It’s a New Year

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.

It’s a New Year —
Each day brings many opportunities for us to see what we need to do to be a better person. We should be encouraging ourselves and others to be better. Becoming a better person is what making resolutions is all about. What can we do to better those around us and ourselves? Traditionally we put together a few resolutions to get the year started off right and within a few days or weeks or even months, the resolution becomes part of the history of our lives. Something we look back upon that just brings us to the realization that we are who we are and there is no changing our habits and patterns.

We just need to set goals that will help us in our lives. Resolutions get broken. Goals are achieved. We need to set goals. We all have a few goals that we want to help us do better in our daily life whether it be exercise, eat better, stop a bad habit, or start a good habit.

I listened to Hyrum Smith, of Franklin planners, a few years ago give a talk about how to manage finances. He pulled out picture of what he called the spending matrix. He also uses it for time management. He told me he uses it for many decisions he makes. I have started doing the same with many of my decisions.

Draw four boxes on your paper. Label above the two top boxes, Urgent and Not Urgent. Next to the left side of the boxes label them Important and Not Important.
Urgent/Important= Crisis, deadlines, pressing problems=Needs.
Not Urgent/Important=Prevention, Values, planning relationships=Needs.
Urgent/Not Important=Meetings, activities, some pressing matters=Have to do.
Not Urgent/Not Important=Trivial, Time Wasters, “Escape” activities=Wants.

We will work from left to right, top to bottom and write in all the resolutions on your list into the proper boxes. What have you written in what boxes? Are there things that you think are urgent to change or improve?

Life gets itself made up one way or another. We should set goals that will help our lives get made up the way we want it to be, not to have it made up for us. I will encourage you to use the matrix if defining the urgent/important things in your life. Concentrate on the top two boxes. Those are the most important resolutions. Place your creation somewhere you will see it. most of all, write some goals.




Quote I’m pondering —
“What people need to keep their morale up to par is the ability to throw away their dime store glasses and begin looking through life with the long lenses of eternity. We need to acquire the power to live beyond the “terminals of the day’s happenings” and in the words of Emerson, “to hear what the centuries say, not merely the days and the hours.”
― John Miller

What I’m watching —
Mapping out the Shape of a Story
Graphing out a story based on what you are learning in class. Fun. Exciting. Mathematical. Amazing. Try it.

Favorite Article This Week —
So You want to do Mystery Skype
Mystery Skype is a lot of fun. If you just want to do it with Kim or I am sure we can work it out. There are a lot of classrooms and people around the globe that will do it also. I love technology.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you Kim. I have learned a lot about being an administrator, but especially being an administrator of a school that in not your run-of-the-mill-traditional-classroom school. Dual Immersion is tough. It has schedules that can be nightmares for administration, and two different language and need to be one for team teachers. I have learned about budgets and meetings, and working with parents and families, and taking care of families in need, and so much more. Thank you for taking me in and letting me learn. I love being here. Thank you Kim. Thank you for working with me. Thank you.

I appreciate every one of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful New Year.

Time for a break

Teachers,

Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.

Time for a break —
Christmas break is a needed time for all educators to take time and reflect on the year you have had. It gives us two weeks to have fun with our families and forget some of the things that have happened in the first five months of the school year. When students come back from Christmas break they seem to be a little different. Most of the time they are a little more mature. They do come back ready to see their friends, teachers, and get back into school. Please take the time to enjoy your holiday. Don’t spend too much time at the school preparing, especially new teachers. You need the time off. Enjoy your time with your family. Enjoy time away from school. Enjoy the season. Enjoy life.

Quote I’m pondering —
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.”
― Anne Lamott

What I’m listening to —
Radio Garden
Just in case you are missing home and want to hear a radio station from anywhere close to home. I love the Hawaiian and LA radio stations, but they have many here from around the states and around the world. Check out Barrow, Alaska. Then look it up on the map. Yes, there is a radio station there. Put on the headphones and go home.

What I’m watching to —
12 Days of Christmas
This is great version of this song. Have a great holiday vacation.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you teachers. I appreciate all that you do. I am in awe of the amazing things you do with our students in the little time you have with them. I know it feels like there is no time and very little getting done, but in the end, the students remember the teachers who gave time to them and loved them. The academics is important, but the learn better when they are loved. Thank you for loving the students. They are better because of it. You are wonderful. Thank you. Just Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful Christmas break. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

My Teacher Forever

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.

My Teacher Forever —
I was participating in a #youmatter chat on twitter and a comment came up that interested me. It was from Justine Tarte from St. Louis Missouri. He said "Highly effective teachers don't just have students for one year; they have students who view them as 'their' teacher for life...". I thought about this for a moment and it is true. The teachers I remember that I consider "my" teachers are the ones that really had an impact on me. Mrs. Durbin my kindergarten teacher took time with me and helped be start out to be a pretty good reader. My third grade teacher Mrs. Fanning really helped me understand math and we had some great waffle parties. Sixth grade was Mr. Neighbor and he pushed me to do better. I wasn't fond of him because he was mean, but he was "my" teacher because he pushed and I grew. I had others but the one teacher I call mine was Mr. Frieberg. High school music teacher. I had him for 3 years and my friends and I got to know him pretty well. He took time to explain life to us. He scolded us when we were making bad choices. He praised us when we were doing well. He took time to find out who we were and we found out who he was. He took time. I don't remember most of my teachers. I would have to look back to see what they even looked like. So who are "your" teachers? Who made an impact on you? And what are you doing to make an impact on your students so they will consider you "their" teacher after they leave? What a badge of love to get from a student. My teacher forever.

Quote I’m pondering —
“Don't look—you might see. Don't listen—you might hear. Don't think—you might learn. Don't make a decision—you might be wrong. Don't walk—you might stumble. Don't run—you might fall. Don't live—you might die.”
― Anti-Risk Campaign Poster

What I’m watching —
Through the Eyes of a Teacher before Christmas
Kim showed me this and I thought everyone can relate to this in fact this is usually what happens during a full moon. Enjoy and laugh.

