K8 Weekly Memo: "smiles and laughter..."

Dear K8 Staff,

 

Tomorrow is the beginning of a new year, a reset from our post-pandemic chaos.  I am excited about this start and look forward to seeing all of the smiling faces in our school.  I was recently asked to contribute to some research where a scale is being developed to document qualitative data based on video and photo evidence.  This exciting research made me reflect on the message I send with my facial expression and body language.  How will our smiles help our students start a new school year? 

 

I am eager to see the excitement and joy you share with our students.  Remember the old adage, "you never get a second chance to make a first impression."  Let's start this school year off with smiles and laughter. 

 

 

GOOD READS

 

https://theowlteacher.com/1st-day-of-school/

https://www.edutopia.org/article/first-5-days-key-success

https://www.ldonline.org/ld-topics/teaching-instruction/september-thoughts-reflections-new-school-year

POINTS OF INTEREST

Para Support

The para team will be meeting in Mandy's room at 7:45 AM on Monday to review assignments and highlight areas of special needs for this week. We have a bit extra help this week as Kindergarten and Preschool do not start until Tuesday, Sept. 6th.

 

Daily Schedule

As shared in the staff meeting, we had a minor edit to make in the Daily Schedule.  This change has been made, and para duties have been added to this document.  Please monitor this schedule, as I am certain additional revisions will be made. 

 

Lunch Room Help

As we are rolling out a new cafeteria setup, please be exceptionally flexible and supportive of the staff working to make these changes. Please walk your class to the lunchroom and have a printed class roster highlighting those students present to eat. Kat will be sharing a more formal method soon; due to state auditing, we cannot continue with laminated sheets. Each day needs to be printed and dated for records.

 

PBIS Rotations for 1-5 Grade

We plan to do PBIS Rotation Stations to review student behavior expectations on Tuesday, Aug. 30th. First and second grades start at 9:00 and are staggered by 5 minutes (with extra time built in to walk to the cafeteria/playground). Third through fifth grades start at 10:00. 

 

Open House

On Thursday is our district-wide open house from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Please think about how your team can greet parents and community members in the hall and your classroom. More information will be coming.

 

Transportation: Student Bus Info by Grade

The ''2022-23 STEP Transportation'' document highlights all bus rider's routes, times, and contact information. Ann and Tammy work hard to maintain this document. It is shared with you as ''view only'' rights and can only be accessed via your school google account. Please respect this access and do not share this information. 

 

Transportation: Bus Safety Tour

The transportation department is excited to work with us on PBIS. Three buses will be out on Wednesday for our Bus Safety Tour on Wednesday, Aug. 31st. Please take your classes to the bus loop at your grade's scheduled time.

K-2, 8:30 - 8:45

3-5, 8:45 - 9:00

6-8, 9:00 - 9:15

  

Transportation: Valley Bus

Valley is asking if we can release our Valley students at 3:20 so that their bus can make all its connections to get the kids home. An announcement will be made on Monday afternoon, and a printed list will be shared with you. 

 

 

 

Calendar

The K8 Charger Staff Calendar is a working document that is designed to be printed or viewed online. Please email Tammy if you have a calendar event your would like added to this document. This calendar will be continually updated.

 

 

Friday Student Access Day

This school year, we will be offering Student Access Days from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM on select Fridays.

 

Our Student Access Day includes three options:

1. Friday School (Academic Support)

2. Service Learning (Discipline)

3. Clubs and Activities (Enrichment)

 

Friday School Daily Schedule 

  8:00-8:20 - Breakfast

  8:20 - 8:40 - Morning Meeting (SEL and Goal Setting)

  8:40 - 9:40 - Academic Block 1 -  Service

  9:40 - 10:00 - Cooperative Games

10:00 - 11:00 Academic Block 2

11:00 - 11:30 - Project / Activity

 

Please let me know if you are interested in helping with Friday School or if you have a club or enrichment activity proposal. 

 

 

"The most important day of a person's education is the first day of school, not Graduation Day." ― Harry Wong

 

THIS WEEK

Monday 

First Day of School

7:45 AM, Para Team Meeting

9:38 AM, MS Assembly

1:00 PM, K8 Office Meeting

 

Tuesday

9:00 AM, PBIS Rotation Stations 1st & 2nd Grade

10:00 AM, PBIS Rotation Stations 3rd-5th Grade

Wednesday

8:00 AM, FastBridge System Management Workshop

9:00 AM, Admin Team Meeting

 

Thursday

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Open House

 

Friday

1st Student Access Day

Staff Detailed Agenda

Follow along on our PD with this linkable document. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SAB2mTpc2w3HxsKpEOQWm0QSXyh1i7vYoUzbBkmmK48/edit

Certificated Back to School Day

Good evening, Springdale K8 teachers. 

Tomorrow is our first contracted day back to school. It has been great seeing many of you in and out of the building; I am excited to have everyone together. We will start with a staff breakfast at 7:45 AM in room 12, that's Harmony's old classroom.  

Tomorrow's primary goal is to review the focus work we will do for this next school year.  

Please be sure to bring a laptop, Chromebook, or iPad.  

Both breakfast and lunch will be provided.

See you in the morning,
Brett

AGENDA

Time	Activity
7:45-8:10 AM	Breakfast
8:10 AM	Introduction
9:00 AM	Character Strong - Purposeful People What is one activity or strategy that you plan to use during the first week of school?
9:45	Staff Meeting Norms
10:30	Break
10:45	Pit Crew What are the key components of a successful pit stop? How can a Pit Crew be compared to a teaching team?
11:00 - 11:30 K8 Classrooms	Pit Stop Activity: Pinewood Junk Derby Contest
11:30 GYM	Pinewood Junk Derby Race
12:00 - 1 PM Cafeteria	Lunch Lasagna, Caesar Salad, and Bread
1 PM	District MTSS
1:30 PM	PBIS Review
2:20 PM	Break
2:30 PM RM 12 PLC Rooms	PLC  4 Questions What do WE expect students to learn? How will WE know if they learn it? How do WE respond when students experience difficulty in learning? How do WE respond when students do learn?
3:00 - 3:45 PM	Nuts and Bolts

#nostoplightsnolimit

#ready,set,go

#kidbykid

K8 Weekly Memo

Our countdown is on for the start of school. I am excited for this new year and our opportunity to help our students grow academically and social-emotionally. I was recently encouraged by the book 'Kid by Kid, Skill by Skill,' as it highlighted core instructional strategies such as feedback cycle, differentiated lessons, and common formative assessment and their role in student achievement. As I listened to the author, Janel Keating, speak last week, she reminded us that it is a day-by-day journey for student achievement.  

 

I look forward to making every day count this next year and am eager for the collaborative work that lies before us! This year we will focus our decisions and actions on what's essential to our student's learning. 

 

The website Edunators is dedicated to individuals "who educate with extreme passion, take education personally, and refuse to let any obstacle stand in the way of their student's success." I love their title and new pronoun. The site has a wonderful article highlighting the Four Questions that Guide High Performing Professional Learning Communities, which Mr. Spear shared in his recent Back to School letter. I encourage you to read the article 'Lesson Planning Using The Four Critical Questions.'  

 

We will be intentional as we focus on the four key questions. 

1. What do WE expect students to learn?
2. How will WE know if they learn it?
3. How do WE respond when students experience difficulty in learning?
4. How do WE respond when students do learn?

 

I know we are going to make a great difference in our students learning this year.

 

This year we continue to enhance our PBIS work with the Character Strong/Purposeful People lessons. This is a district-wide initiative to help improve our student's social-emotional well-being. Please explore the Character Strong website to see activities and lessons that will reinforce this trait.

• Website: http://curriculum.characterstrong.com/
• Username: marywalkerdistrict
• Password: character2021 

 

Have a great last week of summer, and I look forward to seeing you.

 

Brett Joachim, K8 Principal 

K8 Welcome Back

Dear K-8 Staff,

I hope this email finds everyone rested and relaxed on this beautiful summer day! 

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote an excellent description of summer, "and so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had the familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer."  

 

I am so thankful for the fresh start that each summer gives us. Over this summer, many of us paused to reflect on the previous year's challenges. We have collaboratively worked to lay out new plans, develop opportunities and strategies, and implement fresh ideas that will make a difference in our students' lives!    

We have some fabulous new staff joining our team, each bringing great talent and joy. If you see a new face in the hall, please give them a warm welcome as they are most likely one of our new hires. I look forward to introducing you to our new staff.  

• Keaton Trom, MS Math 

• Rebecca Abercrombie, K8 Counselor

• Rebecca Hollenbeck, Music Specialist

• Cathryn Ashbrook, 2nd Grade

• Lindsay Swiger, 1st Grade

Additionally, our district has enhanced the Student Support Team by hiring a new Community in School Coordinator, Behavioral Health Interventionist, and Springdale Coalition Coordinator. We have some excellent new supports and resources that will serve our students and community well. I look forward to providing formal introductions on August 22nd. 

As you prepare to return to school, I encourage you to consider how we can go the extra mile to meet the needs of our students, families, and colleagues. Together we will work with our learning community to do all we can to meet the social/emotional and academic needs of students.

Below are some key dates as we prepare for the first day of school:

• August 15th at 6 PM, Fall Sports Parent Meeting

• August 16th at 9 AM, Middle School Summer Workshop

• August 22nd Certificated Staff LID Day

• August 23rd, All Staff LID Day

• August 24th & 25th, Community Block Party

• August 25th @ 6 PM, Sixth Grade Orientation 

• August 29th, First Day of School  

I am looking forward to the work of this next school year. With the guidance of our strategic plan, intentional work, and the collaborative spirit of our team, I know that we will witness high academic and behavioral growth in all of our students.   

I look forward to seeing you,

Brett