September 20, 2019

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Happy Friday and Happy Homecoming! Even though I missed one day, I think the week went pretty smoothly. Midterm is Tuesday next week. Make sure all grades are updated so Beth and Amy can run midterms.

 I just wanted to take a moment to discuss our PD plan and the direction we are heading. For those of you that were here prior to our Iowa Core Implementation plan in-services, you will remember we spent lots of time doing literacy and differentiated instruction in-services. The idea behind differentiated instruction is to give students what they need. We also started to dabble in the PLC framework. In that framework, we had four questions that we asked ourselves. 1. What do we want all students to learn? 2. How will we know they have learned it? 3. How will respond when learning has not occurred? 4. How will we respond when learning already has occurred? 

 We have been working on question 1 for quite some time now. We are now pushing to question 2, 3, and 4. The MTSS process will help us answer these questions. In order for us to answer question 2, we need to have effective classroom lessons. Wednesday's in-service gave us 4 parts to this and next month you will get the other 4 parts. All our work this year will be working towards everyone having sound Tier 1 instruction. This is appropriate grade level work for all students. This will look different in each class, but we all must strive towards grade level work, especially for students who are below their current grade level. We need to push these students and support them at the same time. That is where Tier 2 and 3 of the MTSS model comes into play. Interventions for these students need to happen in the school day if possible.  First we need to convince students to have a growth mindset. Many times when I talk with students who are at risk, they are in a strong fixed mindset. That no matter what they do, they are just not going to pass the class. So many times they shut down, skip, or just don't do anything. In their mind, they didn't fail because they didn't try. Advisory would be a great time to talk about growth mindset and the goal setting we have them do. We can also model this behavior with the students. Feel free to share with them things you have done to help you grow into a better version of yourself. 

 Questions 3 and 4 will help us with our daily lessons. When designing interventions and enrichment, remember you don't have to spend equal times with each group. The enrichment kids may only need 5 minutes of your time, while the intervention groups may need 10-15 minutes. This is ok, the key is getting each student what they need. Providing enrichment is even more important now because we are no longer judged by how many are proficient, but how each student grows.

 So, all the work we have done in the past isn't being put aside, MTSS along with the PLC, differentiated instruction, and literacy work will guide us in the process of implementing our new design. We basically are changing the way we do business. The way we taught last year or years past will not be the way we teach in the future. If so, we will be failing our students and not providing them with what they need. 

 Congrats to Mrs. Dunn for being named LCS Employee of the Month for September!
Have a great weekend!
Mark


Assistant Principal's Happenings

Happy Homecoming!  I hope everyone has been having a good week.  From what I have seen, homecoming has been going well.  If you are noticing things or have some suggestions for changes please let me know for future years.  I am hoping to get more of the students involved in the events in the future as well.

Next week Tuesday is Midterm.  Please make sure you are contacting parents and starting Pass Plans if needed.  We need to make sure we are doing everything we can for our students.  That doesn't mean we give them free passes for not doing their work but hopefully, we are motivating them to move in the right direction.  Please keep track of tardies as well in your classes.  Once students have their 5th unexcused tardy they should be serving detention with you and you should notify me about them.  After that, I will deal with any additional tardies.

I am planning to start evaluations soon.  If you are on my evaluation schedule please look at the calendars I have sent so you can start signing up for those.  I have a few people that have two signed up for before the end of the 1st semester.  I will send out an email reminder as well next week.  Hope you can all come to enjoy the game tonight and cheer on the Bulldogs!

Hopefully, it ends up like this victory last week!

Notes from the Librarian

Success Center Update


Tracy's Technology Tidbits


Articles Worth Reading

Designing Success: A (MTSS) framework and your school.

 Using a Multi-Tiered System of Supports

Upcoming Activities

Friday, September 20 - Homecoming
11:42 Dismissal
1:00 pm Pep Rally/Coronation
2:15 pm Parade
7:00 pm Varsity Football vs. Sioux City North
9:00 pm Homecoming Dance

Saturday, September 21
9:00 am JV Volleyball @ Unity Christian
9:00 am Varsity Volleyball @ Cherokee

Monday, September 23
4:30 pm Freshmen Volleyball @ Unity Christian
5:00 pm Freshmen Football vs. Storm Lake
6:30 pm JV Football vs. Storm Lake

Tuesday, September 24
5:00 pm Freshmen Volleyball @ Sioux City West
6:00 pm JV Volleyball @ Sioux City West
7:00 pm Varsity Volleyball @ Sioux City West

Thursday, September 26
9:30 am Boys JV/Varsity Golf @ Lewis Central
5:00 pm Cross Country @ Sioux Center

Friday, September 27
7:00 pm Varsity Football @ Storm Lake

Saturday, September 28
Star Fest Marching Band @ Sioux City
8:30 am JV Volleyball @ Western Christian

Monday, September 30
5:30 pm Freshmen Volleyball vs. Hinton
6:30 pm JV Football vs Sioux Center
7:00 pm JV Volleyball vs. Hinton

Tuesday, October 1
10:00 am Boys JV/Varsity Golf - Le Mars
5:00 pm Freshmen Volleyball vs. SBL
6:00 pm JV Volleyball vs. SBL
7:00 pm Varsity Volleyball vs. SBL

Thursday, October 3
4:00 pm Cross Country @ South Sioux City
5:00 pm Parent Teacher Conferences

Friday, October 4
4:00 pm Freshmen Football vs. SBL
7:00 pm Varsity Football vs. SBL

Saturday, October 5
TBD - Big Red Band @ Algona
8:00 am Varsity Volleyball @ Urbandale

Monday, October 7
4:30 pm Freshmen Volleyball @ Western Christian
5:00 pm Freshmen Football @ MOC
6:30 pm JV Football @ MOC
6:00 pm College Fair - Carey Gym

Tuesday, October 8
5:00 pm Parent Teacher Conferences
5:00 pm Freshmen Volleyball @ Heelan
6:00 pm JV Volleyball @ Heelan
7:00 pm Varsity Volleyball @ Heelan

Thursday, October 10
4:30 pm Varsity Cross Country @ Atlantic

Friday, October 11
4:15 pm Freshmen Football @ Heelan
7:00 pm Varsity Football @ Heelan

Saturday, October 12
TBD - Big Red Band @ Dutchman Field Competition
TBD - Big Red Band @ State Marching Band @ Sheldon
8:30 am - Varsity Volleyball @ Western Christian

Monday, October 14
6:30 pm JV Football vs. BHRV

Tuesday, October 15
5:00 pm Freshmen Volleyball @ CB Thomas Jefferson
6:00 pm JV Volleyball @ CB Thomas Jefferson
7:00 pm Varsity Volleyball @ CB Thomas Jefferson

Wednesday, October 16
8:30 am PSAT
2:00 pm ASVAB

Thursday, October 17
4:00 pm Cross Country @ Brunsville - MRAC Conference Meet
5:00 pm Large Group/ IE Speech Kick Off Meeting

Friday, October 18
4:15 pm Freshmen Football @ Spencer
7:00 pm Varsity Football @ Spencer

 Saturday, October 19
TBD - Robotics
8:30 am Freshmen Volleyball Tournament
9:00 am Varsity Volleyball Tournament @ SC North

 Monday, October 21
4:30 pm JV Volleyball Tournament
6:30 pm JV Football @ Spencer

 Tuesday, October 22
7:30 pm High School Fall Vocal Concert

Friday, October 23
4:00 pm Freshmen Football vs Denison
4:00 pm Soup and Pie Supper - HS Commons
7:00 pm Varsity Football vs Denison
Halftime - Mass Band Show


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