- September Attendance Rate: 96.86%
- Goal for 2014-2015: 97%
You engage students...THANK YOU!
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In yesterday's paper, I read that an elementary school in Syria had been bombed, killing up to 30 kids. As I reflected on that terrible tragedy, I was reminded of the big picture of what we are trying to accomplish here at Nuestro Mundo. September was hard, no doubt about it. So many new things to learn and adjust to, so many deadlines to meet, new kids to figure out. But when I read about atrocities such as the one in Syria, it reminds me to rise above the difficulties of the everyday ins and outs of our job, and focus on how we can work to change things for future generations.
Let's remember why we are doing this, what attracted us to this line of work in our early adulthood, and rekindle the belief that, as Nelson Mandela put it, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
-Josh
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Next Monday morning we will have our first "Deep Dive" with Chief of Elementary Schools, Nancy Hanks. The purpose of these deep dives is to review and monitor the implementation of our School Improvement Plan. The agenda for the morning will look something like this:
Let's remember why we are doing this, what attracted us to this line of work in our early adulthood, and rekindle the belief that, as Nelson Mandela put it, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
-Josh
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Next Monday morning we will have our first "Deep Dive" with Chief of Elementary Schools, Nancy Hanks. The purpose of these deep dives is to review and monitor the implementation of our School Improvement Plan. The agenda for the morning will look something like this:
- Review SIP and Student Achievement Data
- Classroom walk-throughs (9:30-10:30), in which we will be visiting classrooms and recording data based on our "look-fors" on iPads. I apologize if this seems clinical, but we'll be using a google form which will make data analysis much easier. The "look-fors" will be sent in a separate email. I know most of you will be doing "Prepárense a leer" activities, which is exactly what you should doing on a Monday morning. Do not feel that you should change your plans b/c of the Deep Dive.
- Review walk-through data and develop next steps.
The walk-throughs are not evaluative of teachers in any way. Teacher names are not gathered in the Google Form, nor are teacher names used in the subsequent discussion. Teachers are not expected to do anything differently for deep dives, than what they would normally be doing based on grade level team planning. The data and notes from the deep dive will be shared with staff promptly following the deep dive.
This time, observers will include:
- Josh
- Stephanie
- Rigo
- Lesli Taschwer, School Improvement Partner
- Nancy Hanks, Chief of Elementary Schools
Kudos!
- I can statements are powerful when they are developed around the thinking we want kids to do. Refrain from I can's that are around benchmark (I can reach level x) or I can's that center around recall or item knowledge (I can know my doubles math facts, I can say sight words, I can learn short vowels or syllables ta/te, etc). Consider instead I can's that get at strategic behaviors (I can notice when I'm stuck on a word and reread to help myself... or I can think about the purpose of a text to help me understand what I read...or I can say a word slowly and write the sounds I hear)
- I can is a piece of the standard, not the standard rewritten. The standards are dense! Look at the standard and think: what steps does a child need to carry out in order to carry out the behavior described in the standard? We're breaking down the standard into manageable chunks for the kids through actionable I can statements.
Let's continue to keep the discussion open around lessons learned through creating/implementing I can statements!
Reminders
- Jose Flores for being so flexible and willing to help out in a pinch.
- Anne Seeber for addressing minor issues before they become major problems.
- Lizette Altamirano for hosting the first restorative circle at Nuestro Mundo
A week of learning around "I can" statements:
Thanks to all teacher teams for the focus they put into their grade level p.d. this week. New learning came out of each of the meetings. Below are some insights that came up in different conversations that can help us better understand our work around I can statements...
- Preserve the magic of I Can by not over-using! At the PD a variety of I can's were presenting to show how universal they can be. Using too many can make the I Can get real old real quick. In general, you might consider 1 -2 I can statements for your whole group literacy teaching per week.Reminders
- Don't forget to turn in your Ready, Set, Go time sheets into me for approval. Don't forget to indicate your Compensation Preference.
- Please complete your binder for substitute teachers and place them in your mailbox. The binder should "live" in your mailbox so Subs can pick it up when they sign in. Thanks to Wendy, Kristen, Courtney, Susan, Bettina, Luz C., Imma, and Chris for having their binder ready by the deadline!
- There will be a Book Room "Open House" on Friday, Oct. 3rd during lunch. Come learn how to properly use the book room resources to support your guided instruction. This is a voluntary learning opportunity, but all are encouraged to stop by. Snacks will be available!
- Movie Night is October 3rd, from 6:30-8:00pm. Teachers are welcome to attend. :-)
- Picture Day Oct. 13 in the gym, sign up for a time slot on the google doc from Cecilia. (if rainy day, gym class will be held in classrooms)
- NAMI Walk this Sunday, Oct. 5th. More info coming to those who have indicated that they will attend.
Important Information
- Maxi has decided to take a year off from her duties in the cafeteria to care for her new baby, Vanessa. Connie Mota will take over her duties preparing snack and assisting in the lunch room. Welcome Connie to the team!
- Contrary to information provided at the Educator Effectiveness Open Workshop, teachers can use Spring data from the data warehouse as a baseline to develop your SLO.
- Click here for a blank template for your Student Learning Objective (SLO)
- Stephanie Herrera will serve as Principal Designee again this year. This means that when I am out of the building, she will make decisions on my behalf and have authority over the day-to-day functions in the school.
José Luis Orozco will be visiting Nuestro Mundo on Wed. Oct. 8th at 9:00am! He will play a concert for K-2nd graders that should last about an hour. - Nuestro Mundo has $833.00 available from the Foundation for Madison Public Schools Endowment Fund. Look for an email later with directions on how to request a grant. Grant applications due on October 15th. Grant ideas should be "creative and innovative projects that are not funded within the core school budget."
- There are also funds available through NMI, roughly $14,000. Please contact Libbey Meister (libbey05@gmail.com) for more information (The application form will be shared with you via google docs).
- Please get all completed OMGE surveys to Cecilia or Anamaria by today.
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