O Come O Come

As we enter the final week before Christmas break, let us keep the Joy of the Season in our hearts.  The biggest challenge this week is keeping everyone focused on academics for 3 days and then we end with two days of crazy schedules, lots of food, movies, singing, and Christmas games.  It all comes to an end when we send the children home and we head over to Three Bulls for some adult celebrating.  Please remember to bring a wrapped gift valued under $10 for a gift exchange if you wish to participate.  Friday is a jean day with Christmas shirts and it's important to go over the rules the day before.  For this holiday, Christmas accessories are welcome. 

I want to give one reminder before I end my final blog of the year.  Communication is important, particularly when someone needs help.  Anytime a teacher or staff member is asking for help with a child or situation, the first response is to get help and ask questions later.  We should also remember that we have Message Pro.  If you are ever in need you can send a quick low-level alert to specific people.  This is something you can practice with each other to become familiar with the app.  There are key people who always have their phones or Apple watches with them and can be reached quickly. 

Have a great week and have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Second Sunday of Advent

Hats off to Jamie and Gina!!  I am truly enjoying all the entries in the 12 Days of Christmas contest.  The videos and pictures are great!  Thank you for participating and I hope you are having as much fun doing it as I am seeing the results. 

You can tell the season is upon us as we try to keep up with everything that is happening.  Santa shop, The Little Mermaid, Geography Bee preliminary round....  Can you keep up?  Yes, you can as we continue our count down to Christmas Break!

Everyone needs to be sure to be at Monday's Faculty Meeting as there is much to cover.   Have a Peace-filled week.

Advent Sunday

Today is Advent Sunday, also knows as the First Sunday of Advent.  It is the first day in which we prepare for the celebration of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Every classroom should have an advent wreath and candles hiding somewhere in your closet.  Please put them out in your prayer corner. 

Our faculty meeting this week is a STREAM meeting.  However, Gina and Jamie S. would like to present a fun Christmas competition and I want to be sure everyone is ready for our Advent Retreat this week.  Therefore, I'm asking all to attend for the beginning.  Bring your questions about the Advent Retreat and the STREAM project for the remainder of the year.  Do not wait to start it.  Students should be working on it already. 

Gina and I will both be out on Friday at an Administrators' Retreat at the Bethany Center.  This was short and late as I'm not sure I'm ready for this break to be over.  The good news is there's only 3 weeks until Christmas Break!

Thanking God for His Many Blessings

It's that time of year for lessons about Pilgrims and counting turkey feathers, but it's also the time of year to be thankful.  I am thankful to be surrounded by so many kind and joy-filled people at St. Stephen.  It makes it easy to wake up and go to work each day.  I also had a lot to be thankful for personally this weekend.  My daughter who had a very rough pregnancy gave birth a month early to a perfect baby boy, Isaiah.  I am thankful that mom and baby are both fine.  See proud grandma pictures below :)

Our 6th graders had a wonderful time on their Kennedy Space Center trip with rave reviews by all parents in attendance.  Thank you, Amy and Gina, for putting this trip together.  Tuesday, all students in grades 5-8 will set out with their Houses on their service project field trips.  I was impressed by the variety of trips they chose - The Bridges Assistive Living Facility, My Warriors Place, Alafia River Park clean-up, and Metropolitan Ministries.  

This week will fly by and then it's Thanksgiving break!  Well wishes to Sue and her family as they prepare for her son's wedding.  Congratulations to Paula on her wedding this weekend.  So many things to be thankful for!

And one more thank you....  Report cards went live on Friday and I have not received one parent email!!!  Great job everyone!

Have a great week everyone.

Thank You for Your Service

Today we pause to thank all the men and women who have served their country.  It always amazes me when Fr. Dermot or Fr. Tim calls up the Veteran's on Sunday to thank them and half the people sitting in the pews stand up.  We are blessed to live in this community.  Thank you, Sue, for coordinating our Prayer Service on Friday.  I was told it was beautiful and can't wait to see the pictures. 

If you did not attend Angels this year, I emailed the video to you which was created by Al Larson.  It's a fantastic video and a great testament to everyone's hard work.

I will be out Tuesday morning at a local principal's meeting and again on Friday at the Religion Committee meeting.  Wednesday is the Principal's Coffee and this time we are going live on Facebook so others can be present.  On Friday our 6th graders will travel to Kennedy Space Center for their overnight field trip and they will have a special guest with them as Fr. Dermot has agreed to join them on this adventure. 

This week is all about report cards.  I'm sure you have all heard the term March Madness, well this is report card madness.  To help Gina keep her sanity, please follow her directions carefully and make sure everything is ready for her tomorrow. 

Have a great week!

Best Ever!

That is what this year's Angels Among was...  the Best Ever!  Thank you to those who were able to come out and support the event and thank you to all who played a part in making it happen.  The artwork provided by Julianne and the students was beautiful.  Mr. Larson's video had everyone smiling.  No one could resist golf with Coach Green and Irish Whiskey with Fr. Dermot and Fr. Tim. What really pulled the money in were our two top live auction items -- a private plane ride to The Keys and Dino Adventure with Mrs. Hoffmann!!  Maria was a hit with a standing ovation and a paddle war for a chance to dig for fossils with her.  A big thank you to Maria and all the volunteers who worked that night making it a memorable evening.  The biggest thanks goes to the conductor of the evening - Nicki.  She really knows how to throw a party! 

What set this Angels apart from the others was the beautiful appetizer display on the patio, the live band, the selection of beautiful mini desserts, and the gorgeous ice sculpture.  What also made it special is that many of these items were donated.  Everyone was complimentary on a job well done.  It was also wonderful seeing many of the families who were here when we first opened the school AND three of our alumni attended - Shane Westbrock, JJ Niekro, and master of ceremonies Angelo Searls.

As we conclude Trimester 1 we have some fun prepared for parents and students.  Thursday, parents will see the result of our first STREAM project and Friday is our Harvest Festival.  The office will send out an email inviting parents to come on Thursday to the STREAM event, but teachers should also include it in your weekly communication or put it on ParentsWeb.  Students can also write an invitation to their parents inviting them to see their work.  Friday is Parent/Teacher conference day.  Please let Gina and Karen Biase know your schedule so that we can be sure to have coverage in the front office to let parents in.  Please know that if you schedule meetings after 4 pm you will need to meet them either at the front door or at the Angel's Wing gate.  Remind parents (even those coming to Angel's Wing) that they must come to the front door before 4 pm as we cannot prop the gate open. 

Thank you again to everyone for all the effort put into our Third Year Review.  I will discuss it briefly at our Faculty Meeting on Monday and will review it in detail once I receive the powerpoint and write up from Mary Camp.  I will be at the Bethany Center on Friday at an Administrator's meeting and then on Tuesday morning, I have a Hillsborough County Principal's meeting.  Have a great week everyone!

All Saints Day

All Saints Day is the day we remember all the saints in heaven.  There is some excellent information about the Holy Day on this website https://www.catholic.org/saints/allsaints/   What you will find is that, as many of our Catholic celebrations, it was first celebrated on a pagan festival day.  The idea was people were already used to celebrating on that day and the Church was trying to replace pagan festivals.  Remember that there is no Mass on Wednesday, it will be on Friday this week.  When we return from Mass we will continue with the regular schedule with 3rd period at 9:50 a.m.  Please decide with your partner/team/encore teacher what you would like to do if we get back from Mass before 9:30.

How to prepare for Nov. 1 visit:

• Look around your classroom - would a stranger walking into the room see evidence of our Catholic Identity.
• Be sure your room is neat - student books are not falling out of the desk, teacher workspace is tidy, room is safe for students to navigate.
• Plan an engaging activity for students.  I do not want you to put on a show, but this is not a day to give a test.  The engaging activity also does not mean play a game.  Engagement means student-driven learning rather than teachers lecturing.  

This comes from a document sent to me by Mary Camp from the Florida Catholic Conference and what I based my recommendations on:

·         The team will observe in each classroom for approximately 5-10 minutes looking for:

o   Mission and Catholic Identity (Standards 1-4)

o   Student engagement (Standard 7)

o   General safety (Standard 14)

You are all doing a wonderful job in your roles and it will not be difficult for the visiting team to see all this.  Have a wonderful week and no one is allowed to be sick on Friday.  Just take some Tylenol and you'll be fine :)

The Annual Report is Done!

Last week, Gina and I meticulously went through the Action Plans, Binders, the ARCA and all the evidence.  Everything now has at least one piece of named evidence or comment, Plans are all up to date, and the binders are ready to go.  Thank you all so very much for your hard work.  On Friday I uploaded the action plans and hit the submit button and it felt really good!  The last item we will finish and submit this week is the Third-Year Report.  As we go through it, we will be asking to meet with the Domain and Steering Committee Chairs as we need to better understand your choices.  Some are clear but others are not and Gina and I will need to be able to speak on the choices during the Visit.  On Nov. 1, the Visiting Team will want to meet with 4 students (1 each from grades 5-8).  Teachers in Angel's Wing, please submit names by Friday.  Be sure to talk with the students and ask them if they are comfortable.  At the end of the visit, The Team will want to meet with the Steering Committee.  We will make arrangements for class coverage.  You should all be proud of the work we have done, not only for the visit but also in our progress on our Action Plans. 

I will not be sending a blog next weekend as many will be away and there are only three days of school the following week.  Therefore, here are some reminders for the next two weeks:

• Monday, 10/14 is a Faculty Meeting.  Please let me know if there are upcoming events you are in charge of and wish to discuss (i.e., Harvest Festival, etc.).  
• Wednesday is our 2nd Principal's Coffee.  This time we will be discussing assessments, both classroom and standardized.  
• Student Council will be selling Pumpkin Pops during lunch.  For those who are new, these are actually pre-orders.  The Pops will be delivered on Halloween.  
• Monday, 10/21 is No School
• Tuesday, 10/22 is our Professional Development Day.  Think about carpooling to your assigned school as most are a good distance away.  
• Friday, 10/25 is Marvelous Mustang, Jean Day, and Trunk or Treat.  Be sure you move your car out of the parking lot by 5:30 on 10/25 if you plan to stay late.

Have a Marvelous 2 Weeks.    

And peace came over the land.....

That is how this week should feel after Spirit Week and Book Fair...  Peaceful.  At least I hope there will be some normalcy.  I spoke to Fr. Tim this morning at Mass.  He was telling me about the Communion Service on Wednesday.  Deacon Mike will be explaining the difference to the students and telling them how the hosts were consecrated.  I think you should prepare them in Religion class too so they are prepared if he asks questions.  Please remind the students on Friday that next weekend (Oct. 12-13) is Uniform Weekend.  Wear their uniform, get a holy card, and wear free dress on Monday Oct. 14.  At the same time, remind them of the free-dress rules.  Shorts must be no shorter than 2 inches above the knee.  If wearing leggings, tops must be tunic-style and fingertip length.  Those tend to be the biggest offenders right now.  Also, please check jewelry on uniform and non-uniform days.  Rules remain the same for both.  Thank you for helping with reminding students about how we dress.

I was asked by Faith Formation to share some reminders with you.  We must be mindful of the fact that while this is a school, it's actually a parish building and used by other ministries.  We always want to leave it clean and tidy for others to use.  Students should pick up everything on the floor at the end of the day (paper, pencils, water bottles, etc.).  Desktops should always be clean and materials and personal items put away.  All classrooms should have an all-purpose cleaner.  I did see these under the sinks over the summer.  If you need something stronger, I have Awesome in the office.  Also, please remember you should not put the chairs up on Wednesday.   

Here is exactly what Faith Formation is asking:

• SSCS teachers place tests, school books, supply bins and markers in a safe location.
• We ask that all desks be wiped down.  We have discovered in some classrooms desks are unkept.  This would alleviate our Catechists from rushing prior to class to prepare their rooms.
• If the air is not working, please have teachers notify the office and let Faith Formation know so we can make arrangements for our children.

Any time the AC goes over 73 degrees and will not come down, please alert the office immediately.

I will be back tomorrow but will probably be staying close to my desk.  Walking is still uncomfortable and if I decide to bring my walker, there will be no laughing or pointing of fingers. 

I will be leading the first decade of the Rosary on the morning show tomorrow.  Please be sure the students have their rosaries.  Continue to pray the rosary with your class during the week.  We will pray the 3rd decade before Mass on Wednesday at 8:20.  

Monday after school is our STREAM meeting.  Please come prepared to talk about how and what students will be presenting on Nov. 7.  Thursday is picture re-take day and graduation pictures.  Have a wonderful week.  

Let the Games Begin!

War has been declared and the winners will be those suffering from damage caused by Hurricane Dorian.  Please encourage your students to participate and help build excitement.  NJHS will lead this event and will let you know what the prize will be for the winning class.  Each day, the top classes will be announced at the end of the day.  You should have your Penny and Paper container already in your classrooms.  The Silver containers will be in the Breezeway from 7:30 to 7:50 a.m. each day.  NJHS members will collect all containers at 8:00 a.m. and bring them to the office for counting.  Also, be sure to encourage participation in Spirit Week activities.  Thank you to everyone who is making this happen. 

I need to ask everyone to be conscious of the time and to be considerate of other teachers' time.  Gina and I have seen and are hearing about classes that are not on time for Encore classes, for lunch, for carline, etc.  The bell is not a signal to start wrapping up a class.  Keep an eye on the clock, set a timer, or have a student remind you of when it is 5 minutes before the end of class.  That is the time to wrap up, clean up, and pack up.  Students should be ready to line up when the bell rings.  This gives them 3 minutes to get to their next class.  Thank you to those who are always on time and I appreciate everyone making an effort in this area.  

Maria shared a YouTube video about classroom management and noise.  The speaker took a very long time to say something simple, but he does make a good point.  In a nutshell what he is saying is if you let students enter the room in chaos, it's difficult to gain control.  You waste 5 minutes getting them to settle down.  Control starts in the hallway.  I also like how he says you've lost control when you yell or send students out of the room.  (Please know that I also think there are exceptions to this - sending students out.  Sometimes a timeout from each other is needed.)  But he is clear about the need to show who is in command.  He also talks about focusing on the positive and not the negative.  It sounds like this... "Johnny, thank you for standing quietly and it looks like you have all your materials, good job.  Mary, I'm so happy to see you today and you look ready to learn.  Etc."  I will say that I see many teachers doing this already.  He also talks about something I think is SO important, especially as students get older, knowing your students and making chit chat.  You need to know what students are into.  It sounds like this, "Good morning Sally, your hair looks so pretty today.  Johnny, how was the soccer game last night?  Is anyone going to see the new Spiderman movie this weekend? Did anyone try the pizza for lunch today?  Etc."  I had a challenging student one year and I would hook him every Monday morning with a recap of the Sunday episode of Dr. Who.  Know your students.  He then goes on to say that you let students enter the room in groups as they are ready.  Give clear instructions, "Please be quiet, no more talking, and when you enter do the assignment on the board." (Always have something for them to do as soon as they enter.)  Students who are ready to follow directions should enter and begin.  You may need to give the directions a few times before everyone enters.  This may seem like it takes a while, but it is probably less time than letting them in when they are out of control and then bringing them to order and it sets the tone for the rest of the class.  Please know that I think all of you are doing a great job but we also know there are some challenging students among us.  These helpful hints may just work.  

