Thanks again for being so expert at what you do.
Can't really express how thrilled I am with the consistently excellent instruction I'm seeing all day, everyday in nearly every corner of our building. Just this week, on my (almost) daily walk-arounds, and during evaluations/observations, I've seen amazing Eureka Math lessons that have engaged entire classrooms is relevant learning and FOSS next-gen science lessons that have compelled students to participate in seriously rigorous science literacy and inquiry. I've seen kids happy to come to school. Kids, supervised and unsupervised, all walking in an orderly fashion in the halls. Kids stoked to fundraise for their campus. Teachers on their feet, smiling and interactive, as they work with small groups and large. Teachers reading aloud to students, voice acting every measure and beat of dialog and descriptive language. Classes headed off out into the field to do amazing things.
I AM EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT MARSHALL SCHOOL THIS YEAR!
Once again, thanks for doing what you do, and for doing it so well.
Lots of little things on the Blue Note agenda today... Gonna try to get through them in fairly short order.
Grades and Report Cards
Ms. Overton corresponded with y'all earlier in the week to confirm our upcoming schedule for grades and report cards. Per her email, Special Area class grades will be due by noon on 30 September. The Grading Period ends on 07 October. Attendance marks will roll-over at noon that day. Teachers may begin printing report cards after that time.
Parent University
Ms. Poland corresponded with y'all earlier in the week about Parent University, which will take place on 25 October from 5:00-7:30. The Parent Engagement Committee has been hard at work each week thus far this school year making plans for this important event. I hope you will spend some time reading through her email entitled PLEASE READ - Parent University and that you will eagerly step up and volunteer for the support and participation needs she's outlined therein.
All Hands On Deck
We are officially, for perhaps maybe the fourth time in six years, fully and completely 100% hired at Marshall School. As if Tuesday this week, we have no open positions and no pending resignations. It's been my experience that this is an exceptionally rare occurrence around here and one that rarely lasts for more than a few days (last year, for instance, we never had even one day where we were fully hired).
TL;DR: We should all enjoy having all our employees hired while it lasts... and welcome our two newest members, Alex Stewart (parapro in Fisher/Baker) and Summer Marshall (parapro in Joe), we're stoked to have 'em aboard!
Evals and TPEC
Teachers, just a reminder: please make sure you've put your written lesson plans out somewhere where I can easily find them when I come in to observe you. Don't forget, as we discussed in your pre-conference, the Lesson Plan component of the TPEC rubric requires that your plans be available to me to look over at the time of your formal evaluation. Frankly, your written plans should always be in a place where they can easily be found... just in case you can't make it in on short notice and someone (sometimes me) has to step in for you last minute.
Also, with only a couple of exceptions, all certified personnel should now be able to go into TNL and accept their TPEC pre-conference data. Don't forget, this is a two-step process. Step One is: click the blue "Accept" button at the bottom the the "Employee Review and Sign Off" page. Step Two is: click the "Mark Complete" box at the top of the "Employee Review and Sign Off" page. If you've done both of the steps correctly, the "Mark Complete" box will say "Print Forms" from now on and the check mark next to "Employee Review and Sign Off" will turn from yellow to green.
TL;DR: Put your plans where I can see them. And, if any of your TPEC Pre-Conference check marks are yellow, you've missed a step. Please go back and fix it.
FOSS Forum
A few folks have provided interesting anecdotal data to the FOSS Forum that we debuted in last week's Blue Note. Please don't neglect to provide your insights to this online group. I continue to believe that it will be a useful tool to us when it comes to making a decision about the outcomes of our ongoing FOSS NG Science pilot.
Faculty & Staff Picture Day
Thanks in advance to all faculty and staff for planning to be here on Wednesday morning by 8:00 to stand-in with the rest of us for our annual staff picture. I'm going to wear my Marshall Can Do It shirt this year. I hope you'll wear yours, or another of your Marshall staff shirts, so that we can all be all matchy-matchy together.Remember, when it's all said and done, and I'm an old man on my deathbed, these pictures of my happy staff, and perhaps a few remaining fragile ancient memories of our halcyon days together, will be all I have left of this place.
TL;DR: Don't miss out on this chance to become a meaningful part of my dotage. Come and have your picture taken with us on Wednesday at 8:00.
Parent Teacher Conference
We're soon to dive headlong into our most important home-school interaction of the school year: fall parent-teacher conferences. We will dismiss school early on 10-12 October in order to allow you to have time to schedule conferences with as many of your families as possible. On 10 and 11 October we will follow our typical early release day lunch and dismissal schedule and students will go home at 12:25. On Wednesday 12 October, we will dismiss school at 11:10. We will do all that we can to abide by the following schedule that day:
- 9:35-9:55 -- K-1 eat lunch
- 9:55-10:15 -- K-1 on playground
- 10:00-10:20 -- 2-3 eat lunch
- 10:20-10:40 -- 2-3 on playground
- 10:25-10:45 -- 4-5 eat lunch
- 10:45-11:05 -- 4-5 on playground
Walk To School Day
The County has ordained that Wednesday 05 October 2016 shall henceforth be known as Walk To School Day. They have made arrangements with FUSD Transportation to have students with signed permission slips (to be sent home on 28 Sept) dropped off at the Armory on Thorpe Rd. that morning and escorted to school by Marshall faculty, staff, and a handful of NAU volunteers.
It would be super helpful if you could plan to walk with a group of students that morning. If you could be at the Armory around 8:10-8:15, you would be able to gather a small group and walk back to the school with them with plenty of time remaining to be in your room before the bell rings. If you're someone who doesn't start the day with kids, it would be great to have you at the Armory maybe a bit after 8:15-8:20 to walk with some of our bus kids whose buses tend to arrive later.
TL;DR: We always need teachers and staff members to help with this little Walk To School Day exercise which, honestly the County kind of imposes on us, always with little notice. I'm grateful to you for being willing to help Marshall endure it and ensure that our kids are able to walk to school safely that on Wednesday 05 Oct.
Calendar
- Wednesday 28 Sept.
- FOSS Coaching, all day
- Picture Day, all day
- Science Council in the Lab, 3:35
- Thursday 29 Sept.
- Payday!
- FOSS Coaching, all day
- Friday 30 Sept.
- Department Meeting in principal's office, 7:45
- B-GDM in Music Room, 7:45
- Special Area grades due, 12:00
Please acknowledge that you read this post.
