Week of March 30, 2015

Notes from the Principal:

DEADLINE FOR FIELDTRIPS IS MAY 15TH.

We have a busy week this week.  I hope everyone eats their Wheaties and is ready to roll.

Great teachers know the strengths, attitudes, weaknesses, fears and background of every student that comes through their classroom door.  They also know what EVERY child needs in order to grow and be successful.  Great teachers see the WHOLE child.  Great teachers teach respect, compassion, perseverance, empathy, motivation and responsibility in addition to the state standards.

Look at the important things and what we do everyday as public educators.  We model compassion and empathy so that our children, who clearly are not seeing it at home, see what it looks like and learn how it feels.  We foster independence and give our students opportunities to persevere through difficult situations; i.e. life.  We engage our students, inspire them to great things and motivate them to learn.

On a testing note...  Time is running short.  I am holding you accountable to teach what is clearly important these next few, precious, weeks.  I had better not see anything non-instructional taking place during the school day.  I will not accept anything less than preparing our kiddos for the OCCT exams; either by test taking strategies, review, or polishing what they've learned.  No excuses.  I will also say that next week, before testing begins at Hayes, we will have several things planned throughout the week to relax and break the testing fog up.

One final thought:  This should go without saying but unless you've been living under a rock you know we are SEVERAL staff members short.  Please, short of missing limbs or projecting some kind of bodily fluid, find the strength to be at work.  Have good sense is what I am asking.  We have empty spots all over the building and we DO NOT have anyone on staff to cover if someone is not there.  A good thing is that Ms. West and I have been working hard to hire everyone necessary to have a full staff...for next year.  The Calvary is coming.

Give it your best effort these coming weeks and let's make 'em ask what we are doing to turn the perception at Hayes Elementary.

Generic Morning Announcement:  Done DAILY, no exceptions!

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

2014 - 2015 Committees:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3lrYycQKGUiU29FazU0VEVJWjQ/edit?usp=sharing

Showcase Schedule for Monthly Rise and Shine:

In order for everyone to take a more active role in the Monthly Awards I am asking that each grade level participate in the showcase portion of the Rise and Shine.  Everyone on campus will have a month to show the rest of the school what's great about your classes.  You can have your students sing, dance, demonstrate, share...  Have fun with it!

August:  P.E./Music
September:  Office Staff
October:  Library/Media
November:  First Grade
December:  Pre-Kindergarten
January:  Fourth Grade - February 5th
February:  Kindergarten - March 6th - Canceled due to SNOW!!!!!
March:  Kindergarten - April 3rd
April:  Third Grade - May 1st
May:  Second Grade - May 22nd 


*** Oklahoma State Blueprints: ***

http://ok.gov/sde/documents/2013-09-05/blue-prints-plds-item-specs

Available accommodations for the OCCT:

http://ok.gov/sde/documents/2014-08-07/oklahoma-accommodations-guide

A quick guide to standards and assessments:

• English Language Arts: 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school year – PASS standards, PASS-aligned assessments.
• Mathematics: 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years – PASS standards, PASS-aligned assessments.
• Science: 2014-2015 school year – begin transition to science standards adopted into rule in June 2014; PASS-aligned assessments for grades 5, 8, and Biology 1 for high school for 2014-2105 and 2015-2016 school years. 
• Social Studies: 2014-2015 school year – Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies as adopted in 2012; All four social studies assessments are OAS-aligned in Grades 5, 7, and 8, as well as high school U.S. History. All four assessments will be fully operational in 2014-2015.
• Fine Arts: 2014-2015 school year – transition to new standards adopted by law in June of 2014, The annual district arts assessment report will be due at the Oklahoma State Department of Education the end of May 2015.
• World Languages: 2014-15 school year – PASS standards, no state assessment. New standards will be written beginning fall 2014.
• Personal Financial Literacy: 2014-2015 school year – Oklahoma Academic Standards for Personal Financial Literacy as adopted in 2008, no state assessment.
• Health/Safety Education: 2014-2015 school year – PASS Standards, no state assessment.
• Kindergarten: 2014-2015 school year – PASS standards, no state assessments.
• PreKindergarten: 2014-2015 PASS standards; no state assessments.

