Week Ahead: March 6

I am so fortunate that I got to spend the weekend talking with other middle school leaders about personalization of learning.  Fortunate because we as a school could add so much to the conversation about what it means to personalize learning – and fortunate because we are truly surrounded by like minded colleagues doing great work.

In one session, Patrick Green spoke about being a relevant teacher in today’s current and future landscape.  One thing he said really struck me … “Relevant teachers embrace disruptions because they know that is where the real sparks occur.”  I am always so excited by the willingness of our faculty to embrace disruptions – you consistently say yes … yes to having students hear from experts and authors, yes to changes to the schedule that allow for a colleague and their students to do awesome demonstrations of learning, and yes to new ideas that improve learning.  Thank you for saying YES!

Here is what’s up this week:

Monday, Mar. 6
Day 6, GHEF (Adv)
*Happy Birthday Helen Thompson
*Course Registration Sheets Due (all grades)
1:30-3 Sr Admin Mtg

Tuesday, Mar. 7
Day 7, DABC (DEAR)
*Happy Birthday Abena Bailey
8:15 SRT
10:00 HOS/MS Principal Mtg
12:35-1:00 Gr 7 EAL/LS Check In (lunch meeting)

Wednesday, Mar. 8
Day 8, HEFG (DEAR)
11:15-11:45  Gr 6 EAL/LS Check In (during F block)
12:35-1:00 Gr 7 EAL/LS Check In (lunch meeting)

Thursday, Mar. 9
Day 9, ABCD (Adv)
12:00  C Team SISAC @ EIS
12:55-1:25  8th grade electronic registration during Advisory
6:30 First EVER ES Musical!  Don’t miss it!

Friday, Mar. 10
Day 10, EFGH (DEAR)
1:15-1:30 Gr 7 electronic registration (see confirming email from Bonnie RE times and location)
2:45-3 Gr 6 electronic registration (see confirming email from Bonnie RE times and location)

Saturday, Mar. 11
*Happy Birthday Ryan Butz
2:30-5:30 Family Fun Day (please plan on making an appearance)

Upcoming (on the radar)

• March 13 – Author visit; special schedule with assembly from 8:15-9:15, blocks are 60 min.
• March 16 – Gr 8 Enlightenment Performances, 1-3 (will be a DEAR day; Gr 8 off timetable  – performance round 1 at 1:45-2:20; performance round 2 at 2:20-2:50; sign ups coming soon)
• March 17 – (Friday) needs to be an Advisory day for SLC prep
• March 18 – Faculty Follies, 7-9pm
• March 20-23 – WASC Accreditation Team Visit
• March 23-24 – Student Led Conferences
• March 27 – Dragon’s Apprentice Finale, 1-3 (will run early dismissal schedule with Finale after lunch)
• March 30 – Author visit; special schedule with assembly from 8:15-9:15, blocks are 60 min.
• Apr. 18 and 19 – WrAP testing (likely to be similar to author visit schedule with 1 hour writing in morning followed by 60 min. blocks)
• May 4, 9 and 12 – MAP testing (likely to use similar schedule to MAP testing in Fall)

Repeat Post: Quarter 3 Grading Dates / Deadlines:  Please make sure the following is on your radar – March 24, 2017:  Quarter 3 Report

• March 22 – comments completed and peer reviewed (in Q3 bin) and grades completed by 3:00; verification reports printed at 3:00
• March 23 – verification report reviewed, signed (can be digital) and returned to office by 12:15
• Student Led Conferences March 23, 4-8pm  and 24th 8-1pm

Repeat Post: WASC Visit:  The WASC accreditation team will be at SSIS from March 19-23.  This is the week of student led conferences, grade reports are due as well during their visit.  Though we don’t want “staged” lessons for the WASC accreditation team to see, it would be great to ensure that when the team is here, they get to see the amazing things we do.  They will be doing classroom visits on March 20, 21, and 22.