ALL IN

This past week, a team of TCEA educators had the chance to visit Henderson Collegiate in Henderson, NC as part of a professional development opportunity entitled Low Performing School Boot Camp.  This school's focus is preparing all of their students for college and everything they do at the school can be traced back to their mission...their focus.  And their results are AMAZING!! Here is a portion of their School Report Card:

Achievement 85 

Growth 100.0 

School Performance 88 A+NG 

(NG is not growth but their growth is 100)

EOG Reading 82 B 

EOG Math 86 A 

Click here to learn more about this successful charter school.

The school was founded back in 2010 but in 7 short years that are impacting their community and students' lives for the better.  WE can do the same things for the students in the Fayetteville area and we do not have to wait 7 years to do so.  WE must do it now for the sake of the students we are entrusted with.  During our Faculty Summit tomorrow, members of the team that visited Henderson Collegiate will share with you some of the amazing things they witnessed there.  

One thing they do differently at Henderson Collegiate is they have bought in FULLY to Teach Like A Champion.  That is not happening at TCEA but it will be in full effect beginning Monday, March 20 2017.

That is tomorrow!

How will things be different tomorrow?

You will need to make sure you have read the descriptors for all of the following strategies in the TLaC Book:

SLANT

Show Call/ Cold Call

Thresholding

Do Now

Entry Routine

Tracking

No Opt Out

Post It

If you do not have a book, you will need to see me for that.

Next, please know that we will be building on to those strategies with the following two strategies:

Exit Ticket (click here to see a video of skill)

Begin with the End (click here to see a video of skill)

Exit Ticket is something we should see in the room and you are either doing it or not. Begin with the End is seen in your planning and the conversations we have with you after we observe lessons or we discuss the results of assessments with you.

We will be adding new skills each month so get ready to move at a quick pace. You will need to study, practice, read, etc. so you will be an expert on these strategies. These are not optional so embrace and move forward.

Finally, you will see a revised Walk Through form during the first PLC session in April. The focus will be on the fidelity of the use of these strategies and what it looks like when you are implementing the strategy at the highest level.

I know that for some, it seems that the rest of the school year is just like a roller coaster coming back to the starting point. I feel that we still have much to cover and many loops and dips in the school year before we can "coast" back to the finish line. I thank you, in advance, for all of your hard work over the coming weeks.

Hope you have enjoyed your weekend and I'll see you tomorrow!

Angela

Week of March 20-25, 2017

Monday, March 20

• Faculty Summit at 3:30 in cafe
• Board Mtg in Music Room at 5:15
• Final Observations Begin (These are unannounced and completed by Hill and Thomas)

Tuesday, March 21

• PLC (focus is SST)
• 5th, 6th and 7th- 8:30-9:30
• K- 10:00-11:00
• 1st and 2nd 12-1
• 3rd and 4th 1-2

Wednesday, March 22

• Admin Mtg in Office 9:00-10:15
• EOG Boot Camp Mtg (please see email if you are to attend) in Cafe 3:30-4:15
• Enrollment Lottery 5-6:30 PM

Thursday, March 23

• National Chip and Dip Day

Friday, March 24

• Hill and Falls at Teacher Recruitment Fair at Campbell University (9 AM-4 PM)

Saturday, March 25

• TCEA Job Fair for 2017-2018 

If you have not shared the Flyer please help us out and do so ASAP.  Also, you can share our online application.  The link is here:  http://bit.ly/2mhO4ha

If You Plan It... They Will Come (Part II)

This week is a short week but a very important one.  Thank you, in advance, for planning for the upcoming conferences and building those relationships needed for our school to be successful.  Here are a few reminders of what you need to include at this round of conferences (same as last round):

• Parent Sign In Sheet (Please turn in to Mrs. Hill by 3/24/17)
• i-Ready Parent Report from last benchmark OR a written report (your choice) with student's strengths and weaknesses and ways parents can work with student on ways to improve (this replaced the ISP in the fall and you must have something that documents student's progress so far)
• A sheet for you to record parents concerns and what you discussed (you need this for your records if sometime pops up later)
• Student work for parents to look at and ask questions about
• Retention letter if it applies and you have not discussed this yet

We will have a table with parent surveys about our conferences at a table near the entrance of the school to collect data and use this info to revise conferences for the 2017-20189 school year.

