September 16

September 16

This weekend will be the first time that I am going to stay away from my phone and email in 6 years. I am actually going to LEAVE my phone and laptop at home!! We will be on our way after our staff social on today and head toTahoe. This reminds me of when I was pregnant with Maya and I was 11 days over my due date!! My husband and I went to the hospital and did not call anyone that we were on the way to the hospital. When we arrived at the hospital all of the rooms were full. While waiting in the hallway for a room to open up my water breaks. We waited around 30 minutes.  As we got in the room, I change and just as I got settled in bed the phone rings in the room. My husband looks at the phone and says he isn't going to answer it because it is probably for the person who was in the room before us. I told him I think it is one of my sisters. He said no way! They don't even know that we are here. I told him, I bet you it is. Now that he was curious, he answered the phone AND it was one of my sisters! It was hysterical!! I couldn't believe she tracked us down so fast and got a direct line into the room. We literally just got into the room!! So note to self- tell sisters I will be in Tahoe without my phone.  

No Excuses University – Collaboration

Culture of Universal Achievement

Collaboration

Standards Alignment

Assessment Plan

Data Analysis

Interventions

“This is the first and most important system that needs to be developed. Once a clearly understood and agreed-to system for collaboration is in place, a staff is equipped to develop the remaining essential systems and address any other learning challenges they encounter.”

When a school embraces a system of collaboration, there are four attributes that need to be included. As identified at the TurnAround Schools Institute, the attributes are:

#1: Based on action oriented commitments

#2: Scheduled well in advance

#3: Driven by professional attitudes

#4: Focused on results

Now…before you move on, re-read the four statements and think about if they represent the collaboration that takes place on our campus.

Based on action oriented commitments: When our teams come together to collaborate, do you leave with “we talked about…” statements or are there actions that are going to be immediately implemented to impact student learning?

Scheduled well in advance: Do we plan for collaboration or does it just happen? True collaboration includes bringing in data (not perceptions or hearsay) and making decisions based on the collected information. Such a process has to be planned so that the proper data can be collected and is the foundation for good decisions.

Driven by professional attitudes: When our team discusses issues, is it done in a professional way? Do you praise one another during times of success and be honest with one another as you respectfully confront concerns. Does our site benefit from strong professional relationships?

Focused on results: Is our collaborative time focused on student results? Do we come to the table and offer solutions? Are decisions based on student needs?

If you don’t collaborate around your students’ academic achievement data, then how do you know if you have alignment?

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There: PLEASE become a member of Parent Club by paying membership dues. Our parents do a lot on our campus and by joining it lets them know that we appreciate everything they do for us.

 

Play: Many of you have taken the challenge and have created formatives in Illuminate and administering unit assessments online. NICE JOB!!

 

Choose your attitude: Thank you for keeping a positive attitude and persevering through some of  Illuminates glitches! 

 

Make Their Day:   THANK you so much for sending a student for lunch with the Principal! I had 100% attendance K-8. The kids loved it!!

September 9

September 9

WE HAVE MADE IT TO THE FINALIST LIST for the GOLDEN BELL!!! The CSBA Golden Bell Awards promotes excellence in education and school board governance by recognizing outstanding programs and governance practices of school boards in school districts and county offices of education throughout California. Golden Bell Awards reflect the depth and breadth of education programs and governance decisions supporting these programs that are necessary to address students’ changing needs. We are getting recognized for our Agri-Science program. We will have a site visit TBD. I am SO proud that our continued dedicated to our program for the past five years is being recognized. We have come this far because we have worked as a TEAM!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!! 

PTA Membership:

Please remember to join and support our amazing Parent Club

Three Way Pledge:  Please make sure you are keeping track that ALL parents sign and keep these forms in your room.

Please monitor student behavior when you have yard duty. We have many students who are not using the play structure safely.

No excuses start with us!!

No Excuses University – Culture of Universal Achievement

I want to take some time over the next few weeks to provide additional information about each core area, as they are the foundation of successful schools.

Culture of Universal Achievement

Collaboration

Standards Alignment

Assessment Plan

Data Analysis

Interventions

“Every member of the staff believes that each child is capable of meeting academic standards in reading, writing, and math, AND that the school has the power to make that opportunity a reality.”

