Compliance Made Visible

The past two weeks we have been discussing non verbals and BSL dance moves.  Thank you to all who have practiced and implemented these moves in class.  Here are a few examples I observed or were sent:

• Ms. Emily Johnson with the non-verbal "get to work" when working with a small group at her kidney table.
• Mrs. Brownlee with the Disco Finger while students from Ms. Williams' room are in her studio.
• Ms. Caudle with the Swivel when taking a call from the office and still needing to check behavior of all students
• Mrs. Cane with the Sprinkler when reviewing multiplication strategies with students.
• The invisible column was used by Mrs. Majka as students worked in groups to finish their Arts Integration Night presentations.

Please continue to employ these strategies...they go a long way in creating a safe and orderly classroom and all of us need that in our lives this time of year!

So, we've covered the first part of 100% (The 100% strategy is a strategy which includes the mechanisms in which a teacher does not move on to the next activity or statement until the entire class is attentive). 

Now to Part II: Make Compliance Visible.

Please read this summary and be prepared to share your example of using making compliance visible with the staff by Sunday, May 6th. 

Week of Monday, April 30- Friday, May 4

Monday, April 30

• 3rd Trimester/ B Art Schedule Begins
• Chameleon Viewing Hours Upper Elementary and Middle School 12:30-2:30
• 5th Grade Planning at 12:50-1:50

Tuesday, May 1

• Arts Integration Team Meeting
• 8-9: Middle School
• ELA- Strimel
• Science- Falls
• SS- Pond
• Math- Lanham
• 1st Grade to Library 9:45-11:00
• 3rd Grade Planning 10:10-11:10
• FEO Meeting at 6PM

Wednesday, May 2

• PLC (EVAAS FOCUS; please see email sent Saturday to know what to bring)
• Kindergarten: 8-8:30
• 1st Grade: 9:05-9:35
• 2nd and 3rd Grades: 10:15-10:45
• 4th and 5th Grades: 12:55-1:15
• Middle School: 2:00-2:15

Thursday, May 3

• Kindergarten Planning 8-9
• MTSS PD at Cumberland County Schools - Human Resources - Large Meeting Room 9 AM-3PM
• Lanham, Pond, Honeycutt, Hill, Thomas-TBD
• 2nd Grade Planning at 10:10-11:10
• Arts PLC 11:30-12:30

Friday, May 4

• Hill in Hughes' Room 
• Kindergarten Planning at 8 AM
• 1st Grade Planning at 9AM
• Middle School to Library 9:15-12:00
• Samuelson to Library at 9-10
• Ezell to Library at 9:45-10:45
• Fleming to Library at 11-11:45
• 2nd Grade to Library 1-2
• Hill leaves at 2 PM
• Spring FEO Dance 6pm-9pm: HELP still needed, please email tceafeo@capitolencoreacademy.org  if you want to help out. 

Reminders

• 4th observations continue this week

• Please help us in delivering a consistent message to our students by checking dress code and following the steps of consequences.  Forgot what's expected? Check here!
• Lunch Count: 1st Lunch has been on a roll with correct counts! I challenge all to improve this process so we have no wasted food and no wasted time waiting to heat lunches for those not counted.
• Attendance is important and needs to be done accurately.  Please complete before 11 AM.  Also, we do NOT start recording tardies in the office until 8:00 AM so you will need to make sure that you do not mark students absent before 8:00 AM because we will not mark them tardy and correct and they will be recorded absent incorrectly. If you have questions, please see Ms. Lanham

🦎👏Chameleon Claps🦎👏

From Mrs. Hill:

Thanks to EVERYONE you worked a period of the Dogwood Festival! Y'all are amazing and I truly appreciate your support and dedication.  Mrs. Brownlee will be confirming who did show up and getting your pass request and I will have ready for you by end of the week.

MORE

 Last week's blog focused on non-verbals and BSL (Be Seen Looking) Dance Moves.  The reason for this focus was that these two strategies can be easily implemented and executed and can truly change student engagement and increase time on task in the room.

At this time of the school year, many of us get lax on rules and expectations.  We have already created a count down calendar in our minds and all we are focused on is June 8th.  I understand and it is easier to just let kids get by with less.  Less focus...less engagement...less following the rules.

But our kids deserve more and you are capable of more.

I will be looking for MORE between now and June 8th.

I want to see MORE patience and caring for students and co-workers that have done something for the 100th time.

I want to see MORE pushing kids to answer in complete sentences.

I want to see MORE achieving 100% when asking for compliance for students.

I want to see MORE laughter and appreciation for what we HAVE at TCEA.

