Dr. Zimmerman's TUESDAY TIP:
This week's Tuesday Tip was buried in my email and I ran across it during my 'quiet time' in the office over break. It hit home for me and I will attempt to be a more consistent ACTOR versus a REACTOR during 2009. Mr. Godwin stated it best when he said, "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time."
I hope you're able to pull something from Dr. Zimmerman's advice and wisdom to help you during 2009!
He who laughs, lasts...and after reading this week's tip, that statement is research supported!
DB
"Do not listen to those who weep and complain, for their disease is contagious."
Og Mandino, author
What Dr. Alan Zimmerman Has To Say:
A 92-year old, petite, well-poised and proud man was fully dressed each morning by 8:00 a.m. His hair was always neatly combed and his face clean shaven ... even though he was legally blind.
But today was to be a different day. He was moving to a nursing home because his wife of 70 years had just passed away, and he could no longer live by himself.
After a couple of hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, the nurse provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet curtains that had been hung on his window.
"I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of a young child who had just been given a special birthday present.
"Mr. Godwin, you haven't seen the room. Just wait." responded the nurse.
"That hasn't got anything to do with it," he replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged. It's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it."
The old man continued, "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice. I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as I'm alive, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ... for this time in my life."
What wisdom! Mr. Godwin had learned one of the great secrets of life ... and that is ... your success and happiness are not determined by the things that happen to you ... good or bad. Your success and happiness are determined by the way you respond to the things that happen.
It's what I call being "an actor versus a reactor." It's a concept and skill that I teach in my program on the "Journey To The Extraordinary." And those who learn this technique experience great power in their lives ... emotionally, relationally, financially, and sometimes even physically.
Kip Little is one such example. Her story was told in the magazine, "Psychology Today." Kip was supposed to die twenty years ago. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she was stunned. "I spent my lunch hours working out. I ate good things. I was a health nut," said Little. She was a former high-school counselor and physical education teacher in Toronto and wondered, "How could this happen to me?"
Following her mastectomy, a chance encounter led Little to a psychologist at the Ontario Cancer Institute. Working with him and other breast cancer patients, she transformed her life. Together they met weekly to learn how to be an actor instead of a reactor ... in spite of her initial feelings of grief, depression, pain and fear.
The program was a lifesaver for her. Little said, "It was the skills I learned that got me through -- and continue to get me through."
When her cancer returned in 1990, a physician gave her only three months to live. She rejected further physical treatment and instead intensified her practice of those activities that would heal her mental state. And today she's cancer-free.
Dr. Alastair Cunningham, the psychologist who treated Kip Little, has spent years studying the power of being an actor versus a reactor. In one study of 22 patients with various kinds of supposedly incurable cancer, he asked experts to predict each patient's life span. And then Cunningham and his team painstakingly gathered data on each participant's attitudes and behaviors as they participated in an intervention along the lines of Kip's treatment.
The result? Cunningham found that patients like Kip Little ... the people who worked the hardest at transforming themselves psychologically ... lived at least three times longer than predicted. Those who didn't do much died right on schedule.
"It makes sense to me that the people who live longer are those who make substantial psychological changes," says Cunningham. "Of course, only a few do that."
What about you? How do you respond to bad news or these tough times? After all, the economy is ailing. Many of our companies and governmental structures are floundering. And there's not much you can do about those things.
Oh sure, you can be a REACTOR and get yourself all worried and panicky. But that will do you no good whatsoever.
Or you can learn to be an ACTOR. You can be like Mr. Godwin or Kip Little. You can refuse to get negative. You can choose to focus on your attitude and your response ... making it as positive, powerful, and productive as possible.
You can start by taking these five simple steps on the road to being an ACTOR.
* Free your heart from hatred.
* Free your mind from worry.
* Live simply.
* Give more, and
* Take time to express gratitude.
And if you want a life-changing experience that will assuredly give you more success and happiness, that will teach you all the ways of becoming an ACTOR, come to the "Journey To The Extraordinary" experience in Orlando on February 5-6, 2009.
To learn more about the Journey, go to http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=1342066&s=19269800
Action:
When and where do you typically REACT or OVERREACT? Be aware of those situations. Write them down. And then write down how you would ideally like to respond in those situations. It will help you become more of an actor.
Make it a great week!
Dr. Alan Zimmerman
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
December 19, 2008
'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the school
Not a pupil was silent, no matter what rule.
The children were pretending with books and with reading;
The knowledge that they learned would it soon be fleeting?
The teachers half frantic and almost in tears,
Had just settled down to work with her dears,
When out in the hall there arose such a clatter
up sprang the kids to see what was the matter!
Away to the door they all flew like a flash;
The one who was leading went down with a crash.
Then what to their wondering eyes did appear
But a crazy media para! (To sing to us I fear!)
When the teachers saw this, they tried to close doors.
To no avail as Jan had nailed them to the floors.
She ran to each door (trying to have others join her in song)
And she shouted, and stamped, and she sang hard and long;
"Sing Mark! Sing Michelle, Now Nita and Holly!
Stop Pat! Stop Sandra! You’re off key & not jolly!
Now get to your places get out to the hall
Don’t get away! Or run away! I’ll sing to you all!
As snow that before the wild winds let fly
The pupils, pell mell, started scurrying by.
They ran to the doors and sprinted down the aisle;
Their faces were green and each lost their smile.
First came a siren of police to our call.
Then came the Firemen to save us all.
As Jan was running around, there arose a great shout;
The pupils were screaming “please let us out.”
The state they were in could lead to a riot;
The teacher was sure, if allowed, they would try it.
Barry’s nerves how they jangled! His temples were throbbing!
The rush of his breath sounded almost like sobbing!
The ears on his head were shaking and ringing;
It was plain that he didn't appreciate the singing.
The look in his eye would have tamed a wild steer,
But Jan ignored it; she just always did with no fear.
A tear from his eye and a shake of his head
Soon led those to think that he wished he were dead.
He spoke not a word but went straight to his phone,
Called the sup and let out a terrible moan.
But at last Jan was finished and she ended her song with glee;
Then came the bell and the children & teachers were free.
Her shrill little voice soon faded away
And peace was restored at the end of the day.
As Barry looked at the up and down the completely empty hall,
He smiled as he whispered,
"Merry Christmas to All
Not a pupil was silent, no matter what rule.
The children were pretending with books and with reading;
The knowledge that they learned would it soon be fleeting?
The teachers half frantic and almost in tears,
Had just settled down to work with her dears,
When out in the hall there arose such a clatter
up sprang the kids to see what was the matter!
Away to the door they all flew like a flash;
The one who was leading went down with a crash.
Then what to their wondering eyes did appear
But a crazy media para! (To sing to us I fear!)
When the teachers saw this, they tried to close doors.
To no avail as Jan had nailed them to the floors.
She ran to each door (trying to have others join her in song)
And she shouted, and stamped, and she sang hard and long;
"Sing Mark! Sing Michelle, Now Nita and Holly!
Stop Pat! Stop Sandra! You’re off key & not jolly!
Now get to your places get out to the hall
Don’t get away! Or run away! I’ll sing to you all!
As snow that before the wild winds let fly
The pupils, pell mell, started scurrying by.
They ran to the doors and sprinted down the aisle;
Their faces were green and each lost their smile.
First came a siren of police to our call.
Then came the Firemen to save us all.
As Jan was running around, there arose a great shout;
The pupils were screaming “please let us out.”
The state they were in could lead to a riot;
The teacher was sure, if allowed, they would try it.
Barry’s nerves how they jangled! His temples were throbbing!
The rush of his breath sounded almost like sobbing!
The ears on his head were shaking and ringing;
It was plain that he didn't appreciate the singing.
The look in his eye would have tamed a wild steer,
But Jan ignored it; she just always did with no fear.
A tear from his eye and a shake of his head
Soon led those to think that he wished he were dead.
He spoke not a word but went straight to his phone,
Called the sup and let out a terrible moan.
But at last Jan was finished and she ended her song with glee;
Then came the bell and the children & teachers were free.
Her shrill little voice soon faded away
And peace was restored at the end of the day.
As Barry looked at the up and down the completely empty hall,
He smiled as he whispered,
"Merry Christmas to All
and to all a good break!"
He who laughs, lasts
DB
DB
Grades
Grades are due Monday, January 5th, but you may start submitting 2nd quarter grades anytime today or tomorrow. The 4th-12th grades plan on sending out grades on Wednesday, January 7th.
Summer PLC Institute
An email went out a week ago about this summer's PLC institute in St. Louis in early June. I have had two teachers talk to me about it. Please speak with me sooner than later! :)
January dates to note:
Jan 5 - School resumes; Monday Assembly; Team meetings
Jan 7 - Two hour early out (Building Level PLC); Teacher Quality Meeting (4pm)
Jan 13 - After School Math
Jan 14 - Two hour early out (Building Level PLC)
Jan 15 - Jim Lippold of Skills Iowa here in the morning (schedule to come)
Jan 21 - Two hour early out (Building Level PLC)
Friday, December 12, 2008
December 12th, 2008
Thank you to everyone involved in setting up our Christmas Party!
Once again, it was much fun and nice to share some laughs and cheers.
Thank you for the Tiger clock and gift certifcate! Appreciated much!
Next Week - Please, please, please...communicate with the office any changes in schedule for your classroom or grade level next week. With all that is going on before break, it is important to let each other know when and where things are happening. At this point, due to semester tests, the minisingers will not be coming. Mr. Gilbert and I will continue to work out something as we know our kids (and staff) love having them perform at Washington! Finally, please make every minute count next week - there are lots of ways to tie in the holiday season into reading and math so make sure activities (outside of the parties themselves!) are curriculum and outcome driven.
Essential Outcomes – Teams should review their math essential outcomes for 1st and 2nd quarter and update/review your reading essential outcomes before Christmas break. Please have one team member email those to me prior to break.
2nd Semester PLC – During today's administration meeting, we hope to finalize the schedule for 2nd semester's early outs/PLC time. I appreciate the feedback I received from some teachers and would continue to be open to input as we move through the 2nd semester. PLCs should drive our work and just as it was 1st semester, the schedule is flexible in order to meet student learning needs.
1st Semester Wrap-up – I want to thank you for your hard work this 1st semester. We accomplished much and I am already seeing your hard work during PLC and curriculum time pay off. As I told the parents last night, I truly believe we will see positive results come spring.
Parent Advisory – Our 2nd Parent Advisory meeting was held last night. We had four parents in attendance. Small in numbers compared to the first meeting but we had some good discussion, especially about our math initiatives and textbook adoption process. I have posted a link on our website for parents and staff to access minutes of the meetings (located under Parent Resources). Last nights minutes are not posted yet, but will be soon.
One More Week - These past two days have been somewhat trying in the "behavior" and "on-task" department (students...not teachers, I hope!). Thank you for your continued patience with our students but your consistency with our beliefs at Washington! Your continued high expectations of students all the way through the end of this coming week are important and I thank you in advance. As I wrote last week, I appreciate your dedication and determination in dealing with inappropriate behaviors and comments from students uneasy about the approaching holidays. May the break give you time to count your blessings, share time with family and relax.
Coming up…
December
15 - Monday Assembly 2:45 pm (PTO Assembly first!), PLC Time; Regular Board Mtg, 6 pm
- Mr. Barry will be in Bedford CSD from 8am-2pm
16 - ICC Meeting (All day) – Barry attending with RO Team
- Rescheduled PWIM ICN Session 4:00-5:00 PM (Linn, Montgomery & Barry)
18 - 7th Grade Caroling at WIS, 2 PM (tentative)
- Washington Intermediate Christmas Parties (PM); SAT Meeting @ 3:15 pm
19 - Wow! Two week Christmas break begins at 1:10 for students and 2:30 pm for staff!
- Mrs. Montgomery delivers her sweet baby boy after school is out.
- (just checking if you're reading this far)
Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree.
In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.
~Larry Wilde, The Merry Book of Christmas
He who laughs, lasts – DB
He who laughs, lasts – DB
Friday, December 5, 2008
December 5th, 2008
Essential Outcomes – (Next Monday) Teams should review their math essential outcomes for 1st and 2nd quarter and update/review your reading essential outcomes before Christmas break. Sandra & Sue T. may want to share the Literacy team’s progress with writing too. Other teachers should do the same with their content areas work/progress.
December 10th PLC – Next week’s PD time is devoted to curriculum again. The math team will be involved in a Saxon program presentation at IPS starting at 2:30 pm. I would like at least two teachers from each grade level in attendance (one in addition to Mark & Pat). Please see me if you’re interested. The elementary team felt it was important we have more than one teacher hear the information, ask questions and be involved in this process.
Website Training – Thank you for attending this week. I know the website training was “fast and furious” so if you have questions or if you get stuck, please let me know. I would like all teachers to get something onto their site and I will work with teams if you set up the time.
Parent Advisory – Our 2nd Parent Advisory meeting will be next Thursday, Dec 11th. Every staff member is welcome to join us too. Topics will include: update on early out/professional development, math intervention and achievement progress, After School Math program, winter testing schedule, Student Advisory update, technology update and plans. .
Thank You! - Thank you for your patience with our students this month! Although they may not act like it all the time, we have several students who would rather be at school over break than at home. At school, they are guaranteed two meals, a warm class-room, and adults who treat them with kindness & respect. I appreciate your dedication and determination in dealing with inappropriate behaviors and comments from students uneasy about the approaching holidays. May the break give you time to count your blessings, share time with family and relax.
Extra Online Tip – On the FWR blogsite, I have been adding Dr. Zimmerman’s weekly Tuesday tip for those who need an early week motivational boost. If you need an extra mid-week pick-me-up, it may be good to check the site and read his inspirational advice!
Coming up…
Websites of the Week
Repeat: A ton of useful & FREE educator templates to print or to ‘post’ on white board/Smart Board
http://www.educatortemplates.com/
Noneducational site, but one of my favorites now is Pandora.com. Free online, customized radio!http://www.pandora.com/
He who laughs, lasts – DB
December 10th PLC – Next week’s PD time is devoted to curriculum again. The math team will be involved in a Saxon program presentation at IPS starting at 2:30 pm. I would like at least two teachers from each grade level in attendance (one in addition to Mark & Pat). Please see me if you’re interested. The elementary team felt it was important we have more than one teacher hear the information, ask questions and be involved in this process.
Website Training – Thank you for attending this week. I know the website training was “fast and furious” so if you have questions or if you get stuck, please let me know. I would like all teachers to get something onto their site and I will work with teams if you set up the time.
Parent Advisory – Our 2nd Parent Advisory meeting will be next Thursday, Dec 11th. Every staff member is welcome to join us too. Topics will include: update on early out/professional development, math intervention and achievement progress, After School Math program, winter testing schedule, Student Advisory update, technology update and plans. .
Thank You! - Thank you for your patience with our students this month! Although they may not act like it all the time, we have several students who would rather be at school over break than at home. At school, they are guaranteed two meals, a warm class-room, and adults who treat them with kindness & respect. I appreciate your dedication and determination in dealing with inappropriate behaviors and comments from students uneasy about the approaching holidays. May the break give you time to count your blessings, share time with family and relax.
Extra Online Tip – On the FWR blogsite, I have been adding Dr. Zimmerman’s weekly Tuesday tip for those who need an early week motivational boost. If you need an extra mid-week pick-me-up, it may be good to check the site and read his inspirational advice!
Coming up…
December
5 - WIS Christmas Party, 6 PM @ RO Country Club
8 - Monday Assembly 2:55 pm, PLC Time
9 - PWIM ICN Session 4:00-5:00 PM (Linn, Montgomery & Barry)
10 - Early Dismissal/Curriculum PLC Time
11 - School Board Budget meeting, 4 pm, Webster; Parent Advisory @ WIS, 7 pm
15 - Monday Assembly 2:55 pm, PLC Time; Regular Board Mtg, 6 pm
16 - ICC Meeting (All day) – Barry attending with RO Team
18 - Washington Intermediate Christmas Parties (PM); SAT Meeting @ 3:15 pm
19 - Wow! Two week Christmas break begins at 1:10 for students and 2:30 pm for staff!
8 - Monday Assembly 2:55 pm, PLC Time
9 - PWIM ICN Session 4:00-5:00 PM (Linn, Montgomery & Barry)
10 - Early Dismissal/Curriculum PLC Time
11 - School Board Budget meeting, 4 pm, Webster; Parent Advisory @ WIS, 7 pm
15 - Monday Assembly 2:55 pm, PLC Time; Regular Board Mtg, 6 pm
16 - ICC Meeting (All day) – Barry attending with RO Team
18 - Washington Intermediate Christmas Parties (PM); SAT Meeting @ 3:15 pm
19 - Wow! Two week Christmas break begins at 1:10 for students and 2:30 pm for staff!
Websites of the Week
Repeat: A ton of useful & FREE educator templates to print or to ‘post’ on white board/Smart Board
http://www.educatortemplates.com/
Noneducational site, but one of my favorites now is Pandora.com. Free online, customized radio!http://www.pandora.com/
He who laughs, lasts – DB
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Dr. Z's Tuesday Tip - Dec 2, 2008
This week's Tuesday Tip has a lot to do about being a life-long learner. Something that all of us in education can appreciate. With yesterday's website training, it made me think about the continuous learning many of you have had to do over the past 5-10 years JUST to keep up with technology in education!! I love the quote toward the end of this week's tip: "Getting an idea should be like sitting down on a pin; it should make you jump up and do something."
How can we apply these messages to ensure that we are one of the nation's top 100 schools for learning and growing for students and adults?
He who laughs, lasts
DB
"Commit yourself to lifelong learning. The most valuable asset you'll ever have is your mind and what you put into it."
Brian Tracy, best-selling author
What Dr. Alan Zimmerman Has To Say:
The other day I was meeting with Bill Lee, one of the members of my master-mind group. He told me he had just seen his family doctor who is 77 years old ... and has chosen not to retire from his medical practice. In fact, his doctor said, "I find excitement in the challenge of keeping up with all the advancements in the medical field. I read trade journals, listen to audio CDs, watch DVDs, attend seminars, and spend a lot of time talking shop with my friends in the medical community. If you relax in this business, you'll become a dinosaur in no time."
The doctor is right. His challenge is also your challenge, my challenge, and everybody else's challenge. If you don't keep on learning new things, if you rely on yesterday's knowledge, you will become a dinosaur in any business. And you know what happens to dinosaurs. They disappear.
So I took a serious look at every wildly successful person I know. And I discovered one overwhelming fact that hit me right between the eyes. Every one of them is in to continual learning.
The last time I called my accountant, he told me about an exiting seminar he just attended in another city. It would revolutionize his practice. And when I met with my financial planner in Detroit last October, he talked about the hundreds of hours he spends going to seminars each year so he can keep up with all the ins and outs of the economy, the changing tax code, the home mortgage crisis, and the future of health care and retirement programs. I even found that my lawn service provider had gone to a seminar to learn how he could help his customers grow stronger, thicker, more resilient lawns. And so it goes.
When I speak to sales audiences, I find the same thing. The MOST successful salespeople are continually working on their people skills and product knowledge ... while the LEAST successful ones always have an excuse for their lack of success.
The same goes for companies. According to the publication, "The 100 Best Companies To Work For In America," the 100 best are making major investments in employee education. On the average they are lavishing 43 hours of training on each employee every year. As Dan Timm, a principal in the Edward Jones brokerage firm, puts it, "We consider training an investment rather than an expense."
So let's get personal. How can you apply the lessons of the most successful people and the most successful companies to you and your life and your career?
=> 1. Recognize the critical importance of continual learning.
Intuitively, you've got to know that your best chance for a promotion at your present company ... or any other company ... is additional education and training. You can't expect to do more ... and be given more in return ... if you don't know more.
Listen to Libby Sartain, a human resources executive. She says, "Today's success currently isn't about what you've achieved in the past; it's about your capacity to learn and grow in the immediate future."
=> 2. Give yourself a ruthless self-analysis.
Ask yourself a lot of tough questions. And don't fudge on the answers. Are you really learning more and more? Are you getting better and better? The way to find out is to ask yourself the following questions.
Some overall questions:
* Am I better off now -- and happier now -- than I was at this time last year?
* What goals did I reach? And which achievements gave me the greatest sense of satisfaction?
* What do I wish I'd done? What regrets do I have in the last 12 months?
* How have my relationships with my spouse, my children, and my friends changed in the last year?
* How well have I used my time?
Some work-and-money related questions:
* What progress have I made in my career?
* How have my relationships improved or deteriorated in the last year with:
My boss?
My employees/associates?
My customers/clients?
My suppliers/others?
* How does my financial portfolio look compared to last year?
If you've gotten better in most or all of these categories, I congratulate you. You're a learning, growing human being.
But if your answers reveal a lack of significant progress, don't get discouraged. It simply means you need to LEARN more. It means you've got to ...
=> 3. Invest in your continual learning.
If your company brings training on site, thank them ... profusely. If your company sends you to seminars, thank them ... again and again.
That's what Doris Dean did. She writes, "I am so thankful that the FBI brought you back for another one of your 'Journey To The Extraordinary' experiences. I've heard so many positive comments about your other programs at our facility, and I wanted my supervisory friends to experience your sessions as well. I tell people that you are my motivation guru and have shared your messages with co-workers as well as friends in business, education, and medicine ... as well as youngsters throughout my county. And I'm pleased to report that even the teens (a tough audience) are using your positive techniques!"
And if your company doesn't send you to seminars, ask them to send you. The very worst thing they can say is "no." And at the very least they will see you as a highly motivated employee who wants to move ahead.
You can't lose. In fact, many of the folks who attend my "Journey To The Extraordinary" experience simply asked their boss or company for permission to go and the financial support to make it happen. And they got a "yes" response.
But ... and this is important ... even if your company doesn't offer enough on-site training or support your off-site education, don't let that hold you back. You can't let somebody else's short sightedness be your excuse for failure. Invest some of your own time and money into continual learning if you have to. As Austin Phelps, the educator, said in the 1800's, "Wear the old coat and buy the new book."
Then, with your new found knowledge, like all successful people, you've got to ...
=> 4. Take action.
Learning is critical. It's one of the first steps to greater success. But it is not the only step. You've got to do something with your learning.
After all, what is more pathetic than an educated person sitting on his butt? As E. L. Simpson points out, "Getting an idea should be like sitting down on a pin; it should make you jump up and do something."
You've got to apply what you learn ... consciously ... consistently ... and courageously ... or your learning won't do you any good. You can't confuse taking a class with taking action on what you learned in the class.
Author Alfred A. Montapert said it well: "Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress."
Of course, you'll make a few mistakes when you apply your new knowledge. No problem. That's why the final step in continual learning is to ...
=> 5. Learn from your mistakes.
In fact, mistakes, setbacks, and negative feedback can be a blessing. When I'm teaching customer service, I tell the service reps to welcome complaints. After all, those complaining customers are giving them a free consulting service on how to get better.
That's why Jill Blashack Strahan, the founder of the gourmet foods company, Tastefully Simple, tells her colleagues, "We reserve the right to get smarter." No wonder they continue to be listed as one of the fastest growing companies in America. If they make any mistakes, they reserve the right to get smarter, and they do get smarter.
I would advise you to follow the advice of the great poet John Keats. He told us, "Don't be discouraged by a failure ... failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid."
Chances are ... you upgrade your computer on a regular basis. But the question is ... are you upgrading yourself on a regular basis?
Action:
Write out your continual education plan for the next 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. A written out plan dramatically increases the chances that you will actually follow it.
How can we apply these messages to ensure that we are one of the nation's top 100 schools for learning and growing for students and adults?
He who laughs, lasts
DB
"Commit yourself to lifelong learning. The most valuable asset you'll ever have is your mind and what you put into it."
Brian Tracy, best-selling author
What Dr. Alan Zimmerman Has To Say:
The other day I was meeting with Bill Lee, one of the members of my master-mind group. He told me he had just seen his family doctor who is 77 years old ... and has chosen not to retire from his medical practice. In fact, his doctor said, "I find excitement in the challenge of keeping up with all the advancements in the medical field. I read trade journals, listen to audio CDs, watch DVDs, attend seminars, and spend a lot of time talking shop with my friends in the medical community. If you relax in this business, you'll become a dinosaur in no time."
The doctor is right. His challenge is also your challenge, my challenge, and everybody else's challenge. If you don't keep on learning new things, if you rely on yesterday's knowledge, you will become a dinosaur in any business. And you know what happens to dinosaurs. They disappear.
So I took a serious look at every wildly successful person I know. And I discovered one overwhelming fact that hit me right between the eyes. Every one of them is in to continual learning.
The last time I called my accountant, he told me about an exiting seminar he just attended in another city. It would revolutionize his practice. And when I met with my financial planner in Detroit last October, he talked about the hundreds of hours he spends going to seminars each year so he can keep up with all the ins and outs of the economy, the changing tax code, the home mortgage crisis, and the future of health care and retirement programs. I even found that my lawn service provider had gone to a seminar to learn how he could help his customers grow stronger, thicker, more resilient lawns. And so it goes.
When I speak to sales audiences, I find the same thing. The MOST successful salespeople are continually working on their people skills and product knowledge ... while the LEAST successful ones always have an excuse for their lack of success.
The same goes for companies. According to the publication, "The 100 Best Companies To Work For In America," the 100 best are making major investments in employee education. On the average they are lavishing 43 hours of training on each employee every year. As Dan Timm, a principal in the Edward Jones brokerage firm, puts it, "We consider training an investment rather than an expense."
So let's get personal. How can you apply the lessons of the most successful people and the most successful companies to you and your life and your career?
=> 1. Recognize the critical importance of continual learning.
Intuitively, you've got to know that your best chance for a promotion at your present company ... or any other company ... is additional education and training. You can't expect to do more ... and be given more in return ... if you don't know more.
Listen to Libby Sartain, a human resources executive. She says, "Today's success currently isn't about what you've achieved in the past; it's about your capacity to learn and grow in the immediate future."
=> 2. Give yourself a ruthless self-analysis.
Ask yourself a lot of tough questions. And don't fudge on the answers. Are you really learning more and more? Are you getting better and better? The way to find out is to ask yourself the following questions.
Some overall questions:
* Am I better off now -- and happier now -- than I was at this time last year?
* What goals did I reach? And which achievements gave me the greatest sense of satisfaction?
* What do I wish I'd done? What regrets do I have in the last 12 months?
* How have my relationships with my spouse, my children, and my friends changed in the last year?
* How well have I used my time?
Some work-and-money related questions:
* What progress have I made in my career?
* How have my relationships improved or deteriorated in the last year with:
My boss?
My employees/associates?
My customers/clients?
My suppliers/others?
* How does my financial portfolio look compared to last year?
If you've gotten better in most or all of these categories, I congratulate you. You're a learning, growing human being.
But if your answers reveal a lack of significant progress, don't get discouraged. It simply means you need to LEARN more. It means you've got to ...
=> 3. Invest in your continual learning.
If your company brings training on site, thank them ... profusely. If your company sends you to seminars, thank them ... again and again.
That's what Doris Dean did. She writes, "I am so thankful that the FBI brought you back for another one of your 'Journey To The Extraordinary' experiences. I've heard so many positive comments about your other programs at our facility, and I wanted my supervisory friends to experience your sessions as well. I tell people that you are my motivation guru and have shared your messages with co-workers as well as friends in business, education, and medicine ... as well as youngsters throughout my county. And I'm pleased to report that even the teens (a tough audience) are using your positive techniques!"
And if your company doesn't send you to seminars, ask them to send you. The very worst thing they can say is "no." And at the very least they will see you as a highly motivated employee who wants to move ahead.
You can't lose. In fact, many of the folks who attend my "Journey To The Extraordinary" experience simply asked their boss or company for permission to go and the financial support to make it happen. And they got a "yes" response.
But ... and this is important ... even if your company doesn't offer enough on-site training or support your off-site education, don't let that hold you back. You can't let somebody else's short sightedness be your excuse for failure. Invest some of your own time and money into continual learning if you have to. As Austin Phelps, the educator, said in the 1800's, "Wear the old coat and buy the new book."
Then, with your new found knowledge, like all successful people, you've got to ...
=> 4. Take action.
Learning is critical. It's one of the first steps to greater success. But it is not the only step. You've got to do something with your learning.
After all, what is more pathetic than an educated person sitting on his butt? As E. L. Simpson points out, "Getting an idea should be like sitting down on a pin; it should make you jump up and do something."
You've got to apply what you learn ... consciously ... consistently ... and courageously ... or your learning won't do you any good. You can't confuse taking a class with taking action on what you learned in the class.
Author Alfred A. Montapert said it well: "Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress."
Of course, you'll make a few mistakes when you apply your new knowledge. No problem. That's why the final step in continual learning is to ...
=> 5. Learn from your mistakes.
In fact, mistakes, setbacks, and negative feedback can be a blessing. When I'm teaching customer service, I tell the service reps to welcome complaints. After all, those complaining customers are giving them a free consulting service on how to get better.
That's why Jill Blashack Strahan, the founder of the gourmet foods company, Tastefully Simple, tells her colleagues, "We reserve the right to get smarter." No wonder they continue to be listed as one of the fastest growing companies in America. If they make any mistakes, they reserve the right to get smarter, and they do get smarter.
I would advise you to follow the advice of the great poet John Keats. He told us, "Don't be discouraged by a failure ... failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid."
Chances are ... you upgrade your computer on a regular basis. But the question is ... are you upgrading yourself on a regular basis?
Action:
Write out your continual education plan for the next 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. A written out plan dramatically increases the chances that you will actually follow it.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Dr. Z's Tuesday Tip
Action: Do an attitude audit. Ask 15 people in your work area to anonymously score your attitude on a scale of 1 to 10 ... with 10 being the best or most positive. If your scores average less than a 7, you've got some serious work to do on projecting a more positive attitude.
Anyone interested in trying this after Thanksgiving Break - let me know. I will put my form out after break. As I was reading his tip this week, I thought of myself in terms of: "How am I around the students? The staff? Our parents?" You are leaders in the classroom, the building, the district and the communities you live in.
(abbreviated version this week)
What Dr. Alan Zimmerman Has To Say:
Good leaders pay attention to creating positive energy because they know leaders are never "energy neutral." They're either giving people energy or taking it from them.To create more energy in the people around you, I recommend three strategies.
=> 1. Exhibit great amounts of positive energy.
Yes, it starts with you ... not them. As Richard Lenny, the chairman and CEO of Hershey Foods, proclaims, "I guarantee, as a leader, no one will ever be more optimistic than you are. But if you are a pessimist, I can almost equally as well guarantee that they will be more pessimistic than you are."Good leaders lead with attitude. And as I like to ask the leaders in my audiences, "If attitudes are contagious, are yours worth catching?"
But please, don't mistake a positive attitude for denial. These are tough times. I know that, and you know that. And your coworkers know that. So you can't pretend everything is great when they aren't.
However, as government executive John W. Gardner puts it, "The first and last task of a leader is to keep hope alive." So you continue to show your understanding and your caring of their situation by giving them something to hang on to ... namely, your own positive, hopeful, energetic altitude ... despite the tough times.
And as medical center executive Nancy Baker put it, "It's not always easy, but offering compassion is a very disarming and effective management tool."
No matter what's going on, you've got to show a lot of energy. You've got to show an energy where people see you working with determination, working on the organization's goals, and working for the people in your organization.
Anyone interested in trying this after Thanksgiving Break - let me know. I will put my form out after break. As I was reading his tip this week, I thought of myself in terms of: "How am I around the students? The staff? Our parents?" You are leaders in the classroom, the building, the district and the communities you live in.
(abbreviated version this week)
What Dr. Alan Zimmerman Has To Say:
Good leaders pay attention to creating positive energy because they know leaders are never "energy neutral." They're either giving people energy or taking it from them.To create more energy in the people around you, I recommend three strategies.
=> 1. Exhibit great amounts of positive energy.
Yes, it starts with you ... not them. As Richard Lenny, the chairman and CEO of Hershey Foods, proclaims, "I guarantee, as a leader, no one will ever be more optimistic than you are. But if you are a pessimist, I can almost equally as well guarantee that they will be more pessimistic than you are."Good leaders lead with attitude. And as I like to ask the leaders in my audiences, "If attitudes are contagious, are yours worth catching?"
But please, don't mistake a positive attitude for denial. These are tough times. I know that, and you know that. And your coworkers know that. So you can't pretend everything is great when they aren't.
However, as government executive John W. Gardner puts it, "The first and last task of a leader is to keep hope alive." So you continue to show your understanding and your caring of their situation by giving them something to hang on to ... namely, your own positive, hopeful, energetic altitude ... despite the tough times.
And as medical center executive Nancy Baker put it, "It's not always easy, but offering compassion is a very disarming and effective management tool."
No matter what's going on, you've got to show a lot of energy. You've got to show an energy where people see you working with determination, working on the organization's goals, and working for the people in your organization.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
November 21, 2008
***I left off the 4th Grade music program under dates to note!***
Thursday, December 4th, 7:00 pm
Website Training – Bob Deter will conduct a 1-hour workshop on website development for our school website on Tuesday, December 2nd. All teachers and designated staff will attend this workshop. Please bring your laptop to Mrs. Braymen’s room and we will begin at 3:20 pm.
Senteo & Training – I am excited to have both teams making plans to use the Senteo software and handhelds for their formative assessments and other classroom assessments! It was fun to work with the 4th grade team and students on the Senteo-formative assessments this week. I would be interested to hear the answers to: Was it effective use of time? Does it change student learning? Also, if you want to do any of the online Smart Board or Senteo training, you must visit the website, http://www.smarttech.com/ and pre-register for a class. Talk to Sue, Mark or Jessica as to how to sign up and see me if you need covered.
Upcoming PLC Dates – December 3rd and 10th professional development dates will focus on curriculum. Locations and agendas to come.
Extra Online Tip – On the FWR blogsite (see below), I will add Dr. Zimmerman’s weekly Tuesday tip for those who need an early week motivational boost. I was fortunate enough to hear Dr. Zimmerman speak last summer and enjoy his sense of humor and positive outlook on life. Read it…or don’t.
AEA Survey – Each staff member will need to fill out the annual AEA survey before Thanksgiving break. It only takes 3-4 minutes.
1) Go to GVAEA’s website at http://www.aea14.k12.ia.us/
2) Click on “Climate Surveys 2008-09” towards the bottom of the page.
3) Click on your district surveys link.
4) Click on the appropriate survey: Staff School Climate Survey
5) Use the following passwords (all lowercase) for the surveys: Staff = survey89
6) Click “Start” to begin the survey.
7) After the questions are complete, click the “Submit” button.
8) Quit the web browser upon completion of a survey.
Coming up…
November
24-25 Barry in Des Moines (ILA/SAI)
Ms. Bates is designated decision maker if needed.
26 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Individual PD; staff able to leave at 2:30 pm
27-28 Thanksgiving Break – ENJOY!!
December
1 Monday Assembly, 2:55 pm; PLC time
2 Website training; 3:20-4:15 pm
3 Early out/PD; Curriculum focus
5 WIS Christmas Party, 6 PM @ RO Country Club (Pay Jan!!)
A ton of useful & FREE educator templates to print or to ‘post’ on white board/Smart Board
http://www.educatortemplates.com/
Having a hard time with technology?? You all have five minutes a day to spend on this site…http://www.180techtips.com/
A smile confuses an approaching frown. ~Author Unknown
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Dr. Zimmerman's TUESDAY TIP:
(An early week tip from Dr. Alan Zimmerman, a motivational and inspirational speaker)
We are as solid as we are resilient.
What Dr. Alan Zimmerman Has To Say:
A while ago, I listened to Lee Iaccoco, the former chairman of the Chrysler Corporation. And he was profound. He said, "Nothing frightens people more than change they can't control, and nothing energizes people more than change they can influence."
So very true! It's a perfect description of the economic mess we're in and a perfect description of the election we just had. No matter how you voted, it was all about change.
And as one person said, "So who's against capital punishment? I think there are a lot of people in the Capitol who should be punished.
"Well, I've been speaking on change for a long time. In fact, many of you have brought me on site to talk about "Mastering Change: Leaving Your Comfort Zone, Taking Risks, and Getting Results." It's still a popular program. And you can read all about it by going to http://www.drzimmerman.com/keynotespeaker/speakingprograms/program08.htm
But there's a new twist to the program. A lot of you are asking me how you can survive this brutal, unfair economic change that has been thrust upon us by other people's stupidity. You are asking me to emphasize those resiliency strategies in my programs. So let me give you a few of those tips right now.
=> 1. Doubt the doomsayers.
And there are a lot of them out there. Perhaps you've seen the e-mail floating around the Internet that says little has changed for the better since 1980. It reported that 80% of the world's people still live in substandard housing; 70% are unable to read, and 50% suffer from malnutrition.
Well that e-mail intrigued author Philip Yancey who wrote "Fearfully And Wonderfully Made." He spent a great deal of time tracking down the statistics from authoritative sources ... only to find out that e-mail is downright wrong. In fact, the world has made major strides in the last 30 years.
According to the best estimates, 25% -- not 80% -- of the world's population lives in substandard housing. Thirty years ago the global literacy rate was 53%; now it's 80% The percentage of people suffering from malnutrition has dropped more than half ... to 20%. And 75% of the world had no access to clean water; now 75% do.
As Yancey puts it, "Such good news rarely captures the attention of the media, which continue to portray the world as teetering on the brink of cataclysm." The news focuses on gloom and doom.
In fact, the media ... by their own admission ... say "If it bleeds it leads." In other words, they're going to report the most dire, gruesome news first and foremost.
Of course Yancey's research found out there's a lot of good news out there. But you seldom read it or hear it. So maybe it's time to doubt the doomsayers.
One more example. When I was in college back in the 60's, the rage was Paul Ehrlich's book on "The Population Bomb." He predicted huge famines would occur in the 1970's and 80's, with hundreds of millions of people starving to death. That simply did not happen.
Doomsaying population "experts" used to tell us the world population would hit a high of 20 billion, causing an intolerable strain on the Earth's resources. We would simply implode.
But then the prediction was lowered to 15 billion, then 11 billion, then 9 billion. Some "experts" now say the world's population will peak around the year 2050, and then possibly decline. In fact, the birth rate has fallen so dramatically in Europe, Russia, and Japan, "experts" are now worrying about the dire consequences of an aging population unreplenished by younger generations.
As Crawford H. Greenwalt, the president of E.I. duPont de Nemours and Company, said, "When anyone attempts to predict the future, their forecast turns out to be hopelessly shortsighted and pessimistic."
So you and I need to add a bit of healthy skepticism to all the gloom and doom news out there.
And then ...
=> 2. Put things in perspective.
I had to learn how to do that. Years ago, I found it too easy to complain when things didn't go my way. Then I visited several refugee camps in Thailand during the 1980's ... where thousands of Cambodians and Laotians were running from the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge. I soon realized ... by comparison ... I didn't have that much to complain about.
Yes, these are hard times. But do keep things in perspective. Things could be worse. You could be shot at when you leave your house for work. Or you could be imprisoned or beheaded for not worshipping the way some people think you should.
Just remember, wherever you are, you're not going to stay there. As John A. Simone, Sr., indicated, "If you're in a bad situation, don't worry; it'll change. If you're in a good situation, don't worry; it'll change."
And Robert Frost, one of America's greatest poets, said he could sum up everything he learned about life in three words: "It goes on." So keep things in perspective.
That's what Carol Tweet's daughter learned to do. As Carol wrote, "Your 'PIVOT' book is awe-inspiring. It should be on the #1 best-seller list forever. I gave it to my 15 year-old daughter to read. She started a journal based on 'PIVOT', is taking notes, and highlighting all over the book -- which I am so happy to see. She is telling her friends about it. It has given her a greater self-esteem and a positive attitude. So today I wanted to say THANK YOU. You have made a difference in my life and the lives of my family and friends."
You can get a copy of "PIVOT: How One Turn In Attitude Can Lead To Success" by going to http://www.drzimmerman.com/tools/products.htm#Books
And finally ...
=> 3. Say goodbye to the way things used to be. Your past may have included a certain lifestyle, a particular vacation spot, or even a specific position in your company. Well, those things, and a host of other things, may have to be put on hold for a while ... or even let go.
Don't waste your time bemoaning what could have been or should have been. To resist change, to refuse to adapt to it, or to deny it, is like holding your breath. If you persist, you will kill yourself.
Peter Drucker, perhaps the greatest management expert of the 20th century, said people fail because of what they will not give up. They cling to what has worked in the past, even after it has clearly stopped working.
What about you? Are there things in your life you have to let go? Are there behaviors, expenditures, or experiences you need to say goodbye to?
What kinds of things are absolute necessities in your life ... that you absolutely must hang on to? And what kinds of things are merely nice-to-have wants you could live without? Make a list.
And as you make your list, remember Sandy Ewing's comment, "Sacred cows make the best hamburgers." In other words, just about everything ... in the way your life used to be ... is up for examination and possibly cancellation.
You see ... the past is a library from which to draw information, but it's not a roadmap for living tomorrow.
Action:
Monitor who you are listening to. Are you hanging around the doom-and-gloom crowd too much of the time? Are you tuning into the grim-and-dim media way too often?
Then, at the very least, limit your exposure to those negative inputs and balance them with more positive inputs.
Make it a great week!
Dr. Alan Zimmerman
You CAN SIGN UP FOR YOUR OWN FREE E-MAIL SUBSCRIPTION. All you have to do is click here http://www.drzimmerman.com/ or cut and paste this address into their web browser. It will take you to Dr. Zimmerman's web site where you can sign up for the "Tuesday Tip."
We are as solid as we are resilient.
What Dr. Alan Zimmerman Has To Say:
A while ago, I listened to Lee Iaccoco, the former chairman of the Chrysler Corporation. And he was profound. He said, "Nothing frightens people more than change they can't control, and nothing energizes people more than change they can influence."
So very true! It's a perfect description of the economic mess we're in and a perfect description of the election we just had. No matter how you voted, it was all about change.
And as one person said, "So who's against capital punishment? I think there are a lot of people in the Capitol who should be punished.
"Well, I've been speaking on change for a long time. In fact, many of you have brought me on site to talk about "Mastering Change: Leaving Your Comfort Zone, Taking Risks, and Getting Results." It's still a popular program. And you can read all about it by going to http://www.drzimmerman.com/keynotespeaker/speakingprograms/program08.htm
But there's a new twist to the program. A lot of you are asking me how you can survive this brutal, unfair economic change that has been thrust upon us by other people's stupidity. You are asking me to emphasize those resiliency strategies in my programs. So let me give you a few of those tips right now.
=> 1. Doubt the doomsayers.
And there are a lot of them out there. Perhaps you've seen the e-mail floating around the Internet that says little has changed for the better since 1980. It reported that 80% of the world's people still live in substandard housing; 70% are unable to read, and 50% suffer from malnutrition.
Well that e-mail intrigued author Philip Yancey who wrote "Fearfully And Wonderfully Made." He spent a great deal of time tracking down the statistics from authoritative sources ... only to find out that e-mail is downright wrong. In fact, the world has made major strides in the last 30 years.
According to the best estimates, 25% -- not 80% -- of the world's population lives in substandard housing. Thirty years ago the global literacy rate was 53%; now it's 80% The percentage of people suffering from malnutrition has dropped more than half ... to 20%. And 75% of the world had no access to clean water; now 75% do.
As Yancey puts it, "Such good news rarely captures the attention of the media, which continue to portray the world as teetering on the brink of cataclysm." The news focuses on gloom and doom.
In fact, the media ... by their own admission ... say "If it bleeds it leads." In other words, they're going to report the most dire, gruesome news first and foremost.
Of course Yancey's research found out there's a lot of good news out there. But you seldom read it or hear it. So maybe it's time to doubt the doomsayers.
One more example. When I was in college back in the 60's, the rage was Paul Ehrlich's book on "The Population Bomb." He predicted huge famines would occur in the 1970's and 80's, with hundreds of millions of people starving to death. That simply did not happen.
Doomsaying population "experts" used to tell us the world population would hit a high of 20 billion, causing an intolerable strain on the Earth's resources. We would simply implode.
But then the prediction was lowered to 15 billion, then 11 billion, then 9 billion. Some "experts" now say the world's population will peak around the year 2050, and then possibly decline. In fact, the birth rate has fallen so dramatically in Europe, Russia, and Japan, "experts" are now worrying about the dire consequences of an aging population unreplenished by younger generations.
As Crawford H. Greenwalt, the president of E.I. duPont de Nemours and Company, said, "When anyone attempts to predict the future, their forecast turns out to be hopelessly shortsighted and pessimistic."
So you and I need to add a bit of healthy skepticism to all the gloom and doom news out there.
And then ...
=> 2. Put things in perspective.
I had to learn how to do that. Years ago, I found it too easy to complain when things didn't go my way. Then I visited several refugee camps in Thailand during the 1980's ... where thousands of Cambodians and Laotians were running from the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge. I soon realized ... by comparison ... I didn't have that much to complain about.
Yes, these are hard times. But do keep things in perspective. Things could be worse. You could be shot at when you leave your house for work. Or you could be imprisoned or beheaded for not worshipping the way some people think you should.
Just remember, wherever you are, you're not going to stay there. As John A. Simone, Sr., indicated, "If you're in a bad situation, don't worry; it'll change. If you're in a good situation, don't worry; it'll change."
And Robert Frost, one of America's greatest poets, said he could sum up everything he learned about life in three words: "It goes on." So keep things in perspective.
That's what Carol Tweet's daughter learned to do. As Carol wrote, "Your 'PIVOT' book is awe-inspiring. It should be on the #1 best-seller list forever. I gave it to my 15 year-old daughter to read. She started a journal based on 'PIVOT', is taking notes, and highlighting all over the book -- which I am so happy to see. She is telling her friends about it. It has given her a greater self-esteem and a positive attitude. So today I wanted to say THANK YOU. You have made a difference in my life and the lives of my family and friends."
You can get a copy of "PIVOT: How One Turn In Attitude Can Lead To Success" by going to http://www.drzimmerman.com/tools/products.htm#Books
And finally ...
=> 3. Say goodbye to the way things used to be. Your past may have included a certain lifestyle, a particular vacation spot, or even a specific position in your company. Well, those things, and a host of other things, may have to be put on hold for a while ... or even let go.
Don't waste your time bemoaning what could have been or should have been. To resist change, to refuse to adapt to it, or to deny it, is like holding your breath. If you persist, you will kill yourself.
Peter Drucker, perhaps the greatest management expert of the 20th century, said people fail because of what they will not give up. They cling to what has worked in the past, even after it has clearly stopped working.
What about you? Are there things in your life you have to let go? Are there behaviors, expenditures, or experiences you need to say goodbye to?
What kinds of things are absolute necessities in your life ... that you absolutely must hang on to? And what kinds of things are merely nice-to-have wants you could live without? Make a list.
And as you make your list, remember Sandy Ewing's comment, "Sacred cows make the best hamburgers." In other words, just about everything ... in the way your life used to be ... is up for examination and possibly cancellation.
You see ... the past is a library from which to draw information, but it's not a roadmap for living tomorrow.
Action:
Monitor who you are listening to. Are you hanging around the doom-and-gloom crowd too much of the time? Are you tuning into the grim-and-dim media way too often?
Then, at the very least, limit your exposure to those negative inputs and balance them with more positive inputs.
Make it a great week!
Dr. Alan Zimmerman
You CAN SIGN UP FOR YOUR OWN FREE E-MAIL SUBSCRIPTION. All you have to do is click here http://www.drzimmerman.com/ or cut and paste this address into their web browser. It will take you to Dr. Zimmerman's web site where you can sign up for the "Tuesday Tip."
Friday, November 14, 2008
November 14, 2008
SmartBoard Training REPEAT - Since most of you have had an initial look at how to use the mobile Smart Board, please visit http://smarttech.com/trainingcenter & click on the “Notebook 10 Video” link located on the left side. This is a great way to orient yourself to using the software/board. If you would like further training, please check out the free online training and talk to Jessica or Sue about how useful the training was or can be for you. If you still need a quick lesson or want me to work with you individually, see me about time that works for you during prep or before/after school.
Senteo – I am excited to have both teams making plans to use the Senteo software and handhelds for their formative assessments and other classroom assessments! I truly believe this will cut a lot of the time spent grading, organizing and analyzing the data following an assessment. I look forward to working with the teams to get this set up and help create a smooth process! Take a two-minute tutorial online to get started!
Upcoming PLC Dates – November 19 is a building level PLC date. If either team wants to learn how to better use the Senteo assessment hardware/software to conduct your formative assessments, I’d be happy to work with you. Wednesday, November 26th is individual professional development time and I can work with you that day on any assessment, Senteo and/or Smart Board questions.
National Young Readers Day – A big thank you to Jan and Angie Spangenberg for organizing the day and recruiting our fine celebrities!! It was fun to listen and watch.
November Observations - REPEAT Scheduled your November observation yet? Time is running out.
Attendance – Our daily average attendance for students through the October was 97.2%. Our staff attendance (includes all full time WIS staff…including me) is 95.2% over the same time period.
Interesting Opportunity – Iowa has implemented an agreement with the Ministry of Education in Republic of China (Taiwan) that will offer experienced and newly licensed Iowa teachers the opportunity to teach in Taiwanese schools for one year. Any licensed Iowa teacher with a K-6 endorsement may apply to participate in this program. This includes new teachers with an initial license. Applications for the Teaching in Taiwan program must be postmarked by April 24, 2009. For more information & the FAQ list, visit: http://www.iowa.gov/educate/content/view/689/665
Coming up…
November
17 Mon Assembly; Team PLC time; School Board Mtg, 6:00 P.M.
18 Teacher Quality Committee Mtg, 4:00 P.M.
19 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Building PLC Teams
20 SAT Mtg, 3:15 P.M.
26 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Individual PD
27-28 Thanksgiving Break – ENJOY!!
Website of the Week
Arranged by grade level, videos, subject areas and Smart Board links, for the
busy educator (that is you!), this site has it all.
http://faculty.usiouxfalls.edu/arpeterson/smartboard.htm
I think the next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it.
~Frank A. Clark
He who laughs, lasts - DB
Senteo – I am excited to have both teams making plans to use the Senteo software and handhelds for their formative assessments and other classroom assessments! I truly believe this will cut a lot of the time spent grading, organizing and analyzing the data following an assessment. I look forward to working with the teams to get this set up and help create a smooth process! Take a two-minute tutorial online to get started!
Upcoming PLC Dates – November 19 is a building level PLC date. If either team wants to learn how to better use the Senteo assessment hardware/software to conduct your formative assessments, I’d be happy to work with you. Wednesday, November 26th is individual professional development time and I can work with you that day on any assessment, Senteo and/or Smart Board questions.
National Young Readers Day – A big thank you to Jan and Angie Spangenberg for organizing the day and recruiting our fine celebrities!! It was fun to listen and watch.
November Observations - REPEAT Scheduled your November observation yet? Time is running out.
Attendance – Our daily average attendance for students through the October was 97.2%. Our staff attendance (includes all full time WIS staff…including me) is 95.2% over the same time period.
Interesting Opportunity – Iowa has implemented an agreement with the Ministry of Education in Republic of China (Taiwan) that will offer experienced and newly licensed Iowa teachers the opportunity to teach in Taiwanese schools for one year. Any licensed Iowa teacher with a K-6 endorsement may apply to participate in this program. This includes new teachers with an initial license. Applications for the Teaching in Taiwan program must be postmarked by April 24, 2009. For more information & the FAQ list, visit: http://www.iowa.gov/educate/content/view/689/665
Coming up…
November
17 Mon Assembly; Team PLC time; School Board Mtg, 6:00 P.M.
18 Teacher Quality Committee Mtg, 4:00 P.M.
19 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Building PLC Teams
20 SAT Mtg, 3:15 P.M.
26 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Individual PD
27-28 Thanksgiving Break – ENJOY!!
Arranged by grade level, videos, subject areas and Smart Board links, for the
busy educator (that is you!), this site has it all.
http://faculty.usiouxfalls.edu/arpeterson/smartboard.htm
I think the next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it.
~Frank A. Clark
He who laughs, lasts - DB
Friday, November 7, 2008
November 7, 2008
Staff Kudos – A big thank you goes out to Jessica, Nita and Angie for assisting with PD on Wednesday and to Michelle and Mark for being a part of the planning team. I appreciate everyone’s involvement with PLC teams and our ongoing professional development activities.
SmartBoard Training – Since most of you have had an initial look at how to use the mobile Smart Board, please visit http://smarttech.com/trainingcenter/ and click on the “Notebook 10 Video” link located on the left side. This is a great way to orient yourself to using the software and board. If you would like further training, please check out the free online training and talk to Jessica or Sue about how useful the training was or can be for you. If you still need a quick lesson or want me to work with you individually, see me about time that works for you during prep or before/after school.
Upcoming PLC Dates – November 12 & 19 are building level PLC dates. If either team wants to use one of those dates to learn how to better use the Senteo assessment hardware/software to conduct your formative assessments, I’d be happy to work with you. Wednesday, November 26th is individual professional development time and I can work with you that day on any assessment, Senteo and/or Smart Board questions.
National Young Readers Day –will be celebrated next week having students from the high school’s Unity Council read to our students. On Monday, November 10, the students will be with the 5th grade from 8:30-9:30 and with 4th graders from 9:30-10:00. A big thank you to Jan and Angie Spangenberg for organizing the day and recruiting our fine celebrities!!
November Observations - Those on cycle: get your November observations scheduled today!
Attendance – Our daily average attendance up until last Friday is 97.2%. Compared to the past few years’ first quarter percentages, it is up slightly. My thought is that high attendance indicates that this is a place where kids want to be on a daily basis. Keep up the good work!
‘Tis the Season – This is the 4th year I’ve include this message in a FWR and I’ve noticed it moves up each year as I feel I’ve already seen some of the early signs of our students’ holiday season ‘jitters’ or ‘blues.’ Although the upcoming holiday season may bring out the best in most, it can be hard on some of our students. If you have concerns about a student or family, please see Ms. Bates or myself. There are always things we can do to help – both in the classroom and as a building to support our students. Thank you for meeting the academic & emotional needs of every student.
Coming up…
November 12 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Building PLC Teams
17 School Board Meeting, 6:00 P.M.
19 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Building PLC Teams
26 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Individual PD
27-28 Thanksgiving Break – ENJOY!!
SmartBoard Training – Since most of you have had an initial look at how to use the mobile Smart Board, please visit http://smarttech.com/trainingcenter/ and click on the “Notebook 10 Video” link located on the left side. This is a great way to orient yourself to using the software and board. If you would like further training, please check out the free online training and talk to Jessica or Sue about how useful the training was or can be for you. If you still need a quick lesson or want me to work with you individually, see me about time that works for you during prep or before/after school.
Upcoming PLC Dates – November 12 & 19 are building level PLC dates. If either team wants to use one of those dates to learn how to better use the Senteo assessment hardware/software to conduct your formative assessments, I’d be happy to work with you. Wednesday, November 26th is individual professional development time and I can work with you that day on any assessment, Senteo and/or Smart Board questions.
National Young Readers Day –will be celebrated next week having students from the high school’s Unity Council read to our students. On Monday, November 10, the students will be with the 5th grade from 8:30-9:30 and with 4th graders from 9:30-10:00. A big thank you to Jan and Angie Spangenberg for organizing the day and recruiting our fine celebrities!!
November Observations - Those on cycle: get your November observations scheduled today!
Attendance – Our daily average attendance up until last Friday is 97.2%. Compared to the past few years’ first quarter percentages, it is up slightly. My thought is that high attendance indicates that this is a place where kids want to be on a daily basis. Keep up the good work!
‘Tis the Season – This is the 4th year I’ve include this message in a FWR and I’ve noticed it moves up each year as I feel I’ve already seen some of the early signs of our students’ holiday season ‘jitters’ or ‘blues.’ Although the upcoming holiday season may bring out the best in most, it can be hard on some of our students. If you have concerns about a student or family, please see Ms. Bates or myself. There are always things we can do to help – both in the classroom and as a building to support our students. Thank you for meeting the academic & emotional needs of every student.
Coming up…
November 12 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Building PLC Teams
17 School Board Meeting, 6:00 P.M.
19 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Building PLC Teams
26 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Individual PD
27-28 Thanksgiving Break – ENJOY!!
"I not only use all of the brains I have, but all I can borrow."
- Former President, Woodrow Wilson, on the importance of collaboration and cooperation.
STAY HEALTHY – mentally and physically!!
He who laughs, lasts - DB
- Former President, Woodrow Wilson, on the importance of collaboration and cooperation.
STAY HEALTHY – mentally and physically!!
He who laughs, lasts - DB
Thursday, October 30, 2008
October 31, 2008
Happy Halloween!!
Staff Kudos – We often overlook all the extra things our staff does outside of the school day. I’d like to congratulate and wish the best of luck to Mark and Angie! Mark, good luck to you and your cast this weekend!! Angie, me being a high school recipient of many losses to Manning and IKM combined, I’d LOVE to see you and the girls pull off the win Friday night! Good luck.
SmartBoard Training – I still have some openings Monday morning for staff interested taking some time to figure out how to use the mobile Smart Board. Sara Johnson will cover your room for 30-60 minutes while you work with me on setting up your computer and learning how to use the mobile board. Please see me FRIDAY to set up your time.
PD Nov 5th - We will be having PD from 2:00-4:00 P.M. in the IPS cafeteria. Our agenda will include the following items: composing a talk-a-loud, sharing the data from GATES (2-5), book count/access to print data, and sharing the writing prompts and scoring guide from some of the PWIM training participants.
Teacher Quality Committee next meets on Wednesday, November 5, at 4:00 P.M. This will be held in the Sue Wagaman Board Room at the central office.
PTO will have their second meeting of the school year on Thursday, November 6, at 7:00 P.M. This will be held in the IPS media center.
After School Math – We had 104 students stay for after school math this past week!! Thank you to Roger and Stephanie Ehmke & Tier One Bank for sponsoring the program. Our next after school math date is set for November 11th and Fareway will sponsor. We only have two more dates this semester (Nov 11 & Nov 25).
Coming up… November
4 Go Vote!
12 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Building PLC Teams
17 School Board Meeting, 6:00 P.M.
19 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Building PLC Teams
26 Two-Hour Early Dismissal/Individual PD
27-28 Thanksgiving Break – ENJOY!!
"In many instances, education is the tool that gives a child life choices." - Ruby Payne
*** REPEATED ***
***1st QUARTER FINAL ASSIGNMENT ***
If you’ve read this far, J please email, stop by or jot down on a note something positive you witnessed or heard that took place first quarter. It could be a compliment to a colleague or an inspiring story about a student. Get those to me as soon as you can as I will compile those to share out at the next staff meeting! GREAT 1st QUARTER!! Keep it up & STAY HEALTHY!!
***1st QUARTER FINAL ASSIGNMENT ***
If you’ve read this far, J please email, stop by or jot down on a note something positive you witnessed or heard that took place first quarter. It could be a compliment to a colleague or an inspiring story about a student. Get those to me as soon as you can as I will compile those to share out at the next staff meeting! GREAT 1st QUARTER!! Keep it up & STAY HEALTHY!!
He who laughs, lasts - DB
Friday, October 24, 2008
October 24, 2008
Thank You! – In case you didn’t read it last week J, thank you for the song, hat and Tiger t-shirt for bosses’ day. I appreciate all you do to make most days bosses’ day!
PLC – It seems like just yesterday, Sue, Sonia and I were in Denver learning about Professional Learning Communities and here we are 10 weeks into the school year living it. The teams’ work continues to head our building and district in the right direction. 4th grade is three weeks into math lab and 5th grade begins next week! Next week’s early out, will again allow curricular PLC teams to focus on essential skills and instruction within content teams. An email will be coming with locations for each teams’ meeting. Be watching for it. The K-5 PD was moved to November 5th and will take place at Inman.
Second Quarter started Monday and all 1st quarter grades were received on Tuesday! Thank you for your quick turnaround and Stephanie & I think it was the quickest and most efficient effort yet!
Observations for Teachers on Cycle – One week left in October. Do you have your second observation in yet? See me yesterday.
Classroom Cares – Rebecca Sterbick sent me an email about her 2nd grade class being involved in a character education reading program through Scholastic. Students in your class read books and Scholastic donates books to kids in needy communities. Rebecca’s email is posted in the lounge and to sign up your class, visit http://classroomscare.scholastic.com/
Webpage – several WIS staff members received a brief training to allow them to add information to their school webpage on http://www.redoakschooldistrict.com/. If you were not able to attend and would like to learn how to begin your classroom/teacher webpage, please let me know. Each classroom teacher received a 3 page handout with simple directions which Mrs. Sims put together. If you did not get a copy, but would like one, see me. Click here to start.
Red Ribbon Week is scheduled for the week of next week. Thanks to Jeannie for getting the schedule into everyone’s hands. With Wednesday being “Blue Day – Quit Singing the Blues,” staff may choose to wear blue jeans. Please post the schedule for students.
Coming up... Post & go over your Red Ribbon week schedule with kids today!!!
October 27
High school students visit classrooms: Drug Free Pledge (schedule coming!)
3:00 pm assembly in gym; PLC teams meet after school
28
School Board Meeting, 7:00 A.M. @ MS
IA Core Curriculum Mtg, 8:00-11:30 A.M. @ Shenandoah
After School Math – Tier One Bank Sponsor (Ehmkes)
29
5th Grade Math Interventions begin
2-hr Early Out/PD (Curriculum Mtgs – Locations TBA)
31
Red Ribbon Assembly, 2:30-3:00 in gym (no keyboarding)
Go Tigers!!
He who laughs, lasts - DB
PLC – It seems like just yesterday, Sue, Sonia and I were in Denver learning about Professional Learning Communities and here we are 10 weeks into the school year living it. The teams’ work continues to head our building and district in the right direction. 4th grade is three weeks into math lab and 5th grade begins next week! Next week’s early out, will again allow curricular PLC teams to focus on essential skills and instruction within content teams. An email will be coming with locations for each teams’ meeting. Be watching for it. The K-5 PD was moved to November 5th and will take place at Inman.
Second Quarter started Monday and all 1st quarter grades were received on Tuesday! Thank you for your quick turnaround and Stephanie & I think it was the quickest and most efficient effort yet!
Observations for Teachers on Cycle – One week left in October. Do you have your second observation in yet? See me yesterday.
Classroom Cares – Rebecca Sterbick sent me an email about her 2nd grade class being involved in a character education reading program through Scholastic. Students in your class read books and Scholastic donates books to kids in needy communities. Rebecca’s email is posted in the lounge and to sign up your class, visit http://classroomscare.scholastic.com/
Webpage – several WIS staff members received a brief training to allow them to add information to their school webpage on http://www.redoakschooldistrict.com/. If you were not able to attend and would like to learn how to begin your classroom/teacher webpage, please let me know. Each classroom teacher received a 3 page handout with simple directions which Mrs. Sims put together. If you did not get a copy, but would like one, see me. Click here to start.
Red Ribbon Week is scheduled for the week of next week. Thanks to Jeannie for getting the schedule into everyone’s hands. With Wednesday being “Blue Day – Quit Singing the Blues,” staff may choose to wear blue jeans. Please post the schedule for students.
Coming up... Post & go over your Red Ribbon week schedule with kids today!!!
October 27
High school students visit classrooms: Drug Free Pledge (schedule coming!)
3:00 pm assembly in gym; PLC teams meet after school
28
School Board Meeting, 7:00 A.M. @ MS
IA Core Curriculum Mtg, 8:00-11:30 A.M. @ Shenandoah
After School Math – Tier One Bank Sponsor (Ehmkes)
29
5th Grade Math Interventions begin
2-hr Early Out/PD (Curriculum Mtgs – Locations TBA)
31
Red Ribbon Assembly, 2:30-3:00 in gym (no keyboarding)
(Reminder – we do not have students dress up nor have Halloween parties)
*** 1st QUARTER FINAL ASSIGNMENT ***
If you’ve read this far, please email, stop by or jot down on a note something positive you witnessed or heard that took place first quarter. It could be a compliment to a colleague or an inspiring story about a student. Get those to me as soon as you can as I will compile those to share out at the next staff meeting! GREAT 1st QUARTER
*** 1st QUARTER FINAL ASSIGNMENT ***
If you’ve read this far, please email, stop by or jot down on a note something positive you witnessed or heard that took place first quarter. It could be a compliment to a colleague or an inspiring story about a student. Get those to me as soon as you can as I will compile those to share out at the next staff meeting! GREAT 1st QUARTER
!! Keep it up & STAY HEALTHY!!
Go Tigers!!
He who laughs, lasts - DB
Thursday, October 16, 2008
October 17, 2008
Thank You! – The bosses’ day song and polo were wonderful. The food was great and Lewis enjoyed each of the 13 desserts that were available! I’m very appreciative of everything each of you do day in and day out to make Washington a great place to work, learn, grow and laugh!
District PD – I have read through four of the curriculum team’s minutes so far and am impressed by the conversation. We are also getting some good feedback through the online survey and it appears several of the teams are not only excited for the October 29th curriculum meetings, but have set agenda outcomes already. As Mark stated in his email, next Wednesday’s PD will be building/grade level PLC time. Teams should set their own agendas and let me know what support you need. The K-5 professional development was moved to November 5th.
First Quarter ends today with grades due Tuesday, October 21. Report cards are to be sent home with students on Thursday, October 23. A reminder to classroom teachers: if a student has earned a ‘D’ or ‘F’, comments should be included on the grade card.
Observations for Teachers on Cycle – Two weeks left in October. Do you have your second observation in yet? J See me soon.
Webpage – several WIS staff members received a brief training to allow them to add information to their school webpage on http://www.redoakschooldistrict.com/. If you were not able to attend and would like to learn how to begin your classroom/teacher webpage, please let me know. If you were part of the training and need assistance, stop in and I will try to help you!
Red Ribbon Week is scheduled for the week of October 27. Jeannie and Bev have worked on the activities for the week and Jeannie will give us information of the planned activities soon.
Coming up...
District PD – I have read through four of the curriculum team’s minutes so far and am impressed by the conversation. We are also getting some good feedback through the online survey and it appears several of the teams are not only excited for the October 29th curriculum meetings, but have set agenda outcomes already. As Mark stated in his email, next Wednesday’s PD will be building/grade level PLC time. Teams should set their own agendas and let me know what support you need. The K-5 professional development was moved to November 5th.
First Quarter ends today with grades due Tuesday, October 21. Report cards are to be sent home with students on Thursday, October 23. A reminder to classroom teachers: if a student has earned a ‘D’ or ‘F’, comments should be included on the grade card.
Observations for Teachers on Cycle – Two weeks left in October. Do you have your second observation in yet? J See me soon.
Webpage – several WIS staff members received a brief training to allow them to add information to their school webpage on http://www.redoakschooldistrict.com/. If you were not able to attend and would like to learn how to begin your classroom/teacher webpage, please let me know. If you were part of the training and need assistance, stop in and I will try to help you!
Red Ribbon Week is scheduled for the week of October 27. Jeannie and Bev have worked on the activities for the week and Jeannie will give us information of the planned activities soon.
Coming up...
October 20 Second Quarter Begins
22 2-hr Early Out/PD (Building PLC)
23 Grade Cards Sent Home
28 School Board Meeting, 7:00 A.M. @ MS
IA Core Curriculum Mtg, 8:00-11:30 A.M. @ Shenandoah
29 2-hr Early Out/PD (K-2, 3-6, 7-12 Curriculum Mtgs)
Website of the Week
Website of the Week
Wednesday, I talked about the stress level and the tough work you all do each day.
If you need a stress reliever and it is before 8am and after 4pm, J, try this site
very non-educational website! Enjoy
http://www.therightfoot.net/mystuff/whatever/swf/bubblewrap.swf
If you need a stress reliever and it is before 8am and after 4pm, J, try this site
very non-educational website! Enjoy
http://www.therightfoot.net/mystuff/whatever/swf/bubblewrap.swf
He who laughs, lasts
DB
Friday, October 10, 2008
October 10, 2008
District PD – I continue to be amazed at the collaboration and work teams have done so far this year! The conversation has been rich and the focus on student learning is evident. The amount of new learning for staff has been enormous and you have met the challenge and continue to work harder and smarter to accomplish the goals and tests. I’ve truly seen the definition of PLCs met during the first quarter: Collaborative teams whose members work interdependently to achieve common goals linked to the purpose of learning for all. I also want to thank the para-educators who have been flexible, open to ideas and remained positive through the changes we have had this school year. It has been noticed!
Picture retakes - Thursday, October 16, in the media center. You need to notify the office of any retakes in your classroom. This would also include students absent that day or new students that came to WIS after picture day. Any staff members that were absent that day also need to have their picture taken for an ID badge.
Leadership Team - will be meeting next Thursday, October 16, at IPS. Meet in 12:15 in room #107.
First Quarter - ends next Friday, October 17. Grades are due Tuesday, October 21. Report cards are to be sent home with students on Thursday, October 23. A reminder to classroom teachers: if a student has earned a ‘D’ or ‘F’, comments should be included on the grade card.
Webpage – several WIS staff members received a brief training to allow them to add information to their school webpage on www.redoakschooldistrict.com. If you were not able to attend and would like to learn how to begin your classroom/teacher webpage, please let me know. If you were part of the training and need assistance, stop in and I will try to help you! Brenda has added the Y.E.S. Mentoring page to the main district website – check it out!
Red Ribbon Week is scheduled for the week of October 27. Jeannie and Bev have worked on the activities for the week and Jeannie will give us information of the planned activities soon.
Coming up...October Dates
15 2-hr Early Out/PD (Curriculum Teams – locations TBA)
16 Leadership Team Mtg, Linn & Haufle, 12:15 P.M. @ IPS
20 Second Quarter Begins
22 2-hr Early Out/PD (K-5 PD at IPS)
23 Grade Cards Sent Home
28 School Board Meeting, 7:00 A.M. @ MS
IA Core Curriculum Mtg, 8:00-11:30 A.M. @ Shenandoah
29 2-hr Early Out/PD (K-2, 3-6, 7-12 Curriculum Mtgs)
Website of the Week
http://photosynth.net/ -
Possible classroom use: Art, ELO, SmartBoard, Writing, or for Home!
Imagine being able to share the places and things you love using the cinematic quality of a movie, the control of a video game, and the mind-blowing detail of the real world. With nothing more than a bunch of photos, Photosynth creates an amazing new experience.
He who laughs, lasts
DB
Picture retakes - Thursday, October 16, in the media center. You need to notify the office of any retakes in your classroom. This would also include students absent that day or new students that came to WIS after picture day. Any staff members that were absent that day also need to have their picture taken for an ID badge.
Leadership Team - will be meeting next Thursday, October 16, at IPS. Meet in 12:15 in room #107.
First Quarter - ends next Friday, October 17. Grades are due Tuesday, October 21. Report cards are to be sent home with students on Thursday, October 23. A reminder to classroom teachers: if a student has earned a ‘D’ or ‘F’, comments should be included on the grade card.
Webpage – several WIS staff members received a brief training to allow them to add information to their school webpage on www.redoakschooldistrict.com. If you were not able to attend and would like to learn how to begin your classroom/teacher webpage, please let me know. If you were part of the training and need assistance, stop in and I will try to help you! Brenda has added the Y.E.S. Mentoring page to the main district website – check it out!
Red Ribbon Week is scheduled for the week of October 27. Jeannie and Bev have worked on the activities for the week and Jeannie will give us information of the planned activities soon.
Coming up...October Dates
15 2-hr Early Out/PD (Curriculum Teams – locations TBA)
16 Leadership Team Mtg, Linn & Haufle, 12:15 P.M. @ IPS
20 Second Quarter Begins
22 2-hr Early Out/PD (K-5 PD at IPS)
23 Grade Cards Sent Home
28 School Board Meeting, 7:00 A.M. @ MS
IA Core Curriculum Mtg, 8:00-11:30 A.M. @ Shenandoah
29 2-hr Early Out/PD (K-2, 3-6, 7-12 Curriculum Mtgs)
Website of the Week
http://photosynth.net/ -
Possible classroom use: Art, ELO, SmartBoard, Writing, or for Home!
Imagine being able to share the places and things you love using the cinematic quality of a movie, the control of a video game, and the mind-blowing detail of the real world. With nothing more than a bunch of photos, Photosynth creates an amazing new experience.
He who laughs, lasts
DB
Friday, September 26, 2008
September 26, 2008
Conferences – Conferences are scheduled from 4-8 PM on Sept 29 & Oct 2. If you have not given a copy of your schedule to Steph, please do so today as it helps with parent phone calls, etc. I will strongly encourage teachers to encourage students to attend conferences with their parents next week. Although we call it “Parent-Teacher” conferences, the child should be the center of discussion and the child is key in talking about how things are going so far this year. Thank you in advance!
Conference Data to Keep & Report – what needs to be turned in the Monday after conferences:
- Number of students represented during conference week (ex: 19 of 20)
- Number of students present during the conference (ex: 18 of 20)
- Total number of parents (ex: 27 total parents)
- How you will make up conferences missed (ex: Conference set for 10-12 @ 4:00 pm)
District PD – Thank you to all who participated in our district wide PD this past week. I also appreciate the leadership roles taken on by Sonia Kunze, Mark Haufle, Sue Chelsvig and Michelle Linn. I have already read many positive comments about group facilitators!
Fire Prevention Week – Mike Wise (fire department) and Connie Mellott (Kiwanis) have helped me set up our 3rd annual fire extinguisher demonstration day at Washington. The morning of Wednesday, October 1st, Mike will talk to 4th grade students about fire safety and how to use a fire extinguisher. The students will be put out a fire on the west side of the school. To avoid your car getting covered in dust, please do not park on the west side of the school on October 1.
Future PD/PLC Time
Monday, September 29th – NO PLC Time due to P/T Conferences
Oct 6 4th Grade Date to start MATH LAB/INTERVENTION- I would like to meet with the fourth grade team sometime next week. Please check with each other to see when you may all have a ‘break’ during conferences on Monday.
Oct 8 Grade Level/Bldg PLC Team Mtg - common formative assess., analyzing assess., planning instruction based on results
IPI Walkthroughs – The walkthroughs at WIS had to be reschedules but will be completed over the next two weeks. I will hand out the data during our brief staff meeting on October 1st after school.
Coming up...
Fri & Sat – PTO Trash Bag distribution
Mon - Student Advisory lunch; Early Out & P/T conferences
Wed - Fire Extinguisher Demo (AM); Staff Mtg (3:25 pm); Teacher Quality Meeting (4pm Webster)
Thur - Barry, Martinez & Timmerman @ Formative Assessment Conference (Omaha)
- Early Out & P/T conferences
Fri - No School
He who laughs, lasts
DB
Conference Data to Keep & Report – what needs to be turned in the Monday after conferences:
- Number of students represented during conference week (ex: 19 of 20)
- Number of students present during the conference (ex: 18 of 20)
- Total number of parents (ex: 27 total parents)
- How you will make up conferences missed (ex: Conference set for 10-12 @ 4:00 pm)
District PD – Thank you to all who participated in our district wide PD this past week. I also appreciate the leadership roles taken on by Sonia Kunze, Mark Haufle, Sue Chelsvig and Michelle Linn. I have already read many positive comments about group facilitators!
Fire Prevention Week – Mike Wise (fire department) and Connie Mellott (Kiwanis) have helped me set up our 3rd annual fire extinguisher demonstration day at Washington. The morning of Wednesday, October 1st, Mike will talk to 4th grade students about fire safety and how to use a fire extinguisher. The students will be put out a fire on the west side of the school. To avoid your car getting covered in dust, please do not park on the west side of the school on October 1.
Future PD/PLC Time
Monday, September 29th – NO PLC Time due to P/T Conferences
Oct 6 4th Grade Date to start MATH LAB/INTERVENTION- I would like to meet with the fourth grade team sometime next week. Please check with each other to see when you may all have a ‘break’ during conferences on Monday.
Oct 8 Grade Level/Bldg PLC Team Mtg - common formative assess., analyzing assess., planning instruction based on results
IPI Walkthroughs – The walkthroughs at WIS had to be reschedules but will be completed over the next two weeks. I will hand out the data during our brief staff meeting on October 1st after school.
Coming up...
Fri & Sat – PTO Trash Bag distribution
Mon - Student Advisory lunch; Early Out & P/T conferences
Wed - Fire Extinguisher Demo (AM); Staff Mtg (3:25 pm); Teacher Quality Meeting (4pm Webster)
Thur - Barry, Martinez & Timmerman @ Formative Assessment Conference (Omaha)
- Early Out & P/T conferences
Fri - No School
He who laughs, lasts
DB
Friday, September 19, 2008
September 19, 2008
Observations – a friendly reminder to schedule your September observation if you're on cycle this year. There are seven teachers on cycle this year and I have five scheduled observation and one completed for September. This is your responsibility - thank you for taking care of this yesterday.
PLC Work – Next Wednesday’s professional development will be held at the high school. This activity is for all staff members and group assignments/ room locations are in your boxes. Please note that the HS cafeteria will be open from 1:20 – 1:50 pm for refreshments and conversation. Staff members should be in the assigned rooms before 2:00 pm. I believe this will be a great opportunity to collaborate, share and discuss important data, reports, updates and findings with district colleagues.
Y.E.S. Mentoring Program – As mentioned in an all-staff email, Brenda Black has taken on the roll of ¼-time coordinator for the mentoring program. The Advisory Board will be hosting an open house for her and her family next Tuesday at 7:00 pm at Washington. Please join us if you can!!
Future PD/PLC Time
Monday, September 22nd
- 4th grade working on formative assessment and analysis; math intervention/lab planning (completion Sept 30th)
- 5th grade finalizing 1st quarter math outcomes; formative assessment work
Sept 24
District Overview & Small Group Discussions All district staff will meet at the high school at 2:00 pm. (AYP; APR; past, present, future; student learning & achievement; PLC progress, etc.)
Monday, September 29th
NO PLC Time due to P/T Conferences
Oct 6
4th Grade Date to start MATH LAB/INTERVENTION
Oct 8
Grade Level/Bldg PLC Team Mtg - common formative assess., analyzing assess., planning instruction based on results
IPI Walkthroughs - Will be completed over the next two weeks. We hope Mrs. Sims, and Mrs. Spangenberg will be joining us. The data from last year will be in your mailboxes soon!
Coming up...
Mon – 2:55 pm Assembly; PLC Team Time to 3:30 pm; Conference planning at IPS (3:45 pm)
- Board Mtg (6 pm @ Webster)
Tues – After School Math (Behrens Family Sponsor); Linn, Montgomery, Barry PWIM ICN (4 pm)
- YES Advisory Board Mtg (6:30 pm); YES Open House for Brenda (Open to all 7 pm @ WIS)
Wed – Early Out PD; 403b mtg following at HS
Fri & Sat – PTO Trash Bag distribution
Sept 29 & Oct 4 – Early Out and conferences!
He who laughs, lasts
DB
PLC Work – Next Wednesday’s professional development will be held at the high school. This activity is for all staff members and group assignments/ room locations are in your boxes. Please note that the HS cafeteria will be open from 1:20 – 1:50 pm for refreshments and conversation. Staff members should be in the assigned rooms before 2:00 pm. I believe this will be a great opportunity to collaborate, share and discuss important data, reports, updates and findings with district colleagues.
Y.E.S. Mentoring Program – As mentioned in an all-staff email, Brenda Black has taken on the roll of ¼-time coordinator for the mentoring program. The Advisory Board will be hosting an open house for her and her family next Tuesday at 7:00 pm at Washington. Please join us if you can!!
Future PD/PLC Time
Monday, September 22nd
- 4th grade working on formative assessment and analysis; math intervention/lab planning (completion Sept 30th)
- 5th grade finalizing 1st quarter math outcomes; formative assessment work
Sept 24
District Overview & Small Group Discussions All district staff will meet at the high school at 2:00 pm. (AYP; APR; past, present, future; student learning & achievement; PLC progress, etc.)
Monday, September 29th
NO PLC Time due to P/T Conferences
Oct 6
4th Grade Date to start MATH LAB/INTERVENTION
Oct 8
Grade Level/Bldg PLC Team Mtg - common formative assess., analyzing assess., planning instruction based on results
IPI Walkthroughs - Will be completed over the next two weeks. We hope Mrs. Sims, and Mrs. Spangenberg will be joining us. The data from last year will be in your mailboxes soon!
Coming up...
Mon – 2:55 pm Assembly; PLC Team Time to 3:30 pm; Conference planning at IPS (3:45 pm)
- Board Mtg (6 pm @ Webster)
Tues – After School Math (Behrens Family Sponsor); Linn, Montgomery, Barry PWIM ICN (4 pm)
- YES Advisory Board Mtg (6:30 pm); YES Open House for Brenda (Open to all 7 pm @ WIS)
Wed – Early Out PD; 403b mtg following at HS
Fri & Sat – PTO Trash Bag distribution
Sept 29 & Oct 4 – Early Out and conferences!
He who laughs, lasts
DB
Friday, September 12, 2008
September 12, 2008
Gates & Fluency – Use next Monday's PLC time to complete your grade level data, plans for interventions and analysis sheet. I will meet with Mark and Michelle sometime today to help make sure teams have what they need for next week.
Homecoming Week – Notes went home yesterday, please remind the students today and each day next week what is coming the next day. Please join in on the fun and dress up along with the kids! Questions were asked about what kids should be allowed and not allowed to wear. This is not an all inclusive list so please use your best judgment.
Items not allowed would include:
- painting their entire face
- bringing paint or colored hair spray to school
- drawing on their arms, legs and face while at school (it happened!)
- hats that are not part of a costume
- clothes that would not be appropriate (slogans, not covering body, etc.)
Items that are allowed
- hair colored if it is done before they arrive at school
- hats that go with a costume/dress up
- tattoos on their face or painted tiger paw/RO
Observations – a friendly reminder to schedule your September observation if you're on cycle this year. There are seven teachers on cycle this year and I have one scheduled observation for September. This is your responsibility - thank you for taking care of this today.
PLC Work – Geri Pascle presented information about PLC to the school board on Monday and each building principal gave an update on the work completed and what is yet to come. I shared with each team on Wednesday how proud I am of your work and believe that we are and will make a difference in student learning and achievement this year. I also want to thank the para educators for their diligent work with correcting and entering the data of the math pre-tests. This will be a powerful tool in assessing student learning and ensuring students receive the individualized education they deserve.
IPI Walkthroughs - Will be completed over the next two weeks. We hope Mrs. Sims, Mr. Sherman and Mrs. Spangenberg will be joining us. I have data from last year to share with staff too. Look for it in your mailboxes!
Coming up...
Mon – 2:55 pm Assembly; PLC Team Time
Tues – PWIM mtg after school (Linn, Montgomery, Barry)
Fri – Pep Rally (8:40 am - west of school); Early Out (1:10 pm) and Parade (2:00 pm)
Homecoming Week – Notes went home yesterday, please remind the students today and each day next week what is coming the next day. Please join in on the fun and dress up along with the kids! Questions were asked about what kids should be allowed and not allowed to wear. This is not an all inclusive list so please use your best judgment.
Items not allowed would include:
- painting their entire face
- bringing paint or colored hair spray to school
- drawing on their arms, legs and face while at school (it happened!)
- hats that are not part of a costume
- clothes that would not be appropriate (slogans, not covering body, etc.)
Items that are allowed
- hair colored if it is done before they arrive at school
- hats that go with a costume/dress up
- tattoos on their face or painted tiger paw/RO
Observations – a friendly reminder to schedule your September observation if you're on cycle this year. There are seven teachers on cycle this year and I have one scheduled observation for September. This is your responsibility - thank you for taking care of this today.
PLC Work – Geri Pascle presented information about PLC to the school board on Monday and each building principal gave an update on the work completed and what is yet to come. I shared with each team on Wednesday how proud I am of your work and believe that we are and will make a difference in student learning and achievement this year. I also want to thank the para educators for their diligent work with correcting and entering the data of the math pre-tests. This will be a powerful tool in assessing student learning and ensuring students receive the individualized education they deserve.
IPI Walkthroughs - Will be completed over the next two weeks. We hope Mrs. Sims, Mr. Sherman and Mrs. Spangenberg will be joining us. I have data from last year to share with staff too. Look for it in your mailboxes!
Coming up...
Mon – 2:55 pm Assembly; PLC Team Time
Tues – PWIM mtg after school (Linn, Montgomery, Barry)
Fri – Pep Rally (8:40 am - west of school); Early Out (1:10 pm) and Parade (2:00 pm)
He who laughs, lasts
DB
GO CYCLONES!!!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
September 5, 2008
Interesting Research – Washington School Research Center interviewed teachers and administrators at elementary schools in which the percentage of students meeting state standards was significantly above the state average. They found four "primary factors": a caring and collaborative environment, strong leadership, focused, intentional instruction, and the use of assessment data to guide instruction. In addition, the researchers were struck by the high degree of teacher support for reform efforts, despite the shift in teaching practice that was required. Significantly, these patterns were the same for high-poverty and low-poverty schools.
Caring and collaborative environment – I feel that caring for students and each other is our strength. As for collaboration, time built into a schedule does not equal collaboration – but we were working toward a professional learning community prior to this year. Now, with the focus on collaboration to improve student learning, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.
Strong leadership – We have very strong leaders among our staff who lead by example and are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work. With the tough road ahead, we will surely need leadership in many areas and I am asking each of you to step in and assist with the tasks we have ahead.
Focused, intentional instruction – Teachers teaching agreed upon essential knowledge and skills that are aligned with our curriculum with the focus always on student learning. Our work through PLC teams will get us closer to this focused, intentional instruction for all students.
Use of assessment data to guide instruction – We do a good job of testing kids and analyzing the data. The next step is a collaborative effort to use ongoing formative assessments to know what the students know and don't know and then understand what to do about it.
General Education Interventions (GEI) – The AEA will be hosting a GEI workshop on Thursday, Sept 11th. Our AEA contact, Brook Lamp, Jeannie and Jessica will be attending the training and brining the information back to us. This is a good time to remind teachers to work with your team to identify appropriate interventions, discuss student concerns and begin documentation on students you may bring to the SAT. If you do not know how to get started, you’re not alone! Work with your team, Brooke, Jeannie, Lorie, Connie and/or Cathy to make sure you’re on the right path. This is not another hoop to jump through – it is good teaching. SAT is not a path to special education or testing – it is another learning team to assist students who are struggling with learning.
Gates & Fluency – should be complete. Make sure to get your information onto the data sheets on the intranet. If you have questions, please see one of your teammates for help. Use one of your Monday PLC days during September to analyze the data as a team.
Humor in the Hallways…
“Is it just me, or do our ‘short’ weeks always seem to feel like our ‘longest’ weeks?”
Heard by me in the hallway this week. J
Caring and collaborative environment – I feel that caring for students and each other is our strength. As for collaboration, time built into a schedule does not equal collaboration – but we were working toward a professional learning community prior to this year. Now, with the focus on collaboration to improve student learning, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.
Strong leadership – We have very strong leaders among our staff who lead by example and are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work. With the tough road ahead, we will surely need leadership in many areas and I am asking each of you to step in and assist with the tasks we have ahead.
Focused, intentional instruction – Teachers teaching agreed upon essential knowledge and skills that are aligned with our curriculum with the focus always on student learning. Our work through PLC teams will get us closer to this focused, intentional instruction for all students.
Use of assessment data to guide instruction – We do a good job of testing kids and analyzing the data. The next step is a collaborative effort to use ongoing formative assessments to know what the students know and don't know and then understand what to do about it.
General Education Interventions (GEI) – The AEA will be hosting a GEI workshop on Thursday, Sept 11th. Our AEA contact, Brook Lamp, Jeannie and Jessica will be attending the training and brining the information back to us. This is a good time to remind teachers to work with your team to identify appropriate interventions, discuss student concerns and begin documentation on students you may bring to the SAT. If you do not know how to get started, you’re not alone! Work with your team, Brooke, Jeannie, Lorie, Connie and/or Cathy to make sure you’re on the right path. This is not another hoop to jump through – it is good teaching. SAT is not a path to special education or testing – it is another learning team to assist students who are struggling with learning.
Gates & Fluency – should be complete. Make sure to get your information onto the data sheets on the intranet. If you have questions, please see one of your teammates for help. Use one of your Monday PLC days during September to analyze the data as a team.
Humor in the Hallways…
“Is it just me, or do our ‘short’ weeks always seem to feel like our ‘longest’ weeks?”
Heard by me in the hallway this week. J
Friday, August 22, 2008
August 22, 2008
The Friday Weather Report
Washington Intermediate
August 22, 2008
1. Communication – Once again, thank you for being flexible and communicative about our schedules. I appreciate all you’ve done this week to keep each other in the loop and to make the adjustments needed. Please continue to look for opportunities to work and plan with your collaborative partner(s).
2. Gates & Fluency – We will begin our Fall Fluency and Gates testing next week. Fluency testers are being set up and we will let you know the times when it is finalize. Gates testing should be done Monday through Wednesday morning. Your grade level team should communicate the Gates testing schedule with SPED/Title I teachers & let me know your schedule by Monday morning!
3. Math Pre/Post Test – Copies of the new math pre/post test will be placed in teachers boxes on Monday. Students should take the test before the early out on Wednesday.
4. Professional Growth Plans – I will need to sit down with each of you sometime next week to review your professional growth plans. Since we revisited them last spring, it should not take too long. Please pop in my office sometime or schedule a time.
5. Weekend Homework J A short article regarding Professional Learning Communities will be in your box today. Please read the article before your team time on Monday.
Next week & beyond
Mon – Fluency & Gates Testing begins
– Monday Assembly (2:55 pm) & Team Meetings (establish norms, math essential outcomes)
– Board Meeting (6:00 pm @ HS – after board building tours)
Wed – Early Out PD (WIS staff work within PLC teams at WIS)
Thur – Building Leadership Team meeting (Haufle, Linn, Chelsvig, Barry, 3:15 pm)
– Picture day J
Fri – All staff should have their daily schedules turned in to Stephanie by 3:30 pm
Richard Dufour, Professional Learning Communities Improve Student Outcomes
Washington Intermediate
August 22, 2008
1. Communication – Once again, thank you for being flexible and communicative about our schedules. I appreciate all you’ve done this week to keep each other in the loop and to make the adjustments needed. Please continue to look for opportunities to work and plan with your collaborative partner(s).
2. Gates & Fluency – We will begin our Fall Fluency and Gates testing next week. Fluency testers are being set up and we will let you know the times when it is finalize. Gates testing should be done Monday through Wednesday morning. Your grade level team should communicate the Gates testing schedule with SPED/Title I teachers & let me know your schedule by Monday morning!
3. Math Pre/Post Test – Copies of the new math pre/post test will be placed in teachers boxes on Monday. Students should take the test before the early out on Wednesday.
4. Professional Growth Plans – I will need to sit down with each of you sometime next week to review your professional growth plans. Since we revisited them last spring, it should not take too long. Please pop in my office sometime or schedule a time.
5. Weekend Homework J A short article regarding Professional Learning Communities will be in your box today. Please read the article before your team time on Monday.
Next week & beyond
Mon – Fluency & Gates Testing begins
– Monday Assembly (2:55 pm) & Team Meetings (establish norms, math essential outcomes)
– Board Meeting (6:00 pm @ HS – after board building tours)
Wed – Early Out PD (WIS staff work within PLC teams at WIS)
Thur – Building Leadership Team meeting (Haufle, Linn, Chelsvig, Barry, 3:15 pm)
– Picture day J
Fri – All staff should have their daily schedules turned in to Stephanie by 3:30 pm
Mon, Sept 1 – No School (Labor Day)
Thank you! - This has been a long week! First, a big thank you to our new staff members: Angie, Rhoda, Robin and Brenda. During your first few days here, you have not only made yourself at home but you’ve made wonderful contributions too! We will be adding an additional para educator on Monday, Christie Rea. Her primary assignment will be in Mrs. Samper’s room. Please welcome her to Washington. Also, I wanted to thank each staff member who was at the open house Monday night. I know the parents and students appreciated visiting the building and classroom the night before school to rid some of the butterflies. You have worked hard this week to make the students feel safe and secure at Washington. Enjoy the weekend – it is well deserved!
I have never seen a mission statement that said we want 50% of the students to be successful. They all say we want all kids to learn. But a learning community is going to go beyond that pleasant bromide of saying we want all kids to learn…Unless we’re prepared to give them additional time and support, they will not all learn.
Thank you! - This has been a long week! First, a big thank you to our new staff members: Angie, Rhoda, Robin and Brenda. During your first few days here, you have not only made yourself at home but you’ve made wonderful contributions too! We will be adding an additional para educator on Monday, Christie Rea. Her primary assignment will be in Mrs. Samper’s room. Please welcome her to Washington. Also, I wanted to thank each staff member who was at the open house Monday night. I know the parents and students appreciated visiting the building and classroom the night before school to rid some of the butterflies. You have worked hard this week to make the students feel safe and secure at Washington. Enjoy the weekend – it is well deserved!
I have never seen a mission statement that said we want 50% of the students to be successful. They all say we want all kids to learn. But a learning community is going to go beyond that pleasant bromide of saying we want all kids to learn…Unless we’re prepared to give them additional time and support, they will not all learn.
Richard Dufour, Professional Learning Communities Improve Student Outcomes
Friday, May 23, 2008
May 23, 2008
The Friday Weather Report
Washington Intermediate, May 23, 2008
http://wisFWR.blogspot.com
It’s not about what happens. It’s about perspective. I may not be able to change
what takes place, but I can always choose to change my thinking.-- Michelle Sedas
Track Meet – Thank you to Roxanne and Karen for organizing the event and to Roxanne for keeping everyone in line the day of the meet. It was a wonderful day at the track! Pictures are on our website!
PTO Carnival – Wow! What a great turnout and fun event for everyone. Thank you to every staff member who helped provide a basket or helped at the carnival. No total yet, but it is estimated to be over $5,000!
Team Planning was time well spent yesterday. I appreciate your work, discussion and focus on what needs to take place to make improvements for next year. Action plans can be found on the intranet and copies will be given to each staff member before summer.
Teacher Career Development Plan – Teachers need to meet with me before you leave for the summer AND create a new three-year plan. These should be completed on the computer and emailed to me before you check out. Goals need to be tied to any of our five district/building goals (reading, math, science, technology or ensuring students feel safe and connected to school.
High School Leadership Update – Mr. Schmidt is doing preliminary interviews this week and weekend. Formal interviews will take place next week.
End of the Year – Continue taking deep breaths and working hard as we finish up the year. We have much left to do and I appreciate your dedication as we close out the year. Events to make note of…
Today – GRADES DUE! Walk Across Red Oak (weather pending)
Sunday – Graduation
Monday – No School (Memorial Day)
Tuesday – ELO Program for all students & staff (2 pm – gym)
Wednesday – 5th Grade Reading Party (PM); Grade cards go home.
Thursday – Year End Assembly (9:00 AM – gym)
– Students dismissed; School’s Our for Summer! (11 am)
– WIS Staff Lunch & Program (11:30 am)
– Teacher work time & check out (12:15 – 4:00 pm)
– District Staff Picnic & Recognition (6:30 pm)
– Barry’s Backyard Bash (8:00 pm)
Best Third Questions & Comments from Wednesday
Do you get to go to the bathroom?
Are your teachers mean? 4th gr. answer They can be. Just do your work.
Where is the rest of the school?
Mr. Barry? (Yes.) You look different over here.
(Two students talking as they were leaving) …it’s not as bad as my sister said it was.
He who laughs, lasts ~ DB
Washington Intermediate, May 23, 2008
http://wisFWR.blogspot.com
It’s not about what happens. It’s about perspective. I may not be able to change
what takes place, but I can always choose to change my thinking.-- Michelle Sedas
Track Meet – Thank you to Roxanne and Karen for organizing the event and to Roxanne for keeping everyone in line the day of the meet. It was a wonderful day at the track! Pictures are on our website!
PTO Carnival – Wow! What a great turnout and fun event for everyone. Thank you to every staff member who helped provide a basket or helped at the carnival. No total yet, but it is estimated to be over $5,000!
Team Planning was time well spent yesterday. I appreciate your work, discussion and focus on what needs to take place to make improvements for next year. Action plans can be found on the intranet and copies will be given to each staff member before summer.
Teacher Career Development Plan – Teachers need to meet with me before you leave for the summer AND create a new three-year plan. These should be completed on the computer and emailed to me before you check out. Goals need to be tied to any of our five district/building goals (reading, math, science, technology or ensuring students feel safe and connected to school.
High School Leadership Update – Mr. Schmidt is doing preliminary interviews this week and weekend. Formal interviews will take place next week.
End of the Year – Continue taking deep breaths and working hard as we finish up the year. We have much left to do and I appreciate your dedication as we close out the year. Events to make note of…
Today – GRADES DUE! Walk Across Red Oak (weather pending)
Sunday – Graduation
Monday – No School (Memorial Day)
Tuesday – ELO Program for all students & staff (2 pm – gym)
Wednesday – 5th Grade Reading Party (PM); Grade cards go home.
Thursday – Year End Assembly (9:00 AM – gym)
– Students dismissed; School’s Our for Summer! (11 am)
– WIS Staff Lunch & Program (11:30 am)
– Teacher work time & check out (12:15 – 4:00 pm)
– District Staff Picnic & Recognition (6:30 pm)
– Barry’s Backyard Bash (8:00 pm)
Best Third Questions & Comments from Wednesday
Do you get to go to the bathroom?
Are your teachers mean? 4th gr. answer They can be. Just do your work.
Where is the rest of the school?
Mr. Barry? (Yes.) You look different over here.
(Two students talking as they were leaving) …it’s not as bad as my sister said it was.
He who laughs, lasts ~ DB
Friday, May 16, 2008
May 15, 2008
http://wistigers.blogspot.com
Remember that who you're being is just as important as what you're doing.
Focus on the attitude behind your behavior.
-- Barbara "BJ" Hateley
Track Meet - is tomorrow! We will be short a few staff members which will make it even more important to talk to your students about responsible and respectful behavior while we are there.
PTO Carnival – Students interested in working the carnival should have received a note with details (thanks Cheri!) this week. Basically, the students need to look for me at the carnival and I will find a spot for them. Thanks to staff who put together a basket, are helping after our meeting today (see Jen Bruce’s email) are helping tomorrow night. It looks like we will have great weather for the event!
Gates & Fluency should be completed and put on the intranet. We are still missing some 5th grade data on the grade level data forms. Please get that entered before the weekend.
ITBS Results – I made into each of the 5th grade rooms and Martinez’s on Wednesday to talk to students about their goals. I will get into the remaining classes today. ALL teachers need to send home the ITBS pamphlets and individual student results today. Talk to your students about the results and then please use your grade card envelops to send them home.
Walk Across Red Oak – Staff will meet today after school to discuss the event and what it will entail.
3rd Grade Parent Orientation – We had 43 parents & students at our orientation Tuesday night. Thank you to the 4th grade teachers, Jan, Linnea, Stephanie, Cheri and Jeannie for being there. I appreciate your time and conversation with parents. I believe this truly does ease the transition and anxiety!
Tuesday, May 20 – Two events will take place on May 20th. In the morning, Angie Spangenberg’s class will be doing historical impersonations in all the classrooms from 10:00-11:20 am. Pairs of students will do 2-3 minutes presentations and then allow students to ask questions. Every 10 minutes, the pairs of students will switch classrooms. A schedule is coming out soon! In the afternoon, Dr. Chris Johnson and Sheriff Updegrove will be taking to 5th graders about the dangers of meth (1:40-12:40).
Transition Day for students is set for next Wednesday. 5th graders will walk over to the MS at 1:20 pm & 3rd graders will be coming at 1:30 pm. Teams should discuss activities and plans before next Wednesday.
Team Planning will be on Thursday, May 22nd. The bulk of your time will be spent doing an item analysis of ITBS results. Teams will also need to review last year’s action plan and update it for next year.
High School Leadership Update – The cut off for applications is today. Screening begins next week with formal interviews likely taking place the following week. Continue the focus on student achievement and learning – although the end is in sight and we tend to fill our days and hours with assemblies, trips and other activities, please continue the focus on student learning. It is a great time of the year to create and use hands on activities that focus on the curriculum. We have much left to do and many hours left with the kids to get some important instruction completed before summer comes! Thank you for continuing the focus on learning!
He who laughs, lasts ~ DB
Remember that who you're being is just as important as what you're doing.
Focus on the attitude behind your behavior.
-- Barbara "BJ" Hateley
Track Meet - is tomorrow! We will be short a few staff members which will make it even more important to talk to your students about responsible and respectful behavior while we are there.
PTO Carnival – Students interested in working the carnival should have received a note with details (thanks Cheri!) this week. Basically, the students need to look for me at the carnival and I will find a spot for them. Thanks to staff who put together a basket, are helping after our meeting today (see Jen Bruce’s email) are helping tomorrow night. It looks like we will have great weather for the event!
Gates & Fluency should be completed and put on the intranet. We are still missing some 5th grade data on the grade level data forms. Please get that entered before the weekend.
ITBS Results – I made into each of the 5th grade rooms and Martinez’s on Wednesday to talk to students about their goals. I will get into the remaining classes today. ALL teachers need to send home the ITBS pamphlets and individual student results today. Talk to your students about the results and then please use your grade card envelops to send them home.
Walk Across Red Oak – Staff will meet today after school to discuss the event and what it will entail.
3rd Grade Parent Orientation – We had 43 parents & students at our orientation Tuesday night. Thank you to the 4th grade teachers, Jan, Linnea, Stephanie, Cheri and Jeannie for being there. I appreciate your time and conversation with parents. I believe this truly does ease the transition and anxiety!
Tuesday, May 20 – Two events will take place on May 20th. In the morning, Angie Spangenberg’s class will be doing historical impersonations in all the classrooms from 10:00-11:20 am. Pairs of students will do 2-3 minutes presentations and then allow students to ask questions. Every 10 minutes, the pairs of students will switch classrooms. A schedule is coming out soon! In the afternoon, Dr. Chris Johnson and Sheriff Updegrove will be taking to 5th graders about the dangers of meth (1:40-12:40).
Transition Day for students is set for next Wednesday. 5th graders will walk over to the MS at 1:20 pm & 3rd graders will be coming at 1:30 pm. Teams should discuss activities and plans before next Wednesday.
Team Planning will be on Thursday, May 22nd. The bulk of your time will be spent doing an item analysis of ITBS results. Teams will also need to review last year’s action plan and update it for next year.
High School Leadership Update – The cut off for applications is today. Screening begins next week with formal interviews likely taking place the following week. Continue the focus on student achievement and learning – although the end is in sight and we tend to fill our days and hours with assemblies, trips and other activities, please continue the focus on student learning. It is a great time of the year to create and use hands on activities that focus on the curriculum. We have much left to do and many hours left with the kids to get some important instruction completed before summer comes! Thank you for continuing the focus on learning!
He who laughs, lasts ~ DB
Friday, May 9, 2008
May 9, 2008
The Friday Weather Report
Track Meet - is postponed until next Friday, May 16th.
PTO Carnival – If you have students who would be interested in working the PTO Carnival next Friday and would be responsible, please turn their names into the office sometime today or Monday. The sign-up for working the evening is in the lounge. Please participate however you can.
Gates & Fluency should be completed. Please enter the data onto the individual classroom sheets located on the intranet first. Next, enter the data onto the grade level forms. If you have questions, please see me.
ITBS Results - I know we did not spend much time going over the results on Wednesday. We will look at the results in detail on May 22nd during team planning time. We are calculating whether students reached their own goals and should be able to let staff and students know early next week.
After School Math Celebration - thank you for all your help this year with the program. The kids had a lot of fun during the year and I appreciate the extra work you put into it.
All Teachers – who have me for an evaluator need to schedule a final conference with me. Those on cycle, we will go over the portfolio, comprehensive review, and go over the summative evaluation. All teachers will need to meet with me to go over the summative evaluation and Individual Teacher Career Development Plan by May 16th. You will need to bring the ITCD plan with you and necessary documentation (data, etc.). I will schedule those who did not turn in time yet.
High School Leadership Update – Mr. Schmidt and the interview team met with four candidates for the Assistant HS/AD position on Wednesday. An announcement may come as soon as next Monday. Recruitment for the HS principal continues.
Track Meet - is postponed until next Friday, May 16th.
PTO Carnival – If you have students who would be interested in working the PTO Carnival next Friday and would be responsible, please turn their names into the office sometime today or Monday. The sign-up for working the evening is in the lounge. Please participate however you can.
Gates & Fluency should be completed. Please enter the data onto the individual classroom sheets located on the intranet first. Next, enter the data onto the grade level forms. If you have questions, please see me.