When a school embraces a Culture of Universal Achievement, there are six belief statements that go hand-and-hand with the culture. As identified at the TurnAround Schools Institute, the belief statements are:

Belief #1: Every student will be proficient or advanced in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Belief #2: The academic accomplishment of every student is an obsession.

Belief #3: The school can neutralize many challenges students bring to the classroom.

Belief #4: Student achievement is the number one topic of conversation.

Belief #5: A maverick spirit is leading the way.

Belief #6: There are no excuses for poor effort.

Every student will be proficient or advanced in reading, writing, and mathematics: Do you believe you have the ability to provide the necessary support and interventions so that every student at your site will be proficient or advanced? And if you do…are you putting those plans in motion so that you support every student in meeting this goal?

The academic accomplishment of every student is an obsession: Is the academic accomplishment of every student the domination of your thoughts/feelings? Do the decisions you make reflect an unwavering focus on academic achievement?

The school can neutralize many challenges students bring to the classroom: Do our actions and our staff reflect a belief that we have the ability to neutralize the challenges students bring to the classroom? Are conversations about solutions and strategies to support the students to ensure academic success?

Student achievement is the number one topic of conversation: When we discuss the school and the students, is the focus on student achievement?

A maverick spirit is leading the way: WE must be willing to fight status quo. There must be high expectations for everyone who has an impact on student achievement.

There are no excuses for poor effort: No Excuses does not mean no compassion AND No Excuses begins with adults. Are we doing everything to ensure academic success for every student!

Now…before you read any further, re-read the six belief statements and think about if they represent you as an educator. 

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There: Thank you Alee and Melissa for going on your first field trip to the National Heirloom Festival. Yeah!!

Play: Make learning in your classroom engaging.

Choose your attitude: Good teaching is about hard work not a halo.”  --Doug Lemov

Make Their Day:   Send a student from your class to have lunch with me on Monday.

September 2

September 2

7 Things to Remember About Feedback

1.       Feedback is not advice, praise, or evaluation. Feedback is information about how we are doing in our efforts to a goal.

2.       If students know the classroom is a safe place to make mistakes, they are more likely to use feedback for learning.

3.       The feedback students give teachers can be more powerful than the feedback teachers give students.

4.       When we give a grade as a part of our feedback, students routinely read only as far as the grade.

5.       Effective feedback occurs during the learning, while there is still time to act on it.

6.       Most of the feedback that students receive about their classroom work is from other students – and much of that feedback is wrong.

7.       Students need to know their learning target—the specific skill they’re supposed to learn—or else “feedback” is just someone telling them what to do.

“Data doesn’t belong to the teacher.  The data belongs to the student and is on loan to you.”  --Damen Lopez

Developing a Commitment to Common Assessment Practices

(Damen Lopez)

The The most successful teams display a clear purpose on the way that they take a joint effort to utilize valuable assessment practices.  These teams exhibit the following characteristics:

1.    Speak the same language, the language of data.  Successful teams continue to go back to the numbers.  While emotion is often an important quality that helps us to nurture and teach from the heart, getting results is the ultimate goal.  If a team is kind and nurturing, but their students are failing then they have not done their job.  Take the emotion out of the situation and look at the numbers.

2.    Share data openly with one another.    One of the most difficult things for us to do as teacher is to share our data.  We hide it out of embarrassment or fear of being judged.  Successful teams make commitments to looking openly at their data with the purpose to not cast blame, but to help one another.

3.    Take responsibility for all students.  The easiest way for teams to get over their fear of sharing data is to decide that they are responsible as a whole for every student.  Being a team means working interdependently.  This starts with the way you collaborate about students.

4.    Tie assessment to strategies and interventions that work.  It is often said we are “data rich and information poor.”  No one would argue the fact that assessments are crucial to ensuring academic success for students.  However, assessments that are given without plans to turn data into strategies that create success for students are useless.  Simply put:  Once you know where students stand, it is your responsibility to make use of that information and generate academic success as you teach them. The data you collected during your grade level meeting is your starting point.

Great website for Science lessons. 
https://mysteryscience.com/start?district_id=923

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There: Eat lunch with a student that you may have a difficult time with. BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM!

Play: I have observed many students AND teachers having FUN during our morning walk. Thank you Mr. M for organizing it. 

