Thursday October 1st, 2020

It's a new month and the most exciting part is that we are starting our monthly family involvement activities. The take home activities was a popular item on our family involvement survey. Every month will have a different grade level leading and this first month is being led by second grade, Susanna, and Amy. Different than past years, but still just as fun. 

This reminded me of our staff- always excited to share learning and excited to help each other. Then the best part- observing children doing the same with peers, because they have learned from you. Thought for today:

Wednesday September 30th, 2020

We have a staff meeting after school. It is via video. Let's try to start by 3:15. 

This is so true. If you only spend time with people like yourself, you miss opportunities to learn. Thought for today:

Tuesday September 29th, 2020

The new issue of Educational Leadership is all about trauma sensitive schools. There is so much to process right now in the news and the world. For children, it is especially challenging. Here are a few tips around the topic of Covid:

Student Trauma- Covid

Handout with Resources for Educators

Thought for today:

Monday September 28th, 2020

 Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   September 28th, 2020- Monday- Eval team

   September 28th, 2020- Monday- Hearing and Vision Screening- K, 1, 3, 5

   September 29th, 2020- Tuesday- Intervention meeting/MTSS

   September 30th, 2020- Wednesday- Staff Meeting- 3:10- video

   October 2nd, 2020- Friday- Friday Fun: Mismatch Day

   October 2nd, 2020- Friday- Student leaders selling caramel suckers for .50 cents each

Next week:

   October 7th, 2020- Grade level teaming with Resource and ESL

 

Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements:

   Spencer- Habit 6: Synergize

Next week: Khatewoda- Habit 7: Sharpen the saw

 

The first picture to share this week is Donna receiving an Idaho CapEd grant this week. I knew they were coming this week and was so excited to surprise her. The money will be used to purchase books for Battle of the Books, so students don't have to share books. 

I love the pictures that show fifth grade students at recess. They have been creative at recess. They have been using the cones around sprinkler water for practicing hurdles. They have been using the pea gravel to practice their long jump skills. We have future Canyon Ridge track and field athletes. Some students have great height with their jumps. 

We also have pictures of student leaders leading the morning announcements and the monthly leadership assembly:

Pictures This Week

October starts this week. Thought to start the week:

Friday September 25th, 2020

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

Have a great weekend:

Thursday September 24th, 2020

The upcoming election- it's definitely a hot topic. It can create division within families and with your friends. We also have had situations with comments from students. As the election gets closer, here is a resource that you might find helpful. We could all use some tips to assist with staying calm:

Emotionally Prepare for the Election

Every experience is a learning experience. Thought for today:

Wednesday September 23rd, 2020

This looks like a great resource. There is a document included within the the article that shares resources to assist children who receive special education services. The topic is all about online learning and all of our students would benefit. While the document is for guardians, it would be helpful for school staff. You might try out an idea that catches your eye and then share with your colleagues:

Online Google Tools

This is a great reminder. The tips sound familiar to what we have talked about. You just have to start and focus on the basics. You can always add more as you learn. I am super proud of our certified staff. They all have a Google classroom. They all integrate this tool with in person learning. This has made it a smooth transition for our students who have needed to be at home:

Balance Teaching and Self Care

Thought for today:

Tuesday September 22nd, 2020

A big thank you to those that helped cover classrooms that had no subs on Monday. Everybody had to rearrange intervention groups. I know it wasn't the best way to start a new week. I heard students at lunch excited to see which staff member they had next. You are loved and you matter. Thank you

Speaking about how you matter, positive role models are so important. This article reiterates the importance for every student to see pictures and images that are relatable to them. We've worked really hard to add more inclusive books in our library, to include more resources with research projects that represent people from different cultural backgrounds, and to include more opportunities for students to learn and discuss global topics. 

This article is about a tennis player and also reminds about the importance of role models. We get that opportunity every day with the words we use, the conversations we initiate for discussions, the images and pictures we share, and more:

Role Models- Through Sports

Our children don't look like one type of person. This thought for today is real and heard:

Monday September 21st, 2020

 Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   September 21st, 2020- Monday- Eval team

   September 22nd, 2020- Tuesday- Intervention meeting/MTSS

   September 25th, 2020- Friday- September leadership assembly- video

Next week:

   September 28th- Hearing and Vision Screening- K, 1, 3, 5

   October 2nd, 2020- Friday Fun- Mismatch Day

  

   October 2nd, 2020- Student leaders selling caramel suckers for .50 cents each

Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements:

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

Next week: Spencer- Habit 6: Synergize

 

Thought to start the week:

 

Friday September 18th, 2020

Please find time this weekend to do something you enjoy. I am looking forward to enjoying a cup of coffee that is actually hot, reading one of the books in my stack of unfinished books, youtube videos to practice words and verbs in another language, sleeping in, and wearing comfy pajamas. Make a plan for your weekend and feel free to share with staff through email. You might find a shared interest with someone new in our building. Thought for today:

Thursday September 17th, 2020

Today is Constitution Day. Please include something with your lessons today.  As many times as I leave the country to travel, seeing the US flag at passport control and immigration when returning to the US is always something I look forward to. We have many items to be grateful for in our country. We live in in a great country. 

Thought for today:

Wednesday September 16th, 2020

We have a staff lighthouse meeting after school. We will be in the library. The main item will be finalizing our school wide Title 1 plan. 

