April 4, 2015

What an incredible spring break - we were treated to some spectacular weather!  I look forward to hearing how you all spent your time.

We meet together on Monday in the library at 8:30 for the Mindset book discussion and to reconnect. 

The rest of the day is yours to use to get your head back in the game:)

Calendar:

April 6 - 10:

Tuesday:
RTI meeting 7:30 a.m.
Debbie out to READ Act meeting

Wednesday:
PD: Personal and team planning

Week of April 13th:
Kenny's Crew out on Voyage
CMAS testing for 4th and 5th grades
Tests will take place on M, T, TH, between 9-11 and 1:30 -3:30
NO RTI
Thursday - Deborah out to admin meeting



* Thinking of Jill who is supporting her father. Jill's father will be undergoing a triple bypass on Monday.

Have a joyous Easter and enjoy your last two days!

Deborah

March 13, 2015

Wow!

We are heading into the last week before a break, which can be stressful for students and teachers. We've already begun to see a rise in undesirable behaviors and a rise in student-to-student conflict. It's to be expected - unfortunately. So, we can only plan for it. Before and after breaks is always a good time to lean toward more structure and tighter boundaries. You can ease up later.

I'm excited to share with you the movie https://youtu.be/ZrYEa8kU3IU that was made on some of the learning that has taken place in Lisa and Kenny's Crews. It's so well done and really gives the 'flavor' of the authentic learning experiences that we create at Renaissance. We all work together to prepare the kids - through a learning progression - to actively engage in the learning that happens at the end of their journey here at Renaissance. (Powerful argument for a middle school!) The students featured started here in kindergarten. I'm thinking that we can all celebrate seeing how far they've come and that what we do collectively, is worth it! 

 Kenny and Lisa - wow! Thanks for articulating with such clarity in this movie the vision and mission of our school. Really motivating for all of us, and renews our sense of shared purpose. We are an inspiration to each other, and thanks for this dose of motivation when we might all be running a little low on that! I know this movie was just the 'serum' I needed this week. 

 Chelsea...wow! The Improv showcased at the Artist Edition was fantastic! Parents were standing around with their jaws dropped. I heard over and over, "I had no idea kids could do that?" The peek into the musical will fill the house. Bravo!

Pam...wow!  I think I can say I'm guilty of taking for granted the craftmanship that will come from within the walls of your art room. As I walked our halls and thought about all that has to be done over time to produce the art displayed, I am just in awe. 410 pieces of art showcased - incredible. Thank you for the perseverance it took to see it through.

Julie, Billie, Jodie...wow! Thank you for being so 'on it' and such incredible problem solvers to support the facilitation of the PARCC. No easy feat and took so much prep work. We can't do anything without  you!

Debbie...wow! You did it! You managed and facilitated the administration of the PARCC for an entire school! I know you've attended countless meetings, lost sleep and hair, and still you smile! Bless you.

Wow...to all of you! Each and every one of you has done amazing things this week - that's what makes us such a connected community. Thank you each for your dedication and spirit!

 Student Led Conferences:
*Please remember to make arrangements for early or late conferences and how you will arrange entrance into the building for parents.

*Wondering if anyone decided to try the model of having conferences go on all day - students stepping aside to conference with their parents and you stepping in for a section of that. That would involve planning for a certain amount of flexibility and independence during the week, but could be another way to lean toward a more organic experience? Let us all know if you tried something new!



March 16- 20:

*Week of Student -Led Conferences (if it is the right fit for your Crew)
(If you are not doing conferences this week, that needs to be communicated to families so that we don't have confusion.)

* Please remind parents that we DO have students in school on Friday, March 20th and do NOT have students on Monday, April 6th.

* PARCC make up sessions

Tuesday:
RTI Meeting 7:30 a.m.

Wednesday:
The Beat

Friday:
4:20 p.m. Skip to your car

I found this on twitter...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Deborah

February 27th, 2015

Change brings new opportunities

I had a full blog post written and ready to go last night, and then changed my mind. That blog post was about Student Led Conferences and wondering if we had a fixed or growth mindset when it comes to our approach with them? Are we stuck in old ways of thinking and doing? 

But this notion of growth mindset really has me examining everything in my world. It's that time of year again to complete the budget and staffing sheets. It's time to reflect - and with this comes the opportunity to look at doing things in fresh and new ways. I've visited with all of you who have expressed an interest in a personal or professional change. No firm decisions have been nailed down...but the process is under way. There is a lot of positive energy along with it! There is also some fear, anxiety and lots of challenge by choice! How cool is that! The desire for increased collaboration is driving the changes and that speaks volumes to our growth as a school. 

I would ask that we avoid the traps of human nature to let our thoughts go to the negative. To catch ourselves when we start to wonder why, or what happened, who wasn't doing a good job, who was not a good team member that caused people to shift around. That is NOT what this is about. We have evolved as a staff to a new level of collaboration and growth and we are not going to drag that line of thinking with us! I know that we hear things going on in other schools - they sound bad sometimes and fear nags at us. Come visit with me if you are worried or wondering...

When the chess pieces stop moving on the board, I'll share the exciting news. Together, we will 'raise em' up' and celebrate the new opportunities and the creative energy! There has never been a time when we haven't been Crew, but it just gets better and better!

Go Debbie!
What fun! Teaching kids to take the PARCC!

Mandatory State Assessments

New information from the State Board of Education

On Wednesday, February 18, the State Board of Education voted to hold schools and districts harmless (in terms of accreditation and accountability) for parent refusals of state-mandated assessments.  While this is a shift in the state board's stance on refusals, we are still obligated to administer the assessments in accordance with the law. We need to have a record of all parent refusals to present to the state if our school would drop below the federally required 95-percent participation rate.
If you decide you do not want your child to take an assessment, we must collect evidence of your refusal. Documentation of a parent refusal may include:
* An email from parent
* A signed parent refusal form

* A phone call from the parent that we note on a refusal form

The State had said that any student present had to be tested. They are now saying it is up to the school whether kids who opt out can be in school or not during testing. I am going to continue to require that students who opt out stay home - we just don't have the capacity to manage an alternate plan for kids who opt out. We are using all our man power just to facilitate the requirements for administering the assessments.

* Please note though that kids can come to school during the window between the morning and afternoon testing sessions.

Here is the link to the blog post I sent out to parents today:

http://renaissanceprincipal.blogspot.com/

Cheyenne is so proud of her poster.
When I asked her what the most important thing I should notice was, she said with earnest,
"Notice that it is all about systems."
And then, with a twinkle in her eye, she whispered,
"and they help you poop!"

Peer feedback for Cheyenne's Health Fair Poster

Calendar:

The Next Three Weeks before Spring Break
(yes, it really will come)

March 2 -6:
Monday:
* WorkDay Training 7 - 8:30 a.m.
Debbie out in afternoon

Tuesday:
RTI meeting 7:30 a.m.

Wednesday:
The Beat

Thursday:
Deborah out- admin. meeting





March 9-13:
* PARCC Assessments Begin - scheduling implications
* Library Closed due to testing

Wednesday:
Life Is Art: Artist's Edition 4:00- 7:00

Thursday:
Deborah out - Elementary Admin. meeting
WorkDay training session 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.

Saturday:
Life Is Art Fundraiser 6:00- 10:00 p.m.




March 16- 20:

*Week of Student -Led Conferences (if it is the right fit for your Crew)
(If you are not doing conferences this week, that needs to be communicated to families so that we don't have confusion.)

* Please remind parents that we DO have students in school on Friday, March 20th and do NOT have students on Monday, April 6th.

* PARCC make up sessions

Tuesday:
RTI Meeting 7:30 a.m.

Wednesday:


The Beat

Learning so much from each other...

 - feels like I could say that every day. Just this week, Tyler shared an analogy with me about the job being like a waterfall. Just never stops roaring. Sometimes, he has to step out of the waterfall and sit quietly on the banks and just rest from the energy, noise and motion of the waterfall. To take time to reflect and rejuvenate - not completely away, but not standing in it either. Wow! That really spoke to me and I've been thinking about it all week. Sometimes, the only 'balance' we can find, is in our thoughts. We can still be fully present - living in the moment - but with less intensity?

Have a great weekend!

Deborah

February 13, 2015

A picture is worth a thousand words -

and this week, Billie's photo says it best...

Thank you Billie for sharing this awesome photo that you took!



Calendar

February 16 - 20th:

Monday - Play time for you!

Tuesday:

RTI meeting 7:30 a.m.

Visit from Cindy, our director 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.

SAC meeting 5:30 p.m.

REA meeting 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday:

Second Grade leaves on Winter Voyage

Fifth Grade Discovery leaves on Winter Voyage

No Beat this week

PD: 1:30 p.m.

Thursday:

Deborah out in morning for budget workshop

Friday:

Debbie out in afternoon for PLS meeting

Saturday:

Apple Award Banquet

February 23rd - 27th:

Monday:

Third Grade leaves on Winter Voyage

Kenny's Sixth Grade leaves on Winter Voyage

Deborah out of the building

Tuesday:

RTI meeting 7:30 a.m.

Wednesday:

The Beat

PD: 1:30 p.m.

Have a wonderful three day weekend!

Deborah

January 30th

Calendar

February 2 - 6th:

Michelle's Crew Winter Voyage

Tuesday 3rd:
7:30 RTI meeting

Wednesday 4th:
CITE 6 Team Meeting (out of building in am)
The Beat
1:30 PD:
1:30 -2:00 Web Path Training Demonstration in library for those interested
 Personal Plan
4:00 Community Social - Rink at the Rocks

Thursday 5th:
Deborah out for admin meeting



February 9 - 13th:

4th grade on Winter Voyage

Ms. Lisa's Crew on Winter Voyage

Monday 9th:
Deborah out

Tuesday 10th:
 7:30 a.m. RTI meeting

Wednesday 11th:
The Beat
Debbie out
1:30 PD: Personal Plan

Thursday 12th:
Deborah out - elementary admin meeting

Friday 13th: 
No students
Professional Development Day:  

     *Morning presentation facilitated by Kenny and Lisa

Peek Into Classrooms...

How clever are these kids - one squirts soap into your hands -
the other holds a spray bottle for water -
only you think you need running water!
They worked together so smoothly - each understanding their roles and responsibilities.
These are our future leaders!

A pause to consider how far we've come...
These pictures feature Kathy's Crew, but they could be every Crew in our building.
Below is a picture of Ipads laying out on the table, labeled with student names - in their own handwriting. Remember when these would have been notebooks or giant, clunky three ring binders? Now, kids are not jumping up and down because there are Ipads in their classroom - they see them as a tool for learning -  not for games.
I'm picking on Kathy here because she wasn't so sure about whether digital tools and technology had a role in the education of a kindergartner. Today I caught her demonstrating how kids could make their own Educreation using the pictures they took with their Ipads locating common objects in their room that were rectangular prisms.
My, my but all of us have come a long way in the way we think about things, and thus, the learning experiences we are creating. How exciting is that!!!

Chelsea is still standing in this picture. I was going to check in on her at the end of the day. 

Way cool the way students were providing peer feedback - and good stuff too - as each student was committed (look at Cullen's face!) to learning the chords because they were so invested in being able to play and sing a song that mattered to them. As I watched, I could hear kids humming the song they were eventually going to master. It was like they kept singing it to themselves as a reminder - "yeah, this is why I'm gonna figure this out! I'm going to sing this really cool song, because I'm that good!"

It makes my heart sing that we continue to nurture the self expression of every child.

Ah yes, that personalized, explicit feedback that makes all the difference!

I met with this dynamic group of Ambassadors, and once again I heard a resounding response that they thrive with the opportunity to have a voice in creating this experience for our community. Not a single student has not agreed that they love doing this experience as multi-age group and value that they have made 'new friends'. They can talk so naturally and so organically about the collaboration and creativity they valued in this experience. They can also talk about having a new perspective about the role of the audience and how that new perspective will change their behavior. (I think there's a World Class Outcome there...)

Does it not just make your heart swell each week when you see them up there and the pride they have in what they've created? What are they learning about being risk takers? Every week I'm just in awe of what our young people are wiling to risk - a testimony to the safe culture and sense of belonging they have in the larger school community. We are doing it!

I don't have the pictures to share ( I have them on individual teacher Ipad note pages), but want to share that I see such amazing things happening! I see teachers taking huge risks to evaluate what they have been doing and make changes - to jump even though they aren't sure just how to do it. I see teachers showing and coaching each other and figuring it out together. I see learning stories in classrooms.  I see revision everywhere!

