Week 21: January 20, 2017

Happy Friday!!! 

Housekeeping: 

- There are a few initiatives I am excitedly implementing for the 2017-18 school year and if you are interested in "piloting" one of them, in your classroom, please let me know ASAP:

Speaker System/FM Units (one upstairs class and one downstairs class) in the classroom for amplification: https://youtu.be/Uf310KaAYS0

OR
Flexible Seating & Student-Centered Classrooms (We can observe a couple schools that have implemented this model); https://www.edutopia.org/blog/flexible-seating-student-centered-classroom-kayla-delzer and https://www.edutopia.org/practice/flexible-classrooms-providing-learning-environment-kids-need

- Teacher Leaders! It is important for all administrators to develop teacher leaders and build that capacity amongst the staff. Teacher leaders assume a wide range of roles to support school and student success. Whether these roles are assigned formally or shared informally, they build the entire school's capacity to improve. Because teachers can lead in a variety of ways, many teachers can serve as leaders among their peers. So over the upcoming weeks, I will share a role in which teachers can contribute to Bel Air’s success.

1. Resource Provider: Teachers help their colleagues by sharing instructional resources. These might include Web sites, instructional materials, readings, or other resources to use with students. They might also share such professional resources as articles, books, lesson or unit plans, and assessment tools. Tinisha becomes a resource provider when she offers to help Carissa, a new staff member in her second career, set up her classroom. Tinisha gives Carissa extra copies of a number line for her students to use, signs to post on the wall that explain to students how to get help when the teacher is busy, and the grade-level language arts pacing guide.

- Certificates of Achievement are an Easy Way to Support and Honor Those Who Go “The Extra Mile”

There are employees all around you who do great work above and beyond what their job titles require to benefit our students in ways large and small. Too often, their important contributions go unnoticed. The four category options of the PWCS Certificate of Achievement program are meant to provide a way that colleagues can pay tribute to a coworker whose contributions or achievements deserve special mention or appreciation.
• Courage
• One-time Achievement
• Outstanding Performance
• Unsung Hero

While everyone is familiar with programs such as the principal and teacher of the year, Certificates of Achievement recognize different kinds of meaningful accomplishments by teachers and support staff alike. If interested in nominating, let me know and I will forward the information to you.

 Highlights of the Week: 

-  If you have a moment, please stop past to view our new carpets in Grades K and 1st. These will be the carpets that will be delivered to all. I was extremely proud and excited that we were able to purchase these carpets for the staff and student enjoyment!

Students as Learners: 

- 1st Grade: How to Make 10

- Roop - Molecule Matter: hypothesis and trials

- Haefele - Writing - New Year's Resolution

- 1st Grade: Questioning and Answering

Important Dates: 

- January 23rd - 27th: School Principals Week

                             Kindness Week

- January 23rd: Core Extension Planning: 1^st Grade

                    Principals’ MAP Training @ Fitzgerald (McDonald out in p.m.)

- January 24th: RtI Meetings: Grades K, 3, 4 in the a.m.

                    Central Principals’ Meeting @ Fitzgerald (McDonald out in a.m.)

- January 25th: Budget Planning Meeting (McDonald out in a.m.)

                    RtI Meetings: Grades 1,2,5 in the p.m.

- January 26th: Core Extension Planning: 5^th Grade

- January 27th: Half Day; End of 2nd Quarter 

                    Core Extension Planning: 2^nd Grade

Continued Study:

Be sure to reward yourself for such an amazing week!
~ Antoinette