ITBS Results - I know we did not spend much time going over the results on Wednesday. We will look at the results in detail on May 22nd during team planning time. We are calculating whether students reached their own goals and should be able to let staff and students know early next week.
After School Math Celebration - thank you for all your help this year with the program. The kids had a lot of fun during the year and I appreciate the extra work you put into it.
All Teachers – who have me for an evaluator need to schedule a final conference with me. Those on cycle, we will go over the portfolio, comprehensive review, and go over the summative evaluation. All teachers will need to meet with me to go over the summative evaluation and Individual Teacher Career Development Plan by May 16th. You will need to bring the ITCD plan with you and necessary documentation (data, etc.). I will schedule those who did not turn in time yet.
High School Leadership Update – Mr. Schmidt and the interview team met with four candidates for the Assistant HS/AD position on Wednesday. An announcement may come as soon as next Monday. Recruitment for the HS principal continues.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
May 2, 2008
The Friday Weather Report
PTO Carnival – Great ideas yesterday! E-mail Teresa Euken directly if your class has your basket idea. The sign-up for working the evening is in the lounge. Please participate however you can. I do not want students to feel like they have to contribute monetarily but know that kids would love to help however they can. Have fun with it – I think it is a great idea and the kids will love it.
Purchase Orders for 2007-08 are due Friday, May 2nd. These would include any PTO purchases for this year. Orders for next year (2008-09) will not be due until after our May team planning day.
Gates & Fluency will be completed next week (May 5th). Please coordinate the schedule with Lorie before the week ends.
Parent Advisory Meeting – Our last one of the year will be on May 6, at 7:00 pm. Any staff members are welcome to join us too. We will be finalizing approval of attendance policy and discussing spring, summer and 2008-09 items.
After School Math Celebration will take place on Tuesday, May 6th. We will have each teacher keep their own students from 3:10 – 3:45 to practice and then have a class contest to choose four students. Four students from each room will compete in the gym starting at 3:45 pm. Please let your students know that parents and grandparents are welcome to join us in the classroom and gym.
Professional Development –Next PD is scheduled for May 7th at IPS. The Smart Board presentation has been postponed. We are looking to purchase 2 SmartBoards for our building before the end of the year and training would take place with the boards we have in place.
All Teachers – who have me for an evaluator need to schedule a final conference with me. Those on cycle, we will go over the portfolio, comprehensive review, and go over the summative evaluation. All teachers will need to meet with me to go over the summative evaluation and Individual Teacher Career Development Plan by May 16th. You will need to bring the ITCD plan with you and necessary documentation (data, etc.). If you do not schedule one by the end of the day Wed, May 7, it will be scheduled for you.
Track & Field Day – Notes for track should be sent home today (Thurs). Please post the schedule in your room and begin talking to students about expectations when we are at the track on May 9th.
High School Leadership Update – Mr. Schmidt announced that formal 'team interviews' for Associate Principal will take place on Wednesday, May 7. The team is made up of HS staff, parents, board members and Mr. Schmidt. The advertisement for the Senior HS Administrator was in this past Sunday’s paper and screening and interviews will take place in mid-May.
I love Calvin & Hobbes. This one made me think about a few “situations” that have come up with students (and staff J) the past couple weeks. Remember, they are kids. They are not adults. Many of these kids are dealing with adult like problems at home and sometimes we lose sight of that. Do your best. Be patient. Give a hug.
PTO Carnival – Great ideas yesterday! E-mail Teresa Euken directly if your class has your basket idea. The sign-up for working the evening is in the lounge. Please participate however you can. I do not want students to feel like they have to contribute monetarily but know that kids would love to help however they can. Have fun with it – I think it is a great idea and the kids will love it.
Purchase Orders for 2007-08 are due Friday, May 2nd. These would include any PTO purchases for this year. Orders for next year (2008-09) will not be due until after our May team planning day.
Gates & Fluency will be completed next week (May 5th). Please coordinate the schedule with Lorie before the week ends.
Parent Advisory Meeting – Our last one of the year will be on May 6, at 7:00 pm. Any staff members are welcome to join us too. We will be finalizing approval of attendance policy and discussing spring, summer and 2008-09 items.
After School Math Celebration will take place on Tuesday, May 6th. We will have each teacher keep their own students from 3:10 – 3:45 to practice and then have a class contest to choose four students. Four students from each room will compete in the gym starting at 3:45 pm. Please let your students know that parents and grandparents are welcome to join us in the classroom and gym.
Professional Development –Next PD is scheduled for May 7th at IPS. The Smart Board presentation has been postponed. We are looking to purchase 2 SmartBoards for our building before the end of the year and training would take place with the boards we have in place.
All Teachers – who have me for an evaluator need to schedule a final conference with me. Those on cycle, we will go over the portfolio, comprehensive review, and go over the summative evaluation. All teachers will need to meet with me to go over the summative evaluation and Individual Teacher Career Development Plan by May 16th. You will need to bring the ITCD plan with you and necessary documentation (data, etc.). If you do not schedule one by the end of the day Wed, May 7, it will be scheduled for you.
Track & Field Day – Notes for track should be sent home today (Thurs). Please post the schedule in your room and begin talking to students about expectations when we are at the track on May 9th.
High School Leadership Update – Mr. Schmidt announced that formal 'team interviews' for Associate Principal will take place on Wednesday, May 7. The team is made up of HS staff, parents, board members and Mr. Schmidt. The advertisement for the Senior HS Administrator was in this past Sunday’s paper and screening and interviews will take place in mid-May.
I love Calvin & Hobbes. This one made me think about a few “situations” that have come up with students (and staff J) the past couple weeks. Remember, they are kids. They are not adults. Many of these kids are dealing with adult like problems at home and sometimes we lose sight of that. Do your best. Be patient. Give a hug.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
April 25, 2008
FWR – The weekly memo is provided to keep everyone on the same page about issues, events and activities. The expectation is that anyone involved in Washington’s activities should at least skim the memo to make sure you’re aware of what is going on (prior week, next week or down the road). I feel this beats a weekly meeting, but would encourage input if you feel that a weekly meeting would be a more productive way to disseminate information.
5th Grade Music Program was great! The kids looked professional and sang wonderfully. Congrats to Ms. Mann and thanks to the 5th grade teachers who helped put the “nifty” props into the “Nifty Fifty” song. You must have done well in elementary art growing up! The 5th graders will present two songs to the 4th grade Monday at 2:15 pm. I will continue to post pictures from the program & some videos on the website (http://wistigers.blogspot.com/).
Science Fair - Teanna Pafford (5-2) took “Best of Show” in the 3-5 division. Her project was titled “Popcorn Madness.” Washington contestants in the 3-5 division receiving a third place ribbon included Cassie Vrabel and Sydnee Esaias. Receiving second place ribbons were Vincent Breedlove, Chase Rea, and Brenna Craig. First place ribbons were awarded to Grace Blomstedt and Jamie Storesund. My wife, boys, and I though the projects were great and the kids did a nice job!
ICAMs should be returned to the office no later than Monday, April 28.
School Board meeting scheduled for Monday, April 28, at 6:30 P.M, will be at the IPS media center.
Purchase Orders for 2007-08 are due next Friday, May 2nd. These would include any PTO purchases for this year. Orders for next year (2008-09) will not be due until after our May team planning day.
Gates & Fluency will be completed the week of May 5th. Please coordinate the schedule with Lorie.
After School Math Celebration will take place on Tuesday, May 6th. We will have each teacher keep their own students from 3:10 – 3:45 to practice and then have a class contest to choose four students. Four students from each room will compete in the gym starting at 3:45 pm. Please let your students know that parents and grandparents are welcome to join us in the classroom and gym.
Professional Development – Vocabulary implementation logs are due in the office. Next PD is scheduled for May 7th at IPS. A Smart Board presentation will take place in the high school at 3:00 pm that afternoon. Also, thanks to Sandra for stepping into the past two leadership team meetings.
School Board meeting scheduled for Monday, April 28, at 6:30 P.M, will be at the IPS media center.
Local Wellness Policy – Repeat announcement….The state department completed a review of our local wellness policy and food service operations. Under areas needing more work, it sited “withholding recess and PE to complete class work or as discipline is not recommended.” Refer to the Demo Schools February News, Notes & Wellness newsletter located in the lounge for rationale and alternatives.” Possibly a good discussion for your team – I would be glad to sit in. Full report is available in the lounge. Another study with useful suggestions can be found by clicking here.
5th Grade Music Program was great! The kids looked professional and sang wonderfully. Congrats to Ms. Mann and thanks to the 5th grade teachers who helped put the “nifty” props into the “Nifty Fifty” song. You must have done well in elementary art growing up! The 5th graders will present two songs to the 4th grade Monday at 2:15 pm. I will continue to post pictures from the program & some videos on the website (http://wistigers.blogspot.com/).
Science Fair - Teanna Pafford (5-2) took “Best of Show” in the 3-5 division. Her project was titled “Popcorn Madness.” Washington contestants in the 3-5 division receiving a third place ribbon included Cassie Vrabel and Sydnee Esaias. Receiving second place ribbons were Vincent Breedlove, Chase Rea, and Brenna Craig. First place ribbons were awarded to Grace Blomstedt and Jamie Storesund. My wife, boys, and I though the projects were great and the kids did a nice job!
ICAMs should be returned to the office no later than Monday, April 28.
School Board meeting scheduled for Monday, April 28, at 6:30 P.M, will be at the IPS media center.
Purchase Orders for 2007-08 are due next Friday, May 2nd. These would include any PTO purchases for this year. Orders for next year (2008-09) will not be due until after our May team planning day.
Gates & Fluency will be completed the week of May 5th. Please coordinate the schedule with Lorie.
After School Math Celebration will take place on Tuesday, May 6th. We will have each teacher keep their own students from 3:10 – 3:45 to practice and then have a class contest to choose four students. Four students from each room will compete in the gym starting at 3:45 pm. Please let your students know that parents and grandparents are welcome to join us in the classroom and gym.
Professional Development – Vocabulary implementation logs are due in the office. Next PD is scheduled for May 7th at IPS. A Smart Board presentation will take place in the high school at 3:00 pm that afternoon. Also, thanks to Sandra for stepping into the past two leadership team meetings.
School Board meeting scheduled for Monday, April 28, at 6:30 P.M, will be at the IPS media center.
Local Wellness Policy – Repeat announcement….The state department completed a review of our local wellness policy and food service operations. Under areas needing more work, it sited “withholding recess and PE to complete class work or as discipline is not recommended.” Refer to the Demo Schools February News, Notes & Wellness newsletter located in the lounge for rationale and alternatives.” Possibly a good discussion for your team – I would be glad to sit in. Full report is available in the lounge. Another study with useful suggestions can be found by clicking here.
He who laughs, lasts – DB
Friday, April 18, 2008
April 18, 2008
Tough Times – my grandfather use to tell me before a sporting event or after a trying time (usually after being dumped by a girlfriend) to “Get my nose hard.” I never really understood that phrase growing up, but the reality and harshness of real life has allowed me to understand it over time. Even outside of events our district has faced the past three springs, April and May bring the 6-8 weeks in education that require us to ‘get our nose hard.’ There will be times students test our patience or tap dance on our nerves, but I appreciate you continuing to focus on what needs to get done between now and the last day of school. Please continue to support the students academic and emotional needs the best you can each and every day - Jeannie and I are there to support yours!
Our National Library Week ready party will be postponed until Thursday, May 1st. Thank you to Jan for putting this all together and making the needed changes and phone calls yesterday.
Young Writers – Thank you to Connie and Cheri for chaperoning the students on their trip this week. I heard from many kids yesterday that it was “the best time ever!” I’m thankful we can provide an opportunity like Young Writers for our students.
Local Wellness Policy – The state department completed a review of our local wellness policy and food service operations. Under areas needing more work, it sited “withholding recess and PE to complete class work or as discipline is not recommended. Refer to the Demo Schools February News, Notes & Wellness newsletter for rationale and alternatives.” Possibly a good discussion for your team – I would be glad to sit in. The full report is available in the lounge. Another study with useful suggestions can be found by clicking here.
The K-5 Science Fair is scheduled for Monday, April 21. It will begin at 3:45 P.M. in the IPS cafeteria.
5th Grade Music Program is set for Monday, April 21 at 7:00 pm. It will take place in the middle school gym and I hope to see many of you there in support of the students and Ms. Mann. I know they have been working hard to prepare!
ICAMs will take place next week. 4th grade teachers should pick up materials from the office before leaving today. We are only taking 2 tests this year.
Leadership team will meet on Wednesday, April 23, at 12:15 P.M. Mark and Sandra will attend.
School Board meeting scheduled for Monday, April 28, at 6:30 P.M, will be at the IPS media center.
Smart Board presentation – tentative plans indicate a presentation during our May 7th PD. Bob has set up it up for 3:00 P.M. I will get you the final word when I receive it.
WEBSITE – Please look for ways to tie in student writing tasks/assignments to projects that can be posted on the website. You all do units or projects in your class on a weekly basis that students can share through the writing process. If you need ideas, let me know. A prize will go to the first classroom who supplies three articles for the website about their class, our school or community. How about a prize to the first three teachers who indicate they have read this far in the memo too.
Our National Library Week ready party will be postponed until Thursday, May 1st. Thank you to Jan for putting this all together and making the needed changes and phone calls yesterday.
Young Writers – Thank you to Connie and Cheri for chaperoning the students on their trip this week. I heard from many kids yesterday that it was “the best time ever!” I’m thankful we can provide an opportunity like Young Writers for our students.
Local Wellness Policy – The state department completed a review of our local wellness policy and food service operations. Under areas needing more work, it sited “withholding recess and PE to complete class work or as discipline is not recommended. Refer to the Demo Schools February News, Notes & Wellness newsletter for rationale and alternatives.” Possibly a good discussion for your team – I would be glad to sit in. The full report is available in the lounge. Another study with useful suggestions can be found by clicking here.
The K-5 Science Fair is scheduled for Monday, April 21. It will begin at 3:45 P.M. in the IPS cafeteria.
5th Grade Music Program is set for Monday, April 21 at 7:00 pm. It will take place in the middle school gym and I hope to see many of you there in support of the students and Ms. Mann. I know they have been working hard to prepare!
ICAMs will take place next week. 4th grade teachers should pick up materials from the office before leaving today. We are only taking 2 tests this year.
Leadership team will meet on Wednesday, April 23, at 12:15 P.M. Mark and Sandra will attend.
School Board meeting scheduled for Monday, April 28, at 6:30 P.M, will be at the IPS media center.
Smart Board presentation – tentative plans indicate a presentation during our May 7th PD. Bob has set up it up for 3:00 P.M. I will get you the final word when I receive it.
WEBSITE – Please look for ways to tie in student writing tasks/assignments to projects that can be posted on the website. You all do units or projects in your class on a weekly basis that students can share through the writing process. If you need ideas, let me know. A prize will go to the first classroom who supplies three articles for the website about their class, our school or community. How about a prize to the first three teachers who indicate they have read this far in the memo too.
Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you,
but not in one ahead.”—Bill McGlashen
He who laughs, lasts – DB
He who laughs, lasts – DB
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