Agree to disagree? or Consensus?

Homecoming 2016

Spirit Week

We’re not sure who had the most fun during the Tacky Vacation Wear Day;

The Staff or Students of Winfield Middle School?

PBiS

Thanks for the great PBiS PD on Wednesday.  It seemed like a good use of our time.  Both groups discussed consistency and a set of common expectations we could all agree to adhere to.  Hallway Expectations, Active Supervision, Classroom Expectations, Common Themes for us to agree on…  What is most important for us here at Winfield Middle School?  It seemed we had come to a point where we could check our passions at the door and agree together to serve the students.  Like hats in the building, it was a big deal but we have all agreed to enforce it, not because it bothers us or we have an opinion but because, when we as adults agree, the students see and appreciate the consistency and unity.  

Teacher Hopping?

For instance, a student asked me, “Can I go to my locker?” I was not sure why a student would ask me that question, so I paused.  Coach came up and I deferred the question to him.  Then, it was clear that the student was trying to “Teacher Hop” and bypass the rule by asking the Principal!  Sounds like at home.  If mom says NO, ask DAD.  Together, the letter of the rule is not as important as the need for us to be unified and together in our enforcement!

Expectations?

Does every room follow a common set of expectations?  No Hats, etc

Does every board have a SWBAT & TO DO: list for the daily activity?

Does every teacher pepper the positive comments with only a few negative or suggestive comments?  

Does every teacher ban cell phones with some type of PHONE HOME cubby or ???

How important is it to teach students citizenship through a universal set of expectations and norms?

Walk-Through Bullet Points

I am seeing teachers adapting very well. Thank you.  Many have begun to take great risks trying these new techniques, adding components and taking those risks necessary to encourage our students to do the same.  This might be an area where I need to help ensure we are all on the same page?  For instance, the planners.  We agreed to use the planners yet some staff do and some don’t.  Do planners really matter?  Does standing in unity matter more?  

Who speaks the most in our rooms?  Teachers or students?  Does it matter?

Students love hearing their name spoken in a positive sentence.  Hence the PBiS 4:1 Ratio.

Word Walls, Data Walls???

Student Reported Grades.

POST CARDS GOING OUT?  I see some have been sent.  We are just about at the end of the first progress report.  It may be a good time to send a positive note early???

PD Schedule:

Please ensure you have days requested according to the PD schedule for your planning. Let’s use this UPDATED TEMPLATE just for our BINDER meetings.  We can visit among the groups to set up a plan for serving the needs of each team as needed.  We can use one document for the entire year and log things on that page as necessary.

Labor Day Coming up Quickly

Monday

• Team and Squad practices continue throughout the week - Games begin after the long weekend.

Tuesday

• Activities Meeting at 7:15 in HIGGINS ROOM

Wednesday

Thursday

• Binder Day

Friday

• Assembly this Friday?
• We don’t have a whole lot on our plate this week.  It may be a good time to meet in the gym???

MOBY MAX

Students have begun logging in, setting things up and taking baseline tests.  The adaptive nature of this PD may be a thing where students, without work to do or a book to read may have to spend 20 minutes on MOBY MAX to get to the # ________?

Speaking of RTI

If a student does NOT complete a HOT sheet assignment in Ac Lab due to lack of effort please email the student's name by the end of 1st hour to:

6th grade- Stroud (6th hour)

7th grade- Farhat (7th hour)

8th grade- Fisher (6th hour)

Also please tell the student that will need to come to said teachers at the hour noted.

SERIOUSLY?

Seriously!?

NO! Seriously!

