BRIDGE Program:
This year we are rolling out the Bridge Program to provide structured support to students returning from an extended absence (hospitalization, concussion, quarantine, etc.)
With the increase in extended absences due to COVID and related mental health concerns, we are addressing the need to assist students in adjusting back to school, as a long-term absence can be daunting to return from. We provide social-emotional support through counseling, academic coordination, and tutoring, as well as family outreach.
The Bridge Program is small-scale and individualized to meet each student's needs, meaning a student could be in the program from a couple of weeks to a couple of months.
Typically a student will spend full days in the Bridge Program room (located in Student Services) for the first 1-2 days; during this time we create a plan for reintegration, starting the student off by attending 1-2 classes per day, and spending their remaining time in the program room.
As they catch up on missing work and learn coping skills to manage their mental health symptoms, they will increase their time in the classroom/shop and gradually return to learning full-time.
Please reach out to Katie or Angela with any questions.
Professional Learning Communities - Digging into Grading and Assessment.
Where: During PLC (some may prefer to read and digest before the PLC)
Who: All teachers
What: Read, discuss, and take notes as a group on PLC meeting notes assigned in teacher drive.
When: The first by 10/18, the second by 11/1
Why: To share ideas at the department level about the purpose, audience and power of grading. As well as to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of our grading systems at the teacher, department and school levels.
As we discussed at our September Faculty Meeting, in October, during your PLC’s, you will read at least two articles or text chapters on grading, then discuss, and take notes on your conversation about what you read and what it triggered for questions and reflection around your own grading, the good, the bad, the ugly. Consider SST practices from the teacher, department, and school level as you talk. All notes will be taken on your 2021-22 PLC Minutes template found in your department folders. The notes will be used to guide future professional development activities.
You will work with your department head or designated PLC facilitator to determine how you are going to select readings, the department head or designated facilitator will also record the department’s notes. There is a shared file folder in the Teacher Curriculum Drive with the label, Grading Practices. Housed within the folder are several readings (articles and chapters) on grading. Please read, discuss and take notes on at least one reading by October 19th, and another by November 1st. Be sure to identify what you read by listing the title in your notes. Larger departments are encouraged to read more than 2 articles to broaden the scope of the conversation.
The Grading and Assessment Committee members are available as additional resources. Feel free to reach out to Matt Fallano, Toni Bourgea, Craig Davis, Carolyn Rutkowski, Kate Darling, or Tom Hart.
Evaluation Forms - Faculty are reminded that you only need to fill out forms #1 and 2A if you are in the 1st year of your evaluation cycle. #2b will be filled out by your evaluator.
Car Show - Thank you to the Automotive Quadre, Mr. Bello, and many others who made today's car show such a success.
Masks, Hats, and Hoods -
Since the start of school, we have been trying to ensure masks are worn properly, and to enforce the rule that hats and hoods are not worn in classrooms, halls, or at lunch. The leadership team cannot do this alone and we ask that everyone help enforce the school rules. If you see a student with a mask worn improperly in the classroom or shop, ask them to correct it. If they refuse, or you repeatedly need to make the request, then email discipline and we will take it from there. If a student is wearing a hat or hood, as them to remove it. We have seen several students in classrooms violating the hat/hood policy along with improper mask-wearing. If you're a shop instructor, have the students leave the hat in the shop when they go to lunch. In order to implement these school-wide rules, we need everyone on board.
Advisory:
If you haven’t already, please:
Create a Google Meet for your time slot and send it to all advisors on your list.
Be sure to fill out this form to indicate where you will be holding your meeting.
Open House Schedule:
Here is the proposed staggered Open House Schedule for Vocational Instructors. Please review with your department, if the department would like to make any changes or adjustments we ask that the department head reach out to Mrs. Conner.
For programs with 2 instructors and a vocational aide, the vocational aide will be compensated if they work the open house. Any vocational instructors that work the full 4 hour day will be able to put in a time slip for the additional hour worked.
Court Yard
On Friday, October 15th we will be hosting a “Fall Harvest Dance” in the courtyard. If you're a shop that utilizes that space please make sure to tidy up the area and remove buses and trailers by Thursday, October 14th.
Harvest Dance - Once again, a reminder that we are hosting a Harvest Homecoming Dance on Friday night, October 15th, from 7:00 to 10:00 pm. This is a great opportunity to volunteer for a student event and show your support for them outside the classroom or shop. Please let Matt Fallano know if you can volunteer.