That last one...we have something amazing at TCEA and this year will not be like next year of any of the years to come. LIVE IN THE MOMENT and enjoy this last month and a half.

I want to see MORE of all the above in myself.  

After going to the TOY Luncheon on Friday and watching the other teachers and their schools, I realized that we are definitely a School of the Year (if they had this award we'd be in the running) and I am REALLY where I want and need to be.  The other TOYs and their schools were alright but the light, the smiles, the interactions, etc. in the video for Mrs. Samuelson was exactly an example of where I want to work.

Thank you, to each of you, for being a part of the TCEA story and giving 100% to finish strong and hold HIGH expectations to our students.

- Angela Hill

Instructional Focus for the Week:

• Complete at least one BSL Dance Move and non verbal each hour of the school day (total of 16)
• Be prepared for Mrs. Hill to ask you to demo one of these when she visits your room.

EXTRA CREDIT

• Send in a video clip of you doing one of the BSL Dance Moves to Mrs. Hill 

🦎👏Chameleon Claps🦎👏

• From Mrs. Hill
• THANK YOU to Mr. Thomas, Mrs. Trojan and Mr. Salisbury for your leadership on Friday during the 2018 Black Out! Y'all made it happen and it was awesome.
• THANK YOU to ALL staff members for implementing a plan to keep our students staff on Friday. I appreciate you and I want to see each of you at our Mocktails to personally thank you!
• A HUGE WOW to Mrs. Samuelson for carrying herself so well on Friday.  You could tell that all of the regional winners thought highly of her as well as the NCDPI staff. And her video introduction made our school look like all that and then some...I have got to get my hands on it and share.  The video highlighted what all of our classrooms should look like and sound like and I THANK YOU Courtney!!!!
• TO THE KINDERGARTEN TEAM for correct lunch counts Monday- Friday. Breakfast on Mrs. Hill on Thursday. Will get with you Wednesday to get your orders! CONGRATS!!!

Week of Monday, April 23-Friday, April 27

Monday, April 23

• Middle School ELA i-Ready
• 5th Grade Planning at 12:50-1:50
• Staff Mocktails at TCEA Cafe Bar 3:30-4:15 (stop in and stay or grab-and-go)
• Last Day of Jeans Pass for 100% completion of Working Condition Survey

Tuesday, April 24

• MID TERM REPORTS DUE TO JOE; ALL GRADES FINAL
• 5th Grade ELA i-Ready
• Arts Integration
• 8-9: 2nd Grade
• Magan/Poche-Falls
• Cane-Lanham
• Marshall-Strimel
• 9:05-10:05: 5th Grade
• Samuelson-Carr
• Ezzel -Akers
• Fleming-Falls
• 1st Grade to Library at 9:45-11
• 3rd Grade Planing 10:10-11:10

Wednesday, April 25

• Mr. Thomas covers Kline's Room
• 4th Grade ELA i-Ready/Make up day
• PLCs (SST Focus: Lanham Facilitated)
• Kindergarten: 8-9
• 1st Grade: 9:05-10:05
• 2nd Grade: 10:10-11:10
• 4th and 5th Grades: 12:50-1:50
• Middle Grades: 1:55-2:55

Thursday, April 26

• Mid Term Reports Go Home
• Hill covers Ezell's Room
• 3rd Grade ELA i-Ready
• Kindergarten Planning 8-9
• PLCs (SST Focus: Lanham Facilitated)
• 3rd Grade: 10:10-11:10
• 2nd Grade Planning 10:10-11:10
• Arts PLC 11:30-12:30
• 4th Grade Planning: 12:50-1:50
• Arts Integration Night: All staff can wear JEANS if WEARING TCEA SHIRT😁
• K-2nd Grade (6pm-7pm)
• 3rd - 5th Grade (7:15pm-8pm)

Friday, April 17

• Teacher Workday 8 AM- 4 PM
• Mandatory Last Session of Math Foundations -exception DeNoble and Godoy (thank you so much, in advance, for working hard and attending during this session)
• Please let me know if you were not able to access the document for creating the word problems for each of the structures.

Weekend @ Dogwood: 

• Still need 4 PM-5 PM covered by 1 more person but looks good. Please consider helping out at 4 PM.
• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1y_t6lRhtDP6iU-RWeuJ3AvuxKO_NnH4scB5S7fY7QRE/edit?usp=sharing

Reminders:

• Final Observations by Admin (either Mr. Thomas or I) will take place between now and May 15th.
• Please take attendance each day by 10 AM. We recently had a police officer come to school to investigate a situation and we could not tell him if a students was in school or not because attendance had not been taken and submitted.🙁🙁
• Dress Code is not optional...PLEASE help me help you by following the dress code steps.  

