Monday December 12th, 2016

Duties for the week: 
     
     AM Bus: Warner
                 Enders
                 Alexander
     PM Bus: Thomason
                 Music/PE/STEM
                 Rodriguez
     Staff Room: Lancaster/Ardito
 
 
  Meetings/Reminders for the week: 

   December 12th, 2016- Monday- Wear a Christmas hat

   December 12th, 2016- Monday- Staff Lighthouse/BLT Meeting 7:40

   December 12th, 2016- Monday- 4th Grade Teaming

   December 12th, 2016- Monday- Eval Team   

   December 13th, 2016- Tuesday- Intervention Meeting

   December 13th, 2016- Tuesday- Dress like a reindeer
 
   December 13th, 2016- Tuesday- My First Books Visit for Pre/K and K, from Public Library

   December 13th, 2016- Tuesday- Principal's Lunch with December student leaders

   December 14th, 2016- Wednesday- Student Lighthouse Meeting

   December 14th, 2016- Wednesday- Dress like your favorite Christmas toy
 
   December 14th, 2016- Wednesday- Christmas Lunch

   December 14th, 2016- Wednesday- Staff Meeting: 1st, 3rd, 5th, Preschool, PE, Title 1, & Coach

   December 15th, 2016- Thursday- Wear pajamas

   December 15th, 2016- Thursday- Sharpen the Paw for the second quarter, 9-11
 
   December 15th, 2016- Thursday- BUCHHO Salad Bar Lunch

   December 16th, 2016- Friday- Wear a Christmas scarf and jewelry, No Kinders, 
                                                                and 1st-5th dismissal at 1:15

                                       
Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements:
 
  Bender- Habit 1: Be Proactive


This article is one that we can all relate to in some way. Not everybody can work with the demographics that we have. We get to work at the best school and with the best kids! We have kids acting differently, and quite open with their concerns, as they wonder what they are going to do without school for two weeks. School is warm heat, breakfast and lunch, snacks, welcome and forgiving hugs, friends, positive adults, laughter, and so much more. As the article says, our kids need us. As this week can be hard with challenging behavior, remember the why:

Remembering My Why

Here is the list of Christmas Parties for the week:

Christmas Parties

This week is Sharpen the Paw. We have really fun activities, and students will have opportunities to be exposed to great learning. Here is the line up:

Sharpen the Paw Second Quarter

Here are pictures from the past week. We had learning mixed with Christmas fun, family fun, and student leaders:

Pictures This Week

Here is the weekly schedule to share with families:

Weekly Note for Families


Who knew toddlers have the best lessons:

8 Successful Habits You Can Learn From Toddlers


Here is a great thought for the week:

Friday December 9th, 2016

Thank you to our staff lighthouse team members for leading and planning a great family involvement activity, and to everybody who encouraged students and families to attend BINGO for books! It was a really fun evening. Every time we have a family activity, we see new and different family members attend.

We had a visitor Thursday from the new Office of School Safety and Security. We have posters to put up that address: See, Tell, Now. Here is a short video about this that you could share with students, and it includes a llama:

See, Tell, Now

Here is a great positive article as we end the week. The children might be experiencing homelessness, but a librarian visits regularly at a shelter:

Librarian and Children

Thought for today:

Thursday December 8th, 2016

Tonight is BINGO for Books. Please help remind students and families. We have students on the lighthouse team excited to call numbers, and others are excited to win books.

Thank you to everybody who shared at the staff meeting!

Today's fun is to wear Christmas socks, and tomorrow's fun is dress like an elf.

Here is a great article about inclusion, what is within the circle of control for students, and integrating academics:

Beautiful Differences


Today's thought is from Kid President and would be great to share with students:

Wednesday December 7th, 2016

We have a staff meeting after school today, in the library, and we will start at about 3:25. We have several teachers presenting, so it's important to be on time.

Today's theme is to dress like a Christmas tree, and tomorrow is to wear Christmas socks.

This post goes with inclusive schools week, as well as preventative ways to avoid bullying:

Making School Safe for Learning

Hands on learning, and frequent opportunities for speaking, are great for all learners. For students who are second language learners, or any students who struggle with any academic learning, this article is a great reminder of the importance for STEM and expressing through speaking and writing opportunities:

English Language Learners and Science

Here is a great thought for the day:

Tuesday December 6th, 2016

Today is to dress with a Christmas bow. Please remind students that tomorrow is to dress like a Christmas tree.

