Monday January 30th, 2023

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   January 30th, 2023- Monday- Eval team

   January 31st, 2023- Tuesday- RTI/MTSS- room 14- 7:30 am

   January 31st, 2023- Tuesday- Leadership assembly- 8:05 am

   February 1st, 2023- Wednesday- Breakfast with books, Readers of the month, and

                                                         Mathematicians of the month

   February 1st, 2023- Wednesday- Side by Side coach on site

   February 2nd, 2023- Thursday- IRI Testing for K-3rd

   February 3rd, 2023- Friday- Time with instructional coach: 1st am and K pm

   February 3rd, 2023- Friday- Friday fun is dress like a super hero

   February 3rd, 2023- Friday- Student leaders selling caramel suckers for .50 cents each

   February 3rd, 2023- Friday- Dental sealants on site: 1st-5th

Next week:

   February 7th, 2023- Tuesday- Grade level teaming

   February 8th, 2023- Wednesday- Dr. Dickinson available in staff room for check in- 7-8 am

   February 8th, 2023- Wednesday- Supplemental Levy info at staff meeting- all staff welcome

   February 9th, 2023- Thursday- Time with instructional coach: 2nd am and 3rd pm

   February 10th, 2023- Friday- 5th Arts on Tour- Walking to CSI- 12:30 pm

    

Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements- video:

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

 Next week- Cluff- Habit 6- Synergize

We have pictures to share from the past couple weeks. We recognized a family of the month, readers of the month, and mathematicians of the month. We have learners in first grade and students recognized for the morning running program:

Pictures This Week

Here are a few articles that fit perfectly with items we are working on at school. At least one should catch your eye:

- Increasing student opportunities to respond is important. A few tips are included, like not rushing to save students from struggles and ensuring that all students are speaking during partner discussions:

Increase Engagement

- Research and inquiry starts with our youngest students, not just students who complete the ISAT:

Research

- SEL starts with our preschool students. We see huge growth in all areas when students have opportunities to attend preschool. This article is helpful for all grades, as we have students struggling with emotions and socials skills from kindergarten to fifth grade:

Tips and Ideas for SEL

Thought for the day:

Monday October 31st, 2022

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   October 31st, 2022- Monday- Eval team

   October 31st, 2022- Monday- Halloween parade at 1 pm and parties

   November 1st, 2022- Tuesday- RTI/MTSS- room 14- 7:30 am

   November 2nd, 2022- Wednesday-Breakfast with books and readers of the month

   November 3rd, 2022- Thursday- Time with instructional coach- 2nd am and 3rd pm

   November 4th, 2022- Friday- Friday fun is dress as your future career

   November 4th, 2022- Friday- Student leaders selling zoo finger puppets for .50 cents each

Next week:

   November 10th, 2022- Thursday- Fall Title 1 Family Night- 5:30-6:30 pm

   November 11th, 2022- Friday- Time with instructional coach- 1st am and K pm

   November 11th, 2022- Friday- Preventative Health- optional- room 18

Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements- video:

   Johns- Habit 3- Put first things first

Next week- Lancaster- Habit 4- Think win win

This post is a great review of social-emotional ideas to include when working with students:

SEL With Students

We have pictures from first grade, as well as a presentation about healthy habits with our upper grade students. We also had almost 400 pumpkins donated from Chobani and a community neighborhood garden. Pumpkins are higher prices this year at supermarkets, so the donations were greatly appreciated. It was awesome watching students practice critical thinking skills and synergy as they figured out how to get the pumpkins home. Every student preschool-fifth grade received a free pumpkin to take home:

Pictures This Week

Thought for today:

Wednesday September 14th, 2022

Today is our second day with our ELA coach from Side by Side. This is really helpful for our certified staff. It takes a whole building synergizing together to ensure we can make this happen. Add in all the extras, from behavior support to newly added meetings for student needs- a big thank to everybody who jumped in to help when they saw a need on Tuesday. 

Speaking of student needs and behaviors, this recent article from AARP really illustrates what we have seen first hand the last few years. As the article mentions, our students as young as five have superpowers when it comes to online access:

Teens in Crisis

Please help remind students and families about the school Panda Express fundraiser on Thursday. 

