March 22, 2013

'Break':

A pause or interval

Clear back in August we all identified our desire to keep some balance in our lives. Sometimes, that seems so out of our control. That's one reason I so appreciate these 'breaks' that are scheduled into our school calendar.  It's a time for all of us to step away from the hectic and demanding schedule and responsibilities that we juggle here at school. A wonderful opportunity to 'sharpen the saw' as Steven Covey calls it. I will not be looking at school email or making lists or feeling guilty that I'm going to step away from those responsibilities and enjoy a 'break'. 

Please send me a picture via text or email (okay...I'll check it some) sharing how you are enjoying your break! I look forward to hearing how you spent your time:)

Calendar

March 25 - 29th:

* Sleep in

* Exercise

* Relax

* Have fun!

* Tuesday - Happy Birthday Marci! 

* Thursday -Happy Birthday Lisa and Cody!

* Friday -Happy Birthday Andrea!

Sunday - Happy Easter!

April 1 - 5th:

* More of the same!

* Monday -Happy Birthday Doug!

April 8 - 12th:

Monday - NO students - teacher work day

Tuesday:

* RTI 7:15 a.m.

* SAC meeting 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday:

* Professional Development ALL TOGETHER in the library at 1:30 p.m. We'll be spending some time building understandings about what Expeditionary Learning is as a network and evaluating the possibility of rejoining the network.

NOTE: The District has me at a meeting Monday morning and all day Tuesday - not my preference on the first week back. I wanted you to know in case you are looking for me:)

Leadership Team Meeting

This week we completed creating the interview questions and outlining the process.

In addition, we scheduled our professional development days for the rest of the year coming back from  Spring Break. Keep in mind that life happens and the plan may be subject to change.

PD days coming back from Spring Break

April 10 - EL history and discussion of the future

April 17 - interviews for Leadership Team (planning time for all others)

April 24 - PD Restorative Practices - 1 ½ hrs.

May 1 - Work on Report Cards

May 8 - Teachers complete summative eval. of Professional Development (1 hr.)

May 15 -  3rd portfolios

May 22 - 6th portfolio review

May 29 - 6th portfolios

June 5th - get ready for closing ceremony

June 6th - acknowledgement circle Rebecca and Sarah

June 7th-9th - backpacking trip

Field Work

Check out what 3rd grade was busy doing this week!

https://sites.google.com/a/dcsdk12.org/mrs-lauren-s-crew/crew-news/fieldworktodenvermuseumofnaturescience

First grade students share their realistic fiction with second grade students 

Documentation -

Making the learning visible:

Take a few minutes and peek into the rooms of your colleagues and take a look at the documentation panels created and shared.

We get so busy we don't get a chance to see what others are learning and how they're sharing it!

This is also evidence of backwards planning!

I've only shared a few examples and there are many more...go look and see!

More book recommendations for your break!

Josie recommends:
Gone Girl

Marci recommends:
Defending Jacob

Melissa recommends:
The 13th Tale by Diane Setterfeld

MarySue recommends:
The Accidental Best Seller by Wendy Wax
10 Beach Road also by Wendy Wax

From Diana:

Here are some books I have been reading…letting you know they are kids books and meant for kids in grades 5-6 if that fits your crew. 

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo (I did not see the movie…LOVED the book)

Bearstone by Will Hobbs ( set in Colorado, adventure, tale of one teenage Ute indian's growth as he overcomes feelings of abandonment…befriends and trusts elderly man who is also struggling with loss)

The Nightmarys by Dan Poblocki  scary...

I did find one adult book that I may read over break…I love Michael Crichton so this is an author alike for him…

The Grid
Author: Kerr, Philip 
Publisher: Warner $ 21.95 ISBN: 0446520535 Date: 1996 
 PW
In the heart of Los Angeles, the "smart" building nicknamed "the Grid" can talk to its occupants, forecast the weather, and tell if any inhabitant has been taking drugs. On the eve of its opening, the key players gather to put the finishing touches on their masterpiece of architecture and computer science. Then something goes terribly wrong, and people begin to die. Now the creators must stop their creation--before it kills them all, one by one. 