Favorite Article This Week —
6 Potential Brain Benefits Of Bilingual Education
I read this and found that our kids resemble these benefits. One other thing have read is that the benefits of dual immersion show up more as the students grow older. We are doing an amazing job teaching dual languages to amazing students. They will benefit. We are hearing about the benefits from former students. It will be more evident in the years to come. Keep up the great work.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you Cynthia and Teryn. Having the whole day classes, you are doing an amazing job. Seeing the successes you are having and the growth with your classes is exciting to watch. Being in a full day class with one group of kids after being in half day classes with two groups is a daunting task. It is a huge schedule and curriculum reset. But you have taken the task and have done some pretty fun things that most classes are unable to do with half day classes. Thank you for doing such an amazing job. Thank you for all you do. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful weekend.

Little Things

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.

Little Things —
I am a huge fan of the band Van Halen. I have been since a friend played me their first song on their first album. They were a no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners type of band. They innovated and created their own path through rock and roll history. But there is a story about them that always intrigued me. It goes something like this (From entrepreneur.com, ):

Buried amongst dozens of points in Van Halen’s rider was an odd stipulation that there were to be no brown M&M’s candies in the backstage area. If any brown M&M’s were found backstage, the band could cancel the entire concert at the full expense of the promoter. That meant that because of a single candy, a promoter could lose millions…
To ensure the promoter had read every single word in the contract, the band created the “no brown M&M’s” clause. It was a canary in a coalmine to indicate that the promoter may have not paid attention to other more important parts of the rider, and that there could be other bigger problems at hand.
Whenever the band found brown M&M’s candies backstage, they immediately did a complete line check, inspecting every aspect of the sound, lighting and stage setup to make sure it was perfect. David Lee Roth would also trash the band’s dressing room to prove a point — reinforcing his reputation in the process.
Van Halen created a seemingly silly clause to make sure that every little detail was taken care of. It was important, both for the experience of the fans and the safety of the band, to make sure that no little problems created bigger issues.

As teachers we need to look for the little things that need our help. There are times we find something amiss in a student's learning and we need to search every aspect to find what is needed and address it before it becomes a bigger issue. The band did not put that clause in to be funny, they put it in to make sure the experience of the fans and the safety of the band was taken care of. Everything we do is about the experience we give our students, the learning we design, and the opportunities we create for our students and their future. It’s the small things we sometimes lose track of in our lives. Even the little things like a smile or a positive comment makes a difference. A little thing like a smile at any given moment can make a student feel good and know that someone cares. If things do not go right you don't get to trash your room, but you can check and recheck what you are doing to make sure you are doing the little things, because those are things that can help as our students learn.

Quote I’m pondering —
“If the cat wishes to leave the room, he makes no fuss about it and does not annoy you with vocal opportunities; he selects a position near the door. Now you may change his position, but you cannot change his purpose: his purpose is to leave the room; and he knows that opportunities come to those who are ready.”
― William Lyons Phelps

What I’m watching —
What Homeless Keep With Them
We have a small population of homeless in our school. This article with accompanying videos put more of a face and background on who we are working with when it comes to the homeless.

Favorite Article This Week —
10 Things High School Teacher Can Learn From Elementary Teachers
This is more of a reminder of all the things you do as an elementary teacher. Nice job.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you Kindergarten. I love that you problem solved how your grade level would increase your imagine Learning usage. We appreciate that you came up with a solution and then came to ask its that works with the schedule. First grade also mentioned how well the students are coming to them more ready for first grade. Thank you for your hard work.

Thank you Amanda for the Shoe project. It went so smoothly and the students had the biggest smiles on their faces. Thank you for taking care of our students and helping to keep them warm, shoed, and giving them a place to feel listened to. thank you for watching out little ones.

An one more thank you to Fourth grade for having everything put into CSIP and putting together a plan to get it put in each week. That really makes our meeting more about the students and not about entering numbers into CSIP. Thank you.

There is so much going on in our school that is wonderful. thank you for all everyone does. Thank you.

I appreciate you and your the work you put in for the students. Have a wonderful weekend.

P.S. I just wanted to use Van Halen in one of my messages.

Do You Know Where You Are?

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.

Do You Know Where You Are? —
Here is another tech lesson that you might want to know, or not. On your phone is a wonderful program that helps locate where you are. This is very helpful when using maps so you can find someplace, when using the Krispy Kreme app so you can find the nearest Krispy Kreme, and if you have the right app, it can help you find out where your car is parked in the Walmart parking lot. The helpfulness of this program changes when you find out that it might be geotagging your pictures, tagging where you are on Facebook or Instagram, or other location options for apps you use. I see the problem with this being that anyone that has access to that picture can see where it was taken. Where you are on vacation, at the local hangout, at your house... the geotag actually is part of the picture. So to disable that you need to turn off the location services on your phone.

On an android phone it is all combined so when you turn it off, you will also turn off the location services for maps and apps that you want to help you using location services. You can turn it off in Settings>Location. There is history that keeps track of where you have been and Reporting that gives apps access to your position. Turning off history will prevent it from keeping location information. If you turn off reporting, it will not geotag your pictures, but it will also not let you see where you are on the map.

On an iPhone you go to settings>privacy>location services and disable specific location services for specific apps. It will give you options like never, while using app, and always. Always means if the app is in the background it will use your battery while keeping track of where you are. You will want location services for maps, weather, find my iPhone, and magic guide if you are a Disneyland fan. Photos, Facebook, Instagram, twitter, camera and other social media apps should be set to never.
If you have a windows phone, you will go to settings>location services and turn it off. It is similar to android that when you turn it off, it turns off the maps location services.

Remember to pay attention to the pop ups on your phone when it asks if you want apps to monitor your location. Most apps do not need it. Game apps have started to ask for location services so they can see if there are players near you. That also shows others where you are. Don't get freaked out about this, but be security minded, especially if you have kids that use a smart phone.

Bonus: there are apps to help track your kids. Make sure those apps have location services a turned on. My kids know that their phones are trackers also, and they do the same to me. Location services are awesome when you going somewhere and you want to use the maps feature, but can be a detriment when others can see where you are. Have a safe and secure day.

Quote I’m pondering —
"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future." -Steve Jobs

Favorite Article This Week —
Teaching Text Structures
Text structures is huge when reading everything, except narratives. I found this article with its accompanying video and slideshow. I hope you enjoy it.

Second Favorite Article This Week —
DOK in Content Areas
I know, two articles? Where is the video to make us better people? I loved both of there articles. Sorry Here are some charts that help show what DOK looks like in different content areas. I know some of you are working on DOK questions in your lessons.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you Alma. Thank you for all the work you put in for everyone to be better teachers. You always have a full schedule taking care of coaching and finding resources for teachers. We know how hard you work make if everyone better. We appreciate all the time you put in and the help you give. Thank you for all you do for our school. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful weekend.