Remember...if we reach 90% of our parents showing up at our conferences by March 24, 2017 students will be able to offer a fun challenge to the administrative team and can have a fun dress up day before the end of March!

If you have any questions regarding conferences, please let me know as soon as possible.

Have a great Sunday and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Angela

Week of March 13-17, 2017

Monday, March 13

• 3rd Trimester Begins
• Grades Due at 8 AM
• K/1 Dental Health Presentations in Cafe (please see email from Dr. Caine)
• Hill out until NOON
• Dr. Seuss Tea at 2 PM in Cafe (I will email the list of students who can attend by 8 AM 3.13.17)
• IS Planning Mtg in Cafe at 3:30

Tuesday, March 14

• Hill, Pearsall, Clough, and Majka out at Low Performing Schools Bootcamp Mtg.
• Pond out at MTSS Mtg
• Progress Monitor Red TRC/DIBELS Students
• PLCs (focus will be on Arts Integration In Daily Lessons
• 5th, 6th, 7th: 8:30-9:30 facilitator: Falls
• K- 10-11 facilitator: Lee
• 1st and 2nd 12-1 facilitator: Grunden
• 3rd and 4th- 1-2 facilitator: Jones

Wednesday, March 15

• Progress Monitor Red TRC/DIBELS Students
• 2nd Trimester Award List Due To Mr. Thomas
• IS Lesson Plan DUE - Block 6
• Beginning Teacher Mtg in Cafe Location TBD (please email me if you want to host us and haven't this year)
• FEO Mtg in Cafe at 3:30

Thursday, March 16

• Please submit your new Safety Patrol Members for 3rd Trimester on 2nd page of this document. (These new people will be trained on 3/17 and will begin on 3/20) Link to submit: here Also, please make sure your 2nd trimester names are correct...students will be getting a certificate at awards day this month for their service.
• Early Release at 11:45 AM (Please see schedule emailed to you for day)

Friday, March 17

• Students attending field trip will meet in Office at 10:30 and will need to take backpacks with them to the event. A list will be emailed out by Thursday of who will be attending field trip.
• Early Release at 11:45 AM (Please see schedule emailed to you for day)

If You Plan It...They Will Come!

Parent Conferences are less than 2 weeks away.  Now is the time to prepare to ensure that we get at least 80% of our parents in our building.  Do you struggle getting parents in the door or have your conferences turned stale? Look no further!!! Please explore this week's blog and feel free to leave comments on anything you do that make conferences successful for all parties.

If we reach the 90% mark, the students will be able to vote on a challenge for administration to complete.  We will also allow a special wacky dress down day for students as well.

To be included in this count, the conference must be held by March 24, 2017!

Here is a video with some great ideas for making a great impression at our upcoming Report Card Conferences.

Also, here is a goal sheet that your students can complete that you could have the student share at the end of the conference or that you could share with the parent.

Their student is the KEY!!!

Have students complete an invitation in their own words on WHY it is important for them to come to their scheduled conference!

I know that many are saying...there isn't enough time for all of this.  Well, use all of your time wisely.  While they wait to see you, have student samples available for them to see.  Or, allow them time to look through student samples at the end of the conference and provide sticky notes for them to leave questions and you can follow up with an email or Dojo!! It is a non-negotiable that student work should be a part of these parent conferences!!!

Please make sure you share any comments below with our staff if you have strategies that would positively impact our conferences!!!! Thanks for all you do and see you tomorrow morning!