One more excellent book….Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly…historically correct--an intriguing look his presidency/problems of the war. I have read lots of books about  Lincoln and this is one of my favorites. I've got Killing Kennedy on cd…that is supposed to be informative and compelling too. 

Have a restful and wonderful Spring Break!!!

Deborah

March 15, 2013

Home Sweet Home

I don't know if this is true for you, but when I am preparing to leave home to be away I am not only busy preparing to leave, but also busy trying to clean up my home so that when I arrive home, it feels good to be back. It feels welcoming upon my return to find my home clean and everything neat and tidy.

It feels that way for me too with my school home. As you plan for next week, see if you can carve out a few chunks of time to give some attention to your 'home' here at school. Include the students in preparing to be away. See if they can identify other areas of the school that they could impact and work in service for our community.

As we depart next Friday, let's make it a school wide challenge to stop at the door, gaze around at our beautiful school with thanksgiving and pride. How we leave our school says a lot about what we value and gives action to our words and beliefs.

Calendar

March 18th - 22nd:

Student Led Conferences all week

Tuesday -

*RTI meeting 7:15 a.m.
* Baby Shower for Elisha and Melissa 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday -

* Parent Orientation 8:00 a.m.

* All School Meeting
* Leadership Team Meeting
* Battle of the Books competition: Evening

Friday -

* We DO have school 

Saturday - 

Woo hoo! Spring break starts!

PLEASE be sure to communicate/remind your families that other schools, on the modified calendar, students do not come to school on Friday, March 22nd. However, students DO come to school on that Friday at Renaissance. They DO NOT come to school on Monday, April 8th. Hopefully they are starting to catch on to how this works when we leave on two week breaks!


Check out the article in the local paper!

Students conquer elements, selves

Expeditionary Learning program takes kids outside comfort zone

http://tinyurl.com/aeum8zy

Book/Music Recommendations -

Just in time for Spring Break!

Brittany recommends:

Books: Wonder by RJ Palacio, Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore, Wild by Cheryl Strayed, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, Looking for Alaska by John Green, Griffin & Sabine by John Bantock

Music: The Cat Empire (new discovery!), Rilo Kiley, ... I listen to a lot of Pandora. Some favorite stations include: Maroon 5, Eric Clapton, Wicked (Broadway musical), Cake.

MaryBeth recommends:

Great read: A Thousand White Women by local author Jim Fergus

Tyler:
I'm reading a book called "No Angles." It's about an undercover AFT agent who infiltrates the Hells Angels. It's a great book that makes me feel like I'm living on the edge... not that teaching doesn't make me feel this way...

Doug recommends:
The Beauty Detox Solution, by Kimberly Snyder

 Marci Murray recommends:
Gather Together in My Name by Maya Angelou
     
Loved it! Heart wrenching and hopeful at the same time!

       
Hanni's husband is about to release an album!
The name of the album will be "Sinking, We Regress" They have a lot of water theme lyrics, so they thought this would be an appropriate name.

It's not too late to send me recommendations! I'll add more next week!

5 Critical Mistakes Schools Make With iPads (And How To Correct Them) 

http://tinyurl.com/au7cmsq

Leadership Team Meeting

This week the Leadership Team worked on developing criteria for those ...of 

creating interview questions. The team will continue the work on this next week in preparation for interviews when we return from Spring Break.

Backpacking Staff Adventure Education Trip

Hope you saw the pink construction paper sign up sheet in the lounge for a potential staff backpacking adventure education trip. We have provided two dates to see which dates might better support your schedules. The idea is to decide on one, but if there is enough interest for both, Cody will run both trips. Please make sure to note if you would commit to participating.

The dates are Friday - Sunday, June 7,8,9th

and/or Thursday- Saturday, July 25, 26, 27th

IF you are reluctant because you think -

* you would need support

* don't have equipment

* never done this before

* will miss your pillow

You should come!

Have a great weekend!

Deborah

March 8

Proud to be an Expeditionary Learning School

I had big plans for this blog post. Arriving home on Saturday evening from Baltimore from the Expeditionary Learning National Conference, I had trouble settling down because I had so much enthusiasm and so many ideas. I just couldn't wait to share...and make plans. Then this week happened.

