My Mission Call

Teachers,

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

My Mission Call—

Baruti Kafele (@PrincipalKafele), an education author, asked some important questions that I want to share with you. I find these to be questions I need to think about as a learning coach. 

• “What do you do that demands school-wide excellence?”
• "What is my purpose for being in this school and does it drive what I do and say?”
• "What is my educator mission? What is the thing that I want to accomplish and will stop at nothing to get it done?”
• “ Do I treat my teaching/leadership as a job or a mission?”
• “Am I being intentional?”

These are tough questions to answer. This takes a lot of thought and reflection. Some of our students have more on their plates than we will ever understand. Education takes a back seat to their issues at times. Relationships with students are important. They need to know they matter. That is my mission. That is what I want to improve on and make sure students understand. They matter. You matter. You are an important part of our school. This is also my mission. To help you be the best teacher you can be. Coach’s are not always the best at what they coach, but they try to get the best out of each person they coach. So what are your answers to these questions? I am still working on my answers. When I find them I am sure they will evolve and change. Reflection on them will take time. So what is your mission? 

Quote I’m pondering —

Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles, it takes away today's peace. -- Anonymous

What’s Happening —

Mon. May 13 - No Kinder Tues. May 14 - No Kinder Tues. May 14 - Strong Man Assembly 2:30 Wed., May 15 - No Kinder Wed., May 15 - Fifth Grade Program 1:30 Thu., May 16 - No Kinder Fri., May 17 - No Kinder May 23 - Last Day of School	Mon. May 20 - Last PE Day All Classes Go to PE time Tues. May 21 - Kickball Game 9:30 Tues. May 21 - Orchestra Assembly 2:30 Wed., May 22 - Meet Teachers 9:30 Wed., May 22 - Meet Teachers K-1 11:45 Wed., May 22 - Early Out 1:15 Thu. May 23 - Last Day of School  Thu. May 23 - Awards Assembly 9:30 Thu. May 23 - No Kinder Thu. May 23 - School out at 12:00
May 13-May 17 - Lunch Workers: Cox and 2 from Bringhurst/Seegmiller	May 20 - Lunch Workers: Beraz and 2 from Sparks/Paxman

Favorite Video This Week —

Don’t Give Up On Me

Thank like Andy Grammar, especially when he sings with elementary school students.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you for all you have done. With all the craziness at the end of the year, I just appreciate you for the understanding as we finish this year and plan for next year. I also appreciate all your patience with your coworkers and students. How we go out at the end is the memory students will remember. I appreciate all you have done and are doing. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. 1 1/2 week.

The Sweet Ones

Teachers,

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

The Sweet Ones —

What can we do with mild behaviors that are interrupting the classroom? Is there a magic bullet for these children that do not seem to want to be in school? Why is it happening to me? I remember having those thoughts as I worked with students in my classroom. My classroom, like all classrooms was not perfect. I had one student that would start throwing things and swearing as he was yelling the classroom. It was a nightmare. No trigger. Part of his behavior. He could have harmed many students as he lashed out. I saw him this last year and he was calm and told him he has worked hard to keep himself under control. It was great to see him. I also had a student a few years back that used to steal and pick on other kids. His siblings did the same and they roamed around causing havoc in the city. I had a chance to keep him with me for 2 years and I did. I would talk with him frequently about his behavior and how he could break out of it. I talked with him a couple years ago. His siblings are not doing well. He, on the other hand, was in the nursing program at Dixie State and doing well. Relationships don’t cure everything, but a couple minutes with each student talking about them and reminding them how to act is important to them and can go a long way in their development. I know, but what can you do for me right now! I want to put together a class during lunch to teach students how to act. Some students have never been taught. They have not had the role models or the exposure to how to act and they are flying by the seat of their pants. Right now you can retrain your class as often as you need it. If that means you need to retrain every Monday for 30 minutes. Do it. We have academics to get through, but if the majority of the class is not doing what they need to, then retrain. And hold them to it. Some classes are tough and tire us out every day for 180 days. Sometimes it is just a few kids that need reminders and retraining. Phone calls home for good and bad, more good when possible, can help. A weekly meeting with parents to let them know how it is going can help. I wish there was one answer, but I will help find answers and work with each student that needs it. I will do more to help. Don’t give up on any of these children. They need each one of us. 

Quote I’m pondering —

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
—Dr. Seuss

What’s Happening This Week —

Starting Monday - WIDA

Tues., Feb. 5 - Faculty Meeting With Tami Curtis at 2:30

Tues., Feb. 5 - LavaRidge Tour for 5th Grade 12-2

Fri., Feb. 8 - Safety Patrol Breakfast

Favorite Video This Week —

Can Flip Phones end our Social Media Addiction?

