Monday August 31st, 2020

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   August 31st, 2020- Monday- Eval team

   August 31st, 2020- Monday- District collaboration via video- after school

   September 1st, 2020- Tuesday- Tie Tuesday, or wear a bow

   September 1st, 2020- Tuesday- Kindergarten hearing screening

   September 1st, 2020- Tuesday- Title 1 para check in with Melissa- 10:00-10:30 am- library

   September 2nd, 2020- Wednesday- Grade level teaming with ESL and Resource- library

   September 4th, 2020- Friday- New certified staff check in- 7:40 am- library

   September 4th, 2020- Friday- No kinders and Early dismissal for 1st-5th at 12:45 pm

Next week:

   September 7th- No school- Labor Day

   September 8th- No school- Data Day

   September 9th- Breakfast with Books/Readers of the Month- Just students/No families

   September 11th- Friday Fun- Class colors and air head candies for .50 cents each

   

Habit of the week/classroom leading morning announcements:

   Suto- Habit 3: Put first things first

Next Week: Alexander- Habit 3: Put first things first

The new Educational Leadership magazine is all about grading, particularly grading with remote learning. While there are feelings of concern, there are also exciting opportunities to use best practices that are better than old practices that were just routine. Here are a few take aways for reflection:

Grading 

We were so appreciative of nicer weather that appeared by the end of the week. Pictures this week include PE outside and recess pictures. Students have been trying really hard to play safe games at recess and to spread out.

Pictures also include our first monthly leadership assembly of the new school year. Our older students on the student lighthouse team had no problem making a plan and leading a fantastic welcome back via video.

Pictures also include online learning with chromebooks. Students and staff have been working really hard to learn the tools for online learning. Super proud! 

We always celebrate the little things at Harrison. We received a new water bottle filling station and it was like Christmas. 

The pictures would be great to share with students. You can click on the pictures to view them in a larger size:

Pictures This Week

Thought for today:

Friday August 28th, 2020

We made it to Friday. We start the day with our first leadership assembly of the school year. Student lighthouse members are super excited to lead. This will be via video. 

Enjoy your weekend. Take time for yourself. Spend time doing activities you enjoy. Thought for today:

Thursday August 27th, 2020

We have a staff lighthouse meeting after school in the library.

I love this article. We get the great opportunity to work with diverse families. With that, how we communicate is important. It is no surprise that in education there are many words that can be challenging to understand. This not only relates to our families whose first language is not English, but all students:

Understandable Language

And then there is remote learning. I appreciate all the hard work everybody is doing to ensure students are ready for online learning. Here are a few articles. You can read those that most interest you:

Connecting/Anxious Learners

Engagement Online

8 Strategies to Increase Participation

Thought for today:

Wednesday August 26th, 2020

We have a para training for Title 1, resource k-5, and ESL this morning. They will be in the library and they will be learning about literacy, reading, and writing topics. 

We have a staff meeting after school. This will be via video and the goal is to be ready to start at 3:15.

Let's have a goal to start morning announcements, via video, by 8:08. I know we can do this. 

Thought for today:

Tuesday August 25th, 2020

Just as in the spring, video meetings will be a possibility this school year. Everybody has been great about getting students comfortable with tech tools. We want to take advantage of having students in person with us. That could change at any time, as well as students that may need to quarantine at home. We want all of our students comfortable and prepared for online learning. 

This link has several tips and random thoughts that remind about professionalism with video meetings. Some thoughts also fit well with preparing students, the same expectations:

Video Meeting Tips

We need this thought. It can be hard right now to see positives. Thought for today:

Monday August 24th, 2020

Meetings/Reminders for the week:

   August 24th, 2020- Eval team

   August 24th, 2020- IRI/Istation testing for K-3rd

   August 25th, 2020- Istation testing for 4th and 5th

   August 26th, 2020- Staff meeting- 3:15 in the lunchroom- bring your teacher chair

   August 27th, 2020- Staff Lighthouse- 3:15 in the library- spread out

   August 28th, 2020- August leadership assembly- 8:05 via video

Next week:

- September 1st- Kindergarten hearing screening

- September 1st- Tie Tuesday, or wear a hair bow/bow tie

- September 2nd- Grade level teaming with resource/ESL

- September 4th- New certified staff check in- 7:35 am in room 17

- September 4th- Early dismissal at 12:45 for 1st-5th, and no school for kinders

Please make sure families know that today is Monday and we have an early release every Monday at 2:00 pm. 

We had a great first two days of school. We're already seeing the gaps we knew we would see. It can feel overwhelming to cover the academics when you are trying to clean, keep kids spread apart, reminding kids to cover their noses with their mask, and practice all the procedures and routines. If nothing else, our kids will learn patience, empathy, kindness, and flexibility because of you. Those are important items that are more important than anything else. Those are skills that apply to any career, all families, all responsibilities. 

We have our first pictures to share. These are great to share with students and families. You can click on the pictures and display them in a larger size.

A big thank you to Mr. Nava. We have social distancing dots and lines all over our campus, from the bathrooms, to recess, the front entrance, preschool, lunchroom, and other areas. If you see an area we haven't thought of, please let us know. Please continue to remind and practice social distancing with students. Please continue to remind students to cover their noses with their mask. You can show them how you have your nose covered. We've opened school and we'd like to stay open.

We have pictures of learning, applying for leadership roles, recess with friends, and learning routines and procedures:

Pictures This Week

We talk about goals with our students often. We talk about sharpen the saw often. We talk about our self care often. We talk about doing what makes you happy often. This thought is perfect. This school year is unlike any other. Put yourself first. Thought for today:

Thursday August 20th, 2020

We had a wonderful first day of school. A big thank you to our awesome staff. Synergy was everywhere. I really appreciate all the extras that were given. 

Please help remind students to be drinking water. They all have a water bottle and should be encouraged to drink water. 

Thought for today: