Friday Focus #3: 9.7.12

"I touch the future.  I teach."  

Christa McAuliffe

What a long short week it was last week!  Not sure how you all felt, but I felt like there were two Mondays last week...  turns out there were none!  Hard to get in a groove in a week like that!
But, today is Monday and we have a fresh start to a new week.
I know the Friday Focus is late, but.... better late than never!  I don't have a great deal of info to include this morning, but here are some items of note...

Project Wisdom
This month's theme for PW announcements is: Respecting Ourselves and Others.  If you haven't recorded your PW, please consider stopping down soon or scheduling a time with Kassie to record.
Also, if you have a student or ANYONE else in mind that would be good for a PW, please let us know. It is nice to have a wide range of participants!
If you are a coach or activity advisor... please have your captains and/or seniors record an announcement before your season is over.   Consider taking the camera to the practice field or just have the students come to the office.


FIP
Don't forget to login to the FIP website and watch the first module.  Print your certificate at the end and give it to Kelly Black or Kim Uhlenhake.  This should be completed by September 26th (2-hour delay inservice).


AAA Inspections
AAA will be here on Thursday doing student vehicle maintenance inspections.  Please encourage your students with vehicles during advisory to sign up for an appointment.  If they have their car inspected, they get a free lunch and a chance to win prizes.  Inspections are during lunch and advisory. Sign up is in the office with Kassie.


Tech Tuesday
This week's Tech Tuesday will feature the Classroom Management software found on the FRESHMEN netbooks.  This was requested by several teachers and will be led by Keith Gudorf.  We will meet in room 119 at 7 AM or 2:30 PM.  Consider attending one....  especially if you are using the FRESHMEN netbooks in your classroom.


Calendar of Events
Remember that Calendar Info can be found on the right hand sidebar of the blog... updated regularly...



Happy Birthday
none

Friday Focus #23: 3.2.12

Exams!
Thanks again to everyone that helped read exams.  As always, this is a team effort and we couldn't do this without the help of everyone involved!
Remember the grade timeline:

• Probable Failures due by 9 AM on Monday to the counselors (sooner if you have them)
• Grades Due by 9 AM on Tuesday
• Use March 5th as the Exam Date

If you have a student that missed an exam, please bring that exam to the office along with any testing instructions.  We will proctor the exam on Monday or another day next week. 

Inservice Day
Be sure to read the email I sent out this morning regarding the inservice day.  All necessary materials can be found at tinyurl.com/CelinaInservice.  In this morning's email, I stated we start @ 8 AM and end at 3 PM.  If you prefer, you may start the day at normal time and end at normal time.  Just be sure that you are collaborating with your department members on the Common Core Standards. 


Beginning of 3rd Trimester 
We will start the day on Tuesday in Advisory.  First thing Tuesday morning, you will find a set of schedules for your advisory students.  Please pass these out and then 5 minutes into the period, we will make an announcement to advance to 1st period.

Tornado Season
That time of year again!  With the high winds that are expected today, this is a good time to review your tornado policies and procedures.  Be prepared for a possible drill next week.

National Guard Lunch
Today, the National Guard is providing free lunch to all teachers and staff.  Subs will be available in the Teacher workroom by the Media Center!
ENJOY!

Jeans Days
Don't forget, Jeans days yesterday, today, and Monday are for Service Learning Day.  Also, next Friday, the Jeans Day will benefit the Community Health Professionals "Beacon of Hope Dinner Auction for Hospice".
On Pi Day (March 14 for all you non-Math nerds), the math department would like to have a special Jeans Day... pay $3.14 and get a free piece of pi(e).  This money will also go towards Service Learning Day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

3/4    Angela Kalcec
3/9    Brad Siebert

Upcoming Events

3/2         2nd day of 2nd Trimester Exams... follow exam schedule
3/5         Inservice Day
             Jeans Day... proceeds to Service Learning Day
             Probable Failures due by 9 AM
3/6         First Day of 3rd Trimester
             GRADES DUE BY 9 AM
             Band Contest Preview, 7 PM, Gym
3/9         PAY DAY
             Grades Updated in Progressbook
             Jeans Day... proceeds to Community Health Professionals
3/12-16  OGT Week, 2-hour delay schedule all week
3/13       Student-Athlete Parent Meeting (spring sports), 6:30 PM, LH
3/14       Pi Day...  Jeans Day donation of $3.14 for Service Learning Day & free Pi(e)
3/16-17  OMEA Large Group Contest, CHS

Midweek Updates: 2.28.12

UPDATES:
Acura Folders: These are the folders that contain the 'IEP at a glance' and/or profile pages for Special Ed students...

• These should be returned by Friday.
• Do NOT take anything out of the folder.  
• Turn these into the clear bin at the end of the mailboxes. 
• The special ed teachers will reload these and distribute according to 3rd trimester schedules sometime next week.  

Red Folders: These folders contain Special Ed progress reports and must be completed by regular ed teachers. 

• These will be placed in your mailbox by next Tuesday, March 6th. 
• They should be completed by the regular ed teacher based on progress during 2nd trimester. 
• These Red Folders need to be returned to the clear bin at the end of the mailboxes by March 13th.

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP IN COMPLETING THESE IMPORTANT TASKS! 

Students missing exams:

Sometimes students have to miss exams for one reason or another.  Remember... students MUST be here during their scheduled exam time unless they are a Tri Star student (see exam schedule) or they have worked out other arrangements with the office.  The office will notify you if a student is to make alternate arrangements (usually this comes in the form of an email from Megan or CJ). 

Students who are ill or otherwise need to take the exam in the office should have their exam brought to the office and clearly labeled. 

Here are just a few quick updates...