This week I will be out on Thursday and Friday.  I will not be available at all on Thursday (I'm having arthroscopic surgery on both knees), but you can reach me after that.  My plan is to be back by Tuesday (or as soon as I can get around without that walker they gave me #areyoukiddingme). Gina has a principal's meeting on Friday morning and Julianne will be the goto person.  Here is the rule for Friday...  No one can be sick, children are not allowed to misbehave, and everything will be sunshine and roses.  Marvelous Mustang will take place Friday morning.  Students receiving the award will be a little late for class as they will be at the breakfast in the East Hall following the morning show.  Given how Friday looks, I suggest door judging take place next Monday.  

Have a great week everyone!

Catechetical Sunday

Today is Catechetical Sunday and it is an opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel.  It is an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to this mission as a community of faith.   Thank you to everyone who came out to support the SVDP Society by attending the Ladies Tea this weekend.  Good food, good tea, and a fun time with friends.  Next weekend will also be an opportunity to connect with the ministries of our Parish by attending the Ministry Fair.  Thank you to those who have volunteered to help. 



This week, Gina will be out on Tuesday at a Title I meeting in Tampa.  On Wednesday, Gina and I are hosting our first Principal's Coffee of the year.  We are bringing back a tradition from a number of years ago.  We are hoping parents will see this as an opportunity to become more engaged with the school and learn first hand about what we are doing rather than getting their facts from Facebook. 

Having completed 5 weeks of school now, all classes should have at least one summative in the grade book.  If not, you need to be planning how you will get 4 summatives completed in the next 7 weeks.  If you need help in looking at your curriculum and where those opportunities are, please come see Gina or me. 

Have a wonderful week.

Be a Prayer Warrior

This week I begin by saying we all need to be prayer warriors.  Give thanks to God for Maria's first grandchild.  Pray that the Lord's peace may be with the Wierbonic family during this difficult time as they grieve the loss of Sue's sister-in-law.  Pray for those displaced from their homes because of Dorian.  Pray for Mrs. Torres starting round 2 of Chemo.  Pray for all our students who may be having difficulties in their lives.  Pray, pray, pray.  

Enjoy the quiet of the next two weeks, because some busy days are coming.  In a couple of weeks, we will have our Spirit Week followed by Book Fair.  Student council will provide information on Spirit Week and NJHS is sponsoring a Penny War that same week.  More details to follow.  On the Friday of Book Fair week, we will have Grandparents Day.  

The Parish Ministry fair takes place the weekend of Sept. 21-22.  I still need 3 volunteers (1 for the 9:30 Mass and 2 for the 11:30 Mass).  Only 30 minutes of your time is needed after Mass to sit at the school table and check on our students at the craft table.  Thank you to those who have already volunteered - Mustang Bucks to you! Here is the link one more time https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/20F0B4DACA62BA6FB6-ministry

Here is a website about storytelling and information about the Tampa Bay Storytelling Festival.  Unfortunately, it is on a weekend, but we can let our parents know about it and encourage them to attend http://tampastory.org/teaching-storytelling/   There is a storytelling manual which I have downloaded and sent to teachers in an email.

Tomorrow is a STREAM faculty meeting.  Please bring with you what your project will look like.  I would like a copy of everyone's project.  You should always give students written directions, a copy of the rubric, and a timeline with due dates at the start of every project.  If yours is not done yet, please send it when finished and just bring your ideas to share.

Have a good week everyone.

Should I Stay or Should I Go

 I am sure the words from this song were on the minds of many throughout the state this weekend.  Many meteorologists have said that this was and continues to be a difficult storm to predict.  This storm has also left many wondering why the decision to close schools came so early.  Public schools serve as evacuation sites and schools in Hillsborough could be asked to house those coming from the Eastcoast.  Thankfully, we are in a position to wait and it appears the Diocese has made a good decision.  Let us remember to pray for those who were not so lucky and have felt the wrath of Dorian.  

I would like to talk about Homework in this Blog.  Homework should be meaningful.  At the Elementary level, homework should include:

• Reading
• A few (3-5) well-chosen math problems
• Studying for tests
• Working on a piece of a project that must be completed at home (i.e., interview your parent, collect baptism photos, etc.)
• Practicing math facts, sight words, spelling words, etc.

