Thank you.

 

Dear Staff;

I want you to know that you are valued.  You are essential.  I know all that goes into educating our students under typical circumstances - but your work during this pandemic is far from typical.  It's literally nothing school systems have ever done.  This isn't what you signed up for, and yet you're doing it anyway.  You're creating distance learning plans, navigating plexiglass, sanitizing, distancing, reminding, worrying - about people at home and at school, sanitizing some more, revising the way you've always done things - often adapting in a blink of an eye.

But remember... you're the first educators to tackle a challenge like the one we're facing now.  Years from now, 2020 will be remembered as the year we all learned how to live life at a distance from each other and continue to function as a society. The year we learned how to educate and connect to kids in a completely different way.

Pause for a moment and realize that what you're doing matters.  It matters not just for the students in our school today, but also for the future.  You're part of a large-scale systemic change, and you are making history.  So do you wonder why you're exhausted - mentally and physically?  This is hard work.  And I want each and every one of you to know how much I appreciate your hard work, thoughtful decisions, commitment to our building, and overall, maintaining a positive "can do" attitude throughout all of this.

Please take the Thanksgiving break to spend time with loved ones that may have been placed second due to school-related things, and to spend time on yourself - rejuvenate, rest, and enjoy the time off.

From the bottom of my heart, thanks for all you do -
Sue

End of First Trimester

 

The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates said, "Desperate times require desperate measures."  What he meant is that in adverse circumstances, actions that might have been rejected under other circumstances may become the best choice.  And these are certainly desperate times! COVID has brought unprecedented challenges to educators throughout the world.  Assessment is one of the many areas that is proving to be a very challenging practice.

Teachers have worked diligently and creatively to try to measure their IDL students' progress, coaching and giving feedback whenever possible.  You have made phone calls home, set up reinforcement systems, met with students 1:1, created and implemented a variety of engagement strategies, and have worked harder than ever before.  As we approach grading and reporting, do your best.  There are not simple solutions or ideal circumstances, so use what you have to base your reporting on.  This may include concerns/conversations about engagement for some of your IDL learners, and that can be reflected on the report card as you would in class.  Do your best to communicate an accurate picture, with plans for next steps to support the student's progress - whatever that may look like.

These certainly are challenging times, maybe even desperate times!  Please let me know how I can help!
Sue

Houlton 2020-21 1st Trimester Report Card Schedule

Office will print / reprint report cards. 

Tuesday (11/24/20) - End of 1st Trimester/Early Release Day to work on report cards

Monday (11/30/20) - Grade window closes at 11:59 pm

Tuesday (12/1/20) - Office will print report cards; grade window opens after printing

Thursday (12/3/20) - Updated grades in Skyward by 11:59 pm

Friday (12/4/20) - Office will do any reprints, report cards are sent home with students

Note:

The second sample shows a subject which only needs Skills/Standards grades (note that T1 Learn and T1 Behav are not underlined, only the Skills/Standards are underlined).

Please make sure you grade ALL Trimester Grades and ALL Skills/Standards.   

Things to Remember:

• N/A is only used as a Grade Level on 2 Kindergarten standards in Reading and Writing, 1st Trimester only
• If the TITLE of the column is underlined, a grade is needed.
• The first sample shows a subject which needs a Trimester Grade (T1 Reading is underlined) and Skills/Standards Grades (those column titles are underlined). 
• The teacher is responsible for making additional copies if more than 1 report card iper student is needed. Extra report card envelopes are in the office.

2020 END OF TRIMESTER 1 TO DO LIST

Item to Check Off:	Due Date:
Grades 1-5 Math Interim Assessment after Unit 2 See Amanda McCarthy’s email	Should be completed so do if you haven’t:)
Update F&P Levels in Illuminate DNA	End of Trimester 1--Tuesday , Nov 24th
Kindergarten Teachers K Readers with fewer than 40 letters and fewer than 3-5 sight words can wait to formally assess using BAS. Input Literacy Assessment Data into DNA	End of Trimester 1--Tuesday , Nov 24th
Grades 3-5 Reading Interim Assessment See Amanda McCarthy’s email	End of Trimester 1--Tuesday , Nov 24th
NO ON DEMAND WRITING ASSESSMENT--optional if you chose to use for grading purposes
REPORT CARD SCHEDULE  IDL GRADING TID BITS	Report cards go home Friday, Dec 4th
SLO PRESENTATION  (detailed example included in the prezy for you to mimic into My Learning Plan)	Monday, December 7th

Self Care

The importance and benefits of self-care extend to every profession, but especially in education.  People in caregiving positions, like educators, often find it easier to tell others to take care of themselves than to do it themselves. Because educators are encouraged to focus so much energy on others (and so little on themselves), self-care is essential for everyone in the education profession to maintain good mental health.  Over 40% of teachers report feeling high stress every day during the school year.  Add on a pandemic, and this is something that we really need to pay attention to.

A few weeks ago we talked about the importance of school connectedness for students and families.  While that is extremely important, also a #1 priority is the health and well-being of our staff.  Education is a difficult job under normal circumstances, but when you add the additional stressors that 2020 has brought to us, it is even more challenging.  As we enter the holidays, report cards, etc. -  I want to remind staff of the resources Kristen has shared, and remind you to take care of yourselves - a  reminder that you can't pour from an empty cup.  

Staff Resources:

Staff Virtual Self Care Corner

HSD Mental Health Resources

Simple ideas for Staff Self Care

Going Home Checklist - quarters

Self Care for Staff - fall Welcome Back

Please refer to these resources as needed, and always reach out to others when in need.  We are here to support each other so we can do the work that we are here to do.

Take care!!
Sue

National Gratitude Month

 

November is National Gratitude Month, and a perfect time to practice and model the act of being grateful.  Here are some ideas for you, your students, and your family:

1. Play the alphabet gratitude game.

2. Show appreciation to others by sending thank you notes.

3. Encourage your children to start a gratitude journal. Keeping a gratitude journal has been shown to increase our sense of happiness by forcing us to acknowledge the positive moments in our day, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Whether it is a smile from a stranger, a good grade on a test, a gift from a relative, or an awe-inspiring sunset, we begin to feel calmer and more joyful by appreciating these experiences. You can really get creative with the type of journal you make, from collages to videos to drawings and paintings.

On Friday, we are asking staff and students to wear yellow and/or red - yellow to represent being the sunshine in someone's day, and red to represent a caring heart.

In honor of National Gratitude Month, I want to thank the Houlton staff for the commitment to education. dedication to our students, and perseverance to keep your head up and maintain a positive attitude this year.  I am impressed every single day with how hard people are working to make this a great year of learning for our students and families.