9-25-2015

Thanks to Lauren D, Colleen and Rich for bringing in Kay McKeen today from scarce.  She puts on a very informational assembly for all of our 6th grade students about limiting waste and recycling/reusing materials that will help our environment.  This information will come into use on their outdoor ed trip and hopefully beyond.

Please don't forget to turn in/meet with me about your 2 growth goals by October 1st.  It has been nice to talk with so many teachers over their student data and possible goals.

Read this article with the mindset that our "customer experience" is how we work with students and parents.
https://disneyinstitute.com/blog/2015/09/customer-service-versus-customer-experience-whats-the-differenceand-why-it-matt/375/

Thanks to Michelle for bringing Newberry Award winning author Cynthia Lord in for grade level presentations.  It will be exciting for students to hear from a successful author about her experiences
and writing tips.

If you haven't met Carol Hayes yet, please stop down to the LMC and say hi.  Carol is doing her clinical hours in library science at our school.

I want to thank the hard work of Steve and Laura in the directions room.  They have had to deal with some difficult situations recently and are doing a great job with their students.

Thanks to Michelle F for securing some student prizes from scholastic that we can hand out on Friday's in return for Fish Slips.  Please continue to hand them out for students that are Being There, Making Your Day, Playing, and Choosing your attitude.

More than 400,000+ high resolution Art images, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art
http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online

Please give any boxes that you might have to Alex and Colleen for the upcoming student council food drive.

I want to thank all of our staff for working with our students on the ALICE safety training.  Those difficult conversations make all of us safer and better prepared.

Ten Great Ted Talks for Lead Learners
http://www.inc.com/laura-garnett/forget-business-school-just-watch-these-10-ted-talks.html

Please note that next Wednesday is the 5th Wednesday in September so we do not have a meeting after school.

How you can get introverted students to collaborate.
https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/how-you-can-get-introverted-students-to-collaborate?
utm_content=20153604&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

9-18-2015

It's been great getting into classes this week, yesterday Chris F, M.J. and Debbie O, were working in perfect harmony, actively supporting the students in 4th period math.   It was awesome to see all of the students needs being met with teamwork.

The next link comes from Dr. Ehrhardt.  This school found 100 year old teacher writings and drawings on old chalkboards as they were renovating.  This is really neat to see and read about.  Click on the pictures and watch the video at the end.
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/36940

Please remember that we will be on an AM assembly schedule on Monday to go over the ALICE Script with students. Detective Mowrer's discussion during our learning meeting was a good refresher and provided us information to use as talking points with our students on school safety.  I will follow up with the intercom access and Manny and Frank will be installing the secondary locks next week.

Article on Parent Teacher Conferences:
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/conference-time-chatting-with-parents-nick-provenzano
Also based on teacher feedback our Finalized Conference Times are as follows:
November 3  4:00pm-7:30pm
November 5  4:00pm-7:30pm
November 12 4:00pm-7:00pm

I am looking forward on Wednesday to Jessica Adam's student presentations on simple machines that they built.  What a great idea to have parents come in and show off the Maker Space as well.

Bizarre Productivity Hacks from the worlds greatest minds:
http://www.inc.com/molly-reynolds/17-bizarre-productivity-hacks-from-the-world-s-greatest-achievers.html?cid=sf01001

Thanks to PST Team for organizing and compiling the data for our grade level data meetings.  Special thanks to Nicole for leading the charge.  Yesterday was filled with meaningful discussions on helping students based upon test scores, classroom grades and teacher input.  We are doing a lot of things to be proud of at BMS!

Colleen Morgan is working with our grant writers to establish an edible garden on school grounds.  Thanks for stepping up to the plate for this green initiative.

Fun history of Pizza in the United States:

I'm looking forward to the Author visit from Newberry Award Winner Cynthia Lord on Friday of next week.  Thanks to Michelle for putting together this wonderful opportunity for students.

It was nice to recognize newly tenured teachers Jessica E and Michelle F along with new staff members Courtney M, Jackie P, Ryan H and Cody A at the school board meeting on Monday.  As an added bonus they got to listen to the fiscal year Final Budget presentation by Dr. Clark.  Please feel free to ask them any questions on the school budgeting and funding process!

Drama is life with the dull bits cut out.

Alfred Hitchcock (1899 - 1980)   

History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon.

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 - 1821)   

Talking much about oneself can also be a means to conceal oneself.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)   

By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity. Another man's, I mean.

Mark Twain (1835 - 1910), Following the Equator (1897)

9-11-2015

The eighth grade team is operating on a special schedule due to the showing of the September 11th film.  I know that social studies classes will spend a moment about this important day in our nations history.

Come see what a reverse dunk tank is during recesses today.  Kids will have a good time while making money for student council.  Thanks to Alex for organizing this event.

Interesting article on if a "Growth Mindset" can work in schools.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2015/07/why_a_growth_mindset_wont_work.html?intc=mrs

Michelle and Marcia had a vision and heard the truth or they spent a day testing vision and hearing for our youth, either way it was impressive and appreciated.

Barb Ogorek is asking that we start calling her by her new nickname "Major Maker" as she has been very helpful in her duties and responsibilities with the Maker Space.  We appreciate the extra effort.

5 tips for teaching and reaching the tough kids.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/tips-for-teaching-tough-kids-josh-work?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=blog-tips-for-teaching-tough-kids-feb-repost

Mark Caliendo has alerted me that we have 30 out of the 60 5th graders that have signed up as interested in Band this year.  Please help to encourage these students and others as Mark continues to grow our band in numbers and talent.

Thanks to Chris, Lauren and Ellen for the surprise cookie treat on Wednesday after school.  That really made a lot of peoples day.  Speaking of Wednesday, I was very impressed with the ideas and work that was put into peoples growth goals.  Please schedule a time with me to sit down with me to discuss your growth goals if you are on cycle.

Ali Partovi 3 minutes on why teaching coding to students is imperative.

As I visit classroom I continue to be amazed by the awesomeness of our teaching assistants.  You guys are rock stars!  Thank you.

Thanks to Todd and Nicole for working with the grade level teams to set up the schedule for Second Step, which is an important part of our students social emotional learning.


Thanks to Jessica and Todd for going to Evergreen to help get aimsweb testing completed.  Your willingness to Be There to get the job done is appreciated.

Ellen did a great job of putting the newsletter together.  Thanks to everyone for their efforts on this very important communication tool with parents.

Pictures honoring the 14th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nation-honors-victims-sept-11-attacks-n425461

9-4-2015

For those of you on cycle, this is your formal invitation to set up a meeting with me for evaluation this year.  Just stop by to schedule a date and time for us to meet.  When we sit down we will talk about your evaluation and the student growth component.  Please give consideration to if you are doing a traditional evaluation or an alternative.  If you are doing traditional evaluation our meeting will serve as a pre-conference for your first observation and a brainstorming session for your growth component.  If you are doing an alternative evaluation we can go over form 1 and 2 as well as brainstorm your student growth component.  When you stop by to schedule this initial meeting we can discuss the positives and challenges of both evaluation formats to help you decide which way you would like to pursue this year.  Please come to me in the next two weeks to get this meeting on our calendars.

Really good article on 4 skills to teach students(not just on the first five days of school) anytime.
http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/21/four-skills-to-teach-students-in-the-first-five-days-of-school-alan-november/

Thanks to Greg for spending the day giving a tour of the Maker Space.  It will be open for business next week and we will make announcements to inform the kids.

No Genius Left Behind

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/angela-maiers/no-genius-left-behind_b_8046806.html

Please make sure you are handing out fish slips to reward students when you see them Making someone's day, being there, playing or choosing their attitude"  Our prize drawer is restocked and we are going to have students redeem them on Friday at the end of the day.  We are working on bigger prizes for students that save their slips. We also put "off the hook" slips in the lounge so you could recognize your peers when they do something nice for you.

6 non-teaching books every teacher should read.

http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/6-non-teaching-books-every-teacher-should-read

Thanks to Alex and Colleen for running the magazine sale for student council.  Students will get a chance to reverse dunk tank(water pours on top of me from above, think Flashdance...well maybe don't think Flashdance as I am no Jennifer Beals) me on Friday, September 11th.  Teachers can also volunteer for this luxurious position. 

In case you missed the email from Greg, this is an awesome website for a virtual tour of a Space Station.

http://esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/virtual-tour-iss/

Please make sure you have your newsletter articles in to Ellen, if you have not done so already.  

Intrinsic Motivation in Student Writing

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/intrinsic-motivation-growth-mindset-writing-amy-conley

I put some PTA Spirit Wear Order forms in the lounge.  Check it out to get some additional Benjamin Bling.

Our Wednesday Schedule for this month needs to be revised again.  Wednesday, September 9th is an early release day and Wednesday, September 16th we will have our staff learning meeting.

In case you didn't realize today is Force Friday so I will leave you with 15 quotes from Star Wars That you can Use in Everyday Life.  Feel free to use number 9 against me at anytime throughout the year.

http://www.starwars.com/news/15-star-wars-quotes-to-use-in-everyday-life

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday weekend and that you get to spend some time unwinding with family and friends.