Weekly Update: March 4

We began our work this week reevaluating and redefining our advisory program.  It was great listening to your table discussions as you sorted a number of activities/topics we are currently trying to cram into advisory time into different categories.  I am excited to see where our work takes us over the next few months as we balance our advisory priorities with a new bell schedule for the 2016-17 school year.  While there is a fair amount of uncertainty as we move forward, there is no other group I’d rather process this information with.

Have an amazing weekend,

Jacob

Staff Action Needed

• Complete this form to suggests names of potential mentors for next year’s 9th graders.  See Link Crew section below for more details.
• Begin Writing 3rd Quarter Comments and Update Gradebooks for Quarter 3, March 23 (see section below)

Friday, March 4
Day 8- HEFG
IB Mock Exams MPR, (non-instructional lessons focussed on IA / EE completion for IB students back in class)
Senior Lock-in, 8pm-8am (HS Gym)

Saturday, March 5
Faculty Follies, 7-9pm (Auditorium)

Monday, March 7
Day 1- ABCD
Group Meeting Schedule
AEO Tour, Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, International College of Hotel Management, London School of Economics and Trinity College Dublin, 11:00-11:30 (Auditorium)

Tuesday, March 8
Day 2- EFGH
9th Grade SOC Meeting, Lunch (Counseling Conference Room)

Wednesday, March 9
Day 3- BCDA
Early Dismissal Schedule
HS Divisional Meeting, 1:15-2:45 (MPR)
Assessment for Learning Plans, 3:00-4:30 (Various Rooms)

Thursday, March 10
Day 4- FGHE
House Leagues Trivia Game, Lunch (MPR)
English and Science Department Dinner, 4-6pm (Jacob’s House)

Friday, March 11
Day 5- CDAB
University Visit: Upper Iowa University and University of New Brunswick, 9:25-9:35 (Library)

On the Horizon
Comments and Grades Finalized for 3rd Quarter, March 23 at 3pm
3rd Quarter Report Cards Emailed to Parents, March 24
Parent Teacher Conferences, March 24 (4-8pm) and March 25 (8am-1pm)

March 9 Faculty Meeting– We have 90 minutes next Wednesday to continue our work prioritizing our advisory program for the 2016-17 school year.  We will also look at early drafts of the bell schedule for the next school year.

Link Crew is Coming– Link Crew is a systematic yearlong 9th grade program that supports the successful transition of 9th graders to HS.  Erin, Jodi, Alison and I have been working to establish a program for the 2016-17 school year for the last few months.  We will be assigning each incoming 9th grader a mentor in their “House” to help guide them through their freshman year.  The mentors (Link Crew Leaders) will be 10th and 11th graders next year.  We are establishing an application process for students who are interested in this leadership opportunity.  We are looking for leaders that represent a wide range of students.  We hope to expand on our traditional leaders on campus (i.e. StuCo, NHS, etc).  We are looking for students that show leadership potential, are compassionate and support others.  Please complete this form if you could recommend the names of current 9th and 10th graders that might be a great fit in this role.

Grade Book Comments and Grades– Wednesday, March 23 is the end of the 3rd quarter. All grades and comments are to be posted on PowerSchool by 3pm on this day even though they are still “grades in progress”.

All work is to be graded prior to March 23rd in order to be inputted to PS by this date.  There are to be summative assessments recorded by this date, as well as any formative work.

If students are missing a summative assessment then it is OK to use “I” (incomplete) as a final grade (as per assessment policy in the high school). Zero may be used as a grade only for formative work not completed.

Comments for each student will be necessary on PowerSchool reports as has been the practice.  Comments are to be personal and learning-focused and should allow for parents and students to understand areas of strength and areas in need of growth. As this is an official school report, official PowerSchool names are to be used to reference each student.

For example: If mentioned in the formal way (“Quang Liu Tuan Gip), then (“Derek”) would be fine at the beginning of the comment and subsequent mentions may be the nickname, or formal name, only. This will conserve valuable character space.

If an “I” is given (see above paragraph) then the circumstances should be referenced in the comment for that student. Comments should appear in the S1 column in PowerSchool and should not exceed 500 characters.