Learner's Profile: Inquirers
Looking for a little intellectual inspiration? Maria Popova has maintained Brain Pickings since 2006, first as an email to friends and later to a rather exhaustive online trove of quotes, analyses, and reflections on a variety of topics and sources, from ancient wisdom to contemporary dialogues. She curates a bookshelf on the topics of Creativity, Design, Science, History, Psychology, and Art. Beyond being blown away by the many, many, many things she has consumed (who has the time?!), the site also includes some beautiful graphics that illustrate the ideas she is exploring. Some of these graphics make for great wall- and desk-art, too!
Items of note...
Following up on August In-Service
During the August In-Service, I promised to share the slides from our meetings...and then I didn't. Here they are: MS August In-Service 2015. These include the schedules, reflections, and information that were provided throughout the week.Amidst all that information, I introduced some information about Feedback & Observation, including the invitation to articulate a professional goal and to confer about it before October 1. Because of my absence in the last few weeks, let's push that back a little. I've created a template to help articulate a professional goal. This includes the SMARTER rubric (a helpful checklist for goal articulation), a couple of samples, and then a template for you to create your own. Please do not edit this doc directly - you can download it as a Word doc, or make a copy as a Google Doc. Please set up a 30 minute meeting with me before October 9 to check in and to discuss your professional goal. And please do not feel the need to finish writing and fleshing out your process by that time - we can use our meeting time to brainstorm about it.
In the coming days, I'll actually (finally) get to building the landing page with a variety of resources. Many items should already be shared with you or searchable in your Google Drive, in case you're looking for something in particular. If you have any thoughts about what you'd like to have readily-accessible on myAW, please let me know!
Back to School Night
Thanks for a great BTSN! Clare counted 72 people, and Alicia is working on how the Grades were represented. One quick item for followup: if you distributed any materials to parents at BTSN, please post a copy on your course page or send an electronic copy to Wade.Please take a moment to provide some feedback on the event while it's still fresh in your mind via this form. Thanks in advance for your observations!
Upcoming All-School Meeting about Transgender Students
Christian sent out a message regarding Monday's Faculty & Staff Meeting, which will give us as a professional community the chance to begin a dialogue about how this impacts our program and about supporting transgender students. Please note that this meeting has been moved to September 28. Beyond Christian's intention to remain student-centered, this is a great opportunity to think broadly about how we approach, reflect, and reflect on diversity in our programs, classrooms, interactions, and relationships. Christian shared a few resources, linked below (I added the last few). The NAIS Knowledge Center collects research and reflections pertinent to independent schools, and the ISDN is a network of independent schools in NYC, and their page includes a list of resources on a variety of topics. If you're not familiar with GLSEN, it is a starting point for a wide variety of resources on supporting LGBT students through programming and curriculum.- NCGS Resources on Transgender
- From Women's Colleges to Girls' Schools: Gender Diversity in Single-Sex Campuses
- Gender and Sexual Orientation Terminology
- Comparison of Women's Colleges' Policies on Transgender Students
- How Using 'They' as a Singular Pronoun Can Change the World
- College/University Resources
- NAIS Knowledge Center Resources on Diversity
- ISDN Recommended Sites
- GLSEN Educator Resources
- GLSEN Safe Space Kit
October 9 PD Day
On October 9, the NWAIS Annual Conference will focus on "Transformative Moments: The Journey to Inclusive, Welcoming Schools." A handful of colleagues from all three Divisions will be representing AWS at the conference. Meanwhile, back on N Tacoma Ave, the rest of us will plan to use the day well to focus on MYP unit planning. More details about that day to come...Bloggers
Ann Dicks has started blogging! The Dish from Mrs. Dicks will address a variety of topics on wellness and school. Follow her, and spread the word, especially to parents in our community. Last week's post on sleep is an especially important reminder as the momentum of the school year builds. The "At what time should your child go to bed?" chart is especially illuminating for me, but it stops at age 12. Anyone have a chart that makes it to 39?
Do you blog? If you do, whether on school- or work-related topics, or on any other topic, send it my way so we can all enjoy!
Celebrations...
Celebrations...
It was great to welcome John Rockne back for Back to School Night, and it looks like he will be returning to the Middle School on 10/1. If you haven't met Ali Heydari, who has been covering John Rockne's 8th Grade sections, please find him to say hello!
On a related note, if you haven't met Taylor Strickland, who is teaching ESL to two of our 8th Graders, please be sure to find him and say 'hi.'
On a related note, if you haven't met Taylor Strickland, who is teaching ESL to two of our 8th Graders, please be sure to find him and say 'hi.'
MYP...
Occasionally, John and I will use this forum to provide updates on the MYP process and reminders about deadlines and resources. Many thanks to John on the leadership he's provided on this process already and for getting us back into the rhythm of MYP during our August meetings. Moving forward, it's always a good idea to consult the Work Down Bin to refresh where we are in our journey toward authorization. At our Faculty Meeting on Wednesday, 9/23, we will return to the expectations for each of us as we pursue MYP authorization.
In the meantime, an important reminder: all returning teachers should be starting to teach their first unit in the next few weeks. We should be able to see evidence of this - posted statements of inquiry, students' engagement in the process, etc. If you're unclear about this, please reach out to John or to me.
In the meantime, an important reminder: all returning teachers should be starting to teach their first unit in the next few weeks. We should be able to see evidence of this - posted statements of inquiry, students' engagement in the process, etc. If you're unclear about this, please reach out to John or to me.
Clare's Corner...
And, also occasionally, Clare will use this forum to shine a spotlight on some aspect of student life!
Communications...
In the past few years, the Flash has been sent to each grade individually. We are starting to merge to a single Middle School Flash each week to give families a sense of the breadth of the total Middle School program. If you have items to include in the weekly Flash that pertain to Middle School, please send them along to Wade, and send any items that pertain to All-School news to Jen Willey, who is collating that information.
Each Flash includes Academic Highlights, but because we are moving to a single Flash, we'll be moving to what's happening across the program. So that we don't overwhelm with text, please keep this in mind and consider providing broader strokes. We've drafted a schedule for this - highlighting two subject areas a week. Alicia will be sending out calendar reminders when your subject is up for Academic Highlights. This week's Flash (9/25) will include:
Each Flash includes Academic Highlights, but because we are moving to a single Flash, we'll be moving to what's happening across the program. So that we don't overwhelm with text, please keep this in mind and consider providing broader strokes. We've drafted a schedule for this - highlighting two subject areas a week. Alicia will be sending out calendar reminders when your subject is up for Academic Highlights. This week's Flash (9/25) will include:
- MYP: Focus on the ATL Collaboration
- Academic Highlights on Design & English
Advisory this week...
Shelli has prepared some suggestions and accompanying slides for Advisory for the week. If you'd like to see "The Sneetches" again, either to refresh your memory from last week's Chapel or because you can't get enough of the groovy soundtrack, click here.Religious & Cultural Observances so far...
Saturday, September 5 is Krishna Janmashtami.
Monday, September 7 is Labor Day in the United States.
Friday, September 11 is Patriot Day/National Day of Service and Remembrance in the United States.
Monday, September 14 is Rosh Hashanah and ends at sunset on the 14th. It also marks the beginning of the High Holy Days, which ends with Yom Kippur.
Tuesday, September 15 marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Thursday, September 17 is Ganesh Chathurthi.
Friday, September 18 is Paryushana Parva. It is also National POW/MOA Recognition Day.
Religious & Cultural Observances coming up...
Tuesday, September 22 is Waqf al-Arafa.
Wednesday, September 23 is the Autumn Equinox. It is also Yom Kippur, Mabon & Ostara, and Eid al-Adha.
Monday, September 28 marks the beginning of Sukkoth.
Upcoming at AWS...
Monday, September 21
3:15pm MS Boys Soccer @ Heritage Christian
3:45pm CaP Meeting in the Sutton Room
3:45pm CaP Meeting in the Sutton Room
4:30pm MS Girls Volleyball vs. Heritage Christian
Tuesday, September 22
10:00am 7th Grade Team Meeting in Jen McConnell's Classroom
Wednesday, September 23
2:15pm MS Faculty Meeting in Angelica's classroom.
Thursday, September 24
7:45am 6th Grade Parents Coffee
3:30pm MS Boys Soccer @ Lighthouse Christian
4:30pm MS Girls Volleyball @ Crosspoint Academy
5:30pm WAC Consular Reception
Friday, September 25
5:00pm Bishop Paddock Celebration of Philanthropy
Monday, September 28
3:45pm All-School Faculty & Staff Meeting in the Great Hall
Monday, October 5
3:45pm Department Meetings
Friday, October 9
PD Day/NWAIS Annual Conference
Monday, September 28
3:45pm All-School Faculty & Staff Meeting in the Great Hall
Monday, October 5
3:45pm Department Meetings
Friday, October 9
PD Day/NWAIS Annual Conference
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