Appreciation

This week the Nation recognizes educators for all they do for the students they work with and for the support they give to communities where they share their talents!  I hope each of you realize the LARGE impact you have on students and that your work is truly one that can make or break a society. 

We all love to feel appreciated and to know that our work has value in the eyes of others.  But one thing I have learned during my 38 years on this Earth is that many times to receive appreciation you must show appreciation.  Without our students, none of us would be working at TCEA.  We must appreciate the fact that parents trust us with their children as we "figure out" what works best at our Arts Integrated 3rd year in existence school.  What student makes your job more worthwhile and pushes you to go the extra mile? 

This week, I would like EVERY EMPLOYEE THAT READS THIS BLOG  to complete the challenge below.  We will be sharing our results at the beginning of the SIT Meeting on 5/15 (you will be dismissed at 3:40).  You do not have to video...just make sure you share with the student why you appreciate them and then note their response.

I look forward to hearing all about your experiences.

Have an amazing Sunday and see you tomorrow!- Angela

Week of May 1-5, 2017

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! 

Thanks for all you do! Enjoy dress down each day this week...just remember to keep it classy!

FEO has a few surprises this week for you and you will get an email from them soon.

Monday, May 1

• Trojan and Salisbury at NCDPI Training (.5 day)
• Mandatory EOG Staff Training at 3:30- until in Cafe'; please refer to Mr. Thomas's email for more details

Tuesday, May 2

• Joe and Clough out at NCDPI Training
• PLC (focus Roster Verification)
• 5th, 6th and 7th- 8:30-9:30
• Kindergarten- 10-11
• 1st and 2nd- 12-1
• 3rd and 4th- 1-2
• Support Staff- 2-2:45

Wednesday, May 3

• Admin Mtg. 9-10:15 in Office

Thursday, May 4

• Middle School Electives Showcase - Music, Media Arts, Visual Arts at 6-8 PM

Friday, May 5

• Hill Out
• Field Trip to Botanical Gardens for 3rd and 4th Grades

What is original?

Welcome back to the real world! I hope you enjoyed your Spring Break and that you are prepared to finish the year strong.  This blog will be an easy way to threshold into the upcoming week.  Last week, I had the opportunity to visit two charter school in NC to learn more about what they do and how this plays into their success.

The first school I went to was ArtSpace in Asheville.  It is an Arts Integrated School and has been in operation since 2000 (they took one year off before accepting their first students so their official start date with kids is 2001).  The school was definitely worth the 4 hour drive.  I will tell you that after the visit I felt so much hope.  They didn't have it together in year 3 and when I shared where we are now they are amazed at the progress we have achieved over the short period time we have been in existence.  Here is the major idea I walked away with on Tuesday, April 18, 2017...we have to have a period of time, during the school day, that our Arts Team plans and collaborates with our Homeroom Teachers! I had a chance to sit in during their planning and it was AMAZING! The level of communication and collaboration was high and it was powerful!  How did it work? Each Tuesday for two hours total (an hour per grade) the AIT (Arts Integrated Team) meet. The members in the meeting were: All Arts Staff, the two classroom teachers and an EC Staff Member.  My question: Who's watching the kids? They use a plan of utilizing TAs, Volunteers, Support Staff, etc to cover classes.  The Arts Team meets each week and the classroom teachers only meet once a month.

I learned a ton more and will be sharing as we conclude the year and plan for next year!

Friday, April 21st, I went to visit The Cape Fear Center for Inquiry because they are one of the first charter schools in NC and are still showing a high level of success and functionality! I have also had a chance to borrow great ideas and organizational plans from them over the past two years.  Although they are not an Arts Integrated School, they do incorporate the arts into their inquiry based learning programs.  One of major "take aways" from CFCI is that students' emotional state is just as important as the education they receive.  The school starts every morning with class level morning meetings and the teachers model with students how to handle conflict and how to encourage and support each other.  They are a school of inquiry BUT also understand that incorporating a social emotional program into what they do is NOT another thing but the main foundation for what they do at the school.  They spend the first 3 weeks of school building community and expectations...this is not optional but a must for everyone.

So, what does this mean for TCEA? 

