This week I saw many great things happening at UTE. I wanted to share just a few of those with you. On our journey from good to great, let these images be our evidence of the potential of greatness we possess! We are only 2.5 points from being labeled as a school of proficiency! We can do it. Our goal is to go from 3rd to 1st in the district and from a progressing school to a proficient school.
4th Grade had some costume fun that was aligned to the writing curriculum and fun! Mrs. Patton asked them, "Why is your costume the best?"
Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Varney applied their math target to a seasonal activity, which the students really enjoyed and will remember much longer than a simple worksheet! If you haven't visited 3rd grade to see what's going on in math, I encourage you to do so soon! They are definitely on a roll!
2nd grade has been working tirelessly on measuring. This whole group lesson had students up and about finding items to measure with nonstandard units. Mrs. Napier's 2 minutes of teacher talk with this student was worth so much more than 40 corrected papers could be!
Mrs. Williams using literature in math, kicks off some very rigorous lessons and gets much more thought and discussion amongst students than just lecturing. This whole group lesson took 3 or 4 days, but the high level of questioning and student engagement was well worth the time! I wish someone would've taught me math this way! The days of just practicing operations are long gone folks.
Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Varney applied their math target to a seasonal activity, which the students really enjoyed and will remember much longer than a simple worksheet! If you haven't visited 3rd grade to see what's going on in math, I encourage you to do so soon! They are definitely on a roll!
Ideas and Structure for Improvement: From Our Data Day
1. Every Child, Every Chance, Every Day!2. Highly Rigourous and Engaging Instruction
3. School Wide Behavior Plan
4. Visiting Each Others' Classrooms to Gain Ideas
5. Instruction CONGRUENT to Standards and Targets
6. High Levels of Questioning in All Content, Particularly Math
7. Writing in ALL Content Areas Daily
8. Writing Workshop in All Daily Schedules
Kentucky Education News:
Kentucky School Report Card (KPREP Scores)Kentucky Seclusion and Restraint Booklet
UTE Calendar and Reminders: November
6 - VOTE!7 - Special Ed. Reading Academy, Leadership Team 2:30, Faculty Mtg. 3:30
8 - 2nd and 3rd Reading Academy
9 - Principal's Book Club (4th and 5th Grades) 7:40, Service Team Meeting 8:45 (Gees, Stevens, Justice, Jackson) *** If you have any attendance, basic needs, emotional needs, academic concerns about a student please get their name to one of the people attending this meeting!, Special Ed. Dept. Mtg. 2:30
12 - Veterans Day Ceremony Rehearsal 1:30, Budget Committee @ 3:00
13 - Veterans Day Ceremony 9:30 followed by a chilli luncheon, District Elementary Reading Extravaganza Competition ECMS @ 6:00p.m.
14 - Faculty Meeting (Program Reviews Curr & Inst. Due)
15 - 4th and 5th Reading Academy, Principal's Book Club (4th and 5th Grades)
16 - 4th and 5th Grades Classroom Spelling Bee Winner Names to Mrs. Brown,
19 - School Spelling Bee 8:30, SBDM Meeting 3:30, UTE Presentation @ Board Meeting 6:00 (Please make plans to attend to show your support of our efforts at becoming the #1 school in the county/state.)
20 - Principal's Book Club (4th and 5th Grades), Special Ed. Department Mtg. 2:30
21 - Flexible PD, NO SCHOOL
22 - Thanksgiving Day, NO SCHOOL
23 - NO SCHOOL
28 - Leadership Team @ 2:30, Faculty Meeting (Professional Growth Teams) @ 3:30
29 - Principal's Book Club (4th and 5th Grades)
30 - Service Team Meeting 8:45
I agree that great things are going on throughout the entire building. Everyone here is always working hard. My mission statement is to be an outstanding teacher.
ReplyDeleteTo
Educate
All
Children with
Highly
Effective, efficient, and
Rigorous activities
Jackie Kennedy's comment was so moving,"Can anyone understand how it is to live in the White House and then, suddenly, to be living alone as the President's Widow."
ReplyDeleteThe article on Kentucky Seclusions and Restraints broke my heart. I felt so sorry for the children in the photos. I had no idea that currently Kentucky has no statewide regulations dealing with the use of restraint & seclusion in our public schools or no reporting or parent notification requirement, and no staff training requirements. I know our county has had trainings. Hopefully the Kentucky Center for Instructional Discipline (KCID)will continue teaching districts how to implement PBS and the number of these cases will drop to zero.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the article on restraint and seclusion, I wonder what has happened to common sense? Why in todays times would children still be abused by so called educators? This article really upset me. Yes there is some behaviors that do aggravate me, but you still love the child! If we only knew what some of these kids face on a daily bases we would be horrified. I think a little love can sooth a lot of hurt. Why aren’t we trying to make their young lives easier not harder?
ReplyDeleteThe article on restraint and seclusion was very alarming to me especially that Carter County has been investigated. I know that some educators in our county are required to take this training but no statewide regulations are in place and should be.
ReplyDeleteWe are excited to see the level of rigorous activity going on in our school! No wonder we have such high attendance, students are engaged and learning is FUN! We are anxiously awaiting next year's test scores, because we feel that not only will we reach our goal...but surpass it!! How can we not with all of the great teachers we have?!
ReplyDeleteJackson, Flannery, Napier
This was very disturbing information about reports and incidents concerning abuse where restraint was used improperly. Physical abuse is very obvious and leaves physical scars. THis made me think about emotional abuse that leaves scars as well. I love positive reinforcement for this very reason. HOw we make children feel will reflect in their behavior in our classrooms. We cant control most of what happens beyond our watch, but we CAN control the classroom environment and must remember that students need love, consistent, clear, and appropriate discipline, and lessons in learning and in life. WE have a very important job and kids will respond if we approach them remembering all these things. May every child at Upper Tygart Elementary feel safe, loved, and appreciated.
ReplyDeleteIn response, we agree with Mrs. Napier, Flannery, and Jackson. We will surpass our goals because we are very dedicated to the students at our school. To respond to the article about restraint and seclusion in schools, we were appalled. It is shocking to hear that professional educators are allowing this type of abuse to students and what we viewed made us think of abuse. If students were coming to school with these types of marks on them, we would think the parents were abusing them. We know that some students have issues that call for drastic measures but if restraint is supposed to be used to prevent imment physical harm to themselves or others, it should not be causing harm in itself. We agree with Mrs. Tackett in hoping that all our students feel loved and respected.
ReplyDeleteYoung & Zeigler
It was very disturbing to read the report about incidents concerning abuse with improperly used restraints. I agree with Peggy if our students were coming to school with marks on them we would think the child was being abused. What is the difference? None. Yes, students have issues but it is never appropriate to do anything to a child that results in physical marks left on the child. I think we need to spread a loving, caring, respective message to our students whenever possible.
ReplyDeleteRegrets restraint and seclusion--------As many of you know I worked for both Pathways and Community Alternatives before becoming a teacher. With both jobs came the responsibility of restraint and seclusion. I would never wish either on the caregiver or the patient/student. I've watched young adults batter themselves in the face causing facial fractures due to a legal physical restraint being impossible to preform. Children and adults alike who require a physical restraint are suffering so deeply that I'm not sure anyone could truly understand.
ReplyDeleteI'm as bad as a kid I love seeing my good job posted!!!! The Halloween opinion writing was great and my students loved it. Next year I plan to use the same prompt with much higher expectations and guidelines. We are an awesome group of teachers and I believe in us!! We can do anything we set our minds to. GO UTE!!!