Crown Point Junior Music Academy

Monday Morning Memo

1/29-2/2

Congratulations to Crown Point's very own Sarah Nichols for being selected Teacher of the Year!!!!

Instructional Focus-

As I observe and give feedback, I will continue to refer to your weekly general calendar, so please ensure that it is updated.  I will also be referring to the Critical Concepts and the Proficiency Scales and look for the attributes in the instruction and the tasks you set up during your lessons.

PBS/Character Counts-

We will continue to focus on playground and cafeteria for PBS expectations and lessons.

For our Character Counts Program the focus will be kindness. Please ensure that you are teaching those lessons and having conversations/discussions with your students on a regular basis.

Important Upcoming Dates:

Tu 1/30- SSC Meeting- please bring your laptops

W 1/31- Certificated Prep

Th 2/1-Mission Bay Cluster Meeting at CPJMA @ 6:00pm in the Auditorium

T 2/6- Coffee with the Principal in auditorium @ 7:40 am

Th 2/8- ½ day release SGT, ½ release 1^st grade (make-up for 1^st grade)

Recess Duty-

Group D

Crown Point Junior Music Academy

Monday Morning Memo

1/22-1/26

Instructional Focus-
As I observe and give feedback, I will continue to refer to your weekly general calendar, so please ensure that it is updated.  I will also be referring to the Critical Concepts and the Proficiency Scales and look for the attributes in the instruction and the tasks you set up during your lessons.

 I am noticing more formative assessments being utilized in informing your instruction.  This on-going practice is highly effective and should be implemented on a regular basis.

 Guided Reading is powerful and instrumental in moving student up in their reading levels.  The data from the DRA and running records is critical in determining the appropriate groupings for your students.  

Family Game Night was awesome!  Although I lost to my wife in Yahtzee, it was a great time and the children all had a great time as well.  I hope to see you at our next event.



PLC-
We have been receiving professional development in unpacking the Critical Concepts and the proficiency scales as well as a process for formative assessments as a grade level.  As we move forward this week please be sure to continue working with your colleague during PLC to continue working on common formative assessments.  Please also let me know what room your grade level will be working in.  This will be critical when grade levels break away and work on the PLC cycle as have learned from our readings in professional developments.

Field Trips-

As a reminder, certain steps need to be taken in preparation for field trips in advance.  Please do not wait until the last minute.  This causes a strain in the office.

Below is an email reminder from the nurse that was sent on Friday from the office. 

Dear Teachers,

Please be sure to notify health office staff via email at least two weeks before any scheduled field trips.  If you choose to provide a hard copy of the field trip notice in addition to the email that is ok too, but the email is preferred.  Lori Benson is only here on Tuesdays and I am only here on Fridays and we are finding that papers are getting misplaced or lost. To ensure that there is adequate supervision for our students with health concerns we require sufficient time to prepare and, if needed, provide staff to accompany students on the trip. Our cluster is short staffed and so without the advance notice, we may have to cancel a field trip if we are not able to ensure the safety of students. We greatly appreciate your cooperation.  Email both Lori Benson: lbenson@sandi.net and Charlene Pattillo: cpattillo@sandi.net with any upcoming field trips. Thank you to the teachers that have already made this a regular practice.

PBS/Character Counts-

We will continue to focus on playground and cafeteria for PBS expectations and lessons.

For our Character Counts Program the focus will be kindness. Please ensure that you are teaching those lessons and having conversations/discussions with your students on a regular basis.

Important Upcoming Dates:

Tu 1/23-  2/3 and 4/5 grade formative assessment 1/2 day release

Tu 1/23- Staff Meeting in room 9 at 2:30

W 1/24- PLC room 9 @ 1:00-3:00
Tu 1/30- SSC Meeting- please bring your laptops
W 1/31- Certificated Prep

Recess Duty-
Group C

Crown Point Junior Music Academy 

Monday Morning Memo

1/16/18-1/19/18

Thank you once again for working hard during our Wednesday PLC.   Your focus on the five students for the remainder of the year is critical in making the connection to formative assessment, data, and the work you do in PLC overall.  Thank you for your diligent work!

I think everybody would agree that the Dairy Assembly was a great assembly and gave us each a chance to laugh as well.  Thank you Marylin for setting this up!!!!

Instructional Focus- 

As I observe and give feedback, I will continue to refer to your weekly general calendar, so please ensure that it is updated.  I will also be referring to the Critical Concepts and the proficiency scales and look for the attributes in the instruction and the tasks you set up during your lessons.

