Ugly Sweater Blog 121015

Staff Blog for December 14-18, 2015

As we head into the Holidays.

Thanks for the Secret Santa fun.  Sox, chocolates, treats and trinkets made the entire week a blast.  Guessing made it even better.  

There is a lot going on as we wrap up our semester.  Be patient,  Remember the students are stresssting because they will actually miss us over their two weeks.  They will return noticably different, growing, maturing and just a little bit wiser after their holidays.  

1. To Do: Revisit the Book Report Form from our Summer Reading that we began back in August with reflections on progress, please.  Add your post in the Yellow Columns please.

2. To Do: Contact parents of students you are considering failing or assigning a D this semester and send me the list by next Wednesday, please.

3. To Do: End of the semester Final:  Please email me a brief plan what you are doing for the end of the semester.  Final, project, essay etc. Nothing extravigant but a sentance or two per prep.

#tbt picture of ??? __________

4. We heard from Jay Reese from on Tuesday as an Administrative team.  We will review this data during our Binder time on Monday. I sent it out earlier in October but we have not reviewed, discussed or talked about any action steps based on the results. We may not be able to unpack all of it but we will gain perspective together at this time.  Jay’s on WINFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT

5. Optional: Read the DESE data and/or research your on your own a little about our Friday Guest:
1. https://dese.mo.gov/state-board-education/commissioner
2. We expect her to be in district in the AM but plans may change.
3. We will still have our Sweater Day & Grand-Parent Assembly in the PM according to Hines email.
4. Please refrain from wearing jeans on Friday.

6. fyi:   MAKERSPACE - I was out on Wednesday for a Principals meeting.  One of the highlights was this PBL center at: https://gcaamakerspace.wordpress.com/  I have included it it just for fun and adventure since many of us would find this interesting.  

7. Warrior Way Tickets:  I have been putting four 3x5 cards and 4 Warrior Way Tickets, of course only the purple MIX BUCKS :)   in my pocket every day.  It helps me be intentional to give them out, not to be looking for a Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious activity but just something that says "Hello, thanks, and keep up the good work. I appriciate you being here." The kids love being noticed.

Cursory End of the Semester Schedule

Monday 12/14

Binder Meeting to Review MAP Snapshot

8th Grade Basketball travels to Frontier Middle School

Tuesday 12/15

PBiS Meeting - Details to follow

Winfield School Board Regular Meeting at the new Central Office

Wednesday 12/16

The big day! 7th grade field trip to the Repertory Theater of St. Louis

Art Show/Contest

Middle School Band Concert at the Middle School

Middle/High School Choir Concert at the High School

Thursday 12/17

8th Grade Basketball - South Middle

Friday 12/18 - Half Day -

Ac Lab Challenge Christmas Variety Show - Ac Lab - Lunch

Schedule to follow

Penny War Finale

Great friends add so much.  Thanks for this reminder!

As we head into this winter transition season, please keep this in mind.

Monday 1/4/16 PD day

Plickers - Bryan Davis

Goal Building as Team

Technology  - John Neels

Work in rooms ½ day -  PM

Staff,
Thanks for inviting me into your rooms to share snippets with the students.  I appriciate those times imensly.  They are the most memorable times of my days, bar none!  It reminds me of being in the classroom.  I can come for an hour or just a small story.  Just let me know. I would even be willing to teach an entire lesson and give you a break.
Tom

The Black Spot!

Winfield Middle School

Staff Blog

December 4, 2015

#TBT photo from 2014

Their #gameface last year as compared to their #gameface this year...

 #Gameface photo from 2015

  

Building a tradition of going the extra mile, our Middle School Basketball Team practices over Thanksgiving Holiday, as a tradition.

Last year - 11

This year - 18

Next Year - ???

Growth:

Maybe you've noticed, i like to look back over time to celebrate growth, change and development of myself and those around me. While looking at our Early Release notes from Wednesday, we see we were working on discipline, learning from Brockton High and beginning to implement Google Drive using a parent survey.  Now, we do everything with google docs.  We've made great strides in discipline and are just about halfway through the school year.  Well done.  To remind ourselves where we are going, we often look back and see the progress.  

Goals:

I am working through learning ALL STUDENTS names in the building.  Yes, it is a big harry audacious goal.  I have heard great encouragement from the students. They want me to succeed. They are flattered when I talk to them.  We talk about Christmas trees, decorations, shopping, free time, traveling, weekends, sports, birthdays, g-ma, etc.  

 

Snapshot

Please revisit the Summer Book Report we began back in August.  Complete the next columns please regarding current reflection on goals and progress as we transition into the 2nd semester.

