SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
MAY 6, 2010
1. Congratulations to the Music Department for all of their awards last weekend at Busch Gardens. We are proud of you!
2. Congratulations to our track teams for their great performance earlier this week at the county meet. Our girls made an impressive run and our boys finished third in the conference. Great job!
3. I hope that you have all enjoyed Teacher Appreciation Week. You are all well-deserving of this honor! And what good timing to receive these treats this week as we push our students closer and closer to the EOG. I hope that you also enjoyed seeing Debbie Warren this morning too! She was so kind to feed everyone today. Each of you is working so hard. We continue to see great things in the classroom. Keep pushing and it will pay off! Thanks again for another great week.
4. Career Start - This is a reminder to all homebase teachers to please have your students complete the Career Start survey online during homebase time. Students must initial the homebase roster that they have completed the survey. Purple homebase rosters were placed in your mailboxes earlier this week. The survey can be accessed through the WSFCS website. Once all students have completed the survey, please turn in your homebase roster to your assistant principal.
5. Administrators will be visiting all core classrooms next Tuesday and Wednesday to give a quick pep talk to your students. On Wednesday you will be given a baggie with goodies for your students. These are to be handed out by you when you feel it's appropriate. We just feel it's important for the students to know that all of us are behind our students and behind you as our teachers! The schedule for visits:
Tuesday, May 11: 8th grade (1:00 - 2:00) = Gentry; 7th grade (1:00 - 2:00) = Prince; 6th grade (11:25 - 11:30) = Cole
Wednesday, May 12: 8th grade (1:00 - 2:00) = Cole; 7th grade (1:00 - 2:00) = Gentry; 6th grade (11:25 - 12:30) = Prince
6. RED ZONE: There has been much discussion and feedback from teachers regarding the Red Zone draft. I am glad that you feel comfortable enough to come forward to talk about such a sensitive issue. With that in mind, we are going to offer three options to the teachers for Red Zone. These options have been created from the original Red Zone ideas, feedback from teachers, and best practices for our students to achieve the most growth possible. All core teachers and EC teachers are being asked to vote on their preferred option choice. After reading these options, please decide on the one you feel would work best for our students. You may cast your vote in the main office with Susie Hook. She will check off your name as you vote. Votes are anonymous - Susie is only checking off your name to make sure you have voted. Votes will be accepted from Friday morning through 2:00 Monday afternoon. At that time, we will tally the options and look to see what the core staff feels is best for the students. We will move forward with the majority of the votes at each grade level.
I do not want to drag out the decision on our Red Zone schedule, but at the same time I think it's important for me to know your choice so that we can move forward together as a staff and plan accordingly - especially since this has turned out to be such a sensitive issue to many. So please make sure that you vote so your voice can be heard!
The three Red Zone options:
Option #1: Existing Red Zone draft - tutors rotate rooms, tutoring students stay stationary, one side of hallway is tutoring, tutors teach 1-2 lessons to each group.
Option #2: Tutors stay stationary in their own classrooms (including the pod), tutoring students rotate each day to another tutor, tutors teach 1-2 lessons to each group, special arrangements/locations would need to be made for tutors that are not assigned a core classroom, non-Red Zone groups will have to ensure quiet activities to not disturb tutoring sessions.
Option #3: Tutors stay stationary in their own classrooms (including the pod), tutoring groups are assigned to one tutor for all 5 sessions (no rotation), tutoring groups are mixed (all students will not belong to one team), tutors teach 5 lessons, special arrangements/locations would need to be made for tutors that are not assigned a core classroom, non-Red Zone groups will have to ensure quiet activities to not disturb tutoring sessions.
7. Enrichment Activities: Now is the time to start planning your activities for time after EOG testing, Red Zone enrichment, and through the end of the school year. While it is important for our students to celebrate and have fun, we must keep our time structured and purposeful as well.
On each day after EOG testing, the expectation is that we still have some structured activities but realize that the students need to "blow off some steam" at the same time. It is difficult for the students to sit still for three hours each morning in silence. We must acknowledge that and have something constructive for them to do.
During Red Zone days, the expectation is that you have some enrichment activities scheduled. Several of you have already developed some great mini-units to use during this time. This is not the appropriate time to watch movies for entertainment or to have a celebration. We cannot penalize those students who are working hard in the Red Zone tutoring sessions. You are expected to have a plan for enrichment and carry out those plans.
From then through the end of the school year, I realize that there is a time for celebration and fun. However, the rest of the time in the classroom should be dedicated to enrichment activities. All teachers are expected to have lesson plans prepared on those days. This is not only my expectation, but also Dr. Martin's expectation for all schools.
8. Showing videos in class: To clarify the current policy:
"Showing a video for the purpose of reward or for a "break" for the students breaks copyright for fair use for teaching and is not permissible. You must have a viable curriculum or character education objective."
In other words, if you plan on showing part or all of a movie, you must first get it approved by an administrator and you must have a lesson plan prepared to support that video. That way, everybody will be protected by the policy.
9. On Monday, May 24, we will have the dedication ceremony of the newly landscaped hill at 2:30pm. The hill is being dedicated to Debbie Warren in honor of her service to SEMS and WSFCS. All staff are expected to attend. The ceremony will not be long. Some WSFCS central office staff, Lowe's staff, PTSA, and Kernersville News will be present.
10. Good news! We have received confirmation that we are adding another 8th grade teacher for next year!
11. Thanks to all of you that have submitted your "wish list" information to me. This has been very valuable as I start to plan for next year. I sincerely appreciate your honesty. I am using this to starting making decisions, forming teams, etc. Know that I consider your input, but I don't have a magic wand! I will not be able to put everyone in their "perfect situation." You may not get your first (and in some cases your second) choice. But I can certainly take your suggestions into consideration along the way. If you haven't already turned in your sheet, please try to do that in next day or two. I am going to be meeting with Human Resources to determine what exact openings we have - and to do that, I have to have most of my current positions in place. Thanks!
May Birthdays!
Lesley Guffey 5/1
Irma Jones 5/6
Denise Stephenson 5/18
Kim Gregg 5/21
Bridgette Watson 5/23
Nick Pizzino 5/26
Kendra Mabry 5/28
Dustin Draughn 5/30
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Southeast Middle School Jaguars
