Week of 10/25/2010

The MGMS SIT plan is posted on the school's webpage.  Be sure to take a look at it and email any questions/comments to your SIT rep, LaGarde or to Robin before Wednesday's SIT meeting.  You may also want to make plans to attend this week's SIT meeting if you want to be a part of the discussion that will result in either approving or modifying the plan prior to its final approval.

To print calendar:  right-click on imagine and select "print picture."

Week of 10/18

THE FIRE MARSHAL WILL BE HERE MONDAY MORNING FOR OUR ANNUAL INSPECTION.

Please check for the following:

• improper extension cords, cords being walked over and cords that are overloaded.  
• No surge protectors plugged into other surge protectors.
• Nothing hanging from ceiling.
• All chemicals should be properly stored.
• Doorways should not be blocked or cluttered (even doors adjoining other rooms.)
• Door windows should have access to see room (at least 50% of window).
• Remove all paper from doors.
• No curtains of any kind -- including plastic shower curtains!
• Please check your fire extinguisher for me and let me know if it needs to be serviced so I can get a workorder in before they get here.  Not every room will have a fire extinguisher. 
• We need to make sure the opening windows are not blocked with stuff in the window sill.  This should remain clear in case an emergency exit through the windows should ever be necessary.

Week of 10/11/2010

Big thanks to everyone who helped promote our first "wear pink day" in support of breast cancer awareness.  As Nicole mentioned in her follow up email: overall, thanks to your efforts, we were able to donate almost $700 to the Susan G. Komen center for breast cancer research.  Additionally, almost $300 went to Lee National Denim Day!! $1,000 in one day is really pretty amazing!  Super kudos to everyone involved!


I added some pictures of teachers showing their pink pride to our photo stream in the upper left corner of the blog... but I thought I'd welcome our new 8th grade Language Arts teacher, Lynn Blades with a close up this week. :)  Speaking of which, if you missed the story that WECT did on all of Friday's "Wear Pink" activities, you can check it out here! I'm pretty sure the Star News picked up the story as well, but I've yet to see it appear on their website.  Similarly, I sent some pictures into the PR Dept. with NHCS, but they've yet to show up on the home page.  Stay tuned!


Switching gears...


Recently, we've talked a lot recently about the importance of integrating 21st century technologies into content area instruction.  One thing we don't talk a lot about, but that I think is equally important, is the need for our students to be savvy consumers of information.  Just forbidding them from using sites like Wikipedia doesn't teach them how to separate a good source from a less reliable one, which is the kind of skill they really need.  The new Information and Technology Essential Standards mandate that students learn how to evaluate information and be able to discern reliable media from the unreliable and even unscrupulous.  As we integrate new technologies within our instruction and turn kids loose on the internet, we need to make sure they are armed with the skills to make smart, responsible and ethical decisions while out there.  After all, our students are creating digital footprints right now that they will have to live with for the rest of their lives.

Anyway, check out the video and then let me know if you'd like me to work with your students in regards to online ethics, information evaluation or even on how to conduct a smart internet search, as opposed to just taking your chances on the first link that pops up on Google.  I'd love to come goof around with your kids for awhile.

Finally, I know I promised to update the staff birthdays last week, but...  clearly, I am falling down on the job.  My apologies to all of those October babies who have been forgotten the last two weeks.  I promise to set things right next week.  And this time I really mean it. :)  

And now, here's the calendar! (PS: Don't forget to check out the 21st Century Resource on the side bar!) Happy weekend, everyone!

Week of 10/4/2010

Each week, NHCS compiles and then a sends a list of upcoming events in the school system to all of our local media outlets (print, radio, tv, etc.) as well as to members of the school board.  This publication is known as the "Good News Report."  If you're doing something cool with your students like having a guest speaker or organizing a performance or anything you'd be willing to share with the rest of the world, please let me know. (Things like the artist who recently visited Mrs. Spencer's art classes or the upcoming fund-raising event with Bangz hair salon are great examples!) I send this report in for our school every week - and with all the great stuff we've got going on at the Grove, there's no reason why we all shouldn't be ready for our collective closeups!

In other news, please be on the lookout for a Nook Proposal Form to be disseminated in the next week or so.  This form will help us purchase content for our new eReaders.   Thanks so much to our generous PTSA, we now have covers for these new devices.  And thanks to Eric Ludwig, we also have an (almost) new locking, rolling cart to put them in.  And finally, thanks to Robin for coming up with some money to purchase content.  Woo Hoo! All we need now is your ideas.  So... be thinking of how you'd like to use these gadgets with your kids and keep your eyes peeled for the form which will be emailed to you soon! 

Finally, this video is related to this week's 21st Century Resource.  The student who created the video uses the resources that I've linked to/reviewed on the left.  However, the video also contains a powerful lesson regarding the role of technology in our students' lives.  It's been said, and rightfully so, that no technology can replace a great teacher. However, it's also true that our students are growing up in a digital world and there's no limit to what a great teacher can do when they embrace the technologies that are at the center of our students' world.  Anyway, check out the video and then check out the resource.



Have a great weekend, everyone! 

PS:  For those of you who are using Wordle, here's an interesting link with lots of suggested uses for this great resource.

To print calendar:  right click on image then select "print picture."