We have office hours for our online students. We wish more families took advantage of the offering. It's similar to when you offer a student help during recesses and they slip outside. As we have students completing their learning at home even for our in person learners, we do have staff checking in to see if students or families need help with anything. Office hours does sound a bit odd for elementary students. This article gives a few examples of how to help explain the benefit, both to students and to families. From tech support, explaining content, even a positive check in- office hours can be really helpful:

Virtual Office Hours

Thought for today:

Tuesday September 15th, 2020

This post is a great reminder. It is important to ask students how to correctly say their name if we aren't sure. This is also a way to model inclusion for our students. Our names are part of our story:

What's in a Name

This is a great resource to save. Whether it is yucky air quality days, upcoming winter weather, or even our students learning at home right now- here are great indoor PE resources:

Virtual PE Resources

Thought for today:

Monday September 14th, 2020

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   September 14th, 2020- Monday- Eval team

   September 14th, 2020- Monday- Fall picture day

   September 14th, 2020- Monday- Student Lighthouse applications due

   September 15th 2020- Tuesday- Intervention meeting/MTSS

   September 16th, 2020- Wednesday- Staff Lighthouse- finalizing Title 1 school wide plan

   September 17th, 2020- Thursday- Constitution Day

Next week:

   September 25th- September Leadership Assembly

Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements:

   Lancaster- Habit 4: Think win win

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

Pictures this week include students learning with technology, writing skills, readers of the month, leadership, STEM learning, and Friday Fun:

Pictures This Week

This is a great resource for establishing online learning routines and procedures. I've seen and heard everybody modeling similar items. This reinforces the importance of doing so, as well as possibly sharing an idea you might not have thought about:

Online Learning Routines

I love this video. It is very much relevant to our students and current events in the news. While the students are high school age, the reminder is the same for elementary age students. It is important to be open to the experiences and situations that are real for our students. Hearing their perspectives is important. Establishing a safe place is crucial. I really appreciate how our staff works really hard to ensure that every student feels safe and included at our school, that every student knows that they matter:

Culturally Responsive Teaching

This article is a bit longer. It provides some reflection topics about online teaching. The article focuses particularly on items like organization, communication, feedback- the behind the scenes items that can make a big difference when it comes to success with online learning:

Improving Online Learning

One more:

Live Video Learning Ideas

Thought for today:

Friday September 11th, 2020

Today is Friday fun. We also have student leaders selling airhead treats.

Please help remind students and families that Monday is picture day. 

Have a great weekend. Thought for today:

Thursday September 10th, 2020

We're trying to keep our regular school activities when we can do so safely. Students look forward to the monthly Friday fun activity. I love that we have a fun committee at Harrison. Our first fun day is this Friday. Please remind students about the class colors dress up day. Every grade level has a color and it is fun to see students use their creativity as they decide how to dress for the day with their color. It will be nice to have something positive and fun for students. 

What you focus on is what you will see. If you see the potential and opportunity, that is what you will see. It can feel really negative in the world right now. Look for the positives. Thought for today:

Monday September 7th, 2020

 Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   September 7th, 2020- Monday- No School- Labor Day

   September 8th 2020- Tuesday- No School- Data Day- via video

   September 9th, 2020- Wednesday- Breakfast with Books/Readers of the Month

                                                             - Just students/No families

   September 9th, 2020- Wednesday- Staff Meeting- 3:10- via video

   September 11th, 2020- Friday- Friday Fun- Class Colors

   September 11th, 2020- Friday- Student leaders selling airheads for .50 cents each

Next week:

   September 14th- Fall Picture Day

   September 14th- Student Lighthouse applications due

   September 16th- Staff Lighthouse- Finalize school wide Title 1 plan

   September 17th- Constitution Day

   

Habit of the week/classroom leading morning announcements:

   Alexander- Habit 3: Put first things first

Next Week: Lancaster- Habit 4: Think Win Win

I really appreciate our staff. Everybody has been wearing a face covering, keeping noses covered, practicing procedures often with students, providing encouragement for students as their persevere through the school day, and more. It really makes going to work for all of us so pleasant, when we have a staff that cares. I have seen so many kind acts from staff and students. Thank you.

As we start the new week, you will notice that both Data Day and our staff meeting are via video. That will be common this year. If I can't guarantee that you get to sit in a six foot buffer, the meeting will be via video. We can accomplish the same end goals just fine. It doesn't make sense to squish people into a space if we can't guarantee that everybody gets a six foot buffer around them.

Everybody is invited to the staff meeting. It is the annual meeting about federal programs. I can't imagine not having federal funds at Harrison. From the preschool, ERC, Title 1, support for second language students, and more. All of our students benefit from federal funds and we have seen the power of those funds, huge benefits. 

This article is long and has a lot of Scientific information. The main point: We all need to surround ourselves with people that are positive, who provide sunlight, and who are high quality relationships. That will greatly assist us through this crazy time right now. If you scroll down, there are a few tips:

Stay Close to People Who Feel Like Sunlight

Thought for the day:

Friday September 4th, 2020

We have no kindergarten students today and there is an early dismissal at 12:45 for 1st-5th. Please help remind students and families that there is no school on Monday and Tuesday. 

Enjoy the three day weekend. Thought for today:

Thursday September 3rd, 2020

Please help remind students and families that Friday is an early dismissal at 12:45 and that there is no school on Monday and Tuesday.

Thought for today:

Wednesday September 2nd, 2020

We have grade level teaming today. We will be in the library so everybody can spread out. We are getting ready for data day. 

This is a great reminder for everybody. It has felt overwhelming at times, well, many times. Look at where we are at the moment- a lot to recognize.  Thought for today: