February 5, 2016

Mission Statement On the Move

The Building Leadership Team (BLT) is meeting this Friday. The team needs to continue to develop our building plan, monitor our growth and consider implications for next year. The team will also develop the agenda for our Professional Development for the coming Friday. We'll send that agenda along to you afterward.

In addition, the team needs to make decisions about a model for a school-wide balanced assessment system. We need to identify those tools we will use to monitor growth of our students and how we are doing as a school. This work will all revolve around the desired state we identified for our school, so that we can deliver on our mission statement. 

Each of you do a great job providing students with feedback about how they are doing and what is the next step for the student. We share that information with parents in presentations, student-led conferences and Showcase of Learning (Portfolios).  Our next important step is to be able to share with our community how we are doing as an entire school. How can we tell our story with our community?

Parents talk. Neighbors talk. When our parents are out and about and interacting with the public, they talk about their kids, and they talk about their school. I know our parents want to brag. They are happy with our school. And beyond the State 'report card', what information is available to them to share about the success and growth of their school?

Currently, they talk about the 'cool stuff' their kids are doing and experiencing. That's why making the learning visible is so important for them, and to them. I think we can do more. We have a very fine tuned mission statement. (Hee, hee) Now, how do we know we are making it happen? How can we figure that out and then share our success and share our next steps?

As always, share your thoughts with a representative of the Building Leadership Team, send me an email, stop and chat...we are our own best resource!

However far we get as a team, we'll be sharing our discoveries and first iteration with all of you.

If you couldn't see it with your own eyes, 

how could you share it so others would know?

How could you be credible?

How do you know when something is 'good'?

When I think about how daunting the work is for the Leadership Team, I am humbled by a visit to watch Chelsea at work creating The Beat from scratch each time. Look at all those students who have input and have such a short amount of time to put it all together! Wow!
Yeah,  Chelsea and Melissa!!

Sweet little kindergartners in Lauren's room doing a mystery piece- jumping in to their new Learning Expedition. Look at those sweet little tables!

How cool is this Lauren! A mystery piece using technology and the kids recording what they are noticing and wondering. Look how far they've come since August! Woo hoo!
Yeah, Lauren!

I had to snap a picture of this student in Billie's Crew. Talk about a digital native! Three devices in action and...a comfy cushion! Hmm...that doesn't look like a traditional student desk?

This is a poor photo - it didn't capture the high seating that Billie
has purchased and kids are loving in her classroom.
So many of you have moved forward with creative learning spaces - be sure to get
around and check out all the cool spaces!
Yeah, Billie!

Calendar:

February 8 - 12th:

Monday, 8th:
Discovery 5th leaves on Winter Voyage
PLC grade level meetings with the Assessment Team


Tuesday, 9th:
RTI 7:30 a.m.

Wednesday, 10th:
The Beat
PD: 1:30 Library - Instructional Protocol Study

Thursday, 11th:
2nd Grade Fieldwork to Wildlife Center
Deborah out of the building for Elementary Admin. mtg.

Friday, 12th:
No Students
Professional Development for Teachers - 8:30 in the library


February 15 - 19th:

Monday, 15th:
No School

Tuesday, 16th:
RTI 7:30 a.m.
Grade level teams meet with Deborah -
* CITE 6 baseline data entry
* Setting the template for EPR
REA meeting 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, 17th:
2nd Grade and 4th Grade leave on Winter Voyage
PD: 1:30 Library - Instructional Protocol Study

4:00: Professional Development opportunity
focused on managing anxiety in children -offered by Allison

Thursday, 18th:
Love and Logic 4:30 p.m.

When I popped into Melani's room, she was co-teaching with Sharon Combs, DCSD Instructional Technology Designer. Melani and Kim meet with her once a week as part of a pilot program to teach children coding and computer science. Last semester students learned to code and used their skills to program small robots called Probots. This semester the students are engaged in a Storytelling Unit. They will use coding to animate their original stories.
Yeah, Melani and Kim!

The Art of Teaching
One teacher - six kids
A million decisions to make in a nano second.
The Noticing Teacher.
Mary Beth, making every second count.
Yeah, Mary Beth

Sara making the hallway work for some guided support.
Comfy, happy, engaged learners.
Yeah, Sara!

I had to use willpower not to grab a book off of Jen's bookshelves and plop down on one of those pillows in the meeting area. Jen cracks me up with her apron for teaching.
It must me a messy job!
Look at the walls! Full of student thinking.
Yeah Jen!

The count down has begun for Pam. Life Is Art, with the Artist's Edition is fast approaching!
I can hardly manage my two grandchildren painting with watercolors without feeling frazzled by the time we are done. How do you support and keep up with all these budding artists Pam?
Truly inspiring and amazing!
Yeah, Pam!

Our lucky, lucky kids - to experience such an authentic experience
and discovery so much about themselves and the world around them.

I love our school.

Have a great weekend!

Deborah