

   January 15th, 2020- Wednesday- Breakfast with books and readers of the month- 7:30 am

   January 15th, 2020- Wednesday- Staff meeting

   January 16th, 2020- Thursday- Literacy coach on site visit

   January 17th, 2020- Friday- Friday fun is dress up wearing clothing from favorite sports team

   January 17th, 2020- Friday- Student leaders selling glow in the dark bookmarks for .50 cents each

   January 17th, 2020- Friday- Dental services- room 17


Next week:

  January 24th- 4th grade hygiene presentation- 2 pm


Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements:

   Johns- Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind

Next week: Suto- Habit 3: Put first things first


The staff meeting this week will have two speakers from our school district office. Everybody is invited, not just certified staff. One speaker will be Mr. Gemar. He will speak for a few minutes about what CBRS and BI services are, similarities and differences. Our school superintendent will speak for the majority of the meeting. He will be sharing and discussing the school district strategic plan. Just as our school Title 1 plan guides direction for our school, the district strategic plan guides our school district.

This is an interesting article. While it appears to be focused on the secondary level, it very much could be applied to the elementary level. STEM/STEAM is very much integrated daily at our school. Just as Math and Reading are essential for any future career that our students may have, so too are Science and Technology involved with almost every career. This article mentions statistics, civics, and looking for application in real situations where students can apply skills:

Connections

We have two pictures from this last week. One is second grade as they were learning about fire safety from the fire department. The second picture is an awesome out of the box idea. Mrs. Turpin arranged with Fawnbrook to use their club house one afternoon after school for students. She assisted students with practicing academic and language skills:

Pictures This Week



Thought for today:

Friday January 10th, 2020

We always start January with very few meetings. It takes a bit of an adjustment to start back after a holiday break. Next week is busy, so enjoy your weekend and take time for yourself.


Thought for today:

Thursday January 9th, 2019

Please help remind students and families about the dental cleaning opportunity that starts on Friday. We have this every Friday in January and it's really nice to have this wrap around service right at the school.


Thought for today:

Wednesday January 8th, 2020

I love the topic of inclusiveness and I love this video. When we hear the word 'disability'- do we think of negatives and challenges- or do we think of strengths? We are constantly striving to develop empathy and understanding with our kids. Often, they just haven't had experiences and opportunities to fully understand. That's where we come in- why you matter. We get to create change everyday with our students.

We need students to have experiences that allow them to develop deeper understanding of topics, to extend learning, and to have experiences that allow students to formulate opinions after learning from diverse perspectives. This video:

Inclusion Matters


One of the best parts of my day is observing kids who are being kind to others- when they don't know someone is watching. Thought for today:

Tuesday January 7th, 2020

We had a great day on Monday. Thank you for finding time to greet students, check in, morning meetings, and all the other positive proactive tools to assist students with starting back at school after a long break.

As we start the second semester of school, a great resource is our Instructional Coach. She is a resource for everybody, classified and certified. This is a quick read with great reminders of how our coach can assist you:

Instructional Coach


Thought for today: