9.9.21

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Quote to consider:

“The past year we learned that everything in schools that looks fixed and hardened is actually contingent and flexible.

There are three possible scenarios as schools begin the 2021-22 year:

  • Returning to the status quo before the pandemic;
  • Focusing on remediation of learning loss;
  • Using the events of the last 19 months to reflect and reinvent.” 

~Justin Reich and Jal Mehta (click here for a summary of and link to the full article)

To Dos:

EVALUATION:  Ensure you have reviewed the staff evaluation rubric linked here that corresponds to your job title as this will be what you will use as a self reflection tool and will be what admin uses for feedback throughout the year. 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:  Here is the schedule for our SIWs and staff meetings for the rest of the year.  This document will be updated with additional details on an on-going basis.  These meeting dates will also be added to the HDMS calendar. 

STAFF DUTIES:  In an effort to continue to reduce the number of demands on teachers, we are eliminating the thrice yearly two-week teacher duty assignments!  (Note: We may have to revisit this later this year or next, depending on many factors, but our aim will always be to provide as much time as possible for teachers to focus on the essential parts of their work.)  We are continuing the practice of a daily five minute teacher duty assignment during the passing period immediately prior to your prep period.  More specifics coming soon; in the meantime, please be present in the halls daily during the passing period prior to your prep, positively reinforcing students meeting expectations.   

EQUITY AND LEAD COHORT:  Equity is important to me as your leader and is an essential component of ensuring “education for all.”  Our building’s equity work takes many forms, and each of you is involved in different ways.  One way we know is critical for sustainability is to involve students–to have productive conversations with students around equity issues, and to make thoughtful steps forward as a team, so we can learn together as a community.  

To help us with that, our district’s LEAD Cohort has developed some awesome resources. Each certified teacher, please complete the following during September:

  • Review the website of resources with your grade-level team/department
  • Select one of the “Tier I” strategies you will commit to implementing in your class in September
  • Be prepared to share your implementation and reflections at a staff meeting this fall

Reach out to myself or our LEAD Cohort representative (Julie McCabe) with any questions!

Bits and Bobs:

FIELD TRIPS: From the district office: Currently we are not allowing field trips with buses. Walking field trips are allowed as long as masks are worn at all times and socially distancing is maintained. We will revisit this on October 1st. 

6TH-12TH GRADE CANVAS EXPECTATIONS: Linked here.

HDMS FAQ: Linked here; use this document on an on-going basis to get your questions answered.

SLIDESHOW LINKS: 

MS START/END TIMES:  As you read from Dr. Cook, due to lack of bus drivers, middle schools in the district will start at 9:15am and will end at 4:10pm (2:40pm on Wednesdays).  Teacher work times are 8:30am-4:30pm.  

Click here for this year’s bell schedule; building doors will open for students at 9:00am.   

MASKING DIRECTIVE:  Masks are to be worn at all times indoors (regardless of vax status) unless you’re alone in a room/office with a closed door.  For further details, see this document from BLS HR Director Steven Herron for details on our current masking mandate at school. 

For masking issues with students, BLS middle schools will be following this updated flowchart.  As always, we will start with positive reinforcement, friendly reminders, and explicit teaching of the expectations with our students.  As the flowchart states, if a student continues to struggle meeting mask expectations or if the masking issue turns to defiance, please refer them to the administrative team.  For your convenience, we’ve created this letter home in English and Spanish as a starting point for staff for parent communication; feel free to use, make your own, or ignore.  

Here is a great article on talking points of the potential positives of mask wearing in schools for students you can consider referencing if/when talking with students/families about masking in schools. 

EMAIL BEST PRACTICES: 

  • Do not send student identification information (eg: full name) through regular email, which isn’t secure.  You may send this information via Google Drive or BLsend.  Additionally, if using email, you may use the student’s initials, grade, and student ID.  
  • Always use the BCC function whenever sending mass emails to families.  It is not appropriate for family’s emails addresses to be viewable to other recipients.  
  • Please limit the use of all HDMS emails as much as possible.  If you’d like something shared out with all staff, you can always send it to the admin team to be added to the next blog post. 

DISTRICT ADMIN VISITS FYI:  Juan Cuadros, BLS’s new director of middle schools, plans to visit HDMS at least once a month, likely Tues AMs or Thurs PMs.  Additionally, Superintendent Dr. Cook and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Nordquist also plan to visit HDMS regularly.  

VIRTUAL VS IN PERSON MEETINGS:  Click here for an article that will be a component to help guide our thinking when scheduling virtual vs. in-person content/PLC/parent/staff etc meetings.

Reminders:

GOING BACK TO BETTER:  If you haven’t already, please email the ICCL person that led your breakout room during our staff visioning meeting your K-W-L document.  We will be adding the K-W-Ls to this document to help guide our ongoing PD as we focus our Going Back to Better work school-wide on:

  • High Quality Instruction 
  • Education For All
  • Productive Response to Student Need

WORDS THAT ENCOURAGE STUDENTS:  Check out this article on seven comments high effective teachers use to empower students and create a supportive classroom environment.

High Desert Highlights: