In the days ahead, two events stand out in their level of importance to our school and school system. We will be meeting with PAWS advisory groups for the first time on Thursday, October 13 and will host a SACS accreditation team on Tuesday, October 18. Above all else, I ask that each of us take the necessary steps to be at our best for both. Don’t hesitate to see me if I can assist you in your preparations.
SACS Interview Groups - I have shared the rosters of the interview groups who will meet with the accreditation team next Tuesday. I will meet with each group this Thursday, October 13. My meeting with the student group will be at 2:25 in the cafeteria and will conclude at 2:40. I will meet with the teacher group and Leadership Team at 3:05 in the Media Center. After discussing the interview process, the teacher group will be excused and we will finish the Leadership Team meeting agenda.
SACS Walk-Through and Classroom Observations – The finalized schedule of the accreditation team’s walk-through (8:00-8:30) and classroom observations (9:50-10:20) will be provided to all teachers on Tuesday, October 11.
Displays of Student Work - I am pleased to see exemplary student work being displayed throughout our building. In a recent meeting with other building administrators, it was discussed that the accreditation team will be looking for evidence of our school improvement efforts. Displays of exemplary student work in classrooms and hallways are not just an attempt to impress our visitors. They communicate high expectations and create a vision for our students of what quality looks like.
This Week’s Collaboration Meetings – Reading/ELA teachers will meet today at 3:05. Science teachers will meet tomorrow at 3:05, and the Social Studies meeting will take place on Wednesday at 3:05. All meetings will be held in the Media Center.
CMS Football – The CMS Tiger football team wraps up its season this Wednesday at Oglethorpe County. The team is on a roll having won every game since a season opening loss to Franklin County. Their record stands at 4-1.
Thank You – Thank you to those teachers who attended last week’s PTO meeting. We had a solid turnout of parents, and I was pleased with our guest speaker and the outcomes of the meeting. For those unable to attend, we will be holding our 5th Annual PTO Halloween Dance from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 27. Our students have always been very well-behaved at our dances, but we can never have too many teacher chaperones.
Mock Writing Tests – We will schedule mock writing tests today for all grade levels. In addition to these mock tests, it is essential that teams work together to develop writing activities for students not only as we approach these tests, but throughout the school year. Consider this forthright quote below from Mike Schmoker: “Students in successful schools are regularly involved in writing across the curriculum. They do not use writing as a diversion from math, science, music, or physical education. Rather, they proceed with the conviction that if these subjects are worthy of thinking, then they are worthy of writing. Courses in the school that do not require students to participate in meaningful writing exercises are a disservice to the literacy development of the students and to the academic progress of the school.”
Moodle Training and an Interesting Article – Twenty-two teachers and administrators will be participating in Moodle training on October 26, and again on December 13. I am really excited about the doors this training will open for our teachers, students, and parents. Some of those participating in the training are admittedly stepping outside their “comfort zone,” and I applaud you. As Will Richardson shares in Lifelong UNlearning, traditional educational models are changing radically. All of us have a great deal to relearn and unlearn.
Food for Thought - “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” --Steve Jobs
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