April 12, 2019

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Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great week. Thank you for you flexibility and patience as we finish the ISASP today. Please keep notes on what went well in your room, and ideas on how we can improve on this process for next year. Instead of meeting as a big group on April 17, Neal and I will try to get to every group to get your feedback.

 I am curious on what you all thought about the block schedule we ran on Thursday and Friday. When I taught in Vermillion, we ran our normal 50 minute classes on Monday-Wednesday and then the block on Thursday and Friday. This could be something we can look into for future years. When I first started teaching at Vermillion, I didn't know if I would like the 90 minute class period. However, I found the students could get a lot more accomplished during that time. I structured my block with a mini lesson 20-30 minutes, then depending on what we were doing, working on a research project, bringing in guest speakers, giving my assessments, or doing our mock government activities. Now I did teach US History, Government, and web design. The other teachers liked the block because it allowed them to get activities done in one day that would normally take two.

 During advisory on the 15th, please have the students complete the 4th quarter midterm reflection. After the reflection, the IE speech kids will be getting their picture taken. 
If you don't have plans tonight or tomorrow, come and watch "The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza". The students did a great job last night and I know you will have a few laughs!

 With spring break next week, we are only 2 weeks away from prom! I know many of you are super excited to get this going. Just some dates to keep an eye on: April 16 midterm grades are due (this is a few days earlier as I want to give some seniors a final warning), April 17 - extra hour meeting, and April 27 - Prom.

Don't forget to turn in your contracts, they are due April 16. I do have a basket on my desk if you want me to get them to Central Office. 
Have a great weekend!
Mark

Students as Leaders

Good Luck to these students at the WIT Skills Day: Cody Ott, Edward Anguiano, Jacob Paredez, Ethan Kuiken, Kaden Ostermyer, Robert Murra, Calbe Jungers, Brenik Hoppe, Alec Arens, Austin Anderson, Colton Hoag, and Travis Theisen.

Assistant Principal's Happenings



Resources of all kinds - notes from the Librarian


Instructional Coach's Technology Tidbits

Gmail will soon get a new "Schedule email" option. You'll be able to pick between a few presets (tomorrow morning, tomorrow afternoon, or Monday morning) as well as choose the exact date and time you'd prefer. This should be rolling out to everyone within the next few weeks.

 If you or any of your students are color blind, this tip is for you. Some people don't have perfect color vision, but the world isn't built for those people. When objects or images on a website aren't easily distinguishable for the color deficient, the Dalton Chrome extension is a neat solution.

 Situated in the upper right corner of the browser, Dalton brings up a simple menu with options for three different types of colorblindness. Users can pick one and adjust two color sliders to hopefully make whatever website they are looking at more readable. 

 Are you in the market for a new cell phone? Did you know that you can set them up yourselves? Here is an step by step guide telling you how to transfer your data from Android to Android, Android to iphone, iphone to Android, and iphone to iphone. 

 This quick read is for those of you with children who are in college, like me with children soon to be in college, or maybe this is just a topic of interest to you: 
5 ways augmented reality apps are changing the game on college campuses .

 This article really hit home to me. Many of us post things about our families and children on social media. This article is written by a child who one day found out all the things her family had been putting on social media about her life as she was growing up and how she felt about it. I’m 14, and I quit social media after discovering what was posted about me

Success Center

Here is a link for a current and relevant article about study skills.  Incorporating these skills into the classroom and explicitly practicing them with students will lead to stronger test scores and students who are better prepared for life after high school.

Article Worth Reading

Posting Daily Objectives

Upcoming Activities

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

Tuesday, April 23
4:00 pm Girls JV/Varsity Golf @ Spencer
4:00 pm Boys JV/Varsity Golf vs. Spencer and Spirit Lake
4:00 pm Girls JV/Varsity Tennis vs. Spirit Lake
4:00 pm Boys JV/Varsity Tennis @ Spirit Lake
5:00 pm Boy/Girl JV/Varsity Track @ Cherokee

Wednesday, April 24
6:30 pm Foundation Banquet

Thursday, April 25
4:00 pm Boy JV/Varsity Golf @ Brooks Golf Course
7:30 pm Parade of Bands

Friday, April 26
7:30 pm Festival of Orchestras

Saturday, April 27
9:00 am Boys JV/Varsity Golf @ Lake Creek Country Club
10:00 am Girls JV/Varsity Tennis @ Storm Lake - Lakes Conference Meet
10:00 am Boys JV/Varsity Tennis @ Spirit Lake - Lakes Conference Meet
6:30 pm Grand March
8:00 pm Prom
11:30 pm After Prom

Monday, April 29
3:00 pm Girls JV/Varsity Golf @ Sibley-Ocheyedan
4:00 pm Girls JV/Varsity Tennis vs. Storm Lake
4:00 pm Boys JV/Varsity Tennis @ Storm Lake
5:00 pm Boys/Girls JV/Varsity Track @ Storm Lake

Tuesday, April 30
11:00 am Girls JV/Varsity Golf @ Whispering Creek Sioux City
4:00 pm Boys JV/Varsity Golf @ Cherokee
4:00 pm Girls JV/Varsity Tennis @ Spencer
4:00 pm Boys JV/Varsity Tennis vs. Spencer
6:30 pm FFA Banquet

Thursday, May 2
12:00 pm Boys JV/Varsity Golf @ Willow Creek Golf Course
4:00 pm Girls JV/Varsity Tennis @ ELC
4:00 pm Boys JV/Varsity Tennis vs. ELC
4:30 pm Boys/Girls JV/Varsity Track @ Buena Vista University - Lakes Conference

 Friday, May 3
7:00 am State Large Group Contest

Monday, May 6
10:00 am Girls JV/Varsity Golf @ Rolling Hills
10:00 am Boys JV/Varsity Golf @ Willow Creek
4:00 pm Girls JV/Varsity Tennis vs. Cherokee
4:00 pm Boys JV/Varsity Tennis @ Cherokee

Tuesday, May 7
4:00 pm HS Art Show - Old MS Gym
7:30 pm HS Vocal Concert

Thursday, May 9
4:00 pm Girls JV/Varsity Golf @ Willow Creek

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