September 15, 2017

We continue our mission to Teach LIKE A PIRATE!  The CONTINUED key component is ASK AND ANALYZE!   Take a moment to ask yourself, "How can I make this lesson outrageously entertaining, engaging, and powerful so that my students will never forget it and will be desperate to come back for more?"  That is AWESOME!  COMMIT.  START WORKING.  Then, be open (to ideas, suggestions, failures, messes, and positives!).  Capture ideas and thoughts when they happen- take notes, have index cards, a journal, anything that reminds you to MAKE YOUR LESSONS FUN!! (pages 44- 47).

Thank you for the lively discussion at Tuesday's faculty meeting.  We appreciate the comments, ideas, and suggestions for lunch detention as we look at the practices that have been going on for the past three years.

PBIS is not "just another trend" in how we work with our students.  PBIS is all about building relationships, student accountability, and repairing relationships.  For example, while we understand the need to "have a break" a student by class suspending them, sending a student out and not repairing the relationship just fosters an environment of mistrust.  What is it, exactly, and what does it mean for GVMS?  Though we have been over it, take a look at THIS quick video as well:

There is a TON of research that supports the restorative practices in the classroom and one of the best ways to start is with proactive circles that build a sense of community and relationships in your classes.  It takes less than 10 minutes to do this which will have LASTING positive results between you and your/our students!  Take a look at this SHORT video:

PBIS Video

ENGAGEMENT is a topic that we will never stop addressing.  We CANNOT stress this enough:  Higher engagement = Higher academic achievement and lower behavior concerns.  That's really so simple and all there is to it.  Students who have to "sit and get" are bored and have completely tuned you out.  Completely.  

Calling on one student when you ask a question means that YOU have given the others the permission to be turned out.  Is that seriously what you want?

Here is another article on student engagement, ways to increase it, easy ways to implement it, and the BIG payoff for doing so!  Read it! =)

We CANNOT stress how important student engagement is. We have asked these questions over and over AND they're worth asking again:

WOULD YOU WANT TO BE A STUDENT IN YOUR CLASS???

IF YOUR STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE TO BE IN YOUR CLASS, WOULD THEY SHOW UP ANYWAY??

MAP Testing window opens September 18 and thank you to the teachers who have put their testing dates into THIS SHEET.  If you have not done so, please do so immediately so that we can ensure you have enough devices!

*PLEASE PLEASE be sure that you select the CORRECT name test for your grade level when you set up your testing sessions:

Grades 6, 7, 8:

Growth: Reading 6+ CA 2010 V2

Growth: Math 6+ CA 2010

CLICK HERE for resources and step by step instructions (with screen shots) as to how to administer if you need them!

SUPER HERO SHOUT OUTS!  KEEP THEM COMING!  We love the "I Noticed..." and will add as many as we can!
Click HERE to add! 

• SUPER awesome shout out to Cristina for sharing the narrative hyperoc with her team! ~Julie
• SUPER awesome shout out to Dalal for leading her department in the POD (with food!) this week! ~K&C, Heather T, and Julie!!!
• SUPER awesome shout out to Heather, Lorraine, Jason, Aubrey, Julie, Cristina, Anita, Lacey, and Ryan for their hard work, dedication, determination and collaboration during the English POD this week!  WE LOVE IT!!!! ~K&C
• SUPER awesome shout out to Dalal for helping me set up my grade book! ~ Barb
• SUPER awesome shout out to Dave F. for letting us borrow his Chromes when my carts wasn't working! ~Kristy
• SUPER awesome shout out to Cristina for the awesome pirate flag! ~Julie
• SUPER awesome shout out to the increased collaboration of the 6th grade team! Let's keep it going! ~Julie 
• SUPER awesome shout out to Dustin and Dave F. for doing TREEAT paragraphs in your classes! ~Heather T.
• SUPER awesome shout out to the staff members participating in Spirit Week this week!  We loved the twinsies, the PJs, the Bay Area love and more!! ~K&C
• SUPER awesome shout out to Susan, Rosa, Elizabeth, Ken, Alex, Tamia, Don, Sue, Lynn, Ryan, Kristy, Jamie, Kimberly, Katherine M., Dave M., Josiah, Peckham, Lacey, Julie, Amy, Aubrey, Allison, Heather T., Carol, Karyn, CL and KC for writing 219 GOOD NEWS REFERRALS for SEPTEMBER ALREADY!! Let's keep this party GOING!!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

*Wednesdays are College Days
*Mondays/Fridays are GVMS Spirit Days!
Spirit Wear Order forms are in your mailbox! Due Sept 29!

*September 15- First Staff Social at Sticky Rice after school!  Join us!
*September 18- First MAP Test Administered

*September 19- Leadership Meeting

*September 22- Progress Reports Due/Student of Month Names due!

*September 26- Department Meetings

*September 26- District College Fair at FHS at night

*September 27- All Things Tech Night at GVMS

*September 29- Superintendent Visit/PTC Meeting