February 24

February 24

February 24, 2017

One of the many empowering things I walked away from the leadership conference with was the desire we MUST have to make our teaching and learning with students PERSONAL.  I know with 170 or more students, this can be a MAJOR challenge and yet, can be the most important thing we do.  Can you name all of your teachers?  Do you remember that ONE teacher who took a minute or two to ask about your day, life, activities, grades, home life, weekend, etc?  I know you do.  Think about it.  Our students simply want to please us, whether they show it or not.  They want affirmation and for us to care.  Can you spare 2 minutes each day to get to know 4 different students each week?  Think about how empowering that would be for our kids! Sometimes, we can be the ONLY positive that they have that day.  Let's BE that positive for them!

Take a look at THIS ARTICLE for 7 Easy tips for building relationships.  Yes, the title says it's regarding EL students AND this applies to ALL OF OUR STUDENTS!!

It's exciting to see many teachers in FSUSD tweeting what's going on in each other's classrooms!  

Many teachers are posting what's going on in their classrooms AND they are encouraging other teachers to join in and get on TWITTER and share their classroom successes! When we all (everyone at SV) feel the need to get others on board, we are in a GREAT PLACE!  The best thing about sharing is that it breaks down the walls between our classes, grade levels, and opening up the PROBABILITY for ALL OF US to take risks, try something new, and be creative to reach ALL of our students!!

I know that not everyone is on Twitter, and it goes deeper than that.  Look at the pic above.  More and more of our staff are reaching out and sharing other ways to collaborate ideas, share practices, laugh, hug, and encourage each other!  There are more and more of our teachers inviting other teachers into our classrooms to share feedback and help everyone grow!

Read Across America: March 2: Be ready for a fun event on March 2!! I am so excited. We have people from the district office and community coming to read to every classroom. Please have a book ready for them to read. A schedule will be emailed to you from Kristin as soon as all RSVP's have been confirmed. Students (or you) will come in their pjs or dress as their favorite character.

 

Here are some websites for Read Across America:

http://www.pinterest.com/teachingblogadd/read-across-america-ideas-for-teachers/

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/classroom-solutions/2012/02/five-ideas-perfectly-bookish-read-across-america-celebrations

http://www.seussville.com/Educators/educatorReadAcrossAmerica.php

We will be evaluating our SPSA at our next staff meeting . Please take the time to look it over so we will be ready to work. We will then gather any feedback to help guide our SPSA plan for the following year =)  I KNOW you're excited about that!!

Here is a link to our SPSA 2016-2017:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B01G0KBLi4LvZU1SQnhGaEo4TGM/view

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There: Thank you Fern, Tammy, Cindy, Travis, Araceli, Amy, Kristin, and Martha for helping out at SV while I was at a conference!! Way to work as a team!!   

Play:  Let's have fun celebrating reading on March 2!

Choose your attitude: BE POSITIVE!!! BE KIND!!!

Make Their Day:   Thank you for helping a student on campus that may not be in your classroom.

THROUGH THE FISH PHILOSOPHY, WE BUILD STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH, THE STUDENTS WE TEACH AND THE PEOPLE WE LOVE.

February 17, 2017

February 17

Grades 3-8: Please start practicing SBAC

Good Morning Teachers,

It's a good time to start having students explore the CAASPP Practice & Training Tests. This will help prepare them for the CAASPP summative that they will be taking in just over 8 weeks. CDE has just released the California Science Test (CAST) Training Test as well. Please go to www.fsusd.org/assessment and click on the green button "SBAC Practice & Training Tests" to access the site. Students and teachers can access as a Guest at school or home. Once you get logged as Guest, you'll need to select a grade. Be sure to select Grades 5, 8, or 10 if you want to take the California Science Test (CAST). 

If you need help with any of the steps, contact the Help Desk at 399-5100. 

COLLEGE ESSAY CONTEST - begins Feb. 27

Have your students pick up a packet from the front office if they are interested in competing in our college essay contest. K-8 will be asked to write an essay explaining why they want to go to college. The winners of the contest will have their essays published on the school website and read their essay at the College Week Assembly. A drawing will be held for a Kindle Reader one for K-2, 3-5 and 6-8. Each grade level winner (there will be one for each grade) will receive a $10.00 gift card to Barnes and Noble. Let’s get excited about college!!