Week of March 6-10, 2017

Monday, March 6, 2017

• Committee Mtg (All groups will meet in cafe' for quick description of roll out of Staff Recognition Program and then break into meetings= 5 minutes)

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

• PLCs (Focus: Core Matrix)
• 5th,6th and 7th: 8:30-9:30
• K: 10-11
• 1st and 2nd: 12-1
• 2nd and 3rd: 1-2
• Support Staff: 2-2:45
• PROGRESS MONITOR YELLOW STUDENTS
• Drama/CSP/SEL IS Presentation - Block 5

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

• PROGRESS MONITOR YELLOW STUDENTS
• Admin Mtg in Office @ 9:00-10:15 AM
• Music/Visual Arts IS Presentation - Block 5

Thursday, March 9, 2017

• Hill Out (Will be at school between 7:30-8:30 and will return to school at 3:00-3:15)
• Dance/Media Arts IS Presentation - Block 5

Friday, March 10, 2017

• Teacher Workday (Optional) If you are going to take the day off, please complete this form by Tuesday, 3/7 at Noon. Survey is here.
• End of 2nd Trimester...GRADES DUE MONDAY AT 8:00 AM!!!!!

Join Me On A Journey

As you know, our School Improvement Plan is now housed in Indistar (Remember if you want to view the plan, and are not on SIT, you can access by going to http://www.indistar.org/ and go to user login and use this to log in: Guest Login - Password / GuestS17802 - GuestS17802).  This system has to be used by low performing schools in NC and it helps the staff at schools assess key indicators that must be present in schools for schools to be successful.  We have 11 indicators we are working on and one of them is the following:

The principal will monitor curriculum and classroom instruction regularly and provides timely, clear, constructive feedback to teachers.

I will be providing more information on how on my ideas to increase my time in classrooms but I wanted to use this indicator as a jumping off point for two new initiatives that will be seen at TCEA over the next few weeks.

1. We will be using a new walk through form that will focus on effective teaching strategies we need to see in rooms as well as a feature strategy that will change as implementation becomes a daily reality in classrooms.  Click here to see new form that begins on 2.27.17.
2. We will be completing instructional rounds during our PLCs at least two times a month using the checklist above. What is an instructional round? Click here.

If you want to hear more about the plan to improve our school through improving monitoring and feedback join us tomorrow at our SIT in the Cafe!!

Thank you for all you and see you tomorrow!

Angela

February 27- March 3, 2017

Monday, February 27

• SIT Mtg at 3:30 PM; All staff members need to come to the beginning of the meeting for an update on our Bullying Program and Attendance Program (By Dr. Caine) and will be done by 3:40 PM
• Board Mtg in Music Room at 5:15 PM

Tuesday, February 28

• Pay Day
• Progress Monitor Red Tier Students
• PLCs (RtI Focus)
• 5th,6th,7th 8:30-9:30
• K 10-11
• 1st,2nd 12-1
• 3rd,4th  1-2
• Sunshine Committee Potluck in New Staff Relaxation Room (Prepared by 2nd, 3rd, EC)
• K Round Up 6-7:30 PM

Wednesday, March 1

• Progress Monitor Red Tier Students
• Weekly Admin Mtg at 9-10:15
• MTSS Mtg 3:30-4:30

Thursday, March 2

• Caught Red Hatted Day:  Admin will walk the halls and give out tickets to students and staff "caught" reading this day.  Please give students multiple times to read this day and please model your love of reading by reading as well. (how? click here). Their tickets will let them know what they won by examples are : Dr. Seuss Stickers, Pencil, Cat in the Hat hats, a lunch of green eggs and ham with the principal, or a free book.
• 2017-2018 School Calendar Planning Mtg in Cafe at 3:30

Friday, March 3

• National I Want You to be Happy Day is observed annually on March 3.  This day was created as a day encouraging us to do something to make others happy.  Putting a smile on someone’s face tends to put one on ours, too.  

Saturday, March 4

• Read Across America Celebration Downtown (Please see emails from Mr. Thomas for details)

Our Why

Thank you to few colleagues that helped me solidify our why for TCEA.  The first leader was questioning why our school exist and when I limited our school to just "arts integration" he countered with the idea that the integration of arts ensured that ALL STUDENTS were able to access learning and succeed.  I know deep down that this is true but I was getting so "hung up" on the lack of arts integration in all rooms and the limitation of the arts to the arts team and integration studio, that I was stuck in the HOW of the Golden Circle.