It should be a rare occasion that students in grades K-4 have homework in science, social studies, or religion.  I did not include grade 5 as they are preparing for middle school and expectations should increase as the year goes on.  Once students reach middle school, the math facts, etc. can be replaced by flipping the classroom and more content area assignments.  But again, it should be meaningful.  Something I may not have mentioned to new teachers or reminded returning teachers is our policy as it relates to projects.  As stated in our handbook, at least 90% of project work should take place at school under the guidance of the teacher.  Not only does it allow the teacher to assist, but it also ensures that it is the student's work.  

The debate for and against homework continues.  What does seem to be clear is that as students get older (middle school and then high school), there is a positive correlation between homework completion and academic success.  What helps most at the elementary level is allowing time for reading, both independently and being read to.  However, other homework does have value at this age.  It instills important learning habits and skills such as how to prepare for a test, time management, organizational skills, and responsibility.  

What should you take from this?  Continue to give homework, think carefully about what you assign, and give as little as possible but do give what is necessary.  

Have a wonderful week.  I will be at Tampa Catholic on Friday working on Religion Standards.  

There's a moon out tonight...

Do full moons really affect human behavior?  The scientific answer is no.  But just in case, the next full moon is Sept. 13. AND.... it's a Friday.  It's a full moon Friday the 13th.  So be prepared.   After two weeks, the students do seem to have adapted to new teachers and new routines.  While some may seem to be rebelling, children really do like structure and knowing what to expect.  Here is something to ponder, someone said to me just yesterday that St. Stephen is more casual than other schools in the Diocese.  In other schools, students stand and greet visitors when they come in.  That has never been my experience here with a few exceptions along the way.  Do we need to be more formal?  Would that create a greater sense of calm and respect?  First grade does greet me when I come in, but it's a fun greeting that goes with their theme.  It's something we can think about.

One place that quiet and reverence should be expected is at Mass.  For those of you who were here a few years ago, Mass in the school and then in the FLC was challenging and students didn't have the same behavior as they do now that we have Mass at church.  However, when Mass is over, that same quiet reverence needs to be maintained.  Before going to Mass this week, remind your students that they should be quiet walking to Mass as they are preparing themselves to receive God's Word and for some, God's grace through the Eucharist.  After Mass, students should remain silent as they reflect on the Homily and how it connects to their life.  You can decide if you wish them to talk quietly on the walk back, but they should wait until they reach the sidewalk by the FLC.  

Being quiet is a skill, should be practiced, and has many benefits.  School is hard work, and students need that quiet calm to rest and recharge.  They will also get much more accomplished when they are quiet.  Having said that, noise can also be a positive thing.  When I come in a room and students are working independently and talking, I pause to listen to the conversation.  The majority of the time, they are talking about and helping each other with their work.  That's good noise.  Working collaboratively through a difficult problem is good noise.  It's knowing when to make noise and when to be quiet.  I do think we should write the words of Fr. Dermot's mom in everyone room... "Is it truthful?  Is it kind?  Is it necessary?"  If not, maybe it does not need to be said.  

This Monday we have our a PLC faculty meeting.  For this first one, we will all meet together to discuss what  PLC meetings should look like.  

Friday is a half-day followed by prof. dev.  We will start our Friday meeting promptly at 12:30 pm in the Media Center.  Bring your lunch to eat while I talk about Message Pro.  Members of Faith Formation and the Church will be joining us.  For new employees, you should receive an email prior to Friday asking you to download the Message Pro app and register.  If you do not receive this by Wednesday, let me know.  Please follow the directions.  If you were here last year and need the link sent again, let me know.  Everyone MUST have the app for this to work.  This will be followed by a discussion of CIPA for our 3rd Year Review and then i-Ready training.  Not everyone will need to stay for the last part, Gina will let you know.  

Have a wonderful week! 

Share the Light

We made it through our first week!  I'm sure you were all exhausted by Friday as the first week can be busy getting things in order and helping the students adapt to new routines.  One thing I can tell you is that I am hearing a great deal of positive feedback from parents.  Go Mustangs!!  There is one teacher that seems to be the topic of "My teacher is awesome!"  When we asked David to move from 3rd grade to middle school I remember him asking questions like, "Do they hug?" and "Do they cry?"  Hopefully not and 7th grade appears to be a perfect match!  One Mustang Buck coming your way.   

For all the new staff, welcome to my blog.  I will post a new blog each weekend, usually on Sunday.  In it, I will discuss upcoming events, reflections on past events, teaching strategies and classroom ideas I read about, etc. etc.  It is important that you take time to read this each weekend as I communicate the week's events and responsibilities through this blog. 

I have started going through unit plans. I'm looking at them all and in great detail and providing feedback. I'm seeing a lot of really great things and it's clear you are putting time into creating your units. Some important reminders: keep EQs broad and only use a few, upload all assessments before creating the lessons (teacher observation cannot be the only assessment), and think beyond bible quotes for the values infusion.  I have noticed that some of you have the unit plans from last year.  That is absolutely fine as long they go with curriculum/textbooks we are currently using and be sure to update with this year's dates.  It's important to indicate when the lessons will take place.  If this is your first year at St. Stephen, please do not be overwhelmed by this as it takes time to build your unit plans the first year. 