 Choose your attitude: BE POSITIVE!!!

Make Their Day:  Thank you Heather H., Kami, Julie, Jennifer, Carole, and Patty for being a team leader and helping out our new teachers.

August 26, 2016

August 26, 2016

This past weekend my family celebrated Rakhi. Rakhi is the simple but beautiful thread tying around the wrist of a brother, conveying lots of love and emotions. Sisters wholeheartedly tie Rakhi on the wrist of their brothers and pray to divine for bestowing him prosperity, health with serenity. Brothers who deeply and truly understand the deep message of Rakhi, pledge to keep their sisters safe from all evil circumstances of their life and promise to stand by her in every up and down moments of life. The brothers usually give their sister gifts. Rakhi festival also has a social significance because it underlines the notion that everybody should live in harmonious coexistence with each other. OR as my nephew Riley would say, "Rakhi sucks for the boys!" and Dylan responds with, "No it doesn't. We are so lucky we get a string that tells us how much our sisters love and care about us AND they feed us our favorite sweets." He is sweet! Here is a pic of the gang at my Dad's farm. 

BTSN:  Back to School Night is scheduled on Tues. Aug. 30. Please have parents sign 3 way pledge. Copies will be placed in your boxes.

Back to School Night social will be from 4:30-6:00

ALL teachers meet in Multi at 6:00 for introductions. Teachers will be dismissed after introductions. I will have a PPT for parents in multi. until 6:15

6:20-6:50 – first classroom presentation

5 minute passing

6:55-7:25- second classroom presentation 

You know what they say, "You only have one time to make a good first impression."  So, teachers take great care in the way you set up your classrooms, dress for success, and display personal touches of love. What parents mostly want to know is if the teacher is nice and if their children will be loved during this 180 day learning journey.  

Goals for the first six weeks

Teachers are experts on curriculum and pedagogy, but parents are experts on their own children—how the children absorb information, what delights them, how they show that they’re upset, what comforts them. During the first six weeks, we can create a climate of respect, trust, and collaboration with these valuable educational partners. Here are the three main goals in this early work with parents:

Help parents feel welcomed and valued. Show that you’re excited to work with their child. Reassure them that their opinions, interests, and family culture matter to you. As one parent of a second grader said, “It’s so important to me that the teacher has a welcoming demeanor and shows that she wants you to be part of your child’s education.”

Welcome parents to play an active role. Begin sending the message that you want parents to visit the classroom, send notes, call you, and voice opinions.

Build community among families. Help parents get to know each other. When parents share positive relationships, they’re more likely to get their children together outside of school, take part in school life, and seek help if their children need it.

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There: I observed colleagues being there for one another when they needed it. SUCH A FISH moment!! 

Play: I have observed well planned Ag. Lessons and students were having FUN!!

 Choose your attitude: If you cannot be positive, then at least, be quiet. 

Make Their Day:  Write a positive note to each student to make their day!!

August 19th

August 19, 2016

First day of third and fifth grade

Maya and Dylan started their first day of third and fifth grade! I can't believe how fast time is going by. I am starting my 6th year here at Suisun Valley and Chris is starting his 3rd year at Vaca High. I look forward to seeing you and you families tonight. 

Check out this video 

Great to build Academic Conversations 

News:  BEHAVIOR EXPECTATION DUE  (Your class rules are due today 8/19). This was in staff handbook :)

Have your COLLEGE chants ready for Friday's Dragon Award ceremony!! Can't wait to hear them! 

We had an AMAZING first week of school because you have done a great job working as a TEAM!! PICK UP ROUTINE: It went so well. Do you know why??? Because you guys are AWESOME!! With a great TEAM every day we were able to get our pick up process going very smoothly. I received a lot of compliments from parents and wanted you to know that they appreciated all of you!

*THANK YOU for the newsletters already!  I have seen some really cool stuff! If you send any letters or emails home I need to approve them first.

Expectations vs. Standards (Good Enough to Repeat)

Expectations should not be confused with standards.  Standards are levels of achievement.  Teachers who practice positive expectations will help their students reach high standards.  It takes just as much energy to achieve positive results as it does to achieve negative results.  So why waste your energy to fail when the same amount of energy can help you and your students achieve.

