August 9: A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

A joy filled short week of routines, procedures and team building embedded in meaningful learning and community building experiences.

Evidence everywhere that meaningful experiences have been designed to build a sense of belonging.

Neil (4th grade) uses the structure of a circle and Morning Meeting.

Lindsey (4th grade) collaboratively builds a set of Norms that her Crew will use to guide their community.

Rebecca facilitated an opportunity to know more about one another.

Rebecca (5th grade) with students using a protocol to share.

Brittany ( 3/4 Discovery) releases control and let's her Crew decide how they will set up their learning environment.

and they had lots of ideas!
How do you spell ownership?

Mary Sue (2/3 Discovery) wasted no time engaging her students in reading independently and...

put her parent volunteers right to work!
Happy parents!
(picture of Mary Sue too blurry...next week!)

Bill (5th grade) facilitates a team building experience...
all eyes shut as he pokes holes in their foreheads...err, sticks a star on their forehead.

Bill's Crew knows it!

Bill's students - he's already taught them to sleep standing up!

Jody (Kindie) begins the essential skill building of routines and procedures. 

Chelsea building those critical relationships with kids that are created by listening, listening, listening.

Students everywhere in the building excited to write and showing us what they know so we can assess in authentic ways where our instruction will begin.
This is Charlie in 1st grade

And this is Reese who is also in first grade.
Can you say differentiation?
These first graders were recording their wishes and hopes for their first grade year.

Wendy (1st grade educational assistant) learning about her students and empowering them.
Who wouldn't want Wendy to shine that smile on them!

Ms. Jill (1st grade) gets a gift from a student on the first day of school. 

Mary Beth (1st grade) knows it's all about the passion we model that will inspire her learners! Yes!

Dana (1st grade education assistant) supporting and modeling the passion of learning.

Ms. Hanni (2nd grade) is able to begin building those critical relationships while she has kids writing and illustrating. She knows they need to be actively engaged!

Ms. Sarah (2nd grade) uses literature to connect with her students about their anxious and excited feelings on the first day of school.  She has created an authentic experience for kids to see how literature is meaningful and connected to their lives.

Ms. Josie (literacy specialist) wastes no time in jumping in to support learners to feel successful and capable as learners.

Mr. Tyler (4th grade) is able to discover what his students are excited about...take a close look at this student's face!

Ms. Kathy (kindergarten) knows that modeling routines will be much more powerful then telling.
Note: child with arm raised to the left

Yep...that's Jessa - Neil's darling daughter.
Jessa kept her arm up a long time...until she had the chance to let everyone know the lady with the Ipad is her dad's boss.

Yes...this is during the school day.
Where are Julie and Andrea?
Do you know anyone else in the world who can smile all day like these two and keep up with the hectic pace of the front office?
Perhaps they have passed out and are on the floor?

Kristin (school nurse)...ah med forms for voyages!
(I made Kristin do this...she really is smiling all the time.)

Mercedez (floating EA) who has the daunting task of getting the mailboxes re-organized!

Zina, our new kitchen manager!
She's got some great ideas to make things even better!

Lanette and Donna, essential members of the team.

Lisa (kindie EA) coaching and reinforcing lunchroom expectations for the Stewardship Cafe.

Kathy (kindie) giving and modeling 'the signal'.

Josh and Lisa introduce themselves to both 6th grade Crews.
Collaboration, collaboration, collaboration.

Josh - the man of many fashions.

Lisa whips out her backpack...

and starts gear check! Her Crew leaves 
for their Voyage on Monday. 


No wasted time at Renaissance for kids -
we all know kids grow restless if the learning experiences are not purposeful, relevant and meaningful to kids from the very first day until the very last day.
No excuses.

Kenny (5/6 Discovery) created activities with the 5 C's -
Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, & Citizenship

Jodie (floating EA) is loving the turf!

Mr. Bill (social worker) took a break from his hectic day to play a game of Battleship with Caius.
Relationships = trust = respect = risk takers = a sense of belonging.

Cody (Ad. Ed. Coordinator) and Julie push it into high gear.
With every Voyage that goes out, there is an incredible amount of work going on behind the scene.
Success is in the details.

3rd grade kicked-off their Social Studies Expedition on the second day of school.
The Mystery Piece and soon, the Elegant Reveal.

Noreene (instructional specialist) got to play!
Is that your fur coat Noreene?

Critical thinking at work...

Elisha (Reading Recovery teacher) begins to collect assessment pieces to begin interventions for our youngest, potentially at risk students, immediately.

Josie, also trained in Reading Recovery, collects data on students to identify those students who need more instruction.
The Response to Instruction (RTI) immediately in action on the first days of school.
Ask Josie about 'the sense of urgency'...

Mr. Doug (PE) is determined to improve Sportsmanship this year.
He's got some great ideas - ask him about them!

Ms. Jill and Wendy confer with readers. Books in personal bags for readers on the second day of school.

Don't wait... immerse students in meaningful learning and watch. You'll discover so much about them. Focus on what they control first. Continue to provide them with opportunities where you are now certain they will be successful to build their confidence, trust and passion for learning. Then, begin to nudge them to new territory. So important to remember, that if we can design learning experiences that are very close to what students can do independently now, that they can take on the new learning very quickly. Zone of Proximal Development!!! Talk to each other about this over the next week.
What are you discovering?

Tyler and Noreene celebrating!
Let's remember to do that every day!

Don't you just love how we never inhibit the self-expression of kids at Renaissance!
Addie added her own personal flair to her writing instrument.

Mr. Eric (building engineer) takes a leadership role in walking kids through what Stewardship looks like and sounds like at school.

You aren't forgetting bathroom procedures in your first few days, are you?

Ms. Pam (art) allows for personal choice and responsibility by leading students to make choices about where they will sit.

Ms. Diana (librarian) and Jillian (parent volunteer).
Wait until you see the plans Diana has been cookin'!

Special Education Sweet Hearts
Ms. Dolores (Sped EA) and Ms. Marci (Learning Specialist)

Front Office Diva's
Andrea, Lori and Julie

I so hoped I would have pictures of everyone, but I am short a few. You'll see the smiling faces of those I missed next week!

Calendar: Two-weeks at a Glance

August 13 - 17th:

Monday:

*Lisa's Crew on Voyage

*Drumming

Tuesday:

* RTI meeting 7:15 a.m.

Wednesday: 

* Second Grade Voyage to Camp Elim

* First All School Meeting 9:00 a.m.

* Leadership Team Meeting 11:00 a.m.

* Professional Development 1:30 in library "Professional Learning Communities"

August 20 - 25th:
Monday:
*Drumming

Tuesday:
*RTI meeting 7:15 a.m.
*Lindsey's Crew Voyage to Educo

Wednesday:
* First Grade Voyage to Camp Elim
* Leadership Team Meeting 11:00 a.m.
* Professional Development: Backwards Planning

Week-end challenge for teachers !
Take a blank piece of paper.
On the left side write down every student's name from memory.
Next to the name, write as many things you know about what they are interested in.
Next to that, write what you have discovered about them as learners.
Do you have some kids you have nothing to write down?
Spend some time next week with those students.



Weekend Homework for all -
Go do what you love and let the loose ends drag.

Have a great weekend!

Deborah