Thanksgiving

Teachers,
Here is your late, weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.

Thanksgiving —
What a wonderful time to remember all that we are thankful for. So I shall keep this short. Enjoy time with your family. Enjoy the time you have off.

Quote I’m pondering —
“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”
― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky

What I’m watching —
What Homeless Keep With Them
We have a small population of homeless in our school. This article with accompanying videos put more of a face and background on who we are working with when it comes to the homeless.

Favorite Article This Week —
10 Things High School Teacher Can Learn From Elementary Teachers
This is more of a reminder of all the things you do as an elementary teacher. Nice job.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you. Just Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

Being Thankful

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.

Being Thankful
It is a great time to reflect on being thankful. Halfway through the school year and at the end of the calendar year makes it a great stopping point to reflect. So what am I thankful for? My family. The time we spend together and the opportunity for me to see them grow and progress through their lives. My family send out a Christmas DVD instead of a Christmas card to our siblings and a few friends. It is a montage of pictures that we take through the year. It is a good reminder of what we have done and where we went this year. One of our favorite activities is watching our past Christmas videos and seeing how we have grown through the years. I am thankful for them. They remind me that I am not the center of the universe, they are.

I am thankful for a job that does not seem like a job. I get to have recess every day. What other job does that? I get to work with wonderful people everyday. I get to see where our future will come from and I have to say that even with the problems we have, I see a bright future in our students. I am thankful for students that do not always fit in the same box as other kids. It is those kids that will take us to new places in our world. I am thankful for teachers that give of their time, look for new ways to teach and are willing to do whatever it takes to help students see the light they have never seen and some thought was never possible to see. I am thankful for others that have patience for my shortcomings. I am very thankful for good friends. We always need someone to help us through the times when it seems a little too rough for us, and I have had a few of those times, and friends guide me and, when needed, set me straight. I am truly thankful for life and the opportunity I have to live it. And it is worth living, at all times. So at this time in the year, what are you thankful for? Who are you thankful for?

Quote I’m pondering —
"You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child." ~ Dr. Seuss

What I’m watching —
20 Things We Should Say More Often
I love the kid President videos. They are amazing and this one was a life lesson for me. I try to share corn dogs with my kids often.

Favorite poster This Week —
Life Is Full of Surprises
There are so many people on our way through life that help us or that we don't even know that they notice who we are and what we do. Sometimes we need to take a moment and talk to the people that we see each day and don't recognize. Such a great article. Some many little things that I need to remember.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you everyone for all you did during the Reunification Drill. We appreciate your patience and help to keep the students safe and looked after. Drills can be so boring and unwanted, until there is a time we need it. It only takes one time to need it. Thank you for all your help. Thank you teachers for keeping the classes organized so the students were easy to find for the runners. Thank you runners for being quick and detailed. Thank you information collectors for being so detailed and quick with your job. Thank you everyone. Thank you for being a huge part of making this whole drill run smoothly. Thank you. It is all about keeping students safe in situations that might come up. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful weekend.

Planning for Substitutes

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.

Planning for Substitutes —
I was talking with the Community Council on Wednesday afternoon and we were talking safety and a concern came up about how substitutes will know what to do in case of an emergency in a classroom. So I thought about this. I would like for every teacher to put together a Substitute Information page that you can leave out whenever you have a sub. It is page that will not include daily plans, but will include information that a sub might like to know to help run your classroom better. Procedures that are used all the time and are not written into lesson plans. Topics like; procedures during an emergency fire drill or any emergency drill, How do students line up, How you deal with situation in your classroom, procedures for students using chrome books or iPads in the classroom, how you call on students, procedures for specials and PE, and any specific times students go to ELL, Resource, Speech, or other places, How you line up to go to iReady… There are many things that are procedures we see everyday that you might like a sub to know when they come to your room. When you put this list together just print it and put it next to your sub plans when you have a sub. If you would send Anita a copy of the Sub Info also she can print it if there is ever an emergency. The biggest piece of information we would like on this page is what to do in an Emergency. Where to go, how to line up, who to they report to, and anything specific they need to know that will help them through an emergency.

Quote I’m pondering —
"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

What I’m watching —
Taylor Mali: What Do Teachers Make?
If you have not seen this, you need to see it. We are in a tough profession and you do an amazing job teaching our little ones.

Favorite Article This Week —
15 Questions to Replace “How Was School Today?
These are great questions to ask our on kids when they get home from school. Which tells me that we need our students to be able to answer these questions before they leave school each day. So how do we do this?

A Big Thank You —
Thank you Shelly. There are so many things you do at this school that it is hard for me to say thank you for just one thing. Thank you for everything. For setting schedules, for preparing lessons six grade levels of science and teaching them each week, for housing and cleaning leftovers from animals in your room so students have the opportunity to see animals up close, for taking a morning or afternoon duty when someone has a meeting or is not feeling well, for helping in the office and doing odd jobs when we need them so the school will keep running. This list could go on and on. Thank you for all you do. I thank you, we all thank you Shelly. Thank you.

I appreciate all your hard work. Have a wonderful weekend.

PBIS Being Resourceful Video

This is our third installment this year of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Video series for Dixie Sun. In this video we discuss Being Resourceful and how it can help us at school. Being resourceful can be difficult to explain. We discuss Mindset in this video. A few things we discuss are;

• Being Resourceful is to find a different way to do something challenging
• New ways to solve problems
• Change the way you think about things
• Brains are made up of Neurons
• Learning grows our brains
• When you make mistakes and learn from it your brain grows
• Mindset research
• Challenge yourself
• Push through problems
• You can do anything you put your mind to

Searching

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.

Searching —
If has been a busy month and I did not get to the tech training that I wanted to do. We just had so much we have been doing as a school that I thought another thing would push everyone over the edge. So I will start here. Searching. Not googling. Searching. I was listening to my wife talk about why she can't find a certain document for work because the name was changed and she does not know how to find it. So here are a few rules when naming documents. First rule is to name it so you can find it. Long names are fine. Sentences are not. When you are sharing a document, like lessons plans, with someone, put your name on it. It makes it easier to find and it will not get mixed up with someone else. When you are searching for a document in google Docs, the search will look through the document for words also. So if you forget the name of the document, search for a prominent word or phrase in the document and it should be able to find it. The last thing I want share with you is about sharing. If you do not want the people you share with messing with your document, select the view only box and they will be able to see it, but not add too it. I hope this helps as you are naming documents and searching on your computer.