PBS/Character Counts-

• We will continue to focus on playground and cafeteria for PBS expectations and lessons.
• For our Character Counts Program the focus will be kindness
• Here is the link to the schedule and some resources for the PBS/Character Counts Program.
• Here is the link to the Google Drive Shared Folder with the lessons for PBS.  Please ensure that you are teaching those lessons and having conversations/discussions with your students on a regular basis.

Important Upcoming Dates:

Tu 1/16- ILT full day release-formative assessments

W 1/17- Certificated prep

Th 1/18- K/1 formative assessment 1/2 release

F 1/19-5th grade walking field trip to PBM

Tu 1/23-  2/3 and 4/5 grade formative assessment 1/2 day release

W 1/24- PLC room 9 @ 1:00-3:00

Recess Duty-

Group B

Crown Point Junior Music Academy

Monday Morning Memo

1/8/18-1/12/18

Thank you for posting your schedules and referring to them.  If you are not sure of the specificity to support your students below are more samples.  Please ensure that you post every day with a brief focus for each content area.

When we think of high expectations for students (DOK 3, 4) I appreciate teachers pushing our students on a regular basis.  Below are some upper-grade students working on argument/opinion writing pieces.

Instructional Focus-  

As I observe and give feedback,  I will refer to your weekly general calendar, so please ensure that it is updated.  I will also be referring to the Critical Concepts and the proficiency scales and look for the attributes in the instruction and the tasks you set up during your lessons.

PBS/Character Counts-

• We will be focusing on playground and cafeteria for PBS expectations and lessons.
• For our Character Counts Program the focus will be kindness
• Here is the link to the schedule and some resources for the PBS/Character Counts Program.
• Here is the link to the Google Drive Shared Folder with the lessons for PBS.  Please ensure that you are teaching those lessons and having conversations/discussions with your students on a regular basis.

Clear Common Expectations-

As requested, more clear expectations have been created for the entire school.  I have personally hand delivered each teacher the Voice Levels and Speed Levels signs.  Please post them clearly on a wall in your classroom and have continuous reminders and discussions about what they mean.  I will have other voice and speed signs strategically posted around the school as well.

Summary of Learning-

As we move forward here is a look back on our PLC/PDs as we strive to become a Highly Reliable School.  Below are the areas of a Highly Reliable School that we are working to put in place.

• Safe and collaborative Culture within the school
• Effective teaching in every classroom
• Guaranteed and viable curriculum in every grade level

This is marked by the professional development from late August until December.  The PD support has been based on the priority survey you completed before school started. 

• Learning what a PLC is and setting up the structure
• Constantly reviewing data
• Creating Data goals with DRA and SBAC
• Learning what the Critical Concepts are
• Backwards mapping the Critical Concepts
• Unpacking the Critical Concepts

Based on your input looking forward, we will learn more about.....

• Common Formative Assessments
• Focus students and data walls
• Balanced LiteracyRunning Records
• Guided Reading

Important Upcoming Dates:

W 1/10- Attendance assemblies-K-2nd 8:00-8:30, 3rd-5th 8:45-9:15

W 1/10-PLC room 9 @ 1:00-3:00

W 1/11-Mobile Dairy Assembly K-2nd grade 8:00-8:45, 3rd-5th 8:45-9:30

Tu 1/16- ILT full day release-formative assessments

W 1/17- Certificated prep

Th 1/18- K/1 formative assessment 1/2 release

F 1/19-5th grade walking field trip to PBM

Tu 1/23-  2/3 and 4/5 grade formative assessment 1/2 day release

W 1/24- PLC room 9 @ 1:00-3:00

Recess Duty-

Group A

Crown Point Junior Music Academy

Monday Morning Memo

1/3/18-1/5/18

Short Week (3 days)

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  I look forward to seeing all staff and students returning from break.  

Important Dates:

Wednesday, 1/3/17 (10:00ish until the end of the day)

• As discussed before the break, our first day back will be filled with arts and crafts from 10:00ish until the rest of the day as we celebrate our Happy New Year Celebration with our students.
• PTO will be dropping off some treats to all the classrooms from that time until the end of the day.
• Please utilize the time from 10:00- the end of the day for New Year/Winter arts and crafts.
• As a reminder, this is not a time to pop in a movie and have free time.  Please plan accordingly for extended arts and crafts.

Wednesday 1/3/18 (1:00-3:00) 

• Certificated Prep Time
• PTO Meeting room 9

Recess Schedule- Group D

Enjoy the short week!!!