May 26, 2015

Welcome to the Speas Global Elementary Blog!

All staff members, let's make sure we are teaching, reteaching, and teaching again the procedures in the common areas (Hallway, Cafeteria, Bathrooms, Playground, Bus).  We should be giving out lots of Bee's for students demonstrating the basic expectations.  It is a good idea to review the procedures before you leave one area to travel to another area.  

Our Mission: It is the mission of Speas Elementary School to provide its students with the tools necessary to successfully meet the challenges they will face in a diverse world.

Goals:

To increase English Language Arts achievement by 10%
To increase Mathematics achievement by 10%
To increase Science Achievement by 10%

Check out this graphic about global education.  The things above water are just the tip of the iceberg.   Try to go deeper in your instruction and touch some of the issues below the surface.

ISS
Specialists will begin holding ISS in their respective areas on their assigned days.  The schedule is below.  Teachers, specialists may be contacting you for work for students assigned to ISS.  Please get them work as soon as possible.   

Day	Teacher	Location
A	Arora	Room 213
B	Bowen	Music
C	King	Art
D	Childers/McMasters	Media/CL
E	Lindquist	Gym

Teachers: Having Trouble with Defiant Students?  Have you tried these strategies?

http://www.interventioncentral.org/behavioral-interventions/challenging-students/school-wide-strategies-managing-defiance-non-complianc

Our jobs may get hectic as we try to close out the year strong.   Here are some things to remember about what we may call disrespect or defiant behavior:

cont.

Although the jury may still be out on the optimal type of enrichment mindset for those working with kids in poverty, we do know for certain that the following extremes will NOT work:

ÒFocusing only on the basics (drill and kill)

ÒMaintaining order through a show of force

ÒEliminating or reducing time for arts, sports and physical education

ÒIncreasing and intensifying classroom discipline

ÒDecreasing interaction among students

ÒInstalling metal detectors

ÒDelivering more heavy-handed top-down lectures

Nor does it work to pity kids raised in poverty and assume that their background dooms them to failure.  The first approach is simplistic and narrow-minded and the second approach is elitist, defeatist, and quite often classist or racist.  What works is ta acknowledge that the human brain is designed to change from experiences that if we design enough high-quality experiences, over time we will get positive change.

High-poverty, high-achieving schools share a number of characteristics including:

ÒDedication to diversity and equity

ÒEmphasis on reading skills

ÒHigh expectations

ÒOngoing data collection and formative assessments

ÒOrderly climate

ÒRegular assessment of student progress combined with feedback and remediation

ÒRegular teacher-parent communication

High-poverty, high-achieving schools share a number of characteristics including:

ÒShared mission and goals

ÒStrategic assignment of staff

ÒStrong focus on student achievement

ÒStructure (including student goals and class management)

ÒSupport for teaching influence (paraprofessionals)

ÒTeachers’ acceptance of the role they play in student success or failure

ÒUnequivocal focus on academic achievement

with a no-excuses mind-set

ÒUse of assessment data to improve student achievement

 and instruction

35 THINGS EVERY TEACHER SHOULD DO BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDS

Mark Barnes | May 21, 2015 | Featured, Inspiration | 4 Comments

41510more

photo credit: photopin (license)

The school year is filled with testing, report cards, and many other hurdles that make it exceedingly difficult. Don’t allow another year to pass without some completely out-of-the-box behavior.

You never know when crossing a few old-school boundaries may change a student’s or a colleague’s life, while bringing the joy back to your teaching.

http://www.brilliant-insane.com/2015/05/35-things-every-teacher-should-do-before-the-school-year-ends.html

Announcements:

Congrats to our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders--they did an outstanding job on the EOG Remixes!!!
Very, Very Impressive!!!!

Thanks to all of the teachers who make falling down....eh hem, I mean skating, a success.  According to many, the people at the skating rink were very complimentary of our kids----because they are so awesome.  

***For all technology issues, please follow these steps in order to submit a SchoolDude ticket. Mr. McMasters will receive this ticket and be able to work on resolving the issue as quickly as possible. Tickets take priority so please enter a ticket for the technology issue that you have. If you have any questions on how to do this, please see Mr. McMasters. Thank you!