I have created the rubric for the Golden Lunch Tray Award.  A new sheet should be used each day and that one sheet will be used for both lunches and all tables.  Each table is for one grade with the exception of the combined grade 1 and 2 table.  I've noted that on the rubric.  The students who sit at that table should be the same at least for the whole month so the correct students get the award if that table wins.  If anyone has questions, please let me know and I will bring them to the lunchroom on Monday on a clipboard. 

This week I would like to talk about something we didn't touch on during pre-planning.  It's a reminder for returning teachers and new info for our new teachers and it is only for teachers who teach religion.  For everyone else, it's FYI so you know what's happening and you can support the religion teachers. 

Each Friday, remind students to listen to the readings at Mass and to bring their envelopes to church.  During Monday's religion class, set aside 5-10 min. to talk about the readings and homily from Mass.  It can be a question they answer in their journal as bell work and then a brief discussion.  It does not have to take long, but the idea is that we want students to know that going to Mass is important and hopefully those who have trouble with the question because they didn't go to Mass will go home and ask their parents to take them the following week.  This may be a good thing to mention on Tuesday night so that parents understand that Mass will be discussed in religion class. 

Last year I shared a resource that does all the work for you.  There are weekly handouts you can print, but I would recommend doing that only once in a while for special seasons.  I suggest you use them as a guide to come up with questions about the readings.  I shared the website with everyone a few weeks ago - The Religion Teacher https://www.thereligionteacher.com/  I have a site license for this website and the credentials for everyone is the same - lumoh@sscsfl.org / Mu$tang123.  You can choose from "Weekly Readings" on the right side.   We are currently in Year C and this weekend is the 20th Sunday in ordinary time.  The worksheet for this weekend says, "Directions: Read Luke 12:49-53. In this Gospel passage, Jesus says that he will establish division even among families for believing in him. Imagine if you were rejected even by your own family for your belief in Jesus, then answer the question below. What do you have faith in that is so strong that you would have the courage to be rejected even by family and friends?"  There are also other resources on the website. 

Another resource I found, and many of you may already know about is Sadlier.  You should each have a login for the teacher resources (Gina can help with that), but there are also open resources at https://religion.sadlierconnect.com/wbcid    Choose This Week's Liturgy and you can scroll to the one you want.  This may actually be a better resource.  There are discussion questions for each of the readings as well as activities.  Again, you will find numerous resources here other than Liturgy.  

Here is a rundown of this week's events:

Monday

• STREAM planning meeting at 3:15 pm.  Come with ideas

Tuesday

• Picture Day (Karen will have an approximate schedule for you, but stay in your classroom until called or volunteers come to get you)
• PTCO meeting at 5:30 pm in the FLC.  All should attend and you may leave at 6 pm
• Back to School night presentations:  6:30 - 7:10 and 7:15 - 7:55.  I will announce it is time to switch at 7:10 and say goodnight at 7:55

Wednesday

• Mass
• iReady testing begins

Thursday

• Visits in your classroom by the boy scouts (Gr. K-5)

HAVE AN AWESOME WEEK 2!

It's the Final Countdown..

We may not be quite there yet, but I think that's how the students are feeling.  Please continue to teach all week.  Students don't need to know when grades are due.  Packing up the classroom and taking down bulletin boards should begin next week.  Keep things as normal as possible for this week.  Be sure you have read tidbits so you know what I'm telling parents regarding changes and the yearbook.

Gina and I will be meeting with all faculty this week for summatives and contracts and then will continue with instructional assistants and staff.


I am getting quotes to paint the hallway this week.  If you wish to stop by and see some paint samples and give an opinion, please stop by my office.  I picked up at least 500 color swatches at Lowes this morning.

I am not sure we could have put more things into the last 7 days, but here goes:

Monday

• Gina, Julianne, and Jennifer will be in St. Augustine

Tuesday

• In school uniform sale with Risse Brothers 12-5
• Graduation Practice
• Last day of class for 8th grade

Wednesday

• Mass followed by 8th-grade Brunch and Clap out
• Sue, Sammee and I will be attending the services for Merci Tembo at noon 

Thursday

• Graduation 6:30 p.m. at the church

Friday

• Last day for PreK
• Rowdies Pep Rally 2-3 pm

Tuesday (5/28)

• Students may wear their PE uniforms
• Talent show
• Noon dismissal
• Faculty/Staff Potluck lunch (I will send out a sign-up genius, everyone please sign up for something)
• Faculty meeting to wrap up CIPA

Wednesday (5/29)

• Free Dress
• Mass
• Noon Dismissal
• End of Year celebration (please stop by and grab some lunch)
• Cum folders (all hands on deck)

This will be my last blog of the year.  

What will we eat this week?

I hope everyone enjoyed all the treats provided by Mrs. Bufano and the PTCO.  Our salads and sandwiches will probably seem pretty boring after all the food we sampled last week.  Here is what to expect this week...

