Week of 10/29

Good evening Panther Nation! 

Quote of the Week: 

Wow! What a beautiful weekend! It had a gloomy beginning but it ended with perfect weather! I hope the one day break allowed you to temporarily catch your breath! We have a few more weeks and then you are off to a week long break! Thank you all for last week! The Field Days were great! I know it was tough not having a planning period for most of the week but your commitment to keep kids first definitely showed through the sacrifice you made! The students had a blast and for the most part were well behaved throughout the building! Thank you coaches, volunteers, and the entire Connection Team for organizing such a fun event!

This week we are back at it! I can not stress the importance of teaching to reach every student. The use of different high yielding instructional strategies will help provide differentiated instruction to your students. It is expected during observations that you are using many of the strategies shared with you from our AVID Team. It is also expected that all teachers are are using Focus Note Taking and Critical Reading Strategies as these are the strategies we agreed to implement in our School Growth Plan. We will speak to this more this week during Collaborative Planning. 

Our binder system is working! Thank you to everyone that is consistently checking binders. This is a reminder that binder checks are not optional. ALL teachers are expected to conduct binder checks and sign off on the student forms. We will be taking binder checks to the next level in a few weeks. 

Administrators presence will be heavy in all of the collaborative plannings and RTI meetings. We will also begin conducting data analysis using a specific protocol to help us identify what we are doing well and how we can improve student learning. Please make sure that the data progress monitoring sheets are updated before Tuesday so that we can dig deep in the data. Our first Coherence Visit with Dr. Means will take place on January 9, 2018 at 1:30. I have no doubt in my mind that we will be ready to share how we are implementing our SGP and how our students are showing improvement. However we must be consistent with our practices and working diligently to do what is in the best interest of our students. You all work hard but we must make sure that our work is transferring to our numbers! Yes we are more than a number but at the end of the year, that number defines our success! I challenge the entire staff to teach like a champion for the next 27 weeks! We can do it! Let's go Panthers!

Principal Tolbert

Announcements

Welcome Mr. Brock, Mrs.Wood, and Mr. Jones to the Panther Nation! We are a family at HMS and super excited to have you all join our team! Staff take a moment and stop by their class or send an email to welcome them to Hilsman 2.0! Thank you to the teachers and staff that served on the interview committee! You selected the cream of the crop!

Grade Book Updates-Grading window opens on November 8th!

We will run reports to check for updates to teachers' grade book Wednesday. During conferences it was brought to my attention that we are not consistently putting in grades. This is an expectation that we must follow so that we can hold our students and parents accountable too! At this point in the year, grade books should be properly set up and managed consistently. If you have any questions or concerns, please see Tolbert, Brinkley, or Skinner.

News from Marty

All ELA teachers should complete their classroom spelling bee before December. Mrs. Marty sent out an email with the materials.

-Return all GES rating forms (manila forms) that were in your mailboxes a few weeks ago. These are expensive to replace.

-Mrs. Marty is offering a PL session on differentiating in the classroom during second planning Friday. If you are interested, contact Mrs. Marty. All new teachers will need to attend.

-If students are not meeting advanced criteria or gifted criteria, please make sure you put it in the spreadsheet shared with you a few weeks ago. If you have questions about the criteria, please refer to the gifted module for that information. Please make sure you have contacted parents and recorded it in campus under PLP.

-During collaborative planning next week gifted collaborators will be working with teachers to complete collaborative contracts. It will not take the entire planning.

News from Fassbender

Dress Down Day for October's Binder Check will be November 5th! Please be sure to check the binders.

Week at a Glance

Monday-IEP/504 Meetings

Tuesday-RTI/Branching Minds

Wednesday-Collaborative Planning

Pink Out Day at HMS

Thursday-Collaborative Planning

Friday-IEP/504 Meeting

Week of 10/21/2018

Quote of the Week:


Good evening Panther Nation!

Thank you for a great week of conferences. The parents were extremely complimentary of the time and effort put into informing them about their scholar(s) progress. This week we will be another modified week since we are out on Friday. Please make sure that you have planned appropriately to keep our students actively engaged in class. 