Hayes Elementary Academic goals for 2014-2015:

- All students WILL achieve academically.
- Increase OCCT Reading scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase OCCT Mathematics scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase OCCT Writing scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase the number of students who qualify for promotion in RSA by 25%
- Decrease Suspensions by 25%
- School wide overall attendance to 96%
- Faculty attendance to 98%

Videos Worth Watching:

Ryan Palmer - Made of Greatness - via @TaylorMadeGolf  - I went to school with Ryan Palmer, there is absolutely ZERO educational value with this video... other than a shameless plug to root for this guy... cause everyone LOVES the PGA, right?

Every parent should see these 5 TED Talks on education - via @helloparentco

Jeremy Heimans: What new power looks like - via @TEDTalks

Articles Worth Reading:

The Heart of Teaching: What It Means to be a Great Teacher - via @edutopia

Beginning to Think She May Need to Be Held Back? Here's Help Deciding - via @WeAreTeachers

How I Do It: "Upcycle" in Your Classroom - via @ScholasticTeach

Designing Curriculum That Teachers Will Actually Use - via @TeachThought

Provide time in the day to tinker, explore, reflect, learn & grow...'  - via @sfanningreads

P/T Conferences - via @PrincipalHowell

What the best education systems are doing right - via @TEDTalks

What do we do when what we do is still not enough? - via @pernillripp

Authentic Learning: It's Elementary - via @markbarnes19

Students Learn Best When You Do This - via @TeachThought

How The Activity Learning Theory Works - via @TeachThought

8 Characteristics of the “Innovator’s Mindset” - via @gcouros

Best of Teacher HELPLINE!: 6 Interactive Reading Strategies to Boost Student Engagement - via @WeAreTeachers

There is not just one right way to be a connected educator - via @pernillripp

What Kind of School Have YOU Created? - via @teachingquality

Parent-Child Activities - via @cybraryman1

Five-Minute Film Festival: Reimagining the Library - via @edutopia

Poll: Public strongly supports Joy Hofmeister's plan for teacher pay raises - via @tulsaworld

What Rigor is and is not - via @FalaholaManu

Oklahoma schools superintendent: Bold leadership sought to tackle teacher shortage - via @newsok

Oklahoma educators hope Monday's rally at the Capitol will yield more results - via @tulsaworld



Weekly Look Ahead:  Formal observation window closes Friday!!! 

Monday March 30, 2015 - After School Tutorials, Normal school day, 1 IEP meeting @ 8:00AM

Tuesday March 31, 2015 - Great Expectations visit!!!!!  Be on your "bestest" behavior and know we have a visitor in the building.  I will have a list ready for Ms. Martin and I will also let the teachers know that we are coming in the room.  2 IEP meetings; 8:30AM and 10:30AM - AFTER SCHOOL MEETING!  Pre-Kinder field trip to the ZOO! 

Wednesday April 1, 2015 - Nothing Special about this day!  Mr. Ross to be a hearing officer at Cesar Chavez at 1:30pm.  Mr. Ross to Camelot at 3:00pm to discuss potential after school program for Hayes Elementary.  Student of the month names due to the office!  2:00PM Webster Counselors visiting with 6th Grade.

Thursday April 2, 2015 - Last day of after school tutorials!!!  WEAR BLUE as we Celebrate Autism Awareness Month.  BLUE OUT!!!!!!  Mr. Ross to a Principal's meeting at Camelot! (Yes, I will be wearing BLUE at the Principal's meeting.)  IEP at 9:00AM  Safety committee meeting at 7:30AM in the library!  AU parade @ 2:00PM.

Friday April 3, 2015 - BLT meeting in the Library at 7:30AM.  Spirit Day - Rise and Shine in the Cafeteria!!!

Week of March 23, 2015

Notes from the Principal:

Welcome back!  I hope everyone got to rest, relax, spend time with family, or do whatever it is that charges your batteries.  I got to spend some much needed time with my wife and son.  He amazes me everyday.  I hit a hole in one playing golf with my father, something that we will be able to share for the rest of our lives. I bought a new car, something I will be paying on for the rest of our lives as well.

