Catholic Identity

As I reflect on the observations I have completed so far, there are two items that consistently stand out as "does not meet" or "partially meets".  The first is Catholic Identity.  Some rooms are infused with Catholic Identity, but there are some rooms that look no different from a classroom in a public school.  This is something we received high marks on when the accreditation team came to visit.  I'm not sure they were feel the same if they came back today.  We also said we would work harder at infusing our Catholic faith into all our lessons.  I rarely see this when I'm in a classroom.  I understand that it can be hard to find the connection in all subjects at all times, but I have seen opportunities that were missed.  It needs to be uppermost in our minds when teaching to make those connections to our faith life.

The second item was connecting the individual lesson to the overall unit.  I have seen some beautiful unit plans on paper, but when doing an individual lesson, it is hard to see how it connects to the big picture of the unit and students also had a hard time explaining the connections.  



It's like this picture.  We created something (great unit plans) but we're really not quite sure what to do with them.  So what's the solution?  Here's my plan.  Each week we will focus on one or two standards.  If there are two, one will be from the planning domain and it will connect to the either classroom environment or instructional strategies.   Some planning standards may repeat. This week we will focus on Catholic Identity.  Domain 1 - Planning: Element 1 and Domain 2 - Classroom Culture and Environment: Element 1.  In each of the standards, I have highlighted the specific things I'm looking for.  


This week, look around your classroom.  If someone were to walk into your room, would they know it's a classroom in a Catholic school?  If something is missing (crucifix, mission statement, etc.), let me know.  I was in one room and there was no crucifix.  I don't know when it disappeared, but it's gone.  Do you have a bible and stand.  One was purchased for every classroom many years ago.  Look in your closets.  Look in another room to see what I'm talking about.  If you need one, ask.  I will say that for the most part the way in which teachers and students interact does reflect Catholic Identity and that's a good thing.  I will also email these Domain pages so you can print them out and keep them in front of you throughout the week.  In the second week I will give a new benchmark to focus on and will do walk thrus specifically looking for the standard from the prior week.  The plan is that by the next formative assessment we will have gone through and looked at each benchmark individually.  

Social Media  

Be sure you have liked our school facebook page and check out our recent posts.  I put up a bunch of pictures from Trunk or Treat.  It was very successful and the DJ was awesome.  I have asked a few teachers to post something this week and I will continue to give out the login credentials so eventually many of us can post to the school page.  We have also started a youtube channel, google business page, and eventually I hope to add twitter.  This is how we will be communicating as we move forward.

Jean Days

I would like to clarify for everyone what a jean day looks like.  Jean day means students may wear jean pants, capris, bermuda shorts with any school shirt - polo, PE, spirit wear, CSW t-shirt, etc.  On some occasions they may ALSO (not instead of) wear halloween, fall, christmas, etc t-shirt.  The students I was concerned about on Friday were those who wore something other than school bottoms or jeans.  I saw leggings (which are banned in school period), fru fru skirts, and other assorted items.  I also saw random free dress tops that were not school items and had nothing to do with halloween. Please be sure to review this for Harvest Festival day and I will put something in tidbits that week.  If you ever have a question, check the handbook.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!! 

Quarter 2

The second quarter has already begun but I'm sure this week feels more like the start of a new quarter since much time was spent last week on report cards.  We went through many drafts of the report card which is not unusual for the first quarter.  We should all be experts now in grades and what is needed for report cards.  I cannot stress enough how important it is to read everything.  I try to keep it to a minimum but when directions are given by Charles or myself, the expectation is that everyone is reading and following directions.
Some things to remember about report cards:

• Every student should have comments
• Positive comments are important too
• If the canned comment does not meet your needs, write a narrative
• Any student with a D, F, 1 or 2 must have a comment that explains the grade and how to improve it (I saw 2's with comments saying how wonderful the child is.  There were also A's and 3's with comments that said there was a need for improvement.  Comments must connect to grades.)
• The comment to use for an incomplete is always given to you, don't make up your own

I would also suggest that you help each other proof report cards.  Find a partner and check each other's report cards.  Some are easy - Abbie/Sue, Jill/Kim, Krista/Heather... you get the idea.

Now that your have been through your first quarter, reflect on your grades.  Were there enough assessments?  How can you make adjustments to enough summatives?  

