The First Friday Focus for 2015

Image from Happy New Year Messages

I hope that you have all enjoyed a restful, relaxing and rejuvenating holiday vacation. I know I have...time with family, time reading, writing and doing absolutely nothing...it was wonderful!  I feel recharged and ready to go! As always, I've written my Reading Resolutions for 2015 which you can find HERE if you'd like. I encourage you to share your Reading/New Year Resolutions with your students as well, because you are one of their best models for developing a growth mindset to focus on ways to improve.  If you have students that would like to join the morning announcements to share their Reading/New Year Resolutions, please let me know...I'd love to have them join us!

Nuts & Bolts:
*Keep in mind that as you come back from break you may need to treat the first days back just like the first days of school; reviewing expectations, practicing routines, class community building, etc.
*On Monday morning announcements I'll announce the new bulletin board in the hallway--What Lifts You Up? I'll put little balloon cut-outs in mailboxes that students can use if they would like to write down something they can do to fill a bucket for a friend or themself and we will add the balloons to the board to show what lifts us all up. It should eventually look like this:

Thanks to Sarah for finding this and starting it!

*To review iPad expectations there are green posters in your mailboxes that can be put up if you don't already have something. These were created in the Tech Leaders team, but got put at the bottom of my pile to print for you all (sorry!) Now would be a great time to review with your class. If you want to be able to print additional copies you can access it HERE or ask me to email it to you.
*3-5th gr teachers-I'm moving back the Badger exam practice sessions to have the first one completed by February 10th, because Jan 20th just seemed too early. I'll have materials ready for these at the Jan 20th grade level meetings.
*If you have any students that you have concerns regarding possible retention and I'm not already aware of them, please let me know so we can start the SIT process.
*Our ELL students will be taking the ACCESS testing this month. They will be pulled for portions of it with Mrs. Fobes/Mrs. Nehls and one portion with me.

Deadlines:
*Just a reminder to give 2nd student surveys by January 15th. Just let me know if you have any issues with this deadline.
*The MAP testing window is January 12-30.
*Please complete mid-year F&P Benchmarks on students that were below the Fall benchmark by January 19th.