MATH & ELA eValuate

When you schedule your next eValuate testing, create an invitation for N Baker and myself to attend, please.  

Binder Teams

We began reviewing names and scores last week in Binder Time.  Let’s finish this time next week reviewing those potential Care Team candidates. Plan on 6th grade reviewing names, 7th and 8th starting in 7th hour and finishing in 8th hour.

PBiS - Monthly Character traits for 2016

Jan                 Integrity

Feb                 Consideration

March             Empathy

April               Confidence

May                Self discipline

We will discuss these traits monthly beginning January. Ac Lab Lessons, Lunch Talks, Posters and Door Decorating are just a few ways we can put and keep these terms fresh in our thoughts. Research repeatedly confirms the importance of affirmations, thinking positively and not allowing negative thoughts to dominate our thoughts.

Resilience in...

I have been wondering how we might use this document to guide us…  I consider insulation, protection and distraction reduction a top priority during this time frame. Please let me know how i might support you during this trasition. 

Upcoming Building Calendar/Events

Monday 12/7

Binder mtg

Guest at this PBiS meeting for Tier 1 at 7:00 in Davis’s Room

Tuesday 12/8

Jay Reese from DESE to visit admin   

7th & 8th ELA Day - 4 Subs ordered?

Wednesday 12/9    

McC out for AM...

Thursday 12/10

(6th ELA Day -  Subs ordered?) - Hoff attending L Calkins’ workshop

Friday 12/11

Ugly Sweater Day Kick off Assembly at 2:00 - 2:45  Final agenda will follow

Model and Social after school

BOOK FAIR 12/11 TILL 12/17

Upcoming Events

12/14 Binder mtg (Staff Goals for 2016)

12/16

7th grade trip

Coverage needed for:

Bosch 5th _____

Bosch 6th _____

Daugherty 2nd to Higgins

Daugherty 7th to _____  

Davis 2nd to Ross

Davis 7th to  ______   

Any others teach 7th grade but not going that day

Art Show/.Contest

Middle School Band Concert

12/17

December Faculty Meeting

Insurance Meetings in PM.  Please ensure you sign off on these disclosures.

12/18

Half Day - Ac Lab Challenge Variety show     - Details to follow

Just for Fun!

I received a text message from a certain ELA teacher, currently reviewing Treasure Island in class: Warning; Beware of the Black Spot. A literary device as developed by Robert Louis Stevenson became the hot topic of dicussion.  I was forewarned!  Later that day, I stepped into that  classroom with a folded piece of paper, complete with latent black spot.  The teacher opened it up and the students all sat in anticipation wondering what was contained on the note.  Nothing, but a BLACK SPOT.  Auuuggggggg!

The next day, a black spot mysteriously appeared on my door.  Four culprits were identified and at the following lunch, each was handed a napkin, allegedly to wipe their faces.  Again, hidden on the corner of each individual towelette with a black spot.  Back at you!

A few days later, our esteemed Superintendent was observing classrooms and enjoying the feel of the building.  The tour guide handed her a slip of paper with instructions to "give it to a former pupil."  After a few steps around the room and a pregnant pause, the message was conveyed. A folded piece of copy paper was laid on the corner of a students desk. The pupil looked astonished, wondering, what action he took could have caused the Superintendent of Winfield School District to pay any attention to him at all.  With innocence, he opened the folds and saw the BLACK SPOT! We had been had!

Beware.  You too may fall victim to the Black Spot.

Tom

Staff Blog for Thanksgiving 2015

This blog will cover the next two weeks but look for additional emails to update things through and including the Thanksgiving Proclomation by the President.

Speking of Thanksgiving...

How can you contribute to those in need around us? Of course we will never eradicate poverty but we can help people. That is how organizations like Bright Futures serve their communities. Like and follow them on facebook.

Teachers have unique opportunities and responsibilities...

Watching students and teachers interact all day, I am privileged to see students literally grow right before my eyes.  I get to see them playing with toys as they arrive but nearly ready for car keys once they leave us and head to the high school.   Welcome to the middle school.

Classroom Discipline

Is there a thing such as too mean?  

Can you be too nice?  

How about not smiling till Thanksgiving?  

These questions are often asked by teachers, parents and others adults trying to guide students into a healthy and productive future. This light reading poses an articulate perspective on how to reach and influence students in our paths.

http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2015/11/18/why-ive-softened-my-classroom-management-style.html?cmp=eml-enl-tu-news1

Building Discipline

From 17+ write-ups a day, down to nearly 15 in an entire week…  Whats next for us?

