Change

Change is inevitable.  Change is hard.  Change is refreshing.  These are three statements I believe to be facts concerning change - whether it's a change in your personal life or professional life.

I am about to go through some major changes personally as I am anxiously anticipating the birth of my first child. (!!!!)  So obviously change has been on my mind lately.

The teachers at Moore are going through major professional changes lately - with recent budget cuts and new curriculum standards rolling out across the state, teachers are more overwhelmed and overworked than they've ever been.  So it's hard for me, as a person who thrives off of helping and supporting teachers as their Curriculum Coordinator, to feel comfortable abandoning ship to go on maternity leave for the next three months.

I know, I know - once this baby comes, my mind will be anywhere but work.  However, I hope that anyone who knows me knows I am 100% committed to this job, a job that I love, working amongst the best school staff ever.  So it's difficult to just let go and leave when I feel like I'm needed the most.

But that also may be narcissistic of me, to think that anyone around here really NEEDS me.  Regardless, I just wanted to do one last blog entry before my maternity leave to remind my fellow staff members that WE CAN DO THIS.

I know it feels like just when we get a handle on things, something else comes our way that is totally unexpected and more overwhelming than we'd ever imagined.  But as I said earlier, change is inevitable - ESPECIALLY in education.  And since we can't control the changes coming our way, let's all try to control our attitude toward the change.  Easier said than done?  Sure.  Possible?  Absolutely.  We can fight the change, swim against the current as much as we want... and be miserable.  Or we can look at the change as a possibility, an opportunity, as something positive - and push through the stress, the exhaustion, the never-ending to-do list in order to spread an "I Can Do" attitude amongst ourselves.  Call me Suzy Sunshine if you must, but I've always believed in the power of positive thinking.  So since I'll be gone after today, I'm gonna need y'all to keep the positivity alive amongst yourselves and trust that it's all happening for a reason - a good reason - even if it's hard to see that now.

Yes, I'm about to be a sleep-deprived mom who doesn't know up from down or left from right, but I am going to miss this school while I'm gone!  I know the upcoming changes for all of us - both personally and professionally - are going to be difficult... But I'm excited about the future, and I intend to always feel that way.  So bring on the change and the challenges, because we can only grow from it all!

I'll see you in January!

Don't Forget!
*October 24th - 1st Quarter Test (Reading)
*October 25th - 1st Quarter Test (Math with a Calculator)
*October 26th - 1st Quarter Test (Math without a Calculator)
*October 27th - 1st Quarter Test Make-ups
*November 2nd-4th - CogAt Testing
*November 14th-16th - ITBS Testing

There's Only One YOU

Since the beginning of school I've been working to get into every single classroom to do a 30-minute lesson.  I like to remind the students who I am and what my job is, and - let's face it - I NEVER want to lose my connection with teaching.  I did these lessons last year, and was a little hesitant to tackle them this year, being that I'm 9 months pregnant... but I decided it was worth it, and I've been trucking along for the past month to get into each room.

I do a different story/lesson in each grade level, and first grade's is about how we are all different - some of us smaller, or taller, or rounder, or thinner.  It seems like a giant concept for a 6-year-old, but I had success with it last year and decided to try it again this year.

In one of the first grade classes, we were discussing the book I had just read (called The Big Seed, in case you're interested).  I was trying to get the concept across, trying to get the students to understand that the book was about more than just a little girl planting a sunflower seed.  One little boy raised his hand after he realized that his classmates just did not get the point.  (And now I'm going to attempt to quote him word-for word.)  "Well, it's like this... there's only one YOU.  There's never going to be another YOU again.  That's why we're all so different.  We can't be the same, because there's only one YOU."

Pretty profound for a 6-year-old.

While I looked at him in awe and continued the lesson with the class, I haven't been able to forget what he said.  Obviously we, as adults, recognize that there's only one of us.  But are we getting this message across to our students?  Or are we making generalizations and grouping them together without paying enough attention to individual differences?  As a teacher, it's tough to pay attention to the individual needs of 20+ students... but that doesn't make it any less important.

Your students will never have a teacher like you again.  Make yourself memorable - make your classroom a place where the student feels cherished, and special, and important, and unique.  Give each child the opportunity to grow as an individual, to reach his/her true potential - a potential that is incredibly different for each and every student.  Hold high expectations, but differentiate those expectations.  Get to know your children.  Don't make assumptions.  Don't make generalizations.

Remember, there's only one YOU.  And you're the only person who can be the best YOU.  So you'd better get started!