Monday 

• Jill and I will be meeting with the CPA doing our Florida Tax Credit audit in the morning.  Please wait until the afternoon if you need either of us.
• Faculty Meeting at 3:30 in the Media Center

Tuesday

• Mass followed by the NJHS Induction

Wednesday

• Calendar Day - This is the day that Gina, Karen, and I will be locked away (somewhere) with members of the Church and Faith Formation going through and approving (or denying) requests in school dude.  If you need any of us, please text.  We won't be far.  Here is my favorite school dude experience this year.  I reminded a volunteer to get something to school dude.  Having no experience with the software, they came to school one day looking for the "dude."  Be sure you have spoken to the "dude" about all your events.

Thursday

• Spring Concert practice in the morning.
• Spring Concert at 6:30 p.m.   Kelly and Derrick will be sending out information to teachers regarding practice Thursday morning and your assignment for Thursday night. 
• Terra Nova and iReady reports will be sent home in the Thursday folder 

Friday

• Middle School social at night in the FLC

Final Observations and Contracts

Gina and I will finish up the few remaining observations this week and will start meeting with you to review and sign contracts/letters of employment.  We will start with contracted employees as those will need to be signed by Fr. Dermot.  In order to prepare for the summative meeting, please access your Professional Growth Plan and Faith Development Plans and follow my instructions in my email today.  

Happy School Appreciation Week

Thank you to everyone who played a part in preparing our students to receive their First Holy Communion.  Saturday's service was beautiful. I also want to thank everyone for all you do to inspire and support our students.  While some parents may have complained this year, there are just as many who have said words of praise.  Some of  you have received emails directly from parents and the office has had many nice words from people who are leaving the school, not because they want to, but life is taking them somewhere else.  We have much to celebrate as we near the end of the year.

What to expect this week:

Monday - Gina and Alton will be traveling to St. Pete in the afternoon to learn more about the Terra Nova test

Tuesday - I will be at the Pastoral Center working on Religion Standards

Thursday - Mass and Student Council Inauguration

Thursday night will be our final Bingo of the year, and final school sponsored Bingo.  We will not be continuing with Bingo next year.  It has not been profitable this year and we have decided to explore other ideas. 

I signed up everyone for the NGSS training who needs it and also the STREAM workshop.  If anyone was interested in one of the other prof dev opportunities that was shared in the Weekly Update, let me know and I will share the link. 

It's a busy time, do not hesitate to ask for help if things get crazy.  Have a wonderful week. 

We are the Champions

  Just thinking about the next 4 weeks of school makes me feel like the owl on the right.  Believe it or not, the end is almost here.  Having a late spring break is great because there's not much time left when we return, but it also can be stressful knowing how much there is to do in so very little time.  Please know that we are all in this together and if you need help just ask.  I am going to ask for help from everyone with the student cum folders this year.  Typically the homeroom teachers do this themselves, but with a baby on the way and teacher workshops during the 4 days when school is done, it's going to be all hands on deck.  Thank you in advance for being All In to Make the end Happen with as least stress as possible.  The top 6 items that need to be addressed before we hit the beach are: grades, cum folders, inventory, packing up the rooms, professional development, and review of our action plans.  We have two remaining faculty meetings, two half days of school, and 4 PD days that will help to get this all done.  Gina will have more details at Monday's faculty meeting.    

Here is the list of PD available the 4 days after school lets out.  Anyone who will be teaching science next year is required to attend one of the sessions (Thursday or Friday) on NGSS.  I will also this workshop.  Anyone who will be teaching K-8 science, technology, art, religion, math, or language arts will be required to attend the STEAM workshop on Monday.  Gina and I will both be there for this.  This will be a great opportunity for us to learn together and start developing plans for how we will start the paddle upSTREAM.  It will not happen in one year, but we need to take advantage of this opportunity to help get us started.  The other workshops are optional if you wish to take them.  Gina and I will also work on getting PD for envision math (K-8), whichever science program we choose (K-5), and anyone new to Wit and Wisdom.  We can talk about when is best to do this.  It may seem like a lot, but there are a number of new series we are adopting and it's best to do all this at the beginning of the summer so you have the summer to digest it and start planning for next school year.  We can then plan some PLC time during pre-planning in August for questions, idea sharing, refreshers, etc.  

Thursday, May 30

Exploring Next Generation Science Standards (Full Day) 

Project/Problem Based Learning K-12 (am session)

Accommodations for Special Learners K-12 (pm session)

Friday, May 31

Exploring Next Generation Science Standards (Full Day)

Writing Across the Curriculum K-12 (am session)

Using Technology to Differentiate K-12 (pm session)

Monday, June 3

STEAM K-12 (Full Day Workshop)

Tuesday, June 4

Effective Classroom Management K-12 (am session)

The Power of Praise in the Classroom K-12 (pm session)

