Monday Night Memo, 8/13/18

August 13, 2018

Good Evening Everyone,

I hope this last night before the first day of our new year finds you resting up and relaxing (if that’s even possible).  Like last year, I will send out weekly communication through the blog on Sundays.  I will also send it out in an all school email too.

There are a lot of changes rolling into our landscape this year.  I’m excited to enter this second year with each of you and the endless possibilities we will help cultivate for our kids.  With change comes some messes and we will navigate all of them together.  In the end, it will be glorious for our kids, school and community.  I read a tweet last night from Dr. Fields, Steger/Givens principal, and it resonated with me.  He tweeted: “Do me a favor when discussing what’s “best” for students:  challenge my thinking; I will offer you the same courtesy.  A conversation without such a norm is a missed opportunity to help educators and students grow.”  I echo his words and hope we can grow together in this norm as we learn to navigate as a PLC.  The door is always open and it has been exciting to watch and learn from the teacher leadership that is growing in our building.  I look forward to our continued conversations and dreams for kids.

Have a great first day!

With gratitude,
Grace

Cell Phones

Just to clarify that in the hallways, students can hold their phones in their hands.  If kids are on them, ask them to get off and share a conversation with them.  If it’s a persistent problem, then let your grade level principal know.  Hallway duty is a great time to get to know kids while monitoring for safety.  We don’t want you to feel like you have to follow after kids and miss opportunities to connect with them.  They will make mistakes, we will help them learn how to be responsible.

In your classrooms, follow the new revised plan that we talked about at our back to school meeting.  In regards to headphones/earbuds, kids can walk with one in their ear and one out.

All of this can be discussed at our next SLT meeting if we feel this is a problem.

PLC/CLT Meetings

We will begin rolling out the CLT meetings the 3^rd week of school, August 29^th.  This will give you a couple of weeks to settle into the new year, get to know your kids and give you a minute to breathe. 

On CLT Wednesdays, content area teachers will have their CLT meetings in the afternoon.  You will flip your team and personal plan time on those days in order to be able to meet as a CLT.  This is done for the teachers that teach both 7^th and 8^th grade classes.

Webpages

Just a reminder that Tim Brown will be in our building next Tuesday and Thursday to work on webpages with anyone who wants support.  He will also come to Hixson on Friday by appointment.  All teacher and team webpages must be updated by August 31^st. 

Safe Schools Training

Please remember to complete the Safe Schools Training before August 31^st.

Student Planners

The planners have arrived and team leaders have been contacted by grade level principals.  All students will be given a paper planner this year.

First Week of School Schedule

Thank you to the committee for all their planning as we work to establish new Hixson traditions.  We appreciate all your work creating the schedule, planning and suggesting the ideas and batching up all the supplies for the door decorating contest.

Thank you

Open House was awesome and well received!  We got some helpful feedback to make next year even better.  Thanks to our teacher leadership for suggesting the idea to SLT. 

7^th grade Mixer

The first social is this Friday from 6:30-8:30pm. Come see 7^th graders at their first mixer!

Outs this Week

None!