CONSEQUENCES:

• 1st -8th Grade: Any uniform violation will cause student to move to next step (i.e. no uniform shirt causes step 1 and no school shoes next time will move student to step 2).
• Step 1: Verbal reprimand (text, phone, email) by teacher to parent (with documentation).
• Step 2: Warning letter sent home by the teacher to be signed by parent and student and silent lunch.
• Step 3: Student calls home to parent for change of clothes. If change of clothes cannot be provided, a parent conference must be scheduled contingent to the student attending class the next day.
• Step 4: In-House Suspension and student receives an unexcused absence.
• Step 5: Out of School Suspension and lose ability to participate in Spirit Day for remainder of the school year.

Becoming is Better Than Being!

Last week I had the chance to attend a Teach Like a Champion Training focused on Behavior and Culture.  It was an amazing experience and Ms. Covington and learned so much that we can't wait to share the information with with you.  Many times, school leaders want to wait and begin to share new learning with staff at the start of the following school year.  I am too excited to wait and want to share a few things over the coming weeks, through the blog, just to help you enhance your current instructional practices.

This week I want to draw your attention to Building Radar and Be Seen Looking.

Please read the following passage and watch the two video links by Sunday, April 22nd! 

Here are some thoughts to focus on while reading and viewing:

What are you already doing?
What would you like to incorporate?
How do you feel these practices can impact your room?

 We'll be adding on to this knowledge and having some fun with these next week.

I have missed everyone and am looking forward to an awesome week at TCEA!  - Angela

Week of Monday, April 16- Friday, April 20

Monday, April 16

• TCEA Substitute Orientation at 12 PM
• 5th Grade Planning 12:50-1:50
• SIT Mtg in Theater at 3:30
• TCEA Board Mtg in Samuelson's Studio at 5:15 PM

Tuesday, April 17

• i-ready MATH
• Hughes
  Godoy
  Clough
  Hoffman
• Arts Integrtaion Team Planning Mtgs
• 1st Grade 8-9
• Johnson- Lanham
• Person- Strimel
• Brown- Pond
• 4th Grade 9:05-10:05
• Majka-Carr
• McLaughlin-Bullington
• Hill, Norris and Kneer at A+ Regional Leadership Mtg 10 am -3 pm
• 1st Grade to Library 9:45-11:00

Wednesday, April 18

• i-ready MATH
• Samuelson
• Fleming
• Ezell

• PLCs (Data/ Intervention Focus)
• Kindergarten: 8-9
• 1st Grade: 9:05-10:05
• 2nd Grade: 10:10-11:10
• 5th Grade: 12:50-1:50
• Middle Grades: 1:55-2:55
• 4th Grade Planning at 12:50-1:50
• Beginning Teacher Mtg in Samuelson's Studio at 3:30

Thursday, April 19

• i-ready MATH
• Majka
  Mclaughlin
  *Make up day
• Kindergarten Planning 8-9
• TCEA Future Chameleon Open House 9 AM- 11AM
• 2nd Grade Planning at 10:10-11:10
• PLCs (Data/ Intervention Focus)
• 3rd Grade PLC at 10:10-11:10
• 4th Grade PLC at 12:50-1:50
• Arts PLC at 11:30-12:30

Friday, April 20

• i-ready MATH
• Weir
  Denoble
  *Make up day
• Kindergarten Planning 8-9
• Caudle Math Breakfast 8-9
• First Grade Planning at 9-10
• Samuelson to Library at 9 -10
• Ezell to Library 9:45-10:45
• Fleming to Library 11-11:45
• Middle Grades Library Visits 9:15-12 pm
• 2nd grade library visit 1-2

🦎👏Chameleon Claps🦎👏

From Mrs. Hill

Thank you to all staff members that made our Spring Parent University a success! Hats off to Mrs. Majka, Mr. Thomas, Ms. Caudle, Ms. Johnson, Ms. Marshall, Mrs. Honeycutt, Mrs. Cane, Mrs. Ezell, Ms. Fleming, Mrs. Brownlee, Ms. Carr, and Mr. Falls.

Thank you to Mr. Falls, Ms. Caudle, Ms. Majka, Mr. Thomas, Mrs. Honeycutt, Mrs. Strimel, Mrs. Cane, Ms. Lanham, Mr. Salisbury, Mrs. Trojan, Ms. Brown, Mr. Kline, Ms. Covington, Mrs. Hughes and Ms. Norris for helping with our job fair and embracing a new format. I truly appreciate your dedication and support.

