Tuesday November 10th, 2015

We have a family note going home this week. Several reminders about fun upcoming activities:

Family Note Front Page

Family Note Page 2

Family Note- Upcoming Dates

An often under used google app is google drawings. Here are great ideas for how to use google drawings with the chromebooks, such as graphic organizers:

Google Drawings

The young lady in the front, left side, she's in Mrs. Moore's classroom. She won the Idaho Jr. Elementary pageant. Her platform is preventing bullying. Mom came in after school to share the exciting moment, and the young lady is interested in briefly visiting with classrooms:

Miss Idaho Jr. Elementary

Please help remind students and families that there is no school tomorrow, Wednesday. Here is a great reminder to give thanks to our veterans, from our students who receive speech and language therapy:

Thursday July 23rd, 2015

August is quickly approaching, Title 1 Summer School has seen our largest group of students attending, and here are a few articles that are great to read prior to school starting. 

Please also continue to send your sharpen the saw pictures for our August staff retreat video.  

The newspaper needed pictures for an upcoming article. We had three of our fifth graders have their picture taken:

Pictures  

Here is a great article with ideas and strategies for increasing family involvement. This is a goal this year:

Family Involvement

This is a great blog post that reaffirms the power of the Leader in Me program. It is a shift in thinking, language, and practices. This blog post is about our neighbors to the South:

Leadership

How we talk with students, and about students, conveys a message. This is a great article about how we talk:

Language

This article is a little long, but the final paragraphs at the end are what stand out. The Leader in Me program is a process, hard at times, and amazing to watch as we see lives of students change in a positive direction:

Change

Here is a great article on collaboration and group assignments. We need students to develop the soft skill of synergy and working as a team with other people, especially with peers of diverse backgrounds. Sometimes there are struggles, which are really just learning experiences and opportunities. There might be one item on this list that catches your eye:

Group Work and Student Grouping 

I love this article:

Dedication to Learning   

Finally, Here is a chart with a few ideas for sentence starters and questions that address reflective listening, disagreeing respectfully, asking clarifying questions, and for expressing ideas.  Speaking and listening skills are important for every grade level and every student. It doesn't matter what career a student will have.  

 
Continue to enjoy the rest of your summer break with your friends and family!

Wednesday May 27th, 2015

Please send all library books to the library first thing in the morning.

Third grade will be at their Canyon field trip today, and we have the school picnic today.

This is a great picture of a mentor leader and the kindergarten students she mentors. Learning doesn't just occur inside the four walls of a classroom.

Tuesday lunch was the Principal's lunch and student lighthouse meeting. The students always give great feedback about successes at school, and areas to grow. We had student leaders of the month for both April and May. A big thank you to Chick-fil-A for providing the student lunches.

Tuesday afternoon was the groundbreaking for the new school on our side of town. I put a copy of the handout on the back of the staff room door for everybody to view. We have 6 students in this picture, and some were really intense with their digging. It was a great experience for them.

Friday April 24th, 2015

A big thank you to everybody who assisted with keeping the hallways quiet during testing on Thursday, a big thank you to all the staff that assisted in the classrooms with students as they were testing, and a big thank you for sharing headphones. Students worked very hard. We are 99% finished with ELA testing for 3rd and 4th grade, and in only one week. That is a huge improvement from past years. Students in non-testing classrooms can still attend their computer lab block class, and students can still receive services from the counselor.

This is a great reminder of the importance to be continually learning how to integrate technology. Our students have been very blessed this year with devices. It is imperative in our building that all staff members are striving to integrate technology with instruction and lessons, and to use technology as a tool to enhance and extend learning.

Technology: A Catalyst for Learning

Thursday night we had a great family night, with the 21st Century grant. A big thank you to Ms. Reese and all the staff that assisted during the event. We had a great turnout with about 125 people. Building birdhouses in front of the school was a very popular activity:

Tuesday April 14th, 2015

The volunteer appreciation will start at 3:45 in the library. We have been very blessed with our volunteers and all that they have given to our students and staff.