Read Across America: March 2: Be ready for a fun event on March 2!! I am so excited. We have people from the district office and community coming to read to every classroom. Please have a book ready for them to read. A schedule will be emailed to you from Kristin as soon as all RSVP's have been confirmed. Students (or you) will come in their pjs or dress as their favorite character.

 

Here are some websites for Read Across America:

http://www.pinterest.com/teachingblogadd/read-across-america-ideas-for-teachers/

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/classroom-solutions/2012/02/five-ideas-perfectly-bookish-read-across-america-celebrations

http://www.seussville.com/Educators/educatorReadAcrossAmerica.php

In case you missed this from the beginning of the year:

GOOD DAY ALL : MY NAME IS MARISA RAMIREZ LVN, Healthcare Specialist I, I've been a Nurse since 2005& have worked in many fields of Nursing from the ER,Medical Telementary unit,Urgent Care,Residential care, and home care, throughout the years and I have also worked for McSwain Unified School District for 3 years from my home town in MERCED, CA. & have found that I enjoy overall working with the children & as well as assisting those in need of a Nurse in a school setting to make regular attendance possible. I have joined FAIRFIELD SUSUIN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT April of 2016 and have had the pleasure of meeting different sites throughout the district. This school year I have received a great opportunity  to work along side with Nurse Kit& together we are assigned 3 sites in total. Nurse Kit is full of AWESOMENESS, spreading her skills& knowledge all around. Whenever Nurse Kit is not at Susuin Valley just know Nurse Marisa will be ready to assist just the same. THANK YOU FOR HAVING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND KINDNESS ALL AROUND! 

I will be off campus from Feb. 22-24.

The following Vice Principals will be here to cover in my absence: 

22- Amy Chavez

23- Araceli Lopez

24- Travis Nelson 

We want your feedback:

Parent survey- include this in your weekly newsletters:

1)  Post the parent surveys on your website and encourage families to complete.  The survey data will be collected through February 28th.  Here are the links:

    2017 School Effectiveness Survey for Parents (English) - https://goo.gl/forms/qAwHTNV54xePjVGJ2

    2017 School Effectiveness Survey for Parents (Spanish) - https://goo.gl/forms/O4btdPBdJBM5exKE2

Student surveys: 5^th – 8^th graders please have students fill this survey out in class:

Again, the survey data will be collected through February 28th.  Here are the links.  

     2017 School Effectiveness Survey for Students (5th - 8th Grade) - https://goo.gl/forms/hEf8M6okj3ntelDV2

     

Staff survey- yes we do read them so we can improve!!

School/Site Effectiveness Survey - Certificated Staff

https://goo.gl/forms/BrXCRs990tjs51w03

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There: Be there for your students and have lunch with them.  

Play:  Rainy Days are FUN!!!

Choose your attitude: Have you said anything positive about your students today? A colleague? If you did, let them know :)

Make Their Day:   Thank you for making a students day and buying a LUV-A-GRAM!!

THROUGH THE FISH PHILOSOPHY, WE BUILD STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH, THE STUDENTS WE TEACH AND THE PEOPLE WE LOVE.

February 10

February 10

Check out these POSITIVE fish moments HERE 

Read Across America Ideas CLICK HERE

I know I have published this before and it's WORTH the read again.  Take a look at these 5 Tips for Avoiding Teacher Burnout so that we get to see your smiling face each day!  Want some ideas on Time Management skills so that you don't get burned out?  Check out these EASY IDEAS and suggestions to help you along the way!  

Here is a great pic (hard to see so click the link to take you directly to it) about 10 things every teacher should be able to do on Google Classroom, including manage multiple classes, invite co-teacher to a class, create a resource page, create quick exit tickets and polling (my FAV!!) and MORE! Check it out! Email Dawn Kasperson, our Ed Tech, to help you with some of these as she will sit side by side with you and go over some of these!

Don't have money to take your students on a field trip. Check out this link for virtual field trips. So cool!! CLICK HERE

We want your feedback:

Parent survey- include this in your weekly newsletters:

1)  Post the parent surveys on your website and encourage families to complete.  The survey data will be collected through February 28th.  Here are the links:

    2017 School Effectiveness Survey for Parents (English) - https://goo.gl/forms/qAwHTNV54xePjVGJ2

    2017 School Effectiveness Survey for Parents (Spanish) - https://goo.gl/forms/O4btdPBdJBM5exKE2

Student surveys: 5^th – 8^th graders please have students fill this survey out in class:

Again, the survey data will be collected through February 28th.  Here are the links.  

