January 29, 2016

Don't forget!!  Benchmarks for English and Math are February 1-12 for ALL students and are to be administered online.  Please check THIS LINK for step by step instructions!  Also please don't forget to participate in our spirit week next week! Here are the themes for each day:

Monday, Pajama Day

Tuesday, Crazy Mismatched Clothing Day

Wednesday, Fandom Day

Thursday, Formal Dress Up Day

Friday, Superbowl/Football Jersey Day

Attention!  Attention!  All things FSUSD Assessment related are now located on THIS WEBSITE  including CAASSP/SBAC (April 18-May 27 and we are working on a schedule now), benchmarks, assessment calendar and more.  Check it out!!  

How do you, as a teacher, effectively add technology and tools to your classroom if you aren't completely sure how do you do it?  What a GREAT questions and I am so glad that you asked!!  We all know we MUST but HOW do we get started?  Great question AGAIN and anyone who is interested in taking their knowledge of ways to use Google in the classroom EMAIL ME and I will order THIS BOOK for you!!  Congrats to Paula for already emailing me!  

Speaking of that, check out THIS LINK for 50 of the BEST Teaching and Learning Apps to use in the classroom!

Have you checked out our Fish Moments?

BE THERE: Thanks to Cristina for helping with ELA lessons for a colleague! Thanks to Dalal for guiding our English Team (and me!) through all of the docs needed in Google Classroom for the Writing Assessment! Thanks to ALL those that are helping with the various absences going on. That flu is BRUTAL and the struggle is REAL!!!

PLAY: Thanks to Sue for reserving the clubhouse! We are excited to already plan for 2016-2017!!

MAKE THEIR DAY: Mark your calendars for Saturday April 30th for the Spring Fling (you HAVE to come! It's SO much fun!) and Saturday, June 4th for end of the year social (staff and adults only) at Carol's house to celebrate our end of the year party! We can't wait to try out that awesome pizza oven! Also, we are looking at Thursday, August 11 for our staff back to school retreat! Sue has reserved the clubhouse at her complex (complete with pool and spa!) for the day! It will be for buy back only and you will be fed!! Save the date!

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

January 22, 2016

JANUARY 22, 2016

 Introduction to the SAMR 

(Substitution Augmentation Modification and Redefinition) Model!

Dr. Ruben Puentedura developed the SAMR model as a way for teachers to evaluate how they are incorporating technology into their instructional practice. You can use SAMR to reflect upon how you are integrating technology into your classroom. 

Is it an act of Substitution? Augmentation? Modification? or Redefinition? Above is a copy of the SAMR model that we will share in more detail through our weekly blog. Take a minute to identify where you have done something in your class that fits within the model.  Also, take a moment to identify where the presentations from the different departments fit.  Check out an article HERE to learn more about it!!

Imagine if your new class this fall was full of students who would:

o    Be willing to try new things

o    Stick with hard tasks and not give up

o    Push themselves to do their best work, not just what’s “good enough”

o    Believe in themselves and their own ability to learn

Here’s the great news–these are traits that we can help develop in our students by teaching them about how their brains work (as written by THIS ARTICLE).  

How do you, as a teacher, effectively add technology and tools to your classroom if you aren't completely sure how do you do it?  What a GREAT questions and I am so glad that you asked!!  We all know we MUST but HOW do we get started?  Great question AGAIN and anyone who is interested in taking their knowledge of ways to use Google in the classroom EMAIL ME and I will order THIS BOOK for you!!

Have you checked out our Fish Moments?

BE THERE: Thanks to Heather for help with English lessons and plans! Thank you to Sue for coming up with a potential SBAC block schedule to support all students! Thank you to Carol and Joe for volunteering for after school intervention!

PLAY: Thanks to Lynn for cheering on her boys to perform in front of the WHOLE school at the rally! Thanks to Dave F for making the rally happen!

MAKE THEIR DAY: Thanks to Elizabeth, Sue, Anita, Carol, Dalal, Dave, Lynn and Candy for attending our 2nd round of IPR (In Progress Review) to see what we have done and where we need to go with our school!
Mark your calendars for Saturday April 30th for the Spring Fling (you HAVE to come! It's SO much fun!) and Saturday, June 4th for end of the year social (staff and adults only) at Carol's house to celebrate our end of the year party! We can't wait to try out that awesome pizza

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

January 15, 2016

We made it through the first series (yes, series) of block scheduling for the writing assessment! Great work!  Thank you to all for making it a smooth process! Please remember that the 2nd benchmark is coming and this will all be done electronically! We will NOT be on block schedule for the benchmarks!

