Routine

 

By this point and time in the school year, educators have practiced routines and procedures with students to death. We do so because we know that our students learn best when instructional time is maximized and there is an existing and reliable structure to the way our classrooms are run. I would encourage you to continue to implement and rehearse these routines. As our superintendent told me last Friday while he was bragging on our school, "You guys have a fine-tuned machine here!"

However, there is another element to the topic of this blog, and one that I hope challenges you. Routine, when used as an adjective, is defined as performed as part of a regular procedure rather than for a special reason. The E in PRIDE stands for BE EXCELLENT. Excellence is expected at PVES. We go above and beyond to make sure our students learn at high levels. This is the norm at PVES. Dare I say, this is routine at our school. Now, this is not the case in many other places. Whether it's in the depth of our conversations during Thriving Thursday or inherent in the innovative efforts we see in the classroom, the routine at PVES is indeed excellence! We don't need a special reason or circumstance in our pursuit of excellence. 

Last week was a busy one, and the "routine" we on display at #PVES...

When the routine becomes fun and inspiring, all students benefit. A little Rodeo Rounding in third grade caught everyone's attention. And props to our VLA teachers who don't let an empty physical classroom lessen their enthusiasm! 

A huge "shout out" to one of our local churches for supplying food and monies to support our students who are in need. One of the routine experiences at PVES has become our ability to partner with our local community. Thanks to Ms. Lee for leading this effort. 

It takes everyone to make routine our pursuit of excellence. Thanks to Mrs. Martin for working with teachers to provide strategies for PRIDE Time. Ms. Lee will be coming around on Fridays with our recycling crew to ensure we continue to take care of our environment, while freeing up some space in our classrooms! And yes, they even let Mr. Moore teach around here. Thanks to Mrs. Leftwich for the invitation to speak to her gifted and talented students. 

A new routine was introduced this year. Fund Friday involves one Friday a month in which students can support our PTSO by bringing in a dollar. Thanks to our teachers for participating in Hat Day as well. Our PTSO, under the leadership of Julie Williamson, is dedicated to supporting our teachers during this challenging year. Each month, they have a special blessing planned for us. The "Woo Hoo Wagon" was so appreciated this past Friday! 

Each fall, we raise money for our school during a two-to-three week stretch in October as part of our PTSO Fall Fundraiser. And each year, Mrs. Tollison and Mr. Moore are subjected to all sorts of punishment in order to fire up our students about raising these funds. We will be kicking off the fundraiser on Friday this week with a video and an announcement. As always, we need your help in motivating students and making this effort a success. We routinely raise $20,000-$30,000 during our Fall Fundraiser!

Live PD This Wednesday:

We are excited to provide a professional development opportunity for all homeroom teachers, SPED and GT teachers this Wednesday, September 30th from 2:45-3:30ish P.M. This PD will take place via Zoom and links with directions will be provided this week. Please register in Performance Matters so you can get an hour of credit toward your transcript for recertification. Several of our very own will be leading the session entitled: Homegrown Institute Reading Implementation (#10244). Thanks to Mrs. Martin for organizing this opportunity to make us better!

Custodian Appreciation Day:

This Friday, October 2nd we will celebrate our custodial staff as part of Custodian Appreciation Day. Hospitality (have you joined?) helps us recognize our staff with a gift card. However, please make it a point to share a kind word with our custodial staff this week. I would also ask that everyone provide a quick moment for our students to write "thank you" cards to the custodian that services your classroom. Please present these to the assigned custodian on Friday. 

PTSO and Fall Fundraiser Information:

• Friday, October 2nd is our first Spirit Day of the new school year. Everyone is encouraged to wear House shirts and/or colors. Like last year, students who wear their House shirts/colors can write their names on slips of paper and these can be submitted to the front office for a drawing at the end of the day. 
• Our PTSO Fall Fundraiser Kick-Off is also this Friday, October 2nd. PTSO will have a video for home room to view after announcements. We will mention it during announcements each school day afterward to provide updates and celebrate individual class and whole school accomplishments. Obviously, this year we cannot do a "Fun Run" so we have opted to participate in a "Sponsor a Day" Fundraiser Calendar. Students will collect pledges based on the date on the calendar. For example, if grandmother wants to sponsor Saturday, October 24th then she would donate $24.00 to our PTSO. A person can sponsor multiple days. We want to advertise this as a simple/easy way to help our school raise funds. There is no wrapping paper or cookies - no hassle. Stay tuned...