Thought for today:

Thursday August 25th, 2022

And we are on to plan four for the lunchroom and lunch recess. So close. 

Each of the following links caught my eye. Every staff member should relate to one of these. These are great ideas to consider:

As we have brand new teachers and staff new to education, it can be overwhelming or uncomfortable when trying to communicate with families whose first language is not English. As I travel and interact with diverse groups often, we have so much more in common versus differences. We have been out on the front lawn after school checking in with families, brought families into the school for immediate check ins, and attempted phone calls. Here are some tips to assist with supporting our students who are second language learners:

3 Tips

Speaking of new staff, our school definitely synergizes. Everybody jumps in and assists wherever they see a need. I appreciate seeing everybody working together, learning together, laughing together, and definitely crying together. It's only August, but it's all uphill from here. Even though the article says teachers, even our classified and support staff are teachers and teams:

Effective Teams

And then there is behavior and learning disruptions. It is crazy to think of what we have experienced in just one week of school, students toward staff. From scratches, hitting, kicked, punched, hair pulled, pinched, and more. Our Kinders and first grade students are our hardest this year. While not appreciated or deserved, we know that there are reasons for behaviors. Behavior is communication. Please continue to reach out for help, keep communicating with families, call the office when you need a break, go outside and walk on the walking path, and know that we have staff who will drop what they are doing and take your class for you if you need to step aside. Here are some thoughts:

When Students Push Your Buttons

Let's throw in a writing video:

Writing

Thought for today:

Monday August 22nd, 2022

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   August 22nd, 2022- Monday- Eval Team

   August 22nd, 2022- Monday- Morning announcements start- video

   August 22nd, 2022- Monday- IRI testing K-3rd

   August 23rd, 2022- Tuesday- RTI/MTSS- we will wait one more week before meeting

        Let Pauley know names to put on the calendar

   August 24th, 2022- Wednesday- Leadership Assembly with student lighthouse team- 8:05- video

Next week:

   August 29th, 2022- Monday- Preschool Screener

   August 30th, 2022- Tuesday- Grade level teaming with ESL and Resource- room 14

   August 31st, 2022- Wednesday- Para Training with Instructional Coach

   August 31st, 2022- Wednesday- Staff lighthouse/Building Leadership Team- 3:15- room 14

   September 1st, 2022- Thursday- Time with Instructional Coach- 1st AM and K PM- room 17

   September 2nd, 2022- Friday- Early Dismissal- 12:45 pm

Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements- video:

   Lancaster- Habit 1- Be proactive     

Next week- Coats- Habit 2- Begin with the end in mind

This article is a great reminder of the power that comes from the people that you are around. Our school demographics include a high number of families that don't have high salaries. We have to remember that we are not only closing academic gaps, but also opportunity gaps. I have seen this in my own life. It is really important that we include opportunities to expose students to careers that can provide stability, peers and staff that can increase language and vocabulary, and opportunities that expose new experiences for students to learn from:

The Power and Potential of People and Experiences

This is exciting. We all know first hand the teacher shortage, as well as the diverse students within our schools. This gives hope:

Dept of Ed

Thought for the day:

Thursday March 10th, 2022

We absolutely live in a global society. Situations that occur in another country, another continent- absolutely affect us. From water, to petrol, to finances- Global literacy is essential for all humans to understand. We live in a globally connected world. Here are two posts to help build background knowledge about this topic.

Geography Resources

Geo-literacy

I received positive emails about yesterday's post. Let's talk about our playground staff. We have two playground paras and a security aide that are all awesome about ensuring that our kids are safe outside, they assist students with social-emotional skills, and they endure weather we would all like to avoid. We are beyond blessed to have our playground staff and they are amazing. 