We are closing in on "that time" again, the dreaded testing season.  We as teachers seem to lose sleep, stress out and increase our dosage of coffee, Red Bulls, or chocolate to an unusually high level.  We, as a staff, need each other now more than ever.  The OCCT exams can't be avoided, they are like those Cialis commercials that come on TV right before we sit down for dinner, they can't be avoided nor are they appealing.  Complaining doesn't help the situation, it only makes tensions rise and places more unnecessary, negative, energy on the exams.  What we have to do... embrace "that test." Testing, like the slogan Forest Gump started, happens.  It will happen ever year, no matter how the format changes or what standards are being measured.  The OCCT exams are beyond our control so why are we allowing it to determine our attitudes?  Continue to teach!  Send the message, repeatedly, that our students are going to be successful.  Remind them of their eating habits, the necessity of sleep, the importance of test taking strategies, etc...  Most importantly, and it should go without saying, keep those high expectations for ALL of your students as well as the consistent procedures that have been in place throughout the year.

What doesn't kill us makes us stronger!  How are you going to create a positive impact for our kiddos?

Let's have a great week!

One final note:  Please keep Ms. Roland and Dr. Henderson in your thoughts.  Ms. Roland is on bed rest and Dr. Henderson received word that she has a malignant tumor in the ear that has been troubling her.

Generic Morning Announcement:  Done DAILY, no exceptions!

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

2014 - 2015 Committees:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3lrYycQKGUiU29FazU0VEVJWjQ/edit?usp=sharing

Showcase Schedule for Monthly Rise and Shine:

In order for everyone to take a more active role in the Monthly Awards I am asking that each grade level participate in the showcase portion of the Rise and Shine.  Everyone on campus will have a month to show the rest of the school what's great about your classes.  You can have your students sing, dance, demonstrate, share...  Have fun with it!

August:  P.E./Music
September:  Office Staff
October:  Library/Media
November:  First Grade
December:  Pre-Kindergarten
January:  Fourth Grade - February 5th
February:  Kindergarten - March 6th - Canceled due to SNOW!!!!!
March:  Kindergarten - April 3rd
April:  Third Grade - May 1st
May:  Second Grade - May 22nd 


*** Oklahoma State Blueprints: ***

http://ok.gov/sde/documents/2013-09-05/blue-prints-plds-item-specs

Available accommodations for the OCCT:

http://ok.gov/sde/documents/2014-08-07/oklahoma-accommodations-guide

A quick guide to standards and assessments:

• English Language Arts: 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school year – PASS standards, PASS-aligned assessments.
• Mathematics: 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years – PASS standards, PASS-aligned assessments.
• Science: 2014-2015 school year – begin transition to science standards adopted into rule in June 2014; PASS-aligned assessments for grades 5, 8, and Biology 1 for high school for 2014-2105 and 2015-2016 school years. 
• Social Studies: 2014-2015 school year – Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies as adopted in 2012; All four social studies assessments are OAS-aligned in Grades 5, 7, and 8, as well as high school U.S. History. All four assessments will be fully operational in 2014-2015.
• Fine Arts: 2014-2015 school year – transition to new standards adopted by law in June of 2014, The annual district arts assessment report will be due at the Oklahoma State Department of Education the end of May 2015.
• World Languages: 2014-15 school year – PASS standards, no state assessment. New standards will be written beginning fall 2014.
• Personal Financial Literacy: 2014-2015 school year – Oklahoma Academic Standards for Personal Financial Literacy as adopted in 2008, no state assessment.
• Health/Safety Education: 2014-2015 school year – PASS Standards, no state assessment.
• Kindergarten: 2014-2015 school year – PASS standards, no state assessments.
• PreKindergarten: 2014-2015 PASS standards; no state assessments.

Hayes Elementary Academic goals for 2014-2015:

- All students WILL achieve academically.
- Increase OCCT Reading scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase OCCT Mathematics scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase OCCT Writing scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase the number of students who qualify for promotion in RSA by 25%
- Decrease Suspensions by 25%
- School wide overall attendance to 96%
- Faculty attendance to 98%

Videos Worth Watching:

Melissa Fleming: Let’s help refugees thrive, not just survive - via @TEDTalks

Linda Hill: How to manage for collective creativity - via @TEDTalks

A Roundtable with President Barack Obama: The Cost of Education

Articles Worth Reading:

Thompson: Oklahoma City Makes Top Ten (Suspending Black Secondary Students) - via @drjohnthompson

