Small Victories

I am proud to have served in public education for 20 years. There have been a multitude of lessons I have learned throughout my varied experiences as a teacher, administrator and parent. Perhaps the greatest lesson to date is expressed in the quote above. As educators, we are the sum of our small victories. Very rarely are enormous victories realized on a day-to-day basis. Rather, we enjoy the fruits of our collective labor through a series of baby steps, one building on the other, until the victory is won. For those who can stay committed and methodically chart a course toward a vision much greater than your current circumstances, the end result will be magical. Failure will happen. Those failures should not define you, but rather direct you toward your next step. This tried and true process is as old as time itself. This week, as we continue to build classroom culture, review protocol and procedures, and embark on this journey of ensuring that all of our students learn at high levels, I challenge you to simply take a step. And no matter how tiny that step might seem to you, imagine taking those positive strides each and every day - culminating in unleashing the greatness that is inside all of us. This is #pvespride. 

We enjoyed a successful start to the 20-21 school year. And there is still much success to be enjoyed...

The staggered start to school was a blessing for our school. We made the most of each day; starting important process of building positive relationships with our parents and students. Each morning, our families were welcomed with music, smiles and cheers. As I stated in an email last week, this is why culture matters. What might have seemed like just another first day of school was really a small victory that will yield incredible dividends down the road. 

There are many changes in store for this year. We have worked hard to communicate the many changes in protocol and procedures. I am so grateful to everyone for helping us clearly communicate and model our expectations for safety this year. Thanks, as well, for staying focused on keeping to our schedule. This year brings with it many challenges, but we have already begun taking those tiny steps forward toward successfully implementing needed change. Keep up the good work!

Allow me to brag on Mrs. Tracy Redmon for a moment. If we had government-style positions in elementary school, she would be our Minister of Defense. Yes, defense of our culture! She does so much more than offer speech and language services. She truly cares for our students with special needs and those teachers who serve them. She is often seen in multiple classrooms; offering support whenever needed. She leaves notes of encouragement, offers treats in the work room, and maintains high expectations for herself and our school. She understands that showing up each day with a growth mindset and celebrating small victories builds a culture of excellence. 

MAP Testing:

We are excited to have the opportunity to engage in MAP testing this week. We will be receiving some much needed data about our students and look forward to analyzing this with grade level teams. Home room will take ELA on Tuesday, September 1st and Math on Wednesday, September 2nd. Teachers, you may decide what time period in which you will administer these tests. Thomas McAuliff informed us that there is an update for the NWEA/MAP app. Please make sure students download this update on Monday. Please watch the video from Mrs. Tollison with important information about setting up your MAP sessions. There is new information for all teachers.

Protocol and Procedures:

No matter if you are in your first year or you are a veteran, please remember the importance of establishing protocol, procedures and high expectations. Students will rise to whatever expectation level you set before them. Practice, practice, practice. It is very difficult to go back and "fix" issues with management, etc. so ensure that you are starting strong! Please consider these areas as you continue to implement protocol and procedures:

• Social distancing in the hallways. 
• Wearing masks while in transition.
• Standing on the Xs outside of the restrooms if all stalls are being used.
• Consistent hand washing.
• Building in times for sanitizing desks, shields, etc. 
• Setting up iPads for use in the classroom and at home.

Arrival and Dismissal Information:

Let me start by introducing the obvious: these processes start slow and improve over time. We are seeing fewer bus riders; meaning more car riders. Remember that home room teachers need to be in classrooms by 7:30 AM to receive students. Students can get breakfast in the cafeteria starting at 7:30 AM and will take this to the classroom. Please have an effective and productive routine in place for your students during the arrival time period. We will have morning announcements each morning. You are encouraged to take full advantage of arrival time and PRIDE Time - make the most of these opportunities. 

Dismissal is a different ball game. We saw over 310 vehicles in our car line on Friday. Our SDM system has also experienced technical difficulties; prompting me to make a phone call and provide a clear directive to this company to fix the problem or provide a refund. We will keep you posted. In the mean time, please make students understand the need to watch and/or listen for their names. They also need to understand the importance of having a "sense of urgency" when walking down the hallway toward the car line. Home room teachers, you should have your walkies on channel 1 and should be marking your students as "sent" as soon as they leave the classroom. Mark students as "delayed" if you know they are not in the loading zone when called on the walkie or have not left your room for some reason. We use this information to inform our process in the car line. Additionally, parents need to make needed changes in SDM prior to 1:15 PM each day AND need to have the correct PIN displayed in their vehicles daily. Please continue to send students with some sort of note/label with their group number. I accept full responsibility for our slow start. Please know we are actively working on this end to get it fixed. 

Fall Pictures:

Fall pictures will be taken September 8-10th for all face-to-face students following the schedule below. Pictures will be taken in the cafeteria and we will call your class to the cafeteria when we are ready for your pictures to be taken. 

• September 8th - 3rd
• September 9th - 4th
• September 10th - 5th/Barber/Daniels 

Moore's Musings:

We pride ourselves on constant and consistent communication at PVES. Faculty and staff at PVES are expected to read our weekly blog, read email consistently as well as check our shared calendar for important dates/events. This is your professional responsibility. 

Please continue to get parents connected to SeeSaw. This is HUGE for us. You may need to make some phone calls and offer to assist some families individually so they can get connected. Thank you for your work on this. 

Remember, we are in the business of public relations. Put a consistent, positive message out there for our community. 

Mark Your Calendar:

• ELA Map - 9/1
• Math MAP - 9/2
• Labor Day (NO SCHOOL) - 9/7
• 3rd Grade Pictures - 9/8
• 4th Grade Pictures - 9/9
• 5th Grade/Barber/Daniels Pictures - 9/10

Video of the Week: Big Change, Small Steps