Friday Memo - 1/8/2021

Important Dates

January 11 - Faculty Meeting with Alive and Well, 3:35 pm to 4:35 pm
January 12 - Amighetti's Day/Night for Hixson
January 12 - February 5 - NWEA Testing
January 18 - No School - MLK Day
January 19 - Virtual Incoming 6th grade Parent Night
January 21 - Virtual Incoming 7th grade Parent Night
January 20 - Picture retake day, Inauguration Day
January 26 - Transition Task Force
January 25 - 29 - Elementary Virtual School Visits/6th & 7th grade Course Selection Talks
February 1 - Department meetings, 3:35 pm to 4:45 pm

DOMAIN 1: HIXSON & COVID-19

As we transition to second semester, I wanted to remind you of the procedures for teaching remotely should you find yourself needing to do so. Please review the information below and let me know if you have any questions. 

Protocol for teaching remotely 
Click HERE to access the protocol for teaching remotely.

Protocol for substitute teachers who will cover virtual classes
Please read the information below regarding how we will handle/support substitute teachers who need to cover virtual classes. 

IF we have a sub who needs to teach via Zoom:

1. The classroom teacher must add Sarah Magruder as a co-host to the Zoom so that she can start the Zoom classes, if necessary.

2. Sarah Magruder will assign a hixsonsub1(through10)@wgcloud.org to the primary teacher.

3. The primary teacher needs to then make the hixsonsub(NUMBER ASSIGNED)@wgcloud the cohost on Zoom.

4. Sarah Magruder then assigns the sub covering for the virtual class the sub wgcloud email address

5. and password to login to Zoom with. The sub will log into Zoom using the hixsonsub(NUMBER)@wgcloud.org assigned to them by Sarah Magruder.

1. https://zoom.us/signin

1. example: username: hixsonsub1@wgcloud.org password WGSD2021!

6. IF more than one sub will be teaching via Zoom for the primary teacher then the primary teacher will

7. need to add the appropriate hixsonsub(number)@wgcloud.org as cohost to their Zoom sessions.

We have a total of 10 Sub accounts setup in wgcloud to use. 

DOMAIN 2: HIXSON & EQUITY

Alive and Well

Alive and Well is collecting baseline data from all Webster schools regarding trauma informed care. Please take a moment to take this anonymous SURVEY. It was due by January 4th, but if you missed the deadline, I clicked on it today and discovered it's still open so please complete it ASAP.

Resources for talking with students about January 6, 2021 
I included the first three resources on this list in my email earlier this week regarding the unfortunate events that unfolded on January 6. I recently found another resource, which is a video on how to raise and teach anti-racist kids. It's long, but includes powerful panelists and valuable information that could support us all on this journey. Take a look if you can find the time!

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/when-bad-things-are-happening

https://beyondthestoplight.com/2021/01/06/resources-for-teachers-on-the-days-after-the-attack-on-the-u-s-capitol/

https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/talking-kids-about-attack-capitol

How to Raise and Teach Anti-Racist Kids - (video & sound starts at 2:54) Author Kwame Alexander brings together an inspiring group of educators and equity activists to this #KidLit4BlackLives virtual town hall to answer questions about the role educators, families, and caregivers play in helping children make sense of and actively challenge systemic racism.

Hear from panelists Cornelius Minor, author of “We Got This: Equity, Access, and the Quest to Be Who Our Students Need Us to Be”; Tiffany M. Jewell, author of “This Book Is Anti-Racist”; Pam Allyn, global literacy expert and coauthor (with Dr. Ernest Morrell) of “Every Child a Super Reader”; Dr. Noni Thomas López, head of school at The Gordon School in Providence, RI; and Karyn Parsons, author and founder of Sweet Blackberry.

DOMAIN 3: HIXSON & STEGER

Transition Task Force Updates

Logo redesign contest - We have received some very cool logo design submissions from both Hixson and Steger students. The Rebranding & Campus Beautification work group from the Transition Task Force is creating a plan for you to view them and vote on your favorite design. Stay tuned! This should be fun!

DOMAIN 4: HIXSON & CONSTRUCTION

We have brick!
The construction project continues to move along. I wanted to take a quick moment today to celebrate the fact that they are adding brick to the new gym! It is truly amazing to see this project unfold. If you drive along Ambrose, you can see this work for yourself!