Hayes Elementary : 2016

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Look ahead for November 28, 2016

Notes from Mr. Ross:

I hope everyone had a great, refreshing and joy-filled five day Thanksgiving Holiday. I am ever grateful for the time I get to spend with my family and close friends. And because the weather was outstanding for November I got to play four rounds of Golf.

As you all should know I am a strong believer in the power of standardized assessments and formative assessments. In case you are wondering why... When we use this information in the correct way we can really transform our classrooms, and the school as a whole. In other words we move from that 62 to a 72, 82, etc... How, as an teacher, do you know if your children are on the right track if you do not assess where they are at, what they've learned, or what content they need to have retaught. The two questions that should be the most impactful to their learning should be "How do you know what you know?" "When did you know what you know?" The answer to those two questions can be a very powerful tool in the classroom teachers tool belt. When a child can articulate an answer and can specifically say "I knew this because..." and " I knew this when..." you go well beyond the lower level knowledge based questions. When we move to those lines of questioning we move from a 62 to a 72, 82, etc...

We have precious little time before we break for the Christmas holiday's. Do not waste a minute on anything other those skills our students need in order to be successful in April and the coming grade levels.

Oklahoma State Blueprints:

OAS-ELA Standards: OAS ELA

OAS-Math Standards: OAS Math

OAS-Math Blueprints: Math Blueprints

OAS-Science Standards: OAS Science

Generic Morning Announcement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6dAG5eWCok&feature=youtu.be

Everyday Math Codes:

1st Grade EDM Codes

2nd Grade EDM Codes

3rd Grade EDM Codes

4th Grade EDM Codes

5th Grade EDM Codes

EDM Online Activation

GAME ON! Powerpoint:

Game On!

Teacher Handbook:

Handbook

Math Vocabulary Word Walls:

Word Walls

EM 3 Resources

RTI:

RTI

Hayes Elementary Master Schedule 2016-2017:

Master Schedule 16 - 17

Mastery Connect:

okcps.masteryconnect.com

Star360 logins:

Student Login: http://10.3.110.92/rploginstudent/

Username: FirstName.LastName (this is their single sign on login information used for computers)

Password: XStudentID#

Teacher Login: http://10.3.110.92/rploginstaff/

Once the student has successfully logged on, they will then select either STAR Early Literacy (K-1), STAR Reading (2-6) or STAR Math (2-6). After selecting an assessment, the student will need to select the class labeled reading. The student will then proceed with the pre-test. Once the student has completed the pre-test, a box will pop-up asking for a monitor password to advance to the real assessment portion. Please note that the student will select the class labeled reading for both STAR Math and STAR Reading after they select the designated assessment from their dashboard.

Admin/Specialist Login: https://hosted58.renlearn.com/217454/

Videos Worth Watching:

Eye-Opening Video Will Make Adults Reconsider The Way They Talk To Children - via @HuffingtonPost

Articles Worth Reading:

Why Good Teachers Quit - via @TeachThought

School Climate: Why Avoiding Tough Conversations Limits Our Learning - via @educationweek

Americans Don’t Miss Manufacturing — They Miss Unions - via @FiveThirtyEight

OH: One Third Won't Graduate - via @palan57

Supporting Children to positively deal with world events - via @mrkempnz

'Helping Children Succeed' Starts At Birth; A Case For The Power Of Nurture - via @npr_Ed

8 anti-bullying resources for schools and classrooms - via @eschoolnews

Seven Reasons to Show Your Work (Why You Should Share the Process) - via @spencerideas

Why do schools use grades that teach nothing? - via @hechingerreport

Students, Standards, and Finding the Switch - via @KerryHawk02

Connecting with Challenging Kids by Leaning in to Discomfort - via @MindfulOnline

After watching over 50 TED talks, these are the insights that have stuck with me most - via @businessinsider

Teacher & Principal School Report: Barriers to Equity in Education - via @ScholasticTeach

Myth-Busting: "If I Just Had Better Students" - via @edutopia

Betsy DeVos: Five Things to Know About Trump's Pick for Education Secretary - via @educaitonweek

Weekly Specials Schedule: Red Week

Weekly Look Ahead: STAR 360 Window OPENS both reading and math (through Thanksgiving)

Monday November 28, 2016 - Learner First Meeting in the Hayes Library; lesson plans due by 8:00am; Ms. Amzyki weekly visit;

Tuesday November 29, 2016 - Normal School Day; 1 IEP meetings; Faculty Meeting after school