Key idea:  Expectations of students will greatly influence their achievement in school and in life.

There is absolutely no research correlation between success and family background, race, national origin, financial status, or even educational accomplishments.  There is but one correlations with success, and that it ATTITUDE!

Humans have a success instinct.  They want success. They strive for success. 

Knowing what you can or cannot achieve is called expectation.  An expectation is what you believe will or will not happen.

Classic Research on Expectations

Robert Rosenthal in the 1960’s fed erroneous information to a group of South San Francisco elementary teachers.  In the spring of the preceding year, the students at a school were pretested.  The researches and administrators told the teachers they were special teachers who were to be part of a special experiment.  They were told, “Based on a pretest, we have identified 20 percent of your students who are special.  They will be ‘spurters’ or ‘bloomers’ and are a designated group of students of whom greater intellectual growth is expected.  The names were really selected at random.  The teachers were told to not tell the students or the parents.  “Thus we expect and know that you will do extremely well with these special students.”  Eight months later all students were tests again.  The results showed a significant gain in intellectual growth for the 20 percent who were designated as special.  The teachers were quite surprised to learn that neither the teachers nor the students were “special.”  The expectations, however, made all the difference.

Students tend to learn as little or as much as their teachers expect.  Teachers who set and communicate high expectations to all their students obtain greater academic performance from those students than teachers who set low expectations. 

(Taken from The First Days of School:  How to Be an Effective Teacher by Harry and Rosemary Wong

Here’s to high expectations for all students and ourselves! As a No Excuses School we have committed to teaching our expectations for the first 10 days of school. 

• I HAVE NEW SCHOOL T-SHIRTS FOR YOU IN MY OFFICE. COME BY AND PICK ONE UP :)

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

I have really appreciated how everyone has volunteered their own time (BEING there) to either help out a new staff member  in such a short amount of time. Staff members are really CHOOSING their attitude when there was SO much to do before Wednesday. Keep smiling :) YOU are MAKING someone’s day just by offering a helping hand or just by listening. You make me proud!!

August 3

I would like to take some time to introduce new teachers to our site!! Here is a little about each of them: 

I am so excited to join Suisun Valley staff this year!  My teaching career started in 1998 when I began subbing in Napa as I finished film school. In 1999, I accepted a long term 1st grade position with FSUSD and fell in love with teaching.  In 2000, as a brand new teacher not yet credentialed, I was fortunate enough to work as Patty Raina’s partner in kindergarten at Tolenas for 4 years. After leaving kindergarten, over the next 12 years at Tolenas, I taught 2nd, 4th, and 5th grades.  This year, I am eager to start out on a new path as an Instructional Specialist.  I am also thrilled to return to kindergarten as Patty’s partner once again!  
    As for my personal life, I have an adult daughter and currently live in Davis with my two younger children (10 and 14), my two chickens, and two dogs.
- Michelle Quinton (Kinder teacher)

My name is Jennifer Barnett (6th grade teacher) and I am very excited to be teaching 6th grade at Suisun Valley Elementary School.  Most of my friends call me Jen or Jennie. (Jennifer is what my mom would call me when I was in trouble.)  I have been working the past 4 years in Vacaville Unified as a Para IA while going to school and completing my BA and getting my teaching credentials.  Though I have plenty of experience in the classroom, this is my first time being “The Teacher”.  In addition to working in education, I have worked in construction as a project manager and managed a bookstore.  I have done a great deal of volunteer work with the Girl Scouts of Northern California and coaching my children’s sports teams.  

I am a California girl, born and raised in San Jose. I watched the city change from an agricultural mecca to the Silicon Valley.   My fondest memories from childhood are playing in the apricot and plum orchards next to my home with my twin sister and cousins. Today, I live in Vacaville and enjoy working in my small garden and working on projects around the house.   My husband, 23 year old son and 11 year old daughter are the center of my world.  We spend much our free time with our extended family camping, hanging out on the lake or just simply enjoying some good music.  Without the support of my family I would have never been able to go back to school.  They are all amazing people!

I am looking forward to meeting the staff and students. I can’t think of a better place to be then Suisun Valley Elementary!

Greetings Suisun Valley Staff!

