Friday Focus #14: 11.30.12

Here we are... in that wonderful period of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas break.  Typically a shorter series of school days, this year we have 19 between the two breaks... that is one-third of the 2nd trimester!  That means we must work even harder to keep students on task and focused.  Sometimes it is the subtle things that make the difference in this task...

• Be in the halls between classes and greet students at the door: a simple enough concept, but hard in practice.  I know that five minutes between classes is valuable time that you need to meet with a student or make an adjustment to your lesson, but it really is vital that you make an effort to do this as often as possible... really at least twice a day. 
• Continue to expect a certain standard of behavior: 
• don't let students sleep during class...  (please DO NOT let them sleep... wake them up, warn them, give them a 15 minute detention, and if it persists, report it to the office)
• don't let them go to their locker without a pass... 
• don't let them use their cell phone inappropriately....  etc. 

Thanks for reading...  here are a few more important items to note: 

Lockdown

The lockdown drill went fairly well yesterday.  Unlike the 'practice' drill we did right before exams, this actual lockdown drill was our yearly requirement for the state of Ohio.  Some people were confused by the difference between a practice lockdown and a lockdown drill.  Here it is... 

During the practice, we will give verbal directions over the PA to send the lockdown email, lock your door, BUT CONTINUE TEACHING.   

During the lockdown drill, we will use the phrase: "Please proceed to lockdown the building."  This means shut off the lights, lock and close your door, send the attendance email, and get your students to a location that cannot be seen from the door (tell them to be quiet).  

Make sure you leave directions for your substitute if you are out so that they know what to do in the case of a lockdown (or fire/tornado).   Remember to remain in lockdown until the 'ALL CLEAR' papers are under your door.   PLEASE RETURN THESE 'ALL CLEAR' papers to the office. 

Destination Data

In a continuous effort to use and share more data, I will continue to add things to the 'Destination Data' tab here on the blog. 

 The most recent addition is a rough spreadsheet on the acheivement gap on the sophomore administration of the OGT between Student's with Disabilities (IEP students) and Non-Disabled Students.  This data goes back to 2008 and is broken down by content area and is listed in percentages.  I have also added columns for averages.  

The average gap between these groups is: 45%.  This is significant.  

Many of you have heard me use the phrase recently: Improvement Year 3.  Essentially, this means we will be getting more attention from the state, namely the State Support Team 6 (SST6).  You will also be hearing us talk a great deal about the Ohio Improvement Process (aka: OIP).  Don't worry... this is nothing terrible and it fits in with Race to the Top, FIP, SLO's, Curriculum Mapping, and the new evaluation system.  Sounds like a lot, I know, but let's take baby steps!  We are currently revamping our OGT intervention plan for sophomores, giving more attention to at risk students, especially in reading and mathematics, as this will help us get out of School Improvement status.  

Stay tuned for details and more info, but this is enough for now!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Birthdays

11/27   Mary Jo Alig

12/1     Mary Meyer

Friday Focus #13: 11.16.12

Well....  the first trimester has come to a close, which means we are one-third of the way through the year!  I hope everyone made it through exams OK.  Always seems hectic during exam time, but we appreciate the teamwork and extra effort on everyone's part to ensure all testing is completed and accommodations are given appropriately.  Thanks to those of you that read tests during your planning period.  I know sometimes this puts you behind the '8-ball', but the team approach we use is truly appreciated.  

Please use this transition to the new trimester to refocus and re-energize.  Part of the advantage of the trimester is the complete 're-start' we get every 60 school days.  You get new students, a new schedule, and a new set of classes.  So do the students.  Bring the same energy Monday morning that you do on the 1st day of the school year!

Below are some important items....  please read: 

Grade Entry Timeline CHANGES

A request came from our Department Chair meeting Wednesday to push back the grade entry timeline. Here is what we came up with: 

• Trimester grades are due MONDAY 11/19 @ 9 AM
• Exam grades & FINAL grades are due TUESDAY 11/20 @ 7:30 AM

This will allow us to begin going through eligibility -- as this is only based on the trimester grade and not the FINAL grade -- for winter athletes on Monday and then be ready to print Grade Cards on Tuesday.  Hopefully this will help with exam grading for teachers. 

Exam Oddities

If you have a student that missed an exam, please do one of two things: 

1. arrange with the student to 'make-up' the exam... this may be difficult if you don't have the student 2nd tri            OR
2. send the test to the office...  we will make the students take the test here. 

In the meantime, use "I" (for incomplete) if the student does not take the exam. 

Cheating & Plagiarism Policy

In case you haven't studied the student handbook recently, here is some timely and useful information/reminders about our policy.  The policy can be found on page 41 of the handbook under Rule 24.  Essentially, it states that if students are found to be cheating or plagiarizing, the teacher should give a zero for the assignment (even if it is the exam), call the parents, and report the offense to the office via a disciplinary report.  

We track these offenses and deal with multiple offenses accordingly.  

Inservice Day

Everyone should have received an email from Curt Shellebarger regarding the inservice day next week. We will all begin at 7:45 AM in the lecture hall for a district meeting.  From the lecture hall, all district teachers will be split... some will go to curriculum mapping (mostly core content and some special ed teachers) and all others will stay in the lecture hall for Student Learning Objectives (SLOs).  

Click on the title of the session to ensure your name is on the correct list.  If you think there is an error or you are left off, let me know IMMEDIATELY!

The day will go until 3 PM.  