On Monday we started with our first 5th grade classroom for the Science test. They were focused, persevered for the entire duration, and did great not to rush. We will have our two other 5th grade classrooms taking the test on Wednesday and Friday, so please remind students to be quiet around the outside computer lab during morning recess. A big thank you to Mrs. Sorensen and Mrs. Jensen for their assistance. It was definitely a think win win, and synergy, experience on the first day of testing.

If you are interested in an apple box for your classroom, we have three rooms that currently have one. You could talk with them and observe how they integrate iPads with instruction. We will also have them share at an upcoming staff meeting. The three rooms are Ms. Porter and Mrs. Jacobson in Kindergarten, and Mrs. Vandenbosch in the library.

We have a Keurig in our staff room, and this article with ideas for K-cups looks interesting. There is also a short video listed that has ideas. Mrs. Vandenbosch is already planning ideas for the library and the makerspace area, so please save the K-cups.

K-Cups

This article about chromebooks sounds very similar to our school. Google apps for education and the collaboration it has brought this year, has been a big plus. Our students and staff have taken off with technology integration and collaboration this year. These are essential components to leveling the playing field and closing opportunities gaps for students who live in poverty, and in return raising student achievement.

Chromebooks and Google Apps for Education

Tuesday September 2nd, 2014

Duties for the week:

     AM Bus: Sweet
                  Mason
                  Moore
     PM Bus: Dickinson/Bloxham
                  Lindquist
                  Warner
     Lounge: Vandenbosch

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   September 2nd, 2014- Tuesday- Grade Level Teaming 1st-5th: with Title 1, Resource, and ESL

   September 3rd, 2014- Wednesday- Eval Team
 
   September 4th, 2014- Thursday- Grade Level Teaming Kinder: with Title 1, Resource, and ESL


Please continue to turn in signed computer use agreement forms and google apps for education forms. We need to enter this in Powerschool, so we do need them from all grades. For second through fifth grade, I will email your student gmail information as I receive the forms. 

I added a tab at the top of the staff blog for chromebooks. You'll always have one spot to go back to for reference. There are cheat sheets for drive, sharing, the classroom app, and ideas for integrating with instruction. 

Chromebooks

The first lessons with the chromebooks should be about digital citizenship, but this should also be a routinely integrated discussion with all students throughout the school year even if students are not using the chromebooks. We have iPads and computer use all the way down to our preschoolers. Some resources for this are below, and please share if you find other resources that you would recommend.

Image

Activity with Video 

Email  
 
Remember 'more than 1.' Email should have the parent email if possible. Great way to also include and engage families in their child's educational learning.

3-5 Video 

Resources


As we start the week, this is a great article to read. Have a great week!

Heart of an Educator

Tuesday May 27th, 2014

Duties for the week:

     AM Bus: Jensen
                  Bloxham
                  Nail
     PM Bus: Webb
                  Kenyon
                  Sweet
     Lounge: Garcia

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   May 26th, 2014- Monday- No School Memorial Day

   May 27th, 2014- Tuesday- Lighthouse Team

   May 28th, 2014- Wednesday- Kindergarten Eats Lunch at School
      AM: 11:00
      PM: 12:30

   May 28th, 2014- Wednesday- Battle of the Books at the Twin Falls Library, after school

   May 29th, 2014- Thursday- Rocket Math Assembly 2:45

   May 30th, 2014- Friday- School Picnic Lunch 

I can't imagine not having the cloud. Anytime, anywhere. I use the cloud all day at work and at home. The staff blog, documents, collaborative sharing of resources, storing important forms and notes, and so much more. Instead of storing on a disk, in a file cabinet, or on a flash drive- it's all in the cloud. I love this article and video. The cloud is what our students are not only using right now, but also what they will be using in high school and college.

Growing Up In The Cloud

Here is an article about a successful student who arrived in the US as a refugee. We have students with a similar background.

