Greetings! Hope you are relaxing on your hammock as you read this blog post. My thought was to send a mid-summer blog post around the 15th of July. As I write this I realize for us, it's not really a mid-summer blog, but more like the end of summer blog-Ouch! Or yay as the case may be. You probably don't need a reminder, but just in case, the first week back to school for teachers begins with an optional 301 day, Monday, August 3 and students begin on Thursday, August 6. (Agenda below).
After many interviews throughout the summer, we have once again found the best of the best to join our Panther Family. I want to take a minute to introduce and extend a warm welcome to some new faces you will meet in a few short weeks.
Welcome:
Aarin Klovenas ~ English
Doug McGlothlin ~ English
James Lee ~ Math
Jonathan Edwards ~ Math
Jeffrey Good ~ Choir
Sarah Doyle ~ Resource Math
Meg Hughart ~ Counselor
Barrett Tritle ~ Testing Coordinator
Ellie Sexton ~ Front Office Receptionist
Tina Burrell ~ Attendance
Back to school Agenda
August 3
301 Day Workshop with Thomas Guskey@ SMS 8:00am-12:00pm @ CHS
Lunch on your own
1:15-3:00pm- Trainings at CHS, also part of 301 Menu Items. Teachers can choose between 3 workshops: 1) Enhancing your teacher website 2) Real Life application of standards based grading
3) Technology integration in the classroom
August 4
8:00am Superintendent Barbara Hickman All District Welcome Address @ CHS Main Auditorium
9:00 -9:45am Work in classrooms10:00 -12:30am CHS Staff and Faculty Welcome Back Mtg Mini-Theater
12:30pm - Lunch Provided CHS Cafeteria
1:30 - 3:00pm Work in classrooms
August 5
7:30am Student Council Breakfast for CHS Faculty and Staff in the cafeteria
8:30 - 11:30am Work in classrooms
11:30am - 12:30pm lunch on your own
12:30-1:30pm Department Meetings
1:30pm - 3:00pm-Work in your classrooms
2:00pm - PBIS Training for all CHS first and second year teachers
For Planning Purposes, First Two days with students
On Thursday 8/6 and Friday 8/7, our first two days back with students, will be devoted to getting re-acclimated to school, meeting students, classroom and school wide expectations, text book distribution, Student photos andIDs, etc. With the exception of 3rd hour classes, we will be on an abbreviated schedule and all classes will meet for 30 minutes. Details for our first two days with students will be provided at our back to school meeting on August 4.
The Purpose of grading
Gretchen Markiewiez has provided the PowerPoint and an article written by author and presenter Thomas Guskey. If you would like to get a glimpse of the topic to be presented by Gusky on August 3, scroll through the PP slides and read the article Class Rank Weighs Down True Learning. The topic of challenging the conventions of grading and reporting certainly provokes thought and contemplation. Click here for the article.
Professional Development
Once again all FUSD High School Teachers in FUSD have full access to the Edivation Professional Development Portal (Formerly PD 360). It is a valuable resource with a plethora of teacher related professional growth ideas and lessons. If you haven't logged in yet, you might want to go on, set up your log-in settings, and navigate around the site. Go to pd360, log in with your email username; first initial, last name @fusd1.org. and set up your password. A good place to check out is the section called Learning Targets, then click Focus Objectives. This will take you to a folder entitled FUSD TPEC. Each indicator on TPEC has pre-selected resources aligned with our TPEC. It is pretty cool!
I hope your summer break has been filled with joy, relaxation and time with family and friends and the the remaining days of summer vacation go very slowly and you continue to enjoy your time off. With the new school year on the horizon I also hope you'll join me in my excitement and optimism that the 2015-16 School year will be the best yet. I look forward to seeing you all soon!.
