10-16-2020

 Thanks to the PST Team for running the data meetings yesterday.  To clarify and answer questions from the grade level teams:  The mandatory Check For Understanding should not be another thing on your plate. It is simply encouraging the students that need it the most, to attend the CFU that they already could be attending and that you host everyday for all of your students.  Please remember that if a student is getting an F you should have called (not emailed) the parent already.  We know that the CFU will not be the same as HW club or check in/check out, but it is one thing we can try to help our students.  If the notification part is what is causing the extra anxiety, I can take that off of your plate and do it for you, just let me know.

8 strategies to improve your virtual class participation.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/8-strategies-improve-participation-your-virtual-classroom

I felt like Spielberg yesterday, with not only a shot list but three camera operators that helped me film our videos for our students.  A sincere thank you to Angela, Danielle, and Chris for coming in to help me film 10 of our students following our new procedures for in-person instruction.  These videos will be posted next week for parents and student to watch so they can learn before they walk through our doors.  

Good article on helping students mental health and building relationships.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/isolated-students-may-struggle-stay-mentally-healthy

Thanks to Tim and the crew for getting our building ready for the fire inspection yesterday and with our outstanding staff cooperation we received a perfect score and no violations!

Please respond to my extra-duty email by today.  I will start notifying people of their responsibilities early next week and then will have meetings on Wednesday to go through procedures. 

If anyone knows any candidates for TA's please let me know.  Thanks to Alicia for filling in for Jenny until the 23rd.  

Thanks to Kim for working with the A and B day student lists and getting that sent out to staff. 

Once a kid starts to feel like they CAN'T succeed in your class, they WON'T succeed. They will stop trying.  

So, every decision that you make as a teacher -- particularly during a pandemic and particularly around grading and student workload - should be made through that lens. Bill Ferriter 

Ellen is busy working with Rick from our food service company to get our order form ready for students.  

Next week will be extremely busy as we get set for welcoming students back the following week.  We will keep you informed of all parent communication as we send it out.  

I hope to have the agenda for Wednesday's Remote Learning Planning day to you by Monday.  Please be aware that their will be more scheduled meetings than the previous RLP's when you had more time for personal plan.  

Matt is doing an excellent job of preparing for the new guidelines/band protocol.

Thanks to Frank and Tony for the many Ben Q installations they have been performing and to Angela and Danielle for training staff to use them.  If you have not done so yet, schedule a time with them for a short training session.  

When does it snap into focus?

Because we don’t like to be wrong.

And more than that, we don’t like to be confused.

So when we encounter something new, we pause for a second until we think we get it. Then we lock it in, and it’s ours.

But what if we’re wrong?

What if our understanding of what we encountered wasn’t useful, accurate or true?

Suddenly, there’s a conflict. A conflict between being wrong and being confused. Because the only way to stop being wrong is to be momentarily confused. To jump from one state to another.

The magic is in waiting a few beats before you lock it in. Getting comfortable with ‘confused’ is a stepping stone on the path to becoming wise.  Seth Godin's Blog post  10-11-2020

WCCHS is looking to place a couple student observers.  Please let me know if you are interested and I will figure out the protocol that we will need to follow to have them in the building.

Kathy H has secured a new laminator for the building.  It has all the features and buttons that any school can ask for!  She is open for business!

It doesn't matter when we start. It doesn't matter where we start. All that matters is that we start. Simon Sinek

The shell must break before the bird can fly." -- Alfred Lord Tennyson