Refugee Student Success

Wednesday May 21st, 2014

The most important item today is Chris' retirement party. Students have been making decorations. Staff have been planning and preparing. It is going to be a great party!

Mrs. Osborn's class has been learning about literal and nonliteral language. This is a third grade common core reading standard. I brought Chris to Julie's classroom Tuesday afternoon, and this was the video they made for her. What a great video! Mrs. Jensen assisted with videotaping, thank you! The idioms are just perfect:

Video to Mrs. Gillette

The bookmobile will be at Harrison on Friday's during the summer, from 12-12:45. That is a perfect time. Students can eat lunch with the summer feeding, and visit the bookmobile. The first day will be June 13th. Thanks Nicole for setting that up!

When it comes to technology, we have high expectations at Harrison. Students went through the SBAC with very few problems, because Mrs. Long had been preparing them all year. They knew how to use the different application pieces, and other technical requirements. We have second and third graders with amazing typing skills as well. Students are taking those skills right back to the classroom for research projects and other assignments. Here are student samples from recent assessments students completed in computer lab. Great job Lesa!

1st Grade

2nd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

Many of us know Emery in fifth grade, from Ms. Hammond's classroom. English is not his first language. We have so many staff members that have worked with him over the last couple years. He has just taken off with learning this year. It was great to watch him during the Battle of the Books. He knew most of the answers. For just this quarter, he has 262.3 AR points, and 573.3 AR points so far for the entire school year. Wow! Please let him know how great that is if you see him.

Please also let me know if you have any other students you would like to recognize for growth this year, doesn't have to be AR, and I'll put something together for the school website.

Fifth grade, way to go being first with your grade level teaming notes! Those are on the documents tab.

Monday May 19th, 2014

Duties for the week:

     AM Bus: Taylor
                  Triner
                  Miller
     PM Bus: Moore
                  Davis
                  Simson
     Lounge: Anderson

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   May 19th, 2014- Monday- Choir Field Trip AM- Singing at Care Centers

   May 19th, 2014- Monday- Staff Meeting & State of the District with Dr. Dobbs

   May 21st, 2014- Wednesday- Eval Team

   May 21st, 2014- Wednesday- 5th Grade Careers on Wheels 11:45-2:30 at EXPO center

   May 21st, 2014- Wednesday- Chris' Retirement Party 4-6

   May 22nd, 2014- Thursday- 4th Grade Boise Trip 7:15 am- 6:30 pm.

   May 22nd, 2014- Thursday- 2nd Grade Math Day in Lunchroom 9-11

   May 23rd, 2014- Friday- Kinder Graduation Pictures 9am and 1pm

   May 23rd, 2014- Friday- 2nd Grade Swimming 12:45-3:00


Please make sure Marla in the kitchen knows about any needed sack lunches for upcoming field trips.

The new district calendar for 2014-2015 has been added to the middle part of the home page on the school website.

Please notice the change for the staff meeting on Monday. Dr. Dobbs will be speaking and everybody is invited.

Please sign up to help with carnival stations. There are just a few left without somebody. 

We have about 14 languages at our school. We have field trips and other important activities occurring during the last few weeks of school. We need important fliers translated as much as possible. We do fine translating Spanish thanks to Mrs Nail. For the other languages that our students speak, we need to use the multilingual border that states the paper needs to be translated. Families can then find someone to assist with that, such as someone at the refugee center.

Here is the border in both a Word document, which you can type right on after you download into Word, and in a PDF if you want to simply print it out. I also added it to the documents tab so you can access it anytime.

Border- Word

Border- PDF

Here is an article about an elementary school that received the technology pilot grant last year. There are great ideas mentioned.

Technology

Tuesday May 6th, 2014

Grade level teaming with ESL, Title 1, and Resource will be discussing Speaking and Listening standards with depth of knowledge. Khrista has a handout that we will be using for classroom visits. Testing is almost over, but we still have one month of school. This is a great time for project based learning and depth of knowledge lessons for levels three and four.

