MMM for 9/8/2014

Folks,

I noticed that many of you took a peek at the last blog.  Thank you for doing that.  This is a lot easier to create especially since I can access it from any device.
Wasn't it great to have a three day weekend.  I hope you all made the most of it.  I spend most the time working around the I'm excited about this blog because there are a few things I want to discuss with you via the blog.
1.  I have heard some very positive things from many of you about the Grovecrest Amazing Race.  It was so fun watching you come in and receiving all the bust-a-move videos and photos coming in.  Zack created a movie of it all and here it is:

Will you please take the time to comment at the bottom of this post what you took away from this activity.  Was it just fun?  Did it energize you?  Did you learn something from it?  These are things I would like to know so Zack and I can plan our next team building activity to be as or more effective.
2.  As many of you know, I stay up late at night and work until I nod off.  This past week, I came across something that perked my interest.  It is called Reflective Teaching: A 30 Day Blogging Challenge for Teachers  What I like about this challenge is that although it does encourage blogging among educators, what it REALLY encourages is reflective teaching. I know for me personally, I can get caught up in the quick pace of school life so easily that I don't take the time to be as reflective as I should.  I've been told by one expert to spend at least a half hour every week reflecting.  I'm not so good at that so I'm going to try the challenge and I would LOVE to have you join me.  Here's how it works, it doesn't matter if you have a blog or not, or if you want to make it public or keep it private. You can choose to write on Facebook, a Word Doc, a Google Doc, or a journal - the important thing here is being reflective. Hopefully, by the end of the 30 days, we are all in the habit of being reflective.

Here are a few samples of the reflective questions for the month:

Day 4 Respond: What do you love the most about teaching?Day 5 Post a picture of your classroom, and describe what you see–and what you don’t see that you’d like to.Day 6 Explain: What does a good mentor “do”?

Now if you want to get crazy and start a blog, I can have you up and running in 5 - 7 minutes EASY. I guarantee you'll enjoy the format and I'm willing to help each of you individually if that's how you want to reflect. Sometimes it is scary to reflect for the public to see, but we lead by example right? What would happen if we all held each other accountable and supported one another in our work on a deeper level? Yesterday, I wrote about my goal for the year. I want to be held accountable and that is why I've made it public.

To Be Aware of

• Zack and I will be starting Oliver Button next week.  Make sure to sign up for a time with the schedule Zack shared with all of you.
• Jackie and Elly spend a lot of time setting up the year's schedule for DRA collaboration.  Emails have been sent out by Jackie, Elly, and me about what needs to be done.  If per chance, you didn't see the email or get the link to the schedule, here are instructions and the link:

Please sign up for a time no later than Tuesday September 9th.  That's not a lot of time! We need to let Jill & Keralee know when they will be needed in order for them to plan other jobs. 

For September, your grade level has received an extra half day for DRA. This is specific to Grovecrest & is coming from our Trustland Funds to ensure inter-rater reliability. Upper grades will use this time to grade assessments together and lower grades can finish assessing in Sept.  Later in the year lower grades will be assessing together as well.

If you choose Jill or Karalee for a sub this month, please call them as soon as you sign up for a time! Their phone numbers and dates available are listed at the bottom of the calendar. If you can, please team up with another grade so that they will have a full day of work! If you schedule either Jill or Karalee, please delete the date you have scheduled them from the note at the bottom. This way everyone can see what days are still available!

It's important that you sign up for September by Tuesday.  We encourage you to sign up for the rest of the year of testing as well.  Your team has received an extra half day in Jan. & April for inter-rater reliability also.  As a grade level, please plan this day together with your CTL.  Sign up for that extra 1/2 day on the calendar by writing your grade level.  You'll need to find your own subs for the grade level days.

DRA Calendar

• I will be gone Tuesday and Friday Morning for meetings.  Zack will be gone Tuesday afternoon.  I hate being away from school, but I also love learning from these meetings.  I would like to be as available as possible so please email, text, etc.  I will have my phone and ipad with me so I can be available even though I'm not at school.  Just so you know, there will be other meetings where I will be gone more than I was last year.  Please understand the things I am doing are to help me be a better principal and to help you.  I promise, I will share the things I learn.  I want to be accountable for this, so please ask and please be patient with me and the times I will be gone.
• Committee Chairs, make sure you have scheduled meeting times each month
• Our First Fiber Optic Friday (formally known as Wired Wednesday) is coming up soon.  Look for announcements about that.  Our first will be and outstanding need-to-know.

Cleaning Schedule

Sept.  Office

Oct. 6th Grade

Nov.  5th Grade

Dec.  3rd Grade

Jan.  2nd Grade

Feb. 1st Grade

Mar. 4th Grade

Apr. SPED and Computer Specialist

May  Kinder, Life Skills, & P.E. Specialist

Lunch Schedule

1st

11:31 Hull

11:32 Mac

11:33 McKell

11:34 Sharma

2nd

11:25 Herman

11:26 Higgins

11:27 West

11:28 Connell

3rd

11:56 Wilson

11:58 Whipple

12:00 Nichols

12:02 Wright

12:03 Schafer

4th

11:55 Fiorucci

11:57 Crossley

11:59 CJohnson

12:01 Austin

5th

12:20 MJohnson

12:22 Oswald

12:24 Day

12:26 Green

6th

12:21 Allen

12:23 Krall

12:25 Rooke

12:27 Paravato

Save the Date

9/8 Battle of the Books Kickoff

9/9 Interagency Mtg - Kyle 8-10

9/9 TSA BYU Mtg - Zack 12-2:30

9/9-10 Coach Folsom gone to Stars Training

9/10 Faculty Meeting 8:15

9/10 School Community Council 2-3

9/12 Divisional Principal's Mtg - Kyle 9-12

9/15-25 Walk More in Four Continued

9/15-19 Safety Week

9/18 K-12 Leadership Seminar - Kyle 8-12:30

9/19 Fall DRA Testing Window Closes (Entry into Skyward doesn't close until the following Friday.)

*Look at the Faculty Calendar on Google for other events.

Happy Birthday

No birthdays this week, but if I missed someone, let me know.

Celebrations

• You will have to talk to Wendi about this, but she is celebrating about something.  Huzzah for Wendi!!
• We finally have Strawberry milk in the lunchroom once a month (I believe it is the last week of each month).  That is way exciting...at least for me.
• Zack put together our Amazing Race Video.  It took him a long time, but he did it and it is wonderful.  He deserves the Walk the Talk award for all he does.
• Thanks to Jackie and Elly for putting together the DRA Calendar.  You deserve a Walk the Talk award too.
• Thanks to Heather for putting together the posters for our social skills.  You deserve a Walk the Talk award too.
• Thanks to Casey for putting together our Positive Paws. You deserve a Walk the Talk award too.
• I believe you will all agree that Cheryl has outdone herself with the Reading Incentive program.  Thanks to her and the Reading Committee for putting that all together.  You are all amazing.  I'm running out of the Walk the Talk awards, but you all deserve it.
• Jared presented his documentary on Lloyd Alexander at Comic Con last week. Ask him about it.

I've given you the video of the week above with Zack's Amazing Race Compilation, but some may want another so here you go.  The proper way to tell the story of The Three Little Pigs.  Thanks to Sheri for sharing.

Great Read of the Week.

Keeping the Heart of an Educator.  This one was touching.  Really helps to remind us to keep things in perspective.