December 18, 2015

HAPPY LAST WEEK OF DECEMBER!

Special shout out for those that helped with Challenge Day and for the teachers that helped with allowing 8th graders to attend Science Camp! Your hearts were so supportive and I truly appreciate what you did for our kids to make this happen for them! Some of our 6th graders had never even been out of Solano County, much less to the Santa Cruz mountains!

Have you checked out the PD OPPORTUNITIES for School City training to administer the benchmarks online? Be sure to register as all benchmarks in February will be administered using our Chrome Books! We are going to need to borrow them from History and Science so a schedule will be coming soon!

Have you seen these 35 Digital Tools to Create Simple Tests? Check out these useful links and apps to make your life EASIER! Don't we all need some of that?

Want some heartfelt inspiration (even more after Challenge Day?- YES!) Take a look at THIS VIDEO and smile along with me!

Do you work at night when you get home? I know I am a horrible one to talk, AND here are some very helpful tools to help students AND TEACHERS work smarter not harder. Take a look at THIS ARTICLE and maybe I will start to follow these too =)

Have you checked out our Fish Moments?

BE THERE: THANK YOU to ALL of the teachers that participated in Challenge Day....It was emotional and hard and WORTH it for our kiddos! Dates are already being scheduled for next year to include more kids, though the program doesn't include 6th grade yet, we are looking at ways to modify it...THANK YOU to ELIZABETH for making it happen. You are a ROCK STAR! Thank you for welcoming ANITA as our AP as Christine goes on maternity leave! Sue Lucas will be here for her, so please reach out and say hi! Kristen Cloud will be here as our English/Spanish teacher, so please reach out and welcome her as well!

PLAY: The doors looked great and we loved to see all the hands on labs and experiments this past week! It was SO fun!

MAKE THEIR DAY: Thanks to LYNN for the countless hours to make Science Camp happen for 162 6th graders! What an amazing experience! Thank you for helping to make the potluck get together FUN! We are doing these WAY more often!!

CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE: LET'S STAY POSITIVE PEEPS! KEEP ON SMILING! 

Have you?

*planned a FABULOUS, safe, relaxing, email free two weeks? Yes, I will do my best to follow that...:)

*planned to read a good book? ;) give me some suggestions!

December 11, 2015

HAPPY 2nd WEEK OF DECEMBER!!

There are so many things we SHOULD do. I know it, you know it...;) Sometimes, it's easier said than done! Take a look at an EASY 10 Things Teachers can Say More Often and how easy it can be done!

Did you know that engagement starts with respect? Either way you look at it, EVERYONE is more engaged when they respect the person giving them information. Take a look at THIS ARTICLE on ways to earn teens respect and keep them engaged!

Sentence stems? Scripting? Transitions? Check out THESE 8 strategies for teaching academic language!

Want to know how to TALK LESS in your classroom with THESE easy strategies?? Who doesn't want that to happen? Check out THIS ARTICLE for easy ways to get kids talking more and you talking less!

One of I LOVE this video that came through Kid President on how EVERY kid is ONE caring adult away from being a success story!!

Upcoming events: Please remember that Challenge Day is coming up on December 14th and 15th and that, if there is bad weather outside, PE will need to use classrooms during the day. This means that if you have prep and it is raining outside, there is a good chance we will need your classroom. And yes, we are also utilizing the library and the cafeteria as well.
Also, January 14th we will have another rally for Academics and Basketball! Schedule will be coming out ASAP!

Have you checked out our Fish Moments?

BE THERE: Thank you to Gigi, Sue, Lacey, Elizabeth, Heather, Dave F., Carol, Paula, Dave O., Jason, Dalal, Alex, Dustin, Ken, Shawna, Kevin, Christen, Tamia, Josiah, Kimberly, Katherine, Joe, Anita, Elizabeth, Kristy, and Don for already entering your Student of the Month for Most Dedicated!

PLAY: Thanks to Dan Peckham for music instruction that was awesome! Thank you for the cute doors that are being decorated!

MAKE THEIR DAY: Thanks to LYNN for the countless hours to make Science Camp happen for 162 6th graders! What an amazing experience!

CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE: LET'S STAY POSITIVE PEEPS! SMILE MORE!

December 4, 2015

HAPPY DECEMBER!!

Hour of Code is COMING December 7-13 and if you visit THIS LINK to register for Hour of Code, and we get our whole school registered, we can win $10,000 in TECHNOLOGY!!! Let's DO THIS GVMS!! PLEASE let us know ASAP if you are doing Hour of Code so that we can take pics and BRAG about you!!! Email me and let me know when!

I love the idea of a "Maker Space" for Middle School! This is where our kids can create, inspire, play, and still be kids.  Some of it we can do in our own classrooms with out having the extra classroom dedicated to this. Check out THIS ARTICLE for how we can make this happen!

Do you have a case of burnout or do you feel it coming on?? Take a look at THIS ARTICLE for 5 easy tips for avoiding burnout =)

I LOVE this video that came through Kid President on how EVERY kid is ONE caring adult away from being a success story!! Check it out HERE!!

Upcoming events: Please remember that Challenge Day is coming up on December 14th and 15th and that, if there is bad weather outside, PE will need to use classrooms during the day. This means that if you have prep and it is raining outside, there is a good chance we will need your classroom. And yes, we are also utilizing the library and the cafeteria as well.

