Week of March 6, 2016

In this post:

• Mid-Year Meetings Reminder
• Faculty Meetings and MYP
• Feedback on Schedule Options
• Next Year's Calendar
• Repost: Grade Checks, Conferences, and Spring Advisor Letters
• Planners
• Summer Planning
• Advisory this week...
• MYP
• Communications
• Religious & Cultural Observances
• Upcoming at AWS
• Important Links

Items of Note 

Mid-Year Meetings Reminder 

If you haven't already, please sign up for a mid-year meeting as soon as possible. 

Faculty Meetings and MYP

• 3/9: Discussion on Schedule Options. MYP Unit Planning Collaborative Time. 
• 3/16: Coaching Sessions.
• 3/23: TBD

Feedback on Schedule Options

On Wednesday, we'll spend some time talking about the schedule options that have been explored in smaller groups over the past week. Each of the models that we're discussing  responds to the concerns that we articulated in the feedback form and in discussion, including attention to MYP requirements, transitions, and instructional time, and so the next step is to zero in on the best option to pursue. Please remember that each of these models presents a starting point for building the schedule. We can't anticipate what individual students' or teachers' schedules might look like, especially since some of these models provide an opportunity to shift teaching assignments and sectioning. Before Wednesday, please look at these models again and think about which model potentially most enhances learning.

Next Year's Calendar

In a few weeks, Clare and I will be participating in an all-school calendar meeting to review the 2016-2017 calendar. A draft of the MS Calendar for next year can be found here.

In reviewing the flow of the year, we'd like your feedback on a few things. 

• MS Journeys: As the calendar has stretched into June, the current placement of the Journeys is a bit awkward, leaving a couple of weeks of instruction time before finals. It's not long enough for a full unit, but not short enough to just leave for finals prep. Could we consider moving the Journeys to either the week before or the week after Spring Break? This would allow for much more time after the break to integrate the Journey into the curriculum that wraps up the year. Placing the Journeys before Spring Break makes very little impact on the Athletics season, but it does create a very short stretch from Mid-Winter Break to the Spring Journeys. Placing the Journeys after Spring Break allows for quick integration back into school, but it also has a potential impact on the Spring Athletics season. Potential dates: 
• If before Spring Break: CA: 3/21-3/24 AZ: 3/20-3/24 CR: 3/16-3/24 
• If after Spring Break: April CA: 4/3-4/6 AZ:  4/3-4/7 CR: 4/3-4/11
• Experience Days: Currently, we designate 3 Experience Days in the Fall. Could we shift to 2 days in the fall and 1.5 days in the Spring? A related idea, could we designate one Experience Day as an all-MS Service Day (such as a spring experience day)?
• Exhibition Week: Each grade has developed a culminating project that could turn into a very cool event - 6th Grade Rube Goldberg Projects, 7th Grade Milk Boats Competition, 8th Grade Oral History Project. If we intentionally schedule these together, we could frame them as Exhibition Week, assuming that the timing is right for each for each of the projects.
• MS Semester Final Assessments: Can we identify a "Review Week" in advance of finals (no new material introduced, no assessments, etc., for three or four days ahead of finals days)? 
• Uniform Days: Can we integrate uniform variations throughout the year? In addition to the monthly Civvies Day, what about monthly Dress Uniform days or monthly Spirit dress (AWS colors and accessories)? It would be most effective to connect these variations to events (spirit dress on the day of a big game, Dress Uniform for a special guest, etc.).

The most time sensitive items are the Journeys and Experience Days, as these need to be posted on the All School calendar before 3/17. We'll look for a time to discuss these as a group, but in the mean time please email Clare and me with a response to any of these ideas. We'll be happy to chat about them as well!

Re-post: Grade Checks, Conferences & Spring Advisor Letter

Please remember to reach out to your Advisees' families for a Grade Check this week! 

Repost from two weeks ago: 
Let's plan another round of Grade Checks to be completed by Thursday, March 10. A template for messaging to families about the Grade Check can be found here. This includes updated language with the Spring Conferences in mind. 

Thursday, March 24 is designated for Conferences. As in the Fall, these are student-led conferences with parents and Advisors. Wade will be reaching out soon about scheduling parameters for the 24th (holding a time for a lunch break, accommodating other conflicts, etc.). There is no expectation that you will be available for a conference on a day other than the 24th, but if a family is unable to find a time that works for them, it's at your discretion to schedule another day. 

Our discussions after the close of First Quarter included a proposal to move the writing of the Advisor's Letter to after the Spring Conference. Let's try it! Each letter should follow this structure: 

• 1st paragraph: common to all Advisees, briefly summarizing how Third Quarter has gone for the Grade Level and for your Advisory.
• 2nd paragraph: unique to each Advisee, briefly summarizing how Third Quarter has gone for her/him; following up on concerns addressed in Spring Conferences; and plans for next year; if applicable, indicate an attribute of the Learner Profile for which s/he demonstrates strength or which is a challenge.
  • If the student has been performing poorly, report on progress with any plan in place. If any follow-up was required from the Spring Conference, include any findings, plans, or need for further discussion.
  • If the student is at risk of a low or failing grade at the end of the year in any course, address that subject directly and indicate a specific plan for support.
• 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.

Here's a proposed schedule for Third Quarter reporting:

7 Mar Grade Check

18 Mar 12:00pm Submit Course Summary to Course Summaries Q1 2015-2016

24 Mar Spring Conferences

8 Apr 8:00am Submit Advisor Letter to appropriate folder; Administrative Review of Advisors’ Letters

11 Apr 3:10pm Publish Q1 Progress Reports (Advisors’ Letters, Course Summaries)

Questions, concerns, ideas? Please let me know.

Planners

The planners we provide to students are pretty traditional, in the vein of the old assignment notebook. As we look to implementing a new schedule, let's look at our options! Many planners can be customized to integrate everything from letter days and schedule variations to school customs and handbooks. If you've seen a great planner at another school, let Clare or me know! We're going to reach out to a few companies to get samples to flip through. If you're particularly interested in selecting a planner or have some ideas about it, let me know!

Summer Planning

It's a long way off, but please start to think about planning for summer. In addition to the camps and programs offered through Summer @ Annie Wright, there will be a variety of maintenance projects throughout the building. It'll be important to clear or secure MS or personal supplies and objects; start to think about if you think you'll need bins or boxes for summer storage. If you have specific maintenance or furniture needs or ideas, please be sure to plug them into MS Space Ideas and Requests, and as we learn more concerning any construction, renovation, or updating projects, we'll keep you updated.  

Advisory this week...

• Plans and slides for Advisory can be found in the Advisory Resources 2015-2016 folder. 

MS Space

I'll keep this doc linked in the blog for ongoing ideas about the MS space. As ideas come up, plug them in! 

MS Space Ideas and Requests

MYP...

Important MYP Info

Communications...

Flash

This week's Flash will introduce the Global Contexts Globalization and Sustainability and highlight the Science and Music programs. Please remember to get your information into the Pushpage or to Wade on Friday mornings (or before). 

Blogs

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

Religious & Cultural Observances coming up...

• Tuesday, March 1 marked the beginning of Women's History Month and Irish Heritage Month.
• Tuesday, March 8 is Maha Shivaratri, the annual Hindu festival celebrating Lord Shiva, one of the most popularly worshipped deities.

Upcoming at AWS...

Monday, March 7
Grade Check to Advisees's Families
10:00am All School Chapel
3:45pm Topic Group Meetings

Tuesday, March 8
3:15pm 7th Grade Team Meeting
3:30pm Girls Varsity Basketball @ Muckleshoot Tribal

Wednesday, March 9
10:00am MS Chapel
2:10pm MYP

Thursday, March 10
3:30pm Girls JV1 Basketball v. Rainier Christian
4:30pm Girls Varsity Basketball v. Rainier Christian

Friday, March 11
10:00am 8th Grade Share
Family Night Auction

Saturday, March 12
Gator Gala

Monday, March 14-Thursday, March 17
Middle School Spirit Week

Friday, March 18
Special Schedule: MS Field Trip to The Last Night of Ballyhoo

Thursday, March 24
Day School Conferences

Important Links:

• 6th Grade Team Meetings
• 7th Grade Team Meetings
• 8th Grade Team Meetings
• Student Recognition & Share Schedule
• MS Faculty Meetings
• Admissions MS Visitors Schedule