Cynical School Choice Stunts Ramp Up In Oklahoma  -via @okobs

Where Have All The Teachers Gone? - via @nprnews

The Honest-To-Goodness Beginner’s Guide To Twitter For Teachers - via @TeachThought

Stop Waiting for Your Inspiration. Go Find It. - via @WeAreTeachers

Teachers Deserve Better - via @E_Sheninger

A Shift in Perspective on the Role of the Principal

Prescriptive Intervention - via @troymooney

41 Things I Know About Education - via @TonySinanis

5 Common Misconceptions About Bloom’s Taxonomy - via @TeachThought

How Prepared Are They? - via @benjamingilpin

What I’ve been learning about math - via @1223Andrea

How to get kids to read independently - via @washingtonpost

Is AR Killing the Love of Reading? - via @laffinteach

Curiosity Is as Important as Intelligence - via @HarvardBiz

Keep One Unpublishable, Private Journal to Improve Your Writing - via @lifehacker

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

For Helicopter Parents That Help Too Much - via @TeachThought

Why the global economy is growing, but CO2 emissions aren’t - via @washingtonpost

Work is Love Made Visible - via @Jennifer_Hogan

Will Higher Teacher Salaries Pay Off? - via @educationweek

Districts Work With Families to Curb Pre-K Absenteeism - via @educationweek

10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking - via @TeachThought

Tips to Engage 21st Century Students - via @medkh9

Empathy - via @TroyMooney

TheJenRoberts Report - via @JenRoberts1


Weekly Look Ahead:  Formal observations are open. 

Monday March 23, 2015 - After School Tutorials, Normal school day

Tuesday March 24, 2015 - 5 IEP meetings, Normal school day, PAL afterschool, No Faculty Meeting after school UNTIL NEXT WEEK.  Grade Level meetings, 3rd through 6th, in classrooms.

Wednesday March 25, 2015 - 1 IEP meeting, Normal school day - ELL Professional Development in the Hayes library.  You get $$$$.  (We also don't have a faculty meeting this week so you can attend.) Grades due for report cards!

Thursday March 26, 2015 - 1 IEP meeting, After School Tutorials, Normal school day, GROUP AND SPRING PICTURES - NO JEANS, PROFESSIONAL DRESS!

Friday March 27, 2015 - Mr. Ross and Ms. Green to "The Great Conversation" (try saying it in your best announcer voice.) 1 IEP meeting.  BLT meeting, postponed to next week because I am at "The Great Conversation"

Look ahead for March 2, 2015

Notes from the Principal:

25 days until O.C.C.T testing.  Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth grade teachers really need to push our students to attend intercession.  If you need anything let the office know ASAP!!!  Monday is Dr. Seuss day.  If you would like to dress up, do it!  If not, I understand completely.

We have J.A. on campus Wednesday, please remind your students how to act when we have visitors in the building.

Our Grade level competition begins the Monday we return from Spring break.  We will talk about it to the kiddos at Rise and Shine on Friday.

Let's think about the following:  

How do I react when I am interrupted?  
Do I tune in to what my students are feeling?
Do my words match my actions?
Can I admit my mistakes and recognize my limitations?
Can I separate the act from the child?
Do I teach for the teachable moment?
Am I tuned into my students special needs?
Do I avoid showing favoritism?
Am I enthusiastic about teaching?
If I were a child, would I want me as a teacher?

Take a few minutes to reflect and think through your answers to these questions.  I will be asking individuals throughout the week about their answers.  

2014 - 2015 Committees:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3lrYycQKGUiU29FazU0VEVJWjQ/edit?usp=sharing

Showcase Schedule for Monthly Rise and Shine:

In order for everyone to take a more active role in the Monthly Awards I am asking that each grade level participate in the showcase portion of the Rise and Shine.  Everyone on campus will have a month to show the rest of the school what's great about your classes.  You can have your students sing, dance, demonstrate, share...  Have fun with it!

