Whew! We've made it through three (wonderful) weeks of school!

You've done a great job laying out the expectations.

Real talk: The honeymoon is over, and it's time to hold the line. If a student earns a referral, here's how to enter it in PowerSchool:

(Shout out to Jacki Clements for talking on the phone to share what she sees vs. what we see and sending the screen shots at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon!!!)

1. Click on 'Student Info'
2. Click on the Student Name from left side of the screen - see bottom picture
3. Go to 'Select Screen' drop down menu on the top right of your screen, SUBMIT LOG ENTRY - see top picture
4. In Subject, type 'Discipline' - see bottom picture
5. In 'Log Entry', type details of referral - keep it concise and don't use other students' names (use Student A, Student B). Make sure you include the date, time, and location of the incident - see bottom picture
6. Submit
7. Until we're sure that I'm getting the alerts, email me to let me know you submitted a referral AFTER you've made contact with the student's parent/guardian.

This is the same way you'd log a parent contact, except you'll type 'Parent Contact' in the subject and summarize the contact.

Because Thursday is a big game day (Home Softball AND Football games), and Friday is...FRIDAY...Dr. T has said we can wear jeans/Black or Khaki Shorts and Slater shirts on Thursday AND Friday!

Don't forget about the CTA tailgate!

Here's what Jacki sent on Friday:
Happy Friday All!!
Fall Sports Season is upon us and we would like to gather together to cheer on our Wildcats on Thursday, September 14 at 5:00 pm with a tailgate at the south end of the football field. Please join us on the concrete stage for food and fellowship as we root for our WILDCATS!! See Google Doc to sign up for your choice of food to bring!

Mike Rutherford developed a program called THE ARTISAN TEACHER. Mike's website describes the program by saying, "The Artisan Teacher is our core program for teachers and teacher developers. It is an ongoing study of the most recurring pedagogical approaches of particularly successful teachers. Based on more than 40,000 classroom observations, the 23 Artisan Themes represent a comprehensive lexicon of terms that describe the core skills of excellent instruction. The Artisan Teacher is designed to develop the craft of teaching by enabling teachers to identify and hone their most productive skills—and, to add new, complementary, skills to their repertoire. The Artisan Teacher is also designed to be an aid to administrators, instructional coaches, college professors, and anyone who is engaged in the learning and development of teachers and teaching."

As I come into your classroom to observe, you'll see that I'll often point out one of Rutherford's 23 Artisan Teaching Themes I've noticed you using. Throughout the school year, I will highlight various themes.

This week's highlight is a theme dealing with the technical work of teaching:

Clear Learning Goals: The ability of the teacher to identify and precisely express what students will know and be able to do as a result of a lesson.

Clear Learning Goals are a result of intentional instruction. Our instruction can be shaped by formative assessment results, Curriculum pacing, or responding to previous lessons. We talked at our August Building Level meeting about increasing Rigor and being intentional with our pacing and instruction. That begins with CLEAR LEARNING GOALS.

Did you know that HS Student parking spots off of Morgan Street extend from the corner of Parker and Morgan streets to the ECC Entrance? (See the spots below.)

Some of our HS Students are reporting being displaced by staff member vehicles. The cafeteria lot and spots north of the ECC doors are up for grabs for staff, students, and visitors.

Visits
State Tech will be visiting on Wednesday (9/13) in the Ag Room shortly after 6th Hour begins. I will send out a list of attendees once all students have signed up on my bulletin board.

Classroom Lessons
Watch for an email mid-week to schedule your first in-class lesson. These will be mini visits by me to your classroom. This first round of lessons will take place during 5th hour.

Personality Testing
Individualized meetings (starting with the Seniors) will begin within the next 2-3 weeks. Before those actually get underway, I will send out personality testing links to students via their Counseling Google Classrooms. If you have lulls in classwork during particular hours and your students need something to do, remind them they have those to complete. These should be sent out by Tuesday. If you would like to take them for analysis, let me know and I can send them to you as well!

Just a friendly reminder. If you have received food from the cafeteria. Please go through the checkout line and let Whitney know what you have received. We are having issues with numbers not lining up. We are serving more food than what our numbers are showing. This can cause issues when it comes time for our audit.

We also ask that you not cut in front of the students in line. I know the line can be a bit long, but please be patient. Whitney is pretty quick at what she does!

Breakfast bags: If you have students absent or that are not being counted for breakfast. We will also need you to send those breakfast items back as well.

Have a good weekend!

Reannen Hill

Head Cook

Slater Schools

660-529-2278 Ext 300

Please do not send students to the offices for health care needs unless you are unable to make contact with the nurse. Reminder: Do not send students out of your room without making contact.

The fanny packs in your rooms are for minor health care needs, ie. bandaids. If your pack is missing something please let the nurse know.

I have stopped several students wandering the halls on their phones who tell me they are heading to the nurse. I would suggest a hall pass that the nurse can sign off on noting the time they came and left. Way to much traffic in the halls during instruction time.