I look forward to joining your team and being a part of such an amazing school. I'm an Education Specialist and have my masters in special education. I love working with students and learning from them as well. I taught children with mild to moderate learning differences in Marin for seven years, was a Director of Education at Sylvan Learning Center and even started my own learning center here in Fairfield. I live with my husband and two boys. My boys are in the dual immersion program at B.Gale Wilson and I love hearing them speak Spanish:). I enjoy running/walking/hiking, skiing/snowboarding and spending time with family and friends.

Cheers to a successful school year!

Leigh Biega (RSP Teacher)

My name is Lindsay McCulley (1st grade teacher) and I am new to California! I was born and raised in Georgia, and this is my first year as a teacher. I love to read and my favorite thing in the world is Disney. I am very excited to start my new adventure in California, but mostly at Suisun Valley!

Hello Suisun Valley Elementary Staff,

My name is Melissa Beck (7th grade teacher) and I am so excited for my very first year of teaching!!!!!  I have earned my Bachelor of Arts Degree from Cal Poly, Pomona and where I also received my Multiple Subject Teaching Credential this summer.

I have lived in the SoCal my whole life with my loving parents and my older brother. My brother is currently serving our great country in the United States Air Force.

Fun fact about me is that I am an accredited pet training instructor. I have worked at Petsmart for over 8 ½ years. This experience working as a trainer allowed me to learn how to teach families the essential tools needed to make their new dog a member of their family. Training a dog is not easy and it takes patience and consistency just like teaching.

I am making a huge change in my life moving up to Fairfield to begin my new career and achieve my dreams of becoming a teacher.  I cannot wait to meet my new Suisun Valley family and begin my first year of teaching.

Always,

Melissa Beck

Dear Dragon Staff,

I hope your summer is going great and that you are relaxing and enjoying your time off. It has been a busy summer at school with getting our school ready. Thank you Carlos and Anthony for making our rooms SPARKLE!!

Our retreat is scheduled for August 11^th. We will meet at Suisun Valley at 8:30am in the staff room. Buy back is available. If you are unable to attend please email or call me. Wear comfortable clothes, sun block, and/or a hat. We will be spending some time in the garden. On Monday morning August 15^th we will have our first staff meeting from 8:30-12:00pm in the staff room J. I WOULD LIKE ALL STAFF TO ATTEND FOR THE FIRST 30 minutes. Come ready to discuss one thing you want to stop, one thing you want to start, and one thing you want to continue doing this year in your personal life. If you are a new staff member on campus you will meet with me in the staff room at 1:00pm on August 15^th. The meeting will last about an hour. On August 19th at 5:00pm we will be having our staff social at my home at 137 Auburn Way Vacaville, 95688. Please bring your family and your swim stuff. We hope to see everyone there.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to some new staff members on our site Brandon Klein (8th), Melissa Beck(7^th), Michelle Quinton (K), Arica Henry(School Psychologist), Jennie Barnett (6^th), Leigh Biega (RSP teacher), Alee Litvinchuk (6^th/7^th), and Lindsay McCulley (1^st) . If you see them on campus please introduce yourself and help them in any way that you can.

I want you to know that I think we had an exciting fifth year together. You are an amazing staff and I feel fortunate to be able to work with you. I am excited about our new year, our new teachers, staff and just being back!!   

The 2016/2017 school year promises to be a great year. We will continue to work on our Ag/Tech focus for the upcoming school year. We will also continue to support our efforts of being an NEU school. As a staff we will work together to learn NGSS and Common Core I know that through our continued hard work, we will see our students grow academically and socially.

The school calendar has been approved and the teacher work days are August 15^th and August 16^th, and the students will arrive on August 17^th.  The school will be open for you to pick up your keys, August 3rd. We have been working very hard to ensure that your rooms are ready.

Have a super rest of the summer and I will see you on August 11^th.

Thursday, August 11, 2016        8:30-3:30pm                 Ag PD Bring your Life lab books

                                                                      Coffee, muffins, and lunch will be provided

Monday, August 15, 2016        8:30-12:00       Staff Meeting-  in staff room

                                                1:00-2:00     Orientation for new staff on site- in staff room

12:00-3:00                     Teacher Work Day in Your Classrooms

Tuesday, August 16, 2016         8:00-3:00                       Teacher Work Day in Your Classrooms

Best Regards,

Jas Bains Wright