Here is a rubric for students to use when reviewing apps. This might also be great for you as you are reviewing different apps to use in the classroom with iPad's and other tablets.

Student App Review Rubric

Here is post from the school website from Jen's second grade classroom.  They have been creating PowerPoint presentations with their research projects.

Post from Second Grade

Tuesday April 29th, 2014

Here is an awesome example of 21st Century learning in a kindergarten classroom. Just amazing to see the potential for students:

First Step with Skype and Technology

Second Step for Conclusion

The kick off for Fall Kindergarten Registration starts on Monday May 5th. Please help remind families, as well as your neighbors. All of the information can be found on our school website and school app. Thank you Lesa for a great welcome sign!

Monday March 10th, 2014

Duties for the week:
     AM Bus: M/T: Goodwin, W: Jacobson, & R/F: Lent
                  Standley
                  Pauley/Howe
     PM Bus:  Lancaster
                  Fullmer
                  Coleman
     Lounge: Webb

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   Plato Testing all week.

   March 10th, 2014- Monday- RTI

   March 11th, 2014- Tuesday- Pastries with Parents Title 1 activity before school 7:30-8:40, 
                                                  and Election Day

   March 11th, 2014- Tuesday- Teaming with special ed, Title 1, and ESL

   March 12th, 2014- Wednesday- Melissa all day at Harrison

   March 12th, 2014- Wednesday- Eval Team

   March 12th, 2014- Wednesday- 4th and 5th Grade Choir Trip to Boise, and Bus leaves at 8:15 am.

   March 12th, 2014- Wednesday- Staff Meeting

   March 13th, 2014- Thursday- Chris only, Melissa all day at Oregon Trail

   March 14th, 2014- Friday- Yearbook Money Due

   March 14th, 2014- Friday- Talent Show at 6:30 pm.

The Friday lunch with Dr. Seuss was so much fun. The best comment I heard was from a kindergarten student who said to the cat in the hat dressed visitor "I loved all your movies!" Thank you again to Nicole for organizing all the Dr. Seuss guest readers and activities. Please email any pictures you took during the week.

It is definitely a team effort with morning duty this week, and a big thank you to everybody who offered to help.

It is a very full week, but several fun activities. The big items to help remind students and families about would be the pastries with parents, yearbook money, and the talent show.  

Here is a computer option posted on the school website for students and their families:

Computers for Kids

Here is a posting on the school website from Mrs. Enders'  class. I walked into the school Tuesday morning and hadn't even put my car keys away. Great example of common core standards.

Opinion Writing

I saw these young men Friday morning at the new bulletin board Anne put together for leadership jobs. Please encourage students to apply.

Student Leadership Jobs 

                             

Tuesday March 4th, 2014

Please help remind students about picture day on Thursday.  We'll also have a call out reminder Wednesday night.

The March Educational Leadership Journal is all about assessments, which is part of our school improvement plan this year. You'll notice some articles in your boxes. Here are 8 final thoughts from the recent issue to reflect upon:

8 Takes on Thoughtful Reflection 

One article also in the journal was about taking a lesson from restaurants, and applying it to schools. The article talked about an inviting school when people walk in, and we definitely have Anne to thank for that this year as our school looks much different. Displaying student grit is mentioned, and that reminded me of Marsha's new sign listing the recorder masters in fifth grade. It mentions informing families, and we have classroom blogs and our school website that have done that. Here is the article:

Service vs. Hospitality

Here are your images for the day:

Monday March 3rd, 2014

Duties for the week:
     AM Bus: Jacobson
                  Triner
                  Simson
     PM Bus:  Hammond
                  Osborn
                  Sweet
     Lounge: Kenyon

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

March 3rd, 2014- Monday- RTI

March 5th, 2014- Wednesday- Eval Team

March 5th, 2014- Wednesday- Tech Coach All Day

March 6th, 2014- Thursday- Picture Day

March 7th, 2014- Friday- PTA Meeting at 11:45 am. 