I was then sent the link of this amazing school by a former co-worker.  I had seen this clip of Bates Middle School but had truly forgotten how powerful it is.  I kept saying "Our team isn't ready for this.  We are still working on the HOW."  How limiting my thinking had become! I was immersed in the struggle that I had lost sight of the finish line...the prize (referring to a song that was popular during Civil Rights Movement). We are ready to see this and I encourage you to view this video while thinking how the good things, you see, can be incorporated into TCEA.  There are tips for staff below the clip.  Please review because we will be visiting them again soon.

Tips for Teachers

Here are ways that teachers can maximize AI’s potential:

• Take advantage of professional development: PD serves many purposes. It can help teachers learn the fundamentals of various art forms and develop integrated lessons, and it provides them with the opportunity to experience art for themselves. The main reason teachers resist AI is because they think they’re not artistic. But with PD, they realize the arts are for everyone, and they come to better understand the experiences they’re giving their students.
• Use AI intentionally: At Bates, every teacher is required to use AI in some shape or form, although not every lesson needs to be, or should be, taught with AI. Teachers should use two main criteria for implementing AI:
• Look for a natural fit with the content. Don’t try to shoehorn it in, or it can make the concepts more confusing. “The idea behind arts integration,” says arts-integration specialist Pat Klos, “is that it opens a new door to understanding, so it has to connect with the content standard for it to make sense.”
• Identify where students are struggling. AI can be an effective way to differentiate instruction and break through with hard-to-reach kids. It provides a context that will help students build connections and gives them triggers for remembering the content later.
• Collaborate and brainstorm: Brainstorming is one of the best ways to develop arts-integrated lessons. Bouncing ideas off other educators within and across subjects and disciplines helps develop deeper lessons, and this is the goal of the daily hour of collaborative-planning time at Bates. As lessons get classroom tested and refined, teachers can build a repertoire of vetted lessons on a shared network drive.

I hope you enjoyed your long weekend and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow!- Angela

Week of February 20-24, 2017

Monday, February 20

• No School (President's Day Holiday)

Tuesday, February 21

• Progress Monitor Green Students
• One on One Staff Mtgs Continue
• Hill at Principal Ready Mtg in Fayetteville (8:30-4:00)
• Peer Observations Begin
• PLC (Focus SST)
• 8:30-9:30 5th, 6th and 7th Grades
• 10-11 Kindergarten
• 12-1 1st and 2nd Grades
• 1-2 2nd and 3rd Grades
• Perspective TCEA Parent Mtg  5-6 PM (Admin Only)
• Family Fun Night 6-7:30 PM (For Staff Assigned To This Night)

Wednesday, February 22

• Progress Monitor Green Students
• Admin Weekly Mtg 9:00-10:15
• Substitute Orientation 1-2
• School Leaders Mtg 3:30-4:30

Thursday, February 23

• Peer Observation Training (If you need to know how) in Cafe 3:30-4:00

Friday, February 24

• 4th Grade Field Trip to Art Council
• Black History Program in Lobby at 2:15-2:45 (please pack up before program)

The Golden Circle

Over the past five weeks, I have reviewed the needed steps for immediate improvement of our school. All of the concepts I focused on had nothing to do with changing our learners.  Instead the changes that we must implement begin with the adults in our building.  It is up to us to create the change we want to see in our school.  Please make sure that you review these five steps and by prepared to discuss during our Faculty Summit tomorrow.  I will also need you to watch this video before the meeting as well.  I look forward to doing the hard work, alongside you, to provide the students at TCEA the education they deserve and I know we can provide.

