It's the last week before break and it's feels as if it's the longest last lap around the track! In the Happiness Advantage, the Tetris Effect refers to the brain's ability to scan an environment for positive and negative outcomes. Like Tetris, our minds try to find the outcome that best fits our understanding of the situation. Achor recommends looking for positive experiences to combat negativity. Train your brain to actively seek out positive outcomes. This can help you recognize possibilities and workarounds that you may not have initially considered.

This week look for the positives!

Student hugs

Presents

7 Days of Christmas Lunch

A student solving a math problem by themselves

A coworker making you laugh

I appreciate everything you do every day to show up for kids! Here's to a positive and joyous week and a relaxing, well deserved holiday break.

Cookies with Santa is a free event sponsored by our PTO at Parsons on Tuesday, December 19th from 6:00-7:30. We are encouraging all families to attend to take pictures with Mr. and Mrs. Claus, eat cookies, make a craft, and listen to teachers read Christmas stories. Students would love staff to stop by. Feel free to bring your own families. I need 3 volunteers for reading Christmas books to students. Please let me know if you are interested!

We ended last week with a delicious snack and pasta day from our PTO. Here's the schedule for this week.

Monday: 2nd Grade Sponsors Sandwiches and Chips

Tuesday: 3rd Grade Sponsors Taco and Nacho Bar

Wednesday: 4th Grade Sponsors Salad Bar

Thursday: 5th Grade Sponsors Breakfast Bar

Friday: PTO Surprise

Thank you Katie for creating such fun and exciting library experiences for our kids! The students absolutely loved it and the teachers were raving about it!

Hollie Bryant will be acting administrator on Monday, December 18th. Carys is getting her wisdom teeth out in the morning at 7:00 am. In the afternoon, I will be at the Board Office for a principal's meeting.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but please do not order Door Dash to Parsons. It is difficult to monitor for Veronica and therefore becomes a safety issue of letting people into the building and taking time away from more important needs. Thank you!

I have everyone's announced observation done except for one person! Thank you! I love coming into your rooms and watching all of the learning that is occurring.

This year, as a district, we are focusing on intentional use of technology. I can honestly say that I see a lot more intentionality than last year. When students are on their devices, I am seeing students working towards passing their i-Ready with 100%, writing a reader's response letter, asking and answering a question on Seesaw, critically thinking about a math question, etc . Thank you for setting boundaries and expectations around technology in the classroom!

For any/all tech needs, please create a ticket. It is the most efficient way to ensure the department responds to needs effectively. You can use the RESA Service Desk site (https://servicedesk.resa.net) or email the support email (gb.support@resa.net).

PBIS Pillar of the Month: Trustworthiness.

Check out these slides to teach this skill. These could be used in a morning meeting.

Communicating Honestly K-3

Communicating Honestly 4-5

PBIS Clarifications:

The PBIS framework is a universal system of preventive supports for students and staff. Tier I is effective in 85%-90% of students. For our other 10%-15% we move to Tier II strategies and interventions.

You are all fabulous, intelligent, and compassionate educators. Just like our students, there is not a one size fits all approach. Our main goal is to teach expectations in all settings everyday. The strategy that you utilize for classroom management may include classroom contracts, morning meeting, classroom dojo, and clip charts.

Please look out for a survey about PBIS coming soon. We will also have time to discuss PBIS and share out data at this week's staff meeting.

PBIS Meeting Dates: 1/18, 2/15, 3/14, 4/11, 5/23

We meet at 8:05 in the Staff Lounge.

Clubs:

The last club for this session will be Friday, January 12th at 2:20. After this, we will switch clubs again.

PBIS Weekly Focus:

I have been reviewing these daily in the lunchroom as well.

12/18-Playground Expectations

Please see Parsons EBIT TEAM Protocol: Emergency Behavior and Intervention Team

Thank you to Becky and Jera for an amazing concert!

Thank you to Kara for hosting our Christmas Party.

Thank you to Kristyl, Dane, and Angel for continued support for our young students.

Thank you to Meredith and Christie for all of their help in the lunch room.