• Remember to turn in the 'salmon' colored sheets for special ed exams.  These should be completed and returned to Renee Kramer's mailbox by the end of the day TODAY (Feb. 28). 
• We are looking for readers again for Special Ed exams.  Anyone who is willing to read for a special ed exam, please email Megan (by noon on Wednesday) with your planning period and we will add you to the schedule.  Simply report to the media center at the VERY beginning of the period and we will assign you a student(s) to read to.  YOU WILL BE PAID FOR TWO PERIODS OF COVERAGE!
• This Thursday, Friday & next Monday, we are going to have special Jeans Days to support Service Learning Day.  All money will go to the SLD fund.  
• Don't forget to fill out the inservice survey if you have not done so already! (http://goo.gl/DybR5)
• Please note that TODAY is the last full advisory period this week.  Tomorrow we will be on the Pep Assembly schedule -- students will report to advisory after 5th period for attendance.  PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL CALL STUDENTS DOWN OVER THE P.A. WHEN WE ARE READY.  Thursday & Friday we will be on alternate schedules for exams.  Please remind your advisory students of this today and let them know that we will report to advisory at the beginning of the day next Tuesday, March 6th for the beginning of 3rd trimester. 
• In light of the tragedy in Chardon, Ohio yesterday, we would ask that everyone take a moment this morning to review your lockdown policies and procedures.  

THANKS FOR READING... HAVE A GREAT DAY!

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

Updates 11-29-11

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving Break!  Looks like we had a relatively smooth transition into the 2nd trimester.  Just a few quick reminders and informational info:

1. If you are in need of desks, please email Megan.
2. Tech Tuesdays will resume next week with a session on Evernote.  This electronic note-taking app has many uses from taking notes in class to organizing your personal life!
3. The updated lunch schedule can always be found on the blog under the 'Schedules' tab. 
4. If you have a survey from the staff development day, please place it in my mailbox.  CEUs will be distributed later this week. 
5. Gateway has asked us to administer a survey to our sophomore and senior students.  The survey takes about 50 minutes.  We discussed this survey at our department chair meeting in early November and decided that this week would be the best time to administer the survey.  Today, we will ask sophomores to report to the lecture hall immediately after attendance during advisory.  These sophomores will be late to 5th period.  If the students are done after advisory, they will be released.  Students released during 5th period will have a pass.  Seniors will take the survey tomorrow on the same time schedule.  Senior tri star students will be asked to take the survey Friday morning beginning at 8:00 AM. 
6. Grade cards will be distributed today during advisory period.  Grade cards will be placed in advisory teacher mailboxes by lunch time today. 
7. We mailed home magnets with our Bulldog News web address and our phone number to all high school parents this week.  We will also be placing one in your mailbox this morning.  Enjoy!
8. Tri Star Orientation is this Friday for sophomores.  The time schedule will be distributed later today. 
9. We had originally scheduled a pep assembly for this Friday... that assembly has been cancelled and will be rescheduled.  

Have a great (short) week!

Friday Focus #5: 9.23.11

• On Wednesday morning, we are going to have a brief meeting for those teachers involved in the Freshmen Netbook program.  The meeting will be held at 7 AM in the Media Center.  ALL ARE INVITED to attend!  On the agenda: Deployment Timeline, Expectations, User Agreements, Ideas for Implementation, etc. 

• Please remember to be checking grades during advisory.  Refer to Friday Focus #1 or #4 for details.  We would like some sort of documentation from all advisory teachers on the September 30th of your grade checking methods during advisory.  Turn in to the office at the end of the mailboxes in the labeled bin. 

• I am looking for someone to do Tech Tuesday this upcoming week.  I will be out of the building, so unless I have a volunteer, we will cancel this week and start up again on October 4th.

That's it this week!  Hope to see you at the game!  Have a great weekend!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

9/27   Jon Clouse

9/29   Matt Miller

Upcoming Events

9/23    Spirit March

              Pep Assembly

9/28    Netbook Meeting, Media Center, 7 AM

9/30    Spirit March

10/5    My College Options Survey during Advisory 

10/5    Parent Teacher Conferences, 5 - 7:30 PM

10/7    Spirit March

Senior Meeting

We were supposed to have a meeting for seniors during advisory with our Herff-Jones rep for graduation info.  He is scheduled to come today to take ring orders and really still needs to do the presentation while he is here.  Therefore, we are going to have the meeting still... it will be during 5th period today.  He is going to shorten the meeting a little, so seniors will miss approximately 20 minutes of 5th period.  

Sorry for the inconvenience...

Also, announcements at the beginning of 5th period.  Seniors will have to catch announcements via the web later.  We will get on the PA to call seniors down and prompt announcements. 

 

Foggy Tech Tuesday

Our 1st 2-hour delay occurred today, September 20th.  With the delay, here are a couple of reminders about our delay schedule:

• We have three different 2-hour delay schedules and we alternate between the three.  Today, we are on the GREEN schedule.  Click here for a copy of the schedules. 
• Senior (afternoon) Tri Star will RUN ON TIME.  Teachers will not see Senior Tri Star students in the period that is moved to the end of the day.  That is 3rd period on GREEN, 2nd period on WHITE, and 1st period on BLACK. 
• Junior (morning) Tri Star classes are cancelled on a 2-hour delay.  Juniors should report to CHS by 11:15 AM for their 4th period class.  Because of our delay schedule, those Junior students will be released at 1:25 after their 5th period class. 
• We have NO ADVISORY on the 2-hour delay schedule.  

If you are not receiving the Leader Alert messages for delays and cancellations, please visit http://goo.gl/OC8W6 to sign up.  You can choose to receive phone calls on any phone and also have the option to receive text messages and emails.  

Unless we are cancelled, we will plan to have Tech Tuesdays on delay days beginning at 9 AM.  

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!

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!