March 27, 2020

What a difference two weeks makes.  Whew.  Thank you for all of your collaboration, your flexibility, your patience (with us, with each other, with our students/parents, with yourself, and with your own family situation!), your love for what you do and for our students, for trying new technology and taking a "risk" to reach all students to the best of our ability!  We may not be in an ideal situation (putting it mildly) or in a physical classroom, however, we KNOW that you all have GOT this.  This made me think of you all =)

March 13, 2020

As we discussed at our faculty meeting, data helps drives our decisions.  Whether it's attendance, suspension, test scores, detentions, Good News Referrals, Independent Study requests, mental health referrals, SST referrals, IEPs or anything else with data, it helps drives our decisions as a whole site.  We are all here to work together to support OUR students....

"When teachers use data to drive their decision and plans, they are able to respond to problems more effectively, construct new teaching methods, and advance skill sets faster."  This was taken directly from THIS easy article to read, so take a few minutes to see some more benefits and EASY ways to sue the data!!

How do we, as educators, take a step back and avoid burn out (which usually happens around this time for teachers AND students!) so that we are still on top of our game?  Take a look at THIS ARTICLE for 10 EASY choices that you can make to help avoid burn out.  From choosing to be mindful to choosing to disconnect to something as simple as getting outside, it's an easy peasy read to help make your life less stressful and more focused!

As said above, we are not the only ones that can get burn out.  How do we continue to motivate our students so that they don't lose focus?!?!  That definitely can be easier said than done!  Take a look at THIS ARTICLE for simple ideas to change your focus of your lesson so that EVERYONE in the room is still motivated!!

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• SUPER AMAZING shout out to RYAN for his presentation at our faculty meeting!  THANK YOU for sharing!!
• SUPER AMAZING awesome shout out to RYAN, ALANNA, LYNN, DAVID, DAN, ALEX, AND TOM for ROCKIN' MARCH MATHNESS!!!  You ALL rock!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
• SUPER DUPER AMAZING shout out to ALL STAFF for coming together with the CRAZY traffic on Wednesday!  THANK YOU!!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
• SUPER awesome shout out to LIZ, ALISA, PETER, and SARJ for ALWAYS helping with yard duty coverage!
• SUPER awesome shout out to ALEX for thinking of me at Math Night!! =)
• SUPER awesome shout out to MARLYS for sharing her space so that I could put our ceramics projects next to the kiln! ~Kimberly
• SUPER awesome shout out to RYAN for his informative and awesome staff meeting presentation on student reflection and goal setting! ~Karron
• SUPER awesome shout out to RYAN for sharing your MAP one one one goal setting with us! ~Megan
• SUPER awesome shout out to ADMIN for the yummy food during the staff meeting!  Mary's is the best!
• SUPER awesome shout out to the MATH DEPARTMENT for the first ever Math Night!  Way to go TEAM! ~Ryan
• SUPER awesome shout out to ALISA and KIMBERLY for getting me IEP info on short notice! ~Tara
• SUPER awesome shout out to SARJ for covering Alisa so she could join the meeting! You all ROCK!! ~Tara
• SUPER awesome shout out to EVERYONE for their help and support at this school!  The teachers, office, staff, admin and campus security! ~Lynn
• SUPER awesome shout out for ALL that attended the faculty meeting for their insightful comments!  MUCH APPRECIATED!!
• SUPER awesome thank you to JASON, LARISSA, ALEX, ROSA, AIDA, AND BRENITA for helping me overcome a printer apocalypse and related management so that my students could print their projects! ~Cloud

March 6, 2020

In recent surveys that we sent out regarding tutorial (as well as the students at the Student Advisory Committee), we have students bringing up the fact that they are bored and feeling unsupported sometimes during the school day.  I know that we have talked and talked and talked and talked about student engagement and the NEED for it.  It's not a "hey maybe" or "kinda needs to happen"....It's a MUST.  SERIOUSLY.

There should be SO much less teacher talk.  If I can go into a classroom and not be engaged or a teacher talks the ENTIRE time, how do you think our students (who have even less of an attention span sometimes than I do!) are even getting the information??

PLEASE take a moment to read THIS ARTICLE about keeping students

E-N-G-R-O-S-S-E-D

Grades 3-8: Please start practicing SBAC

It's a good time to start having students explore the CAASPP Practice & Training Tests. This will help prepare

them for the CAASPP summative that they will be taking in just over 8 weeks. CDE has the California

Science Test (CAST) Training Test as well. Please go to www.fsusd.org/assessment and click on the green

button "SBAC Practice & Training Tests" to access the site. Students and teachers can access as a

Guest at school or home. Once you get logged as Guest, you'll need to select a grade. Be sure to select

Grades 5 or 8 if you want to take the California Science Test (CAST). 

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• SUPER AMAZING shout out to 6TH GRADE for using the park for incentive and getting those kids to turn in work!!!
• SUPER awesome shout out to ALISON and SANDY as both teachers are so accommodating when our 6th graders have park days! ~Julie
• SUPER awesome shout out to ALL for holding down the fort while I was gone!
• SUPER awesome BELATED BIRTHDAY shout out to ANITA! ~Anonymous
• SUPER awesome shout out to SANDY, DUSTIN, KEVIN and DAVE!  You are a fantastic group of teachers to work with!  Thank you for everything! ~Carol
• SUPER awesome shout out to JULIE for being an amazing snake charmer last week! ~Peter S.
• SUPER awesome shout out to TAMIA for holding down the fort in Heather's room again!  
• SUPER awesome shout out to RUDINA for her happy and bubbly demeanor! ~Kimberly
• SUPER awesome shout out to JASON and KEN for being on standby for late staff and meetings that always seem to run over in 1st period!
• SUPER awesome shout out to THE GIRLS for the laughs at Slanted Tree last Friday! ~Cristina
• SUPER awesome shout out to RYAN for spearheading the MATH NIGHT coming up!
• SUPER awesome shout out to PE DEPT for wanting to have intra-murals!  THANK YOU!
• SUPER awesome shout out to ALANNA for wanting to do math boot camp over Spring Break!!
• SUPER awesome shout out to TAMIA for helping with the restructuring packet! ~Julie
• SUPER awesome shout out to LYNN L and JULIE for their amazing support, compassion and insight for a student! ~Karyn
• SUPER awesome shout out to TAMIA!  Thank you for all you do! ~Heather
• SUPER awesome shout out to LORRAINE for always being there to lend a helping hand! ~Megan
• SUPER awesome shout out to MEGAN and KARRON for piloting Go Guardian!  SUPER EXCITED!