Mid-Week Update, 1/15/14

Resources from Monday's Faculty Meeting
Click here to review Dr. Riss' PowerPoint from Monday's faculty meeting, and Click here to connect to the facilities information she mentioned as well.

Collegial Learning Walks

I have a different way to approach collegial learning walks this semester.  Teachers will be invited in groups based on common plan time to participate in a walk.  Participants do not need to prepare anything in advance of the experience.  My goal is for as many classrooms to be visited as possible this semester based on teacher availability/comfort with visitors.  During a learning walk, a classroom is visited for 5-7 minutes.  Please look for an email in the next few weeks for your invitation for this professional development opportunity.

RtI Leadership Meetings

After spending the first semester discussing math interventions, the RtI Leadership Team will be meeting this semester to look at behavior interventions.

If you are interested in determining tier two interventions for our students with behavior concerns, please join us in the annex after school on the dates listed below. Meetings will last no longer than 4:30. Your input will be appreciated, even if you are unable to stay for the duration of the meeting.

Jan 15

Feb 12

March 12

April 9

May 14

Hixson Middle School's Kindness Challenge
This morning I drove up to the window at the Brentwood Starbucks Drive thru and learned that the gentleman in front of me had paid for my tea.  I didn't realize how good this would feel until I experienced this act of kindness.

Our counselors, in conjunction with our work with Rachel's Challenge, have printed Kindness Cards. You will receive two of these in your mailbox soon.  The idea is that we do acts of kindness in our communities and acknowledge these with this card.  What does this look like?  Like this, as an example:

Starbucks Employee: The gentleman behind you paid for your tea.
Dr. Heisserer: Thanks. I'd like to pay for the car behind me.  Please give them this kindness card and ask them to pass it on.
Starbucks Employee: I will.  Thanks.

Ask the counselors for other ways you might use these cards.