Quote I’m pondering —
"There is much more to life than increasing its speed." Mahatma Ghandi

What I’m watching —
Why It's Time To Forget The Pecking Order at Work
Another TED talk that talks about super chickens and how to make teams work better together.

Favorite Article This Week —
100% is overrated
I always think about how many times my teachers told me I was smart because I got 100%. Then I think about the times I did not get 100% and how I felt that I was not as smart as I should be. I like how this article suggests we change our labels.

A Big Thank You —
I want to thank a couple of our unsung heroes at school. Our lab aides, Nicola and SherryAnn. They help our students with usernames and passwords, collecting data for Imagine Learning and iReady. They keep us on track, and we need that. Thank you for all your hard work with our students and especially keeping us where we need to be. Thank you ladies. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful weekend.

Rah, rah, shish boom bah!

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.

Rah, rah, shish boom bah! —
As I worked with Annette this week, and everything I work with her, she reminds me through her actions that we all need a cheerleader to help us through our days. We are the cheerleaders for all of our students. We cheer them through the to remind them to put up their defense against the hard things. We cheer them on as we remind them they can do hard things. We cheer them on as they learn new strategies. Cheer leaders don't say the team can't do it. They give the team and fans hope that the team will overcome and win. As teachers you also need cheerleaders to remind you that you can push through the odds and teach these students that seem, at times, like they won't get it. We need to cheer on those that need our help to do better. To teach each other to be better than we were yesterday. To do our best. To fight the good fight. There is a lot that you do. Rah rah to you. We got spirit yes we do! We got spirit, how 'bout you? Annette is a great cheerleader. She reminds me that no matter what, the students are worth everything we do for them, even if they don't know it yet. So cheer each other on. If you see someone having a tough time, give them a cheer. My jalapeño cheer is a good one... everyone needs a cheerleader. Everyone.

Quote I’m pondering —
"I don't divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the successes and the failures... I divide the world into learners and nonlearners." Benjamin Barber

What I’m reading —
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
I love picture books. I just do. I just bought this book and just laughed. It is about a boy that gets his kite in the tree and how he tries to get it down. Persistence and resourceful. Want to read it, its in my office. Come on by and sit in the big black chair and read for a few minutes.

Favorite Article This Week —
15 Question to Replace How Was School Today?
I like how this article gives me other questions to ask my kids when they get home from school. Then I thought what am I doing at school to make sure there are good answers to these questions when our students get home.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you second grade for working so hard this week. We know it has been hard with your group of students. You have worked with them and their quirks and still show them that you care. You have gone to the edge and not jumped. Thank you. Thank you for caring so much for these students that you are willing to do whatever it takes to help them succeed. We see how hard you work. Thank you for all your hard work this week. Thank you for all you do. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful Halloween weekend.

The Little Things

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.

The Little Things —
On April 26, 1986, Reactor 4 of the Ukrainian Atomic energy power plan in Chernobyl exploded, polluting the surrounding territory and all of Europe with radioactive particles. There are 211 control rods that regulate the reactivity of the core. As a safety measure, there must be 15 rods inserted into the core at all times. Through the 1600 channels carved in the 4 million lbs. of graphite run water that absorbed the intense heat produced by the nuclear fuel rods. The water absorbs the heat, boils, turns to steam and is used to turn turbines, creating power, and then returns as it cools back into water to restart the process. At the time of the explosion the reactor was due for maintenance. The reactor was slowed down and the emergency cooling system was shut down. Kiev requested to keep the reactor up because of extra power was needed. When the reactor was taken off the grid and slowed down, it had slowed to below the allowable limit because the operator wanted to slow it down manually and the cooling system was shut down. The operator "oversteered" the reactor by trying to regulate the "situation" and not the "process". When the engineers tried to bring it back up it was not going up fast enough, but they decided to go on with the experiments. This was the mistake.

Why? Because they violated the safety rules. They possibly violated the rules because they had done it before and since nothing happened, breaking the rules was reinforced. They did not have to worry about the rules and could act freely to finish the needed work. Safety rules are designed so the violator is not blown sky high but might find their life easier, but the likelihood of disaster increases. The violations had become habits and routine. The operators did these things because they had always done these things. They were of the opinion that the safety rules were designed much too narrowly for an experienced team. By the time they had finished their experiment and reduced the flow of water, the reactor was still too low and there were only 6-8 rods left in the core. When they realized they had made a mistake, they started shoving rods back into the core, but the built up heat in the core had bent the tubes and there were two explosions. It is the little things we need to do to keep everything in check. Keep an eye on the process and procedure and don't let a situation change everything. We may not think something is important, but in the big picture, it can be very important? So what the little things we need to keep track of?

Quote I’m pondering —
"The most valuable thing you can do is make a mistake. You can't learn anything from being perfect." Adam Osborne

What I’m watching —
Another Lex Prin Video
One more Lex Prin video. I love the way he says Halloweens and bless your colleague. Keep them coming Lex.

Favorite Article This Week —
Do You Know What Accountability Really Means
This article reminded me the difference between accountability and punishment. Short article, great information. Especially as we look for student accountability in our classrooms.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you First grade. Your idea of inviting parents every month to be a big part of the classroom has been a big success. so many parents come and participate in the activity with their student. We appreciate you inviting parents into our school to make them comfortable here. Thank you for all you do. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful weekend.

In the Beginning

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday, even though it is a long weekend

In the Beginning —
I remember my first year as a teacher and it was crazy. I was finishing my student teaching at Woodward 6th Grade center and I got a call from Mr. Fawson, the principal at Santa Clara Elementary. He wanted me to take a position in Fourth Grade at his school because a teacher quit the day before. It was Friday. School started on Monday (we were on year-round tracks). He worked it out with HR and SUU to finish my student teaching with him for a week.

So I went to Santa Clara to start putting together my class and a plan for the next week. I spent Friday night, All Saturday, and part of Sunday night decorating and planning out my first week. I went to a couple of teachers to ask for help and they kinda brushed me off. One handed my some spelling words and told me where I could find the math books. Other than that, I had what I had put together in my student teaching in sixth grade and fifth grade. I read through the core I had from one of the classes I took and put together some get-to-know-you activities, some fun activities with social studies, I found a book I loved reading so I could read to the students, put together a few days worth of math lessons from the books I had, and planned a couple writing activities to start a little journaling. That would get me to Wednesday. 

