Week of February 16
What’s coming up?
February 16 (M)
NO SCHOOL – Presidents’ DayFebruary 17 (T)
8:00-12:00, SST Meeting ( Library)
12:00-1:00, Meeting with Tasha Katsuda on Title budget and CAP. (Conference Room)
1:00-1:30, Meeting with parents about truancy. (Joel’s Office)
1:30-2:00 -Meeting with parent about behavior. (Joel’s Office)
2:45-4:45, PLT Meeting (Work session on Family Handbook)
February 18 (W)
Exclusion Day10:00-11:15, Joel to formal observation
1:45-2:45, PBIS Supervision Meeting (Joel will review supervision practices.) This is a paid meeting.
6:00-7:00, 5th Grade Kelly Transition Information Meeting ( 5th grade Teachers Compensated for attendance)
February 19 (H)10:00-11:30- Joel to formal observation (classroom)
3:00-5:00- Design Committee Meeting (Library)
4:30-5:30-Best Tour of River Road with Superintendent and donors.
February 20 (F)Regular Day
February 23 (M)
School Choice Visitation Week #210:30-11:00, Joel in the Design Debrief with Go to Meeting (Joel’s office)
12:00-3:30, Joel to Research for Better Teaching Training (Ed Center)
2:30-5:00, Joel to Elementary Principals’ Meeting (Ed Center)2:45-3:45, Site Council Meeting at River Road
February 24 (T)
1:00-2:00, School Tour
2:45-4:45, Staff Meeting- 2 hours ( Technology focus, PBIS, and Family Handbook Agreements)
February 25 (W)1:45-2:45, Grade Level Collaboration
2:45-3:45, IPBS Meeting
2:00-5:00, Joel at HR Recruitment Review Session
5:30-6:30, Evening School Choice Event
February 26 (H)8:30-9:30, School Tour
3:00-5:00, Design Committee
4:30-6:30, Equity Committee
February 27 (F)
School Choice Application Deadline4:00- -Happy Hour at Tio Pepe’s
Here are some items of note for the week.
- February Design Committee Meeting Focus- We are focusing on these areas:
- Front entrance court and lobby
- Cafeteria and café patio
- Commons, and outdoor learning courtyards.
- Parking lot and bus area relationship.
- In addition, there will be time spent discussing the indoor outdoor relationships throughout the building.
- How a number line can help ease anxiety about fractions – This EdWeek article describes how number lines may be a better way to teach fractions, and how more teachers are pinning numbers to clotheslines to demonstrate fractions rather than divvying pizzas and fruit pies.
- What to Say About “That’s So Gay” – When this elementary school teacher heard students saying, “That’s so gay!” she had to think carefully about whether her interventions promoted or hindered an inclusive classroom culture. This Teaching Tolerance article discusses how asking “Why would you choose that word?” or “Tell me why you think being gay is an insult” or “How do you think that would sound to a gay person?” went a lot further than just shutting down the conversation.
- Study explores role of teacher bias in STEM gender gap – This NYTimes article explores how elementary school teachers’ biases can discourage girls from math and science. A new study points to the influence of teachers’ unconscious biases, but it also highlights how powerful a little encouragement can be.
- News from the EERC Literacy List – Here’s the February Newsletter from the Emerald Empire Reading Council. This month’s newsletter includes a writing contest for 3rd-5th graders, professional development opportunities, grant opportunities and other items. If you’d like more information, visit their (1990s style) website.
- Proposed Math Placement Guidelines – Principals were sent the attached draft district Math Placement Guidelines to address parent requests for a student to move up a grade level in their math instruction. Pages 3-6 is the proposed elementary process. I think the policy looks pretty good and it’s definitely a good idea for 4J to have a uniform policy. Although this is not an issue that comes up very often at our school, let me know if you have any thoughts on the draft policy that you’d like me to pass along.
Have an excellent week everyone!
Joel