Wednesday November 30, 2016 - Normal School Day; 1 IEP

Thursday December 1, 2016 - Mr. Ross to ANOTHER principals meeting, maybe I'll get my Jelly of the Month Club membership; Formal Mathematics assessment (grades 1-6) - through Mastery Connect

Friday December 2, 2016 - Dollar Day Dress Your Way! Students pay a dollar and are allowed to wear school appropriate clothing to school; OCCHD Health Fair @ Hayes (grades 4-6); Grade level meetings during planning time to discuss formal mathematics assessment

***Between now and our Christmas break we will need to assess our students one more time on Star360. As we've spoken I want each of you to use this data, Star360 and formative assessments, to help in your lesson planning.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Look ahead for November 14, 2016

Notes from Mr. Ross:

Please continue to keep Ms. Wolfe in your thoughts as she continues her fight with cancer and Ana Williams as she becomes a mother for the first time.

The coats have arrived... all 650 of them. On Wednesday of this week the Local Fire Department Union 157 will be out at Hayes Elementary to give coats TO EVERY CHILD. You need to spend some time on Monday and Tuesday specifically talking about the school's expectations in regards to being grateful and showing appreciation when someone gives you something. I will be more than a little disappointed if I hear about any of our students not showing gratitude or appreciation for this thoughtful gift.
The office will be sending a note home on Monday afternoon giving our parents the heads up about the coats.
We will send out an email as well as spend a few minutes during the faculty meeting discussing how we will get the coats distributed on Wednesday.
I need classroom teachers and our art teacher to spend some time early in the week getting "thank you" notes and banners ready to go for Wednesday.

And now, this...

It never fails that when we get to the holiday season we begin to see an increase of misbehavior and frustration in our students. Everyone, adults included, begins to have an increased stress load that very easily manifests at work, school or home. Whether that stress is related to budgets, family, moving, etc... it is a tough time of the year for a lot of people. Keep an open heart in dealing with your students this time of year, as you should all year long, because you may be seeing individuals in crisis.
This might be a good time to look at your "blue backpack" list as well.

One final note: Keep an eye out for upcoming PD during the Intersession time frame. Information will be coming out soon from the curriculum department.

Oklahoma State Blueprints:

OAS-ELA Standards: OAS ELA

OAS-Math Standards: OAS Math

OAS-Math Blueprints: Math Blueprints

OAS-Science Standards: OAS Science

Generic Morning Announcement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6dAG5eWCok&feature=youtu.be

Videos Worth Watching:

5-Minute Film Festival: 7 Video Writing Prompts for Young Authors - via @edutopia

Articles Worth Reading:

What Do I Say To My Students? - via @HuffingtonPost -Election Results

How Oklahoma Voted: Interactive Maps with Precinct-Level Results - via @OklahomaWatch - VERY Interesting

Trump Might Want to Scrap the Education Department; How Doable Is That? - via @educationweek

South Dakota College Students Use Pokemon Go to Teach STEM to Fourth Graders - via @THE_Journal

How Should Reading Be Taught in a Digital Era? - via @educationweek

Changing the Teaching Profession in the Midst of a Storm - via @educationweek

OK Lawmaker, Teacher Salaries Compared. Big Differences. - via @ClaudiaSwisher

Why Librarians are Awesome - via @web20classroom - Ode to Ms. Brittingham

Blogging in the Classroom: Student Roles - via @shfarnsworth

The Most Important Question Every Assessment Should Answer - via @TeachThoughtPD

Weekly Specials Schedule: WHITE WEEK

Weekly Look Ahead: STAR 360 Window OPENS both reading and math (through Thanksgiving)

Monday November 14, 2016 - Normal School Day; lesson plans due by 8:00am; Ms. Amzyki weekly visit; 2 IEP meetings;

Tuesday November 15, 2016 - Delta Dental Sealants; 1 IEP meetings; Faculty Meeting afterschool; PTA meeting at 6:00pm

Wednesday November 16, 2016 - Delta Dental Sealants; Coat A Kid distribution; KONA ICE in the afternoon;

Thursday November 17, 2016 - Mr. Ross at S. Bryant Metro tech for a joy experience called a principals meeting; Formal Reading assessment #2 (grades 2-6) - through Mastery Connect

Friday November 18, 2016 - Dollar Day Dress Your Way! Students pay a dollar and are allowed to wear school appropriate clothing to school; Grade level meetings during planning time to discuss formal assessment

***Get the Chromebooks and get your kiddos assessed on Star360. If the elevator is NOT repaired by Monday afternoon we will "create" a computer lab for those upper grades to assess on Star360.