I hear people wondering about new approaches and making connections. I hear sharing. I hear kids receiving lots and lots of personalized feedback and conversations about purpose and why learning matters.

I see kids learning and growing. I see teachers learning and growing.

I see unity in purpose.

Have a spectacular weekend!

Deborah

January 16, 2015

Tomorrow, we will be spending the day going deeper with building common understandings around assessment. In order to move forward (with more clarity) we will spend some time unpacking what the expectations are from the district level as well as some time to apply our new learning. 

Today, at the elementary administrators meeting, our focus was evaluating teacher effectiveness in regard to assessment. I came home and tweaked the plan tomorrow so that I can share what I have learned. I also came home grappling once again with the feeling that we are trying to create a new vision with old ways. Ah...but how to live in the moment we find ourselves and move forward?

While it can feel like this assessment focus is being imposed on us from a state and district level, we have to own this. My hope for tomorrow is that we can all arrive with a growth mindset. Tick off the things that are imposed on us (chanting the serenity prayer) and then really grapple with bringing our own visions into play.

Shifting the focus of what is important to learn is a vision we all embrace. We all want kids engaged in learning that is relevant and meaningful and we all ultimately want to teach kids how to learn. 

It's an interesting philosophical struggle - should we evaluate learning? If we think we should evaluate - then should we just evaluate whether they are engaging in the learning itself? 

Grappling with assessment might be an opportunity to engage ourselves in a growth mindset - could we move beyond what we've always done and create something very different? I value the opportunity to push myself, what I've always done, what I've held as true - and wonder.

While I believe that the district vision is on the right track, much of the work we do tomorrow will feel like dragging what we've always done into the work we are doing now - could we wonder together what a whole new vision might be? Could we maybe dare to try?

January 19 - 23rd:
Monday: MLK - no school

Tuesday:
NO RTI

Wednesday:
PD: CITE

Friday:
Gear swap in gym after school 4 -5:30

Saturday:
Gear Swap in gym

January 26 - 30th:
Monday:
Fifth grade departs for Winter Voyage

Tuesday:
7:30 RTI meeting
Debbie out of the building for PLS meeting

Wednesday:
Parent Orientation 8:00 a.m.
Discovery Parent Visitation 9:00 a.m.
PD: Personal Plan

Thursday:
Michelle's Crew out on field work to museum

Friday:
Vision and Hearing Screening
CITE 6 team meeting in afternoon

Have a wonderful three day weekend!

Deborah

December 19, 2014

Twenty plus years of experience in education and somehow I still approach this last week of the year with the expectation that we'll have those cozy, calm moments together that come with the season.
Reality check...it is fraught with last minute deadlines and stress. Then bam...everyone is gone for two weeks and I feel like I'm standing in a daze going...wait a minute...there was so much I wanted to say; to express how much I care and send well wishes. Now I'm left with what feels lame - words that can't really convey how much I care and how much I wanted to hear what you will be doing and looking forward to over the coming weeks.

I'll be thinking of you - sending those warm and caring thoughts your way.

I would be so thrilled to learn when we return, that you spent every minute of every day doing this: Leaving thoughts of school behind and balancing your life by giving 100 percent of your attention, love and energy to those you love (and to yourself). The work will always be here.

See you in the New Year!

Deborah

P.S. Josie - thank you in advance for hosting our staff get together! In case I forget to tell you - I had a wonderful time (aka - Pretty Woman).

For those of you who need a sneak peek of January.... otherwise, I'll send out a blog post before you return! Now...go play!


January 5 - 9th:

Monday: No Students
8:30 Gather in the library - reconnect
3:30: Appreciation Circle for Lisa

Tuesday:
No RTI
Cody rotates to classrooms for team building

Wednesday:
1:30 PD meet in library

Thursday:
Cody rotates to classrooms
Deborah out to PK12 Admin. Meeting

Friday:
Deborah out for funeral

January 12 - 13th:

Monday:
Debbie out in afternoon for assessment training

Tuesday:
RTI meeting 7:30 a.m.

Thursday:
Carolyn Burtner will rotate to each teacher/team during your plan time to look at iReady data (day one)
Deborah out - Elementary Principals meeting

Friday:
Carolyn Burtner returns for day two: Looking at intervention data