January 26, 2018

January 26, 2018

Amy Weisz will be subbing in room 13 so if you have any information that you need to share with 8th grade teachers or the staff please make sure you include her email at amyw@fsusd.org. Welcome back Amy! We are excited that you can be back with us at Suisun Valley!

Hello Suisun Valley, 

My name is Stefanie Brick and I will be teaching your students Art for the rest of the school year. I am so excited to be at this school and, my goal is to really push your students outside of their creative comfort zones. My background is in Art and I try my best to keep up my own art practice when I am not teaching. I enjoy spending time with my husband, going on adventures with my two Siberian Huskies, and visiting my second home, Disneyland.  I have some pretty awesome projects up my sleeve and cannot wait to get started. If you have any questions feel free to ask. 

Warm wishes, 

Stefanie Brick 

A “no excuses”mentality means that even if you believe it should be your student’s job to be engaged, you accept that it’s YOUR JOB TO ENGAGE THEM!!

While reading progress reports over the weekend I thought about what message are we giving students when we give them F’s? Many of the progress reports I read the message was consistently lack of motivation, does not turn in assignments, and does not return homework. As a No Excuses School we take data and put it into action. How can we motivate them? How can we get them to turn their assignments in? How can we help them feel successful? We need to teach them the skills they need to be successful. We need to teach them how to study, how to be organized, how to manage their time, do frequent check ins, hold them accountable, build relationships, have lunch with them, let them know that you care and believe in them, let them know that you will not let them fail and most of all THAT YOU ARE HERE FOR THEM!!!  

What's your focus?  Do you need to adjust it?  Are we still focused on all students achieving, staying positive, coming to SV with our students best interest in our hearts?  About this time, I need to re-center myself and remind myself of my focus: student achievement, student engagement, supporting our staff, and always making decisions in the best interest of our students and staff.  What's YOUR re-center moment? I have been visiting classrooms this month and looking for academic discourse. 

Thank you Kristen Cherry for the following:

Sean Anchor argues that happiness inspires us to be more productive!  The more kindness you sow, your mindset will shift to live and lead a happier life.  That's his Ted Talk above =)

 #kindnessmatters Did you know that a smile, a kind word, a helping hand or a simple note of thanks on a sticky note can truly make someone's day?  These are SIMPLE acts of kindness that can be LIFE CHANGING for many on our staff/students.  Happiness researcher (yes, it's a real thing), found that if you perform random acts of kindness for two minutes a day for twenty-one days, you can actually retrain your brain to be more positive. 

Assessments:

MAP testing window is from Feb. 5^th -23^rd. We recommend that you give MAP testing the first two weeks so the last week can be held for make ups. We will not need to create a testing schedule for this since everyone has their own chomebooks now J

Our district writing assessment will be administered February 26 - March 16 for our K-5 schools. Teachers that teach grades 6-8 will have January and February to get the test done.  Their window is larger to allow them to pace the test with Springboard which has larger units than Benchmark and may take longer to cover the content of the testing genre.  The genre for all grades is opinion/argument.  K-1 will use the prompts from the last two years, 2-5 will use the performance tasks from Benchmark Unit 5 and 6-8 will use the same prompts from last year.  Grades K-2 will be paper pencil and all other grades will be done on Illuminate.  For grades 2-5 it will be helpful if teachers finish unit 5 prior to the test to give some context for the test and to make sure the content of opinion is covered.  This would follow the pacing guide for the year with Unit 4 done in January and Unit 5 done in February.  Shelley Ghannam is putting the details together for everyone so questions can be directed to her if you need details.

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There:  When people need you, they need you.  Setting aside distractions and judgements to be fully present is a sign of respect.  It improves communication and strengthens relationships.

Play: You can be serious about your work without taking yourself too seriously. Play is a mindset more than a specific activity.  It allows you to throw yourself with enthusiasm, creativity and CURIOSITY, into whatever you are doing, in a way that is natural, not forced.  “Playing” with ideas helps you find solutions to everyday challenges.

Choose your attitude: To actually choose how you respond to life, not just react, you must be intentional.  Ask yourself throughout the day, “What is my attitude right now? Is it helping the people who depend on me? Is it helping me to be most effective?”

Make Their Day:   Simple gestures of thoughtfulness, thanks and recognition make people feel appreciated and valued.  When you make someone feel good, you feel good too.Thank you Patty and Christina for the beautiful flowers and for updating our bulletin boards in the hallway and at the district office!