The first day went well after Mr. Fawson explained what was happening with the retiring teacher and I taking his place. The week went well… until a teacher needed to take my spot because a school in town did not have the numbers and needed to go to another school. So by Friday I was finished with my student teaching, but I was out. That was tough on me and my students. I still see some of them and they remember our one week together. So I went home and on Monday started applying in other parts of the state.

On the Friday of the second week I got a call from Mr. Wilkey, principal at Dixie Downs. A fourth grade teacher decided after three weeks of teaching and three weeks off, that she did not want to come back and had found another job up north. So I met with Mr. Wilkey on Friday afternoon and school started on Monday (year-round tracks). So I started putting together my class and a plan for the next week. I spent Friday night, All Saturday, and part of Sunday night decorating and planning out my first week. I went to a couple of teachers to ask for help and they told me not to mess with the things in their room and showed me the cabinet I had to store everything I owned in. I was the roving teacher. So I read through the core again and put together some get-to-know-you activities, more fun activities with social studies, I found that book I loved reading so I could read to the students, put together a few days worth of math lessons, and planned a couple writing activities to start a little journaling. That would get me to Wednesday. Needless to say it went well. I must have broke the mold or was so terrible that Mr. Wilkey left to become the elementary superintendent before the year was over. I had the class that was a councilors bread and butter. 

It seemed every week Mr. Wilkey or Mr. Carr would come see me about someone else in my class that needed a little extra or had a special situation I needed to be aware of. This happened the whole year, or at least until Mr. Wilkey left. I have to say that I see some of those students now and I love talking with them. They remember me and we talk about some of the things we did. I felt I was making everything up on the fly. I had little help from my team, but I loved spending time with my class. We put together centers so I could meet with a small groups of students because their needs were so great. I found my calling. Teaching. It is the greatest feeling gin the world to know that we are helping and guiding amazing minds through this life. As I ponder my first year, I remember how hard it was for me and yet how wonder it was. What was your first year like? Some of you are in the middle of your first year, this too shall pass and I hope you love every moment of it. Cherish the times with your students. You are the one that they will be talking about for years.

Quote I’m pondering —
Another Calvin and Hobbes cartoon because it is Calvin and Hobbes. Do you need another reason?
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1990/06/10

What I’m watching —
Midieval Help Desk
This one show that we have always needed help with something. Enjoy.

Favorite Website This Week —
I have a couple fun science learning sites this week. I understand there is not a lot of time, and that Shelly does a great job, but some of these are interesting when you are discussing topics you are reading about in your informational text. hint.fm/wind Wind map is fun to see wind direction, speed, and where the storms might be. earthquake.usgs.gov USGS is always a fun one for earthquakes. It shows where, depth, and how big. Learning about sharks? ocearch.com This site tracks sharks and their swimming areas. I am a sucker for science websites. So interesting for any age.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you for all you do. I appreciate Elizabeth and Paul for sending classroom responsibility information from the video. I will be using it in our next video installment. I truly love working with all of you. I love coming to work everyday to see what is next and to see our wonderful students. I appreciate all of you. You make me want to come to work. Yes, I might come around and make a video about this. Have you done your video yet from last weeks 5-points?

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful four day weekend.

Safe and Sound

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.”

Safe and Sound —
One of the main responsibilities as a teacher is to make our students feel safe when they are at school. They need to feel like they are protected when they enter our grounds. This is why we need to build relationships with our students so they can feel they can trust us in situations that might make them afraid or scared. At times we are their only source of trust and safety. We are hearing about a situation throughout the country that is sending the students into a panic and some are very worried. We need to take these fears seriously and build the trust with them that we are here to protect them. If you do talk with your students about current events, please let them know that you care for them and they you will do your best to protect them. Just let them know they are loved and well cared for. Do not talk about clowns specifically. Just let them know they will be cared for and, through your actions everyday, show how much you care for them. They are kids. They are learning. Our job is to help them and guide them through this thing called life. We are here for them, not the other way around. Show empathy, not exasperation. Listen to their concerns and assure them they will be taken care of.

In light of different situations that have arisen, this might be a good time to talk about See something, Say something with your class. Talk about the difference between tattling (to get someone in trouble) and Saying something (preventing someone from getting hurt, bullying, inappropriate items at school, people on campus). Love your students. Let them know how much you care. Even the ones you don’t want to care about need to think you care about them. I know you care care, but sometimes we don't let them know. Make sure our precious students are safe and sound.

Now a challenge. I would like you to tell a student or a students they are the reason you come to work everyday and why. If you want to video the situation to get their reaction and send it to me, that would be a bonus (big candy, or just a good feeling). You have a phone. Record it it and send it.

Quote I’m pondering —
“I can’t give you a surefire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: try to please everybody all the time.” – Herbert Bayard Swope, first recipient of the Pulitzer Prize

What I’m watching —
Everything Counts
When you have musical talent, you need to share it. And if you can involve your kids, that is even better. And it is true, everything does count in large amounts.

Favorite Website This Week —
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
These are virtual math manipulative that can be used on a chrome book. Unfortunately they cannot be used on an iPad. Bummer. But there are math games and manipulative scores each grade level to use. Please use them before you have your students use them. Some are amazing and others are just so-so. But they are visual and go with concepts in your core. Oh ya, they are also in Spanish. Enjoy.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you Anita and Inez. What can I say, but thank you. It is true when it is said that the people that really run the school are the secretaries and the custodians. Principals and teachers may come and go, but the reason schools stay together and run smoky is because of secretaries. I appreciate the help I have been given and the reminders when I don’t do something. I appreciate their patience with me and with everything they need to do. I am sure there is a story or two, or three from everyone when it comes to these two ladies. Thank you for keeping our school together for us all. You make our days a little brighter. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful weekend.

PBIS Being Respectful Video

This our next installment this year of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Video series for Dixie Sun. In this video we discuss Being Respectful. We talk about how to be respectful at school. There is also a music video with a song written by Jay Porter that gives students a way to tell others to stop bugging them. A few things we discuss are;

• Make our school look good by keeping our school clean
• Show respect for all adults
• Show respect to Safety Patrol
• How to tell others to stop bugging you
• Tell others to stop! I don't like that
• Walk away if telling the, stop doesn't work
• Tell a teacher if they do not stop
• Stop! I don't like that Music Video
• Respect yourself
• Positive Attitude
• Tell yourself you can do hard things

Oops...

