Meeting+Notes

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9/11 Delet Meeting
Present: Jamie and Laura __I. Rules, routines and procedures:__ I asked Jamie to share her thoughts with me about setting rules, routines and procedures. Specifically, about rules, enforcing rules, and which of her actions are deliberate versus intuitive. She shared that she is deliberately more strict in the beginning of the year. We will establish rules next week. Tracking rules, routines and procedures: take a specified time period (one for General Studies and one for Jewish studies) and keep track of how many people call out and if they are always the same people. Find a class period to actually track calling out, one general studies, one Jewish studies period __II. Taking over transitions:__ Jamie suggested that I start by facilitating the end-of-the-day routine for the helpers. At the end of each school day, the helpers would look at the schedule (in the read hanging pocket charts), and generate a list of books and supplies needed for the next school day (morning/afternoon)s and write on the bottom of the board. __III. Taking a leadership role:__ Jamie asked that I start taking on a leadership role in Tefillah by standing in the front during prayers. Bring in guitar on Mondays and Fridays (Kabbalat Shabbat) Guided reading: groups of 7, 6 and 4 (lower group) For the first week (at least) Jamie and I will have two groups, where I will observe at first, and then do lead teaching with JFW observing. Up to me whether to lesson plan or use Jamie's plan (starting lead teaching 9/21, about Oct. to ) Discuss which child to conduct a child study: JG, aka "Laila" __IV. Next week's focus:__ Write observations about 5 children per day, observations on rules, routines and procedures

9/14 All-staff Meeting
1. Check in: how's everything going? Community lunches: trash should be in the middle to reduce waste 2. September 23, 7:00 pm Open House Night Welcome and remarks in the gym 7:30 to 8:15: Parents hear about what's been going on in the classroom from the general and Jewish studies teachers. 3. Buddies: Grade 3 will be in the Little Buddies program now. Grade 3 with K, grade 4 with preK, and grade 5 with grades 1 and 2. 4. Send home a friendly email to parents recognizing their child. 5. Jewish Voice and Herald will be doing a "Kids' Corner" which teachers should think about making something for. 6. JCDS ROCKS: how is the school motto going? Explicit instruction: using the words from the motto in a lesson. Spelling words, looking up the words in the dictionary. 7. Assembly sign up: each class signs up for a 5-10 minute presentation doesn't always have to be one particular class fifth graders are running assembly (work with Mr. S) 8. Trash and housekeeping 9. Fire drills: schedule primary exit, secondary exit talk to the students about what to do during a fire drill, if you are in the bathroom "get out of the building!" 10. Dismissal changes: There should be a master list of who goes home how and with who Any changes to the dismissal should be sent beforehand

9/16 JS Teachers meeting
Succot planning: 2 sets of lulav and etrog community lunch/snack in the sukkah? double up grades? classes can visit someone who lives nearby--sit in their sukkah Tashlich: first day of Rosh Hashanah Go to the river ? Ceremony: Why are we here? Why are we doing this? Age appropriate: sins = mistakes for the younger students connection to Chametz: two chances to look for our bread crumbs Achat Sha'alti (words? guitar chords?)

9/16 Planning for Chumash:
Finish the Rosh Hanshana mishnah on Thursday TP on Friday Monday starts Mishnah on Yom Kippur: Seder Moed, Tractate Yoma, Chapter 8, mishnah 9 if someone knowingly sins and says it's OK because they can repent, or because Yom Kippur will forgive you addresses various offenses between an individual and G-d, and an individual and his fellow


 Guided Reading: Something Upstairs by Avi: next Monday is already planned by JW Math:
 * Monday during lunch -- start co-planning (for Tuesday and Wednesday) for Something Upstairs by looking through material
 * Week of 9/21: start co-planning reading response questions and discussion questions, anticipating vocabulary words (words we have to look up)
 * 9/25: Plan for the following week for the two reading groups (it will eventually be Lily, Sally, Emmet, Jerry)
 * Place value: scientific notation, the four operations
 * Class will be divided into two groups: I will take Lily, Sally, Lynds, Emma (Mrs. Sugarman worked with them last year)

