September 25, 2015
Happy Friday! I would just like to take a quick moment to thank Nancy, Neal, and the student council for organizing our homecoming activities last week. I know the rain during the parade kind of put a wrinkle into the plan, but everything else went off without a hitch. Also, thanks to all of you who helped organize the float building, supervised float building, and helped with parade line-up. Without your help and support it would not have gone off as well.
Midterms are this Tuesday, the 29th. We will run the reports to mail home that morning, so please have everything updated by 8:30. Reminder to put comments in the quarter 1 section. In advisory on Monday, have the students complete the midterm reflection only. The back side will be completed on Oct. 5. Please keep them together with the first sheet the students filled out. I may want to look at the sheets of those students who are not passing at midterm to have a conversation with them about their goals and what they are doing to achieve those goals.
For our in-service next week I have added the agenda to our PD website. You can refer to the website to see what we are doing and what group you are in. You will need your computer to complete the form that will be submitted through google docs. Each teacher will need to submit the form as it is more individual driven.
I hope you had the chance to enjoy MenuMasters this past Saturday. If you haven’t seen the news they raised over $36,000 at the event. If you get a chance, thank the LEEP members for what they do to help our students. They are providing resources that our students wouldn’t get, if they did not donate their time with LEEP. If you would like to make a LEEP request the form in online. Please talk to me first to make sure I don’t have the money to buy it. If I don’t, I will have you fill out the request and then turn it into me. I will then check it over and pass it along to a LEEP member.
I would also like to remind you to take advantage of our instructional coaches and model teachers. I know they would really like to get involved in the classrooms. If you are trying something new and would like an extra set of eyes or if you would like to try something, but are not quite sure what that is, talk to our coaches. Jill, Cliff, and Tracy would be happy to assist you in your endeavors. Our model teachers are Kellie, Tami, and Kurt. They also would welcome the opportunity to have you visit their rooms.
Staff as Leaders
Colleen Bortscheller, Mary Westhoff, Cliff Collins, and Tracy Wingert attended the Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference on September 21.
Students as Leaders
Student Council along with advisors, Nancy Isebrand and Neal Utesch are working on the State Student Council project now that homecoming is over. They will be teaming up with the student council from Sergeant Bluff at our home football game. More info will be coming from our Student Council later.
Assistant Principal’s Corner
Thank you to everyone for helping last week with our homecoming festivities. Everything went very well and the students seemed to enjoy all of the activities during the week. As of right now, I am checking our parking lot once a week (day will alternate) so that I may give time for warning letters to be sent home for those that are found in violation. If you see a car in the lot that shouldn’t be there, please let me know along with a license plate number, color of the car, and make & model. This way we can make announcements to have it removed from the lot. Each student is allowed one warning before their car can be towed, so simply bringing in a tow truck and taking cars away is not going to happen. I will continue to monitor cars in the teacher’s parking spaces, but will allow cars to remain there after 9:00 am so that we do not have empty spots in the lot. Why 9:00 am? Because most staff members should be here by that time for the day. After lunch is an issue and I will have students move their cars until 1:30 pm as most everyone should be back for lunch by this time. Again, please get us the student pass number if you see a student car parked in the teacher’s parking spaces so that we can call the individual student to the office to have the car moved.
Notes on bullying: In a recent article that I read titled, “Bullying Prevention: A Guide for Educators”, presented by Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights, I found some tips for staff on how to respond to bullying behavior. When confronting negative student behavior, is it important to:
- Always step in when a student or adult is acting hurtfully or cruelly.
- Utilize discipline strategies that teach and help change in behaviors when student break rules.
- Provide ways for students to repair harm to relationships and the school environment after they engage in negative or harmful behavior.
In the article they stated that in order to stop bullying, schools cannot simply respond to bullying when it happens. Instead they need to create the climate that prevents bullying before it starts. Safe schools have specific efforts focused on each of the following:
- Policy & Enforcement - rules for behavior are established and reinforced
- Leadership - efforts are guided by teams representing the school community
- Data - Data-collection and evaluation drive decision making
- Buy-In - Support and input is solicited from all members of the school community
- Student Engagement - encourage students to be involved in the school efforts
Remember that sometimes we hesitate to label actions as being bullying, instead they refer to it as being unnecessary “drama” - it doesn’t matter - if it’s hurtful, it’s wrong!
Instructional Coaches
Have you ever wanted to try Amazon Prime? Well, it looks like today is your lucky day. On Friday, September 25 from 12:00 am ET to 11:59 pm PT, they are offering new members a special price of $67 (normally $99) for the first year of Prime.
Are you looking for a new twist on the old make a poster project? Maybe using Google Drawings and digital posters is the way to go. Not only does it not leave a mess on the floor in your room, but the posters can have hyperlinks in them AND the posters could be embedded on a class website so that as the poster is updated, the website always has the most recent version. If you are curious, check out this article with a walk through of how to.
Tracy
Upcoming Events
Saturday, September 26 Starfest Marching Band Contest @ Sioux City
9:00 am Varsity Volleyball @ Unity Christian
9:00 am JV Volleyball @ Western Christian
Monday, September 28 5:00 pm 10th Football vs. Sergeant Bluff-Luton
5:00 pm 9th Football vs. South O’Brien
7:00 pm JV Football vs. South O’Brien
Tuesday September 29 4:30 pm Varsity/JV Cross Country @ Rolling Hills Country
Club
5:30 pm 9th/JV Volleyball vs. Western Christian
6:50 pm Varsity Volleyball vs. Western Christian
Thursday, October 1 5:00 - 7:30 pm T & I Booster Fundraiser Supper
Friday, October 2 7:00 pm Varsity Football @ Spencer
Saturday, October 3 Algona Band Festival
8:30 am Varsity Volleyball @ Council Bluffs TJ
Monday, October 5 5:00 pm 9th/JV Football @ MOC
Tuesday, October 6 4:30 pm Varsity/JV Boys/Girls Cross Country @ Cherokee
5:30 pm 9/JV Volleyball @ Emmetsburg
6:50 pm Varsity Volleyball @ Emmetsburg
Thursday, October 8 5:30 pm 9/JV Volleyball vs. Spirit Lake
6:50 pm Varsity Volleyball vs. Spirit Lake
Friday, October 9 4:45 pm 9 Football vs. Sergeant Bluff
7:00 pm Varsity Football vs. Sergeant Bluff
Teacher Resources/Articles Worth Reading
Be Extraordinary,
Mark
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