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Look ahead for November 7, 2016

Notes from Mr. Ross:

"Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don't vote." - William E. Simon

***Please get out and vote on Tuesday. Regardless of your political affiliation voting a privilege unmatched anywhere else in the world.

In addition to the presidential election, one day we will all tell our grandchildren we lived through this load of toro fecal matter, we have state and local decisions that impact us in the short and long run.

These are a few of the items to be decided on this coming Tuesday:
- State Question 776 was designed to assert that all methods of execution would be constitutionally allowed unless prohibited by the United States Constitution and designated statutorily by the legislature.

- State Question 777 was designed to establish a constitutional right for farmers and ranchers to engage in farming and ranching practices.

- State Question 779 was designed to increase the state sales tax by 1 percent to generate revenue for education funding.

- State Question 780 was designed to reclassify certain property offenses and simple drug possession as misdemeanor crimes.

- State Question 781 was designed to use money saved by reclassifying certain property and drug crimes as misdemeanors, as outlined in State Question 780, to fund rehabilitative programs.

- State Question 790 was designed to repeal Section 5 of Article 2 of the Oklahoma Constitution, which prohibits public money from being spent for religious purposes.

- State Question 792 was designed to allow grocery stores and convenience stores to sell full-strength beer and wine.

***Keep Ms. Wolfe and her family in your thoughts. She is going through a tough time at the moment. We will keep you posted as we find out information.

Oklahoma State Blueprints:

OAS-ELA Standards: OAS ELA

OAS-Math Standards: OAS Math

OAS-Math Blueprints: Math Blueprints

OAS-Science Standards: OAS Science

Generic Morning Announcement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6dAG5eWCok&feature=youtu.be

Videos Worth Watching:

Kid President presents THE SCARIEST THING IN THE WORLD - via @SoulPancake

Eye-Opening Video Will Make Adults Reconsider The Way They Talk To Children - via @HuffingtonPost

What Is Quality English-Learner Teaching? No One Really Knows, Researcher Says - via @educationweek

Articles Worth Reading:

20 Tips to Help De-escalate Interactions With Anxious or Defiant Students - via @MindShiftKQED

How Being a Teacher Is Exactly Like Being a Celebrity - via @WeAreTeachers

10 Success lessons from Tony Robbins – “Life Coach, Motivational Speaker” for entrepreneurs - via @KnowStartup

Social Media Isn’t Killing Literacy - via @TeachThought

What’s Going on Inside the Brain Of A Curious Child? - via @MindshiftKQED

A Statement From Captain Mary Fallin - via @edgeblogger

Patience, persistence, and a willingness to grow. - via @gcouros

14 Things Every Student Needs - vic @teachthought

Why Don’t We Teach Life Skills in our Schools? - via @drcarolmorgan

For Students, Why the Question is More Important Than the Answer - via @MindshiftKQED

Weekly Specials Schedule: RED WEEK

Weekly Look Ahead:

Monday November 7, 2016 - Normal School Day; lesson plans due by 8:00am; Ms. Amzyki weekly visit; 2 IEP meetings; Mr. Ross chasing windmills at Central office (First person that let's me know what character/book I am referencing gets a Sonic drink of their choosing.)

Tuesday November 8, 2016 - Normal School Day; 2 IEP meetings; 4th Grade field trip; GO VOTE!!!!!!! (Poles are open from 7am to 7pm) NO faculty meeting after school

Wednesday November 9, 2016 - Normal School Day; Seybolt Stampede party in the afternoon;

Thursday November 10, 2016 - Normal School Day; 2 IEP meetings

Friday November 11, 2016 - Dollar Day Dress Your Way! Students pay a dollar and are allowed to wear school appropriate clothing to school; Veteran's day - I need documentation BY Friday morning of a way you are celebrating/showcasing Veteran's day in your classroom; Grade level meetings during planning time

***Next week we will have Delta Dental in the building, the 15th through the 17th, to do teeth sealants for our students. And to completely counteract Delta Dental we have the Kona Ice truck coming on Wednesday the 16th.

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Look ahead for October 24th, 2016

Notes from Mr. Ross:

Congratulations on being one of 36 schools in OKCPS to have a passing letter grade. There are 43 schools that would like to be where we are right now. We are one of 3 schools piloting Learner First to maintain a passing letter grade.

For the third year in a row we, all stakeholders of Hayes Elementary, has received a passing letter grade for our academic performance.