Teachers,
Here is your later than usual weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.”

Oops... —
I have been reading about students making mistakes and how we as teachers deal with that. So the question I want to ask is how do you deal with mistakes in your classroom? The brain research is showing that when a mistake is made the brain sparks and grows. This does not happen when we already understand something. It also tells us that how we look at mistakes (mindset) can either help us improve or shut us down. This is important in our classes because we want students to improve and not shut down. So how do we do this. We make sure the climate in our classroom is one that welcomes and encourages mistakes for learning. This can be tricky. We as teachers need to expect and encourage mistakes and show how persistence can help students understand that mistakes help us learn and our brains to grow. That also means we cannot be punitive with mistakes. We need to explain and correct misconceptions. Teaching persistence with unknown information will help our students brains grow. Sometimes we need to convince students to be persistence. That is where being an expert teacher comes in. It takes convincing and not just telling. Show them they can be persistent. It is worth it as their brain will grow. We are growing brains in our school. Big brains.

Quote I’m pondering —
"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin." - Mother Teresa

What I’m watching —
Angela Maiers - You Matter
I have been following Angela on twitter for a long time. She is an education and technology guru. She has some amazing insights and thought on tech in the classroom as well as education in general. This video is about how much all of us matter. Everyone matters. Everyone.

Favorite Website This Week —
gonoodle.com
What a great site for brain breaks and just plain silliness a couple minutes. Get the students up for a minute and have them move. It has some great meditation videos also. It is a free sign up for teachers to use and track whet you have watched. Yes, they can be used K-12. Don't limit your class with what you think is too hard or too babyish. Middle school kids do these. Try one every couple days. You will be surprised.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you teachers. What an amazing night our First Annual Hispanic Culture Night was. You all deserve a big thank you. All the work you put into your classrooms to show off your country was amazing. The activities, the food, the fun, the photo booths, and the decorations. Amazing. A special thank you needs to go to Third grade for the idea of having this celebration. Thank you third grade. Another special thank you goes to Shelly for bringing it all together. Organizing this celebration was no easy task and it ran without a hitch. So many families come and just enjoyed themselves. So thank you all. Thank you for your dedication. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful weekend.

PBIS Again

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.”

PBIS Again —
I just found out I need to tell you to change the signs in your rooms. So you can change them. I would like to start out with the Responsible sign. After you change it, will you take a moment and remind your students what responsible means. I have been working on a cheer for the students to help them remember the five parts of our PBIS plan. I have it below so if you want to cheer with your students to help them remember the 5 behavior points, please do. I will be starting to make some short videos about each of the 5 words in the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Plan. I will start with Responsible in October. I will use students and teachers in the videos to help remind students how they need to act at school. I will send them out so you can show them to your students. They will start in October.

Remember the Principal’s 200 club cards. They should be handed our when students are doing something from PBIS that they need to be recognized for. This does not mean just at assemblies. I just had more printed up so I will be putting 2 in your box each Monday. Please hand them out 2 during the week. They do not need to be just for your students. If you see another student doing something amazing, please give them one. if you need more, I will give you more. Reward good behavior often and students will respond. We will Rise!

Cheer:
Teacher: At Dixie Sun we are…
Students: Responsible and Respectful!
Teacher: We will be…
Students: Resourceful and Safe!
Teacher: Dixie Sun is…
Students: United!

Quote I’m pondering —
“When a flower doesn’t bloom you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” - Alexander Den Heijer

What I’m reading —
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
I found this book many years ago after reading a column Malcolm wrote in the New Yorker magazine. I started reading it and as my team talked about it we decided to do our own team book study. We discussed the chapters and how we could use it in our classroom. We started doing our own little research projects with our students. We found that birthdays, generally, do matter. We found that the more we practiced with our students they remembered what we were doing. It changed my mindset on not just teaching, but providing new opportunities for students who normally would not have these opportunities. I lent out this book so I purchased it on my iPad to read it again. When I get it back, it will be lent out again, if you want to read it.

Favorite App/Website This Week —
Wunderground
Do you ever want a great weather app? I am not a fan of the one that came with my phone so i offer you weather underground. It is my go to weather app. It shows rain percentages, wind speeds, of course temperature, along with sunrise/sunset, nearby hurricanes and tropical storms…why would we need that???…, local road cameras to see what traffic is like in St. George, and other weather needs. The weather is changing so this might help you to remember your raincoat and galoshes, or your sun dress. Enjoy.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you Preschool teachers. I spent Thursday night with the Preschool teachers, preschoolers, and parents. What a wonderful program we have here that prepares our littlest students for kindergarten and life in general. The love they have for each student and the fun activities they prepare to help students meet their learning targets and GVC’s. Thank you Preschool teachers for all you do. You start our students off with a very positive experience so they love learning as they continue the positive experiences in the rest of our school. You are amazing. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful weekend.

Mindset

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.”

Mindset —
A couple years ago I took an online class from Jo Boaler, an incredible Stanford Math professor, about how students learn math. One of the things I learned from her was that I needed to change my mindset on how students learn. Mindsets frame what is going on in our minds. There are two mindsets. A fixed mindset or a growth mindset. The research Carol Dweck has done teaches us that a fixed mindset is an internal monologue focused on judging. A growth mindset has an internal monologue, but it is focused on implications for learning and constructive actions. The trick is to find what situations we use which mindset with and change the internal monologue from a judging one to a growth-oriented one. How does this apply to what we do here at school? How can a growth mindset change the way we teach, learn, and work with students? Curriculum? Student Engagement? Homework? Planning? Working within teams? Coke vs. Water (Anita, this ones for me). How does this apply to us? If you were able to go to the Insurance Presentation a few weeks ago, our presenter also talked about the Power of Mindset and how it applies to our daily lives. Tammara posted the presentation if you want to watch it. A growth mindset helps us to become a learner rather than a non-learner. Our school is full of growth mindset teachers. Full of learners.

Quote I’m pondering —
"Astrophysicists assure us the universe has no center. Therefore you cannot be it.” - David McCullough, Jr.
This one usually keeps me grounded. Usually.

What I’m watching —
Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration
One of my favorite Music Videos… about the American Revolution. I taught 5th grade for 10 years and it was fun to play this for the students after learning about the American Revolution and have them understand what they are talking about. And it’s just fun to watch Ben Franklin shredding on the guitar.