Dr. T

If a student has an accident at school, no matter how big or small, an accident report needs to be filled out. This needs to be done as soon as possible and submitted through the Google Form that Crystal shared this past week.

I have added a button at the bottom of this newsletter for both the student accident form and the Work Comp Form for your quick reference.

What staff member deserves a shout out?

Take a minute to let me know all about it by filling out THIS FORM or clicking the banner above.

Students, Parents, and Staff can give a shout out to any Slater Schools employee! We'll make sure they receive a copy of it and will look for ways to share them with you throughout the year as well.

Let's get to bragging about all the good people around here!

I will be sharing this year's Growth Plan sheet(s) with HS staff in the form of Google docs. Each person's goal will be one document that we'll revisit throughout the year.

New Teachers will work on:

• 3.1 (Curriculum Implementation) as their Building Goal and
• 6.1 (Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication) as their District Goal.

Returning Teachers will work on three Growth plans:

• 6.1 (Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication) as their District Goal,
• a Building Level Goal that I 'assigned' in the Spring, and
• a third area of their Choice.

My approach with Growth Plans is this - Everyone starts at a zero, because each year is new. Our goal is to end more proficient than we started.

I've included DESE's continuum chart on the District goal for your reference. I'll work on inserting them into Building Level and Teacher Choice as well.

After an initial meeting mid-late September, I'd like for us to meet at the end of each quarter to discuss progress, goals for the upcoming quarter, and ways that I can support your professional growth. I'd like for our discussions and feedback to be meaningful and look through the lens of impact - how I impact you, how you impact your students and colleagues, and how your students and colleagues impact you.

Let's get growing!

Anyone who does not work for the District should be wearing a neon green lanyard while in the building.

Remember - if you see a parent/visitor entering the building during drop off or pick up times, you need to remind them that they are to sign-in in the appropriate office. We are also asking you to escort them to that office so that we make sure they are not just going into classrooms.

We have some parents that are having a hard time dropping their babies off at the door and still wanting to walk them to their room and catching teachers off guard.

Please try to be outside of your classroom greeting students as they come in to help reduce some of these issues. Remember: If you see something, say something!

Thank you!

I've noticed A LOT of HS kids going to the bathroom during class time. There's a piece in this week's WILDCAT ROAR telling students to go between classes because they won't be allowed to leave classes next week.

Unless you, in your professional and adult opinion, believe it's an emergency - Don't let kids go to the restroom during class time. If you do believe it's an emergency, email me to tell me that (Susie Slater) said she HAD to go, so you let her leave at X time. If (Susie) has an emergency every hour, we need to get her looked at. This is one way I can spot some patterns without camping out on the cameras. So far, I can tell you that the MS/Cafeteria bathrooms are being frequented to the point that I may set up a desk outside of them.

Remember that Tonja Boggs offers Grab & Go PD two days a month during lunch in her Coaching Corner. Those dates are on the Coaching Corner calendar, and it is an expectation that everyone attends. You don't have to stay, but you should come learn about what she has to share.

The next dates are 10/24 & 10/25. Watch your email for more information.

The Dyslexia course on your Vector account (same site as the Sexual Misconduct video) needs to be completed on or before September 15. It is two hours long.

Stay tuned for information regarding documentation of completion...

Please double check your voice message on your classroom phones. If you are unsure of how to create your personalized message, please refer to the Quick Reference Guide that Angela shared with you.

In the guide, you will find the document How to Make a Call. In that document it tells you how to create your personalized voice message.

On August 28, 2023, SB 134 becomes law. This bill prohibits the discussion of gender identity or sexual orientation by school personnel.

Here's a summary:

SCS/SB 134 - This act establishes the "Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act", which prohibits any school official at a public or charter school from encouraging a student under the age of eighteen years old to adopt a gender identity or sexual orientation. This prohibition shall not apply to certain course components of a school's curriculum.

The act additionally creates provisions to prohibit a school official from withholding information regarding a student's gender identity from the student's parent. A school official shall inform a student's parent within twenty-four hours if the student expresses confusion about his or her gender identity or requests to use personal pronouns that differ from his or her sex as registered by the parent during enrollment. A school official shall obtain parental consent before encouraging a student to wear certain items of clothing and before allowing a student to use a name other than the name provided by the parent when registering the student for school. Finally, a school official shall not encourage a student to pursue gender reassignment therapy or surgical procedures.

A teacher who violates the provisions of the act shall face charges of incompetence, immorality, and neglect of duty under the laws governing the discipline of holders of certificate of license to teach. A parent of a minor child may bring a civil action against a school district or public school that violates the provisions of the act, and the attorney general may bring a civil action against any school district or public school that violates the provisions of the act.

Expectations for HS Lunch Duty (above) include:

Salad Bar Supplies: Extra salad bar supplies will be kept in an upright cooler in Whitney's 'area' to make it easier for that day's person to keep an eye on supplies and keep it stocked. These are the people who are posted at the salad bar until the line is through. Tasks include making sure kids are getting appropriate portions, not making messes (make them clean up after themselves), and that the stations are stocked. Whitney is entering codes and numbers. She won't be restocking any longer. Once the kids are through the line, staff members can/should move about the room to supervise and finish their meal.

'Outside Area': During the winter months and in inclement weather, this person will keep an eye on condiments until the kids are through the line. That station will move to the North wall as well. Spare ketchup will be stored in the cooler with salad bar items and ala carte drinks. Gravy/sauce may have to be retrieved from the kitchen. Once the kids are through the line, staff members can/should move about the room to supervise and finish their meal.

Hallway Supervision: These people will continue to supervise the hallway until the line has moved past the servers. At that point, staff members can/should move about the room to supervise and finish their meal.

Please be sure to include lunch duty details in your sub plans.

Thank you for everything you do all day every day - including the logistics of making a 28 minute lunch period work. I appreciate you!

One of things we discussed at our Building Level Meeting was this year's focus on rigor in the classroom. I said that I'd start sharing some resources to get us on the same page, and that starts this week!

Read FOUR MYTHS ABOUT RIGOR IN THE CLASSROOM by Ronald Williamson and Barbara R. Blackburn this week.

We'll continue reading about rigor before we meet again to discuss it. Feel free to share your thoughts, reactions, and feedback with me! When you feed my mind with your insights, I'll feed your tummy with candy bars! :)

We covered A LOT of topics at our Building Level Meeting on Thursday afternoon. So many that I'm not sure if I covered a few things. (Oops!) Just in case...

• Each teacher has $50 to spend on his/her classroom or class supplies. To access it, you'll need to submit a Purchase Order through the normal channels on SIS Financial.
• Please add me as a Co-Teacher on your Google Classrooms.
• Don't forget to share copies of your Syllabus (see 'Syllabus Business' in Old Business) with me.

Please review the Meeting document below to cover ALL of the information. Let me know what questions you have.

At Open House, many of your HS Students and Parents will ask you for a course Syllabus.

If you don't have then, that's ok.

This does not have to resemble a collegiate level document, but you will need a document for the first days of your class. That document should include:

• Course Name
• Your school contact information and Plan Time
• Universal Classroom Rules
  - No phones, no smartwatch use, no air pods
  - No hoods or hats in the Building
  - No food in the classroom after breakfast
• Any additional rules for your class/room
• Your goals for the class
  - Can be SUPER simple: Personal Finance students will learn basic personal accounting practices to prepare them for success after Graduation.
• Your expectations for the class
  - Example: Students will be on time, Students will be respectful to others, etc.
• Supplies needed for the class
• Late work policy
  - If you don't have a specific one in mind, sit tight - you can send it out later.
• Anything else you feel is pertinent.
• Many teachers require the students and their adult(s) to sign and return part of the syllabus.

This doesn't have to be available at Open House, but it should be available for students by the second day of school. Make sure you give me a copy as well.

HS students need to be using the restroom BETWEEN classes rather than during class.

As always, you can use discretion for emergencies. If a student leaves during class time, it should be documented and his/her phone should not go with him/her. They need to leave it in the room if they go. Documentation can be in the form of a sign in/out sheet in your room, but I need a way to know who what out and about if an incident is reported. This also lets us look for patterns and potential vaping.

We're losing out on instructional time and man hours tracking students down because kids are treating the restrooms like a wifi lounge.

Here's who's celebrating a September birthday:

3- Brian Adolphs

6- Kelly Gochenour

10- Sara Gochenour

15- Sherry Ballenger

16- Reannen Hill

22- Kim Reeter

27- Tera Allen & Emilee Grimes

Monday, September 11

• 8:00 am - First F/Attendance Eligibility List runs
• 9:00 am - Admin Meeting
• 3:00 pm - Softball Pictures
  
  

Tuesday, September 12

• 7:30 am - HS Student Council meeting in Ms. Sample's room
  
• AM - Jess out of office
• 5:00 pm - V/JV Softball @Community (Bus leaves @TBA / Admin: Staci Meyer)
  

Wednesday, September 13

• September WILDCAT WALK Day - go to Coach Corner during your Plan Time
• 1:30 pm - State Tech Rep visits
• 5:30 pm - FFA Mum Night @Greenhouse
• 6:00 pm - FTA Meeting

Thursday, September 14

• 2:30 pm - Pep Assembly
• 3:00 pm - HS IEP Meeting
  
• 4:00 pm - FFA Greenhand/Leadership Conf. @Marshall (Bus leaves at 3:45)
• 5:00 pm - V Softball v. Higbee (Admin: J. Clements)
• 6:00 pm - V Football v. Plattsburg (W Gate: B. Heilman, E Gate: H. Key / Admin: Lorenz)

Friday, September 15

Saturday, September 16

• Softball @Fayette Tournament

Cell Phone: 660-631-5298

Email: jclements@slaterschools.net
Website: slaterschools.net
Location: 515 Elm Street, Slater, MO, United States
Phone: 660-529-2278 (108)
Twitter: @SlaterPrincipal

Cell Phone: 660-631-0883

Email: mwiseman@slaterschools.net
Phone: 660-529-2278 (107)