Moore's Musings:

Mrs. Tollison and I look forward to getting into classrooms starting this week. We will be using WeClimb/Master Teacher for walk-through observations. You will receive an email with any pertinent feedback. Please make sure you take the information from our data meetings and collaborative time (PLCs) and have a plan for Pride Time. Mrs. Tollison and Mrs. Martin are available for any scheduling issues as they pertain to your Guided Math/Guided Reading blocks. Remember, get in good habits and make these routine. On a related note, please discuss with your students how to react when a visitor enters your classroom. Some classrooms have a greeter who greets a visitor and explains what they are currently doing in the classroom. When we pop in and out for walk-throughs, we might ask students questions and walk around. We are not there to distract your students. Make sure your students are aware of our expectations. 

Mark Your Calendar:

• Weekly folders send home on 9/30
• Live PD on 9/30 at 2:45 P.M. (after dismissal)
• Wendy's Spirit Night - 10/1
• Spirit Day - 10/2 (Wear House colors/shirts)
• Fall Fundraiser Kick-Off - 10/2 (Show video after announcements)
• Office Staff Meeting - 10/2 at 9:00 A.M.
• Custodial Meeting - 10/2 at 10:00 P.M.
• PTSO Board Meeting - 10/2 at 1:00 P.M.

Video of the Week: Make Kindness Routine

School United

Our House theme is "Houses Divided, School UNITED" and we enjoyed a wonderful week which culminated in our House sorting ceremonies. Let's explore the term united for a moment. According to dictionary.com, united means joined together for a common purpose and/or joined by common feelings. In a world that becomes more divisive by the second, I implore all of us to remain united for the sake of our culture and, most importantly, our students. There exists plenty of political, social, and otherwise worldly pitfalls aimed at distracting us and even dividing us. Let us remember that we must remain steadfast and laser-focused on building positive relationships with our school community and to do whatever it takes for all students to learn at high levels. Through teamwork and effective collaboration, we will thrive while others survive. While others allow themselves to be divided, we will remain steadfast in our vision to become that much more united for the cause. This is #pvespride. 

We work hard and we go home tired, but we continue to do whatever it takes...

Even through the rain brought to us by a tropical depression, our "do whatever it takes" mentality is adopted by all in our PVES family. A stalled car in the morning drop-off line was no match for Coach Whitham and custodian Russell Hanks. When we remain united in the most difficult of circumstances, everyone gets to see the power of our culture. 

In order for all of our students to experience success, it takes all of us doing our jobs at a high level to truly make the magic happen. Mrs. Freeman takes a group of students on a sensory walk each morning. These students need and rely upon these moments. When classroom teacher and resource teacher are united by the common belief that struggling learners deserve every opportunity to be successful, we see growth and surpass expectations. 

We have been told "no" a lot this year due to COVID restrictions and protocol. However, I am so impressed with how often our staff simply finds a way to make learning fun and engaging for our learners. We don't settle at PVES. Students using twizzlers in math? Yes! A place value song set to the tune of The Adams Family? Of course! We must remain united in our belief that we can overcome these obstacles and provide those much needed learning opportunities for our students. 

House sorting ceremonies were so much fun to observe on Friday. Thanks to everyone for bringing the enthusiasm and getting our students excited. Leo the Lion made an appearance in several classrooms. We are now selling House t-shirts and masks. Please send any order forms and money to the PTSO box as you receive them. We are also now ready to begin rewarding House points for positive behaviors that display any of our Pride Practices. We are using Class Dojo once again to keep up with the points. Mrs. Tollison will add any new staff to Class Dojo so all staff and reward points. Good luck to all Houses!

MAP/Data Meetings:

First of all, thanks to Tammy Lee for making our PD Room a much more pleasant place to meet. She worked very hard to make it look nice for all of us! Mrs. Tollison, Mrs. Martin, and I enjoyed meeting with home room teachers in regard to MAP data and expectations for the 20-21 school year. Please refer to our agenda with helpful links and information. Don't forget to provide information in the notes section of the student data sheets as to your specific plan for making sure you "see" each student and provide one-on-one or small group instruction for them. We will continue to pinpoint specific areas  of strength and weakness and collaborate to create a plan of action for all students to learn at high levels throughout the year. Please contact Mrs. Tollison, Mrs. Martin, or Mr. Moore and let us know how we can assist you!