Master schedule discussions are taking place starting now and, when you meet in your department meetings on the 26th, we would love to get your feedback and suggestions. We working to have a student and teacher driven master schedule- what a great concept!

We will be distributing course selections next month to 6th grade classes and 7th grade Science classes. Course request sheets will be coming out at the beginning of February!

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 ALL Chrome Books on campus! We are going to need to borrow them from History and Science so a schedule will be coming soon!

PLEASE take TWO SECONDS to complete your student of the month for January. The trait is FAIRNESS and HERE is the link as it's super easy! We are still struggling to get this done and it should be very easy...We don't want any of our kids to miss out! Thank you to Cristina, Lynn, Joe, Lacey, Kimberly, Josiah, Christen, Kristy, Dalal, Dave M., Jason, Allison, Paula, Carol, Dave F., Sue, Lorraine, Heather, Gigi, and Elizabeth for already taking care of this!!

Have you checked out our Fish Moments?

BE THERE: Thanks to Sue and Lynn for attending the Math Meeting so that we can have a more meaningful benchmark for math in February! Please join us at the February 11th Board Meeting to recognize Sue as our Teacher of the Year! THANK YOU for being outside your rooms and watching the students during the 10 minute break and the passing periods! It is VERY MUCH appreciated!!!

PLAY: LOVE the new History shirts! Create it and it will happen! Interested in creating one for your own department??? Send it to me!

MAKE THEIR DAY: Thanks to Elizabeth, Lynn, Carla, Joe, Julie, Heather, Sue, Allison, Kristy, Sandy, Carol, Dalal, Susan, Cristina, Rochelle, Tamis, Karen and Anita for attending the Open Forum on Wednesday! It made our day to hear your positive thoughts and where we need to go as a school! Mark your calendars for Saturday June 4th for end of the year social (staff and adults only) at Carol's house to celebrate our end of the year party! We can't wait to try out that awesome pizza

CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE: We hope you will join us for the Spring Fling on April 30th (yes, I know it's a ways off, but you know how I like to plan....) so that we can all socialize! Rally time! Let's bring it peeps! LET'S STAY POSITIVE PEEPS! KEEP ON SMILING! 

January 8, 2016

Welcome back and Happy New Year!!

We hope that you all had a wonderful break and are ready to tackle the rest of the school year in a positive way and

Happy New Year and welcome to 2016!! Our students will be taking several required assessments as we are in the Spring semester including the Writing Assessment, Benchmark 2 in Math and ELA, and SBAC. Math and English Departments are preparing them already!  

Master schedule discussions are taking place starting now and, when you meet in your department meetings on the 26th, we would love to get your feedback and suggestions. We will be distributing course selections next month to 6th grade classes and 7th grade Science classes. Course request sheets will be coming out at the beginning of February!

It was AWESOME to see almost 100% of teachers reviewing the procedures and process of our school and their classrooms! All students have been away for 17 days, so they definitely needed a reminder!

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 ALL Chrome Books on campus! We are going to need to borrow them from History and Science so a schedule will be coming soon!

Please don't forget and plan for the Writing Assessment block schedule and Rally for next week...It was sent it the email Tuesday 1/5/16 for 7th and 8th grades as 6th is following one a bit different.

PLEASE take a moment to complete your student of the month for January. The trait is FAIRNESS and HERE is the link as it's super easy! We are still struggling to get this done and it should be very easy...We don't want any of our kids to miss out!

Have you checked out our Fish Moments?

BE THERE: Let's keep on monitoring those passing periods! Thanks to those outside their rooms to do so!!

PLAY: Oh man. I bet black socks are coming back since people just got more for Christmas...:)

MAKE THEIR DAY: CONGRATS to Sue Kinder, our ROCKIN' TEACHER OF THE YEAR!!

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

Please join me in welcoming Olivia to this world! Christine and John had their baby girl on Wednesday morning and we can't wait to meet her! Christine has already text to say she misses us!