August:  P.E./Music
September:  Office Staff
October:  Library/Media
November:  First Grade
December:  Pre-Kindergarten
January:  Fourth Grade - February 5th
February:  Kindergarten - March 6th
March:  Third Grade - April 3rd
April:  P.E./Music - May 1st
May:  Second Grade - May 22nd 


*** Oklahoma State Blueprints: ***

http://ok.gov/sde/documents/2013-09-05/blue-prints-plds-item-specs

Available accommodations for the OCCT:

http://ok.gov/sde/documents/2014-08-07/oklahoma-accommodations-guide

A quick guide to standards and assessments:

• English Language Arts: 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school year – PASS standards, PASS-aligned assessments.
• Mathematics: 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years – PASS standards, PASS-aligned assessments.
• Science: 2014-2015 school year – begin transition to science standards adopted into rule in June 2014; PASS-aligned assessments for grades 5, 8, and Biology 1 for high school for 2014-2105 and 2015-2016 school years. 
• Social Studies: 2014-2015 school year – Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies as adopted in 2012; All four social studies assessments are OAS-aligned in Grades 5, 7, and 8, as well as high school U.S. History. All four assessments will be fully operational in 2014-2015.
• Fine Arts: 2014-2015 school year – transition to new standards adopted by law in June of 2014, The annual district arts assessment report will be due at the Oklahoma State Department of Education the end of May 2015.
• World Languages: 2014-15 school year – PASS standards, no state assessment. New standards will be written beginning fall 2014.
• Personal Financial Literacy: 2014-2015 school year – Oklahoma Academic Standards for Personal Financial Literacy as adopted in 2008, no state assessment.
• Health/Safety Education: 2014-2015 school year – PASS Standards, no state assessment.
• Kindergarten: 2014-2015 school year – PASS standards, no state assessments.
• PreKindergarten: 2014-2015 PASS standards; no state assessments.

Hayes Elementary Academic goals for 2014-2015:

- All students WILL achieve academically.
- Increase OCCT Reading scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase OCCT Mathematics scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase OCCT Writing scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase the number of students who qualify for promotion in RSA by 25%
- Decrease Suspensions by 25%
- School wide overall attendance to 96%
- Faculty attendance to 98%

Videos Worth Watching:

Why Principals Matter - via @TheAtlantic

Students' Views on Teachers, Policy Hold Sway in Georgia District - via @educationweek

A Square Peg in a Round Hole - via @MikeAnderson

Everybody hates Pearson - via @jennrein

Articles Worth Reading:

Indiana: Half of Voucher Students Never Attended Public School - via @DianeRavitch

Good Advice - via @WeAreTeachers

Why aren’t more teachers using tech? - via @TeachersApps

Grades 1-2: Read Across America Day - via @ScholasticTeach

5 Google Chrome Apps for Social Studies Teachers - via @medkh9

30 Trends In Education Technology For 2015 - via @teachthought

Happy Talk History - via @nytimes

The Next Great Migration - via @nytimes

Social Media is the new Fridge - via @Joesanfelippofc

Kansas could put teachers in prison for assigning books prosecutors don’t like - via @salon

A Comprehensive List of Education-Related Twitter Chats for Teachers - via @medkh9

5 Classroom Strategies That Help Introverts and Extroverts Do Their Best Work - via @graphite

What do you want leaders to do with technology? - via @conprin

Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness for America’s Students and Families - via @usedgov

Brilliant minds do not always shine on standardized tests - via @ToddWhitaker

Seven Surprising Things About Creativity - via @edrethink

Ready to Ramp Up Reading! - via @benjamingilpin


Weekly Look Ahead:  Formal observations are open. 

Monday March 2, 2015 - Dr. Seuss Day!  Everyone can wear there favorite Seuss costume!  After school tutorials.  Mr. Ross to Camelot @ 2:00pm for staffing update for the 2014-2015 school year.  IEP @ 10:50am.

Tuesday March 3, 2015 - Normal school day.  IEP @ 8:00am and 2:00pm.  Ms. West and Mr. Ross to the OKCPS job fair from 4:00pm to 7:00pm @ Grant H.S.  NO FACULTY MEETING.  

Wednesday March 4, 2015 - J.A. in a day to Hayes Elementary.  IEP meeting at 12:00pm.  Wagner Bridal Shower after school.

Thursday March 5, 2015 - Normal school day.  1st/2nd Grade musical (2:00pm and 6:00pm)  After school tutoring.  

Friday March 6, 2015 - Spirit day.  Rise and Shine in the Gym!  Kindergarten showcase.  

