Be Nice

 This is something you will be hearing a lot this week... Be Nice as we enter into..... (drum roll) Be Nice Book Fair Week!!!  

A big thank you to the Book Fair Committee (including our very own Mrs. Dieringer) for organizing, decorating, and putting everything together in preparation for this event.  As a teacher, I know you are mumbling under your breath.... another disruption to class.  Yes, but for a good cause - BOOKS!  And quality books that support our faith.  So, please pray to St. Sabastian for strength and flexibility as we enter Book Fair Week.  

Teacher preview for the book fair is Monday morning from 7-7:30 am.   There will be bagels (yay! and thank you Emily Alvarez) in the breakroom to entice you down the hall to the Media Center.  (They will not be IN the media center as we may not serve food more than 2 feet away from hot water.  Also, they will not be individually wrapped, so good luck.)  Please add your desired books to the basket with your name on it.  These may be purchased by parents for your classroom.  If you are not normally at school on Monday mornings, never fear; you can stop by any time to fill your basket.  

Once again, please be sure you have a plan for Grandparents Day and refer to Tidbits for the instructions given to grandparents. This Tuesday is a grade-level PLC, and you may want to spend a few minutes talking about your plans.  

Remind your students to wear their Be Kind T-shirts on Friday, and let's remind each other to be kind.  If we are asking our students to be kind and treat everyone with love and respect, we need to first set that example and treat everyone that way.  I see MANY examples of kindness every day so please don't run to my office and ask me if I'm talking about you and if you did something wrong because my answer will be No.  What I can tell you is that I have also seen unkindness among adults over the past couple of weeks (teachers, staff, parents, parish employees, etc. - everyone) and I wonder how can we get our students to be kind if we can't set that example.  I include myself in this as I was unkind in a meeting when I was frustrated with data I was given but I did go back and apologize and will try to be more patient.  What I'm asking is for you to look inside and ask if you are truly setting the example to Be Kind.  Let's always be our best role model of kindness for our children.  

Have a wonderful week!  

Calm before the storm that is Book Fair!

 Good afternoon, everyone.  As I look at the calendar, this is a calm week with not too much happening, but it truly is the calm for the storm.  Next week is Book Fair week, which means being flexible and going with the flow.  Students will be late to class on Donuts mornings, and there will be organized chaos on Grandparents Day.  We will be having Mass on Friday next week with the grandparents.  Be thinking about the activity you will do with your grandparents and students so you are prepared with any materials you may need.  This is only for the homeroom teachers.  I'm not sure why but many of the parents see the breakfast change as a "BIG" change in what we do.  I don't think it's that big, and I hope they see this as easier for everyone.  Homeroom moms are asking if anyone needs volunteers for anything more than help with signing out students.  We are asking parents to provide juice boxes, water, and coffee.  If you want help with serving drinks that day, please let your room moms know.  

On the agenda for this week, we have vision screenings (see Gail's email), high school presentations for 8th grade on Thursday afternoon, and Marvelous Mustang Friday morning.  I will forward an email to all teachers that Mrs. Moretusso created that you can use to alert parents if their child was chosen.  Please send it to the parents of the students you chose for Aug/Sept. 

Sometimes you don't know what you don't know.  Last week, Mary and I started doing informal observations.  We both realized we didn't discuss what you should have on your walls/boards/etc. in your classroom during pre-planning week.  We discovered this when we saw missing items in new teacher classrooms.  So here's what you need to know.  Every classroom should have the following on the whiteboard, bulletin board, walls, slide show, etc.:

Objectives (for the unit, lesson, day, week - whatever is appropriate) for each class.

Essential Questions for the UNIT.  (Each unit you teach should have 1-2 EQs.  For more information on EQs, review the Unit Planning folder that was shared during pre-planning.)

Academic Vocabulary (This is for everyone.)  We will discuss this more when we have some free PD time this year, but here are some examples. If you are studying rocks, I should see igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic somewhere in your room.  If you are studying angles, the word congruency should be posted.  If studying slavery, you might post the word emancipation.  Think about the keywords students need to understand in each unit.  These are not just words they write in a notebook and define; they need to interact with these words daily throughout the unit.  More to come on that. 

Homework should be written somewhere, either on the board or sent through Google Classroom.  

If you have any questions about any of this, please come see me.  We will continue our walk-thrus this week.  Just keep teaching if we come in.  Thank you all for everything you do, and please keep Fr. Josh in your prayers as he continues to heal.  

CCC 1941

Happy Sunday! In his homily today, Fr. Primus discussed the dignity of man, voting no on Amendment 4, and recalled the Catechism of 1941.  The paragraph says, "Socio-economic problems can be resolved only with the help of all the forms of solidarity: solidarity of the poor among themselves, between rich and poor, of workers among themselves, between employers and employees in a business, solidarity among nations and peoples. International solidarity is a requirement of the moral order; world peace depends in part upon this."  Father then challenged us to work in solidarity because nothing will change if we don't.  When I reflect on this, it seems unlikely that the world will work together in solidarity, but nothing will change if everyone thinks this way.  We may not change the world, but we can impact our small piece of it together.  Please consider these words and discuss them with your students on Monday as we prepare for our first school-wide service project, working in solidarity to help others.  

At our faculty meeting last week, there was some discussion about holy cards and whether they should all be the same.  The answer is yes.  I made sure to talk about it in Tidbits, too, so that it is clear.  The card passed out this weekend is St. Benedict.  If a student has a different card, you should be suspect.  If they say they went to 5:30 Mass on Sunday, it's possible (but not probable) that they ran out of Benedict cards.  There can be a time when the cards differ, but I will let you know.  For example, in October, they will receive a Marian card.  It might be the Miraculous Medal, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, etc., but they will all be Mary.  Father does hand out old cards to students who are NOT in uniform.  Those do not count.  If someone has a card other than Benedict tomorrow, please send them to the office.  

On Tuesday, the Middle School will eat lunch in Angel's Wing. If you have middle school lunch duty that day, please join them in the Angel's Wing.  Other than that, it is a pretty routine week.  I will be out on Friday at the Bethany Center talking about principal stuff.  I hope you all have a superb week!

Happy Labor Day!

 Thank you all for your tireless efforts in teaching our children.  I hope you were able to find time to rest during this long weekend.  The best part about a long weekend is the short week that follows!

Even though it's a short week, there are a few things to remember:

• i-Ready testing will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday
• All teachers will meet for a faculty meeting Tuesday after carline in Heather's classroom
• Friday is a half-day, so we will follow the bell schedule for half days.  We go through all the periods (except lunch) in order, and classes are approx. 25 min. long.  
• Angels Outreach will give students a brief presentation about the first school-wide project and how to apply for the Kindness Krew. Presentations will begin at 8 a.m. in Middle School and the team will work their way down to 2nd grade. Students in grades 2-8 may apply to join the Kindness Krew (we can discuss more at the faculty meeting).
• Afternoon PD is Wit and Wisdom Writing.  Encore teachers and PK do not need to attend.  We will discuss everyone else's attendance at the faculty meeting.

Finally, I received more information from the Health Department and these are the rules in the main school building and Angel's Wing:

• NO homemade food may be brought into school for the students... EVER
• We may NOT prepare any food in these buildings 
• The ONLY place in the school where catered food may be served (and only outside regular school hours) is in the East Hall area.  This means we can do Donuts with GrownUps and Family Event Pizza.  It also means we cannot have pizza parties in the classroom.
• Things that can be given out in a classroom are pre-packaged, individually wrapped items such as candy, cookies, chips, ice cream, etc.  This will mostly happen in extended day.

I am working with the new facilities person, Tony, to get a sink installed in the FLC.  Once that happens, I can apply for a full service licencsed facility and we can then do much much more, as long as it's in the FLC.  This is where Thanksgiving celebrations, MS Christmas party, and P is for pancakes will need to happen going forward.  I will keep you all updated on our progress.

Have a Wonderful Week!

I Excel

As the students are completing their math diagnostics this week, remind them to look at the software's name and tell themselves just that. This is their opportunity to show us what they excel in and what areas we can help them improve in.  All students should be encouraged to do their best.  

Mary will be out for a few days and will be back as soon as she is ok.  Pray for her speedy recovery.  Remind students to cover their mouths when they cough and wash their hands often.  

The faculty meeting on Tuesday has been canceled so that everyone who wishes to attend the CPR Training may attend.  Techie Kids Club is visiting certain classes on Thursday (Mary gave you a schedule).  The scouts also wanted to visit classes this week, but I asked them to come at lunchtime instead.  I'm waiting to hear back.  Next week, you will have a visit from the Angels Outreach committee to speak to students about becoming part of the Kindness Krew and our first school-wide fundraiser.  I will send a schedule later in the week. 

Lastly, Friday is a school-wide jean day. Students and faculty may wear jeans with our school-themed t-shirt (assuming they arrive in time). Typically, on the first jean day, the theme shirt is mandatory if they wear jeans. After this one, any spirit shirt or PE shirt is fine. I will keep you posted on the t-shirts.  

Have a wonderful week!

This Is When Things Get Real

You made it through the first week, and now, welcome to week 2.  By now, you should have established rules and routines in the classroom, gotten to know your students, and are familiar with student accommodations.  By this week, everyone should be diving into the curriculum if you have not done so already.  This is also a busy week and includes important due dates.  Here are the highlights:

Tuesday – Picture Day.  An estimated schedule will be sent out from Karen. Please wait for someone to come get your class.

Wednesday – First Wednesday Mass.  Please remember that the class hosting the Mass should attend the start of Adoration and stay for 5-10 min.  When done, exit quietly through the doors of the chapel and walk around the church.  If K-2 would like to attend at any time, they are welcome. 

Thursday – Back-to-School night.  I will reply to everyone who has sent me their materials by tomorrow morning.

Friday – Faith Development Plan is due from everyone, and the Professional Growth Plan is due from all teachers.  There is also an assembly for students in grades 2-8.  Check the calendar for your time.  

The Faculty Meeting on Tuesday will only be for those on the Data Team.  Mary will send the details.

Finally, here is what I learned at my Administrator's Meeting on Friday: 

• They are discontinuing the John Hopkins School Culture Survey.  Yay!!!   I'm not sure what they will replace it with, but that was good news.  Evidently I was not the only one to find the data useless.
• The superintendent's plan for Mass at Tropicana Field is that ALL Catholic school students in grades 3-12, faculty, and staff will attend Mass at 10 am on the Wednesday of Catholic Schools Week.  Parents would not be invited as there would not be enough room.  If you have any questions about this, please see me.   
• I spoke with Dr. Majeski about this food in schools nonsense, and he is going to ask our lawyers about it.  

Have a wonderful week, and remember, if it takes more than two sentences to answer an email, pick up the phone.  

Ready? Set? Oh Well.... Go!

 Ready or not, here it is!  Welcome to a new school year.  From everything I saw Friday afternoon, I know we are ready.  From the smiles on the faces of the children (AND parents!), they are also ready to be back at school.  Today at Mass, I was filled with joy when I heard Fr. Dermot's homily.  He talked about Paul's letter and made the connection to our theme, Be Kind!  He talked about our theme and then asked the community to join in on our mission to be kind.  It felt like we are now part of something bigger, and I hope that together, we can all make at least our small part of the world a kinder place.  

With Monday being lost last week, we were rushed to complete pre-planning items. I have included a couple of reminders below and will cover anything else we missed at our Tuesday Faculty Meeting. 

• Church envelopes: I saw that some classrooms had the boxes out on Friday, which was fine. It reminded me that we didn't talk about these last week. Please be sure to talk to the students about why they have them. They are for them to share their time, talent, or treasure. It does not have to be money; it can be a prayer or writing about something they did to help someone.  
• Fire drills: Be sure to practice the fire drill with students.  Encore teachers should at least point to where they exit the room or take them all the way out.  We will have a fire drill sometime during the week. 

Thank you all for your commitment to Catholic education and to our community.  I am grateful for the opportunity to work with each of you. 

Have a wonderful first week of school!