This is a great Ted Talk about social media and phones. The speaker will be speaking in town on February 21 about social media. This is a great talk. 

A Big Thank You —

Thank you Julie Wood for all you do in the Family Center. We have had these wonderful people from the Foodbank leave a few extra items and you have given them out to those that need them. You make everyone that comes to the family center feel like you are their best friend. You have made the Family Center an important part of our community and you need to know that we are grateful for all your work. Thank you for all you do for the community and for our families. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work.

P.S. I apologize this came out late. I thought I had it going out this morning, but I accidentally set it for tomorrow. I just caught it as I was checking my email. Sorry. Have a wonderful weekend.

PBIS

Teachers,

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

PBIS—

We will be having our PBIS rotations on Tuesday morning. We will start with a short assembly at 8:40 welcoming everyone back and introducing PBIS to the students. Each rotation is 10 minutes with a 5 minute movement time in between. Two teachers per grade level will be teaching and the other(s) will be walking with your students. We will have Paras walk with some of the classes also. You should end up at the end with your grade level to take to your classrooms. I have a poster of each teaching area for you to use.

Teacher Stations: (Please keep your presentations to 10 minutes for rotations) Touch on Respect, Responsibility, Resourceful, Safe, and United in each area using the posters.

  Lunchroom Rules (near kitchen and entrance to lunchroom): Farnsworth, Carreon

Playground Rules (outside by the basketball court): Cruz, Paystrup

Hallways (by 2nd/3rd grade classrooms): J. Gonzalez, M. Gonzalez

Bathrooms (center bathrooms across from Science Lab): Welch, Andersen

Drop Off/Pick Up Rules (by School Entrance): Hicks, Olsen

9:00 -

1st Grade - DropOff/Pick Up

2nd Grade - Lunchroom

3rd Grade- Playground

4th Grade- Hallway

5th Grade- Bathrooms

9:15 -

1st Grade - Bathrooms

2nd Grade - DropOff/Pick Up

3rd Grade- Lunchroom

4th Grade- Playground

5th Grade- Hallway

9:30 -

1st Grade - Hallway

2nd Grade - Bathrooms

3rd Grade- DropOff/Pick Up

4th Grade- Lunchroom

5th Grade- Playground

9:45-

1st Grade - Playground

2nd Grade - Hallway

3rd Grade- Bathrooms

4th Grade- DropOff/Pick Up

5th Grade- Lunchroom

10:00-

1st Grade - Lunchroom

2nd Grade - Playground

3rd Grade- Hallway

4th Grade- Bathrooms

5th Grade- DropOff/Pick Up

10:15-

Back to classes. Review what they learned and head to lunch as normal, or semi-normal on the second day back to school.

Quote I’m pondering —

To thrive in life you need 3 bones. A wishbone. A backbone. And a funny bone. 

—Reba McEntyre 

What’s Happening This Week —

Monday, Aug. 13 - School Starts 7:55am

Tuesday, Aug. 14 - PBIS Rotations

Friday, Aug 17 -  Kindergarten Open House, Fire Drill 1:00pm

Favorite Article This Week —

3 Reminders for the Beginning of the School Year

Three important ideas to remember as we start this year.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you for all your preparations and work you put into your classrooms and curriculum. Thank you for being at Dixie Sun. Thank you for taking our wonderful students and providing them with an opportunity to succeed. You have so much to offer our students. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work.

The River’s Song Is Sweet

Teachers,

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

The River’s Song Is Sweet  —

Sometimes life can be tough. There is so much that happens around us and too us that it makes it hard to focus on the thing in front of us. Something happens at home with s child or a member of the family. Sometimes it happens to us when we have a set back or something presents itself that is hard to get around or get away from. It happens. We are all human and life happens. It happens to all of us. So how to we handle situations that happen and take our focus away from our daily schedule? I heard a saying once, “The river’s song would not be so sweet without the rocks.” What are our expectations of others when problems happen. How do we help them? How do we help our littles ones in our class each day that have life happen to them on a daily basis? Sometime life can be tough. I think the answer to this is to know that we are loved by those around us. To know that someone or many someones are around us and make the difference in our lives so we know that we have somewhere to feel safe and know that there are people that will keep us going with the things that should and do matter in our lives. Our students have these things happen and we need to know that they need a soft place to land at our school. It’s funny, but sometimes, as a teacher, I did not think about students when they left the classroom. It was just like the student that sees us in the grocery store and does not realize we do not live in the school or that we could show up somewhere else besides school. Our student’s songs are sweet and we need to keep them sweet, with or without the rocks. And just know that you are all an important part of our school. You are important to everyone at our school. Everyone needs a soft place to land, and I hope you feel that our school is one of those places also. You make everything happen at our school.  You help create and maintain the culture we have here. 