We had a great start to the week, as we started Monday with an all school assembly to recognize our first Family of the Month. Students from the lighthouse team did an awesome job, and a big thank you to our culture team on the staff lighthouse team:

December Family of the Month

As this week is inclusive schools week, here are two great resources. The first is about assisting children with understanding differences and diversity. There are examples of how to explain and discuss with children situations that may arise at school, and they match situations we have had at our school. Including everybody is central to a healthy school culture and the learning environment:

3 Ways to Help Young Children Respect and Accept Diversity

This second link has a visual with tips for inclusion. You have to love how wearing tennis shoes is on the list. That just means it's going to be exciting! We love our runners. As the list also shows, it truly is a collaborative school team that ensures inclusion works. From washing laundry, to encouraging students, assisting classroom teachers, positive checks in during the day, and more. Thank you to everybody who jumps in to help, and for welcoming all students with open arms:

11 Tips for Inclusion

This thought for that day can change your entire day:

Monday December 5th, 2016

Duties for the week: 
     
     AM Bus: Fullmer
                 Pauley
                 Lindquist
     PM Bus: Porter
                 Hammond
                 Garcia
     Staff Room: Hammond
 
 
  Meetings/Reminders for the week: 

   December 5th, 2016- Monday- Special Leadership Assembly at 8:30 am

   December 5th, 2016- Monday- Dress like a Snowman

   December 5th, 2016- Monday- Eval Team   

   December 6th, 2016- Tuesday- Intervention Meeting

   December 6th, 2016- Tuesday- Wear a Christmas Bow

   December 6th, 2016- Tuesday- Art Lunch for Kindergarten with Mrs. V in the Library
   
   December 7th, 2016- Wednesday- Dress like a Christmas Tree

   December 7th, 2016- Wednesday- Staff Meeting

   December 8th, 2016- Thursday- Wear Christmas Socks

   December 8th, 2016- Thursday- Grade level teaming with Title 1, ESL, and Resource: K-5

   December 8th, 2016- Thursday- BINGO for Books, 5:30-6:30 in the Gym

   December 9th, 2016- Friday- Dress like an Elf

                                       
Habit of the week/Classroom leading morning announcements:
 
  Pauley- Habit 8: Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs


The assembly on Monday morning will be to recognize our first Family of the Month, and it's an awesome family. We are constantly striving to increase family involvement, and we want to recognize families for all that they give to our students, staff, and school.

Please help remind families about our new family night activity on Thursday, BINGO for Books. Free milk and cookies, student leaders calling the numbers, and free Christmas books for prizes.

We have a staff meeting this week and next week. Both will have staff sharing something from Domains 1 or 4, from the teacher evaluation form. These are two of my favorite staff meetings every year. This is a great opportunity for teachers to lead, share, shine. Here is the list of who is presenting this week:

     K, 2nd, 4th, Special Ed, PRC, Music, STEM, and ESL


This document would be good to print, especially if you assist with more than one grade level. Here is the list of Christmas party dates and times for every grade level, including Santa's visit:

Christmas Party Dates and Times

This week is both Hour of Code and Inclusive Schools Week, which at Harrison occur everyday. Whether receiving special education services, ESL services, extra check ins during the day with the mentor or counselor, or any other interventions: we include all children with learning and activities. We are an inclusive group at Harrison. Here are two articles that explain a brief overview of these two important items:

Inclusive Schools Week

Hour of Code- About

Hour of Code- Resources


Here are pictures from this past week. We had several sharpen the saw activities. We had the Winter Concert, readers' theater performances, Christmas fun, robotics, student leaders making Christmas cards for service, and more. We also recognized November student leaders and November staff Oscars:

Pictures This Week


Here is the weekly note to share with families:

Weekly Schedule and Notes for Families


This article references secondary, but the topic of kinesthetic learning is very applicable to elementary. There might be a few ideas that catch your eye:

Making Content Kinesthetic

This is a great reminder as we start a new week. So true:

Friday December 2nd, 2016

We have the candy cane sale with student leaders today, and it's an ugly sweater day. Please help remind students that Monday's Christmas fun is to dress like a snowman. That could be dressing with white clothing, tree decorations, paper cut out buttons, something sparkly, or even a snowman hat.

It's one of our favorite times of the month. Here are the staff Oscars for November, with so many kind nominations:

November Staff Oscars

We are recognizing our first family of the month on Monday!

We do coding activities throughout the school year, but the official Hour of Code starts on Monday.

This thought for the season is perfect for sharing with students. You could even post it somewhere in your classroom. This just speaks second chances, kindness, and leadership: