Announcements!
Ms. Branch reminded seventh graders to hold on to eligibility lists.
Check spring festival schedule. Make changes and give them to Michele.
Ms. Gonnella reminded and encouraged all to attend festival Saturday.
Eighth grade trip paperwork forthcoming.
Ms. Gonnella reminded folks to sign stull evals.
Book fair is going on. Please sign up English teachers!
Help is needed for supervision. Please be visible on the yard to help keep our campus safe.
Ms. Berman expressed gratitude for support of the Washington family.
Ms. Dawson announced the Emerson mile over the next few days. Please come out and support our athletes!
Ms. Gonnella brought out attention to the Performance Meter and she wants us to keep this in mind as we plan for next year.
Jeremy Bollinger, the new PTSA president, introduced himself and let us know they are here to support us.
Fred then passed out materials for a discussion about uniforms. He went over the revised uniform policy and procedures. We then discussed uniforms at length.
I became too frustrated to continue taking notes.
Mr. Oakes made a few UTLA announcements regarding the proposed contract. There was some discussion about this tentative agreement.
Kathy clarified what she's signed us up for in terms of test-based evaluations.
That is all.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Schedule Reflection
We are reflecting on our current schedule, what we like, what works and what we would like to change. First we did silent, written reflection, then elbow partners, then a tea party. I need to mingle and hear what others think. A tea party is a way to get lots of different opinions.
Folks are sharing their ideas on our current schedule. I can not do lots of detail because I am on an iPAD. I will get the notes up here if I can.
Straw poll
4day no block 14
4day block 1
2day block 17
Perhaps we need more discussion on block. Discussion and clarification. Another straw poll.
Old 11
4day 20
Can we use this poll to move forward and work from this base of a 2 day block? Discussion about X, intervention, ET.
Things to think about for next meeting
ET on block days 10 min. Add minutesnto block and x
MTF shorten ET to 8 minutes plus 5 to each class period. 1st period has ET
Intervention in ET. X period pure fun or gone and minutes to block.
Keep ET as is. AR great.
Clarify X period purpose
ET and X same kids and same time.
Have ET be your kids from other periods.
Keep heterogenous ETs, not your regular kids.
X period keep 6th from 7and 8.
Have a week to think about this.
Folks are sharing their ideas on our current schedule. I can not do lots of detail because I am on an iPAD. I will get the notes up here if I can.
Straw poll
4day no block 14
4day block 1
2day block 17
Perhaps we need more discussion on block. Discussion and clarification. Another straw poll.
Old 11
4day 20
Can we use this poll to move forward and work from this base of a 2 day block? Discussion about X, intervention, ET.
Things to think about for next meeting
ET on block days 10 min. Add minutesnto block and x
MTF shorten ET to 8 minutes plus 5 to each class period. 1st period has ET
Intervention in ET. X period pure fun or gone and minutes to block.
Keep ET as is. AR great.
Clarify X period purpose
ET and X same kids and same time.
Have ET be your kids from other periods.
Keep heterogenous ETs, not your regular kids.
X period keep 6th from 7and 8.
Have a week to think about this.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Professioanl Development May 17th
Whew. Too much last minute goings on. So we're starting with a few announcements.
Kathy G:
Kathy G: Some stories about testing. Lots of classes have perfect attendance. Kids for make ups will be called to the library. Thank you everyone.
Garry: Annual Hazardous Communication presentation
Special sign in for this specific training. You know the drill. Eeeeew, we also get a worksheet to go along with the PowerPoint. So we're learning what makes a substance a hazardous material. There are loads of rules for how these materials are used and stored. This is an annual training.
So here's what you need to know for the vocabulary test
If there is a chemical spill, we have to "run" and get out of there, our first priority is the safety of our students. Who you gonna call? No, not "Ghostbusters" like our entire staff said, but instead call OEHS. And tell our chemical safety person.
Garry went over safety gear. Now we're taking a QUIZ on the MDSS. I'm answering with TPR (holding up fingers)
Labels - like the ones we see on trucks and on the walls. Labels need to have certain information. If it doesn't have a label, don't just open it up.
You've wondered about the 4 color diamond labels, right? From the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association).
Blue: Health hazard
Red: Flammability
Yellow: Reactivity Hazard
White: other Hazard info. Kyle totally knows this stuff. There is a 0-4 scale to tell you how dangerous things are.
AND there is another labeling system. Yes, there is! HMIS Hazardous Material identification System.
If you want the powerpoint, Garry can give you the phone number.
Now we're off to our grade level meetings. End of the year is very busy. I'm staying in the library for 8th grade. I wish today was a bit more interesting for all you readers. I'll try to find a good pic for chemical safety.
8th grade meeting:
1. The PTSA wants some teachers to go on the Knotts trip. Let them know.
2. Discussion with Lily on the lead about 8th grade awards night. Concerns about spreading the awards around and NOT giving out a million awards and diluting. Some parents as well had concerns.
Give out the certificates in ET but announce 3 year perfect attendance and 4.0. The rest for department awards. Michele will find the top 3 8th grade word counts. Discussion that we don't need 6 awards for every department. Noriko mentioned that last year was very short and quick.
3. UCLA booked on June 10th. Free June 9th. Music concert on the 9th. Talking about what to do. Michele asked why we need a field day? Lots of reasons given. Lots of talking. Looks like June 8th at UCLA. Based on 15 week grades. Heather will create the coverage schedule. Noriko will do the trip slips and get the swimming details, chaperones.
4. C and D are at Uni working on culmination.
Reviewing to do lists for all of us and schedules as early as possible please. My head is swimming with all these end of the semester goings on.
Story time.
Michele
Kathy G:
- Mr. Morrison is now teaching math for the rest of the semester.
- Departments need to give Kathy the name of their new chairs.
- Kathy would like a waiver to hold off on the master schedule since we don't yet know @ RIFs and class sizes. There are issues with SIS. You can't change the master like you used to be able to. Deadline for master is June 1st. Kathy says she can give us something on paper. Now there are many small discussions about the schedule next year. Think about it. We'll talk next week.
Kathy G: Some stories about testing. Lots of classes have perfect attendance. Kids for make ups will be called to the library. Thank you everyone.
Garry: Annual Hazardous Communication presentation
Special sign in for this specific training. You know the drill. Eeeeew, we also get a worksheet to go along with the PowerPoint. So we're learning what makes a substance a hazardous material. There are loads of rules for how these materials are used and stored. This is an annual training.
So here's what you need to know for the vocabulary test
- corrosive - goes through the test tiube and burns your hand
- flammable - can burn baby burn. btw...why do those trucks say inflammable? Means the same? i wish we had time for that question.
- explosives - blow up
- pressure - think of David Bowe and Freddy Mercury
- toxicity - think of bad mushrooms, or as Heather says, poisonusness
If there is a chemical spill, we have to "run" and get out of there, our first priority is the safety of our students. Who you gonna call? No, not "Ghostbusters" like our entire staff said, but instead call OEHS. And tell our chemical safety person.
Garry went over safety gear. Now we're taking a QUIZ on the MDSS. I'm answering with TPR (holding up fingers)
Labels - like the ones we see on trucks and on the walls. Labels need to have certain information. If it doesn't have a label, don't just open it up.
You've wondered about the 4 color diamond labels, right? From the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association).
Blue: Health hazard
Red: Flammability
Yellow: Reactivity Hazard
White: other Hazard info. Kyle totally knows this stuff. There is a 0-4 scale to tell you how dangerous things are.
AND there is another labeling system. Yes, there is! HMIS Hazardous Material identification System.
If you want the powerpoint, Garry can give you the phone number.
Now we're off to our grade level meetings. End of the year is very busy. I'm staying in the library for 8th grade. I wish today was a bit more interesting for all you readers. I'll try to find a good pic for chemical safety.
8th grade meeting:
1. The PTSA wants some teachers to go on the Knotts trip. Let them know.
2. Discussion with Lily on the lead about 8th grade awards night. Concerns about spreading the awards around and NOT giving out a million awards and diluting. Some parents as well had concerns.
Give out the certificates in ET but announce 3 year perfect attendance and 4.0. The rest for department awards. Michele will find the top 3 8th grade word counts. Discussion that we don't need 6 awards for every department. Noriko mentioned that last year was very short and quick.
3. UCLA booked on June 10th. Free June 9th. Music concert on the 9th. Talking about what to do. Michele asked why we need a field day? Lots of reasons given. Lots of talking. Looks like June 8th at UCLA. Based on 15 week grades. Heather will create the coverage schedule. Noriko will do the trip slips and get the swimming details, chaperones.
4. C and D are at Uni working on culmination.
Reviewing to do lists for all of us and schedules as early as possible please. My head is swimming with all these end of the semester goings on.
Story time.
Michele
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Testing Day #1 PD
So, last week, we neglected to do the blog! Oh no! We spent that meeting being trained in how to test our students. Kathy Garner gave every ET teacher a packet with testing materials and we watched the CST prep movie.
Today we finished our first day of testing! Whooo hooo! Ice cream is inhibiting Noriko's ability to blog, so I am helping out for a few minutes. We are clarifying what to do in the future when the students don't complete the CST in the allotted testing period and new procedures will be implemented tomorrow. Kathy is imploring us to go to Pershing Square on Friday and take part in the state-wide action. Teachers Unite! Oakes jumps in with some union related business (not on the agenda) that leads to comments (also not on the agenda). Michele looks annoyed that she isn't yet talking, even though she is on the agenda.
Noriko's back. Still listening to union stuff for Friday's action. Cecily's fired up! Okay... so get out to Pershing Square Friday or else and there are other actions planned. Parents are heading there too so get there. Five minutes... still clarifying the action Friday. This is an AFL/CIO combined effort.
Michele let us know where we are headed today. We are starting in departments and then heading into grade level meetings. Michele also went over the PD for the rest of the week and really, the rest of the year. With that she sent us off to our department chair.
We are now meeting as a department, so you are only going to get the science perspective, but I am sure you will get a taste of what all these meetings are about. First up - textbooks - we have ordered a few more textbooks and we will get the same two consumables (Interactive Reader and CST prep book). Deciding on who will do what next year - chair, chemical safety, science fair, nutrition network. Supplies - Robin is handling it. This year we have very generous parents, so maybe throw up a couple Donor's Choose projects and get some special stuff you need. Robin is unanimously elected as department chair again (Yeah!!!!), Brian will do chemical safety, need a science fair point person to make rubrics, register the school and the students, have written instructions for projects. There is a question about why we persist in doing the county science fair. There is some discussion about whether we should go back to the old science fair project system, or keep this year's system with some tweaking and clarification. Garry Joseph will be the science fair point person. There are still some things that need to be worked out, but we can meet more as a department and also build in more collaboration with other content teachers. Robin, Laura and I will meet to decide who gets the eighth grade science awards. There is a lot of discussion about what should or shouldn't be allowed as a science fair project. The students should have an opportunity to do the school science fair for low stakes before the county science fair. Brain and Heather and Robin will somehow work out nutrition network between us.
And now for something completely different. We are meeting as eighth grade. Robin is giving us the packet that includes the dates for eighth grade activities. Parents will donate water, orange wedges and cookies for the runners for the mile run. Lily, Laura and David Weiss are doing awards. Forms will be distributed at the grade level PD next Tuesday. Parents want to get snacks for teachers and kids who play in softball game. Robin is looking for volunteers for the 8th grade dance, handing out yearbooks, chaperone, etc. Now Robin wants volunteers to go as chaperones to Knott's Berry Farm on the PTSA trip. All students may go, not just eligible students. Noriko says that if we want UCLA, have to go on June 10. Consensus on date. Noriko will book UCLA, Heather will make a coverage schedule for students who stay behind, Noriko will talk to Dogtown Dogs, parents will be asked to donate supplemental food. David Oakes and Carolyn are on top of culmination. Heather will make a schedule for coverage of students and classes during culmination practice. Miss Mona and Ms. Branch will coordinate on flowers (daisies in pots, carnations to give out). Lily is bringing up the appeals committee. Who is on the committee and when will they meet? Sorry, I am leaving a lot of stuff out so that I can write it on my paper.
Noriko's back. Still listening to union stuff for Friday's action. Cecily's fired up! Okay... so get out to Pershing Square Friday or else and there are other actions planned. Parents are heading there too so get there. Five minutes... still clarifying the action Friday. This is an AFL/CIO combined effort.
Michele let us know where we are headed today. We are starting in departments and then heading into grade level meetings. Michele also went over the PD for the rest of the week and really, the rest of the year. With that she sent us off to our department chair.
We are now meeting as a department, so you are only going to get the science perspective, but I am sure you will get a taste of what all these meetings are about. First up - textbooks - we have ordered a few more textbooks and we will get the same two consumables (Interactive Reader and CST prep book). Deciding on who will do what next year - chair, chemical safety, science fair, nutrition network. Supplies - Robin is handling it. This year we have very generous parents, so maybe throw up a couple Donor's Choose projects and get some special stuff you need. Robin is unanimously elected as department chair again (Yeah!!!!), Brian will do chemical safety, need a science fair point person to make rubrics, register the school and the students, have written instructions for projects. There is a question about why we persist in doing the county science fair. There is some discussion about whether we should go back to the old science fair project system, or keep this year's system with some tweaking and clarification. Garry Joseph will be the science fair point person. There are still some things that need to be worked out, but we can meet more as a department and also build in more collaboration with other content teachers. Robin, Laura and I will meet to decide who gets the eighth grade science awards. There is a lot of discussion about what should or shouldn't be allowed as a science fair project. The students should have an opportunity to do the school science fair for low stakes before the county science fair. Brain and Heather and Robin will somehow work out nutrition network between us.
And now for something completely different. We are meeting as eighth grade. Robin is giving us the packet that includes the dates for eighth grade activities. Parents will donate water, orange wedges and cookies for the runners for the mile run. Lily, Laura and David Weiss are doing awards. Forms will be distributed at the grade level PD next Tuesday. Parents want to get snacks for teachers and kids who play in softball game. Robin is looking for volunteers for the 8th grade dance, handing out yearbooks, chaperone, etc. Now Robin wants volunteers to go as chaperones to Knott's Berry Farm on the PTSA trip. All students may go, not just eligible students. Noriko says that if we want UCLA, have to go on June 10. Consensus on date. Noriko will book UCLA, Heather will make a coverage schedule for students who stay behind, Noriko will talk to Dogtown Dogs, parents will be asked to donate supplemental food. David Oakes and Carolyn are on top of culmination. Heather will make a schedule for coverage of students and classes during culmination practice. Miss Mona and Ms. Branch will coordinate on flowers (daisies in pots, carnations to give out). Lily is bringing up the appeals committee. Who is on the committee and when will they meet? Sorry, I am leaving a lot of stuff out so that I can write it on my paper.
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