March 22, 2019

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Happy Friday! I hope you have the chance to enjoy some nice temperatures this weekend. 

 During our April 3 extra hour meeting we will meet in the library at 7:30 to go over the ISASP one last time so we are all on the same page. Melissa will give you the run down on how the test will be administered and hand out materials you will need. 

 We have heard feedback from one school regarding the ISASP and that was the writing test took them longer than the 2 hours. The writing test does have 3 parts to it, a grammar test and then 2 writing prompts. They moved everyone along together, so once everyone finished the first part, then they all moved on to the next. We do have 8th period scheduled after the test, so we do have an additional 30 minutes if we need it. What I will request is that when your advisory is done with the test on Wednesday to notify the office so we can monitor when everyone is done. If we get to the end of the 2 hours and not every advisory is done then we will hold everyone in place. 

A few questions I had asked about the ISASP after people left and I felt everyone should hear the answers. 

Q1. What about the student who failed Freshmen English last year and is in both Freshmen and Sophomore English this year? 

A1. The student will just test during Sophomore English. During Freshmen English send him/her to study hall. Please let Susan know if you are sending a student there. Basically, have the student test at his/her grade level.

Q2. What about the student honor code that needs to be developed?

A2. I will work with Judd and Melissa to come up with something to be read to the students. We will have you read it in class prior to the test and will also have it read on Monday and Tuesday of that week over the intercom a couple times each day. 

Q3. I have seniors for advisory, what should I do during the Wednesday testing?

A3. Senior advisory teachers will be assigned to work with a couple of other advisory teachers to give them breaks during the 2 hour session.

Q4. I am worried about the batteries on the computers lasting for the Thursday and Friday testing days.

A4. Each class is 90 minutes that day, Iowa Testing recommended only 60 minutes. If the computers get plugged in when the students are done testing, Bruce is confident the batteries will last.

If you have any other question about the ISASP, please ask. This is our first time doing online testing in this capacity, so I am sure we will have bugs to work out.

Have a great weekend!
Mark

Students as Leaders

Good Luck to the students in Band, Choir, and Orchestra as they have small group contest tomorrow.

 Congrats to Dalton Glawe, Chloe Calhoun, Joey DeBoer, Kara Albrecht, and Naomi Kinney as they were selected to perform at the All-State IE Speech Festival, Monday in Cedar Falls. Keegan Pippett was also selected but is not performing.

Assistant Principal's Happenings

Yeah for Friday!  A few observations that I have made that I want to talk about:

  - Continue to provide effective lessons from bell to bell - avoid the free time in your room for off-task behavior and mischief.
 - Remember that your students are tired too - be patient with them as you teach and keep focused on the end goal.
 - Continue to stay positive - find the good in each day and focus on the small "wins" that keep you moving - spring break is right around the corner!
 - Thank you for working hard and keep up the GREAT work!

Resources of all kinds - notes from the Librarian

Instructional Coach's Technology Tidbits

One of the most difficult parts of writing a Unit Plan is writing high-quality compelling or essential questions that meet the standards.  Here is an article by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins on the importance of essential questions and how to write them for student engagement.  It's actually the first chapter in a book by the same name (I own the book if anyone should want to borrow it.)  The article is a little long but definitely worth reading; it explains the seven defining characteristics of essential questions and provides many examples in all content areas.


Article Worth Reading


Upcoming Activities

Saturday, March 23
State Solo/Small Ensemble Contest
12:00 pm Varsity/JV Boy/Girl Track @ SDSU
Monday, March 25
8:00 am IE Speech All-State Festival @ Cedar Falls
Tuesday, March 26

5:00 pm Varsity/JV Boy/Girl Track @ Unity Christian

Monday, April 1
11:00 am Boy/Girl Varsity Track @ USD
6:00 pm ICAN College Planning/Financial Aide Night

Tuesday, April 2
4:00 pm Boys JV/Varsity Tennis vs. Sioux City East
4:30 pm Boy/Girl JV/Varsity Track @ SBL

Thursday, April 4
Sine Nomine Honor Band @ Spencer
4:00 pm Boy JV/Varsity Golf vs. Western Christian @ Willow Creek
4:00 pm Girl JV/Varsity Tennis @ Spirit Lake
4:00 pm Boy JV/Varsity Tennis vs. Spirit Lake
5:00 pm Boy JV/Varsity Track @ Cherokee

Friday, April 5
4:00 pm Boy JV/Varsity Golf @ Hinton
5:00 pm Music Booster Pancake Supper
5:00 pm Girl JV/Varsity Track @ Cherokee

Monday, April 8
4:00 pm Girl JV/Varsity Golf vs. Cherokee
4:00 pm Girl JV/Varsity Tennis vs. Spencer
4:00 pm Boy JV/Varsity Tennis @ Spencer
5:00 pm Boy/Girl JV/Varsity Track @ Memorial Field, Sioux City

Tuesday, April 9
4:00 pm Girl JV/Varsity Golf @ Lake Creek Country Club
4:00 pm Boy JV/Varsity Golf @ Estherville Golf Course

Thursday, April 11
4:00 pm Girl JV/Varsity Tennis @ Storm Lake
4:00 pm Boy JV/Varsity Tennis vs. Storm Lake
4:30 pm Girl JV/Varsity Track @ Sioux Center
7:00 pm Spring Play

Friday, April 12
WITCC Skills Day Contest
5:00 pm Boy/Girl Varsity Track @ Sioux City Relays
7:00 pm Spring Play

Saturday, April 13
8:00 am Boy/Girl Track @ Sioux City Relays
7:00 pm Spring Play

Monday, April 15
9:00 am Boy JV/Varsity Golf @ Spencer Country Club
4:00 pm Girl JV/Varsity Tennis vs ELC
4:00 pm Boy JV/Varsity Tennis @ ELC
4:30 pm Girl JV/Varsity Track @ Sheldon
5:00 pm Boy JV/Varsity Track @ Unity

Tuesday, April 16
4:00 pm Girl JV/Varsity Golf @ Rolling Hills Country Club
4:00 pm Boy JV/Varsity Golf vs. Western Christian
4:00 pm Girl JV/Varsity Tennis @ Cherokee
4:00 pm Boy JV/Varsity Tennis vs. Cherokee

Thursday, April 18
10:00 am Boy/Girl JV/Varsity Track @ Sioux City East High

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