It means that we continue to improve and "borrow" the great ideas from others doing great work and make it work for TCEA.  I know many of us have discussed the the quote by Albert Einstein shown here.  We have to improve and move forward not because you have a school leader that enjoys change and wants to do things differently.  No, we actually have to change because our students DESERVE the best and that will involve change.

I also want to reassure you that borrowing from others is nothing new...it is seen in the business world and in the art world.  I am including two pieces that you can listen to that illustrate this fact.  One is What is Original? and last about an hour and the other is a piece of that talk and is about sampling in music by Mark Ronson.

I listened to many podcasts on my travels this week and really felt this piece went right along with my school visits.  I have missed you all and look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Angela

Week of April 24-28, 2017

Monday, April 24

• CCC Spring Break Challenge Form Due (no exceptions); Please reread directions from Ms. Grunden.  The party invites will be printed as soon as we know numbers.

From Ms. Grunden:

On Monday, April 24th, please e-mail me the list of students from your class who returned their Spring Break Reading Challenge.  We will not be taking any late submissions.  If I do not receive an email from homeroom teachers by 4:00pm Monday, April 24th, it is assumed you did not have any students participate from your classroom.

• GRADES DUE 8:00 AM - 2nd Trimester Midterm Progress Reports
• IS Planning at 3:30 in Cafe'
• SIT Mtg in Bar Area of Cafe' at 4:00
• TCEA Board Mtg at 5:15 PM in Music Room

Tuesday, April 25

• PLC (SST Focus)
• 8:30-9:30~ 5th, 6th and 7th
• 10-11~ Kindergarten
• 12-1~ 1st and 2nd
• 1-2~ 3rd and 4th
• Potluck (prepared by Arts Staff and Dr. Caine-Czerepak) in New Lounge 11-12

Wednesday, April 26

• IS Plans Due
• Admin Mtg 9-10:15
• CCC Reward Party at 2 PM: Grades 4th-7th
• School Leaders Mtg. 3:30-4:30 in Cafe

Thursday, April 27

• Trojan out at state meeting
• Hill out at Regional Charter School Leaders Mtg
• CCC Reward at 2 PM: K-3rd

Friday, April 28

• Midterm Progress Reports Go Home - 3rd Trimester
• Career Day for 4th-7th Grades 12:30-3:00 PM

Don't forget EVERYONE is required to sign up for an one hour time at our table for Dogwood unless you have talked with me about not being able to participate.  Please sign up here by Wednesday, April 26th!

Every Opportunity

I had the opportunity to attend the Character Matters Professional Development offered by NCDPI two days last week.  This professional development was focused on creating schools of character and the group attending heard from a multiple number of award winning schools of character in NC. 

 Each school shared that the starting point for positive change begins with the adults in the building.

 I took a ton of notes and began building a character plan that adopts all that we are doing at TCEA but just adding accountability and intentionality to our current initiatives.

Below are two "take aways" that I feel the need to share with you:

The second is a thought:

So, what part do you play in building the character in a school? A huge part. 

We, the adults, create the culture and climate in a building.  

Every day and every minute matters and there must be a sense of urgency in creating an environment that our students can thrive both academically and socially.  We are the constants in their ever changing world.  Take time to watch this video and see a visual example of how every opportunity we have to "pour" into a student's life is important in their development.

Also, if you have not completed the form shared in last week's blog (only 10 have) please do so today. Here is the link.

Hope you have enjoyed this fabulous weekend and I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow.

Angela

Week of April 10-14, 2017

Monday, April 10

• Professional Development in the cafe at 3:30 focused on social emotional state of students at TCEA.
• Last day to turn in auction items to office

Tuesday, April 11

• Progress Monitor Red TRC/DIBELS Students 
• PLC (focus on Finishing Strong (K-2nd) and Preparations for Boot Camp (3rd-7th))
• 5th, 6th, 7th at 8:30-9:30
• Kindergarten at 10-11
• 1st & 2nd at 12-1
• 3rd & 4th at 1-2
• Support Team at 2-2:45
• IS Night K-2 at 6 PM and IS Night 3rd-7th at 7:15 (please see email from Brownlee for details and Hill's email for addendum of locations of staff members)

Wednesday, April 12

• Progress Monitor Red TRC/DIBELS Students 
• Admin Mtg at 9:30-10:15
• Beginning Teacher Mtg at 3:30 in Cafe

Thursday, April 13

• PJ Dress Down Day (staff can participate but please dress appropriately)
• FEO Meeting at 3:30
• Lesson Plans for Boot Camp and Pre Test for first week due before you leave (3rd-7th grades)

Friday, April 14

• First day of Spring Break

Good. Better. Best.