To submit a ticket…on either the WSFCS homepage or the Speas homepage, click on “User Options” in the top right of the screen --> “SCHOOL DUDE requests --> Click “IT request” tab --> fill out request and click submit. ***

We have a Speas Symbaloo page.

http://www.symbaloo.com/home/mix/13eOcMEZPT#

email: djjohnson@wsfcs.k12.nc.us
pass: speasbees2014

Please email us with your favorite educator sites so we can create a huge selection of online resources.  

All staff members, let's make sure we are teaching, reteaching, and teaching again the procedures in the common areas (Hallway, Cafeteria, Bathrooms, Playground, Bus).  We should be giving out lots of Bee's for students demonstrating the basic expectations.  It is a good idea to review the procedures before you leave one area to travel to another area.  

SMOD Tickets (dress code violations) are located in the workroom.  Please keep the bottom portion for your own records as a way to keep track of the number of violations.  The continuum is as follows:

1st offense: verbal warning, and letter will be sent home to be signed.  Parent or guardian notified of violation
2nd offense: Teacher notifies parent or guardian and student is removed from class until proper SMOD is delivered.

(Teachers, we all should be enforcing this, it will only work if we all enforce it).

Calendar

5.26	2	A	Y
5.27					EOG ELA
5.28					EOG Math; 3,4,5 teachers stay afterschool for bubble party
5.29					EOG Makeups
6.1					EOG Sci 5
6.2					EOG Sci 5
6.3					EOG Makeups
6.4					RTA/EOG Makeups; 3rd grade teachers afterschool for bubble party
6.5
6.8
6.9
6.10					3rd grade teachers stay after to edit answer sheets
6.11
6.12

Holidays Around the World

Tuesday	May 26	Independence Day	Georgia
Tuesday	May 26	Mother's Day	Poland

Today in World History

May 26

17		Germanicus of Rome celebrates his victory over the Germans.
1328		William of Ockham forced to flee from Avignon by Pope John XXII.
1647		A new law bans Catholic priests from the colony of Massachusetts. The penalty is banishment or death for a second offense.
1670		Charles II and Louis XIV sign a secret treaty in Dover, England, ending hostilities between England and France.
1691		Jacob Leiser, leader of the popular uprising in support of William and Mary's succession to the throne, is executed for treason.
1736		British and Chickasaw forces defeat the French at the Battle of Ackia.
1831		The Russians defeat the Poles at the Battle of Ostrolenska.
1835		A resolution is passed in the U.S. Congress stating that Congress has no authority over state slavery laws.
1864		The territory of Montana is organized.
1865		The last Confederate army surrenders in Shreveport, Louisiana.
1868		President Andrew Johnson is aquitted of all charges of impeachment.
1896		The last czar of Russia, Nicholas II, is crowned.
1938		The House Committee on Un-American Activities begins its work of searching for subversives in the United States.
1940		The evacuation of Allied forces from Dunkirk begins.
1946		A patent is filed in the United States for the H-bomb.
1958		Union Square, San Francisco, becomes a state historical landmark.
1961		The civil rights activist group, Freedom Ride Coordinating Committee, is established in Atlanta.
1961		A U.S. Air Force bomber flies across the Atlantic in a record of just over three hours.
1969		Apollo 10 returns to Earth.
1977		The movie Star Wars debuts.
Born on May 26
1667		Abraham De Moivre, mathematician.
1835		Edward Porter Alexander, artillery general during the American Civil War.
1883		Mamie Smith, blues singer.
1886		Al Jolson, jazz singer and film actor.
1895		Dorothea Lange, documentary photographer.
1903		Estes Kefauver, Tennessee senator.
1907		John Wayne [Marion Michael Morrison], American actor and film icon.
1919		Jay Silverheels, actor (The Lone Ranger).
1920		Peggy Lee, jazz singer.
1923		James Arness, actor (Gunsmoke).
1951		Sally Ride, astronaut, the first American woman in space.