Don't Forget!
*October 3rd - SMART Response Workshop at Moore
*October 6th - Kathy Bryant visits all PLC's
*October 24th - 1st Quarter Test (Reading)
*October 25th - 1st Quarter Test (Math with a Calculator)
*October 26th - 1st Quarter Test (Math without a Calculator)
*October 27th - 1st Quarter Test Make-ups
*November 2nd-4th - CogAt Testing
*November 14th-16th - ITBS Testing

Lots of IMPORTANT Curriculum Updates ~ September

Math Updates - Velvet Simington

• New textbook trainings are THIS week!!
• 3rd Grade - 9/19 - 4:00-7:00 at Griffith
• 4th Grade - 9/20 - 4:00-7:00 at Griffith
• 5th Grade - 9/21 - 4:00-7:00 at Griffth
• Essential components of math include 90 minutes of daily instruction; integrating Week by Week Essentials, Indicators, and Classroom Strategies; Integrating problem solving through collaborative groups; Consistently using technology to deepen math instruction; Students having and using strategies notebooks
• Standards for Mathematical Practice should be implemented NOW!  If your math rep has not shared these with you, ask him/her ASAP!

Imagine It! Updates - Mary Ruth Teague

• Don't get slack on following the routines!!  Every teacher should be following routines exactly, or the program will not work the way it's supposed to.
• Everyone MUST use the sound/spelling cards the way they're supposed to be used.
• The Morning Message is a key component of starting the day off right.
• Make sure you're using "stick and ball" handwriting, NOT D'Nealian.  "Stick and Ball" should be used when teachers write AND when students write) -- the appendix gives explicit details on penmanship instruction
• The puppet should be used!
• Blending is one of the most important components of the program - Follow the blending routines!

K-5 Writing Plan - Janie Costello

• You will find a grid in your box laying out this year's writing plan.  This year students will experiment with different types of writing for quarterly prompts to prepare for the new Common Core.
• The Common Core ELA training on Rc days will be front loaded with strategies to teach these new, different types of writing... Grade level reps will then need to teach their teams.
• Writing will NOT go into the K-2 Data Warehouse this year since we're experimenting with different types of writing... this year is about learning HOW to teach it.

Science Updates - Benika Thompson

• For grade level science reps - Your meeting dates will be October 31st, January 23rd, and February 20th all at Sherwood Forest.
• For additional support related to Science Essential Standards, all teachers are welcome to attend the following sessions (all last from 3:30pm-4:30pm):
• October 12th (Speas), 13th (Lewisville), or 19th (Forest Park)
• November 15th (Old Town), 16th (Whitaker), 17th (TBA)
• March 13th (Southwest), 14th (TBA), 15th (TBA)
• For our Science Liaison (yay Mrs. Barney!), here is your meeting schedule:
• November 1st
• February 28th
• March 6th
• April 25th
• Next year in 4th grade, Ecosystems will switch to 1st Quarter.
• The STC kits have been realigned to fit the new standards... see my email.
• For all other updates, see my email. :)

Social Studies Updates - Patty Grant

• Each grade level MUST be represented at the upcoming meetings, which start next week.  The meetings last from 3:30-5:00 and there are two locations you can choose from.  If you have any questions about the schedule I emailed, come see me.
• Don't forget to use the online resources that go along with the Social Studies textbook - They are GREAT!
• For the new Social Studies assessments, sample items will be published on the online community by this Wednesday, 9/21.  Teachers are to examine these together... grade level reps who attend the meetings will bring feedback to the meetings to finalize assessments.  Final assessments will be emailed to me by October 5th.  I will then send these assessments to grade chairs, who will need to prepare copies and administer the assessments to students by the end of First Quarter.  Teachers will then turn in rosters with scores to me/Mrs. Conner, who will then forward results to Central Office.

Museum of Anthropology - Tina Smith

• Programs are offered for K-5
• The museum also offers kits for schools/grade levels/teachers to check out
• Students can go to the museum, or the museum can come here to Moore
• I will put handouts in your boxes from the Museum of Anthropology - there are some GREAT resources!  Especially with the budget being so tight!

??Have you ever heard of http://www.theteacherregistry.com/?  Check it out!

Don't Forget!
*September 12th - September 23rd - DIBELS BOY Window
*September 19th - 3rd Grade Textbook Training 4:00-7:00 @ Griffth
*September 20th - 3rd-5th Gradebook/Report Card Training 7:30am @ Moore
*September 20th - 4th Grade Textbook Training 4:00-7:00 @ Griffith
*September 21st - Call for Change Training in Media Center 7:30am REQUIRED
*September 21st - 5th Grade Textbook Training 4:00-7:00 @ Griffith
*September 26th - Door Decorating Contest Begins!

