Scott Educators Connected: November 2014

Monday, November 10, 2014

Launch..3.2.1....Blast off!

We have an exciting week at SMS with the launching of our first two whole school strategies! These two strategies have faced the rigor of field testing here at Scott and have proven to show growth in student skill sets. The TAP Leadership Team (TLT) worked extensively this summer to address teacher concerns and chose two separate strategies for Math and ELA. We understand the importance of content specific strategies and look forward to your feedback in regards to this year's strategy cycles. Remember the strategies are to be INTEGRATED into your content, not a separate lesson to teach. Let's blast off to success with content specific strategies!

In addition to the implementation of the two new strategies we are digging into the data more than ever with the completion of our Acuity Readiness 1. After reviewing the data last week we realized our students are need of some intense instruction to meet the requirements of the quickly approaching ISTEP+ exam. The whole school strategies in combination with purposeful instruction guided by collected student data will lead Scott Middle School to the A or B school status!

As we prepare ourselves to develop successful students during the 2014 - 2015 school year keep in mind the data from the following illustration. Our students will be successful if we keep their best interest at the forefront of our planning.

Looking for Managing Student Behavior tips? Click the links below.

30 Strategies to Quiet a Classroom

Survival Guide to Classroom Management - This is a short video that is EXTREMELY relevant to what we experience!

In need of a technology resource...utilize Ted-Ed instead of Youtube for instructional videos for students. See link below. Additionally, I am using Google Drive extensively to communicate with our staff. Please check your drive consistently.

TED-ED to inspire learning

Calendar

11/11/14

Cluster

2:45 p.m. Literacy Mtg Library

5 p.m. Basketball game vs. Gavit

Veteran's Day - Remember to thank a Veteran

11/12/14

2:45 p.m. PBIS Mtg. Conference Rm.

5 p.m. Wrestling vs. Gavit

11/13/14

5 p.m. Basketball game at Eggers

ELA Data Mtgs 2nd, 3rd and 4th periods

11/14/14

Athletic Department Fundraiser Kick-off 2nd, 3rd and 4th periods

Report Card distribution

Every one of us is a leader to our students and some of us to our peers. Remember we do not just teach content...we develop the next round of leaders to enhance our global society.

Looking for guest bloggers! The first article received will be rewarded with an extra release period with Mrs. Bergren as the sub! Get those articles in!

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

What is your inspiration?

Everyday we leave our home, our families and our responsibilities to come to Scott Middle School and support our students. We use our own funds for school supplies and tangible rewards for our students, we grade papers until midnight and develop lesson plans on Sunday morning. New strategies, new standards, accountability by the state...where do we start and where do we end? Mrs. Smith said it best today, "1/3 of the school year is over and I feel like we just begun!" Our objective for cluster this week was to remind ourselves of our own personal and/or professional goals and why we are committed to our own success! It is essential to remind ourselves what inspires us to meet those goals and be successful in life.

I look forward to viewing everyone's Motivation Boards and feel free to stop by and see mine posted next to my desk. My inspiration comes from my family, I don't know if I could have achieved my career goals if it wasn't for their support and commitment to me. Additionally, the staff of Scott Middle School drives me to work hard to ensure their hard work is recognized and not done in vain. We deserve to achieve recognition from the state and our colleagues and this motivates me to work hard! We will succeed and my motivation board will continue to remind me on daily basis of why I choose to reach my goals!

Although, we are 70 days away from the first portion of the ISTEP test, I wanted this weeks blog to serve as an inspiration to what and why we do the work we do. Below you will find a few photos from THIS school year as a reminder to how AWESOME we are as a school! We have already accomplished so much.

Student vs. Staff Volleyball game