Week Ahead: Jan. 8-12

One great thing about being in education is that you get 2 “new year” starts.  Being an educator in Asia, we get three: the start of a new school year, the start of the new calendar year, and the Lunar new year!  As we start up again in this new calendar year, take time to reflect on what goals you have, both professionally and personally.  For me, here are some of the personal goals I’m contemplating for this semester: finish 2 digital scrapbooks, learn to cook 3 new dishes, and come up with a better long term storage system for my photos.  Professionally, these are the goals I have been working on:

• Communicate openly about significant issues within community
• Actively support refinement and definition of the SSIS written curriculum
• Support the development and implementation of systems to insure and support high levels of student achievement for all
• Increase interdisciplinary collaboration, initiatives, cross curricular connections and communication, and educational experiences 

What’s up for you this semester?

Here is what’s up in January:
Some birthday’s over break – Dec. 31 Natalie Beals; Jan. 3 Stephen Ada

Monday, Jan 8
Work Day
*Molly at Search Fair in Bangkok
8:15-9:15  – PowerSchool Learning Training Session, Auditorium

Tuesday, Jan. 9
Day 2, EFGH (Special Schedule)
*Molly at Search Fair in Bangkok
Start the day in Advisory groups; review PowerSchool Learning; move on to block schedule (actual schedule to come soon)

• 8-8:35 Advisory (hand out new schedules, review uniform expectations and enforcement
• 8:40-9:45 1st Block (E)
• 9:45-10:00 Break
• 10:05-11:10 2nd Block (F)
• 11:15-12:20 3rd Block (G)
• 12:20-1:15 Lunch
• 1:20-1:50 Advisory
• 1:55-3 4th Block (H)

Wednesday, Jan. 10
Day 3, BCDA (DEAR)
*Molly at Search Fair in Bangkok
*Happy Birthday WaiMun!
3:15-4:30 Divisional Meeting: PS Learning, library

Thursday, Jan. 11
Day 4, FGHE (Adv)
*Molly at Search Fair in Bangkok
8:15-9:15 Principal’s Coffee (PS Learning Orientation for MS/HS parents)

Friday, Jan. 12
Day 5, CDAB (DEAR)
9:45-10:30 SRT

Upcoming (on the radar)

• Jan. 19 – StuCo Lock In
• Jan. 25 and 26 – Start of Project X (special schedule)
• Jan. 29-Feb. 2 – Week of Project X

S2 Day Rotation:  The HS has created a fix for their SL/HL IB hours issue.  This requires us to swap the rotation on Day 10 to FGHE.  This will start this semester S2.

S2 Duty Schedule:  2:1 people responded that they wanted to have 1 duty schedule rather than one based on each weeks’ preps (2 versions).  Here is my first attempt at the S2 schedule.  At least for 1 week, your duties should be adjacent to a prep.  Each person has one lunch duty and 1 break duty.  Well, with the exception of those that have volunteered for additional duties.  Huge thanks to Rick Freil, Dawne Kaba, Rebecca Jardin, and Gary Bertoia.

Tripod Survey Results:  Results from the Tripod Surveys were shared before break.  There are a few things that will be useful to you for when you review your feedback.  Tripod Reflection Protocol: This is created by Tripod and will be especially helpful for those who have never done a Tripod survey before.  The information is valuable, and there is a reflection worksheet you could use.  Here is a shorter reflection form that we used last year (you’ll need to make a copy).  If you want to use this one, I recommend using it in conjunction with the information in the Tripod Reflection Protocol.  There is also a Teacher Tool Kit created by Tripod.  This kit goes into depth into the different areas of the survey.  You could use this to assist with reflection and/or setting goals.  Here is the Longitudinal Tripod Divisional Overview which has divisional averages for 2017 and 2016.   Regardless of how you want to review your feedback, please schedule a 15-20 minute meeting (using Find a Time) with me to talk about your analysis and reflection on the data (remember that I’m out all this week).  I am hoping to conduct all of those meetings in January.

Dress Code Update:  We are joining the HS in a more strict enforcement of the dress guidelines.  This is one of the things to review with students during the first advisory session.  In general, there are a few key areas that will affect many students.  We already started on getting students to stop wearing PE kit shorts as uniform shorts.  Here are the other areas of focus:

• Sweatshirts – plain, conform to school colors, and are worn over a school uniform shirt; School colors include white, light blue, dark blue, black, and grey; we will have some college sweatshirts days, but for now only seniors are allowed to wear college sweatshirts
• Shoes – Shoes must be neat, safe, and appropriate for the activities of the school day. No flip-flops or high heels should be worn.  HS has also cut out slip on shoes.  We will also add that.

Enforcement of this will rely on all of us.  For this week, please take the following actions when you see a student not in uniform compliance – point out the infraction, ask the student to change or fix the problem, if they cannot, remind them they are expected to comply the next day and that starting soon, lunch detention will be assigned as a consequence.  I’m not concerned if the students get talked to many time this first week.  Starting next week, point out the infraction and send me an email with the student’s name and infraction.  I’ll pull them in at break and lunch and assign detentions as needed (as well as contact parents).  Within 2 weeks, I think we will be only dealing with chronic issues which should make it manageable.

PASS Survey for Project X:  As part of the Project X teacher dashboard, we would like to include data from the PASS Survey (Pupil Attitudes to Self and School) to inform teachers of student attitudes towards engagement and learning. The data collected will help teachers to better understand the students in in their world group.