Reminders

• Please make sure you lunch count is correct. I challenge all homeroom teachers to submit correct lunch counts all this coming week!!! The reward will be well worth it!
• State TOY Banquet honoring Mrs. Samuelson will be held Friday, April 20th. Be sending good vibes and prayers her way!! 
• Please do not send students to the bathroom during class UNLESS their parents have sent notes about them having to go between bathroom breaks.  Also, middle school students should use the bathrooms near the cafe. Students are drawing inappropriate pictures on walls again.

Stay Woke! (as the young folks say)

So, this morning I watched the latest episode of Education Matters and the focus??

The General Assembly is exploring breaking up the state’s largest school districts. At the same time, a bill introduced last year would allow two communities outside Charlotte to create a system of separate public charter schools for their residents. This week we explore what’s next and the possible impact on school districts, students and the state.

Now, I will tell you I feel a certain way about this idea and will share as quickly as I can here but I urge you to PLEASE pay attention to what the state government is doing EVEN if you do not currently work for a traditional state public school.  These changes will inevitable impact all of us down the line.

Breaking up large school districts into smaller districts will create neighborhood schools.  What do we know about most neighborhoods in NC? They are segregated.  That means these schools will become segregated. Imagine if each high school in Fayetteville became their own district and there was no school choice.  That means all the schools that feed into the high school would make the district. Would these small districts be diverse or more segregated? 

The reason, according to the General Assembly, is they want to save money and serve student more efficiently.

To say I was upset after watching this episode would be an understatement. I wondered aloud if people were paying attention to the way the General Assembly was leaning.  I promised my husband that I would share what's being discussed and try to remind people that educating students is not all about math, language arts, science and social studies.  It is also about diversity and social skills.  We owe it to all of our children to provide a sound and well rounded education. Not one where EVERYONE thinks and looks like them.  

I am stepping down from my soapbox now but please take a few minutes to read up on this issue or watch/listen to this episode.

Articles

http://www.newsobserver.com/latest-news/article204873359.html

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article201328679.html

Study

https://www.ncleg.net/documentsites/committees/bcci-6701/03-13-2018/Joint%20Study%20Committee%20on%20Division%20of%20Local%20School%20Administration%20-%20DPI.pdf

Hope everyone has had a great break and I am excited to see everyone tomorrow and finish the year STRONGLY!                                                                                       - Angela

🦎👏 Chameleon Clap🦎👏

From Angela:

Thanks to everyone who checked in on me and filled in gaps during my bout with the flu!

Week of Monday, April 9- Friday, April 13, 2018

Monday, April 9th

• Hill to check ISP Conference Forms Signs by Parents; please pull these and have accessible 
• 5th Grade Planning 12:50-1:50
• Small Group SIT Planning Mtg at 3:30-4:00

Tuesday, April 10

• Arts Integration Team Meeting
• 8-9
• Kindergarten
• Johnson- Pond
• Williams- Strimel
• Caudle-Falls
• 9:05-10:05
• 3rd Grade
• DeNoble- Akers
• Weir- Carr
• 1st Grade to Library 9:45-11:00
• 3rd Grade Planning at 10:10
• All Staff Mandatory Meeting - Topic: Integration Night 3:30-4:00

Wednesday, April 11

• 4th Grade Showcase (Show What You Know) 7:45-8:15
• SST/ EC PLC Meetings- Specially called meeting to refocus attempts to meet all needs of students; your attendance is mandatory and if you can not attend, you must email Mrs. Hill BEFORE the meeting
• 8-9: Kindergarten
• 9:05-10:05: 1st Grade
• 10:10-11:10: 2nd and 3rd
• 12:50-1:50: 4th/5th grades
• 1:55-2:55: Middle Grades

Thursday, April 12

• Hill and Covington at TLaC Training
• 3rd Grade Showcase (Show What You Know) 7:45-8:15
• Kindergarten Planning 8-9
• 2nd Grade Planning at 10:10-11:10
• Arts PLC 11:30-12:30
• MTSS Team Mtg (Facilitated by Thomas) 12:30-2:00
• 4th Grade Planning at 12:50-1:50

Friday, April 13

• Hill and Covington at TLaC Training
• 5th Showcase (Show What You Know) 7:45-8:15
• Kindergarten Planning at 8:00-9:00
• 1st Grade Planning at 9-10
• Parent University 5:30-7:30 PM; there should be follow up from parent SIT reps this week to confirm help needed

Saturday, April 14

• TCEA Job Fair 9 AM- 1:30 PM