Spartan Pledge
Supporting our school community core values.
Holiday Break
The Thanksgiving Holiday is quickly approaching. I hope everyone takes some time to reflect on truly what we should be thankful for this season. Freedom (democracy), family, faith, community and much, much more. It is my hope that each of you has a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. We will have a 1 p.m. early release on Wednesday, November 21st.
Celebration Assembly on Tuesday
Students won the Student Council led community food drive competition between students and staff. Consequently there will be a pie throwing exhibition on Tuesday afternoon at 2:55 p.m. Two students from each grade have been selected to throw pies in the face of Mr. O'Dea, Dean of Students and Mr. Baier, Principal. Additionally we will be celebrating successes related to Spartan PRIDE and unveil the new school motto created by and voted on by the student body.
Trimester One Completed
We will finish the first trimester of the 2012-13 school year on Wednesday. Be sure to visit with your child about completing missing work and completing the requirements associated with trimester one. Next Monday we begin the second trimester. Class schedules will change as your child rotates to a new exploratory class. Be sure to check the Parent Portal for details on your child's schedule or contact the guidance office if you have questions. Thank you for your support in my first year as the principal at SMS. I have so much to learn about your children and the education system in Spearfish. I am certainly not doing everything well, but I hope that you see and understand that every child's success is important to me. I will continue to work with staff, parents and students to create the conditions for a safe environment and high levels of learning.
Professional Development Time
I recognize the monthly early releases and other professional development days for the teaching staff creates challenges for you with day care and routines you've established. Thank you for your support of this time. You must know that the time is well spent and needed for our faculty to learn and grow together. At SMS, we are embarking on the journey to function as a professional learning community. “...A Professional Learning Community is a collaboration of teachers, administrators, parents, and students, who work together to seek out best practices, test them in the classroom, continuously improve processes, and focus on results.” Rick DuFour, 2002.
Our Fundamental Assumptions are:
1.) We can make a difference: Our school can be more effective.
2.) Improving our people is the key to improving our school.
3.) Significant school improvement will impact teaching and learning.
The ONE Thing...
a Professional Learning Community there is focus on “learning” rather than
“teaching” as the fundamental purpose of our school.
Three Big Ideas
Focus on Learning, Collaboration, & A Focus on Results
Four Corollary Questions that guide the work:
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What should students know and be able to do as a result of this course,
class, or grade level?
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How will we know that the students are not learning?
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How do we respond when students do not learn?
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How do we respond when students learn more?
Question 2 – What assessment will we use to determine if the students have learned?
Questions 3 & 4 – How will we intervene when students do not learn or learn more than anticipated?
There are Six Characteristics of a Professional Learning Community:
1) Shared mission, vision, values, goals
What distinguishes a learning community form an ordinary school is its collective commitment to guiding principles that articulate what the staff of the school believes and that govern their actions and behaviors.
2) Collaborative Culture
Professionals in a learning community work in teams that share a common purpose. They learn from each other and create the momentum that drives improvement. They build within the organization the structure and vehicles that make collaborative work and learning effective and productive.
3) Collective Inquiry
People in a learning community relentlessly question the status quo, seek new methods of teaching and learning, test the methods, and then reflect on the results
4) Action Orientation / Experimentation
Members of professional learning communities constantly turn their learning and insights into action. They recognize the importance of engagement and experience in learning and in testing new ideas.
o They reflect publicly on their beliefs and challenge each other’s beliefs.
o They share insights and hammer out common meanings.
o They work jointly to plan and test actions and initiatives.
o They coordinate their actions, so that the work of each individual contributes to the common effort
5) Commitment to Continuous Improvement
Members of a learning organization are not content with the status quo and continually seek ways to bring present reality closer to future ideal. They constantly ask themselves and each other:
o What is our purpose?
o What do we hope to achieve?
o What are our strategies for improving? o How will we assess our efforts?
6) Results Orientation
Professionals in a learning organization recognize that no matter how well-intentioned the efforts, the only valid judgment of improvement is observable and measurable results. Assessment and re-evaluation are the keys to continued improvement.
Adapted from Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker (1998), Professional Learning Communities at Work
What distinguishes a learning community form an ordinary school is its collective commitment to guiding principles that articulate what the staff of the school believes and that govern their actions and behaviors.
2) Collaborative Culture
Professionals in a learning community work in teams that share a common purpose. They learn from each other and create the momentum that drives improvement. They build within the organization the structure and vehicles that make collaborative work and learning effective and productive.
3) Collective Inquiry
People in a learning community relentlessly question the status quo, seek new methods of teaching and learning, test the methods, and then reflect on the results
4) Action Orientation / Experimentation
Members of professional learning communities constantly turn their learning and insights into action. They recognize the importance of engagement and experience in learning and in testing new ideas.
o They reflect publicly on their beliefs and challenge each other’s beliefs.
o They share insights and hammer out common meanings.
o They work jointly to plan and test actions and initiatives.
o They coordinate their actions, so that the work of each individual contributes to the common effort
5) Commitment to Continuous Improvement
Members of a learning organization are not content with the status quo and continually seek ways to bring present reality closer to future ideal. They constantly ask themselves and each other:
o What is our purpose?
o What do we hope to achieve?
o What are our strategies for improving? o How will we assess our efforts?
6) Results Orientation
Professionals in a learning organization recognize that no matter how well-intentioned the efforts, the only valid judgment of improvement is observable and measurable results. Assessment and re-evaluation are the keys to continued improvement.
Adapted from Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker (1998), Professional Learning Communities at Work
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Upcoming
Activities:
Nov. 26 Trimester Grades Due
(End of the day)
Nov. 28 Building
Leadership Team Mtg., 3:15-4:30 p.m.
Nov. 29 Team
Leader Meeting, 7:30-8:00 a.m. in Conference Rm.
Dec. 3 Parents
and Partners Mtg. 6-7 p.m., SMS Library
Dec. 3 7th
& 8th Gr. Choir Concert, SHS Auditorium, 7-9 p.m.
Dec. 3 SMART
Board Training (a.m./p.m. sessions)
Dec. 5 Early
Release for PD, 2 p.m.
Dec. 6 Staffing
Meeting, 7:30 a.m. in SMS Library
Dec. 10 7th
and 8th gr. Band Concert, 7:30-9:30 p.m. in HS Auditorium
Dec. 11 District
Technology Mtg., 3:45 p.m.in HS DDN rm.
Dec. 12 Building
Leadership Team, 3:15-4:30 p.m.
Dec.
14 7th
Grade Dance, SMS Commons, 4-6 p.m.
Dec.
20 Team Leader
Meeting, 7:30 a.m. in conf. rm.
Dec.
21 1 p.m. Early
Release, Christmas/Holiday Break
Dec.
24-Jan. 1 Christmas/Holiday
Break
Jan.
2 School
resumes
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It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan
-Eleanor Roosevelt
Make it a great week,
Shane
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