Quote I’m pondering —

“Life is not designed to make things easy for us, but present challenges that help us grow.”
– Terry Laughlin

What I’m Watching —

A Study on Praise and Mindsets

Just a reminder about how we praise and what our personal mindset is can determine what and how we learn.  

Favorite Article This Week —

How to Take Risks In A System Not Built For It (What Teachers Can Learn From Elon Musk)

Interesting idea from an amazing thinker. How do we teach our students to take risks  hat will further their opportunities in life? How does this relate to education?

A Big Thank You —

Thank you Preschool. Thank you for starting our little ones off on the right foot and having them know which foot it is and what letters spell the word foot. I was able to sit in on a parent meeting tonight and be able to watch to amazing interaction and love you have for the students and parents. Thank you for taking the time to teach the parents and students. Thank you Preschool for preparing students for success. Thank you.

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

It’s Time to Address Your Behavior

Teachers,

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

It’s Time to Address Your Behavior  —

The district has been talking a lot about behavior the last month. Each of the trainings I have gone to have a piece about what they are doing to help support us int he schools when we have a behavior issue. So the questions that were asked of us today I will ask you. 

• Is there a foundational understanding across the building of what behaviors should look like? We did a PBIS training at the beginning of the year. How is that training being supported in the classroom? Are the lessons being taught in the PBIS videos being modeled and reviewed in the classroom? What can we do better?
• What are the gaps in the behavior system in our school? If you see gaps, please let us know. We want to improve anything that will help our students learn.
• What are the rules in our school and what are we doing to support those rules? Do you know the 5 PBIS rules? Do you know the cheer?
• Do kids know how to restore the relationship they have broken? The most important question I heard was this one. We tell them to say I’m Sorry, but does that repair the relationship? Will that make it better? Do they understand what they have done and how to repair the relationship?

So what we would like to do is know what we can do to support you? When are the bad behaviors happening? Is it during tradition time? During rotation time? When students line up? What is the catalyst? What procedure can be addressed to help students? One main idea Annette Brinkman taught me was that engagement helps curb bad behaviors and improves learning. Let us know your thoughts about managing problem behaviors in our school and your ideas to help improve them. 

Quote I’m pondering —

“The scientist is not a person who gives the right answers, he's one who asks the right questions.”

― Claude Lévi-Strauss

What I’m reading —

When Reading is Trash or Magic

How do our students feel about reading? Do we listen to why they do or do not like reading? How do we change or encourage those truths?  

Favorite Article This Week —

How to Improve Your Self-Esteem & Self-Image...The Postage Stamp Method

There are some great ideas to use with kids in this article. Also to use with yourself. You are one of a kind and no one else is like you. You are extraordinary and engineered for success. Yes, YOU are. 

A Big Thank You —

Thank you Shelly. Thank you for taking on the Cultural Night and organizing the food and information to parents. Thank you for taking on these projects that always end up being amazing. Thank you for taking charge of the Safety Patrol and getting them organized. I haver had parents comment about how smooth it is when dropping their students off in the morning and picking them up in the afternoon. The students are also more confident as they do their jobs. Thank you for your hard work. We also appreciate all the work you have put into the science lab. Adjusting to the new rotations and managing the science skills needed as we improve our science information. As you work with teams and build our science learning, just know that we appreciate your help. Thank you for always wanting to do more to help our school. We appreciate all you do. Thank you for being here. Thank you.

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

PBIS Review 2017

Welcome to a new year at Dixie Sun Elementary. This video is a review of the Five pats that help guide our behavior at Dixie Sun.

At Dixie Sun we are... Responsible and Respectful.
We will be... Resourceful and Safe.
Dixie Sun is... United.

Live by these principles and we will live a great life.

PBIS Unity Video

This our last installment this year of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Video series for Dixie Sun. In this video We discuss Unity and how being united as a school helps us to be a strong school. A few things we discuss are;

• United States is united as a people even thought we don't think the same way or do the same things.
• To show unity we;
• Look for ways to help others
• Do an act of kindness every day
• Give everyone the benefit of the doubt
• Be positive
• Share what you know with others
• Music shows unity by all instruments working together to form one piece of music.
• Dancing is a motivator and when all else fails we need to dance.
• Be happy in our school, in our community, in our state, in the United States.
• No student left behind.