HONORED:

I am so honored to be able to work along-side this team. Listening to you all express opinions, work to consensus and realize being right is not as important as doing right for the kids! Here are some guest author thoughts following our PBiS PD on Wednesday:

PBiS Tier 2

What we spoke about in our Tier 2 training was specifically how we are going to track students with the use of buddy sheets and HOT sheets.  We would like to discuss the number of sheets we think should be allowed before a student is care teamed.  At that time then all care team paperwork needs to filled out by all team members for that student before care team can discuss any interventions for said student.  In addition, the buddy sheets need to be tracked according to behavior.  For example 3 buddy sheets for 3 different behaviors does not mean an ASD.  3 buddy sheets for same behavior = ASD.  Buddy sheets are being revamped which will make it easier for student and teacher.  Teachers also need to be reteaching expectations before sending that student back to class with their filled out buddy sheet.  You may do this on your own time before or after teaching your class.  It is not expected of you to stop what you are doing to reteach a behavior.*  This gives that student a cool down time as well as some extra think time.  Ac lab teachers need to be tracking buddy sheets as well as HOT sheets.  Make sure to send all buddy sheets to that student’s ac lab teacher please.

And another…

Our discussion yesterday reminded me that faculty need to practice the candid self-reflection that we encourage our students to practice. Although it is tempting to believe we are 100% consistent with certain best practices, we also need to remember that it is highly unlikely. If it happened easily, more teachers would do it. Growth of this type usually occurs through intentional focus and goal-setting.

Briefly,

Tom McCracken

Week 2: Was it worth it?

Was it worth it?

Last Saturday night, at 10:30pm, we traveled to the Missouri Botanical Garden to take in the rare blooming of the amorphophallus titanum commonly called the Corpse flower due to the odor and size.  

(Seldom do I see 2:00 am these days.)

Corpse Flower Time Lapse from Chicago

Start of the year…

There has been a very encouraging mood throughout rooms, halls, buildings and even the district.  The first full week of school held the August full moon yet the building had a great feel.  Students said they wanted to go to school year around, just because of the safety and security in this setting.  ALL of them are able to smile when talked to.  (Let me know if you find one that won’t smile with prompting.)  You have been reaching into students lives, building bridges of commonality in a quest to teach.  They have responded.  Reading in AC LABS has become a new norm.  The place is becoming a sanctuary of learning.

PD Time

Thanks for the great enthusiasm and participation displayed by so many at our PD time yesterday.  The food was delicious, the conversations stimulating, the PD assuring and the vertical time exactly what we needed. We will follow the RTI Intervention flow chart as presented by Dawn.  We have been approved to acquire the MOBY MAX intervention system for ALL staff and ALL students.  It is great for RTI, enrichment, or reward incentive type activity for students.  There may be a PE component and we trust Coach and Coach to apply the intervention with the right amount of pressure so as not to “throw students into the briar patch” nor punish them with work…  

BINDER TEMPLATE:

In our binder team time, our agenda will include reviewing the contractual obligations, building expectations and allow time to develop a plan to reach those goals.  Please ensure you have days requested according to the PD schedule for your planning. Let’s use this UPDATED TEMPLATE just for our BINDER meetings.  We can visit among the groups to set up a plan for serving the needs of each team as needed.  We can use one document for the entire year and log things on that page as necessary.

SPIRIT WEEK

Monday

• Red, White and Blue Wear
• Laptop Rollout -  5:30 at the Gym, to present to parents
• Team and Squad practices continue throughout the week

Tuesday

• Baseball Apparel

Wednesday

• Favorite Animal
• PBiS PD in Building.  Tier 1 and Tier 2 Toggle between the AM and the PM.  
• One sub hired for roughly two teachers.

Thursday

• Tacky Tourist/Beach Wear
• Binder Teams
• Review DESE contract & Obligations
• Plan overview of year and the 6 testing cycles
• Bus Ambassadors candidates identified by today

Friday

• Class Color
• Myra Collins in building to observe the Math team and develop overview for possible interventions

Saturday

• Homecoming 2016
• Parade at 10:00
• Carnival at the High School
• Football Game at 1:00

Conclusion

After driving an hour, waiting in line for another half hour, then seeing the flower for less than 5 minutes, it makes me wonder…  Was it worth it? YES. Unabashedly Yes. How often would I actually get to see and smell it in "real Life?" I heard a student sway the "Grand Canyon? I will just google it!" How many other things do I miss because I am in a hurry, on my way someplace else or not paying attention.  I really must take time to smell the roses.  I see these 8th graders and it does seem like they were just in 6th grade. They are growing with leaps and bounds right now and it is amazing the maturity they are showing. Let’s continue to provide them opportunities for leadership.  We were even thinking about having them assist during the first day of school while everyone is trying to get things together, there are still new students, lockers, classes and teachers to find. Mentoring and peer leadership roles are wonderful motivators at getting those students engaged.  