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

I APPRECIATE AND RESPECT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

January 19, 2018

January 19, 2018

What Students Remember Most About Teachers

Dear  Teacher Down the Hall,

I saw you as you rushed past me in the lunch room. Urgent. In a hurry to catch a bite before the final bell would ring calling all the students back inside. I noticed that your eyes showed tension. There were faint creases in your forehead. And I asked you how your day was going and you sighed.

“Oh, fine,” you replied.

But I knew it was anything but fine. I noticed that the stress was getting to you. I could tell that the pressure was rising. And I looked at you and made an intentional decision to stop you right then and there. To ask you how things were really going. Was it that I saw in you a glimpse of myself that made me take the moment?

You told me how busy you were, how much there was to do. How little time there was to get it all done. I listened. And then I told you this:

I told you to remember that at the end of the day, it’s not about the lesson plan. It’s not about the fancy stuff we teachers make -- the crafts we do, the stories we read, the papers we laminate. No, that’s not really it. That’s not what matters most.

And as I looked at you, wearing all that worry and under all that strain, I said it’s about being there for your kids. Because at the end of the day, most students won’t remember what amazing lesson plans you’ve created. They won’t remember how organized your bulletin boards are. How straight and neat are the desk rows.

No, they’ll not remember that amazing decor you’ve designed.

But they will remember you.

Your kindness. Your empathy. Your care and concern. They’ll remember that you took the time to listen. That you stopped to ask them how they were. How they really were. They’ll remember the personal stories you tell about your life: your home, your pets, your kids. They’ll remember your laugh. They’ll remember that you sat and talked with them while they ate their lunch.

Because at the end of the day, what really matters is YOU. What matters to those kids that sit before you in those little chairs, legs pressed up tight under tables oft too small -- what matters to them is you.

You are that difference in their lives.

And when I looked at you then with tears in your eyes, emotions rising to the surface, and I told you gently to stop trying so hard -- I also reminded you that your own expectations were partly where the stress stemmed. For we who truly care are often far harder on ourselves than our students are willing to be. Because we who truly care are often our own worst enemy. We mentally beat ourselves up for trivial failures. We tell ourselves we’re not enough. We compare ourselves to others. We work ourselves to the bone in the hopes of achieving the perfect lesson plan. The most dynamic activities. The most engaging lecture. The brightest, fanciest furnishings.

Because we want our students to think we’re the very best at what we do and we believe that this status of excellence is achieved merely by doing. But we forget -- and often. Excellence is more readily attained by being.

Being available.

Being kind.

Being compassionate.

Being transparent.

Being real.

Being thoughtful.

Being ourselves.

And of all the students I know who have lauded teachers with the laurels of the highest acclaim, those students have said of those teachers that they cared.

You see, kids can see through to the truth of the matter. And while the flashy stuff can entertain them for a while, it’s the steady constance of empathy that keeps them connected to us. It’s the relationships we build with them. It’s the time we invest. It’s all the little ways we stop and show concern. It’s the love we share with them: of learning. Of life. And most importantly, of people.

And while we continually strive for excellence in our profession as these days of fiscal restraint and heavy top-down demands keep coming at us -- relentless and quick. We need to stay the course. For ourselves and for our students. Because it’s the human touch that really matters.

It’s you, their teacher, that really matters.

So go back to your class and really take a look. See past the behaviors, the issues and the concerns, pressing as they might be. Look beyond the stack of papers on your desk, the line of emails in your queue. Look further than the classrooms of seasoned teachers down the hall. Look. And you will see that it’s there- right inside you. The ability to make an impact. The chance of a lifetime to make a difference in a child’s life. And you can do this now.

Right where you are, just as you are.

Because all you are right now is all you ever need to be for them today. And who you are tomorrow will depend much on who and what you decide to be today.

It’s in you. I know it is.

Fondly,

That Other Teacher Down the Hall

To access GKC tools please visit    http://thegreatkindnesschallenge.com/tools

Here are your login credentials for future reference:

Your account username: jasw@fsusd.orgYour account password: jasw@fsusd.org the Great Kindness Challenge Jan. 22-26
I will be placing checkoff lists in your boxes so you do not need to make copies.

