Sunday, October 25, 2015

Week of October 25, 2015

Learner Profile: Open-Minded 

"They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspective, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience." IB Learner Profile

There are certain surprises when one reads the New York Times. One such surprise was seeing the names David Brooks and Lady Gaga on the same page. Brooks' focus this week, seemingly prompted by the chance to closely observe Lady Gaga - not dressed in a meat suit or in an avant garde performance, but as an honoree, earnestly grateful for being recognized for her courage and passion. It got Brooks thinking, what do we mean we we talk about living with passion?

Considering the case of Gaga and other passion-driven types, he gleans two traits. First, "passionate people," Brooks writes, "often discover themselves through play. Whether scientists, entrepreneurs, cooks or artists, they explore their issues the way children explore the possibilities of Play-Doh. They use imagination to open up possibilities and understand their emotional histories. They delight in new ways to express themselves, expand their personalities and move toward their goals." Second, he continues, "people with passion have the courage to be themselves with abandon. We all care what others think about us. People with passion are just less willing to be ruled by the tyranny of public opinion." What he doesn't explicitly connect, though, is that the first is an essential ingredient for the second. The freedom, self-awareness, and confidence that come from play and exploration bolster courage later in life - in moral discernment, in career exploration, and in claiming a place at the table.

When we think about Open Mindedness as an attribute for learners to strive toward, Brooks reminds me that's important to recognize that an open mind doesn't emerge ex nihilo. Like other aspects of empathy, it is developed over time and begins with some level of self-awareness, and there's no better starting points than discovering one's own passions. 

Advisory this week...

  • Plans and slides for Advisory can be found in the Advisory Resources 2015-2016 folder. 
  • Please note that the Advisory schedule is shifting slightly to accommodate Pumpkin Carving and Experience Days. 
  • For Pumpkin Carving: we are planning to move the carving outside (possibly to the Bamford Commons) to make it a community experience...and to minimize the smell of raw pumpkin throughout the Middle School. Bill is going to pick up a few pumpkin carving kits; please plan to bring other necessary supplies in on Tuesday as well. 

Items of Note...

Professional Goals & Observations

One more reminder: Please send me any final documentation/articulation of your professional goal(s) a.s.a.p. Also, please look at your schedules and pick a date for a formal observation before Winter Break. 

Un/Anticipated Absences 

Just a friendly reminder from the Human Resources Office: in advance of an anticipated absence or after an unanticipated absence, please ensure that you:
  • inform me; 
  • inform Wade; 
  • if you will require a substitute, provide those details to Wade; 
  • complete the Absence Form and return to Wade. 

Experience Days 

Conferences

Advisors: Families are now able to register for Fall Conferences. If any of your Advisees' families have not signed up for a conference (and really needs a conversation), please reach out to them this week!

Progress Reports

Thanks for submitting course summaries last week! I've made a few very small edits to the summaries for consistency, but across the board they provide a lovely snapshot of the first quarter! David and I are still figuring out the best way to collate reports; we may need each teacher to copy the updated course summary into myAW. 

The next step is submitting Advisors' Letters. The suggested structure is below, and you can find an example here. Please don't think of these letters as exhaustive or comprehensive; instead, use them as a chance to summarize the start of the year for the class and to frame the conversations to come. 
  • End of Quarter 1: 
    • Letter from Advisor: 
      • 1st paragraph: common to all Advisees, briefly summarizing how First Quarter has gone for the Grade Level and for your Advisory.
      • 2nd paragraph: unique to each Advisee, briefly summarizing how First Quarter has gone for her/him and framing the conversation for Conferences; if applicable, indicate an attribute of the Learner Profile for which s/he demonstrates strength or which is a challenge.
      • 3rd paragraph: common to all Advisees, briefly summarizing what's ahead for the Grade Level and/or for the Advisory and reminding families to sign up for conferences if they haven't already.
    • Grades to Date: 
      • A list of current grades in each Course; this is not a transcript grade, but a status update that shouldn't be a surprise to families after the October Grade Check.
    • Brief Course Summaries: 
      • 2 sentences summarizing what was covered in First Quarter in each course.
2015-2016 First Quarter Calendar for Reporting
  • 23 Oct 12:00pm Submit Course Summary to Course Summaries Q1 2015-2016
  • 2 Nov 8:00am Submit Advisor Letter to appropriate folder
  • 2 Nov 8:00am Submit Grades to Date for Q1
  • 2 Nov Administrative Review of Advisors’ Letters and Grades to Date
  • 3 Nov 3:10pm Publish Q1 Progress Reports (Advisors’ Letters, Grades to Date, Course Summaries)
For a full plan for Progress Reports, click here.

MYP...

Important MYP Info

From John: 
I would love to get the unit planner evaluation sheet if people have them done.  So far my count is 0.

Kudos to…
  • Jennifer for working through her first unit. She is almost completely done with it from start to finish and it looks really good. Great job!
  • Angelica for tackling her first unit summative assessment in 8th grade Spanish. Can not wait to hear the results.
Also, Liz and Clare will be returning from LA for an IB conference.  Clare is attending a Category 3 Assessment conference, and Liz is attending a Category 2 Arts session. If you have pressing questions about IB that you would like answered please make sure to send them to Liz or Clare while they are in LA.

Notes from the Annual Fund

As of Friday, the Annual Fund has reached $107,346, 21% toward the goal of $515,000! Last week, Tauna sent out an update on Faculty & Staff participation. Thank you to each of you who have contributed - this is above and beyond, and it indicates an even broader commitment to our students, our program, and our mission. Now, not that I'm competitive, but I did notice that the Upper School participation reached 61%, and Middle School 60%. Tauna has promised treats and has invited a challenge of reaching 90% participation by Tuesday. This timeline will send a strong message to the AWS community. If you are still thinking about committing to the Annual Fund, please consider participating in the next day or so! There are cupcakes on the line here. Just sayin'. Links to online deduction/credit donation are below. 

Communications...

Flash

This week's Flash (10/30) will include: 
  • MYP: Focus on the LP attributes Knowledgeable & Caring
  • Academic Highlights on Visual Art and Individuals & Society
See the Flash Schedule 2015-2016 for the full year's plan for Academic Highlights.

Blogs

Don't miss the latest installments of The Dish from Mrs. Dicks or Joe Romano's AWSLibrary blog! 

Religious & Cultural Observances coming up...

Upcoming at AWS...

Monday, October 26
8:00am Advisory
3:30pm MS JV Volleyball v. Carbonado
3:45pm CaP & Topic Group Meetings
4:30pm MS V Volleyball v. Carbonado

Tuesday, October 27
National Mix It Up Day!
8:00am Advisory - final prep for Pumpkin Carving
9:45am Pumpkin Carving
3:15pm 8th Grade Team Meeting
3:30pm MS Boys Soccer @ Charles Wright
3:30pm MS Cross Country @ Wright Park (League Championships)
4:30pm MS Varsity Volleyball @ Charles Wright

 Wednesday, October 28
Experience Days!
8:00am Morning Meeting in the MS Lounge

Thursday, October 29
Experience Days!

 Friday, October 30
Experience Days!
All School Civvies Day
6:00pm AWSPA Fall Festival

Monday, November 9
10:00am Flex Period (no AS Chapel)

 Friday, November 6
2:10pm MS Pep Rally & Fall Sports Recognition in the Kemper Gym

 Monday, November 9
Winter I Sports/Activities Rotation Begins

 Wednesday, November 11
10:00am Veterans Day All School Chapel

 Other Team Meetings Agendas:
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