Staff Update Week of January 5, 2026

Important Dates

1/5-                            Start of 3rd Quarter

1/7-                            Group Picture Day

1/15-                           Afterschool Staff Meeting 3:15-4:15

1/16-                          Second Quarter Awards (1st-3rd periods)

1/19-                        MLK Day (No School)

1/20-                        Fire Drill 2:23

1/30-                        6th Grade Field Trip- United Skates- STEM

Important Information

Welcome Back   

I hope everyone had a restful break.  Welcome back to EMS.  Please encourage your students to start 2026 out with making good decisions.

2nd Quarter Grades

Per Casey's email, Grades are due January 6th at Midnight.

Please make sure you are filling out the At-Risk Possible Failure Spreadsheet if a student is receiving a D or an F

Group Picture Day

Just a friendly reminder that Group Picture Day is this Wednesday (Jan 7th).  Jack will be sending out details.

After School Staff Meeting- January 15th

Just a reminder, there is a one hour after school staff meeting on January 15th.  I will share more details as I receive them.

New Years Resolution?

A great New Years Resolution would be for each teacher to make a minimum of one positive parent phone call or email per week.  This simple task can make a huge difference in motivating kids to try their best.

Christmas Miracles

Not only did the Cleveland Browns defeat that hated team from Pennsylvania, our flex rooms got furniture!   Each room has 32 seats.  We will discuss possible ways of utilizing these rooms during PLCs this week.

(Sorry Kirk, no furniture for the library)

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

60-Second Strategy:  Board Splash

 

Staff Update Week of December 15, 2025

First Lego League competed against other schools this weekend.  Thank you Kirk and Janine for working with the students.  They had a lot of fun.

Important Dates

12/17-                        Music Assembly 2nd period

12/17-                        Locker Clean Out (upstairs)

12/18-                        Locker Clean Out (downstairs)

12/19-                        End of 2nd Quarter

1/5-                            Start of 3rd Quarter

Important Information

Student Behavior

Please make sure everyone is monitoring the hallways between classes, before school, and after school.  Lets stop students from making poor decisions before they happen.

Hallways

Hallways look great.  Just a reminder to make sure everything is cleaned up by Thursday at 3pm.  Thank you

Thank You

Thank you for a great first semester.  I hope everyone has a great winter break.  See you in 2026

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

Classroom Management Strategies for Defiant Students

Staff Update Week of December 8, 2025

Kevin Rhomberg, former Major League Baseball player and Joe's dad, talks to our 7th and 8th grade students.

Important Dates

12/11-                        7th Grade Mini-Career Day (7th/8th periods)

12/11                           8th Grade Assembly-  Officer Ward w/ Axl (8th period)

12/12-                        Fire Drill 2nd 10:23am

12/17-                        Music Assembly 2nd period

12/17-                        Locker Clean Out (upstairs)

12/18-                        Locker Clean Out (downstairs)

12/19-                        End of 2nd Quarter

1/5-                            Start of 3rd Quarter

Important Information

Informal Observation

For anyone that is not on the Formal Evaluation cycle this year, I need to come observe you teach a class.  Please let me know if you would like me to stop in for an informal observation sometime in December.

Home Sporting Events

We have two home basketball games this week.  Please consider sticking around and watching a game.  Our students love to see their teachers there cheering them on.

Student Engagement

Only two weeks to go.  Please make sure you are keeping students engaged in your lessons.  Student down time is where problems begin.  Dont be the weak link.  Keep the kids busy learning.

The hallways look great.  It sets a nice tone for the building as we near Winter Break.  Like last year, please have the hallways cleaned out by Thursday, December 18th at 3pm.  Thanks

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

ChatGPT prompts for Educators

 

Staff Update Week of December 1 , 2025

Dave volunteering to wear the "bite suit" as part of a Career Connections assembly with Axl the EPD K9

Important Dates

11/18-                        Winter Band Concert 7pm

11/24-                        Fire Drill 1:35pm

11/27-12/1                Thanksgiving Break

12/5-                           Pretzel Fundraiser Ends

12/11-                        7th Grade Mini-Career Day (7th/8th periods)

12/12-                        Fire Drill 2nd 10:23am

12/17-                        Music Assembly 2nd period

12/17-                        Locker Clean Out (upstairs)

12/18-                        Locker Clean Out (downstairs)

12/19-                        End of 2nd Quarter

1/5-                            Start of 3rd Quarter

Important Information

After School Staff Meeting

Mark your calendars.  We will be having an afterschool staff meeting on January 15th from 3:15-4:15.  Katy Nagaj will be leading this meeting.  More details to come at a later date.  All teachers are expected to attend.

*  Before everyone rushes to get their "sick days" in for that day, keep in mind that you will most likely need to make up any time you miss at the meeting.

MAP Testing

6th Grade ELA-  December 8

6th Grade Math-  December 15

7th Grade ELA-    December 11

7th Grade Math-    December 16

8th Grade ELA-    December 11

8th Grade Math-    December 9

Testing will not affect any Elective Classes.  PLCs will decide testing times on these dates.

Three Weeks

Only three weeks until winter break.  Please make sure you are communicating with parents if you students are not completing assignments or receiving poor grades.

Do not wait until January to let parents know their student is not doing well in class.  

The At Risk/ Possible Failure List still shows some parents that were not communicated with for quarter 1.   This is your job.  Make sure it gets done.

Classroom Discipline

Just a reminder.....if students are not following your classroom expectations for behavior, please issue them consequences.  If lunch detentions are not solving the problem, then please issue after school detentions.

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

6 Ways to Maximize Turn and Talk

Differentiated Instruction Strategies for Gifted Students

 

Staff Update Week of November 17, 2025

2025 Fall Choir Concert

Important Dates

11/18-                        Winter Band Concert 7pm

11/24-                        Fire Drill 1:35pm

11/27-12/1                Thanksgiving Break

12/19-                        End of 2nd Quarter

Important Information

RIMP Progress Monitoring Day (6th Grade Only)

On Tuesday, November 18th, Julie Bonacci will be meeting with 6th grade teachers associated with students on RIMPs.  Here is the schedule for the day.

Dishong	8:45-9:15	1st period
Murfey	9:45-10:15	2nd period
McQueen	10:30-11:00	3rd period
Stenger	11:15-11:45	4th period	* Take lunch 5th period
Minichello	12:00-12:30	5th period
Harth	1:45-2:15	7th period

Alice Training 

Please take a few minutes this week to discuss the importance of ALICE procedures with your students.  Safety needs to be on the top of our minds at all times.

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

7 Smart, Fast Ways to do Formative Assessment

 

Staff Update Week of November 10, 2025

Looks like snow is coming our way.

Important Dates

11/10-                        First Quarter Awards 1st-3rd Periods

11/10-                        Smiles Dental Program 

11/11-                        Mini Career Day (8th Grade) TBA

11/13-                        ALICE student training assembly 8th period

11/18-                        Winter Band Concert 7pm

11/24-                        Fire Drill 1:35pm

11/27-12/1                Thanksgiving Break

Important Information

First Quarter Awards

We will call students down to the Cafeteria via announcements

Like last year, any students that do not receive a 3.0 or above will go back to class.  Students that received above a 3.0 will receive a donut and hang out in the cafeteria .

1st period-  7th Grade

2nd period-  6th Grade

3rd period-  8th Grade

Band (all grade level practice)

Katie will be taking all band students 8th period on Friday 11/14 and Monday, 11/17.  This will help prepare them for their concert on 11/18.  Thank you for your flexibility.

Alice Training (Students)

We will be having an ALICE student training assembly on Thursday, November 13th, 8th period. 

Presenters will review ALICE procedures with students.  

Please sit in the bleachers with your students to ensure they are paying attention.

Please make sure you review with students what they learned on Friday in your classes.

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

Nothing this week

 

Staff Update Week of November 3, 2025

Jail the Teacher

Important Dates

11/4-                           Professional Development Day

11/5-                            Fall Choir Concert 7pm

11/10-                        First Quarter Awards 1st-3rd Periods

11/10-                        Smiles Dental Program 

11/11-                        Mini Career Day (8th Grade) TBA

11/13-                        ALICE student training assembly 8th period

11/18-                        Winter Band Concert 7pm

11/24-                        Fire Drill 1:35pm

Important Information

Jail The Teacher

This was my first Jail the Teacher experience.  My expectations were a day of ciaos and raising maybe five hundred dollars.

I was wrong.  For the most part, students were well behaved and we raised $2614.  Great work to everyone involved.  Big shout out to Amy Smith and Mackenize Clark for their hard work organizing this event.

PD Day

Please make sure you are following the Professional Development schedule which was sent out last week.

All staff members who work directly with students (WETA and WECP) are required to complete the special education modules assigned for the PD Day.  

You must print out the certificates of completion and turn them in to me (or Jaimie) prior to the end of the day.

Alice Training (Students)

We will be having an ALICE student training assembly on Thursday, November 13th, 8th period.  More details to come next week.

Jack B Teaming Meetings

Jack B is has been rescheduled for 11/5.  He will be at EMS to meet with PLCs on Wednesday morning.

1st period-  7th Grade PLC    (Rick Johnson's Room)

2nd period-   6th Grade PLC   (Justine Ianiro's Room)

3rd period-   8th Grade PLC   (Amy Smith's Room)

** Do to these meetings taking place, there will be no PLCs this week

At Risk/ Possible Failure

If you had any students receive a D or an F in your class the first quarter, please make sure you update the  At Risk/ Possible Failure spreadsheet.  I

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

Electives Increase Student Engagement

Social Studies Activities