Hey Team!!
Today is officially Fall (even though it doesn’t feel like it, lol), and……
WE OFFICIALLY MADE IT THROUGH THE 1ST SIX WEEKS!!
Now, we only have 5 more six-week grading periods to go! Lol
But seriously, the first six weeks are always rough (leveling of classes, students learning new systems, our enrollment numbers well over the projected number, and staff learning new systems from a new Principal). Still, I am grateful for your dedication and hard work for our students. We now have a gauge of our students on what gaps need to be closed, so here is our chance to move the numbers. The real work starts now.
As we continue our journey to provide effective instruction to our students, I want to emphasize the critical importance of strong Tier 1 instruction and the necessity of thorough lesson planning and internalization.
Tier 1 instruction forms the foundation of our educational approach, reaching all students in our general education classrooms. It is our first line of defense against learning gaps and our primary tool for ensuring academic success. When executed effectively, Strong Tier 1 instruction can significantly reduce the need for interventions and special services.
To strengthen our Tier 1 instruction, I urge each of you to focus on two key areas:
- Comprehensive Lesson Planning:
- Align your lessons with curriculum standards and learning objectives
- Incorporate diverse instructional strategies to engage all learners
- Plan for differentiation to address various learning needs
- Plan AND execute DOLs to gauge student understanding (this is very important in making the proper adjustment for our future lessons and should not be skipped!)
- Lesson Internalization:
- Thoroughly review and understand all aspects of your lesson before delivery
- Anticipate potential questions or misconceptions students might have
- Practice key explanations and transitions
- Prepare additional examples or alternative explanations
Remember, a well-planned and internalized lesson allows for smoother delivery, better student engagement, and more effective learning outcomes. It also provides you with the flexibility to adapt to student needs in real time.
The leadership team is here to help you with effective lesson planning and internalization techniques. Please reach out!
Glows: Teachers using their DOL data to make the right adjustments. We love how you all use data to make the right adjustments in your classroom! If your class periods are scoring below 70% on their DOL, some type of reteach is needed. That reteach can come in your DO NOW or during the main part of your instruction. We can see evidence of those adjustments, so keep it up!
Grows: Attendance of Staff members and Students. There was (hopefully, it's gone) a nasty bug going around that really affected our staff. Please take care of yourself! Our students need you here 😊 Be mindful of the new district attendance policy. At a certain number of absences, we have to have one-on-one conversations. Our student attendance took a hit because of the ongoing noncredible threats across the district. Low student attendance affects how much money we get from the state. We have some student attendance incentives coming up that will hopefully boost the numbers.
As always, if you need me, I am here! Have a great week!!
Principal Childress
