The Challenge
I recently read an article about building principals. The article challenged all building principals to be sure that they are explicit about what they value. As I read on, I kept asking myself a version of the same question that I often ask teachers... How do you know that your students know? How do I know that my faculty knows?
I'll ask them!
So, here is the question...What does Margaret Dutch value? What are my expectations for all faculty members at South Shore?
(hint: 4 words)
Everyone who emails me the correct answer by the close of school on Thursday will be entered into a drawing...prize to be determined...
The winner will be announced in next Friday's blog.
Good luck!
Margaret
Parent/Teacher Conferences
On Wednesday, February 6th, we will host Teacher-Parent Conferences (5:30-8:00) with academic instructors. As many of you may recall from last year, these conferences are teacher-initiated, based on students who are not doing well with you.
Conferences are scheduled for 10 minutes, and the student is required to attend with the parent. You are encouraged to use these conferences to write contracts or take other steps to get these at-risk kids back on track, hold them accountable with immediate changes in behavior, and secure parent support.
The process in scheduling begins with the academic faculty identifying students who are struggling. Please be sure to include, at a minimum, all students who are currently failing or who currently have a D average. After the students have been identified, would you kindly email me a list of all students that you would like to see, with their parent(s), at a conference on the 6th?
Please forward this list to me by Wednesday, January 23rd at the latest so that the counselors can begin the process of scheduling. The result will be that teachers will receive a list of attending students/parents by Feb 4th.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for sending along the names of students who need a wake-up call at this critical time in the school year.
Competency-based Model
For those of you curious about the competency-based model, here is a link to an article that you might find interesting. As always, feel free to share your opinions!
http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/7007
SMART Goals
As a follow-up to our PD session in October, you will be receiving, in your mailbox, a SMART Goal template. When you receive this template, please transfer the two SMART Goals that you wrote during the October workshop to the template. You should leave the completed template in my mail. The goal is to have all completed templates handed in by the close of school on January 18th. Need assistance? Can't find your goals? Don't like the ones that you wrote? Let me know and we will schedule some assistance!
Just for clarification purposes...we have not yet settled on the evaluation system and at this time, this is not being used as part of the evaluation process. You will all have a chance to review and revise these goals before they become part of the evaluation cycle.
Professional Development
We will be meeting for our next Professional Development afternoon on January 18th. We have many different sessions taking place on that afternoon, so, for your convenience, you will find the schedule below. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Time
|
Session
|
Location
|
12:00 – 12:45 or 12:45 – 1:30
|
Technology Sessions
|
Library or CIT
|
12:45 – 1:30
|
NEASC Educational Programs Committee Meeting
Mentor/Mentee Meeting
DR,EX,PMT Meeting
|
Room 101
Room 115
HSO Conference Room
|
1:40-2:25
|
English Department Meeting
Guidance Department Meeting
History Department Meeting
Math Department Meeting
Science Department Meeting
Special Ed. Department Meeting
Vocational Meeting
|
Room 115
Guidance Conference
Room 101
Room 207
Room 203
Ellen’s Office
Library
|
