Welcome Back Assembly

Don't forget that we have a welcome back assembly today.  We will follow the pep assembly schedule (see schedules tab on the blog).  Please take attendance and then WE WILL CALL THE STUDENTS DOWN!

Mini-Computer?

The Netbooks are here!  Above is a picture of one of the new netbooks (left) sitting next to my laptop (for size comparison... I don't always use 2 computers at once!).

These netbooks, which look like 'mini-computers', are nearly ready to be deployed to 200 students in the Freshmen class.  Thanks to the fine Tech Department, I sit here tonight, typing this blog post on the new netbooks (couldn't wait to get my hands on one to try it!).  A group of roughly 25 freshmen teachers have been invited to the lecture hall Wednesday morning to receive a netbook so they may begin preparing for student issue.  This is an exciting time to be a teacher/student at Celina High School... a time when we get to be at the forefront of 21st Century Education!

LET'S DO THIS!

Fire Drills & Open House

Thanks for your cooperation in yesterday's fire drill.  All in all, a pretty smooth drill.  The attendance worked well for the most part... just remember that you should take attendance once you are OUTSIDE.  Write down any students who are NOT present outside but should be.  If you were unable to complete attendance before the drill (or you forgot who was absent), write down any students that are missing.  Always error on the side of caution.  It does no good to hand in your fire drill attendance as you are walking out the door (defeats the purpose!).  Remember... one more fire drill within the 1st ten days of school but after September starts.

OPEN HOUSE is tomorrow night.  Refer to the schedule tab on the staff blog and click on the 'Open House Schedule'.  All parents are to report to the lecture hall from 6:30 - 6:40 PM for a brief introduction to the evening.  After this, parents follow their child's schedule -- 5 minutes with each teacher, 5 minutes between classes, no advisory.  We will announce class changes.


Please share something you do (or plan to do) on Open House night.  I am certain new teachers would appreciate the input from their veteran peers.  

COMMENT BELOW!

Tech Tuesday is Here!

Tuesday morning is the 1st Tech Tuesday of the year.  The topic, of course, is "How to Navigate the Staff Blog".  We will cover a variety of things, including how to log in, how to comment, how to create a shortcut on the desktop for the blog, how to receive the blog via email, and where to find the important information you need on the blog.

Remember, Tech Tuesdays are from 7 - 7:20 AM or 2:30 - 2:50 PM and are always optional.  CEUs are available!

Hope to see you there!

Monday Morning

Good morning! 

Just a couple of quick notes on this Monday morning: 

1. Thanks to everyone for donating to the jeans fund on Friday.  We were able to purchase $200 in gas cards for the May family!  There is a card in the office to sign. 
2. Remember that we have a fire drill this morning at the beginning of 3rd period.  Don't forget to take attendance and have your students with you outside. 
3. I will be around this week popping in and out of classrooms.  Continue teaching... feel free to include me in the lesson or just ignore me!  Just want to watch the great things that are going on!

Have a great 2nd week!

Friday Focus #1: 8.25.11

Trying something new this year... the Friday Focus (a [semi]-weekly communication to the staff) on Thursday or sometime before school starts on Friday!  So here goes... this year's 1st edition, distributed simultaneously via email and the infamous (and, to some, mysterious) staff blog!

• We are nearly done with the 1st week of the 2011 - 2012 school year... thank goodness its a short one!  So far all has been very smooth.  Thanks so much to all of you for your efforts in making this a smooth transition into the year! 

• This Friday will mark the 1st Spirit March of the new school year.  For everyone new to the building, the Spirit March began last school year.  It goes like this... we begin 1st period Friday morning like any other morning.  Then, shortly after the Pledge of Allegiance, the Marching Band will begin making their way to the west end of 3rd floor hallway.  At that time, they will begin playing the fight song and will march down the hallway.  They travel from 3rd west to 3rd east, then to 2nd floor (east to west), then first floor (west to east), then down south senior hall toward the science wing and back down north senior hall, finishing with a left turn toward the choir room. 

Even though it involves lost class time (but not much time), please consider sending your class into the hallway to cheer them on!  

The Spirit March truly is like nothing else... gives me goosebumps just thinking about it!  THANKS TO THE CHS BAND for participating in this!

