Quote to consider:
“Betterment is a perpetual labor.” ~Atul Gawande
To Dos:
KINDNESS: At our last staff meeting we asked that our building show kindness, acceptance and relationships by reaching out to a staff member and asking some follow up questions to their padlet post as a way to further build connection and community.
ADVISORY: Make sure you have led your advisory students through the Take Home Conference activity, as this will support our students and families with a current picture of their students school status. (Paper copies are encouraged- it is OK to print a class set at school! Digital versions are acceptable if it works best for you.)
CONFERENCES: Please log into MyConference and make sure you have an account. Signing in with Google is an easy way to do this. Click here for details that were previously shared in an email from Wendy.
Bits and Bobs:
GRADING PRACTICES: Here is a video that talks about the five instructional strategies that align with AVID and WICOR. In this video, you will hear info about feedback and to use your time more efficiently.
Here is additional information regarding grading practices.
If you are interested in learning more, there is a lot of great stuff in the book Embedding Formative Assessment. One chapter in particular goes into how much time teacher’s should spend on grades/feedback. The 25% rule stood out to me.
25% Detailed teacher feedback
25% Student self scoring/feedback
25% Peer feedback
25% Not for grade or quick scoring
FROM CANVAS COACHES: Please remember to check grade accuracy between Canvas and Synergy. Even though grades sync automatically it is good practice to double check that the grades match in both locations.
Teachers who teach quarter classes: Your new class shells will populate November 3rd. If you need assistance with your new quarter classes Lisa will be available Thursday Oct. 28th from 9:00-10:00 in her room (T2). If you’d prefer to meet via WebEx please email her directly.
Teachers who teach year-long classes: Please add pages for weeks 13-18 to your Previous Weeks page to prepare for the rest of Semester 1. If you need assistance with this, Elissa is available Thursday, October 28th from 10:00-11:00 in her WebEx room. Please email her if you would like help during that time.
FROM COLLEEN FUNDERBURG: Since next Thursday, Oct 28th is a MS conference day and it is also a paid work day for our inclusion educational assistants we put together some professional development opportunities that classified staff can attend. Here is the flyer.
CLASSIFIED TEAM SUPERVISING CLASSES: From the district office: There may be situations in which a classified staff member is used to supervise a class. When this happens there are important things to remember:
- They are supervising the class, not teaching the class.
- They should be introduced to the class by an administrator or licensed staff member as the someone who will be supervising the class. “Students, Mrs. Smith will be supervising you today while your teacher is gone. If you need assistance from her as you work on your assignments, please ask her.”
- An administrator or licensed staff member should check in with the classified staff member periodically during their supervision time.
- The classified staff member should not be asked to plan lessons or develop curriculum.
Reminders:
POSITIVITY IN THE HALLWAY: Thanks for being available in the hallways with positivity (and Diamondbucks!) whenever possible. As Koop shared at our last staff meeting, passing period is a great opportunity to connect with a variety of students! Additionally, don’t forget about your hallway sweep duty; see the link at the right of the blog’s homepage for duty assignments.
High Desert Highlights:
