2013-14 Volume 22

“To break through creativity, we must defer judgment. That is, learn to accept all ideas, without prejudice, and examine them each in turn.”

-Scott Isaksen

News/Timelines/Due Dates

 

Super Bowl -Next Sunday night is the Super Bowl, if you care!  Since some of you will be staying up to watch Denver win, Monday will be casual.  Of course, I guess for you Grammy watchers last night, I should have made today casual!!  I stayed up for most of it and can only say that some of the performances were interesting.  I don't quite understand the two dudes in the space helmets.



Seven myths about rigor – Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing seven myths about rigor in the classroom from Barbara Blackburn, author of Rigor is not a 4-Letter Word

Myth 2. Rigor means doing more.

“Doing more” often means doing more low-level activities, frequently repetitions of things already learned. Such narrow and rigid approaches to learning do not define a rigorous classroom. Students learn in many different ways. Just as instruction must vary to meet the individual needs of students, so must homework.

Rigorous and challenging learning experiences will vary with the student. Their design will vary; as will their duration. Ultimately, it is the quality of the assignment that makes a difference in terms of rigor.

Excuses – When a student is absent the goal is to get a written and signed note from the parents.  However, if you receive an email that gives the excuse (even one that says little Johnny is sick today please gather his assignments) forward the email to Debra Herrmann

PRIDE – PRIDE – This Friday, January 31^st, PRIDE will be an advisement class.  Last week you talked with students about goal setting.  At the beginning of this week’s lesson take a few minutes to check in with students and see if their goals have been on their minds or if they have taken steps towards achieving that goal.

THIS WEEK:  It’s time for some team building fun and group challenges!  Students will either take on a hula-hoop challenge (6^th grade), build a paper airplane (7^th grade), or take on a series of team created challenges (8^th grade) during PRIDE. 

Teachers with 6^th grade PRIDE groups will need 2 hula hoops per PRIDE group.  Please see a PE staff member to get the hula-hoops.  (It is suggested that the PRIDE liaison or one person pick up hula hoops for several teachers so the PE staff is not bombarded with multiple requests – Thanks!)  Please return the hula-hoops to the PE staff members after completion of the PRIDE lesson.

Remind students to bring a silent reading book next week.

Yearbook Deal - Would you like a really good deal?  Would you like to remember this precious time with your middle schoolers forever and ever? The week of February 3^rd, Dana Griffin will offer a one-time only special yearbook price of $25.  This is a fabulous $15 savings form the current on-line price.  If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please place your exact cash OR a check made payable to AMMS in an envelope in her mailbox or deliver it to her room D101.  Thanks for supporting the yearbook staff!

Where is Livingston? 

Stephanie Purcell says “While it has been nice to have Livingston live with me this week.  Livingston needs to find a new home.  He has requested to live his next week with a hardworking, supportive, and caring teacher.  Those are all qualities of the dedicated teacher we know as Rachel Luthringer.  Rachel continually uses her experience in special education to support her struggling students and fight for their rights.  She creates amazing flipcharts that are detailed and organized and is always quick to step up to the plate when things need to be created or revamped.  She consistently stays late and comes in early to make sure her lessons are organized and ready to go each day.  Despite the endless hours she spends here, she still finds time to volunteer at Southeastern Greyhound Adoption.

AMMS is blessed to have such a devoted teacher working here.  I am glad she is here too!  For these reasons and many more, Rachel Luthringer deserves to have Livingston’s company.

Happy Birthday

Kenny Ludlow           January 27

Barbara Paulson       January 29

Nathalie Bernstein    February 1

 

 

2013-14 Volume 21

“If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.”

-Jim Rohm

News/Timelines/Due Dates

Seven myths about rigor – Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing seven myths about rigor in the classroom from Barbara Blackburn, author of Rigor is not a 4-Letter Word

Myth 1. Lots of homework is a sign of rigor. For many people the best indicator of rigor is the amount of homework required of students. Some teachers pride themselves on the amount of homework expected of their students, and there are parents who judge teachers by homework quantity.

Realistically, all homework is not equally useful. Some of it is just busywork, assigned by teachers because principals or parents expect it. For some students, doing more homework in terms of quantity leads to burnout. When that occurs, students are less likely to complete homework, and may be discouraged about any learning activity.

TTCT training – If you are interested in being trained to grade the TTCT which is used in the TAG process, you can find out more at http://www.coe.uga.edu/torrance/training-opportunities/at-uga-ttct-figural/ .  The county pays $6 per graded test.  See Dana Griffin if you have questions.

Coffee and Conversations – Our next session will be this Friday at 7:30.  We will be discussing school finance.  These meetings are open to all who have interest in being teacher leaders or administrators.

PRIDE –This Friday, January 24^th, will be an advisement class.  Students in all grades will be working on goal setting as well as reflecting back on their first semester grades and habits. 

Congratulations to Jennifer Lynch who received her Master of Arts in Latin from UGA in December

Where is Livingston? 

Beatriz Gyori says “It has been an honor to have the Livingston in my classroom last week and to reflect upon the importance of being a teacher at AMMS. My students were as happy as I was when they found out the Livingston was on my desk!