Thank you to Tammy for all of her cute lunch art every day!

Parent Shout Outs:

Staff Shout Outs: Thank you for the new shout outs!

Kara Scheetz - She always lends a listening ear and is willing to talk through things with me. I appreciate her so much and am also super thankful for her hosting our staff party!

Katie Buza - She's always coming up with new and creative ideas in for the library!

Angel - I appreciate her taking the time to create supports for my students!

Who would you like to Shout Out? Fill out the form here.

https://forms.gle/GQ4FtXAbx55YZUdN6

Spark Staff Member of the Week: Casey Linge

Jen nominated Casey for the following reasons.

Casey is always positive and looks at the bright side of everything. She is always ready for whatever comes her way, and she does it with a smile.

I asked Casey the following questions.

• What brings you joy? Coming to work everyday and seeing all the smiling faces. Nothing is better than being greeted with warm hugs (from staff and our students). Also coffee and gnomes (can't forget those!)
• How do you bring joy to others? I live by Dolly Parton's words, "If you find someone without a smile, give them yours."
• Who is someone that brings joy to you? My sweet kids Elizabeth, Erin, Gamper, and Evelyn. Also, my students, my work family, and the people in the community that have given me so much support and love this past year.

• Spark Student of the Week: Ervin LeBlanc

  
  

  Ervin is a kindergartner at Parsons. He is kind and friendly to everyone. He is a hard worker and he always does his best to be respectful and responsible.

  • Ervin

    • What brings you joy? My friends
    • How do you bring joy to others? By smiling and giving hugs
    • Who is someone that brings joy to you? My family

The second i-Ready Diagnostic window opens January 8th. For this diagnostic, the tests must be assigned. I am learning more about that this week.

Check out the Preparing for a Subsequent Diagnostic powerpoint on this December i-Ready Newsletter. You can share them with students to prepare them for the second diagnostic.

Please talk with your colleagues and chose a month! Team work makes the dream work! News articles should be short articles with one picture. Please sign up for one month as a grade, special, or committee. Even better, have a student group write an article! Here is the sign up.

Here is the link for the Fountas and PInnell Benchmark Assessment Calendar and guidelines.

Book meeting 2:

We discussed Chapter 1: All Roads Lead to Independent Reading. We had a great discussion about trust and engagement in the literary classroom. Here were some many takeaways.

• The right anchor chart can provide visuals that support engagement and expectations.
• "Engagement in learning is one of the major contributors to student achievement."
• "Trust plays a key role in this work, as trusting relationships between students and teachers are the foundations of thriving classrooms that intentionally invite engagement in reading."
• Beware of emphasizing time alone when thinking about reading stamina. Instead view stamina as a by product of deep engagement. When this occurs, so does meaning making.

Our next book study date is...December 19th!

What to expect:

• We will meet twice per month for 30 minutes each time

• Everyone reads at their own pace, please attempt to keep up

• Safe zone: this is where we can ask questions and discuss to deepen our understanding

• Practice respect

• Be willing to participate

Colleen found these professional development opportunities at RESA for upper elementary teachers. They are on Zoom and after school from 4:30-5:30. Colleen recommends the Building Morphological Awareness. Here is the link.

September 8, 2023

September 18, 2023

September 25, 2023

October 2, 2023

October 9, 2023

October 16, 2023

October 23, 2023

October 30, 2023

November 6, 2023

November 13, 2023

November 20, 2023

November 26, 2023

December 4, 2023

December 11, 2023

December 18th-19th: Santas's Shop

December 18th: Principal's Meeting 1:00-3:30

December 19th: Cookies with Santa 6:00-7:30

December 21st: Sarah at Board Office for Program Evaluation Meeting at 1:00

December 22nd: Sensory Room Walkthrough with Amanda and Greg 9:30, Last Day before Winter Break

December 23rd-January 7th: Winter Break

January 9th: PTO 6:00

January 10th: Early Dismissal 11:55

January 11th: Space Dome Assembly

January 15th: MLK Day, No School

January 18th: Drama Club Begins

February 19th-20th: Winter Break, No School

February 27th: PD Day, No School