Look ahead for February 23, 2015

Notes from the Principal:

30 days until O.C.C.T testing.  The fifth grade writing test is Wednesday.  Please emphasize to your students the importance of being quiet and orderly in the hallways while tests are taking place.  We will have several small groups testing around the campus.  Therefore it is important to minimize distractions and hallway movement.

I am seeing some good things taking place in the classrooms at every grade level.  Everyone is working to make sure our students have the best chance to be successful.  I really appreciate everyone's efforts.  They will pay off!

Our testing grades have a four week instructional focus, plus the "dead week" before the exam, to emphasize key areas of instruction in order to increase student achievement.  Small group tutorials will be using the same key areas in order to create the biggest bang for the buck.  "Dead week" will be used to go over test taking strategies, focus on key areas that create the best chance to show student gain, and rest before the testing window opens.  We will also have our testing pep rally on the 10th of that week.  So... get your best cheers ready!

Intercession teachers; begin planning those lessons now and let the office know if you are needing materials, consumables, copies, etc. so that we can help make intercession a success.  Last call for anyone interested, even for a day, to teach intercession.  We will certainly welcome the help.

2014 - 2015 Committees:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3lrYycQKGUiU29FazU0VEVJWjQ/edit?usp=sharing

Showcase Schedule for Monthly Rise and Shine:

In order for everyone to take a more active role in the Monthly Awards I am asking that each grade level participate in the showcase portion of the Rise and Shine.  Everyone on campus will have a month to show the rest of the school what's great about your classes.  You can have your students sing, dance, demonstrate, share...  Have fun with it!

August:  P.E./Music
September:  Office Staff
October:  Library/Media
November:  First Grade
December:  Pre-Kindergarten
January:  Fourth Grade - February 5th
February:  Kindergarten - March 6th
March:  Third Grade - April 3rd
April:  P.E./Music - May 1st
May:  Second Grade - May 22nd 


*** Oklahoma State Blueprints: ***

http://ok.gov/sde/documents/2013-09-05/blue-prints-plds-item-specs

Available accommodations for the OCCT:

http://ok.gov/sde/documents/2014-08-07/oklahoma-accommodations-guide

A quick guide to standards and assessments:

• English Language Arts: 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school year – PASS standards, PASS-aligned assessments.
• Mathematics: 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years – PASS standards, PASS-aligned assessments.
• Science: 2014-2015 school year – begin transition to science standards adopted into rule in June 2014; PASS-aligned assessments for grades 5, 8, and Biology 1 for high school for 2014-2105 and 2015-2016 school years. 
• Social Studies: 2014-2015 school year – Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies as adopted in 2012; All four social studies assessments are OAS-aligned in Grades 5, 7, and 8, as well as high school U.S. History. All four assessments will be fully operational in 2014-2015.
• Fine Arts: 2014-2015 school year – transition to new standards adopted by law in June of 2014, The annual district arts assessment report will be due at the Oklahoma State Department of Education the end of May 2015.
• World Languages: 2014-15 school year – PASS standards, no state assessment. New standards will be written beginning fall 2014.
• Personal Financial Literacy: 2014-2015 school year – Oklahoma Academic Standards for Personal Financial Literacy as adopted in 2008, no state assessment.
• Health/Safety Education: 2014-2015 school year – PASS Standards, no state assessment.
• Kindergarten: 2014-2015 school year – PASS standards, no state assessments.
• PreKindergarten: 2014-2015 PASS standards; no state assessments.

Hayes Elementary Academic goals for 2014-2015:

- All students WILL achieve academically.
- Increase OCCT Reading scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase OCCT Mathematics scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase OCCT Writing scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase the number of students who qualify for promotion in RSA by 25%
- Decrease Suspensions by 25%
- School wide overall attendance to 96%
- Faculty attendance to 98%

Videos Worth Watching:

Powerful Inspirational true story...Don't give up! - 1992 Barcelona Olympic's 400 meter runner.  ...gets me every time.

World Best Motivational Videos for Students - Take a look!

A Must See Motivational Video - Take another look!