Favorite Website This Week —
schoology.washk12.org
This is the Learning Management System the district has bought into… and it is amazing. I just learned (thank you Kristen) that each student at Dixie Sun has an account, and we can use it to our hearts content. So I will be using it with teachers here and there for discussions we will have as a faculty. If you are unsure what a LMS is, many of you used Canvas it in college. Canvas is a LMS and is similar to Schoology, but not a good. Some schools use it in grades 3-5, but there are schools that use it K-5. It can be powerful. To sign in (all teachers have an account) sign into your school email account. Open a new tab and go to the link above. It should sign you in automatically. If it doesn’t, use your email and password. Look around. If you are interested, we will play and learn about it. Enjoy.

A Big Thank You —
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade you deserve a big thank you for your hard work on the GVC’s/Learning Targets. Fourth and Fifth really made some big breakthroughs that will help when planning curriculum. Third narrowed down their focus with their GVC’s/Learning Targets. What we are doing with curriculum is not easy work. It can be downright painful at times. I really appreciate the hard work and willingness to dig deep and work through what is really needed in our curriculum. Instead of going an inch deep and a mile wide, you are digging deep with each concept and building a great foundation of learning. I know it has seemed like a long process to get where you are. I hope you will be able to see that is will make your schedule a little easier to manage. Thank you for your hard work and willingness to do great things. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your willingness to work with Annette this week. She has amazing things to share. Have a wonderful weekend.

Technology

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.”

Technology —
Technology in the classroom is an amazing tool to help in our teaching. It opens up the world to our students which can be amazing. As we use more technology in our classrooms it means more opportunity for teachers and students. It also means more management to see that students are doing what they are supposed to. Procedures need to be thought out. Students need to be trained. But what we can do with the Chrome books and Google Drive in the classroom is incredible. Using our Chrome books gives us opportunity to share devices and still track what each student is doing because their history and bookmarks follow the student, not the device. iPads will still be used in Kinder and First Grade to offer them apps that will help them learn but still gives us the ability to lock them into an app.

Wifi has been spotty lately and should get better soon. Have an alternative plan if it shuts down. have the students shut their Chrome books and read for a minute or work on something else. If you get them trained to do something like this you will know when there is a problem and if it is one student or the wifi. Have a wifi checker and when it is back up get them started again. Management. Plan for everything possible.

We will be having a optional tech trainings every couple weeks starting in October. We decided to wait until October to give you another month to settle in. The trainings will be short and will be about tech you use or will use everyday in your classrooms.

Quote from Calvin and Hobbes I’m pondering —
Calvin: They say the world is a stage. But obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines.
Hobbes: Maybe that’s why it’s hard to tell if we’re living in a tragedy or a farce.
Calvin: We need more special effects and dance numbers.

What I’m watching —
The Power of Yet
When a student does not get a concept the first time, they get frustrated. We get frustrated. The power of yet is a mindset that they might not get it now, but they will. So the answer to a student that says, “I don’t understand this” is, “You don’t understand it yet, but you will”. Yet give students hope. It gives everyone hope.

Favorite App This Week —
Explain Everything $4.99
I don’t like paid apps, especially expensive ones, but this app is amazing. It is a whiteboard app that you can draw on, record video or take pictures on, and even record what you are doing on a web browser. So what you say? We have used it for tracking students for spelling, recorded students reading during one minute timings (adding notations during the reading), and had students cut out words for a word sort on the app. There are some amazing things to do. It is worth the price for me. If you don’t like the price, Doceri is a free app that is similar but not as powerful. There is a Chrome Book app (there is a cost here also) that is great for touch screen devices.

A Big Thank You —
Thank you Lisa Wright and her team. Scheduling the individual help for our LLI students is a nightmare. Lisa worked through the DRA scores and found the students that need the most help. Her team is amazing on how they work with each small group. With all the schedules they needed to work around and with as many students they needed to work with, it was a huge undertaking. Thank you Lisa and your team for all you do at our school for the students. Thank you.

I appreciate everything you do for the students. Have a wonderful weekend.

PBIS Responsibility Video

This our first installment this year of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Video series for Dixie Sun. In this video We discuss Being Responsible and how it can help us at school. A few things we discuss are;

• Being to school on time
• Right Place, Right Time
• Wear your Uniform each day
• Look Good in your uniform
• Get your work done in class, on time
• Grow your brain

Professional Learning Community

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.”

Professional Learning Community —
What can I say about PLC’s that has not already been said? Well, the name says it all We are professionals and should be treated and act as such. We should always be learning and growing as teachers to benefit ourselves and especially our students. We are a community of teachers trying to do our best to teach our students. So we move into our Team meetings to build our Professional Learning Community. As we worked together this week I have noticed there has been great work on our GVC’s and Learning Targets. In a couple weeks, Annette will be here to work with 3-5 grade on focusing our GVC’s and targets. We will look at building formative assessments to make sure we are testing what the are teaching and finding out the information we want to know from our students. As we finish this training, Alma and I will work with the younger grades to help focus our targets and assessments. I don't want you to think this will be a ton of more work. GVC’s and Learning targets need to be reviewed and refined often. This is one reason we look at GVC’s and Learning Targets each week as well as the tests we are giving. I had a great question asked this week. Do we need a test every week to discuss the data? No. We will work with the data we have and discuss interventions and extensions. We will discuss students and their needs. The data should confirm who needs what and then we plan our next steps. The CSIP is what we use to document what we are doing. I appreciate all your help and work.

Quote I’m pondering —
“Before you can inspire with emotion, you must be swamped with it yourself. Before you can move their tears, your own must flow. To convince them, you must yourself believe."
—Winston Churchill

What I’m watching —
Audri's Rube Goldberg Monster Trap
When we inspire students, they go home and want to do more. That is the ultimate homework. Something they do themselves because of what a teacher did to inspire them. I do not know if it was a teacher that inspired Audri. But if it was…

Favorite Article This Week —
100 Percent is Overrated
This article quotes one of my favorite educators, Jo Boaler. She is a Professor of Math at Stanford and has done research on how Math should be taught. It is a change from what is traditional math teaching. I was fortunate to take an online math course from her about How to teach math. Her research is fascinating. If you are interested, I have the videos on my Google Drive I can share.

