Staff Update Week of August 26, 2024

Welcome Back

Important Dates

8/27-        Open House (6:30-7:30pm)

8/28-        Fire Drill 2:28pm

8/29-        School Picture Day

8/30-        PBIS Kickoff 8th period

9/2-            Labor Day (No School)

Important Information

Thank You

Thanks everybody for a great start to the year.  The students all seem to understand our "non negotiables" very well.  Thanks for making it clear to them.  Thank you for your hard work adapting to the new formats and structures of the schedule.  Things will run smoother as time goes by.

SmartPass

It sounds like our students understand that we will be using SmartPass.  Please start using SmartPass for restroom breaks starting Monday.  If your team would like to use it for other passes, that is fine with me.

If you need help with SmartPass, please let me or Casey know.  It is very easy once you start using it.

Fall Sporting Events

Fall sports are off to a great start.  Thank you Shannon and our fall coaches.  Please consider attending a home event to watch you students participate.  They LOVE when their teachers attend.  Seriously.....they talk about it all the time.

Open House

Open House is on Tuesday from 6:30-7:30.  This is a great opportunity to form strong relationships with parents. 

Here are some great tips for Middle School Open Houses

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

10 Snap Shots of Effective Middle School Teams

Teaming Teachers Offer Tips

 Staff Update Week of August 19, 2024

Important Dates

8/19-        Teacher Work Day

8/20-        Convocation Day

8/21-        First Day of School

8/23-        PBIS Kickoff 1st period

8/27-        Open House (6:30-7:30pm)

8/28-        Fire Drill 2:28pm

8/29-        School Picture Day

8/30-        PBIS Kickoff 8th period

9/2-            Labor Day (No School)

Important Information

Monday, August 19th

6th Grade Orientation 9:00-11:00

7th/8th Grade Schedule Pick Ups 9:00-1:00

Building open to 6th Grade Families 5:00-7:00pm

    *Students have been invited to "chalk the walk"  on Monday

Tuesday, August 20th

Convocation Day @ South High School

7:45am-  Continental Breakfast

8:30am-  Program Begins

10:45am-  Staff Meeting @EMS   (room TBA)

12:30-3:00pm    Staff to work in PLCs

Guidance Intros

The schedule is as follows:

1st Period - All 7th Graders in the Gym (no bleachers needed)

2nd Period - All Explorers (6th) in Rm 212

6th Period - All Aviators (6th) in Rm 212

8th Period - All 8th Graders in the Gym (no bleachers needed)

If you have kids during these periods, please bring them to the appropriate places.  They will need just their Chromebooks and will take about 25 minutes.

SmartPass

We will be going with a digital hall pass system this year.

I am hoping we can have this up and running by August 26th.

We will talk about it during the staff meeting on Tuesday.

Here is a link to a SmartPass Demo video I suggest you watch.

Grade Level Expectation Talks

6th Grade-  Thursday 2nd Period

7th Grade-  Thursday- 1st Period

8th Grade-  Friday- 2nd Period

PBIS Assemblies

Friday, August 23rd  1st period (adjusted bell schedule)

Friday, August 30th 8th period (adjusted bell schedule)

                        Adjusted Bell Schedules

Good Professional Reading (or Watching)

BIFF:  A Method that Teachers can use to Navigate Hostile Written Communication

Using a Murder Mystery Game to kick off the year

RTI: Tier 1 Examples