We will have a few changes to occur this week! As of Tuesday, Mr. Mosley will move to 8th grade Science, Ms. Fox will move to 6th grade Science, and Mrs. Skinner will resume her responsibilities as an 8th grade Science teacher. Please do not fear, Mrs. Skinner is still our Instructional Coach! The administrators will conduct most of instructional responsibilities for the remainder of the year. It is also a possibility that our new ELA teachers, Mr. Brock and Ms.Woods will begin this week. We are also in the process of arranging a time for Mr. Jones to come and meet the staff. I am excited about ALL of the new changes as we are finally beginning to get into our grove! 

Lastly, I want to remind you all to remember to stay focused on our purpose. We can not change the things that are beyond our control but we can change how we respond to the things! Instruction, collaboration, respect, and consistency are our keys to success. We survived the first 9 weeks of school and we will be sure that the next 27 weeks are filled with our best!

Principal Tolbert


Announcements

On October 31, 2018, we will host a continental breakfast and Pink Out Hilsman in honor of  Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Thank you for your feedback.
WE ARE CELEBRATING RED RIBBON WEEK AT HILSMAN! This is the time each year when schools across the nation plan activities that promote alcohol and drug awareness and prevention. For more information, visit redribbon.org. The theme this year is "Life Is Your Journey. Travel Drug Free." Students can anticipate daily announcements, lessons from their teachers, and informational tables set up at lunch. We will also continue our trend of having dress up days. Tuesday, October 23rd: Mix It Up at Lunch Day. This is an international campaign that encourages students to identify, question, and cross social boundaries. Help students unmask their inner superheroes and encourage them to team up with their peers. Dress like a superhero to put an end to drugs. Students must still wear uniform bottoms. For more information, visit tolerance.org/mix-it-up. Wednesday, October 24th: Unity Day. Hilsman is also celebrating National Bullying Prevention Month. Wear an orange shirt in support of Unity Day to show that we are united against bullying. Students must still wear uniform bottoms. For more information, visit pacer.org/bullying.

School Bus Safety Week

School Bus Safety Week is next week, October 22-26.  This is an opportunity to celebrate and accentuate the safe transportation of our students.  Make sure to show your appreciation for your drivers in a special way on Monday, October 22 for School Bus Driver Appreciation Day!

Week at a Glance

Monday-IEP/504 Meeting

Tuesday-RTI/Branching Minds

8th Grade Field Day

Transition Day

Wednesday-Collaborative Planning

7th Grade Field Day

Thursday-Collaborative Planning

6th Grade Field Day

Friday-No School

Week of October 14, 2018

Quote of the Week: 


Happy Sunday Folk!

We are off to a short but long week. I hope that you had an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend and get some rest. It has been said many times but I want to say thank you again for the amazing work that you are doing with our students. I know that our circumstances are challenging but as a staff you are making it happen for our students. I encourage you to continue to focus on doing what is best for our students. If you keep your focus on our students then the results will be rewarding! Just keep pushing! It will happen.

This week we will host Parent Teacher Conferences. It is imperative that you make contact with the parents of the students whose conferences you are hosting tomorrow! Contact will need to be made via phone and in writing. If you need help contacting parents, please seek the help of our school social worker. I have received several emails from parents asking for confirmation of times and dates. Ms. Barnett will ensure that you all have access to the necessary documents needed for the conferences. You will need to turn in your conference schedule to the front office Tuesday by 4:00.

Do not forget to go into the TruNorth Logic Platform and complete the orientation, familiarization, Goal plan and comments for your pre-evaluation conference. I held conferences with each grade level as a team. I am aware that there are a few of you that I need to meet with this week. If you have met with me with your team, complete the pre-evaluation portion by noon tomorrow. This is the final deadline.

In an effort to keep you informed, recommendations to hire have been submitted for 2 ELA and 1 SpEd position. It is my desire to schedule interviews for Chorus this week. Mr. Ramirez has agreed to continue to serve as a substitute for Spanish for the remainder of this week. I can not stress the importance of your presence at work. When we are absent our students are missing out. All of you are working overtime to cover classes to help out. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find coverage for everyone. Respectfully, I ask that you make every effort to be present at work.

Lastly, we have had several of our staff members encounter unexpected events in their families the past week. Please continue to keep Coach Turner, Mrs. Bright, and the Brinkleys in your thoughts. We are family first at HMS! Let's be sure to cover each other!

Principal Tolbert

Announcements:

You are expected to remain at school during Early Release until 4:00 unless you have made previous arrangements with Tolbert. Wednesday is our late day! If you do not have conferences scheduled during the day on Wednesday, you will be permitted to leave but  is expected to arrive back at school no later than 4:30. All teachers are expected to remain at school Wednesday until 7:30. There will be no jeans this week! 

Counseling Corner

Teachers, Red Ribbon Week will take place October 23rd-31st. The Red Ribbon website actually has lessons available for middle school, if you are interested in adding this to your curriculum (http://redribbon.org/curriculum/6-8/). I will send out more information within the next few weeks about Red Ribbon Week activities. October is National Bullying Prevention Month. This year we will participate in Mix It Up at Lunch Day on October 23rd. This is another way we are working on creating a welcoming school environment. On this date, we will be encouraging students to participate by sitting with different students and engaging in relationship building conversations. In addition, we will participate in Unity Day on October 24th by wearing orange to show we are united for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. I will send out more information soon.

Please review the lesson emailed to you from Ms. Moore to prepare for student-led conferences. We will have advisement on Monday during lunch remediation and you can roll it over to Tuesday, if you need additional time.

Message from Marty

If you were given any School Version Rating Forms in your box, please complete them ASAP! We need them to complete testing

Message from the District

If you have interested teachers looking to further their education and/or obtain additional licensure, please share this information with them.  Representatives from Thomas University will be at two CCSD schools during the month of October. Click the link  for dates, location, and time.

ELA Information

MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSROOM LIBRARIES ARE COMING!

These libraries represent a rich variety of high-interest fiction and non-fiction titles for our middle school readers. The purpose of these libraries is to increase student independent reading volumes. We are very excited to have this as part of our ELA K-8 implementation.

Along with the 1000+ books per grade level team, your school will be receiving 2 shelves per core ELA classroom, a possible device for checking out books, instructions for use of a web-based checkout system, and professional learning opportunities for teachers. We will be working team by team to ensure teachers understand the purpose of these libraries and how to use them in conjunction with their curriculum.

Arrival of these bookshelves and books will arrive between Oct. 22-30. We will ensure that schools know what day these materials will arrive to your school. Please let us know if you have any questions about these libraries and contact us at boeelaimplementation@clarke.k12.ga.us

AVID Information

AVID Virtual College Fair - Wednesday, October 17, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. This is a FREE AVID Virtual College Live Event. Principals, Counselors, and/or classroom teachers can register for this event via your myAVID account by clicking here. There are a host of college sessions/presentations that you can attend LIVE with your students.

Week at a Glance

Monday-504/IEP Meetings

3rd Period-RESPECT Lesson

Here is a link to Respect II for 3rd block on Monday. 

Tuesday-RTI

Wednesday-Collaborative Planning

Early Release

Thursday-Collaborative Planning

Early Release

Friday-IEP/504 Meetings

Early Release

Week of 10/7/18

Quote of the Week: 



Happy Sunday Panther Nation!

I hope that you had a great week! Athens was buzzing all weekend long with the homecoming events for UGA! It was a great Saturday for the Dawg Nation!

As we prepare to return tomorrow, please take a moment to refuel, refocus, and reset. You have done an amazing job of persevering and doing what is in the best interest of the students. Please keep it going. Keep focused  I am looking forward to having a full staff by the end of next week.

Instruction should remain our main focus! Be sure to implement effective instructional strategies to increase student engagement. It is equally important to provide students with opportunities to practice what they are being taught in class. Remain in contact with parents regarding their child's progress in your classes and make sure your grade book is updated every 10 days. We must continue to do our part so that we can hold the parents and students accountable for their part!

TKES walk-thrus will continue this week.

Tolbert

Announcements:

Good for fit (Zumba time at Hilsman) Friday October 19 at 6 pm Babysitting for children 4 and under Ticket: school supplies or suggested donation $2 student/$3 adult

21st Century and PSP will not meet after school during the week of Parent Conferences - October 15-19. Only the morning program will be available during that week.

Congratulations 2017-2018 Green Teachers! 3 Hilsman teachers taught a combined total of 56 lessons that were classified by Athens-Clarke County Government as "Green Lessons." Hilsman's Green Teachers are: Audrey Hughes Renee Smith Martin Erin Seymour The 3 teachers will receive a prize and a certificate, plus our school will receive a Green School sign for the exterior of our building.