Articles Worth Reading:

Beyond Knowing Facts, How Do We Get to a Deeper Level of Learning? - via @MindShiftKQED

State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister says she'll work to fix lawmaker AP history bill - via @AndreaEger

Hofmeister Speaks Future of Education to Tulsa Crowd - via @KTULNews

Literacy Leadership Across the Curriculum - via @TeachToLead

APUSH: What you can still do - via @okeducation

Why Annual State Testing Matters - via @educationweek GREAT INSIGHT!!!!!

Teacher Leadership Makes Inroads, But Strives for Permanency - via @educationweek

50 Questions To Help Students Think About What They Think - via @TeachThought

Would you welcome a Home Visit? - via @benjamingilpin

iPads In Special Ed: What Does The Research Say? - via @npr

Some students need our help -  via @mcleod

101 Ways For Teachers To Be More Creative - via @TeachThought

Letting Your Kids Play in the Social Media Sandbox - via @nytimes

Vouchers: Not a Gift for Students - via @okeducation

Teachers Need Genius Hour, Too - via @edrethink

25 Fascinating Facts That Will Make You Wish You Could Speak Every Language in the World - via @22words

How to Help Students Develop the Growth Mindset With #20time - via @markwguay

10 Ways to make your classroom cozier for gifted students  - via @ByrdseedGifted


Weekly Look Ahead:  Formal observations are open. 

Monday February 23, 2015 - Normal school day.  Pre-Kindergarten ZOO trip postponed.  After school tutoring.

Tuesday February 24, 2015 - Faculty Meeting; J.A. in a day visiting and Ms. Wolfe sharing out. Everyday Mathematics training during planning time (1st-6th Grade) IEP meeting at 10:50am.  

Wednesday February 25, 2015 - 5th Grade OCCT Writing Exam.  Fifth Grade and Pre-Kindergarten Specials Flip.  Please be mindful that testing will be taking place in the building.  Keep your students quiet and respectful that their school mates are testing.  Mr. Ross to the TLE task force meeting at Camalot; 8:30am.

Thursday February 26, 2015 - Normal school day.  After school tutoring.

Friday February 27, 2015 - Spirit day.  BLT Meeting in the Library at 7:30am.  Donuts for Dads in the school Cafeteria at 8:00am.

Look ahead for February 15, 2015

Notes from the Principal:

We will be taking the Mathematics benchmarks this Tuesday and Wednesday.  Grades two through five will be paper and pencil while sixth grade will be using the chromebooks in their classrooms.

Don't forget that Tuesday is the test administration faculty meeting.  Everyone needs to be in attendance.

Something special hits when our OCCT countdown hits 30!

Good behavior must be taught systematically.  The majority of behavior, ours included, is learned.  As teachers we must be intentional in how we approach teaching the expected behaviors in our classrooms and hallways.  What this means is we MUST continue to teach good behaviors from the first day of the school year to the last.  There is no exception for "by this time of year they should..." We must teach it, reteach it, and teach it again.  "If not now, when?" - Winston Churchill

As teachers, we have endless opportunities to speak.  Sometimes we need to take a step back and let silence do the talking.  Remember that calm is contagious and that silence is a powerful tool in a teachers arsenal.  Self control is huge.  Avoid power struggles with your students.  Good discipline is all about good timing.  Tell your students once and then honor their decision or choice.  This is for both positive and negative choices.  Practice makes permanent!  Don't climb the ladder and allow yourself to ratchet up problems or classroom disruptions.  Stay in control and continue building your high achieving classrooms.

Model, model, model.  I do, we do, you do.  Teach your children your classroom expectations, measure their performance and apply the appropriate consequence, again both positive and negative.

One final note:  I was VERY pleased with how our students participated and acted during the assembly on Friday morning.  However, that's where my satisfaction ends.  Friday marks my biggest disappointment while at Hayes Elementary.  I did not like how the majority of the classes acted during their specials times or interacting with our guests.  It is extremely disappointing to see my teachers allowing their students to be off-task and showing a poor example of what we do at Hayes Elementary everyday.  I expect that our next opportunity to have visitors will be met with a much better result.  I also know that ALL of my teachers are professional and will make the appropriate changes needed to satisfy my expectations.  If we do not improve in those areas we, the leadership team and campus administration, will be discussing if we wish to continue parties and other special activities at Hayes Elementary.  Parties and special events are not a mandatory part of the school year.

Let's have a great week of work.  Push those kids in the areas they need to see improvement in order to be successful in the classroom and on the state exams.  35 days to testing.