Please don't forget that we have band concerts next week. Please refer to the MORNING assembly schedule for December 9th and that 6th grade will take place during 6th period on the 8th!

Have you checked out our Fish Moments?

BE THERE: Thanks to Dustin for ALWAYS being there! Thanks to Pozzesi for the advice! Thanks to Josiah for just ALWAYS being there! Thanks to History for the treats and for sharing at the faculty meeting! Thank you to Gigi, Sue, Lacey, Elizabeth, Heather, Dave F., Carol, Paula, Dave O., Jason, Dalal, Alex, Dustin, Ken, Shawna, Kevin, Christen, Tamia, Josiah, Kimberly, Katherine, Joe, Anita, and Don! Thank you to Jason, Sue, Allison, Katherine, and Anita for helping us during your prep for the drill today!

PLAY: Thanks to Rosa and Mimi for all the jokes and secret codes through the radio ;) Let's nominate THREE teachers for Rock Star awards for January! Email me HERE!

MAKE THEIR DAY: Thank you to Lorraine for the multiple things I have asked for! Thank you to the 8th grade teachers and Elizabeth for ALL of the Independent Study help! PLEASE do not forget to enter your student choice for MOST DEDICATED here for January since it's right when we return!!!

CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE: LET'S STAY POSITIVE PEEPS! SMILE MORE!

HAVE YOU?

• Nominated your student of the month for most dedicated?
• Nominated a Rock Star teacher yet?
• Planned for the WINTER CELEBRATION Friday 12/11 after school at Rockville Corner (4163 Suisun Valley Road)?

November 20th, 2015

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

In the spirit of giving, GVMS is able to adopt two families in need for the holiday season.  Please click THIS LINK to sign up to help this family for the holidays.  There are 4 children listed so our GVMS Staff should be able to help!  All gifts need to be in my office when we return on Monday, November 30th so that I can deliver to the DO! Thank you for your generosity!!

Starting in the Spring semester, all TAs/Leadership/Reading Lab/Study Hall students will receive letter grade instead of Pass/Fail.  PLEASE make sure that you know this as will work to change this for the Spring.  Additionally, we may look at adding Honors titles to some hybrid GATE classes that we have for the Spring semester.  Stay tuned...

Take a look at THIS FANTASTIC ARTICLE for 21 Grab and Go Teaching Tools for your classroom.  It is a GREAT read and easy and most of you are DOING THESE ALREADY!!

I am THRILLED to read THIS ARTICLE to see that we are already using some of these for quick and easy formative assessments!  It makes my heart happy!!  Yes, 

Is your classrooms student centered?   How do you know?  Check out THIS LINK to get ideas, feedback, and great guiding questions to ask yourself as you reflect on YOUR student centered classroom!

Below is an awesome infographic I "stole" from Marie Williams via Twitter: If you hate assessment you might be doing it wrong.  The two questions: "What did you learn from others?" and "What did you contribute to others?”are particularly powerful.  They completely dispel the notion that the teacher is the keeper/holder/guardian of all knowledge, and they reinforce the importance of collaboration as an essential component of learning. 

We have often had the discussion of having students complete meaningful work for student reflection.  Beyond the "check yes or no" if they did something, take a look at THIS ARTICLE for why this is SO important!

Hour of Code is COMING December 7-13 and if you visit THIS LINK to register for Hour of Code, and we get our whole school registered, we can win $10,000 in TECHNOLOGY!!! Let's DO THIS GVMS!!

Have you checked out our Fish Moments?

BE THERE: Thanks to all the eyes and ears with our kids! We need ALL the help we can get!

PLAY: Thanks to Elizabeth for the yummy carrot cake with ALL of the carrots!! Thanks to Dan Peckham and Joe for the breakfast treats!

MAKE THEIR DAY: Made our day to see the AMAZING collaboration that our English Dept did! I know it's hard planning for an all day sub so we appreciate it! Thanks to Sue for reminding me why I am doing what I am doing. Often it gets hard being beat down day after day with negativity from staff and parents, so thank you Sue for making my day!

CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE: LET'S STAY POSITIVE PEEPS! SMILE MORE! HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY!!

UPCOMING SCHEDULE FOR BAND ASSEMBLY, DECEMBER 9TH FOR 7TH/8TH

6th grade will attend on DECEMBER 8th DURING 6th period!

Grades 6-8		Morning Assembly Schedule A lunch							Morning Assembly Schedule B Lunch
	Period	Start	End	Inst. Minutes	Passing Minutes	Non-Inst Minutes		Period		Start	End	Inst. Minutes	Passing Minutes	Non Inst Minutes
	1	8:55	9:35	40	0			1		8:55	9:35	40	4
	A	9:39	10:39	60	4			2		9:39	10:39	60	4
	2	10:43	11:43	60	4			Assem		10:43	11:43	60	0
	3	11:47	12:25	38	0			3		11:47	12:25	38	4
	Lunch	12:25	12:55		4	30		4		12:29	1:07	38	0
	4	12:59	1:37	38	4			Lunch		1:07	1:37			30
	5	1:41	2:19	38	4			5		1:41	2:19	38	4
	6	2:23	3:05	42				6		2:23	3:05	42
				320	20							320	20
	Student Daily Instructional Minutes = 320								Student Daily Instructional Minutes = 320