Friday Focus #15: 12.22.11

Tech Tuesday
I would like to focus Tech Tuesday during the month of January on some of the great things teachers are doing with technology in the classroom.  Please email me if you have something you would like to share with the staff. This doesn't have to be something you spend a great deal of time preparing for... simply tell us what you are already doing.  This is a great way to share our knowledge with each other.
We WILL NOT have Tech Tuesday on January 3rd.... we will start on January 10th.

School Hours during Break
The doors will be locked every day over break... if you need in the building, you will need to bring your fob. The office will be locked most of break also.


Have a safe break, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

1/3    Jodi Wenning

Upcoming Events

1/3      First Day back to reality

Tech Tuesday -- eBooks

*****  REMINDER *****


New eBooks on the Celina High School Card Catalog

Sheila Baltzell will be showing staff how to:

• create a user account
• search for the 44 new ebooks
• read online
• check-out
• read from your online device
• check-in 

Friday Focus #14: 12.16.11

Tech Tuesday 12.20.11
New eBooks on the Celina High School Card Catalog

Sheila Baltzell will be showing staff how to:

• create a user account
• search for the 44 new ebooks
• read online
• check-out
• read from your online device
• check-in 

At this week's department chair meeting, we discussed several items of importance that are worth mentioning here. Hopefully your department chair will bring these items up for discussion within each department.

• Formative assessment -- this is a Race to the Top committee that is working on using formative assessment K - 12.  More on this later. 

• New Teacher Evaluation system:  This is still in the early phases, but this new system will take into account student growth as 50% of the teacher (and principal) evaluations.  There are two messages here that are important to take away: 

1. teacher input is a big part of this entire process
2. this is not as scary as I thought it might be at first!  

Look at the linked document above for a little more information.   Again... more on this later.  

• OGT results & Intervention Stats:  Our students did really well in the fall administration of the OGT.  Check out scores (remember they are confidential) in the public share folder [titled "Fall OGT Scores"].  The 'intervention' link is a summary of how many students passed each subject area that went through the OGT intervention / advisory program.  This is just proof of how effective advisory intervention has been.  Good job to those involved!

• Student survey results from May of 2011 can be found by clicking the word student. 

• ODE and the Chancellor of Higher Education released a report this week that highlights the percentage of Ohio students (by high school) that have to take remedial level courses in Math and Reading.  That report, and older versions, can be found here: College Remediation reports.

• In follow up to the previous bullet point, ODE has begun to piece together Math & English College & Career Readiness expectations.  Click the links to learn more. 

Don't forget that CEUs from the 11/23 inservice day are available in the office.  

Remember the Themes for next week & note the addition on Wednesday: 

Tuesday, December 20th --> Christmas Socks Day [last day for toy drive... $1 goes to jeans fund]
Wednesday, December 21st --> Christmas Jewelry Day [$1 goes to jeans fund]
Thursday, December 22nd --> Christmas Sweater Day (Ugly is Optional!) [$1 goes to jeans fund]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

12/21   Alicia Sneddon

Upcoming Events

12/18   Band Concert @ the Fieldhouse, 3 PM
12/20   Staff Christmas Luncheon
12/21   StuCo Christmas Assembly
12/22   Blood Drive
12/22   Club Photo Day
12/22   Staff Christmas Party -- Club 211
12/22   PAY DAY... Don't forget to update grades in Progressbook!
12/23 - 1/2  CHRISTMAS BREAK!
1/3      First Day back to reality

Have a great weekend!

Holiday News & Notes

Don't forget to get in the holiday spirit...

Dress up days: 
Wednesday 12/14: Christmas Tie Day
Thursday 12/15: Christmas Hat Day
Friday 12/16: Christmas T-Shirt Day

Tuesday 12/20: Christmas Socks Day
Thursday 12/22: Christmas Sweater Day (Ugly is optional)


Door Decorating:
When decorating your door for the door decorating contest, please use your own supplies!  I have already seen some great doors.... competition is pretty tough!

Friday Focus #13: 12-9-11

On Wednesday, December 14th, we will be administering a survey to all students during advisory after announcements.  The surveys will be in your mailbox later today.  Instructions can be found by clicking here.

Parent-Teacher conferences for 2nd trimester are (believe it or not) right around the corner -- JANUARY 18TH from 4:30 - 7:00 PM.  Conference cards will be distributed soon.  Instructions can be found here.

In case you didn't notice, we now have a green screen.  Essentially, this allows us to place any image or video in the background of a recording video or image taken in front of the green screen.  I have one license for software that we are using in the office for announcements and we are working on finding another program so others can use the screen.  If you want to learn more or you think you have an idea for using the green screen, see Jason.  The guidance conference room is the 'green room'.