9/21 All Staff Meeting
Grade level teachers are receiving laptops, which used to belong to the middle school. Marie, you can have a laptop when you need it- per your conversation with Renee. We’re about to hire a development associate, who will also be in charge of grants (technology, etc.) Laliv (DeLeT intern in grades 1 & 3) is being given the Genesis award, for her volunteer work- all are invited to the ceremony on Oct. 18th in Chestnut Hill. Culture Committee update: Keep enforcing JCDS Rocks ALSO each class will be assigned a virtue from the slogan to make a visual display with Ben will create a song/rap with each class Oct 23 assembly songs will be presented ALSO each teacher will do a lesson from “Lo Levayesh/ Don’t Embarrass” Talk to your JS/GS counterpart to choose your lesson Let Renee know if you need an extra copy Oct 16 each class will present something from “Lo Levayesh” There was a lengthy discussion about whether or not we should start with this virtue, or something that doesn’t have “No” in it (i.e. Show Kindness) Bob gave examples of tactless students who are excluding one another during recess While we need our students to toughen up, at the same time we want to cultivate students who care for one another Renee will let us know if there’s a different virtue we should start w/- by this week K- Cooperate 1- Kindness 2- Responsible 3- Respect 4- Initiative 5- Pride Renee will get back to us by the end of this week about which Virtue we’ll start with and then for future, staff or culture committee will help determine the next ones. We’ll concentrate on one per month. NECAPS in 3, 4, & 5 Grade 3-5 Teachers will be trained, both GS and JS, and Pam, Linda, and Deb. Oct 1st- 22nd will be testing dates Reading, Math, & Writing (5th only) Reading & Math (3rd & 4th) 45 min tests (but can take 90 min) Oct. 7th start date? Renee will get back with a proposed schedule for testing. Training materials will be distributed for review before our full scale training on Oct 5th staff meeting. In the meantime, GS teachers, Grades 3-5 should go on line to www.ride.ri.gov to look for released test items to work on with your classes and to access resource materials, particularly the NECAP approved hundreds chart and multiplication table which your student will be able to use for some of the tests. Good idea to get them familiar with their uses. Homework during Sukkot should be //limited// (less than usual) Talk to your team members.
 * School will be reallocating laptops—3 will come to fifth grade
 * Open school night:
 * JCDS rocks skits by grade, prepare for 10/23 assembly?
 * fifth grade = pride
 * NECAPs: Reading and math, pilot writing program (by Oct. 22)
 * 45-minute tests, but they get 90 minutes total
 * Pam and Jen Kelley have administered the NECAP before
 * Do you want a free bookshelf w/ sections? If so, talk to Vicky.

9/23 Wednesday
Meeting with Eliana: Toldot: Nov. 18 (Eliana's birthday) Friday 9/25 Use this period to introduce Torah Project skills—summarizing and commentary Wednesday 9/30 Sukkot Mishnah (look up poem: Dr. Seuss Sukkah)
 * next two weeks will be about Sukkot, visiting other people's sukkot

9/25 Friday DeLeT meeting
Start choosing a focus: Categorizing learnings from observations:
 * physical behavior
 * maturity
 * academic skills
 * spirituality
 * independence

Child Study: Guided Reading:

10/1 DeLeT meeting with ES and JW
10/9 Kabbalat Shabbat: kabbalat songs/guitar chords Oseh Shalom Lecha Dodi Parsha Commentary: Ask Aaron to read the paragraph, and have group discussion

10/19 My role for T'fillah: hallel: what is it? What are we saying? When do we say it? Hallel songs/chords for 10/19 OR: rosh chodesh Chashvan and hallel for that talk first with eilana (Wed. meeting)

Steve Stein: email for guitar chords for Kabbalat Shabbat songs

10/1 All-staff meeting
Harshita: Benefits, life insurance and short-term insurance will start coming out of next month's salary. "Wear Whatever Wednesdays" contribute $30 to the school Community Shabbat dinner Kol Echad concert at Hope High School Morning meeting starts at 7:55, back in classrooms at 8:05 This month's virtue: greet everyone with a pleasant face, part of JCDS rocks. Each class makes some kind of presentation for assembly Nov 6

NECAP testing: 10/14 Wednesday 10/15 Thursday 10/16 Friday 10/19 Monday 10/20 Tuesday
 * 8:45-10:15 during GS and Lashon
 * 12:45-2:15 during LIB/COMP
 * 8:45-10:15
 * 12:45-2:15
 * 8:45-10:15 during Jewish studies and Lashon
 * 8:45-10:15 (tentative)
 * 8:45-10:15 (tentative)

11/2 Monday Science Meeting
Meeting with science teachers: Three areas of teaching: Life science, earth science and physical science
 * what are we teaching? are we covering the spectrum of what we should be teaching? are we happy with the topics?
 * how does the curriculum relate to the RI GLEs?

11/16 Mid-semester assessment
Focus: New responsibilities:
 * seek opportunities in the class
 * more roles/routines
 * respect mentors' time (planning time)
 * Helpers: make schedule, overlook tasks
 * DOL: create schedule, make copies, take over
 * Spelling: choose words on Monday (keep an eye out from both Jewish and general studies), assign homework on Monday (incorporate into other assignments), collect and correct HW on Wednesday, proctor test on Friday and correct. If need be, misspelled words will be on following week's test
 * make sure they are looking up definitions and correct spelling
 * make sure they are using in correctly
 * Torah Project: teach parshat hashavua once a month
 * edit/assess summaries and commentaries
 * choose one student to present and lead KS discussion, they should come up with guided questions
 * Writing: Literary themes:
 * metaphors
 * similes
 * alliterations
 * personifications

11/23 All-staff meeting

 * end of term report cards now due one week earlier: due after 1/19
 * Chanukah Station: Which oil burns the longest? Different types of tealights

11/30 All-staff meeting

 * New value to teach in classroom: lo levayesh, do not embarass. Can I teach this in a Torah lesson?
 * Next Wednesday: staff meeting at 3:45

12/11 =E-mail lesson plans=
 * Time: having boundaries for planning -- setting limits on finishing the planning. Stick to plans even if there's something great that comes up.
 * Plans well in advance: Email lesson plans!!!
 * Writing:
 * 10:15 - 10:20 Start with brainstorming on the week for 3-5 minutes, ask them what literary devices they want to incorporate in their letters: exaggeration, similes, metaphors, personifications, alliteration
 * Spelling: start spelling, when they're done, work on their Friday letters (make sure they start their spelling tests right away)
 * 10:25 - 10:40 Friday letters, remind them of their time
 * Sponge activity: Make connections between BTT and the world, museum, etc.