Week Ahead: Feb. 20-24

| February 19, 2023 | Week Updates | No Comments

What a great feeling to host a conference again at SSIS.  We had educators from around the region, hosted sessions in both English and Vietnamese, and had thought provoking keynote addresses, student panel, and parent panel.    For me, there were so many take-aways and wonderful moments of connection.  One great one was seeing Max Olander along with 4 high school students eloquently discuss the impact of tech in their lives, how to balance tech and non-tech ways of learning, and how they want new technologies to be included in their learning experience and not excluded (think ChatGPT).  Not to mention listening to them use talk moves to connect with each other and enhance the discussion.

And our even more kudos to SSIS faculty who presented with great skill and depth of knowledge.  Give a pat on the back to Ashley Sawyer, Danai Maramba, Hue (Helen) Nguyen, Carlos Galvez, Deviyani Pathak, Daniel Mendes, and Tom Lupton.  We should all be incredibly proud!

Here is what’s up next week:

Monday, Feb. 20

  • Day 7: DABC
  • *sign up for PD (see below)
  • 1:30-3 Admin Mtg (Molly and Phil attend)

Tuesday, Feb. 21

  • Day 8: HEFG
  • *Happy Birthday Meghan Ricker!
  • 3:15-4:30 MS Leadership Team Mtg (agenda)

Wednesday, Feb. 22

  • Day 1: ABCD
  • 3:15-4:30 Department Meetings (SBTL, Unit Documentation, and Other Dept Work)

Thursday, Feb. 23

  • Day 2: EFGH
  • DEAR – using for G6 and G7 course selection information session (see below)

Friday, Feb. 24

  • Day 3: BCDA
  • *Happy Birthday Patrick O’Brien!
  • 8-4:00 Child Protection Summit (Meghan, Phil, and Molly attending)

Upcoming (on the radar)

  • Feb. 27-Mar. 3 (Feb. 27 is early dismissal day) Jan Chappuis on campus; assessment work continues
  • Feb. 27  G8 PE Dance Performance (schedule to come soon)
  • Feb 28 and March 1  Spanish Field Trips
  • Mar. 4 – 25th Anniversary Gala
  • Mar. 7 – Launch SLCs in advisory / Dragon Time
  • Mar. 10-13 – Spring Break
  • Mar. 25 – PTA International Celebration Day

23-24 COURSE REGISTRATION:  

We will be sharing course registration information with G6 and 7 students during the DEAR time on Thursday, Feb. 23.  It will be a “press play” lesson plan where you show a series of videos.  We are still finalizing the videos … and will have them to you by Wednesday afternoon.

SLC UPDATE:

One new detail:  There was some confusion about the dates for SLC.  We will have students in class on Thursday, March 30.  We have yet to decide what blocks will meet that day (maybe all blocks but shorter?). Conferences will be from 4-8pm on Thursday and from 9-2 on Friday.  Teachers will be done after their last conference on Friday. 

Once again – put here for quick access.  Thanks for your great questions at the divisional meeting focused on SLCs.  As you think about the upcoming work,  please continue to ask those questions.

Importance of a Name:

House Leagues this week will focus on the importance of a name.   Tyler will be sending more information shortly.  While we had thought to have our students add pronunciation icons to their email signatures, we have since learned that students must be 13 or older to register.  So we will not be launching this with MS students.  However, for those faculty members who are interested …
From David Chadwell: As announced before our holiday break, today we have our whole school action of adding the pronunciation of our names to our individual email signature.  This small action reflects our school DEI focus of Belonging.  Please see a short step-by-step guide to add the icon to your email signature.  The process takes about five minutes.  Thank you Brianna Spencer and Devi Pathak for their leadership in putting this together, the Belonging Committee for their insights and suggestions, and the Marketing Department for helping to make the icon a reality.

Upcoming PD Sign Up:

We are continuing our assessment work with Jan Chappuis.  She returns on February 27 and stays through the week.

  • There is a full faculty session on Monday afternoon on Common Agreements with Rubrics.
  • ES will have their day on Wednesday.
  • Tuesday and Thursday are “double block” sessions for sign-up to provide time for reviewing, editing, revising and creating your assessments; coming to these sessions with collaborating teachers or department/team members would be beneficial.
  • Friday are requested topics available for sign-up within 80 minute sessions.

We will follow a similar process as in November.

  • Please sign up for the session(s) you are interested in (Schedule and Signup Doc,)
    • ES Faculty (optional to attend), maximum of one session total please with TA coverage as necessary
    • MS and HS:  at least one session, please indicate your priority session with “*”
  • Please sign up within your divisional row so we can organize subs as necessary.

If you need a sub for your class, please indicate that with an “S” after your name. 

Please sign-up by next Monday, February 20 @ noon so that I can then create the schedule, calendar invitations and subs can be arranged.   Please ask David Chadwell if you have any questions.

REPEAT POSTS

ON THE RADAR – CTP IN APRIL:

The standardized test we use at SSIS for grades 6-8 is the Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP).  This will take place on April 11, 12, 19 and 20.  Please be on the look out for upcoming information regarding set up, test prep, and the finalized “bell” schedule.  There are certain things that will be done in Advisory/Dragon Time as well as things done in ELA and Math classes to prepare students for the test.  The general bell schedule will look like this:

  • 8-8:55  Block 1
  • 9:00- 10:50 Testing Block
  • 10:55- 11:50  Block 2
  • 11:55-12:20   ADV/Dragon Time/DEAR
  • 12:20-1:00   Lunch
  • 1:05-2:00  Block 3
  • 2:05- 3:00  Block 4

SPANISH FIELD TRIPS:

From Juan Jose and Carlos: We are excited to share that on February 28th and March 1st we will have a cultural and culinary field trip and some of your blocks will be affected.   Please see this list with all students that will attend the field trips.

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