• Also on Friday morning, we will be taking the Senior picture... Seniors should follow the band as they march by... eventually we will just walk out the doors by the CAPT building to the track to take their class picture.  Following the picture, we will hold their class meeting in the lecture hall.  Plan to have them out of class almost the entire period.  

• If anyone would like to participate in this week's version of 'Week in 3 Words', please stop by the office prior to 4th period on Friday.  The theme this week is '1st week in 3 words'.  

• If you have not yet heard, Matt May's wife, Kathy, has been diagnosed with cancer.  Matt is a teacher at the Middle School and the High School swimming coach.  Matt & Kathy along with their 5 children need all the prayers and support we can give them.  We will be purchasing gas cards for the May family with the jeans fund this week (for new teachers, the jeans fund is a $1 donation made by staff on Fridays for wearing jeans... money is turned in to Megan or CJ).  In addition, the Mays have set up a webpage on the Caring Bridge website to share their story and Kathy's progress.  The web address is: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kathymay1.  

Here is a message from Jenny Dippold (East Elementary Guidance Counselor): 

We are also going to be setting up a schedule to bring in meals.  We are going to organize it using mealtrain.com.  Other than lots of prayers, having meals brought in something Kathy would like.  However, she wants to wait until after her appts. at Ohio State this week.  (She goes on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.)  If you are interested in being a part of the "meal train", let me know and I will contact you once we have it going.  THANK YOU! 

• Next week, we will begin Tech Tuesdays.  

Tuesday's topic (8/30): Navigating the Staff Blog

Please consider attending if you are unsure of how to login, maintain access, comment, or have any other general questions about the staff blog and its use. 

Tech Tuesdays will be held in room 119 from 7:00 - 7:20 or 2:30 - 2:50.  They are optional, but CEUs are available.

• Please remember that we are asking that all advisory teachers check on student grades weekly.  We would like for you to use some sort of tracking sheet.  I have included the link to a grade tracking sheet Erika Draiss created.  I know others of you have created/used similar documents.  Anything is fine, but please use something.  We would like to collect these (or get a copy) at the halfway point and at the end of the trimester (9/30 & 11/22).  If you have another grade tracking sheet that might be shared with others, please email it to me and I will add it to this list.  

http://goo.gl/Tqkqg 

 Also, the 'Guidance Referral' form is still an active document.  Please use this to let the office staff know if a student continues to struggle.  Here is the link: 

http://goo.gl/086mh  

• Remember that our 1st fire drill of the year will be on Monday 8/29 around 9:45 AM.  We will be distributing an attendance sheet that we will ask everyone to use to take attendance during the drill.  We would also ask that you assemble your class in a line outside (to help keep order and to take attendance).  

• From the Guidance Staff: 
• Thanks for your patience in schedule changes.  Most changes are completed... the only changes that might occur now will come from mistakes or misplacements.  
• The counselors will be scheduling Advisory period meetings soon with various grade levels for beginning of the year information. 

• Don't forget Open House is next Wednesday from 6:30 - 7:30 PM.  Schedule can be found in Opening Day information, under the schedules tab on the staff blog, or by clicking here. 

• Also next Wednesday, Student Council will be holding a Welcome Back Assembly during advisory period.  Schedule to be released later in the week.  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

Lisa Brunswick (8/21) -- belated... sorry!

Derek Wenning (8/30)

Upcoming Events

8/26   Spirit March

8/30   Tech Tuesday, room 119

8/31   Welcome Back Assembly during Advisory Period

8/31   Open House from 6:30 - 7:30 PM

9/2     Spirit March

9/2     Senior Night

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Tech Tuesdays 2011

Tech Tuesdays will begin after Labor Day... do you have suggestions for topics or format?  If so, please comment below and we will find someone to cover the topic (if possible).  Also, if you would like to present a Tech Tuesday, comment below.

For those new to the buildings (and anyone with short term memory), Tech Tuesdays are held (almost) every Tuesday before school @ 7:00 AM and after school @ 2:30 PM and briefly introduce and cover a tech topic. Last year, these short sessions covered things like: Animoto, Google Docs, How to Watch You Tube at School, Comic Creator, and many more.  CEUs are available (last year's CEUs will be distributed soon!).

Let's Get it Started...

Good Morning...

Just a couple of quick and brief morning announcements before we begin Opening Day festivities (I like calling it 'Opening Day'... reminds me of one of my favorite holidays!).

1. If you want to join me in the effort to go paperless, bring your own e-device to the lecture hall for our staff meeting this morning.  I will give you the password there to log into the network.  A few paper copies of the agenda can be found in the lecture hall (if you don't mind killing trees, you can have one!).  Electronic copies can be downloaded here: http://goo.gl/xDHnM
2. Schedule of Events for Monday
1. District Breakfast: 8:30 - 9 AM in the cafeteria
2. District Meeting: 9 - ?? in the Lecture Hall
3. CHS Meeting: 15 minutes after the District Meeting until ??
4. Coaches Luncheon: 11:30 AM @ Casey Jones
5. Department Meetings: See your department chair... most are in the afternoon on Monday
3. The presentation documents (including videos and games) will be linked here following the session this morning. 

Presentation from Opening Day Meeting: 

http://goo.gl/VElho


Sir Ken Robinson: Changing Education Paradigms

Freshmen Orientation Agenda:

http://goo.gl/wwVFW

Can't wait to get started!

New Sports Physiology Teacher

This week, we hired Carly Riepenhoff as the new Sports Physiology teacher.  Carly is a graduate of BGSU with a degree in Exercise Science.  Carly and the 7 other new teachers will be officially introduced at the Opening Day staff meeting on Monday morning.

Damon Springer

As you are all aware, Damon Springer (Junior) passed away in a tragic accident Monday afternoon.  We received word today about funeral arrangements:

• Viewing: Thursday, August 18th from 2 - 8 PM @ Cisco Funeral Home
• Funeral: Friday, August 19th @ 10:30 AM @ Mt. Tabor Church of God

Damon was in this year's Junior class and was a member of the wrestling team.  Teachers and students remember him for his smile and sense of humor.  

On the 1st day of school, we will observe a brief moment of silence at the start of the day in remembrance of Damon.

Summer Update #4

Two Weeks Left!

Just a couple of quick updates...
OPENING DAY(S) SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Friday, August 19th

• New Teacher Orientation: All new teachers need to report to the Superintendent's Office from 9 AM - 3 PM

• Department Chair Meeting: All CHS Department Chairs will have a meeting at the high school @10:30 AM.  Lunch provided after the meeting. 

Monday, August 22nd

• District Opening Day Meeting: Breakfast served from 8:30 - 8:55 AM in the high school cafeteria with the district meeting to follow from 9 - 10:30 AM in the lecture hall

• High School Building Meeting: 15 minutes following the conclusion of the District Meeting held in the lecture hall.

• Coaches Meeting: All coaches must attend a meeting at Casey Jones Restaurant @ 11:30 AM.

Tuesday, August 23rd

• Teacher Work Day

• Freshmen Orientation: 8 AM - 1 PM

An Orientation Day agenda can be found here (a work in progress and subject to change).  Teachers need only participate in the ‘Welcome’ from 8:30 – 9:00 AM (where we will introduce all staff members by department) and in the ‘Mini-Schedule’ from 11 – Noon.  During the Mini-Schedule time, we will have 5-minute class sessions with 5-minute breaks in between each period.  If you have freshmen students, please plan 5 minutes worth of introductory activities.  We are making this a positive day, so please refrain from things like rules and consequences!  Activity advisors should note that there is an activity fair in the Cafeteria during the lunch time on Freshmen Orientation day.  Nothing elaborate is necessary; just make some information and/or handouts available for the students.

Please note that Lifetouch will be taking staff pictures for the yearbook and ID badges on both of the teacher work days. 

I hope everyone is as excited as I am to start a new school year.  While it is hard (and sad) to think about summer coming to an end, the excitement, hope, and possibilities that come with the start of a school year are one of the things that makes teaching a great career.  As you get yourself mentally and physically prepared for the school year, try to reflect on what makes teaching one of the truly great professions.  Spend some time thinking about what drives you to educate our youth.  Please consider sharing one thing (using the comment feature below) that you enjoy most about teaching and/or starting a new school year.  

I look forward to seeing everyone in the building full time again!  

Please post a comment below (even if it is just a 'hi') so that I know who has/has not read this post!

ENJOY THE REST OF SUMMER!

Happy BIRTHDAY:

8/14     Steve Stewart