PLC Feedback:

We completed another week's worth of collaborative team time and would like to provide some feedback for all of our teams. While the facilitator helps guide our time, it is the responsibility of all to ensure this time is used effectively and efficiently. I look forward to seeing our growth in these areas. Please read through our thoughts after week two of collaborative meetings:

• All major content areas, specifically Reading, Writing and Math, should be represented during collaborative team time. 
• Your time should be spent wisely and always focused on one of the four main questions of a PLC. Please review these and know them like the back of your hand. 
• There should be very little, if any time, left over at the end of your session. As we start collecting additional data and get into heavier content, this should not be an issue. 
• Specifically, what should you be doing during this time? 
• Reviewing essential standards for upcoming units to determine if any changes need to be made and to ensure understanding of the "end in mind" for all teachers. 
• Ensuring these essentials are written as "I can" statements in such a way that parents and students understand.
• Creating and discussing Common Formative Assessments that will be used in the future. All teachers, not just those responsible for planning that particular content, should be involved in this. If rubrics ae involved, make sure everyone has said rubric and has gone over it carefully.
• Review data from Common Formative Assessments. This means actually having data to bring to meetings. We often fall into the trap of thinking we need to bring a big test or quiz. However, you could bring a quick "exit ticket", samples of student writing, and other informal means of assessment to discuss. These are often more important and meaningful to us as educators. 
• Develop a plan of action, based on data discussion and best practices, for students who have not yet mastered the material and those who already have (remediation and enrichment). Walk out with a plan. 

Evaluations/SLO:

October 1st is the recommended date for SLO/GBE information to be placed in SCLead.org. Mrs. Tollison and I will be sending out some final suggestions/information early this week. Please view this video for assistance with typing your SLO/GBE in SCLead.org. We do expect to move 100%  SCLead this year; meaning you will not turn in a hard copy of anything. Home room teachers, we discussed using Reflex data and focusing on fact fluency. Non-homeroom teachers should be thinking about an area of focus for a semester and how they can positively impact student performance in this area. Goals-Based teachers, we are waiting to hear from Mrs. Brady as to whether or not we can also do just a semester GBE or if it has to be the full year. We will touch base with all GBE staff this week with more details. I will email documents to you for you to use as rough drafts. 

Fund Friday:

This Friday, September 25th is our first Fund Friday of the year. Students can wear a hat if they bring $1.00 to donate to PTSO. You do not need to count of receipt any of this money. With such a challenging budget year, we built in one Fund Friday a month to help with PTSO expenses this year. We will be releasing a special "In the Know" newsletter this week with all sorts of PTSO-related information so please take time to read this. 

Moore's Musings:

It has been wonderful seeing our PVES Pals program in action already. Thanks to those Pals who have already blessed a colleague at school. Please see Jessica Thomas if you have any questions or concerns regarding this program. 

As a reminder, please remember that home room teachers should be in the classroom by 7:30 AM. If we have a sub, we may need those teachers around that classroom to help "cover" until the sub arrives. 

Please continue to keep up the GREAT work during dismissal. This process has improved tremendously thanks to all involved!

Finally, please continue to take social distancing and mask wearing seriously. Expect the same from your students. Our goal is to make it face-to-face all year!

Mark Your Calendar (MYC):

• Tropical Smoothie Cafe PVES Spirit Night - 9/23
• Fund Friday/Hat Day - 9/25
• PTSO Teacher Snack Cart - 9/25
• Weekly Folders - 9/30
• Virtual Live PD - 9/30
• Wendy's PVES Spirit Night - 10/1
• SLO/GBE Due Date in SCLead - 10/1
• Fall Fundraiser Kickoff - 10/2
• PVES Spirit Day (Wear Your House Colors) - 10/2
• School Custodian Appreciation Day - 10/2

Video of the Week: United We Stand (funny)

Your Glass

 

As an educator, is your glass half full or half empty as we head into a new work week? Or, is that even the right question that we need to be asking ourselves? In a year that will test us emotionally and physically, we need to be reminded that we are the ones who need to bring the enthusiasm and energy to refill our own glasses. We also need to be in tune with the fact that our attitude and effort has the potential to refill a glass that belongs to someone else. Take care of yourself (i.e. make sure you refill your own glass) so that you can take care of others (i.e. fill up someone else's glass). With this mindset, we can and will do whatever it takes this year to reach our collective goals. 

