Resource of the Week
Instructional videos have become a key staple of how we instruct our students. Teacher collaboration in this area has been fun to witness and see as the year has gone on. We have so many talented people in this area. The article this week provides current research on what makes videos effective and also provides additional tools that have the potential to work well.
"How to Create Engaging Instructional Videos" - Jenny Gieras
End of Quarter 1
The end of the 1st Quarter is Friday, October 30th. We have 2 weeks left until our first grading period has ended. We have a Professional Development Day scheduled for Monday, November 2nd. We'll plan to have 1st quarter grades and comments due on the morning of Thursday, November 5th, with report cards being mailed out shortly thereafter. We will be sending home STAR test summaries at that time as well.
For report card comments, there is no need to provide a description of the topics covered in the 1st quarter, however, try to give students and parents feedback that can summarize their progress and efforts during the 1st grading period....or even an update since Parent-Teacher Conferences.
COVID-19 Update
It's no secret that there has been an increase in COVID activity in our state and county over the past few weeks. The Board adopted gating criteria at their last meeting that included adjusting our instructional model (in-person, hybrid, virtual) using data points from activity both around the county and in our school. The criteria provided flexibility based on a number of factors, with an important one being activity in our school. As of this writing, of the positive cases that have been in our building, each was traced to someone outside of the school, and there hasn't been evidence of transmission taking place in our schools. Our whole system and plan is in place to limit the chances of someone spreading the virus to others inside the school building, as well as identifying and making sure no one with symptoms is in our building.
We have seen students with symptoms and have either sent them home or advised them to stay home. Our criteria for someone who is displaying symptoms is they need to stay home for 10 days and be symptom free, or have a negative COVID test and be symptom-free. A close contact to a positive case also must be quarantined for 14 days since last exposure. Monitoring symptoms, close contacts, and absence trends continue to be at the top of the priority list each day in the front office.
Like we all have discussed at different times, our system is set up to be mobile, and have very little change in instructional planning and delivery if a change took place. On our virtual Wednesdays, each grade has experimented and worked through potential schedules that would allow for both synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences for our students (which research supports as effective practice). As we continue moving forward, we'll need to continue to refine this plan to maximize the effectiveness of both teacher and student time during a virtual learning day. We've also had one cohort participating in remote learning for the past week and a half...we adjusted their schedule to all them to do their schoolwork as if they were in school, and early results appear to be very positive. We'll have lessons to learn and share from this experience that can help each grade level and their virtual learning plan.
These conversations will continue, with the goal of all of us being prepared in the event the state orders all schools to go virtual, or the district decides to make that change based on our local experience.
The Brain Science Behind Happiness and Success
I have had the opportunity, through my work with the state association for WI administrators, to learn from Dr. Raj Nijhawan and his work on what's called the LEO project. His work has been notable because of the impact it has had on the improvement of program participants' mental health indicators. Over the past few months, I've gotten the chance to listen to him in person and watch the videos of his program. His work and findings are fascinating, however, there is a lot to digest.
If you are interested in this conversation, let me know, and we can talk informally, or if there is more interest I can put something together...but in a nut shell if we can understand, how our brain is wired and operates, we can utilize exercises that can reprogram how our brain manages difficult things for us, (stress, anxiety, etc.) "Neuroplasticity" is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization...with the right training and practice we can change how our brains are wired. There are many facets to his work, and it's complex, however, I believe there are implications that could be helpful in helping each one of us and our students.
THANK YOU
I simply cannot thank you enough for what you do day in and day out...I have received so much positive feedback about the environment you all have created for the students in our school during this time of uncertainty for so many. I know it's not easy, but your efforts are so appreciated by me and the members of our community...thank you, thank you, thank you.
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