     2017 School Effectiveness Survey for Students (5th - 8th Grade) - https://goo.gl/forms/hEf8M6okj3ntelDV2

     

Staff survey- yes we do read them so we can improve!!

School/Site Effectiveness Survey - Certificated Staff

https://goo.gl/forms/BrXCRs990tjs51w03

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There:  Thank you for ALL of your support on Tuesday!! What an amazing team!!

Play:  Rainy Days are FUN!!!

Choose your attitude: Have you said anything positive about your students today? A colleague? If you did, let them know :)

Make Their Day:   Buy a luv-a-gram for a student! Make their day!!

THROUGH THE FISH PHILOSOPHY, WE BUILD STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH, THE STUDENTS WE TEACH AND THE PEOPLE WE LOVE.

February 3

February 3

My nephew's story will be aired this Saturday- very exciting!!

I am currently reading Fostering Resilient Learners and chapter 5 and 6 really speaks to our school site and what we are doing.

Chapter 5 – When In Doubt Shut Your Mouth and Breath

That simple piece of advice is a “pause” button for our decision making process. If we give our students and ourselves the gift of the pause button, how many “lid flips” do you think we can prevent? Although none of us is perfect- there will still be times when we descend to our downstairs brain- the more we pause, the closer we get to creating and sustaining a safe environment to nurture our students’ development. By giving ourselves permission to breathe before we act and to allow our thoughts and emotions to connect, we are more apt to make an intentional choice instead of a reactionary one.

Chapter 6 - IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU

Everything we say to and do with our students and families must be done solely for their benefit, not our own. It’s never about us. I REPEAT: it’s not about you! Ask yourself:

What is my role?

Who am I working for?

What is about to drive my behavior.

Taking time to reflect on the answers to these questions helps us ensure that what we are doing is for students’ benefit.

Support our student council and buy a luv-a-gram (Feb. 1-9) for your students. You may want to check with student council and get a list of students who may not receive one and buy one for that student. This is a great way to make their day and support our school!

Skills Navigator training on Feb. 28^th. I will be paying you if you attend. Please mark your calendar.

Please be mindful of making copies. We have gone over budget and it is only February!!!

 

We want your feedback:

Parent survey- include this in your weekly newsletters:

1)  Post the parent surveys on your website and encourage families to complete.  The survey data will be collected through February 28th.  Here are the links:

    2017 School Effectiveness Survey for Parents (English) - https://goo.gl/forms/qAwHTNV54xePjVGJ2

    2017 School Effectiveness Survey for Parents (Spanish) - https://goo.gl/forms/O4btdPBdJBM5exKE2

Student surveys: 5^th – 8^th graders please have students fill this survey out in class:

Again, the survey data will be collected through February 28th.  Here are the links.  

     2017 School Effectiveness Survey for Students (5th - 8th Grade) - https://goo.gl/forms/hEf8M6okj3ntelDV2

     

Staff survey- yes we do read them so we can improve!!

School/Site Effectiveness Survey - Certificated Staff

https://goo.gl/forms/BrXCRs990tjs51w03

Family Newsletter and Calendar

Dragon's Breath
February Calendar

 

Principal coffee chat has been canceled for February – I will be at a conference.

 

MAP and Khan Academy for Math – great resource HERE

Character trait for this month is citizenship HERE

Add your Padlet fish moment HERE  for staff meeting

BP 6162.6 Use of Copyrighted Materials AR 6162.6 Use of Copyrighted Materials

The Governing Board recognizes that district staff and students may use a variety of copyrighted materials in the educational program and other district operations. When such materials have not been purchased by the district for the intended use, the Board expects staff and students to respect the protections afforded by federal law to the copyright owners of those materials and respect any limitations by the copyright holder to the license of such materials. BP/AR 6162.6 outlines expectations related to using material that may be copyrighted.

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There:  Thank you for after school yard duty team and ALWAYS staying past your duty time to make sure students are being supervised during release.

Play:  Rainy Days are FUN!!!

Choose your attitude: Have you said anything positive about your students today? A colleague? If you did, let them know :)

Make Their Day:   Buy a luv-a-gram for a student! Make their day!!

THROUGH THE FISH PHILOSOPHY, WE BUILD STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH, THE STUDENTS WE TEACH AND THE PEOPLE WE LOVE.