Week Ahead: August 15

Amazing start to the year!  Thank you all for your careful planning, engaging lessons, and ability to reach and connect with kids.  Their smiles, cheers, focus, and sometimes even tears were met and handled by a truly fantastic faculty.  It’s going to be a great year!

Here is what’s up this coming week:

Friday, Aug. 12
Day 5, CDAB (DEAR)

Monday, Aug. 15
Day 6, GHEF (Adv)
*ASA presentation during G block (10 min slideshow)
1:30-3 Molly at Admin Mtg
3:15-4:30 Leadership Team (agenda)

Tuesday, Aug. 16
Day 7, DABC (DEAR)
7:30-7:45  Fire Drill Review (for new faculty and anyone who wants a review)
*ASA presentation during D block (10 min slideshow)
8:15-9:00 SRT
*Basketball Practice Starts

Wednesday, Aug. 17
Day 8, HEFG (DEAR)
3:15-4:30 Divisional Mtg, Library (Teacher Dashboard Training, bring laptop)

Thursday, Aug. 18
Day 9, ABCD (Adv)
*Robert in ELA classes, 1st Tech Talk (30 min)
10-11:30 Molly at Academic Leadership Mtg
10:45? Fire Drill (announced) – time to be confirmed
6-8 ES Curriculum Night (info only, do not need to attend)

Friday, Aug. 19
Day 10, EFGH (DEAR)
*Robert in ELA classes, 1st Tech Talk (30 min)
9:15 Fire Drill (announced)

Upcoming (on the radar)
August 25 – MS Curriculum Night, 6-8pm
August 27 – Service Learning Trips
August 31 – HS Curriculum Night
September 2 – No School
September 7 – Early Dismissal
September 7, 13, 16, – MS MAP Testing

Fire Drill Prep:  We have our first fire drill this coming week.  Please review the fire drill procedures in  in preparation for this drill.  I will meet with new faculty (and anyone who needs a refresher) Tuesday morning at 7:30.

Fire Drill
In the event of a fire and/or fire drill, the fire alarm with sound signaling the need to clear the building.  After exiting the building, the staff member should:

• Know the assigned area for the class.
• Direct and accompany class members to this location.
• Take roll of assigned students, and note any missing student(s).  If all students are accounted for, raise the green sign.  If any student(s) are missing or if you have additional student(s) that aren’t assigned to you, raise the red sign.
• Maintain order, keep assigned students together in a straight line.
• Await further communications, including the all-clear sign to re-enter the building.
• Upon return to the classroom, or upon relocation, take attendance again.  Report missing students immediately to the office.
• Please note:  students should leave all belongings in the classroom.

The all clear signal to re-enter the building is a verbal dismissal from the Associate Head of School.  At this signal, students are to re-enter the building in an orderly fashion and return immediately to the class from which they had initially exited.*  This must occur, regardless of the amount of time required for the drill or emergency.  Students will then be informed via announcement as to the appropriate schedule to follow if needed.

*Students can enter the building via the “back door” just past the cafe patio (where the busses drop off kids) and through the stairs that lead to the gym.  This will help alleviate the clog that forms at the atrium entry.  Please tell your class which door you are planning to use prior to leading them back in.

Curriculum Night:  Aug. 25 is MS Curriculum Night.  It’s coming fast.  On Monday, the Leadership Team will be discussing the format for this year’s Night.  There are likely to be a few changes to the format that we have used the past few years (that will be communicated next week after the meeting). One thing that all teachers will need to have ready is the course syllabus.

Tech Talks with Robert: Robert is back and ready to go!  He is planning the first round of tech talks with students next week in the ELA classes.  These talks/trainings take about 30 minutes (maybe a bit longer for grade 6).  The expectation is that the hosting teacher assist Robert fully (remain in the room, help students follow and engage in the lesson).  Each core subject will host a tech talk/training in the coming months.  Robert will be in good communication with each department as their turn comes up.  All of this work sets the stage for a great year with tech and our students.

Divisional on Weds – Teacher Dashboard and Moodle:  Robert will be leading our divisional meeting this week in the library.  The training will focus on Teacher Dashboard.  We should also have time to review course Moodles (this will be a peer review to see how others use their Moodle as well).

Team Prep Issue Still in Play:  So I didn’t actually solve the team prep issue (Gr 6 prep is F block and I was thinking it was E block).  This means that I will need to work with the master schedule this weekend.  My hope is that I will not have to alter any grade level but Gr 6 but that may not be possible. However, students should only experience a change in the course order, not a change in courses or teachers.  (This week’s photo is one of the high tech methods I resort to when trying to figure out scheduling.)

Duty Schedule Update:  I will also be working on the duty schedule this week.  Rebecca Jardin has asked to add the art room to lunch break schedule.  She will cover this each day (so awesome!).  Abena Bailey will also need to be switched out as she will be taking on coordination of the ELA department (so helpful!).