December 13, 2019

As many of you know, I lost my mom when I was 11 years old to cancer. During my birthday I always tend to miss her the most! She was only 41 when she died and since my 41st birthday I feel so lucky to be alive and to be with my family. Instead of getting gifts from my family, this year I am going to the city with Chris and the kids and do 48 random acts of kindness. This will be the first year I am having the kids do it with me.  My mom was an immigrant and taught all four of us the art of giving back to our community. She was a teacher and because we lived in a community of immigrants many of the women would come to her for guidance. Our house was always that house, there was always someone over. I learned so much from my mom in the few years I had with her. The above picture of my mom I keep on my desk by my laptop. It is something I look at multiple times a day! It drives me to be a better mom, sister, friend, wife, and educator. I am constantly thinking how can I grow. In the last 9 years our school has been working hard to build our Agri-Science school. Now our program has been recognized by receiving a Golden Bell, gold ribbon and being green in ELA on the dashboard last year!! We did this as a TEAM!! No great accomplishment can happen alone. It takes a team, it takes a family. There is a lot that can be said with the strength of numbers.

Focus on Good, no GREAT, First Instruction! 

We continue to focus on GOOD, if not GREAT, first instruction.  Asking a large number of questions and checking the responses of all students is something all teachers should be doing daily.  When we stop talking "AT" students, we get them to reflect on their own learning and process the information at their level.   From this, and having ALL students participate in academic conversations determines whether or not the class is ready to move on, needs to work in small group, or you must reteach the concept to the entire class.

How can this be done, you ask?  

• Structured academic conversation: Put sentence stems on board for each partner
• Summarizing and sharing out: whole class, neighbors, or just to teacher
• Use Google Survey as a quiz
• Use those whiteboards!!  Have them complete a quick write question, formative assessment, or an exit ticket! SO EASY!
• Use Padlet.com or post it notes to review quickly.  Again, SO EASY!
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School Spirit dress up days next week:

MONDAY- HAT DAY

TUESDAY-TWIN DAY- wear your trainer of dragons t-shirt

WEDNESDAY-WACKY WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY- THROW BACK THURSDAY-CHOOSE A DECADE

FRIDAY-wear your ugly sweater and meet in the MPR at 8:10 for a staff picture

Yearbook Pre-sale!

Yearbooks for the 2019-2020 school year are on sale for $20 if purchased before 12/20. Flyers are on their way home, and yearbooks can be ordered online at ybpay.lifetouch.com with yearbook code 11320120. 

Carmie's last day with us will be on Dec. 20. She is moving to Chico. We wish Carmie well on her next adventure.  

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There: Thank you Janice for hosting our social tonight. Thank you Sunshine committee for providing the food and setting up. 

Play: Please make sure you fill out at least one good news referral a week. 

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

Make Their Day:  A huge thank you to EVERYONE for helping out during after school rainy day pick up. Thank you Sarbjit, Alee, and Janice for attending our board meeting last night and supporting Jackson.