Time is going to fly between now and Christmas break so it is important to keep track of what is going on and making sure your are meeting your curriculum goals.  The second quarter will be over before you know it.  Here's what's happening:

• Oct. 24-26 - Charles is out.  No one is allowed to call in sick.  If you do have to, remember to call me by 5:30 a.m.  813-494-3801
• Oct. 24 - Faculty meeting (sign up for tables at Angels will be available at the meeting).  Observations are in full swing.  Be sure to review the rubrics - There are more rigorous expectations to be considered as "meeting the benchmark".
• Oct. 27 - Linda off campus at Administrator Meeting
• Oct. 28 - Halloween shirt and Jean day, Trunk or Treat, Marvelous Mustang (be sure parents know if their child is receiving the award and that they are invited to attend in the Media Center and join the student for breakfast in the Multi-purpose room)
• Oct. 30 - Fr. Pius arrives from Africa and will be with us in the parish through January
• Nov. 1 - All Saints Day, Mass at 2 p.m.
• Nov 2 - No Mass 
• Nov. 3 - Linda off campus at Administrator Meeting
• Nov. 6 - Parish Picnic at Boggy Bottoms, Mass at 11:30 followed by BBQ
• Nov. 10 - full day of school
• Nov. 11 - half day for students (hurricane make-up day #1) and PD for teachers in the afternoon.  We will follow a half day schedule and students will have all classes.
• Nov. 12 - Angels Among Us 
• Nov. 14 - Faculty Meeting
• Nov. 18 - Harvest Festival, Time capsule item due
• Nov. 21-25 - Thanksgiving Break
• Nov. 28 - Faculty Meeting
• Dec. 2 - Charles and Linda off campus at Administrator Retreat
• Dec. 5-9 - Santa Shop in East Hall
• Dec. 7 - No Mass
• Dec. 8 - Advent retreat and Mass (Julianne is working on a framework for this retreat)
• Dec. 9 - DAR essay due to Linda (Gr. 5 and 8)
• Dec. 12 - Faculty Meeting
• Dec. 15 - Christmas program practice during the day and show at night
• Dec. 16 - Middle School Breakfast, Polar Express (PK-5), Noon dismissal, All school/parish Christmas lunch in FLC
• Dec. 19-30 Christmas Break
• Dec. 26 - Blessing/burial of the Time Capsule at new church

Enjoy the week!!

Riders on the Storm

We were very blessed that we did not experience the wrath of Matthew.  Let us remember those who were not so lucky and pray for lives lost.

Here in Riverview, some of us chose to celebrate the time off together.  It is always fun to spend time outside of school and we all agreed that we need more of those opportunities.  

Marking Period

A few teachers have asked and I did the math and agree.  First quarter right now has 42 days and 2nd quarter has 45.  I'm happy to extend this quarter by two days since not much happens the first week of school and we've had many disruptions.  Therefore, schedule goes like this:

• End of 1st quarter - Oct. 18
• Grades due - Oct. 20 (8 a.m.)
• Report cards released - Oct. 25

This means you will want to have all grades completed over the weekend and just have a few things to grade after Oct. 18.  We will not be sending home paper report cards.  They will be available to view through the portal.  Charles will be sending a checklist this week which will include the comment for incompletes.  I will send home this info to parents in the tidbits.  You can also let them know sooner.  Also let the students know about the change.

I hope you enjoyed the Prof Dev today and I will be sending out a sign up genius for pre-observation conferences.  Look over the rubrics and bring any questions you may have.

2 Weeks To Go...

Can you believe there are only two more weeks left in the first marking period?  I can't.  This is a good time to review your grade books and make sure you will have at least 2-3 summative grades for the quarter in every class you teach.  Charles will be sending out a to do list for checking grade books and when grades are due for report cards.  

Next Monday will be our professional development day at the Bethany Center.  This week is a good time to plan for carpooling.  If you did not register for the event, you will need to see Charles as registration is closed.  

My three days at the Bethany Center were very informative.  It was nice to be in a room full of people having the same struggles I have.  Everyone agreed that being everywhere is the greatest challenge and none of us have mastered bi-locating.  One principal did have a great idea.  He travels with his laptop and answers emails in classrooms.  It allows him the opportunity to see what teachers are doing and still keep up with all the other work.  George will attest to how fast my emails come in.  I have calculated that they arrive at the rate of approximately 1 email every 15 seconds.  It feels like swimming upstream.  So if you see me in your classroom with my chromebook, I'm not doing a formal observation, I'm bi-locating.  Formal observations will begin in the second quarter.  I will send out a sign-up for the first one.

If you have anything you want put into our school newsletter, please be sure to submit by 8 a.m. on Wednesdays.  Send to both Kathleen and me.  Our new format is being well received.  Pictures are welcome too.

One last thing.  There are a number teaches out this week on Thursday and Friday.  If we cancel your special or enlist your assistant, we apologize now.  It's hard to get 5-6 subs in one day.  I am making some adjustments to schedules and will be adding one more person to the second lunch.  This should help with supervision.  It is VERY important that you arrive on time for lunch and for picking up the students at 12:45.  If it helps, and if possible, bring the students 5 minutes earlier for lunch to get them served and seated quickly.  Thank you!

Have a great week!