This week is Dr. Seuss Week. We will have guest readers visiting, so please help them feel welcomed. Please also remind students about being respectful towards our guests. 

Please remember that Tyler is coming on Wednesday. This is a perfect opportunity to check in about assessments in schoolnet, iPad questions, blended learning centers, or any other technology questions that you have. If you have a specific time you are interested in on Wednesday, you can email him. 

Please also remember to sign up on the sheets asking where you went to college. 

We are on to March! Just three months of school left. 



                                                  

Monday February 24th, 2014

Duties for the week:
     AM Bus: Goodwin
                  Taylor
                  Moore
     PM Bus:  Anderson
                  Lancaster
                  Kenyon
     Lounge: Osborn

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   February 24th, 2014- Monday- RTI

   February 26th, 2014- Wednesday- Eval Team

   February 26th, 2014- Wednesday- Staff Meeting

Geo-literacy is word that people may not have heard of, but it includes concepts that we discuss with students everyday. From habitats, to understanding our communities, to watching videos about cultures around the world. Geo-literacy is about interactions, interconnections, and implications. This link has two short videos that briefly explain how this term is very important for students as a 21st Century skill.  It also goes right along with common core standards and the big shifts for ELA and Math.

Geo-Literacy

As students are developing speaking and listening skills with the new speaking and listening standards, projects go right along with that. Third grade recently did U.S. Presidents. Here is a link with a rubric for speaking and listening skills. Rubrics are a great tool for assessment with instruction. The link has a rubric for both younger grades and older grades. 

Rubrics

Here is a fun link with music apps for your iPad.

Music apps

Tuesday February 11th, 2014

Please let us know if students need Valentine's cards. Anne graciously stocks up each year for the following year, so we can help students with that.

The Olympics have started. Here is a family guide. There might be something you can use in your classroom:

Olympics Resource

Here is a link for short video clips about Olympic sports, with a focus on Science and Engineering. The lesson plans are geared for middle school, but there are nice five minute informational media clips that are educational and fun to watch. Might create a spark of interest in STEM subjects for students.

National Science Foundation

Digital Citizenship is something we may not always think about, but it is an important item to address. It's important to teach students how to act appropriately online:

Digital Citizenship

Wednesday February 5th, 2014

Here is a handy list of different types of technology concepts:

Technology Concepts

Third and fifth grade were first with their grade level teaming notes!

Wednesday January 29th, 2014

Next week on February 5th, it is Digital Learning Day. Let me know if you plan something special for the day. Here are some resources.

Official Website

YouTube

Perrine First Grade Blog Technology Idea


I read this blog post about close reading, and it appeared at first glace to be targeted towards older students. However, the five strategies listed would be helpful with even our youngest students. The numbering of paragraphs stood out, as I sometimes see students wondering where in the text their friend is referring to. Even if students aren't able to write in a book, referring to the paragraph or sentence number is a helpful strategy.

5 Close Reading Strategies

Tuesday January 28th, 2014

We are into the second session of tutoring. If you have students that have attended tutoring, please make sure that intervention is documented in milepost. 

Here is an inspiring video clip about a boy playing an instrument, despite having no arms. We have students who are in a similar situation at our school, so this might be a video you could share with your class.

Trumpet Player

Here are two links with close reading posters. Close reading is an important piece of common core standards. The questions on the posters are helpful to include with instruction in your classroom.

Close Reading #1

Close Reading #2

We are always looking at different devices for the classrooms. However, it is what we do with the devices that is more important than which device it actually is. There are two good images in the following article that have comments to reflect upon. Technology is a tool to support learning.

Devices to Support Learning

Thursday January 23rd, 2014

As we are at the half way mark of the school year, now is a great time to update notes and intervention data in Milepost. That information is very helpful for you, as well as any teachers that may have your student in the future. There are several of us in the building that can help if you have any questions.

Here are 31 apps for a smoother classroom. I've seen some in our classrooms. If you use one of these, please share your thoughts.

31 apps For A Smoother Classroom