I'm still full of wonderful ideas and enthusiasm but recognize that the timing isn't good for sharing yet...but I will! So for now, I'm sitting on my hands and will hold off...for awhile! 

In the meantime, I do want you to know that Renaissance is right on track for where Expeditionary Learning is as a network. We haven't fallen behind nor have we wandered off into a world of our own. We have stayed focused and true to the core values.

I had the opportunity to do a school site visit for a full day and Noreene attended a 'slice of learning expedition'. We were both doing field work to see if the vision and practices of EL had changed since we were formally part of the organization. While there are improvements and a few shifts, the vision and practices are aligned with what we do every day. 

It did feel SO good to be among 'our people'. There is a value in belonging to a professional community and my next step is to create a proposal to district leaders to see how we can be innovative and creative in how we might reconnect with Expeditionary Learning's national organization... so stay tuned!

I so look forward to taking some time in our early days in August to examine the history of Expeditionary Learning and build background and connections to our roots. We can take pride in belonging to this exceptional school design.

At the bottom of this blog post, I've featured some pictures I took. I know they lack context for you, but I wanted to share them anyway. I hope you'll notice that they could have been taken here.

Calendar

March 11 - 15th:

Monday:
Noreene's birthday :)

Tuesday:
RTI meeting 7:15 a.m.

Wednesday:
New Parent Orientation
Fire Drill 10:00 a.m.
Professional Development:
1:30 Student Led Conferences

Saturday:
Life Is Art

March 18 - 22nd:

Week of Student Led Conferences 

Monday:
Third grade field work

Tuesday:
RTI meeting 7:15 a.m.

Wednesday:
All School Meeting
Art Field Work to Colorado Springs

Student Led Conferences in afternoon

Also add to your calendars....

* District Interim Assessments: The testing window is April 22nd - May 3rd
Teachers will NOT be doing the scoring!! (Happy dance!)

Wednesday PD:
* March 13th: Student Led Conferences
* March 20th: Student Led Conferences

Leadership Team Notes:

You will all be jealous because at the Leadership Team this week we had such a wonderful time filling out our school Balanced Assessment Matrix - compiling the information you did individually and on Vertical Teams. We all felt invigorated and a new sense of purpose after this work together. :)

We discussed the Every Child A Writer training that some of our teachers have attended and the upcoming training in April that interested teachers are attending. We discussed the impacts to the system and our UIP with this resource. I emphasized that we are not becoming an ECAW school - we are an Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound school with some teachers using this resource.

Artist Edition: Life Is Art

(Sent to Mr. Josh by Sydney Stegman)

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone in the drum circles tonight at Life Is Art!! It was a huge success and I think I speak for all of us when I say this. It was literally the best night of my life. Maybe someone can get videos up??

Peek Into an Expeditionary Learning School

in Washington D.C.

All School Meeting

Student leading the meeting - about 5 and they were from a few different grade levels.
I loved this idea but can't imagine our kids waiting years for a chance for a turn.

Song they were singing

Song they sing at the end of All School Meeting where they all leave ASM to go to a half hour of time spent doing service work. I want to share more about this!

Students doing some of their service work.

Pictures from inside classrooms:

Student doing service work within the classroom -
doing some work for the teacher

More service work - cleaning the dry erase boards

Service work - cutting some things out used for manipulatives for instruction

Teacher - note the Learning Target on the yellow paper on the board

I can't wait to share with you how they share the learning target with kids - this was really good!

Service work - creating an anchor chart for the classroom

Second grade classroom - I want these tables!

See some familiar routines?

This was a spot in the classroom for students who needed a minute to regroup

Integration of writing and science learning expedition

Sixth grade classroom

Expert text group

First grade classroom

Middle School All School Meeting led by 7 or 8 students

the student body in Middle School

 Pictures from the Expeditionary Learning National Conference

Learning Target for a session I attended

Noreene and I had a marvelous time at the conference. We left with our brains full, our hearts full and our bags full of Expeditionary Learning documents! We are anxious to share and looking forward to how we can apply what we learned. Don't be afraid!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Deborah

P.S.

Remember to 'spring forward' Saturday night :)