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