1: Consistency
2: Instruction
3: Feedback
4: Scaffolding
5: Practice

Week of February 13-17, 2017

Monday, February 13

• Faculty Summit at 3:30 PM in Cafe (please bring you laptops)
• Administration 1 on 1 Mtgs Continue in the PLC Room (will continue through week)

Tuesday, February 14

• Progress Monitor Red Students
• PLCs (focus is Core Instruction)
• 5th, 6th, 7th 8:30-9:30
• K 10-11
• 1st, 2nd 12-1
• 3rd, 4th 1-2
• Support Team 2-2:45
• Data Analysis Grade/ Department Sheets (6th and 7th) are due to Hill's box by 5 PM

Wednesday, February 15

• Pay Day
• Progress Monitor Red Students
• Beginning Teacher Mtg at 3:30 in Cafe

Thursday, February 16

• Class Group Picture Day (please see picture scheudle time emailed by Trojan)
• 3rd Grade Field Trip to FSU
• FEO Mtg at 3:30 in the Cafe

Friday, February 17

• Teacher Workday: It is not mandatory but if you are not working on Friday you need fill out the form found here by 8 AM Friday, February 17. This does not mean we are taking a day from you but I need to know for planning situations.

Strenthing the Core: #5 Practice

Practice

1. noun:

   1. the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method as opposed to theories about such application or use. "the principles and practice of teaching"synonyms: application, exercise, use, operation, implementation, execution More

   2.repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.  "it must have taken a lot of practice to become so fluent"  synonyms: training, rehearsal, repetition, preparation; More

Why Practice?

What Does Practice Look Like In The Classroom?

• Deliberate Practice
• Retrieval Practice
• Spaced (Distributed) Practice

Deliberate Practice

This is goal oriented practice consciously devoted to the improvement of a skill.

Which of these is an example of deliberate practice and why?

A. Go home a write down the 4 "times table".

B. Using the memorized lyrics to the song about the 4 "times table", correct the test you took today and write the correct answer in any places you find the wrong answer.

Retrieval Practice

Click here to learn more.

Spaced (Distributed) Practice

Studying or practicing a skill in short sessions over time

Distributing practice over time (versus massing practice in one session) aids retention in a variety of academic areas.

Have you heard me PREACH about spiraling?  Click here to see it in a classroom.

I am not a genius but when I see proof of this working I know that it is something every teacher MUST try in their classroom.

Please READ and not skim...

What is the research basis for spiraling?

The “spacing effect” – the learning boost from distributing rather than massing learning and practice – has been repeatedly found by researchers for more than 100 years. Findings about distributed learning are among the most robust in the learning sciences, applying across a wide range of content and for all ages from infants to adults. “Space learning over time” is the first research-based recommendation in a recent practice guide from the U. S. Department of Education’s Institute of Educational Sciences (Pashler et al., 2007). In a recent review of the literature, Lisa Son and Dominic Simon write, “On the whole, both in the laboratory and the classroom, both in adults and in children, and in the cognitive and motor learning domains, spacing leads to better performance than massing” (2012).

What Not To Do

Please do not think more is better.  It is not the amount of practice we give students...it is being intentional when providing times for students to practice.  It is being deliberate...it is giving them chance to retrieve previous learning and apply...it is spacing the practice out...all of this while being INTENTIONAL. If this sounds easy...then you are fooling yourself.  

Should students be given chances to practice as part of your core instruction?

Have an amazing week!  - Angela

Week of February 6-10, 2017

TRG Schools Beat AML Dress Down Week

Staff Mtg with Admin Continues

Monday, February 6

• Hill, Jones, Russ and Pond at MTSS Training
• IS Planning in cafe at 3:30
• Open Enrollment Begins

Tuesday, February 7

• Progress Monitor Yellow Students
• PLC (Data Analysis/ Core Instruction Discussion)
• 5th, 6th, 7th 8:30-9:30
• K 10-11
• 1st, 2nd 12-1
• 3rd, 4th 1-2
• Support Team 2-2:45

Wednesday, February 8

• Progress Monitor Yellow Students
• IS Lesson Plans Due
• 3rd Grade Presentation  in Cafe at 2 PM
• Hill Leaves at 4 PM

Thursday, February 9

• Wear Orange Day (Picture at 2:45 in main lobby)

Friday, February 10

• 4th Grade Field Trip to Crown Coliseum
• Mr. Falls Day