We are always in need of readers for the Words of Wisdom.  Please see Megan if you would like to record one or if you know of someone that would be good to feature on Words of Wisdom (we are always looking  for any staff member, alumni, community member, famous person, etc.)!

Every teacher needs to begin to become familiar with the new Common Core Standards.  Curt Shellebarger (Curriculum Director) recently sent out an all-staff email with instructions for finding subject specific standards.  In case you lost that email, or you just need a quick link, click here and you will find specific content standard links on the left hand side of the page.  More on the Common Core and its impact later!

CEUs from the Inservice Day on November 23rd are available in the office next to the envelope for the Jeans Fund.  If you attended the inservice, stop by and get your CEUs!

Every year, Student Council does a number of fundraisers to help raise money for the StuCo Santa fund -- the main one being Dime Wars.  This year, they will be trying a new fundraiser: beginning on Monday during class changes, they will be playing a Chipmunks Christmas song -- the same one over & over.  Students and staff can donate money to stop the playing of the music [it really is an annoying song].  If a certain number is reached, they will stop playing the song.  (sounds fun!)

In an effort to help raise money for the Santa fund & the Toys for Tots campaign, we will be having some dress down days between now and Christmas break.  We have created 5 theme days... if you meet 2 of the 3 criteria each day you can wear jeans on these days.
#1 -- dress to the theme
#2 -- pay $1
     OR
#3 -- bring a toy for the 'Toys for Tots' campaign

Themes: 
Wednesday, December 14 --> Christmas Tie Day (I have plenty if anyone needs to borrow one!)
Thursday, December 15 --> Christmas Hat Day
Friday, December 16 --> Christmas T-Shirt Day [last day for Santa fund]
Tuesday, December 20th --> Christmas Socks Day [last day for toy drive... $1 goes to jeans fund]
Thursday, December 22nd --> Christmas Sweater Day (Ugly is Optional!) [$1 goes to jeans fund]


Tech Tuesdays

Tech Tuesdays next week will be 'Using Twitter for PD'.  Believe it or not, the same tool that movie stars use to tell their fans when they are getting coffee or breaking up with their significant other is also one of the greatest PD tools available for educators.  Learn how to use Twitter to make you a better educator.

Week in 3 Words

Thanks to those of you that have participated in the Week in 3 Words.  Many of you have either helped by recording during your advisory/class or by doing your own '3 words'.  Let me know if you would like to do any recording...

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

12/16   Jared Rolfes

Upcoming Events

12/13   Payment for Christmas Party due
12/13   Messiah Choir Performance @ St. Paul's UMC, 7:30 PM 
12/14   Tri Star Visits (Sophomores)
12/18   Band Concert @ the Fieldhouse, 3 PM
12/20   Staff Christmas Luncheon
12/21   StuCo Christmas Assembly
12/22   Blood Drive
12/22   Club Photo Day
12/22   Staff Christmas Party -- Club 211
12/22   PAY DAY... Don't forget to update grades in Progressbook!
12/23 - 1/2  CHRISTMAS BREAK!
1/3      First Day back to reality

In Case You Missed It... Tech Tuesday: Evernote Edition

In case you missed Tech Tuesday this week, we covered the many wonderful uses of Evernote.  For more, use the link below.  This will take you to an Evernote "Notebook" I created with my notes for Tech Tuesday and some other notes about great ways to use Evernote.

http://goo.gl/hFMj4 

Gateway Surveys Round 2

Today, we will be administering the 2nd round of Gateway surveys.  After yesterday's administration, we have decided to take an alternate approach today.  Initially, we were told the surveys would take up to 50 minutes or more to complete.  Yesterday, we only had a handful of students remaining after advisory was over.  Today, I would like to administer the Senior survey in the advisory classroom.

ATTENTION SENIOR ADVISORY TEACHERS: 
By lunchtime today, you will have enough surveys in your mailbox for your advisory along with a set of instructions.  Administering the survey is very simple:

1. pass out the survey and make sure the students DO NOT put their name on it. 
2. make sure they use a blue or black pen. 
3. read the instructions to the students. 
4. ask them to place the survey in the envelope when finished. 
5. return the surveys to the office at the end of the day. 

If students are not finished at the end of advisory, please send them to the office to finish if you are not able to accommodate them in your room.  

Your help with this will ensure students make it back to 5th period in a timely fashion.  Please start the surveys as soon as you are finished with attendance -- skip the announcements today. 

THANKS!