4-17-2020

Some people are asking about coming into school and what they need to do about the alarm.  Here are the instructions from Tim. Come in door #1 like always with your badge.  Sign in on the clipboard.  When you are leaving check the clipboard.If there is still someone signed in then you just leave.  If no other active names are on the clipboard..take a quick look if there are any cars upstairs by the ad center...if there are...just leave. If not then put your badge by the brown box to set the alarm and then leave.  Tim said he would be happy to answer any questions on this.

Here is a great resource for finding resources tailored to your content and grade level.
https://wideopenschool.org/programs/educator/6-12/

Please make sure you are doing your best to reach out to students and then parents if they are not keeping up with their work and getting incompletes.  Then let me know if you do not get a response and I will reach out to the parents with a phone call.  I have only received a few request so please let me know after you have given your full effort to contact the family.

Philadelphia Groundhog finds a slice of pizza.

I appreciate all of the work that the team leaders are doing to help keep their team organized and communicated with.  I couldn't do it without you.

How people learn to become resilient.
https://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/the-secret-formula-for-resilience

Thanks to the PST team and all special education staff that are going above and beyond to make sure they are communicating with families and reaching out to kids in creative ways.



Teaching assistants your copy of The Happiness Advantage can be picked up in district Ad Center.  Please try to pick it up by next week and I will give further directions for our Zoom book talks.

Prioritizing self-care when working from home.
https://www.edutopia.org/article/prioritizing-self-care-while-working-home


Thanks to Chris for putting together the BB 300 remotely. I believe team leaders are going to send it out in Canvas tomorrow morning.  Everyone should check it out to see the special interview with Dr. Woell.



In 7th grade team this week they came up with what I thought were two great ideas.  #1 sending a positive email to a student every day talking about how great a job they are doing in remote learning.  #2 Having a Zoom meeting with the team and students you select for students of the month, remembering that you don't have to be limited to only picking two or three students like we do when we are at school.  What great ideas for praising, motivating and supporting our students during this time.



I appreciate all of the tips, resources, jokes, memes,inspiring stories and other helpful links and tools that people have been sending out.  However, I have had more than a few staff members reach out to me to say they are overwhelmed with the sheer number of emails they are receiving and trying to sift through what is a priority. For the time being can you please send me the helpful email first and then I will send it out  or include it in the blog.  Thanks

Jim Gaffigan in quarantine with his 5 kids.  Might look familiar to teachers with kids at home.

Thanks to Bill and Courtney for organizing the Benjamin Derby 1 mile fun run for our students and staff on May 2nd. Look out for the info flyer, emphasizing social distancing while giving us a way to connect together.



I am looking forward to our planning day on Friday, April 24th.  I will be Zooming with several staff members tomorrow to help provide some excellent PD.  You can use this day for more planning as well. Students will also benefit from a day to catch up.  The use of additional planning days will be directed by Dr. Woell as we wait for more direction from the state/governor.

I want to thank everyone for putting so much effort into remote learning.  I see your hard work in your lesson planning and communication and am very proud of you.  Keep up the great work.