2014 - 2015 Committees:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3lrYycQKGUiU29FazU0VEVJWjQ/edit?usp=sharing

Showcase Schedule for Monthly Rise and Shine:

In order for everyone to take a more active role in the Monthly Awards I am asking that each grade level participate in the showcase portion of the Rise and Shine.  Everyone on campus will have a month to show the rest of the school what's great about your classes.  You can have your students sing, dance, demonstrate, share...  Have fun with it!

August:  P.E./Music
September:  Office Staff
October:  Library/Media
November:  First Grade
December:  Pre-Kindergarten
January:  Fourth Grade - February 5th
February:  Kindergarten - March 6th
March:  Third Grade - April 3rd
April:  P.E./Music - May 1st
May:  Second Grade - May 22nd 


*** Oklahoma State Blueprints: ***

http://ok.gov/sde/documents/2013-09-05/blue-prints-plds-item-specs

Available accommodations for the OCCT:

http://ok.gov/sde/documents/2014-08-07/oklahoma-accommodations-guide

A quick guide to standards and assessments:

• English Language Arts: 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school year – PASS standards, PASS-aligned assessments.
• Mathematics: 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years – PASS standards, PASS-aligned assessments.
• Science: 2014-2015 school year – begin transition to science standards adopted into rule in June 2014; PASS-aligned assessments for grades 5, 8, and Biology 1 for high school for 2014-2105 and 2015-2016 school years. 
• Social Studies: 2014-2015 school year – Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies as adopted in 2012; All four social studies assessments are OAS-aligned in Grades 5, 7, and 8, as well as high school U.S. History. All four assessments will be fully operational in 2014-2015.
• Fine Arts: 2014-2015 school year – transition to new standards adopted by law in June of 2014, The annual district arts assessment report will be due at the Oklahoma State Department of Education the end of May 2015.
• World Languages: 2014-15 school year – PASS standards, no state assessment. New standards will be written beginning fall 2014.
• Personal Financial Literacy: 2014-2015 school year – Oklahoma Academic Standards for Personal Financial Literacy as adopted in 2008, no state assessment.
• Health/Safety Education: 2014-2015 school year – PASS Standards, no state assessment.
• Kindergarten: 2014-2015 school year – PASS standards, no state assessments.
• PreKindergarten: 2014-2015 PASS standards; no state assessments.

Hayes Elementary Academic goals for 2014-2015:

- All students WILL achieve academically.
- Increase OCCT Reading scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase OCCT Mathematics scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase OCCT Writing scores for all subgroups by 25%
- Increase the number of students who qualify for promotion in RSA by 25%
- Decrease Suspensions by 25%
- School wide overall attendance to 96%
- Faculty attendance to 98%

Videos Worth Watching:

Laura Snyder - The Philosophical Breakfast Club - via @TEDTalks

Articles Worth Reading:

Oklahoma City School District teacher shows students different cultures through Multicultural Day

Is Leadership Style Born...or Made?  - via @JrSchug

Revealing Change - via @AngelaMaiers

Parental involvement overrated? Don't buy it - via @cnn

Literature and Society: Creating Thinkers - via @thenerdyteacher

What If... - via @DaisyDyerDuerr

The Jen Roberts Report - via @JenRoberts1

Social & Emotional Development - via @educationnation

Design Thinking for Libraries

9 Ways To Help Students Learn Through Their Mistakes - via @TeachThought


Weekly Look Ahead:  Formal observations are open.  

Monday February 16, 2015 - Normal school day.  George Washington's birthday.  After school tutoring.

Tuesday February 17, 2015 - Alternate schedule. Faculty Meeting, I need everyone in attendance.  3rd through 6th grade team meetings in Office.  Mathematics benchmark day one beginning at 9:00am.  IEP Meeting at 12:00pm

Wednesday February 18, 2015 - Alternate schedule.  Mathematics benchmark day two beginning at 9:00am.  IEP Meeting at 12:00pm

Thursday February 19, 2015 - Normal school day.  After school tutoring.  IEP meeting at 12:00pm

Friday February 20, 2015 - Spirit day.  Ms. Williams/Ms. Ingersoll Baby Shower at 3:30pm.  Please make plans to stop by and take part.