Thought for today:

Wednesday March 2nd, 2022

Something for everybody to read and learn more about:

I am super proud of our second language learners, huge growth:

Second Language Learners

We had fifth grade students registering for middle school on Tuesday. As I walked around and looked at the papers they were filling out, STEM was a common elective chosen. We integrate STEM daily with our students, provide a once a week block/specials class, and work hard to expose our students to STEM opportunities. As we work with second language students, students with special education services, students beating all the odds stacked against them in low income homes, and our marginalized students- STEM careers are a ticket to a very successful and positive future:

STEM

And for our early learners:

Literacy

Thought for today:

Thursday February 24th, 2022

This post is a great reminder of the impact that restorative practices can create in classrooms. We have a handful of restorative practices books at our school. We have had training for staff in the past. This is a great practice to develop and utilize with students. Please ask for assistance if you would like help leading this in your classroom, small group that you work with, or other students that you assist:

Restorative Practices

So many items to reflect upon- Thought for today:

Wednesday February 16th, 2022

 Here are a few articles with ideas. There should be something for everybody:

- Block Building- Books- Social Emotional Learning- STEM- With Our Youngest Learners

- Breathing and Mindfulness

We have strived to integrate universal design for learning in classrooms. This article mentions this idea, as well as ideas for closing the two year gap we have seen:

- Moving Forward

We have a diverse school, both staff and students. Regardless of what is occurring outside the school building, we need everybody to know that they are noticed and that they are welcome, especially our marginalized students:

- Culturally Responsive Learning

While this article is for me, it reminds everybody about the importance of empathy. I am trying. We are all trying. It has been rough this year, the last two years. I appreciate those who stop by my office/in the hall to vent, cry, breathe, ask, all the emotions. If you don't feel heard, please use your voice:

Empathy

Thought for today:

Wednesday February 9th, 2022

We have our monthly breakfast with books this morning. We also get to recognize our readers of the month. We end the day with our monthly staff lighthouse meeting after school. Let a rep know if you would like something added to the agenda. 

I think most of would agree, family and friends come first. Positive experiences matter more than material things. We've all experienced loss over the last two years. We've had students experience loss. Just like trauma, grief has been experienced often at school and or in our personal lives. This article is a great reminder to treasure and use those special items that we have received from loved ones, even the nice plates:

Stop Worrying and Start Using

Thought for today:

February 3rd, 2022

 

As writing is one of our building goals, here is a nice positive story about a young man from Idaho who became an author in an usual way. 

Handwritten Novel

Thought for today:

February 1st, 2022

And like that, four months of school left. On to February.

There are different ALICE scenarios. We are practicing one this afternoon. People are nervous, yes, remember- It is a practice opportunity.

As we have a younger staff, we have several working on classroom management. Whether a teacher, para, or a support staff in some way- here are a few ideas:

Attention Ideas

Thought for today:

Monday January 17th, 2022

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   January 17th, 2022- Monday- Eval team- video

   January 18th, 2022- Tuesday- RTI/MTSS- video

   January 19th, 2022- Wednesday- Kinder teaming with resource, ESL, and Title 1- 7:30 am

   January 19th, 2022- Wednesday- 5th grade teaming with resource, ESL, and Title- 2:00 pm

   January 19th, 2022- Wednesday- Staff lighthouse/building leadership team- 3:25 pm- video

   January 21st, 2022- Friday- Preventative health clinic- room #17

Next week:

   January 24th, 2022- Great kindness challenge week

   January 24th, 2022- District grade level/content area collaboration

   January 25th, 2022- Spring pictures

   January 26th, 2022- Staff meeting- video

   January 28th, 2022- January leadership assembly- video

Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements- video:

   Suto- Habit 3- Put first things first

            Next week- Alexander- Habit 4- Think win win

I love this article. It fits perfectly with what we talk about, what keeps us moving forward. Every person, staff member and student, matters. This article is a great reminder of the power and importance of potential. We need every student to know that they are visible and that their future is full of possibilities. Please continue to assist students, as well as staff, with knowing their potential. Sometimes, we all need someone to provide the words to remind and encourage:

The Power of Potential

Thought for today:

Thursday January 13th, 2022

 

I think staff have more technology skills than they realize. Here are a few tricks to assist with building more skills. You might see one to try, like the YouTube tip:

Tech Tips

Thought for today:

Tuesday January 11th, 2022

We have grade level teaming today. 

