MONDAY MEMO WEEK OF 2/27/2017
Morning Announcement and Pledge Schedule this week:2-27 Mr. Raimondo2-28 Mr. Ward3-1 Ms. Majino3-2 Ms. Martin3-3 Mrs. Groene
MEETING AFTER SCHOOL TODAY (Monday)Please note the following message regarding our principal position from Dr. Wiley:Thank you, in advance, for your commitment to the process of hiring a new principal for Hixson. We are committed to working with you, listening to you and keeping you informed. Please plan to meet with us on Monday, February 27th from 3:30 to 4:30 in the Cafeteria to discuss the process and gather your feedback.
Dr. Wiley and Dr. Simpson
8TH GRADE CELEBRATION COMMITTEE PROGRESS:
Our committee's next meeting is on March 7th in the library at 6:00 pm. The committee reviewed data from survey questions. This data was from parents, students, and teachers. At this time, we are working toward the idea of an 8th grade breakfast, with parents to recognize students and an 8th grade dance with pizza and a DJ to celebrate our students. Any feedback is appreciated. You are welcome to join us on the 7th!
THANK YOU WEBSTER GROVES SCHOOL DISTRICT FOUNDATION for your generous donation of $1,200.00 to support innovation hour in our school!
FORMAL EVALUATIONS (Dr. Smith’s Teachers only): Please see Mrs. Edwards if you are unsure where to sign up. Dr. Retzlaff did several of my formal observations so some of you only need the summative conference with me! Thanks!
Please use the link to schedule your formal observation (if you are required on cycle). Also, please schedule your follow-up summative post conference on this same Google doc. Let Dr. Smith know if you have any questions.
INNOVATION HOUR:Please remember we expect the same behavior of students in IH as we do during other classes and times of the school day. Please follow your regular expectations/consequences for students during this time.
MASTER SCHEDULE 2017-2018 Decision: “Current schedule flipped”For 17-18 the master schedule will:- Remain with blocked cores (4) for teaming and blocked electives
- Flip so 8th grade teaches in the morning and 7th grade teaches in the afternoon for 17-18
- Not have the 7th grade rotation wheel for electives. Electives will have semester long classes for 7th grade
- Prototype 6 is a viable schedule which could be easily implemented 18-19
2017-2018
If you are interested in a new opportunity for next year and are considering moving teams, grade levels, subjects (where applicable) etc. Please email Dr. Smith and CC Dr. Vogt. We cannot guarantee movement at this time, however, as the schedule unfolds we want to have this information at hand. Thank you!
TALKING POINTS FOR 7th GRADE TEACHERS ON TUESDAY NIGHT FOR PARENTS:- Electives on semesters now for 7th grade
- Course descriptions
- Teaming and blocked cores and electives
- Hixson expectations: Ready, Respectful, Responsible
- PBIS school
- Innovation hour
- Discovery period
- Internet safety
- How lunch and recess work
- What students do when they arrive in the morning, including the pass system to go elsewhere at 8:00
- After school activities
- Chromebooks in the classroom (there is a technology session, however, parents have a lot of questions that tend to spill over into the core session as well)
- Rachel’s Challenge: Kindness/anti-bullying initiative
- Lockers
- Cinch sacks- no backpacks in the halls
- Passing time
- Q and A
- Officer Todd and project alert
LAST DAYS OF SCHOOL: - Wednesday, May 24th both 7th and 8th grade students will go to Six Flags for the end of year trip
- Thursday, May 25th is a half-day. This day will be utilized for students to present on their innovation hour explorations and activities.
PTAC (Principal-teacher advisory council): Our next meeting is Wednesday, March 29th. Please share concerns with representatives from the team. Here are concerns which were addressed at our last meeting on Feb.22nd and responses:
Issue brought: Response: Parents should be more in the “know” with what our district and school does on PD days Great idea! We will include this information to parents in an email after our PD Is the main office also trying to conserve paper? If so, how? Report cards were not printed front to back Yes! We now only mail semester report cards to parents. Parents this year, look on the portal to see the other progress grades for term.
I will talk to the office and we can look at printing report cards front to back Teacher is having trouble printing 2 sided copies directly I will forward on to tech for assistance How will we replace Willie? We will miss him! We want to make sure we have a quick process in place to hire a new custodian We love Willie! Happy for him and his new position, but he will be missed. I emailed Matt Palmer to ask about the process timeline. Can we spray for bugs early and set out more mouse traps? Can we do something about the gnat problem?!?! I emailed Todd this information to get to the bug guys Scheduling concerns for 17-18 with 6th grade parent night coming Tuesday the 28th Made a sheduling decisionafter considering feedback and communicated it in this memo this evening
ASATeachers, please remember to continue to walk your after school activity students out to the main entrance after ASA has ended. Thank you for keeping up with this, it is having a huge impact on student supervision.
Monday, 2/27 900 parent meetingObservations1pm- Jason Heisel, weekly meetingObservations3:30 Staff to cafeteria for meeting with Dr. Wiley and Dr. Simpson330 Dr. Smith meets with girl scouts about projects
Tuesday, 2/28 HAPPY BIRTHDAY JILL RIGHT!!!!Observations100 Jason Heisel weekly meeting630-830 Parent orientation for 6th grade parents
Wednesday, 3/1900 Dr. Wiley meets with Dr. Smith about staffingObservations- all day
Thursday, 3/2 Observations
Friday, 3/3 Innovation HourObservations
SATURDAY March 4th: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO LIZ OLIVER AND WILMA SLAUGHTER!!!!!
Our committee's next meeting is on March 7th in the library at 6:00 pm. The committee reviewed data from survey questions. This data was from parents, students, and teachers. At this time, we are working toward the idea of an 8th grade breakfast, with parents to recognize students and an 8th grade dance with pizza and a DJ to celebrate our students. Any feedback is appreciated. You are welcome to join us on the 7th!
THANK YOU WEBSTER GROVES SCHOOL DISTRICT FOUNDATION for your generous donation of $1,200.00 to support innovation hour in our school!
FORMAL EVALUATIONS (Dr. Smith’s Teachers only): Please see Mrs. Edwards if you are unsure where to sign up. Dr. Retzlaff did several of my formal observations so some of you only need the summative conference with me! Thanks!
Remain with blocked cores (4) for teaming and blocked electives
Flip so 8th grade teaches in the morning and 7th grade teaches in the afternoon for 17-18
Not have the 7th grade rotation wheel for electives. Electives will have semester long classes for 7th grade
- Prototype 6 is a viable schedule which could be easily implemented 18-19
2017-2018
If you are interested in a new opportunity for next year and are considering moving teams, grade levels, subjects (where applicable) etc. Please email Dr. Smith and CC Dr. Vogt. We cannot guarantee movement at this time, however, as the schedule unfolds we want to have this information at hand. Thank you!
TALKING POINTS FOR 7th GRADE TEACHERS ON TUESDAY NIGHT FOR PARENTS:
Electives on semesters now for 7th grade
Course descriptions
Teaming and blocked cores and electives
Hixson expectations: Ready, Respectful, Responsible
- PBIS school
Innovation hour
Discovery period
Internet safety
How lunch and recess work
What students do when they arrive in the morning, including the pass system to go elsewhere at 8:00
After school activities
Chromebooks in the classroom (there is a technology session, however, parents have a lot of questions that tend to spill over into the core session as well)
Rachel’s Challenge: Kindness/anti-bullying initiative
Lockers
Cinch sacks- no backpacks in the halls
Passing time
Q and A
Officer Todd and project alert
Wednesday, May 24th both 7th and 8th grade students will go to Six Flags for the end of year trip
Thursday, May 25th is a half-day. This day will be utilized for students to present on their innovation hour explorations and activities.
Issue brought: | Response: |
Parents should be more in the “know” with what our district and school does on PD days | Great idea! We will include this information to parents in an email after our PD |
Is the main office also trying to conserve paper? If so, how? Report cards were not printed front to back | Yes! We now only mail semester report cards to parents. Parents this year, look on the portal to see the other progress grades for term. I will talk to the office and we can look at printing report cards front to back |
Teacher is having trouble printing 2 sided copies directly | I will forward on to tech for assistance |
How will we replace Willie? We will miss him! We want to make sure we have a quick process in place to hire a new custodian | We love Willie! Happy for him and his new position, but he will be missed. I emailed Matt Palmer to ask about the process timeline. |
Can we spray for bugs early and set out more mouse traps? Can we do something about the gnat problem?!?! | I emailed Todd this information to get to the bug guys |
Scheduling concerns for 17-18 with 6th grade parent night coming Tuesday the 28th | Made a sheduling decisionafter considering feedback and communicated it in this memo this evening |
