Monday Memo Week of September 14th, 2015

Essential Information                 

- Discovery Map Update for this week:  Interventions this week: ELA and Math teachers/ Enrichment: Social Studies and Science teachers

-  Friday 9/18 Term 1 ends

-  PTO Grant Applications Due this Tuesday, September 15!

-  i-Observation Professional Growth Plans are due Wednesday, September 30th.  We will all have one common goal "Tracking Student Progress" for our SLO work.  Please reference this link for the training video Growth Plan Video


-  Department PLC meets on Monday, September 21st for SLO work in learning content and rubric for the SLO.  

- Flipped PD training video for 9/21:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4lFyx1V8aj0eG1QaGllZ1RXLVE/view?usp=sharing


-  Faculty meeting dates this year will all be utilized for department PLC work/SLOs.  I have met with the curriculum coordinators so we are on the same page and collaborating on PLC work during this time.  Dates are: 9/21, 10/5, 10/19, 11/2, 11/16, 12/7, 2/1, 3/7, 4/4, 4/18, 5/2, 5/16 (if needed).  In addition, we will also devote PD days to PLC and SLO work as well on 10/30, 2/12, and 3/21. 

Good to Know                              

-  Our first department chair meeting will be Monday, 9/28.  Please let me know if there is anything you would like included on the department chair agenda for the 28th.  

- Here is the link where you can contribute ideas to the agenda: 
https://docs.google.com/a/wgcloud.org/document/d/1ENqMPT_ZQoiJ3OsitystKkmsBh8d4vlYfDAZNyx7h_w/edit?usp=sharing

-  Wednesday evening 9/16 PTO meeting at 6:30 in the library followed by our first speaker series event on Internet Safety for kids, feel free to join us!

- PAWSitive office referrals are making an impact on students :)!  Thank you for taking a moment to fill out this quick form on the Blog for students caught being Ready, Respectful, and Responsible.  Parents have even commented on how exciting it was to see a positive letter sent to them about their middle school child.  Remember to write up a student you see doing the right thing!

- Hixson is now the proud owner of a popcorn machine in the cafeteria, thanks to a 14-15 PTO grant!  We plan to reward students who have received a Pawsitive office referral at intervals throughout the year with a bag of popcorn.