1. Here are the results from our NCDPI Visit. Please look over and be prepared to discuss.
2.   I would also like you to view the video below by the end of this week.  
3. After looking over the video and the results from our visit, please complete this form by SUNDAY, APRIL 9TH! 

Hope you had an enjoyable weekend and I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow.

Angela

Week of April 3-7, 2017

Monday, April 3

• Committee Mtg in cafe at 3:30 PM

Tuesday, April 4

• Hill out at NCDPI Training
• PLCs (Bootcamp Preparations)
• 8:30-9:30 5th-7th
• 10-11 Kindergarten
• 12-1 1st and 2nd
• 1-2    3rd and 4th
• 2-2:45  Support Staff
• Progress Monitor Yellow Students
• Drama/CSP/SEL IS Presentation at 2 PM

Wednesday, April 5

• Hill out at NCDPI Training
• Music/Visual Arts IS Presentation at 2 PM
• Progress Monitor Yellow Students

Thursday, April 6

• Dance/Media Arts IS Presentation at 2 PM

Friday, April 7

• Dance Party Fundraiser at 2 PM

Rigor is Not a Bad Word!

Right is Right

Right Is Right is about the difference between partially right and all-the-way right—between pretty good and 100 percent. The job of the teacher is to set a high standard for correctness: 100 percent. The likelihood is strong that students will stop striving when they hear the word right (or yes or some other proxy), so there’s a real risk to naming as right that which is not truly and completely right. When you sign off and tell a student she is right, she must not be betrayed into thinking she can do something that she cannot.

Here is an example of that technique in a classroom discussion.  Please read the set up for the video and then watch the video.

This concept reminds me of what I witness many times in elementary classrooms.  Teachers want to prevent the student from feeling bad and getting an answer wrong so they support the students even when incorrect and shallow thinking responses  are given.  Many feel they are doing something positive for the student...but they aren't.  Those teachers are actually creating a space where mediocrity is accepted and students begin to realize that no matter what they say or do, they will be rewarded.

As you know, the real world is not like that.  College professors do not draw smiley faces on crappy work,  Spouses do not brag about the mediocre dinner their spouse cooked.  Credit companies do not reward people for paying parts of their bills.  Bosses do not (or should not) sugar coat performance reviews.  It is our duty to love our students enough to push them past "almost right thinking". 

This will need to be added to you toolbox and please turn to page 35 in the Teach Like a Champion book for more information.

Hope you have had an amazing weekend and I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow.

Angela

The Week of March 27-31, 2017

Monday, March 27

• Unit Assessment Begins
• Dress Down Day- All money needs to be turned in to Mrs. Griggs (staff must pay if they wear jeans and are not using a pass)
• Safety Patrol Members Begin Today- Please turn in returned permission slips to my box
• SIT Mtg in Cafe at 3:30 PM

Tuesday, March 28

• Progress Monitor Red TRC/DIBELS Students
• PLC (RtI Focus)
• 5th, 6th, 7th  8:30-9:30
• Kindergarten    10-11
• 1st and 2nd       12-1
• 2nd and 3rd       1-2
• Support Staff     2-2:45
• Potluck (prepared by 4th/ 5th/ 6th & 7th) in NEW Staff Relaxation Room 11-12:15

Wednesday, March 29

• Hill out until 9:30
• Mr. Thomas, Mrs. Candy Caine, Ms. Jones at UNC-P Job Fair 8:30 AM-3:00 PM
• School Leaders Mtg at 3:30 (Focus: SAM)

Thursday, March 30 (Look Your Best Staff)

• Awards Day K-3 8:30-9:30 at Hay Street UMC
• Awards Day 4th-7th 1 pm-2 pm at Hay Street UMC
• Pay Day

Friday, March 31

• Spring Portraits Please see schedule emailed by Mrs. Trojan for your time and location

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)