Another week in the books at PVES...

 

Yes, things look different this year. Yes, you could even say weird. I am so appreciative that our faculty and staff is working hard to bring a consistent, high-energy approach each day for our students. Our students need to be loved and challenged. They need to learn and grow. They need us. We battle through the difficulties in order to provide these opportunities to our students. We refill our glasses, so we can refill those of our students. 

One way to refill our glass is to be innovative. Innovation in the classroom takes many forms, but it energizes our students and creates multiple pathways for learning. Even if it means taping a comma to your forehead. Doing whatever it takes can be fun and effective!

This past Thursday, we invited our Gujarati families to PVES for a "family night" in which they could learn more about how to assist their children in school. It was very well attended. I am thankful for Christie Shealy and our own Melissa Thomas for hosting this event and for supporting our ESOL population. There is no doubt support such as this refills the glasses our parents! 

House Celebration Week:

We look forward to introducing our House system to our students this week. While some of what we can accomplish may be limited due to restrictions, the camaraderie and sense of belonging that our House system brings cannot be overlooked. We will introduce and celebrate one of our Houses each day this week; starting with Peltasta on Monday (wear red). Let's have some fun, bring enthusiasm and do a wonderful job of implementing our House system. On Friday, all classrooms should allow students to spin our virtual House sorting wheel. Teachers should then record to which House each student belongs. This is for all 3rd grade students and any students new to PVES in grade 4 and 5. Use the helpful links below:

• House Celebration Flyer
• Virtual Sorting Wheel - After each spin, click/touch "close" (DO NOT click/touch "remove"). 
• Houses Introduction Slides - Use this to introduce each House (directly after announcements are made). 
• House Points/Pride Practices Slides - On Friday, briefly go over Pride Practices and House points before students spin to determine to what House they will belong
• Record Names/Houses Using This Document - After students spin, update this document. This year, we ask that you please place the teacher name beside the name of the child. This will help with t-shirt orders, etc. 

Thriving Thursday Reminders:

We were excited to kick off our collaborative team meetings this past Thursday. Thriving Thursday can be just that; a way for our teachers and students to thrive. We are the only school in ASD1 that has PLCs underway. This is another reason you are the best and we will continue to get better! Grade levels are reminded that they should remain socially distanced while in the PD Room. We recommend that you wear your mask at all times unless speaking. Please refer to the schedule; specifically the Thriving Thursday and 1st 9 Weeks tabs. A few reminders:

• If your class has lunch during your grade level Thriving Thursday session, please leave specific times and information for the person covering your class during that time.
• Grade level should end on time; allowing for teachers to leave and immediately get their classes from related or meet up with them in the classroom. 
• Mr. Moore, Mrs. Tollison, and Mrs. Martin will do our best to facilitate transitions. We will help pick students up from related arts so related arts teachers can begin sanitizing for the next group. 
• For Thriving Thursday teachers, Mrs. Tollison is making a tab for each teacher so they have their schedules all on one page for the entire year. She is also including room numbers.
• Be flexible, help supervise and let's get better every Thursday!

Wednesday MAP Discussion:

Students have taken MAP testing, now what? Grade level teachers should report to the PD Room on Wednesday, September 16th at the beginning on their planning period for a 30 minute collaboration session as we dive deeper into MAP testing. Bring your laptop just in case. We will adhere to our 30 minute time frame so teachers have an opportunity to take care of other needs before picking up students from related. Don't forget to add student names to this sheet for intervention consideration. 

Moore's Musings:

Mrs. Tollison and I appreciate that everyone is doing a wonderful job requesting absences first and then putting them in the system. As a reminder, the district does ask that staff refrain from requesting absences on days that lead into or back up to holidays. If you have a specific question about absences/days off, please feel free to contact us. 

Please continue to take our COVID-19 protocol seriously. While numbers of positive cases continue to decrease in SC, we have felt the impact of possible exposure cases. Communicate directly with nurse Cynthia and our admin team if you have a concern, are experiencing the symptoms described in the school exclusion information or feel as though you have potentially been exposed. Remember, it is better to be safe than sorry. 

Video of the Week: Act Like It (Some Language - Great Message)