This is a nice post about IEP's. We have several students at our school that receive special education services. This is a great reminder about using strengths as leverage, even for students who do not have an IEP:

Strength Based

Thought for today:

Thursday December 9th, 2021

We have a staff lighthouse/building leadership team meeting after school. Please let a rep know if you would like something added to the agenda.

Here is a quick read that includes three tips for mental strength. The reminder to fill up your fuel tank is appreciated:

3 Tips

Thank you for ensuring that all students get to experience the holidays in a positive way. Thought for today:

Tuesday December 7th, 2021

We continue ISAT practice testing today. 

This is a great article about co-teaching. While the topic is working with the teacher of English language learners, the tips could also be co-teaching with a para, Title 1 teacher, resource teacher, or a block teacher:

10 Co-Teaching Tips

Just keep persevering through the struggles. Thought for the day:

Tuesday November 16th, 2021

All of our students are working on writing skills. From our preschool and kindergarten students orally sharing their thinking, to our older students writing multiple paragraphs with their research reports. This post shares great ideas for feedback:

Writing Feedback

Make your goals happen, take that trip, visit your friends and family, do what you love and what makes you smile- self care. Thought for today:

Friday November 5th, 2021

We have Friday fun today. Students have the option to dress as their future career. Some of our staff are also completing a virtual Leader in Me training. 

As we prepare to start our annual food drive, this article is a great reminder of items that are often forgotten. All of the food collected goes right back to our students. We use the items to refill our school pantry. If any families ask for ideas, you could share this article. As mentioned on this list, spices are often not thought of. We have a diverse school and a diverse community. Spices could be salt and pepper to add yummy flavor to a dish, or even turmeric and paprika:

10 Things for Donations

We shared with staff and families some nice recipe booklets that were from the Idaho Office of Drug Policy. They had great conversation starters and family ideas for cooking together. This article about strategies for overcoming challenges in a positive way is from that same office. There might be some ideas that you could use with students or ideas to share with families as they ask for suggestions:

10 Habits to Help Your Child Study

Have a great weekend. Thought for today:

Monday October 25th, 2021

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   October 25th, 2021- Monday- Eval team- video

   October 25th, 2021- Monday-Friday- Red ribbon week- drug free looks like me theme

   October 26th, 2021- Tuesday- RTI/MTSS- video

   October 26th, 2021- Tuesday- Picture retakes/new students

   October 27th, 2021- Wednesday- October leadership assembly- video

   October 27th, 2021- Wednesday- Staff meeting- video

      - American Fidelity, school nurse, alleged abuse/mandatory reporter, and suicide awareness

   October 28th, 2021- Thursday- Staff potluck for lunch- October birthdays

   October 29th, 2021- Friday- Halloween parties- after the afternoon recess

Next week:

   November 1st, 2021- District collaboration Monday for certified staff

   November 2nd, 2021- Dental cleaning for 3rd-5th starts/optional- will continue for a few days

   November 3rd, 2021- Flu mist for preschool-5th grade students and staff/optional/with nurse

   November 3rd, 2021- Grade level teaming- video

   November 5th, 2021- Friday fun- Dress as your future career

   November 5th, 2021- Student leaders selling sports ball erasers for .50 cents each

Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements- video:

   Thomason- Habit 2- Begin with the end in mind

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

First grade students and fifth grade students met to practice leadership skills together. Pictures illustrate a fun October activity that included developing collaborative skills with diverse partners, finding their voice, and having an opportunity for our older students to experience being positive role models:

Pictures This Week

Here are a few posts that are great resources. There should be an area of interest for everybody.

Classroom management idea- ask 3 before me- with a short video that you could share with students. 

Executive functioning skills- This is a great eye opener. We can all relate. Several students are struggling with how to function in a classroom. Simple tasks that we assume students should be able to accomplish, like perseverance and attending to a task for a certain amount of time, is actually quite challenging. As students are now back in the classroom with a larger group of peers, we are needing to teach these essential skills. While the article focuses on technology to assist, the list of essential skills is a great reminder of key items to assist students with developing. 

Strategies for second language students- the strategies would also be great for students with limited language and those with language services on IEP's.

Stress calming strategies- great ideas for staff

Thought for today: