Whetting Your Appetite

-Whetting Your Appetite-

“If the fires of freedom and civil liberties burn low in other lands, they must be made brighter in our own. If in other lands the press and books and literature of all kinds are censored, we must redouble our efforts here to keep them free. If in other lands the eternal truths of the past are threatened by intolerance we must provide a safe place for their perpetuation.”

-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

-Creating the Ambiance-

Preparing to Dine

Chauncey Rose Middle School Celebrates Successes!

On Friday, November 9, 2007, Chauncey Rose Middle School teachers had a half-day devoted to professional development. Dr. Tammy Roeschlein, principal, started the workshop by asking the teachers to pair up with a colleague to share success stories since the beginning of the school year. After sharing their successes with a colleague, the colleague shared the success with the remaining staff. (Oftentimes it is difficult to share publicly about our own successes.) As the teachers told about students with improved behavior, students with improved reading skills, students with improved attitudes, etc., it was obvious the teachers at Chauncey Rose Middle School are making a difference in the lives of their students! Emotions ranged from laughter to tears. The challenges are many and the job seems impossible at times. Some of the teachers are brand new. Some of the teachers have been teaching a few years. Others have been teaching for many years, however, they all have a common goal. They desperately want their students to succeed in learning and life! Chauncey Rose Middle School has experienced many successes since August. It’s exciting to think how many more successes will evolve between now and the year’s end!

It’s not easy teaching in Title I schools these days. We face high poverty, sanctions through NCLB, etc. but our children are GREAT! They depend on us to prepare them for life in the 21st century! Let’s all take the time to share successes! It’s not a waste of time! It’s worth the time to encourage each other, laugh together, cry together, and share together! There’s power in success! Time spent sharing successes will strengthen everyone! (Don’t forget to take time to share successes with students and parents, too!)

-Need To Feed-

Attendance Report

During the week of November 5-9, the Title I schools had attendance of 95.9-98.4% for elementary schools. Farrington Grove was the

Title I school with the greatest percentage! Great job to everyone! Thank you for working so diligently to ensure our students are in school and ready to learn!

-The M.E.A.L.S.-

Meaningful Experiences Affecting Long-term Success

Celebrate National Children’s Book Week!

Children’s Book Week encourages children to enjoy new authors and books, and is celebrated in schools, libraries, homes, and bookstores. Children’s Book Week is observed each November, during the week before Thanksgiving. During this event, celebrate children’s literature and the love of reading! Go to the website, and click on “calendar”. When you see the calendar, click on “Children’s Book Week”, November 12. You will find classroom activities, lesson plans, web links, and other resources to make the week extra special!

-D.E.S.S.E.R.T.S.-

Defining Experiences Structured to Support, Encourage, and Reward Teachers’ Spirit

In Kelly Gallagher’s book, Reading Reasons, he shares an activity entitled, “Favorite First Lines”. Kelly writes, “Never judge a book by its cover—and, I might add, never judge a book by its first few pages. Nevertheless, when opening a new book it has been a habit of mine to take note of the first line. I know when I write that sometimes the first line is the hardest, so I like to see how authors choose to begin their works, how they draw their readers in. It’s fun to get students to keep track of their favorite first lines. This activity helps students appreciate good writing. When we ask students to take notice of excellent writing, we give them the message that writing is a craft and should be appreciated. Students who learn to appreciate the craft of good writing learn that reading for reading’s sake is fun.”

Ask your students, “How many of you sometimes have a hard time deciding how to start an essay? Point out that this often happens to the best of writers.
Explain to students that even though we should not judge an entire book by its first couple of pages, it’s interesting to take note of how authors choose to begin their books.
Share with students some interesting first lines from your favorite books.
As the school year progresses, have students keep track in their notebooks of their favorite first lines. First lines do not necessarily have to be the first words of a book—they can be expanded to include the first words of a chapter, the first words of a newspaper or magazine article, the first words of a poem, etc.
At least once a year construct a classroom bulletin board entitled “Favorite First Words”. Give each student an index card or strip of blank cash register tape and have him or her write a favorite line. Make a favorite first line collage.

M.I.N.T.S.

Masterful Ideas Needed To Survive

More From Kelly Gallagher!

The Reading Minute-

At the beginning of each class, Kelly shares a piece of interesting reading. This sharing usually takes a minute or less. The shared reading can come from a range of sources, from poetry to nonfiction. The selections may be pulled from newspapers, magazines, novels, textbooks—anywhere we, as readers, come across interesting text. All the Reading Minutes share one goal: to demonstrate to our students that there is a world of reading richness out there.

For the first month of school, Kelly conducts the Reading Minute. He picks an interesting passage or article to read to the students. Often he picks something from a current book he’s reading or cuts something out of the morning newspaper or current magazine to share.
After reading the selection, students open their notebooks to their “Reading Minute” section. On a sheet of notebook paper, Kelly has the students write the day’s date and a one-sentence summary to remember the day’s Reading Minute. (This also helps to make sure they all pay attention during the Reading Minute.) Kelly is strict about one sentence only—this also helps develop their summary skills.
After a couple of months, the students begin leading the Reading Minute. Kelly prints a calendar for the month and each student is required to sign up to share a Reading Minute. If any open days remain, Kelly conducts the Reading Minute on those days.
When a student finishes sharing, the class is required to say, “Thank you.”
At the end of the school year, students should have 150-180 summary sentences of all the interesting reading that was shared. This reinforces that reading in itself is a rich and rewarding pursuit. As an end-of-the-year reflective assignment, students can write about the Reading Minutes.
What kinds of passages should students share:
Passages they find beautiful
Passages they find interesting
Passages that exhibit great writing
Passages that anger them
Passages that trouble them
Passages that raise their curiosity
Passages they find humorous; etc.

R.E.C.I.P.E.S.

Recognizing Everyone Contributes In Providing Educational Successes

Parent/Community Involvement Calendar

Nov. /

1 & 2

12:00 P.M.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Elementary Schools

Nov. /

1 & 2

1:00 P.M.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Middle Schools

Nov. /

3:00 P.M.

Title I Annual Meeting

Ouabache

Nov. /

8:30 – 9:00 A.M.

Daycare Provider Meeting

DeVaney

Nov. /

13-16

National Children’s Book Week Celebration & Read to 500 Kickoff

Terre Town

Nov. /

6:00 – 7:30 P.M.

Kindergarten Family Night

Meadows

Nov. /

5:30 P.M.

Title I Family Game Night (K-2)

Fuqua

Nov. /

5:30 P.M.

Title I Family Game Night (3-5)

Fuqua

Nov. /

7:30-9:30 A.M.

Principals’ Meeting

Ad. Bldg. Conf. Rm.

Nov. /

1:00-3:15 P.M.

Reading Teachers’ Meeting

Ad. Bldg. Bd. Rm.

Nov. /

TBA

Bingo for Books

Farrington Gr.

Nov. /

10:00 – 11:00 A.M.

2nd Grade Parent Informational Meeting

Meadows

Nov. /

6:00 P.M.

Parent Advisory Council Meeting

Fuqua

Nov. /

1:00-2:30 P.M.

Educational Assistants’ Meeting

Ad. Bldg. Bd. Rm.