A Big Thank You —
Kirby is the man. He keeps our school clean, in working order, and well stocked. We have a few issues, but those are beyond Kirby’s control. He has taken this school and made it a work of art. The halls are always clean and the students are always taken care of in the lunchroom. He may say he doesn’t like opening milks, but I am sure he does deep down… really deep down. He loves this school. He loves making sure we are all taken care of. He is the man behind the scenes that makes our school run smoothly. Thank you Kirby. Thank you for all you do.

Thank you teachers for all you do. I appreciate all your hard work. Have a wonderfully long weekend.

Bells and Schedules

Teachers,
Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.”

Bells and Schedules —
I just got trained on the bells and I feel so much better about life. Please make sure you are heading to pick up your class right before or as the bell rings. We know it might take a minute to get out to pick up your class, but please plan accordingly. Please don’t make your students wait very long outside. Thank you for helping us get our schedules set and going. Thank you for being flexible. It has been fun planning around all the things we do in school. As a teacher I always wished I could just take a day and teach my students without any interruptions… but then I think about all the services we give our students and how they need the little things to help them be successful. So, we will have the LLI Schedule ready to move after Labor Day, Library Schedule will be ready next week, unless I haven't gotten times for your grade level. iReady will hopefully be ready soon, Specialists are going strong in their classes, Resource will be out and about helping our students, Speech is moving and grooving, Language Acquisition groups will be starting after Labor Day, Gifted and Talented will be starting in a week or two, Amanda is taking referrals for students in need, Alma is coaching her heart out, Kirby is keeping our school beautiful and running smooth, and Kim and I are visiting classes to see great learning happening with students. So many services, so many opportunities, so much love for our students.

Quote I’m pondering —
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” – Steve Jobs

What I’m watching —
Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are
This is another Ted Talk. It is longer than the last one (20 minutes), but it is great information. take the time to help you feel better and even use it with your students. It can change their attitudes about work, activities, and dealing with situations. it can also help when dealing with parents and administrators. Key phrase with this one, “Power pose”.

Favorite Website This Week —
Kahoot!
I have mentioned this website in passing, but I want you to gather the full glory that is Kahoot! This website is a assessment site that gathers information but turns it into a game. Players get points for getting the answer correct, but also how fast they answer. Players put in a username and play on any device. An easy one to do with students is one called “Classroom Stuff” by davidll. All it is is pictures of classroom stuff and four answer students can choose from. It is a great place to start for any grade. My fifth graders loved to play it. Your class can play as individuals or as teams. Sign up. Try it out. Your kids with thank you for it.

A Big Thank You —
We sure appreciate the Fifth Grade for helping keep our school safe. Safety Patrol is going great. They are learning the ropes and helping to keep us safe. Please take a minute in all the classes to mention that they are there to help us and to mind them if the Safety Patrol asked them to walk or be safe. It is important to have good examples in the top grades. Fifth Grade Team, keep up the great work! Thank you.

Bonus Point — Sign up for PTA. $6 for a shirt and membership. Our goal is 100%. Support the Parents that provide more opportunities for our students. Thank you

I appreciate all of you and all you do meeting with students and parents. Have a wonderful weekend.

Principal’s 200 Club

Teachers,

Here is another weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.”

Principal’s 200 Club —

I have appreciated the teachers that are sending down the cards already for the Principal’s 200 Club. The reason we give out principal’s 200 Cards is to encourage students to be Respectful, Responsible, Resourceful, Safe, and Unified. When students show one of these qualities, make a big deal about it and give them a card. Write a small blurb about how great they are on the bottom and send them to the office. Resourceful is a great one to use when students make a mistake and then find a way to correct it. One thing we do not want is for all the cards to come down at once. It should be student specific, not done as a class. I will put 2 in your box each week, please send two students down each week. If you have questions, please ask. Make it a habit to catch students that need redirection when they deserve a card. We will Rise!

Quote I’m pondering —

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” - Lao Tzu

What I’m watching —

Grit: The power of passion and perseverance by Angela Duckworth

I love Ted Talks and this is one I have watched over and over. It is about 6 minutes about her research on perseverance. She quickly realized that IQ wasn't the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains her theory of "grit" as a predictor of success. Enjoy.

Favorite Chrome App This Week —

Google Keep 

This is an app I use everyday to track my notes and lists. It is an app you can download on any smartphone. Once you sign in you can get your notes on any device you sign into. It is Kim’s new favorite app.

A Big Thank You —

Kindergarten started without a hitch this week. Thank you Kindergarten for your preparations and hard work to get the students comfortable with being in a new place. thank you for taking care of our little ones. This is where they get their love for education from. Everything I ever needed to know I learned in Kindergarten. Everything else build on that beginning. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Remember Monday is an early out day. We will meet at 1:30 for learning and growing. Have a wonderful day.

PBIS Redoux

Teachers
Here is a weekly dose of “5-Point Friday.”

PBIS Redoux —
Here is an easier PBIS schedule for everyone. I will do better to make schedules easier for all of us. Thank you for bearing with me. Hopefully this will relieve a little stress.

9:45 -
4th Grade - Hallway
1st Grade - Lunchroom
3rd Grade - Assemblies
2nd Grade - Bathrooms
5th Grade - Playground

10:00 -
4th Grade - Lunchroom
1st Grade - Assemblies
3rd Grade - Bathrooms
2nd Grade - Playground
5th Grade - Hallway

10:15 -
4th Grade - Assemblies
1st Grade - Bathrooms
3rd Grade - Playground
2nd Grade - Hallway
5th Grade - Lunchroom

10:30- Bathroom and drink break

10:45-
4th Grade - Bathrooms
1st Grade - Playground
3rd Grade - Hallway
2nd Grade - Lunchroom
5th Grade - Assemblies

11:00-
4th Grade - Playground
1st Grade - Hallway
3rd Grade - Lunchroom
2nd Grade - Assemblies
5th Grade - Bathrooms

11:15- Lunch as normal

Quote I’m pondering —
“We have the power to tear down or build up the children who walk into our lives every day.” @KIdsDeserveIt

What I’m watching —
Be More Dog. Need I say more Moose?

Favorite iPad App This Week —
Paper by 53. I use this app to take sketch notes on my iPad. It is great to doodle on. and it’s Free.

A Big Thank You —
This one goes to everyone for all the hard work you have done over the last few weeks. What a great first day it was. Smooth. Now we hope it keeps going this way. I am sure it will. 

Have a wonderful day!