9-26-14

THINK WIN-WIN

PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST 

9/29  Kick Off Energy Unit in the Discovery Labs
9/29  Site Strategic Planning SKY
9/29  Principal Leadership Meeting Click Here for Agenda

9/30  Site Strategic Planning SSF
10/1  BTSA mtg.
10/2  Site Strategic Planning CC
10/3  Pelican Radio Check @ 1:30

SYNERGIZE 

*Thank You to Melani for coordinating the registration for the STEM conference-I think everyone had a great two days!  Such an exciting topic!
*Thank you to all of our Discovery Lab teachers/instructors for their energy (pun intended), excitement and hard work getting ready for our kick off unit.  Our students are so very lucky-I can't wait to see and hear about all of their wonderful discoveries! And a Big Hooray for Stephanie for working with all of the schools and all of the instructors to prepare for Monday!
*Good Luck to Lisa D, Becky and Terri D as they put on the final touches for their Strategic Planning days!

BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

Blogs/Articles/Videos for Instructional Leaders

•Check out Kevin Honeycutt's Video What's would your 30 second legacy be?  Do you have the courage to film it?

•Reasons Why I Love my Job 
•5 Ways to be a Great Teammate

SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND

Blogs/Articles/Videos for Teachers

•Great article on 7 Ways to stop the Parent-Child Power Struggle Over Homework
•7 Questions to ask Parents at the Beginning of the Year

•It's Time to Stop Averaging Grades...
•Is Your Gradebook Supportive of Student Learning?

BE PROACTIVE

•Please send your DELAC representative name and contact information to Melani.  Our first meeting is scheduled for December 8. 

•We will be talking about Walkthrough process and protocol on Monday at the Principal Leadership meeting.  Please bring anything (ideas or documents) that will help us design the perfect process for us as we add teachers to our group.

STREAM is everywhere at our schools!  Don't forget that the Kick Off Integrated Unit on Energy begins Monday-Remember to ask your students, "What did you discover today?"

SHARPEN THE SAW

Sir Ken Robinson-Why Happiness is So Important!

9/19/14

THINK WIN-WIN

PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST 

9/22-STEM Symposium-You might want to consider Carpooling-Parking is limited and expensive
9/22- October Board updates and topics due
9/23- STEM Symposium
9/23- Site Tech Job-A-Like
9/24-Site Strategic Planning Dress Rehearsal
9/25-TOSA meeting
9/26-Ed Coalition Meeting

SYNERGIZE 

*Thank you to Susan Jensen and all of the members of the Insurance Committee for their commitment to this very important task!
*Thank you to Angie and Jo for taking the time to listen to possible future ideas regarding maximizing home to school communication!
*Hugs to Katy and Cara for fielding all of the questions and concerns re: Eureka Math-Not to mention delivering material directly to teachers-Such Service!  Speaking of lifting boxes-Katy, I'm sure you are NOT lifting heavy things-right? (hint, hint...)
*Kudos to Patti Malmuth, Stephanie A. and 2 parents from SP who met this last week to outline a 5 week communication plan to send out to parents each week highlighting STREAM! (So excited about this marketing tool AND that they are willing to share with all schools!)
*Hooray to all of our teachers who attended the Apple PD this past week!  So much to learn!
*Thank you to Jerry and Elisa who agreed to help me plan our first Principal PLC meeting on September 29!

BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

Blogs/Articles/Videos for Instructional Leaders

•12 Powerful Ways to Make People Feel Powerful-Great article on Shared Leadership
•10 Tips to keep in mind when providing Staff Development (Great advice for all of us who consider ourselves Instructional Leaders)
•Interesting Article-Maybe Fun and Grit are Related? 

 SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND

Blogs/Articles/Videos for Teachers

•12 Rules the Best Teachers Live By 
•9 Tips for Teacher to Make This Your Best School Year Yet!  Great embedded videos to illustrate the Tips!
• To make learning fun for our kids, we need to meet them where they are -True differentiation!  Great video for your Tech Reluctant staff 

BE PROACTIVE

So True!!  Every child deserves that we always "Bring our Best!"

A Rendering of Earl Warren Middle School-WOW!!

I Believe!
Do You Believe?

SHARPEN THE SAW

Love this Analogy!!

The First Twitter??



Modern Twitter!!