Before you get to excited know that we were F's in all categories other than a D in mathematics for overall growth. We have a LONG way to go for our students, the stakeholders and school.

Our lowest areas are social studies, which dropped 21 points from 2015, and overall reading. We are a D because of these two areas. Mathematics and science were our biggest movers in the positive and kept us from a failing letter grade. In the game of if's we could have easily gotten to a C if certain grade levels and specific content areas had risen to the occasion.

We also received the 10 bonus points for attendance. Our students attendance continues, three years of improved attendance, to rise even when Hayes Elementary had one of the highest teacher absentee rates in all of OKCPS last school school. (58% attendance for teachers)

Have pride in what you do, know you make a difference and show the professionalism that we all have for the field of teaching.

Oklahoma State Blueprints:

OAS-ELA Standards: OAS ELA

OAS-Math Standards: OAS Math

OAS-Math Blueprints: Math Blueprints

OAS-Science Standards: OAS Science

Generic Morning Announcement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6dAG5eWCok&feature=youtu.be

Videos Worth Watching:

Articles Worth Reading:

Writing Toolbox: 8 Free Lessons and Charts to Help Your Students Become Better Writers - @WeAreTeachers

Redefining Success in Education: The Benefit Mindset - via @Medium

Introducing Design Thinking to Elementary Learners - via @JackieGerstein

Reimagining Learning Spaces with Design Thinking #HackingPBL - via @RossCoops31

7 Qualities of People with High Emotional Intelligence - via @successmagazine

Popular vs Effective - via @E_Scheninger

It’s Official: The Boomerang Kids Won’t Leave - via @nytimes

Our thinking creates the solutions, but technology provides many new opportunities. - via @gcouros

This Is How To Resist Distraction: 4 Secrets To Remarkable Focus - via @bakadesuyo

Using Project-Based Learning To Flip Bloom’s Taxonomy For Deeper Learning - via @TeachThought

Assume the Best - via @danpbutler

Teacher-Principal Relationships: Are We Building Bridges or Burning Them? - via @educationweek

Do the Facts Even Matter? - via @benjamingilpin

Renegade Leadership: Making Change Realistic - via @educationweek

“Blogging is your job.” - via @gcouros

Teaching With Your Mouth Shut - via @edsurge

Data show Oklahoma's A-F school grades have a positive effect - via @newsok

Oklahoma remains nation's top state for education cuts - via @newsok

Weekly Specials Schedule: RED WEEK

Weekly Look Ahead: Pumpkin week in the library this week; red ribbon week is next week!

Monday October 24, 2016 - Normal School Day; lesson plans due by 8:00am; Ms. Amzyki weekly visit; 1 IEP meeting; Welcome back!

Tuesday October 25, 2016 - Normal School Day; Faculty meeting in the library following parent pick up; 1 IEP meeting; faculty meeting afterschool

Wednesday October 26, 2016 - Normal School Day; 2 IEP meetings

Thursday October 27, 2016 - Principal's meeting AT HAYES ELEMENTARY (in the library). Title one visit for Mr. Ross and Ms. Seybolt. We need you to be at work, be on your best behavior and teach like your pants are on fire! While we have our guests in the building it will be crucial that you "skin your own skunks."

Friday October 28, 2016 - Dollar Day Dress Your Way! Students pay a dollar and are allowed to wear school appropriate clothing to school; 1st Quarter Awards Ceremony in the Gym at 9:00am. Be sure to call all of your award winners parents to let them know they are welcome to be a part.

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Look ahead for September 26, 2016

Notes from Mr. Ross:

- Ms. Seybolt and I will be completing walk-through observations beginning Monday September 26th. You will notice that we DO NOT have grade level meetings this week. We are requiring is a meeting with each of you the day FOLLOWING your informal observation during your planning period so that we can discuss,etc., your observation.

****For walk-through observations we will be looking to see that your data notebooks are up to date and accurate, that your students are working at their current reading levels and your green folders (APP forms) are up to date and signatures are present.****

- Thank you Peg Hutchinson, Raquel Leyva, Michelle Seybolt, Esther Ingersoll and Lee Ann Hunter for helping get the Learner First Survey's completed by the due date. These ladies made sure we were not on the naughty list this week and took something off of your plates... they did a great job and deserve some appreciation.

- Remember that grades are due in the VERY NEAR future. Ms. Seybolt sent out a document in an email last week for those who are still struggling with infinite campus. Come see us if you are still having trouble.

- At the end of next week we will have our first quarter awards ceremony. Refresh yourselves on the awards, they are located in your staff handbook, for they will be here before you know it.

- If you can try to make Hayes night at Chuck E. Cheese this Friday evening. We had a great turnout last year and I know our students love seeing you out of your classrooms.

- The week of Halloween will be our Red Ribbon Week at Hayes Elementary. We are looking for some outstanding, and appropriate, dress up ideas for that week. Talk to Ms. King, your PTA or the office to share your ideas.

- Be the somebody that makes everyone feel like a somebody this week!

Oklahoma State Blueprints:

OAS-ELA Standards: OAS ELA

OAS-Math Standards: OAS Math

OAS-Math Blueprints: Math Blueprints

OAS-Science Standards: OAS Science

Generic Morning Announcement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6dAG5eWCok&feature=youtu.be

Videos Worth Watching:

Lessons from a Public School Turnaround - via @edutopia

Flexible Classrooms: Providing the Learning Environment That Kids Need - via @edutopia

The Four C's: Making 21st Century Education Happen - via @EdLeader21

Articles Worth Reading:

An Effective Teacher Can Improve Student Learning Across the Grade, Study Finds - via @educationweek

How language can affect the way we think - via @TEDTalks

Why Do Students Think They Have to Be Perfect? - via @educationweek

The Example We Set - via @joshuabecker

Getting What You Want Out of Leading and Life. - via @JessicaCabeen

10 things successful people never do - via @YourStoryCo

Weekly Specials Schedule: BLUE WEEK

Weekly Look Ahead: Informal Observations WILL be taking place the next two weeks!

Monday September 26, 2016 - Normal School Day; lesson plans due by 8:00am; Ms. Amzyki weekly visit; 2 IEP meetings; 5th and 6th grade classes have play practice during specials in the cafeteria; Nurse out to help other schools with hearing and vision screenings

Tuesday September 27, 2016 - Normal School Day; Faculty meeting in the library following parent pick up; 2 IEP meetings; Nurse out to help other schools with hearing vision screenings

Wednesday September 28, 2016 - Normal School Day; Mr. Ross's bosses, YES PLURAL, will be in the building from 8:00am to 10:30am doing walk through's; 2 IEP meetings;

Thursday September 29, 2016 - 2:00pm 5th/6th Grade play in the cafeteria; 6:00pm 5th/6th Grade play for parents; 1 IEP; Spirit day!

Friday September 30, 2016 - Dollar Day Dress Your Way! Students pay a dollar and are allowed to wear school appropriate clothing to school; Chuck E. Cheese will be in the building late in the day to remind everyone about Hayes night @ the "House of Mouse" that evening

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Look ahead for September 19, 2016

Notes from Mr. Ross:

There are seven million minutes from Pre-K to graduation. Don't waste a moment!

We have a very busy week ahead! I will need everyone's help this week in order to accomplish all we need to this week.

Ms. Seybolt will be at a training Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week. I will be out at a training, again, this Thursday. Our AU team will be at half strength all week due to additional training. This will need to be a week where you are taking care of business in your classrooms.

I will be spending the majority of my week in classrooms. I am getting a finalized roster from human resources that has the teachers not needing an observation this academic year. We will begin informal walk through observations ASAP. These walk through observations do not count towards your final TLE score.

Learner First survey's will be handed out Monday morning. Kinder through 2nd take a reading survey and 3rd through 6th take a mathematics survey. It is VERY easy and should NOT take much time. I am requiring that our Kinder through 2nd grade teachers take a few minutes during their small group instruction time to take the surveys with the students. 3rd through 6th grade mathematics teachers should take a few minutes and have their classes fill out the survey in class, preferred in small groups as well. The survey's will be collected Thursday so that they can be input by the required due date on Friday.

Some final thoughts:

We are still having concerns come through the front office that clearly show we are not doing a good job making contact with parents. We are not calling about grades, discipline, homework, or positive interactions. My expectation is to be the LAST person that the parent hears from, not the first!

Grades MUST be in the infinite campus grade book. If you are having trouble we can get you some help. I AM looking twice weekly to make sure they are in the grade book and updated in accordance with district policy.

Smile! If you feel like you can't fake it 'til you make it. Kids feed off of you... how do you want your classroom to run?