Staff kindness challenge during the week:
Monday: write a note to a staff member and leave it in their box
Tuesday: go check on a teacher that you rarely get to see
Wednesday: take a selfie with another staff member and post on Twitter
Thursday: compliment 5 students who are NOT in your classroom
Friday: hand out 5 caught you doing something right during your yard duty

Assessments:

MAP testing window is from Feb. 5^th -23^rd. We recommend that you give MAP testing the first two weeks so the last week can be held for make ups. We will not need to create a testing schedule for this since everyone has their own chomebooks now J

Our district writing assessment will be administered February 26 - March 16 for our K-5 schools. Teachers that teach grades 6-8 will have January and February to get the test done.  Their window is larger to allow them to pace the test with Springboard which has larger units than Benchmark and may take longer to cover the content of the testing genre.  The genre for all grades is opinion/argument.  K-1 will use the prompts from the last two years, 2-5 will use the performance tasks from Benchmark Unit 5 and 6-8 will use the same prompts from last year.  Grades K-2 will be paper pencil and all other grades will be done on Illuminate.  For grades 2-5 it will be helpful if teachers finish unit 5 prior to the test to give some context for the test and to make sure the content of opinion is covered.  This would follow the pacing guide for the year with Unit 4 done in January and Unit 5 done in February.  Shelley Ghannam is putting the details together for everyone so questions can be directed to her if you need details.

Suisun Valley Staff! 

Please make sure you submit your receipts for your $200 reimbursement before March 1st. Your request must include a check request form in order for you to be reimbursed. A copy can be found in the parent club box or one can be emailed to you. Let us know if you have any questions. 

START finding a parent who can lead your class art project for our AUCTION! 

Progress reports can be sent home anytime starting Monday after I have read them. 

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There:  When people need you, they need you.  Setting aside distractions and judgements to be fully present is a sign of respect.  It improves communication and strengthens relationships.

Play: You can be serious about your work without taking yourself too seriously. Play is a mindset more than a specific activity.  It allows you to throw yourself with enthusiasm, creativity and CURIOSITY, into whatever you are doing, in a way that is natural, not forced.  “Playing” with ideas helps you find solutions to everyday challenges.

Choose your attitude: To actually choose how you respond to life, not just react, you must be intentional.  Ask yourself throughout the day, “What is my attitude right now? Is it helping the people who depend on me? Is it helping me to be most effective?”

Make Their Day:   Simple gestures of thoughtfulness, thanks and recognition make people feel appreciated and valued.  When you make someone feel good, you feel good too.

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

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EACH OF YOU - I APPRECIATE AND RESPECT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

January 12, 2018

January 12



We celebrated Maya's 12th birthday over the weekend. I can't believe she is already 12! When I was her age I was driving a tractor by myself and hauling bins. I can't imagine her driving a tractor on her own! My dad will be celebrating his 80th birthday on Sunday. We are lucky that he is still healthy and still with us. 

Please remember to teach a 10 minute Character Counts lesson on respect/citizenship every day :) Character trait for January is citizenship.

Here is a website to get ideas for your grade level - http://charactercounts.org/

Congratulations Jamie Passama for winning teacher of the year for Suisun Valley.

He will be recognized at our Feb. 8 board meeting at 6:00pm.

Congratulations Jennifer McGuinness Arcino for winning KUIC's teacher of

the month.

To access GKC tools please visit    http://thegreatkindnesschallenge.com/tools

Here are your login credentials for future reference:

Your account username: jasw@fsusd.orgYour account password: jasw@fsusd.org the Great Kindness Challenge Jan. 22-26
I will be placing checkoff lists in your boxes so you do not need to make copies.

Staff kindness challenge during the week:
Monday: write a note to a staff member and leave it in their box
Tuesday: go check on a teacher that you rarely get to see
Wednesday: take a selfie with another staff member and post on Twitter
Thursday: compliment 5 students who are NOT in your classroom
Friday: hand out 5 caught you doing something right during your yard duty

Kids Cook With Heart starts on Jan. 25

MAP testing window is from Feb. 5^th -23^rd. We recommend that you give MAP testing the first two weeks so the last week can be held for make ups. We will not need to create a testing schedule for this since everyone has their own chomebooks now J

Walk through data for Nov/Dec: Great job with level 3 conversations!! Over 50%! I am very
proud of our ELD integration in subject areas. We were over 60%. One
thing we need to make sure of, is that we have 100% on our objectives.

8th grade promotion will be at 11:00 am on June 7th

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There: Thank you for doing a great job with our first rainy day pick up on Monday. It was a success because we worked as a team!! 

Play: Thank you for making rainy day recess fun! 

Choose your attitude: Be kind. Be kind. Be kind. Be kind. 

Make Their Day:  Fill out a good news referral for a student who always does the right thing when no one is looking :)