As we develop interventions for ALL learners (and not just the ones) think about what works and what doesn't.  THink about what you like.  THink about how you like to be treated.  Then, let’s articulate a plan with our students in mind to reach into our tricks and serve their needs.  And if we don’t have the tricks, let’s look into research and develop what will work. Hattie, Marzano etc for effective interventions.  We spend a lot of time looking at data, numbers, strengths, areas of growth and potentials and i have personally, appreciated our conversations lately.

Jeans Days

Be sure you connect with Hughes or Guile for supporting the students wanting to go on the trip. For $8, you can wear jeans for the entire week we get back, 10/30 - 12/4 and support a good cause in the process.  

(Thanks for organizing all of this.  It seems like a good way to reach another group of students.)

Monday 11/23

GRADES DUE YESTERDAY and EMAILED TODAY

Binder meetings are canceled this week

Basketball against Montgomery City

Boys travel there

Girls host them here

Tuesday 11/24

Admin Meeting at Central Office - Guest

Interagency Meeting @ CO

Basketball against Wright City

Boys travel there

Girls host them here

Wednesday 11 0/25 & Sunday 11/29

The Middle School Boys will have Basketball practice available at 8:00 am, during break.  #boom   #nextlevel

Monday 11/30

Binder meetings resume this week with a focus on the full spectrum of students

Bring your list of students and their current standings

Basketball against Warrenton

Boys travel there

Girls host them here

Tuesday 12/1  (Can you believe we are here, already?)

Admin Meeting at Central Office

8th Grade Basketball against Wentzville - here

Wednesday 12/2

Early Release - Office staff to host. (Last Early Release of the Semester)

Active Shooter Training presented by Lincoln County Sheriff Department

AFLAC vendors here- See other email for details

Thursday 12/3

Leadership Meeting in Higgins Room

Investigate Tier 1 interventions and how we might PBiS Support

Basketball against Montgomery City

Boys travel there

Girls host them here

Friday 12/4

tbd

Respect others, surroundings and self

Respect others,

Respect your surroundings,

Respect yourself...

November 16th, 2015

District & Building Data

Accreditation

We have achieved full accreditation this year based on the scores above.

The Middle School contributions are as follows:

The details for our school and how our contribution is determined.

On January 20th, 1961, John F Kennedy said, “Ask not what your school can do for you but what you can do for your school”  (School = Country)

I have a similar feel in my mind and heart as I review this data above. I can only ask what I can to to support improving these scores.  

Can I work harder or smarter?  

Am i focusing on the wrong thing?

Should I focus my energies on something more productive?  

Am I  too soft on my evaluations?  

Should I tell people what to do more?  

Should I micro-manage more?  

I ask myself these types of questions every time I see this data and reflect on the final outcome. I know I am only one person but being part of a team means something to me.  I can only really find success if those around me have also find success.  

Veterans Assembly

Again, our approbation and honor to the Veterans of Lincoln County was memorable and well received.  A true special shout out to those that worked so hard.

www.breakdownstl.org

This dramatic interpretation of another option gave us something to consider.  Students are often hit with so many diverse perspectives.  Thanks for allowing the 8th graders a bit of time to hang out there at the high school longer.  I know it was unscripted and a bit confusing back here.  I am sorry for any mixed signals adding confusion to the already busy day.  Your support and flexibility was appreciated throughout the entire day.  Thank you.

Next week at WMS

Secret:  I am out of district on Friday (11/13) and Monday (11/16) with limited cell service.  I implicitly trust the very able and experienced wisdom Ms Mix brings to our school. If ever there are decisions to be made and I am out of pocket, please follow her advice accordingly.  Decisions she makes on the spot in crunch times are probably better than mine when I’m out of pocket. It is this ability gained through her experience that adds so much to climate and culture of the building making her invaluable to our success. Thank you.

Monday - 11/16

Binder Team - Work on eValuate or U of I

7th Grade Basketball to Silex

Tuesday - 11/17

Limo to Lunch Ride -  2 shifts begin at 10:30 20+ sales and 25+ sales (25+ get to take a friend)  Permissions REQUIRED

Board of Education Meeting at 6:30

Boys Basketball at O’ Farm

Wednesday - 11/18

Early Release in Room 300

8th Grade to Host

TNT to open with Kagan or ???

eValuate Follow Up Training

Junior Achievement

Thursday - 11/19

Faculty Meeting to review end of the semester calendar if necessary at 7:15 AM

Math Collaboration Day?  Subs ordered?

Friday - 11/20

Saturday - 11/21

Monday - 11/23

Cancel Formal Binder Teams this week - Work on Data / Planning - Resume 11/30/15

Tuesday - 11/24

Wednesday - 11/25 Day Thanksgiving Break

Upcoming

Active Shooter Training - Early Release - 120215