Now whose turn is it?  Besides being a wonderful colleague and mother, this teacher personifies the word purpose.  Children always come first in her life.  A good example of this is her ability to get to know her students' individual academic and emotional needs.  Her emphasis on teaching the whole child coupled with her creativity and content expertise allow her to design relevant lessons that truly engage and promote student learning and success. This teacher is truly a STAR teacher! I am honored to be her colleague and AMMS is truly lucky to have her among its ranks. Congratulations Stephanie Purcell!”

Happy Birthday

Debra Herrmann      January 22

Rob Tyo                       January 22

Diane Merdinger       January 23

Marion Edmonds      January 25

Emily Shaver              January 26

Nasim Kapadia          January 26

 

 

 

2013 - 14 Volume 20

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.”

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

News/Timelines/Due Dates

One Word – So at our meeting last Monday, I told you about a speaker I heard that encouraged people to boil down New Year’s resolutions to one word.  My word is healthy.   Have you come up with one word?  If so, and if you want to, share it with each other!!

Congratulations – to Danielle Sherfey, Shawn Beyer, Marisa Wesker, and Robin Butler who have been selected to the first Dream Classroom Cadre.  This is a “group of highly innovative and tech savvy teachers that have been selected to lead by incorporating aspects of the dream classroom model into their practice and share their mastery with others. 

PRIDE – This Friday, January 17^th, will be silent reading in HR due to the Jr. Achievement 7^th grade field trip.  We will meet in PRIDE groups next Friday for an advisement class.

Visiting Korean Students – As most of you know we had two teachers visiting us from Kenya last semester.  Next week, we will have a few students from Korea visiting the school and getting an idea of what American schools are like.  They will be paired with one of our students and may be visiting your classroom.  Please help them to feel welcome. These students were selected among many and come from the rural areas of Korea.

New Clinic Person – Please welcome Regina King as our new clinic assistant. Regina is a former AMMS parent and her sixth grader will be joining us also. She previously worked as a resource nurse at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Where is Livingston? 

Elizabeth Ferree says, “I have loved having Livingston sit on my desk this week to remind me of how our actions and demeanor affect others every day within our school. This week I am pleased to pass Livingston on to a dear colleague. This teacher is a friend to all who come in contact with her. Her outgoing personality and warm presence bring joy wherever she goes. She is a self-taught technology expert who has developed many creative technological tools to innovate her classroom. In addition, she always has the time to help other teachers with technology. She is a tireless and energetic teacher who is dedicated to helping her students achieve to their highest potential. Her students adore her, as they know how much she values and truly cares for each one of them. Students often recount to me fond memories from their time in her class. For all of these reasons I am proud to pass Livingston on to Beatriz Gyori.  

 

Happy Birthday

Jade Suh                     January 15

Ashely McCall           January 16

Gemma DeVita           January 19

 

 

 

2013 - 14 Volume 19

You better live your best and act your best today, for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow.

-Harriet Marineau

News/Timelines/Due Dates

Congratulations – to Julie Jahnke and her husband who are expecting their first child this summer.

Please keep Madison Negley in your thoughts in the loss of her grandfather.

Welcome back to Jenny Remer and Mandi Mitchell!!

PRIDE – This Friday, January 10 is silent reading.

Perfect Attendance – Congratulations to the following who had perfect attendance for the months of November and December:  Karen Bachus, Sarah Bayer, Beth Benedict, Shawn Beyer, Dana Blackburn, David Buice, Danelle Chereck, Meghan DiMaggio, Kaitlin Dunn, Aimee Fessenden, Lisi Furman, Mimi Gamel, Denise Giancola, Betriz Gyori, Lizzie Haber, Rayna Helton, Ped Hunt, Julie Jahnke, Sarah Jarvis, Kenny Ludlow, Kerri McCoy, Diane Merdinger, Chuck Mertes, Kathy Nagle, Madison Negley, Daniel Quinn, Tim Riley, Alyssa Satchwell, Bill Shea, Kyleigh Slocum, Jade Suh, Jackie Larson, Beth Van Riper, James Walker, Pauline Weiss, and Warner Williams.  Congrats also to the four randomly drawn perfect attenders:  Sarah Bayer, Denise Giancola, Kaitlin Dunn and Dana Blackburn who received a $25 gift certificate.

 

Where is Livingston? 

Gayla Payne says, “This week Livingston will be moving on to spend some time with a very special member of the Autrey Mill faculty.  A positive and genuine presence on our campus, she makes our school a better place each and every day with smiles, encouragement, and sincere interest in others.  Her students are especially aware of her good nature and sweet spirit, and they truly appreciate her.  When she teaches her Spanish classes, she is energetic, enthusiastic, and inspiring, and her students can tell that she truly cares for them and for the teaching of Spanish.  Because they never see her in a bad mood and because they regard her as always approachable, she earns their trust and respect.  This teacher goes above and beyond in her concern for Autrey Mill by serving as a leader for the AMMS Student Council and through membership on our School Governance Council. For these reasons and many more, it gives me great pleasure to give Livingston to a committed and deserving teacher, Elizabeth Ferree.”

Happy Birthday

Seema Pirani              January 9