Now that I've hit you with all that, it's time for the REALLY GOOD NEWS!......  We've seen the Terra Nova scores and there is much to celebrate.  In some cases, the classes did better than on the iReady tests.  What I am most excited about are the math scores.  I'm not sure how these compare to Iowa and there is a lot of analysis to do, but at first glance, for the first time taking this test we did great.  For some of you, if you look at the overall class scores in some areas, you may not be impressed.  However, if you look deeper and look at individual scores, you will find that there are a few students in your class (and I'm sure you will know who they are) who bring down the class scores.  There are students scoring in the single digit percentiles and that will affect scores greatly.  One thing I believe you will find is that this test more accurately compares to how students do in the classroom.  Those who you expect to do well did and those who struggle did not do as well.  Again this is in general.  There are always exceptions.  I don't understand how to read it all yet and how to run reports, particularly for InView.  Alton and Gina will be trained on this on May 6.  They will then share what they learned at our May 13 faculty meeting.  In the meantime, I will share your login codes tomorrow so you can start looking.  

Some general highlights by grade (areas where the class did very well):

2nd grade - math

3rd grade - math and reading

4th grade - reading

5th grade - math and reading

6th grade - reading and language

7th grade - this class was in the 60s percentile for everything

8th grade - this class was in the 70s percentile for everything and were clearly the superstars

Overall, everyone did very well in science and social studies.  Language and mechanics tended to be lower than other scores in most grades. 

Thank you to everyone, not only for your day-to-day efforts in teaching our students, but also for getting the students through the testing in a way that helped them to be successful.  

Highlights for this week:

Full faculty meeting Monday (location TBD)

Galy and Jamie to be interviewed for the Shining Light award

May 1 is the May crowning Mass and Kids on the Block presentation for grades 3 and 4

Friday I will be at the Bethany Center.  This will be a working session to review and revise our crisis intervention plan.

Friday is also Marvelous Mustang and Jean Day

Saturday - First communion for our 2nd graders

Have a Blessed Holy Week

As we near the end of our Lenten Journey, I wish you all a Blessed Holy Week.  Our much awaited Easter Break is almost here.  Enjoy the time away with friends and family and return rejuvenated and ready for the final weeks of school.  Those final weeks will fly by and there is much to accomplish before the year is over.  

Say a prayer for our 5th and 8th graders this week as they will be taking the ACRE test on Tuesday.  This is an opportunity for our students to show how much they have learned about their faith and how they live it.  

One more reminder to get all your events for next year into schooldude by May 10.  If there is anything else that needs to be added to the school calendar, please let me know asap.  I will share our current final version with everyone.  Thank you and have a Happy Easter!

Spring Break is Closer than it Seems

Gina and I walked the school on Friday after everyone left.  We really enjoyed the dino-doors you all created.  I particularly like the dino-selfies of Sue and Susana.  We did have a hard time picking a winner so we decided to choose one from Angel's Wing and one from the main building.  That didn't quite work either.  Here are the winners....

Angel's Wing - 7th grade

Main Building - It was a tie...  2A (Ms. Galy) and 1A (Ms. Maria)

We truly loved ALL the doors.  All three classrooms will receive $50 to spend on books.  We will also announce on the Morning Show. 

This is our last full week prior to Spring Break.  It's important to finish up units if possible prior to break, give summatives, and start fresh when you return.  Once we return, we will only have 4 full weeks of school (3 for 8th grade).  It will go by quickly.  Before you leave for on April 17, please be sure you spend some time with the students cleaning your classrooms.  While we have a cleaning company for trash, floors, and bathrooms, most of the classroom cleaning should be done by you and the students.  Here are some things that should be done on a weekly basis:

• Dust shelves
• Clear off the sink counter and wipe it down
• Wipe off desks and tables
• Dust electronics
• Clean the whiteboard

Students should also clean out desks and lockers every Friday and take home their papers.  If you have a job chart in your room (and you should), be sure to include these items.  Remember, our classrooms are used by others each week and every day when you leave, they should look the same way your home does when you are expecting company.  

Next Sunday is uniform Sunday.  Please remind students to come to church in their uniform.  There is only one more opportunity after next week to earn a Holy Card.  

I will be at the Ringling Museum on Friday with Mrs. Gonzalez and the 8th grade.  

Be sure to sign up for a Benefits session.  There are many changes and it would be wise to attend.  The closest is at Nativity and you will probably need to go to the 6 p.m. session.  Everyone who has benefits would have received an email regarding the meetings.  

On a final note, any time a parent talks to you about tuition, scholarships, finances, etc. please refer them to the office.  I'm not sure who said what and it could have gotten lost in translation, but I had a parent say to me they were upset I was asking everyone to participate in the raffle when his tuition money goes to others who then get free tuition.  That is not true at all.  When we spoke he told me he thought that because a teacher told him some students come here for free and that's how it works.  Please know that no one comes here for free using another family's tuition money.  Some get government scholarships, some get scholarships from the diocese and other trust funds, and some do get school scholarship money.  The school scholarship money does not come from other parents.  It comes from support from our church, support from other churches that do not have schools where our students are registered, and donations from parishioners, many of whom are very generous to our Heart-to-Heart program.  Now you all have the facts, but it's always best to refer people to the office.  

Thank you all for everything you do.