Keep up the good work. It is worth it.

Trying to be brief.

Tom McCracken

Reach Them to Teach Them

Reach Them to Teach Them

Welcome Back

Even in PE Class, students and teachers were building connections, looking for common themes about life and reaching for teaching.  Day 1 here shows Coach sharing with some of our students.  Frontloading like this prepares the students to listen, relate to and trust their teachers sooner allowing greater things to be done later in the year.  By building these types of relationships, students and staff benefit from the improved connections.

Kickoff

It was truly spell-binding to see this team work together as we transitioned into this new school year.  This building is really working to get ourselves #onthemap.

I may have been a bit ambitious regarding our rollout. We might not get everything done the first few days…  If we need extra time, that will be fine.  We would rather do it right, than just do it to do it.  For instance...

Technology

The One to One program has a few details needing attention.

• All students will be loaned a laptop for the year,
• After they return their SIGNED PARENTAL AGREEMENT.
• They will be responsible for the devices, charging, bringing it to class, and security.
• All students will need to log onto a desktop computer to reauthorize and reset their passwords before the chromebook will work for them. Mrs. Hines is currently working to set this up in all ELA classes for the students.
• There is an INFORMATIONAL PARENT meeting in the gym, August 22nd, at 5:30.
• There will be an optional insurance policy for $30 that allows us to repair accidental damages.
• This fee is payable by August 31st.
• Push your students to buy this option.
• The ELA classes will work with the library staff to hand them out accurately.
• We will issue them in order: 8th, 7th, & then 6th graders,with authorized paperwork. Students who turn in  the agreement later than Friday may not get them until Thursday or Friday of next week.

Other Technology Notes

• We are one step closer to MOBY MAX for all staff and students inside the building.

Next Week

Monday

• First day of practice for ALL Fall sports
• Physicals MUST be turned in before students are even allowed to practice.
• Stacy and R. James will be here after school to assist while students get things together
• Middle School Cheer Practice at The Intermediate Gym at 3:00.

Tuesday

• Culture Climate Committee will meet at 7:15 in Gracey’s room to finalize the PD Agenda, ongoing projects, and feedback.  Let them know if there are bullet items to include in our PD Time. This includes Committees and Subcommittees.
• Board Meeting

Wednesday

• Early Release Day
• See Culture Climate Committee
• Committee and Subcommittee reports (brief message if necessary)
• Building-Wide Potluck finger foods.  See Google doc to ensure good variety.

Thursday

• PICTURE DAY FOR STUDENTS - These photos will go into the composite poster, the yearbook, ID Badges, and are available for ordering.  Dress nice.  Should we do a TIE THURSDAY?
• Click here to order...   http://wagner.digitaleventpics.com/SC/index.cfm?fuseaction=EventLoad&eid=30096526&sn=WinfieldMS2016FallPictureOrderForm307866&fn=StLouisMO
• I have a Catapult Learning Meeting at 9:00 am slated at Central Office to continue the investigation of the summer learning project where we provide transportation for any willing families to send their students to summer school.  It is the same program Troy does currently, and some staff had expressed interest last MAY when asked about the interest of a Summer School in 2017.
• We will have our first BINDER TEAM meetings.

Long Range

• August 24 - PBiS - In-district training
• August 26 - MATH PD w/ Myra Collins
• Sept. 7- PD Day - Poverty Summit
• Sept. 22 -Brunswick MAP Celebration

Conclusion

The first day of this school has been truly amazing. Knowing it is in such good hands allows me to leave tomorrow with confidence and assurance that you will THRIVE.  Thank you.

Tom McCracken