Weekly News

B Week

Please view Monday announcements on PETV.

There will not be a "class of the week" due to the short week.  Our Student Leadership Team will serve as announcement helpers on Tuesday.

Class of the Week Next Week - Mrs. Taylor's 4th Grade Class

PACE Character Trait:  Cooperation

Paine Power Word:  Predict

As we reflect on blessings this Thanksgiving season, we remember each and every member of our Paine Family.  Your talents, dedication, passion, and commitment to our students is INSPIRING!  We are thankful for you!

Arrival and Dismissal

Dismissal in the boulevards is becoming more chaotic with some students running.  It takes everyone to ensure we have a efficient and safe dismissal.  Please be sure to stand outside your room and monitor until all students have exited your hallway.  If you have duty, please be sure to be at your post on time and monitoring students.

Please stand at your door greeting students each morning as they are entering your classroom.  This places them in a positive frame of mind ready for learning.  

BUILDING RAPPORT WITH STUDENTS: 

10 REASONS TO GREET THEM AT THE DOOR

By: Reed Gillespie / February 16 2015 / Education Rehash, Inspiration

1. Build relationships with your students enhances their emotional needs, as well as yours.
2. Offer praise and feedback (this need not be class related).
3. Some students, like those with ADD/ADHD, have trouble switching classes. Greet these students at the door with explicit directions about what to do. For some of my more challenging students, I would essentially escort them to their seats to ensure they started class on task. 
4. It gives you a chance to connect with every student and to gauge their emotional state.
5. Students have a lot to say and we should take the time to listen to them.
6. Albeit brief, it’s a chance to have a one-on-one conversation with a student.
7. It gives you an opportunity to model (and for students to practice) socially acceptable behaviors, like eye contact, a firm handshake, and good posture.
8. You can ask each student a question to formatively assess their understanding of the previous day’s lesson. With some classes I’d take this a step further and ask a question which the students had to get right before entering class.
9. Teach the students respectful behaviors. My rule was a simple one, “Every time I ask you a question, please answer the question and ask a question in return.”
   1. Me: Did you watch the football game last night?
   2. JJ: Yeah, I can’t believe the Redskins lost. Did you watch it
   3. Me: Of course. Not sure why it surprised you though. They’ve been awful this year. A matter of caution, I’d often ask about their lives outside of school and about their weekends. For students with horrible home lives, doing so sets them back and can ruin your effort at fostering a welcoming classroom environment.
10. It can be a time saver. While I had a consistent classroom routine, greeting students at the door would allow you to cue them to something that may be different (please be sure to turn in your homework or please pick up the work you missed yesterday from the absent folder).

Simply greeting students at the door has been proven to increase student attention to learning (on-task behavior) and it establishes teacher rapport with students.

It’s simple and effective and worth the little extra effort.

Monday Afternoon

We will have a "brief" faculty meeting Monday afternoon.  We will vote on the budget and answer any questions about upcoming Inclusive Week, Secret Pals, etc.
Following this meeting, the Math Leadership Team will remain in the collaboration room for a preliminary meeting to plan a school Family Math Night.

Learning Targets

How will learning targets help my students be leaders of their own learning?

"The process of learning shouldn't be a mystery.  Learning targets provide students with tangible goals that they can understand and work toward.  Rather than the teacher taking on all of the responsibility for meeting a lesson's objective, learning targets, written in student-friendly language and frequently reflected on, transfer ownership for meeting objectives from the teacher to the student."                                                    Ron Berger - Leaders of Their Own Learning

Teachers, thank you for all of the hard work and the focus you have placed on engaging your students in learning targets. We are seeing well-written learning targets that are visible and frequently referenced, where students know the purpose of a lesson and can monitor their progress. Your commitment to your students is recognized . . . and inspiring!

 Sunshine Committee Update - Secret Pals

Please keep Dr. Lothspeich, Ms. Finkley, and/or Mrs. Brumlow informed about times of need, crisis, or celebration so we can support our Paine Family.  Sunshine Committee Members:  Susan Brandon, Julia Booker, Christa Campbell, Janea Rosemberg, Carissa Davis, Christy Stewart, Wendy Cramer, Rachelle Taylor, Jenni Peter, and Lori Phillips.

Having a secret pal throughout the school year is a fun spirit builder. It makes everyone feel good about themselves and co-workers.  Our guidelines: You must treat your secret pal once a month beginning in DECEMBER- $5 per month limit. It is also encouraged that you drop your secret pal notes of encouragementDu weekly.  We will have a reveal party in MAY and all participants will exchange a $15 gift. We will use SneakyPal.com as a platform for randomizing the matching of pals. This site also has an anonymous communication option that you can use to communicate with your secret pal! I have not used this site before but sounds promising.  If you want to participate, click on the sneakypal invite below and enter your name. It asks for a nickname but please put your first and last name. Use the link below to join the group: http://sneakypal.com/invite.aspx?i=754dd4d6 You must input your name by Nov. 26 in order to participate. Spread the word, as this is the only way to join in the fun!  We will not use the wish list option within SneakyPals.  Here is the link to all our FAVORITES lists! https://goo.gl/3YTyDg Be sure to fill out your favorites!  Open your folder. Make a copy of the Blank My Favorites and rename it with your name.  If you need clarification, please ask a Sunshine Committee Member.

Upcoming Dates to Remember: 

Secret Pal Kick-off - November 26-30th

SRO Appreciation Day - January 9th

Duty this Week