*September 29th - Curriculum Night!! (Doors judged and winner announced!)

*October 3rd - SMART Response Workshop at Moore

Living Each Day to the Fullest :)

So, we all know the old adage, "Live each day as if it were your last."  A little sappy, sure - But I feel like it describes my work-life these days!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be too dramatic.  But as most (if not all) readers of this blog know, I am currently pregnant and due in about a month. (!!!)  I have already completed my paperwork for my maternity leave, and had to pick an "end" date.  Since I am due on a Monday (10/10), I went with Friday, October 7th.  And thus the countdown begins...

21 days left of work!!!!!!!!!  And while it's definitely exciting to think about staying at home with my little one, it also definitely stresses me out to think about all of the things I need to accomplish during my last 21 days here at work.

And let's be real - when do babies every REALLY come when they're supposed to?!  The truth is that Baby Peele could make his/her debut ANY day now, meaning that I am truly living each work day as if it were my last.  And let me tell you, I've never been so productive in my life!

I am trying to utilize every minute I can to cross off my To-Do's while also soaking in all of the things I love (and will miss) about Moore during my 3 months away.  So the old, sappy adage is definitely proving to define my work life, and it's got me thinking...

I know it's quite the cliche, but what if we truly all attempted to live in this manner?  I think that we, as a culture, take so many things for granted, believing that the next day is always promised.  But we are smart enough to know that it's not.  And I think it's time we start soaking in every minute life gives us, knowing that each of those moments is precious and never guaranteed.

And as for me and my expanding girth?  I'll be HOPING to make it to October 7th... But in the meantime, you'd better believe I'll approach each day as if it were my last day as a working non-mama. :)

  Don't Forget!
*September 12th - September 23rd - DIBELS BOY Window
*September 26th - Door Decorating Contest Begins!

*September 29th - Curriculum Night!! (Doors judged and winner announced!)

*October 3rd - SMART Response Workshop at Moore

**August Curriculum Updates**

REPORT CARDS

• K-2 will do a behavior report every two/two-and-a-half weeks.  The "O" and "I" have been eliminated, so teachers will only choose from "S" "N" or "U."
• There will be a midterm report every four and a half weeks.  (So parents will receive a behavior report, a midterm report, a behavior report, and then the report card.)
• Report cards are now on letter-sized paper.
• Early departures are now listed along with absences and tardies.
• K-2 now has Science/Social Studies as part of grades.
• For all grade levels, Reading and Language Arts are separate grading components.
• Music, Art, and PE are also included.
• Comments are in a drop-down box by subject area... in the Intervention/Enrichment section, teachers can write personal comments.  (There will be a guide/booklet of suggestions for teacher comments.)
• There is now a supporting document for parents that breaks down every skill in every subject for every quarter - this is already on the WSFCS webpage (under Parents/Community then Grade Level Expectations).
• 3-5 must enter grades WEEKLY into Parent Assist - make sure you click the "Post to Parent Portal" button!  Once grades are entered into NCWise, they will transfer into the report card.
• The data manager will have to print 3-5 report cards.
• At the end of the year, grade placement will have to be hand-written onto report cards.

CALL FOR CHANGE - NEW STANDARDS

• By the end of 1st Quarter, all teachers MUST go through an online training (in Moodle) titled "Call for Change."  I will have more details about this at a future staff meeting.
• All Common Core documents contain an unpacking tool - while the standards do not go into effect until next year, teachers should begin unpacking NOW.
• There are TONS of resources on the DPI and RttT (Race to the Top) website.  Check it out at www.ncpublicschools.org/RttT

MATH MATH MATH!!!