News from the Counselors

Teachers, Red Ribbon Week will take place October 23rd-31st. The Red Ribbon website actually has lessons available for middle school, if you are interested in adding this to your curriculum (http://redribbon.org/curriculum/6-8/). I will send out more information within the next few weeks about Red Ribbon Week activities. October is National Bullying Prevention Month. This year we will participate in Mix It Up at Lunch Day on October 23rd. This is another way we are working on creating a welcoming school environment. On this date, we will be encouraging students to participate by sitting with different students and engaging in relationship building conversations. In addition, we will participate in Unity Day on October 24th by wearing orange to show we are united for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. I will send out more information soon.

FLU SHOTS FOR EMPLOYEES

For the second year in a row, the school nurses are working with Rite-Aid / Walgreens to offer in in-school flu shots for teachers and employees. The flu shot clinics will come around to each school during the months of October and November. Contact your school nurse for more details regarding when flu shots are coming to your school! If you are in a location without a school nurse and would like to host a flu shot clinic in your building, please contact Amy Roark (20752) for assistance.

OPEN ENROLLMENT INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS

Historically, we have scheduled open enrollment meetings at every facility and the meetings have been poorly attended. This year there are no changes to our benefit package and we are considering having a meeting on each side of the county instead of at every site. We will schedule cluster meetings at appropriate times for elementary and secondary staff. We will also have a video available to all staff.

UNIT POST ASSESSMENTS (UPA’s) UPDATE--PLEASE SHARE WITH ALL STAFF EOG/EOC

First, let me say that the Office of Assessment and Accountability is working diligently to consolidate information about Illuminate (assessments and reports) on the Office of Assessment & Accountability website. The main website can be found here:

https://sites.google.com/clarke.k12.ga.us/assessment/

The landing page for Illuminate from that website can be found here, which includes an introductory video of Illuminate made by James Barlament:

https://sites.google.com/clarke.k12.ga.us/assessment/home/illuminate-education?authuser=

The landing page for the Unit Pre/Post Assessments can be found here:

https://sites.google.com/clarke.k12.ga.us/assessment/home/illuminate-education/unit-assessments-prepost?authuser=0

Teachers, first thank you for your patience and understanding as we implement standards-based assessments.  We appreciate the feedback from many of you regarding the administration of the first UPA. We know that there are some questions and/or concerns that are on your minds and we are working with the Office of Assessment and Accountability and our consultants from Illuminate Education to answer and address your questions and concerns.

1. To ensure that we are supporting you in your classroom work, we are planning to inspect future UPA’s immediately  with our Coordinators of Curriculum and School Performance and members of the design team to review Unit Post Assessments 2 and 3, which will include:

1. Reviewing and ensuring that the “questions and answers” are aligned
2. Reviewing and adjusting  “scoring weights” for each item

This will allow us to troubleshoot before you administer these assessments to your students.  We will send a communication to building principals to share with staff when this work has been completed and when you can administer these unit assessments in the Illuminate Education platform.  We have also learned that if the original “access code” for the UPA’s is not working, teachers can create “Quick Codes” to create their own testing sessions. Look for a google doc with screenshot instructions to be posted on the Office of Assessment and Accountability website, linked above.  

REGARDING DAILY TEST WINDOW TIMES

The daily test window times are set when setting up test sessions. Daily windows are necessary to restrict student access to taking assessments outside normal school hours. Currently, daily windows in sessions set up by the Office of Assessment and Accountability are set for HS-7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.;  MS-7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; ES 7:30 a.m.-3:45 p.m. If a test needs to be administered outside of these hours by a teacher/staff member, Quick Codes can be generated very easily for those instances.

In closing, it is the expectation that professional staff protect the integrity of our process and assessments.  Therefore, the CCSD professional ethics expectations are to be adhered to at all times when administering and sharing assessment codes with the students in order to protect the safety and security of our standards-based assessments. However, to be clear, these assessments are meant to be used as teaching tools, not as accountability measures for teacher performance.

Questions, please feel free to reach out to Michael Harris, Executive Director of Secondary Teaching and Learning and/or your Coordinator of Curriculum and School Performance.

Week at a Glance

Monday-IEP/504 Meeting
PSP
21st Century
FFE Dinner

Tuesday-RTI/Branching Minds

Wednesday-Collaborative Planning
Jeans and Staff Shirt Day

Thursday-Collaborative Planning

C-Team Football Cedar Shoals vs. Clarke Central Date: Thursday, October-11-2018 Time: 5:00 p.m. Location: Cedar Shoals High School

Friday-IEP/504 Meeting