Oklahoma State Blueprints:

OAS-ELA Standards: OAS ELA

OAS-Math Standards: OAS Math

OAS-Math Blueprints: Math Blueprints

OAS-Science Standards: OAS Science

Generic Morning Announcement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6dAG5eWCok&feature=youtu.be

Videos Worth Watching:

9 things every child needs to hear - via @lifepositivity

Articles Worth Reading:

PBL and Design Thinking to Unleash Student Creativity - via @educationweek

249 Bloom’s Taxonomy Verbs For Critical Thinking - via @TeachThought

The Learning Innovation Cycle: How Disruption Creates Lasting Change - via @TeachThought

Get Your Kid To Behave Without Resorting To Time-Outs, Sticker Charts, Or Bribes - via @fatherlyhq

8 Parenting Behaviors That Keep Children From Being Successful - via @lifepositivity

Weekly Specials Schedule: WHITE WEEK

Weekly Look Ahead:

Monday September 19, 2016 - Learner First survey's handed out in classes; Ms. Seybolt and 1/2 AU out, Normal school day; lesson plans due by 8:00am; Ms. Amzyki weekly visit; 2 IEP meetings; 4th and 5th grade classes have Oral Hygiene Classes (Please see Ms. Seybolt's Schedule)

Tuesday September 20, 2016 - Ms. Seybolt and 1/2 AU out; Learner First Meeting Tuesday after school; 2 IEP meetings; Kona Ice in the afternoon

Wednesday September 21, 2016 - Ms. Seybolt and 1/2 AU team out; Ross' Raccoon Team Celebration; Normal School Day; 1 IEP

Thursday September 22, 2016 - Learner First survey's collected; Mastery Connect Math Assessment for Grades 1-6; Normal School Day; Mr. Ross AT ANOTHER Principal's meeting; SOAR counselor in the building

Friday September 23, 2016 - Dollar Day Dress Your Way! Students pay a dollar and are allowed to wear school appropriate clothing to school; Grade level meetings during planning to assess Mastery Connect Scores; 3 of the 5 AU staff are out of the building; 1 IEP;

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Look ahead for September 12, 2016

Notes from Mr. Ross:

There are seven million minutes from Pre-K to graduation. Don't waste a moment!

* Teachers do not create student achievement; students do. Yet, teachers, with support of other dedicated professionals, can together create the environment and the platform from which students can do what they do best: learn, achieve, create and innovate into the future. - Stephen Barkley

This will be the first five day week in three weeks so pace yourself!

This week during vertical teaming we will be discussing the Star360 data and comparing it to the running records we have taken recently. Math peeps will be creating our first mini assessment through Mastery Connect as well as looking through the Star360 data.

Oklahoma State Blueprints:

OAS-ELA Standards: OAS ELA

OAS-Math Standards: OAS Math

OAS-Math Blueprints: Math Blueprints

OAS-Science Standards: OAS Science

Generic Morning Announcement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6dAG5eWCok&feature=youtu.be

Videos Worth Watching:

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore: The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain - via @TEDTalks

Articles Worth Reading:

Eyes wide shut? Are you letting your kids sleepwalk into their future? - via @lifehacks4kids

One Simple Strategy to Overcome Resistance to Your Vision - via @DavidGeurin

Back to School With Budgets Still Tight - via @nytimes

How A Good Teacher Becomes Great - via @TeachThought

Vast Majority of Americans Want Failing Schools Fixed, Not Closed, Poll Finds - via @educationweek

State representative calls for suspension of Texas' STAAR exam - via @wfaa

Last I Checked, Compliance Isn't a Learning Standard - via @educationweek

Studies on Head Start Bolster Arguments for Long-Term Impact - via @educationweek

25 Ideas for Flexible, Fun Classroom Job Charts - via @WeAreTeachers

What the Heck Is Inquiry-Based Learning? - via @edutopia

Teach your kids to focus on what they CAN control. - via @lifehacks4kids

Why We Should Stop Grading Students on a Curve - via @nytimes

Top 10 Tips for Building Fluent Readers + Link up! - via @WeAreTeachers

Weekly Specials Schedule: RED WEEK

Weekly Look Ahead:

Monday September 12, 2016 - Normal school day; lesson plans due by 8:00am; Ms. Amzyki weekly visit; 1 IEP

Tuesday September 13, 2016 - Vertical team meetings in the book room; Faculty Meeting Tuesday after school; 2 IEP meetings

Wednesday September 14, 2016 - Normal School Day; 1 IEP

Thursday September 15, 2016 - Normal School Day; Mr. Ross to his monthly Principal's meeting; 1 IEP; SOAR counselor in the building.

Friday September 16, 2016 - Dollar Day Dress Your Way! Students pay a dollar and are allowed to wear school appropriate clothing to school; 1 IEP;