Quote to consider:
‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.’ ~Elanor Roosevelt
To Dos:
STAFF PD SELECTION: We look forward to connecting as a whole staff for the professional development planned during SIW time on March 30, 2022. Our three SIW PDs will focus on the three areas we have been observed on over the course of the year using the Mini Observation Feedback Tool:
March 30- Productive Response to Student Needs
April- Education for All
May- High Quality Instruction
In our efforts to support staff choice/voice in what PD they attend, please rate your interest in each subtopic on this survey and we will do our best to honor your preference, while balancing each small group..
INTERRUPTING BIAS: Please review this interrupting bias document shared recently by Kinsey.
As you likely know, microaggressions are everyday actions, comments, and behaviors which are derogatory or hostile to any marginalized identity group. As a staff, we spent time on this topic last spring, covering this tool during an equity activity in a staff meeting and sharing this important document from the HDMS counseling team. Also, for your reference, here is the HDMS equity statement. Please dig into these documents and reflect on ways you can aim to ensure that your classroom is a microaggression-free environment.
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION: Nominations are now being accepted for our Excellence in Education awards! This event is designed to honor district employees who have distinguished themselves during the 2021-22 school year with their leadership, innovation, outstanding professional practice, and positive contributions at work and in the community.
We are looking to honor one certified and one classified staff member from each school, and a staff member from as many departments as possible. The nomination form is linked here and due to Wendy by March 18
CONFERENCE PLANNING: Please consider how you may hold student-led conferences (or a scavenger style activity) as these are great alternatives to traditional conferences and a great way for students to ‘own their learning’ as well as support teachers not having to be in multiple places at the same time. It also shares the responsibility of the learning and knowledge, instead of having the teacher be the only one who can share academic progress with parents. Consider the resource below from the Secondary Instructional blog.
Authors Linda Adams and Colleen Behrens share their experiences with student led conferences as a way to increase student ownership of learning.
Student-led Conferences Means Empowering Student Voice
WEEKLY AVID & ELL TIP: When we return from spring break, please set aside time early in the week to review the weekly AVID and ELL tips and look for opportunities to embed them into your practice. The AVID tip of the week is found here and the ELL tip of the week is found here.
Bits and Bobs:
POSITIVE PARENT POSTCARDS UPDATE: Thank you for taking the time to write positive parent postcards! There are still some labels remaining in the staff lounge, so we’re hoping that you can check to see if there are any of your students remaining and write them a postcard. Thanks to Kerri who added these directions for future postcards to make sure that there is room for the postage.
Additionally, rather than having you give students the postcards that are unsendable as we originally planned, the office staff is going to take any undeliverable postcards, put them in an envelope, re-readdress them, and send them to the student’s family. (Thanks to the office staff for their work on this and to Manuel for the idea!)
FROM THE MALINOWSKI FAMILY: Former HDMS teacher Louise Malinowski passed away peacefully at home on Feb 22nd. Louise will be loved and missed by so many. If you would like to attend her service, details are listed below. Louise loved High Desert with all of her being. From the day it opened she bled PURPLE. Teaching 6th grade was truly her passion. She loved all athletics and did an amazing job as Athletic Director for so many years.
Service details:
Where: High Desert Middle School Gymnasium
Date: April 2nd
Time: 12:00-3:00
We will have a presentation then snacks and social time after. There will be many pictures and stories to share!
Reminders:
DI SPIRIT GEAR: Here is the flyer with ordering information. This online store will be open for orders through Friday, April 8th.
BIAS INCIDENT FORM: Be sure you have read and are following the directive sent out in an all staff email (linked here) on 3.14.22 regarding responding to bias incidents. If you hear offensive, hurtful and/or derogatory language (language with negative intent based on gender, race, sexual orientation, religion) please respond (send offending student to the office). Then, if the language was bias, please fill out this form (state reporting for bias incidents), once you submit this form you will get a confirmation email, you must forward it to Nole and Wendy, without this step we won’t have any details to take our next administrative step (we will transfer the information onto our internal form on your behalf).
High Desert Highlights:
