Hands to Serve, Hearts to Love

September 4 is the day that Mother Teresa of Calcutta will be canonized into sainthood.  Be sure you take some time this week in your religion classes to talk about Mother Teresa and the call to serve.  This is perfect timing as we head into September and prepare for the week of service.  Julianne will be sharing the plans for this week by email and we will discuss further at our first faculty meeting in September.  

FACULTY MEETINGS

At our meeting on Monday (in the media center) we will have a presentation by the Sadlier rep who will introduce us to the We Believe series we are now using.  Please bring your Teacher Edition to the meeting.  If you do not teach religion you are excused from the meeting.  However, you may want to join us to see what is being taught and to get some ideas of how to incorporate religion into the content area.

Our meeting in two weeks will be mostly teacher led.  Topics will include: virtues for the rest of the year (Linda), Week of service (Julianne), ESE processes (Martha C.), Unit Planning (Heather and Martha).  

GRADING PRACTICES

Just a review of grading practices for this year.  Grades consist of formative and summative.  ALL grades in both categories should be valued at 100% when posted in the gradebook.  For formatives and summatives you can use the 4 point rubric and then use the chart (see below) to convert to the corresponding % grade, or you can use points (i.e., 16/20) and divide to find the %.  However, you must then round up or down to the % values on the chart and no grade can be below 50%.  The ONLY grades that can be in a grade book are the following: 50, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, and 100.  ONLY summatives can be retaken.  The schedule for how often ATLs and Citizenship grades should be posted was sent by email on Friday.

Performance	Descriptor	Grade
Level 4.0 Exemplary	In addition to a 3.0 performance, the student provides evidence of deep understanding and fluent application of the target standards or expectations as well as the ability to apply and transfer learning to new situations.	95 – 100
Level 3.5	Half point scores indicate student achievement that is partially demonstrated at the next highest level.	90
Level 3.0 Proficient	No major errors or omissions regarding any of the target standards or expectations.	85
Level 2.5	Half point scores indicate student achievement that is partially demonstrated at the next highest level.	80
Level 2.0 Basic	No major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details or processes of the target standards or expectations, but errors or omissions regarding the complex processes.	75
Level 1.5	Half point scores indicate student achievement that is partially demonstrated at the next highest level.	70
Level 1.0 Below Basic	The student is beginning to address the simpler target standards and expectations.	65
Level 0.5	Half point scores indicate student achievement that is partially demonstrated at the next highest level.	60
Level 0 No Evidence	The student is unable to provide any evidence of addressing the standards or expectations	50

Have a great week!!

Getting Down to Business

Hopefully by now the dust has settled and we are ready to get down to business.  Not too much is happening this week which is a good thing.  We should be focusing on curriculum this week.  The only item on the calendar is picture day on Tuesday.  All students should wear their regular uniform.  If they have PE, check with Coach to see if he wants them to bring the PE uniform to change.  We start with PK3 and Kindergarten.  After that we will not necessarily go in order.  I will work around PE classes and take grades 5-8 before 1-4 if possible so they will be done before their lunch.

I looked through Unit Plans this weekend and I do want to commend everyone for incorporating faith values into your unit plans.  I noticed that in the unit plans I did look at.  However, some unit plans are considerably sparse... some pretty empty...  By now you should have your curriculum mapped out for the year for most classes you teach.  This can be adjusted as you go, but it gives you a framework to ensure that all power standards are covered.  I will focus on specific areas each week.  This week I am focusing on ELA and will meet with teachers individually and in groups to discuss best practices for unit planning.  Next week I will focus on Math.  Remember you MUST have your lessons for the week posted each Monday by 8 a.m.  At the very least I should see this for all classes.  It is difficult to teach well when you do not have a plan.  Also keep in mind that you should have your summative assessment created before you start making lesson plans.  

I'm sure everyone rocks this week, but I saw something on the Middle School calendar that made me sooooo happy I wanted to share with everyone.  One of the difficulties we had last year in our move to Standards Based Grading was having enough assessments at the end of the quarter.  I looked at my calendar today and I saw all sorts of assessments planned for middle school this week.  Go Middle School teachers!!!  Remember units do not have to be long.  Break them up and have 2-3 summative assessments.  Don't wait and find yourself with one summative at the end of the quarter.  That is not a good picture of how a student is truly performing.

Enough said.  Keep spreading the love.  I have had many parents share how happy they are with our message of love and they see it in all your classrooms.  This has been an amazing start and I pray we keep it going.  Have a fantastic week.  

Only Love

I have been thinking about our retreat and how interesting it was that our presenter talked about virtues.  One virtue that came up time and time again was love.  Love was how we started our week together on Wednesday during pre-planning and also one of the things we ended with.  I would like this to be our main theme this year.... Love.  At our first faculty meeting in Sept. we will decide as a group what other virtues we will focus on, but I think we can all agree that Love is a great place to start.  Let us all show love in everything we do and when parents come to grumble, don't react.... don't get defensive.... don't say something you can't take back.... but instead.....  Kill them with kindness...   ONLY LOVE!

I would like to inform parents about after school activities available to the students.  If you moderate a club that meets outside the school day, please write up a description for this week's tidbits.  Include the following:

• Name of the club/activity
• Brief description
• Days/times you meet
• Location
• Start date
• Moderator(s) name
• Grades that can apply/join
• Cost if applicable

If you are ready for students to sign up, you may also send a flyer to go home with sign-up info.  If you are not ready to begin, indicate when students will be able to sign up.  

Week two and here we go.  It's going to be a busy one.  

Monday

• Faculty prayer in the center hall at 7:30 a.m.
• Unit plans and back to school info due by 8 a.m.
• All school mass at 2 p.m. in FLC
• Faculty meeting at 3:30 in Krista's room (iReady with Jamie then time to prepare for Tuesday night)

Tuesday

• PTCO meeting at 5:30 in FLC
• Back to school night in classrooms begins at 6:30 - all teachers should be present

Wednesday

• Club activity descriptions due to Linda by 8 a.m.
• Since there is no mass today, Charles will look at the schedules and help K-5 adjust where possible moving Monday p.m. classes to Wednesday.  I will work with Middle School.  

Thursday and Friday

• Nothing I can think of right now :)

AT the PTCO meeting Tuesday night, I will be talking about where we are with curriculum, the move to SBG, and construction progress.  I will also address how I feel about Facebook, gossip, and negativity.  And I'm sure you all know how I feel by now.  I have already seen and addressed our first facebook nasty.  I will continue to confront anyone who brings a dark cloud and I will kill them with kindness.

Have a great week and I will be in and out of classrooms to see what wonderful and amazing things you are all doing.