Week 5.5

Celebrate Excellence

STAAR Week will be over on Friday and I would like to thank everyone for your hard work in making this a smooth week.  I would first like to thank our counselors for organizing all of the tests, accommodations and everything else that we necessary to set our kids up for success.  I would also like to thank our principals for leading their campus to success.  Thank you to every teacher, support staff and volunteer for helping ensure that the test went well for every student.  Finally, I would like to thank our cafeteria staff, custodial staff and maintenance staff for all of your work behind the scenes to make sure that our buildings were clean and cool and our lunches were hot and ready for the kids.  This was truly a team effort to ensure that Excellence for All becomes a reality.

Claymation!

Luh Putu Januwati has begun claymation at TES where students are using clay to create characters and tell stories.  To the right one of our students has created a character and is experimenting with how his story might be told.  In honor of the NCAA Basketball tournament that ends this weekend with the final four, here is a claymation of the 1982 Finals.

Do you remember @UNC_Basketball's 1982 title? Enjoy this claymation re-enactment of @GoHeels' win over Georgetown...https://t.co/65B48p9dQf

— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) March 29, 2016

Growing Excellence (+10 for ALL) 

As we finish one STAAR week and get ready for the final push to STAAR in May (May 2-6 for THS and May 9-12 for TES & TMS), I want to encourage you to answer this question.

What does your Rigor make Kids Say?

Rigor is a challenge, but rigor with vigor challenges our kids to say "Game On".  With the right rigor kids enthusiastically accept the challenge because they are motivated to aspire for excellence.  Here are 3 ways to encourage all kids to accept the challenge that real rigor provides.

• Make it fun.  If rigor is fun, they will want to play.
• Make it competitive.  When rigor becomes a competition, kids will accept the challenge.
• Make it reflective.  If rigor allows kids to reflect on why they missed problems and how they can improve, they will learn more.

With 4 and 5 weeks left to prepare kids for the next test, don't miss the opportunity to make your rigor fun, competitive and reflective.  Those might be the 3 things that will motivate all of your students to reach their +10 goal. 

College AND Career 

Check out this awesome slide by Erin Shelly that compares the in-state and out-of-state costs of going to college.



 Google Me This 

Find the Word Count in Your Google Doc with this Keyboard Shortcut

Where to Locate and Install Google Form Add-ons

These Two Buttons in Google Drive Will Help Keep You Organized


Upcoming Dates 

• Thu, 4/7 - TELPAS Verification and submission
• Mon, 4/11 - Give Formative Assessments (unless campus has changed date to different week)
• Mon, 4/11 - #LoveMySchoolDay - Share examples of the awesome things happening in your school on Twitter with the hashtag.
• Fri, 4/15 - End of 5th 6 Weeks (Begin Response to Assessment for FA's)
• Mon, 4/18 - Beginning of 6th 6 Weeks
• Wed, 4/20 - Administrative Professionals' Day (Secretary's Day)

 What I'm Learning
5 Creative Ways Schools Can Use Google Forms (That Aren’t Surveys) via @thegooglegooru@thegooglegooru