• Each grade level had a representative attend the K-5 Standards for Mathematical Practice workshop.  I also attended and received a brief overview for all grade levels.  Please read the following bullets CAREFULLY.
• For the Common Core standards, visit http://www.corestandards.org/
• Our implementation year is 2012-2013... this is also the year that the Common Core will be reflected in all assessments.
• There are standards for PRACTICE and standards for CONTENT... while the Content Standards do not go into effect until next year, teachers must adapt their teaching this year to reflect the new standards of PRACTICE.  This is MANDATED by the district.  Your grade level reps should be giving you the information they received so that you are prepared to adapt your teaching... this is VERY important.
• There are 8 Standards for Mathematical Practice:
• Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
• Students need to be able to make sense of problems, identify relationships, and work through them to figure them out.  Teachers should NOT just give the answers when students are incorrect!
• Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
• Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
• Students should work together, come up with ways to solve a problem, and communicate with each other while defending their methods.
• Teachers should talk LESS, act as the facilitator.
• Model with mathematics.
• Make everything relevant and applicable.
• Focus more on conceptual understanding rather than exact values.
• Use appropriate tools strategically.
• Students must have time to EXPLORE tools (http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html)
• Students should have access to tools all year long... don't just pull out calculators for EOQs and EOGs!
• Attend to precision.
• Students should give carefully formulated explanations to each other while learning to communicate precisely.
• Look for and make use of structure.
• It's all about patterns and properties.
• Let kids DISCOVER it before you point it out.
• Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
• Let students repeat problem-solving skills to find patterns and make generalizations from something repeating.
• While this all may seem overwhelming, it's really about shifting our focus from the teaching to the learning.  Let it be all about the KIDS.  Math instruction should not be a teacher standing in front of a class, giving practice problems and waiting for students to call out answers.  Math instruction should be a collaborative experience, where kids form their own perceptions, work through problems, work together, talk about things, etc.  It's time for a change!!  It's time for us to adapt!!
• Once again, your math representative should help your grade level engage in a dialogue about all of this.  Here are the reps:
• Randleman
• Parris
• Rhodes
• Matthews
• Ermitano
• Hennings
• I will be putting a "Best Practices" checklist in your boxes today.  Start off this year changing the way you teach math!

HAPPY SCHOOL YEAR!!

• Curriculum updates aside, I can't believe today is the First Day of School Eve!!!!!  I'm sure I won't be the only one tossing and turning in bed tonight.  It's like the night before Christmas for me!!  I love the first day of school - I have since I was five years old, and I hope to feel the same way until I retire.  So teachers, students, and parents - Have a WONDERFUL first day tomorrow - You only get to do your first day once!  So make it worth it!!!

Don't Forget!

*August 25th - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!

*August 31st - DIBELS Refresher Training 7:45am-8:30am

*September 1st - DIBELS Training for NEW Staff 3:45pm-4:45pm

*September 12th - September 23rd - DIBELS BOY Window

*September 15th - 4th Grade On-Demand Writing Training 8:00am

*September 20th - 4th Grade On-Demand Writing Test

*September 27th - 4th Grade On-Demand Writing Test Make-ups

*September 29th - Curriculum Night!!

HAPPY SCHOOL YEAR!!!!!!

In thinking about starting this school year, I thought about New Year's Day, and how we all tend to feel so refreshed and energized to start a new year.  We make resolutions, feel cleansed, and are ready to tackle all that life brings us in the face of new beginnings.  So why shouldn't we do the same when we start a new school year?

So instead of of Happy New Year, we kicked off the start of school yesterday with HAPPY SCHOOL YEAR!!!!  My goal is for everyone to feel energized and refreshed, cleansed and excited, ready to do better this year than we did last year.  And we did GREAT last year - but shouldn't we - as educators, as professionals, as people - ALWAYS strive to do better in all that we pursue?

So we had a countdown from 10 yesterday to kickoff the new school year, wrote "School Year Resolutions" (which were quite inspiring by the way!  check them out in the main workroom!), and we will also have our students write resolutions once they return (to be posted on the bulletin boards in the cafeteria).  I hope I was able to instill a little excitement in everyone - and some positive energy - about getting this school year started off on the right foot.

HAPPY SCHOOL YEAR!!!

Don't Forget!

*August 22nd - Peele/Maglio Distribute Textbooks*August 23rd - Staff Picture @ 1:30pm, PTA Dinner @ 4:00pm, Open House 5:30pm-7:30pm

*August 25th - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!

*August 31st - DIBELS Refresher Training 7:50am-8:30am

*September 1st - DIBELS Training for NEW Staff 3:45pm-4:45pm

*September 12th - September 23rd - DIBELS BOY Window

*September 15th - 4th Grade On-Demand Writing Training 8:00am

*September 20th - 4th Grade On-Demand Writing Test

*September 27th - 4th Grade On-Demand Writing Test Make-ups

*September 29th - Curriculum Night!!

T Minus 17 Hours!!!!

Ok, so I'm a tad excited.

T minus 17 hours until the teachers are back at Moore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I returned to work last Wednesday, and while I have to admit that the past week has been quiet, calm, and productive, I'm ready for the voices and chaos that come along with a full building!!  As I've written about many, many times - there's just something NOT RIGHT about an empty school!

So tomorrow, the fun begins.  Everyone will bid adieu to summer break, set their alarm clocks, grumble and moan and hit snooze, and then trudge their way into the school building.  And I can't wait to see those sleepy faces.

How will we welcome everyone back tomorrow?  Well, you'll have to wait and see.  But here's a hint...

10...
9...
8...
7...
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5...
4...
3...
2...
1...
____________________!!!!