9/12/14

THINK WIN-WIN

PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST 

9/15  Leadership (Lisa Ryder has snacks) 
9/15  International Dot Day-Celebrate Creativity, Courage and Collaboration!
9/16 & 9/17 Apple PD @ the District Office-Don't forget to Sharpen you Saw-this Professional Development opportunity is not just for our teachers!  Come and learn right along side of your staff!  Be the change you want to see...You get the point-We'd love to have you join us for one of the two days!
9/16 Strategic Planning Office Hours
9/17 BTSA meeting @ 3:30
9/18 Insurance Committee Mtg.
9/18 Wellness Committee Mtg.
9/18  "New" Principal Meeting @ 3:30
9/19  Strategic Planning PowerPoints due to Terry Decker

SYNERGIZE 

•A HUGE Shoutout to Terry Decker for all of his thoughtful and hard work preparing the District Strategic Planning Day!  A great day for our district!
•And how 'bout those TOSA's!  OUTSTANDING presentation Katie, Cara and Stephanie!  You absolutely nailed your presentations! 
•And we all know that behind every good video are amazing Tech people who make us look good!  Kudos to Jo and Angie for all of your support and behind the scenes effort-not to mention integrating Today's Meet into the meeting!
•Thank you to Sal for getting the interview dates on the calendar early-Now that's early planning-Thank you Matt (or was it Jerry?-I know it was one of our male principals!) for making the suggestion!
•Thank you to Caroline and Jenny for working on re-sending the NWEA passwords-So sorry that your dept. had to double back on this one!
•Kudos to all of our Principal's for their short and sweet Board presentations on the opening of school! I heard that you were all FAB!

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Blogs/Articles/Videos for Instructional Leaders

*Wanna boost your PLN?  The top 25 educators on Twitter!
*Great Quotes to emphasize Growth Mindset! 
*3 EduAwesome Images on Leading Change 
*Jerry Blumengarten @cybraryman is a wealth of information and collection of   Educational Web Sites-Great page on Leadership 

SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND

Blogs/Articles/Videos for Teachers

*Think Pedagogy First, Technology Second

*Very Timely article about the First 5's with iPads! First 5 minutes, First 5 Days...Great reminders as we distribute those devices in our 1:1 classrooms!
*40+ New Teacher Resources (again, I would argue that this is a great resource for ALL teachers!)

BE PROACTIVE

Wonder for the day...Why do crops need to be rotated?  If you and your teachers are not checking out the daily wonders at Wonderopolis.org, you are really missing out on daily opportunities to inspire curiosity and thinking in our students! You also can follow them on twitter-@wonderopolis 

"We are ALL influencers whether we want to acknowledge that or not. The question is; Are you a positive or negative influencer?"

Dr. Justin Tarte

@justintarte

"Sometimes our Stop-Doing list needs to be bigger than our To-Do list!"

Patti Digh

"Outstanding principals know that if they have great teachers, then they have a great school!"

Todd Whitaker

@Toddwhitaker

SHARPEN THE SAW

9/5/14

THINK WIN-WIN

PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST 

9/8  Leadership
9/9  FFL Board Meeting
9/9  ELD Job-A-Like
9/11 District Strategic Planning
9/11 Board Meeting (Opening of School Update)

SYNERGIZE 

*Our TOSA's are EVERYWHERE!!  It is so fun to see all of the support that they are providing our sites AND all of the shifts that they are facilitating!  Thank you to everyone for letting them film, film, film at your sites.
*Congratulations to Matt and Becky!  Their Site Strategic Planning Pre-Meetings went GREAT!!!
*Thank you to Caroline for all of her efforts working with the Technology Instructors to bring them up to speed on MAPS and Technology Lab instruction.
*Hugs to Monica for being the Curriculum Queen and getting all of your materials in a timely fashion.
*Thank you to Rebecca for modifying the Tardy policy for everyone-we like simple!

BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

Blogs/Articles/Videos for Instructional Leaders

•10 Phrases that will Make You a Better Leader
•25 Ways to Ask Your Kids 'So How Was School Today? (Great Newsletter article...)
•Ted Talk-The Myth of Average- A MUST SEE!!  How do we nurture the potential of every student?
•The Secret-What Great Leaders Know and Do
•6 Things We Need to Stop Saying in Education

SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND

Blogs/Articles/Videos for Teachers

•A Checklist for Back to School Night

•A Flipped Classroom?  Or Should it be Sideways?

•8 Easy Strategies for Engaging students
•Epic Ice Breakers

Great Teachers refuse to settle for less than their best!  Would YOU want to be a student in your class?

BE PROACTIVE

Who do you want telling the story of your school?  Department?  Classroom?

SHARPEN THE SAW

Notice the Color Scheme...Go Bronco's!!