Thought of the Week: This is a tremendous data collection phase for educators as they aim to precisely understand the learning needs of their students and to focus their instruction. As the leader of the instructional program, your role is to engage in dialogue around these needs and the responsive instruction that results from these needs. How are you modelling and supporting the need to ensure that our instruction is personalized and precise for our learners? What are the responsive plans for the students who were not yet at Provincial Standard on the EQAO assessment in grade 3 and 6 (where are they now and how are we strategically supporting them?). Don’t forget, even though the EQAO predictions aren’t due until February 1, that doesn’t mean that these conversations can’t happen!
- PD Day – all elementary principals will now come together at GOPS (9:00-3:30) on this day. Lunch will be provided. The morning will be spend working on math, and the afternoon will have a number of different conversations including our approach to NTIP and BLDS, early learning, POPs and the BLP/SLPs. Please also feel free to send me items for discussion. The agenda will come out by Wednesday. You are asked to plan the remainder of the day for all non-teaching staff so that it can be self directed. I am not yet sure about the EA handbook rollout but perhaps this work could also be self-directed by the Educational Assistants in your school.
- The September 28th Catch Up Session (9:00-11:00) will be cancelled as the items will be added to our agenda for the PD Day.
- Emergency Plans – please note that your Emergency Plans are due by September 30 to Dave with a cc to Debbie Skworchinski. Although the Emergency Plan template does state that they are to go to the SOE, the board Policy states that they are to go to the Director. Also, note that your Fire Safety plan is part of your Emergency Plan so, although the board Policy states that it is to go to the SOE, please simply send the whole package to Dave. Debbie shared with me that she will be adding a better long term ‘evacuation” plan to her document due to a recent water issue that they experienced. Something to think about – if the water goes off, can you evacuate to another location?
- As you know, George has been trying to launch a collaborative inquiry in the area of self-regulation. As a way to help to form the inquiry question, he had made arrangements for Pat Carney to do a pd session with interested teachers. This was supposed to take place on Monday, September 28. I am wondering if we could do a teleconference with him (or people who wanted could travel to Nipigon so that he has an audience) that day (he has already made plans to stay for the weekend) from 9:00-1:00. Read below and then let me know your thoughts/availability asap – most of us are already free as this was supposed to be the Catch Up Meeting)Dr. Carney is a Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association, an honour awarded to him in recognition of his outstanding service and contributions to the field of educational psychology. Dr. Carney is a passionate spokesperson and advocate for positive mental health for all students. His dedication and leadership in this field is reflected in his many roles, including President of the Association of Chief Psychologists with Ontario School Boards and two terms as President of the Canadian Association of School Psychologists. In his role as Chief Psychologist, Simcoe County Roman Catholic District School Board, Dr. Carney works with students, teachers, and their parents to develop positive mental health using many of the evidence-based strategies.George’s thoughts:
I am thinking that he could provide a summary of his approach in terms of building self-regulation as outlined in his book. That would be a brief overview. The meat would be specific, measurable strategies that we can incorporate in classrooms to assist teachers in being able to create these environments and discovering what works for our local context(s). What kinds of measures are there? What kinds of programs (we have second step for example). What types of vehicles (collaborative enquiries). So I can talk to him about our context which is that we need less theory as we have a pretty good grounding in that (but a brief overview is good) and more on initiatives, and measures, and evidence that principals can use and apply for quality assurance.
As and aside, this may also touch on instructional practices. When we presented at CSSE in Ottawa one of the researchers mentioned some research on how instructional practices ALSO impact behaviour and therefore learning (for example “Do” requests work better than “Don’t” requests).
So he is here for the morning and we could look at that for the morning and then in the afternoon some development of strategies that principals could use for their schools or ways they could work this into their school improvement plan.
Please email me asap!!
From Last Week’s Information/Updates (carried over):
- Please do not panic about SLP due dates. All due dates are dependent upon the current situation. Remember, I am operating from the believe that “people don’t support what they don’t create!”
Nicki’s Schedule for this Week:
Monday – Teleconferences all day – (PPA, Senior Admin, SEF for new admins, Marathon High)
Tuesday – 11:00-12:30 SLPs with All Elementary , BEst Start in pm
Wednesday – DECE Teleconference in pm
Thursday -GOPS
Friday – PD at GOPS with Elementary Principals
Due Dates/This Week in Our System:
Upcoming:
September 21 1:30-3:30 School Effectiveness for New Leaders (with NMC)
September 22 11:00-12:30 School Effectiveness for All Elementary Leaders (with NMC)
September 23 – PD Day Agendas due to VLE site
September 25 – PD Day (School Learning Plans, etc,) at GOPS for Elementary Principals
September 28 – Elementary Teleconference Catch Up Session – 9:00-11:00
September 28 – Board Meeting
October 2 – POPs due to your designated Leader
Suzanne – all secondary and George and Carole
Dave – Hillary, Kathleen, Will, Shelley, Jody, Stacey, Nicole
Nicki – Kellie, Chris, Michelle, Debbie, Sara, Melissa
Those on a PPA will work with their designated Leader to determine a due date (after the First Meeting)
Anyone wishing can set up time to discuss their POP prior to the due date.
October 5 – BLP and Lead’s Meeting – GOPS face to face
October 5 – World Teacher’s Day
October 5 – Board Policy Review
October 10 – SLPs, Inquiry Applications, Bully Intervention Plans all due (tentatively)
Modelling the Conditions for Learning 