Week of January 8, 2017
Hi all,
Welcome back and Happy New Year! This is the first blog entry for 2018.
Here are some important items of the week:
• Science Curriculum Update – I wanted to highlight a few items were shared at the principal science training last week:
• Life Science is Optional – In an effort to be responsive to hearing how overwhelmed elementary teachers are feeling with new curriculums and materials, downtown is making the FOSS Life Science kit optional and simply a pilot this year for teacher who choose to teach it.
• When to teach science? – Principals discussed many of the barriers for teaching the kits. Schedule is often mentioned as a barrier, so I wanted to reiterate that it is okay to teach science during core English reading or Social Studies. The district is concerned that some kits were not used in the fall. They want to make sure that science curriculum is being used in addition to other science activities you plan. Some of you remember the goal Sue Wilson set for the first hit in the all in one session at the start of the year. It was her New Year’s resolution.
• Kit Priorities and Key Concepts – This has been shared before, but there is a wealth of information on the 4J Science Blog (vocabulary cards, word walls, learning targets, etc), but in particular is the Priority Matrix for each of the science kits. The matrix rates each lesson as a high, medium, or low priority, which if you’re not able to get to all the lessons can help you decide which ones are the most important.
• Care Team Referrals Due 1/19 – The January Student Care Team meeting is in two weeks and any new referrals to the team are due the Friday, January 19th. Linked here are the 4J Release Forms (editable PDF and non-editable PDF) to get signed if any situations where the Care Team might be able to provide assistance. Try to get a signature on the 4J Release Form, but if you can’t, you can also refer “hypothetical” student or family situations. Let me or Jennifer know if you have any questions.
• Joel taking a 21 day instructional leadership challenge.- This January and early February I am in a new Challenge to push myself to be a stronger instructional leader. I have conducted 90% of my formal and informal observations at this point in the year. However, I want to get to a deeper level of understanding in your classrooms. I have committed to make at least three 10-15 minute walkthroughs into classrooms every day. My goal is to make at least 500 visits to classrooms by June 16, 2018. Also, I want to improve the instructional conversations we have about what is happening in classrooms. The first couple of weeks, I am mostly just trying to watch and learn in these type of walkthrough experiences. My “agenda” is to learn more about what you are doing and see your amazing work. Currently, I am in Day 5 of the challenge. I do a little reading and self reflection as part of the challenge too.
•School Choice Visitation Week – A reminder, School Choice Visitation Week is this week, so be prepared for families to drop by classrooms over the course of the week. Tours begin on Monday at 9:00 AM and repeats on Thursday 12:00.
Here is a short story from the Elementary Showcase that Karen and I went to. We got some good press. 😉
KEZI- 4j School District Hosts Annual Elementary Showcase.
•ECDR Robotics Team Update- Also, another cool video is from our Robotics Team that went to Salem in January. This 6 minute video really shows the skills our students developed and their critical thinking and fun they had in the experience.
This is our team video for the 2017 FLL Hydrodynamics season. The kids worked really hard and did an amazing job.
• Schedule of Upcoming Events
January 8 (M)
School Choice Week #1
Tour- 9:00-10:00, Guide: Joel
January 9 (T)
8:15-11:15, Joel to Elementary Principals’ Meeting (Ed Center)
Joel doing walk throughs in the PM
5:00-6:00 Site Council (Library)
6:00-7:15 Parent Group, Stand For Children Forum (Library)
January 10 (W)
Joel doing walk throughs in the PM
12:00-1:00, Meeting with Reid Shepard (Joel’s Office)
January 11 (H)
Tour- 12:00-1:00, Guide: Joel
Joel doing Walk Throughs in the AM
January 12 (F)
Tom Piowaty on-call in case there is need for behavioral support.
Many teachers and myself at the OABE Conference. Keynote speakers: Carmen Xiomara Urbina, Charles Martinez.
January 13 (S)
Teachers and Principal at the OABE conference. Keynote speaker Zaretta Hammond.
January 15 (M)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day – No School
Come march with me. Eugene/Springfield NAACP presents 2018 NAACP community MLK March! – Monday, January 15, 2018 at Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR. I will be there by around 9:00.
January 16 (T)
Peer Observations with Reid in the AM
Joel walk throughs in the PM
3:00-4:00, New Teacher Check in
January 17 (W)
Peer Observations with Reid in the AM
Joel walk throughs in the PM
2:00-3:00 PM, All faculty staff meeting.
- Agenda includes-
- FALL PBIS data share
- Public Response to Flyer Removal Planning
- School wide Reading Incentives
- Update on the Stand for Children Parent Meeting
- Finalize the Artist In Residence Schedule with Alexis S. and Erin Bucklew.
January 18 (H)
Joel walk-throughs in the AM
3:00-3:45, Guardians of the Galaxy Student IPBS Team Meeting (Conference Room)
January 19 (F)
Joel walk throughs in the AM
Last week was such a great week for our students. I really enjoyed seeing you welcome them back to our building. Let’s continue the trend this week.
Joel