Celina Wellness UPdate

If you are the one taking down the CWUP from some of the restrooms and throwing them away, please stop.  :)  If there is an issue or concern we need to know about, let us know!  Your Wellness Committee members from CHS are: Jason Luebke, Wendy Gabes, Chuck Smith, and Kim Smith

THANKS!

Christmas Party Info...

Just so you know...   

...the staff Christmas Luncheon (catered by Mench) will be on Tuesday, December 18th.  More info to follow. 

... the annual staff Christmas Party will be held at Calico Cafe on Friday, December 21st.  This is the last day of school before Christmas Break.  As usual, we will have a meal, followed by some games, and a very fun gift exchange.  This is always a great evening and a lot of fun.  Please plan to attend -- and bring your significant other!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

11/17   Brian Stetler

11/21   Candy Weitz

Friday Focus #12: 11.9.12

"Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them."

~ Aristotle

I hope everyone enjoyed the day off yesterday...  heard a lot of people say this morning that they felt rested and got a lot done yesterday!   Hopefully you had a chance to attend the Fall Play last week and/or will have an opportunity to see the choir performance this weekend.  These productions are truly a great reminder of the reason we all went into education -- KIDS!  Despite the headaches we encounter at times, we really do have a great job.  While difficult sometimes to see the direct impact we have on students day-to-day, what we do in the classroom and beyond for our students really is IMPORTANT!   An Evening of Motown Tickets are still available for the Choir Production for tonight @ 8 PM and Saturday @ 7 PM.  Presale tickets are $5 (email Cricket) or purchase at the door for $8.  We hope you will be able to come out and enjoy the music of the Temptations, Supremes, Jackson 5, and other wonderful Motown artists!   End of Trimester Info Exam Info For the Exam Schedule, look under the 'Schedules' tab at the top of the page.  You can refer students to the 'schedules' tab on www.CHSBulldogNews.org. If you have SENIOR TRI STAR STUDENTS 3rd period... they will take their exam on THURSDAY right after the conclusion of the shortened 3rd period.  We will proctor those exams in the office/lecture hall if you are unable to proctor them in your classroom.  Please send them down to us AHEAD of time! Students MUST be here during exams.  Students are NOT allowed to leave during intervention periods (or any other period).  Please have your students eat lunch at YOUR normally scheduled time.  On Friday, we eat during 3rd period... be sure to tell your students in advance what lunch YOU eat.   Grade Reporting Info If you believe a student might fail your course, please send the name via email to Wendy AND Lynne ASAP and no later than 2 PM on Friday, Nov. 16.  This will allow them to begin re-working schedules.  Grades are due by 9 AM on Monday, November 19th.   Special Ed Info It’s Progress Report time again!!! I know that you’re ecstatic and can hardly contain yourself!! So, here are a few dates to keep in mind: Red Progress Report folders will be distributed to all teachers Monday, November 12, 2012. We ask that Red Progress Report folders are returned to the clear bins on the side of the mailboxes by 7:25 A.M., Tuesday, November 20, 2012 so we can redistribute them to the Special Education Teachers. Please return the Blue Acura Folders to Renee/Jared anytime on/before Friday, November 16, 2012! Don’t worry about throwing any of the paperwork away, we will go through them and shred everything for confidentiality purposes! We are hoping to have the new 2nd Trimester "IEP at a Glances" out to the teachers by the end of the day Wednesday, November 28, 2012. Please check to see if students have the PASS/FAIL accommodation and be sure to communicate with the teacher who holds the IEP whether or not it is applicable for the student. Attendance Info Donna has a file in the Attendance folder on the Public Share Drive titled "1st Tri - 8 or more absences".  Please refer to this to determine if a student is 'over' on attendance.  Remember, our policy states that students do not get credit for days they are absent after 7 in a trimester.   Also find the file 'Attendance Updates' to see any changes that have been made to absence types.   Thank Donna for keeping such great records! Tech Tuesday No Tech Tuesdays until December 4th.   Calendar of Events Remember that Calendar Info can be found on the right hand sidebar of the blog... updated regularly... HAPPY BIRTHDAY 11/11   Michelle Voress

Friday Focus #11: 11.2.12

"If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."

~ Booker T. Washington

This has been a rough week... in more ways than one.  But in the tough times, we build character, we lean on each other, and we get through!

The words of encouragement and support that Phil & I have received this week mean more than anyone can imagine.

As a staff, you guys have done a fantastic job of handling the situation this week.  From downplaying things in the classroom, to offering support, you have done a great job.  Despite what may happen in and around our school, I have CONFIDENCE that we will continue to expect EXCELLENCE.  No one can argue our reputation for success with our students.  Keep up the great work!

Today's Friday Focus will be brief and to the point.  Below is a message from the Project Wisdom materials that I felt timely and appropriate.  Please read!

"For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, For love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

It's easy to know what to be grateful for. Shelter, health, food, love, and friends all appeal to our senses and allow us to feel immediate gratitude. What about everything else, though, like a challenging day in the classroom or a relationship gone sour?

How's your gratitude attitude when times are tough?

A true test of our attitude can be found not simply during the good times, but when obstacles appear on our path and we must push through, learning from the challenges presented and gaining a greater appreciation for everything in our lives.

With something to think about . . .

Also... if anyone is interested, I posted the morning announcement on the CHS Bulldog News blog.  Feel free to share with others.  THIS IS WHAT WE ARE ABOUT @ CHS!



Happy Birthday
11/2    Kristi Stachler