Week of October 15

Bus/Parking lot duty: Beck and Doering

Monday 10/15:  Collaboration Monday - Collaboration Agenda

Tuesday 10/16: 

Wednesday 10/17:   Eastman and Meeks QPR Training in Library

Thursday 10/18: Kaiser - Admin mtg am. Eastman and Meeks QPR Training in Library

Friday 10/19: Extended Learning Schedule

Bus/Parking lot duty: Baker

Monday 10/22:  Collaboration Monday 

Tuesday 10/23: Kaiser - Admin mtg am. 

Wednesday 10/24:   Levy and Smith QPR Training in Library

Thursday 10/25: Levy and Smith QPR Training in Library

Friday 10/26: Picture Retakes, Boo B Que; Regular schedule, no advisory

Bus/Parking lot duty: Smith and Cooley

Monday 10/29:  Non work day

Tuesday 10/30:  Kaiser and Eastman@CSI-Grad support group in Boise

Wednesday 10/31:   Mahoney and Hook QPR Training in Library

Thursday 11/1:   The day after Halloween - sort of like a holiday; Mahoney and Hook QPR Training in Library,

Friday 11/2: Kaiser admin mtg a.m.

Huge Shout Out to Autumn!
Venture High School looks amazing inside and outside.  Autumn - thank you for taking the time to decorate for Halloween!  Your creative touches add so much festivity and fun to the school day for adults and kids.  You always give so much to make Venture feel warm and welcoming but you truly outdo yourself this time of year.  We all appreciate you so much!

Welcome Rachelle Smotherman
I am so very, very, very happy to announce that Rachelle will be joining the Venture family as our new counselor on Monday.  

Thanks to everyone for you patience with this year's PSAT process.  As you know, organizing PSAT's was a new experience for me and it wasn't without it's glitches. Thanks for all of your efforts - especially Amy and Marsha!  You two really pulled the process together and made it work!  Teachers you did an awesome job proctoring - Thank you!

This one is worth watching again...

Week of October 8

How to Change Education - Ken Robinson

If you don't have time for the full 24 minute video, then go to minute 14 and at least watch the last ten minutes.

Bus/Parking lot duty: Meeks and Hook

Monday 10/8:  Non Work Day

Tuesday 10/9:  Hamill and Doering QPR Training in Library

Wednesday 10/10:  College Readiness Day PSAT

Thursday 10/11:Hamill and Doering QPR Training in Library;  Kaiser and Eastman in Boise

Friday 10/12:  Kaiser and Eastman in Boise;  Extended Learning Schedule

Bus/Parking lot duty: Beck and Doering

Monday 10/15:  Collaboration Monday - 
7:00am;Secondary Departments cross district  
9:00 Staff meeting in Library 30 minutes nuts and bolts followed by Self- Care presentation by Bonnie DuCharm

Tuesday 10/16: 

Wednesday 10/17:   Eastman and Meeks QPR Training in Library

Thursday 10/18: Kaiser - Admin mtg am. Eastman and Meeks QPR Training in Library

Friday 10/19: Extended Learning Schedule

Bus/Parking lot duty: Baker

Monday 10/22:  Collaboration Monday 

Tuesday 10/23: Kaiser - Admin mtg am. Levy and Smith QPR Training in Library

Wednesday 10/24:   Levy and Smith QPR Training in Library

Thursday 10/25: 

Friday 10/26: Picture Retakes, Boo B Que; Extended Learning Schedule

QPR Training:

Please... monitor your students carefully during QPR training.  If they are being rude, they should be removed and sent to the office.  It would help a lot if you set some expectations with them prior to going to the library. This is an important issue for our community and I expect the students to behave appropriately during the presentation.  

PSAT's

Following is an update on PSAT information for Wednesday.  Hopefully, this information will be sufficient without a meeting.  However, we can meet after school on Tuesday, if necessary.

1.  Here are the class lists
2.  On Tuesday afternoon, the class lists will be printed and placed outside classrooms
3. On Wednesday morning, Amy will deliver the instruction book, a list of instructions, class books, pencils etc. to each classroom.
4. Here is a link to instructions, in case you like to see them early.
5. I'm sorry if you have to test in a room that isn't yours.  There are strict requirements for rooms.
6. If you have a room that is testing, please 
1. make sure all tables or desks are facing the white board.  
2. Make sure all the relevant information is on the board (see instructions for more information).  
3. During the test, times need to be written clearly on the board.  
4. All academic posters etc. should be covered or taken down during the test. Someone from the DO will also go through the building to ensure rooms are following the guidelines.  
5. Please spell Coeur d'Alene correctly on the board  
7. Please do not work on your computers etc. while proctoring.  All proctors should be paying close attention to students throughout the test.
8. On the day of the test, please read all instructions verbatim directly from the script.
9. During break times, please lock your room or stay with testing materials.
10. At the end of the test, count to be sure all materials are accounted for and return materials to the office.

Here is the schedule for PSAT/9 (try to follow as closely as possible)

7:50 - 8:50:  Preadministration (affectionately referred to as "bubbling")

Break

9:00 - 9:55 Reading

Break

10:00 - 10:30: Writing and Language

10:30 - 10:50:  Math - no calculator

Break

10:55 - 11:35: Math Calculator

Collect all tests, 

11:45 Release (no one is released before 11:45)

Here is the schedule for PSAT/10 and 11 (try to follow as closely as possible)

7:50 - 8:45:  Preadministration (affectionately referred to as "bubbling")

Break

8:50 - 9:50 Reading

Break

9:55 - 10:30: Writing and Language

10:30 - 10:55:  Math - no calculator

Break

11:00 - 11:45: Math Calculator

Collect all tests, 

11:50  Release (no one is released before 11:50)

Week of October 1

How to Escape Education's Death Valley

This quote from the video really stuck with me:
"All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move." - Benjamin Franklin

Bus/Parking lot duty: Eastman and Mahoney

Monday 10/1:  Non Work Day Conference/Kaiser

Tuesday 10/2:  Kaiser at a conference

Wednesday 10/3:  Fehling and Thomas QPR Training in Library

Thursday 10/4:   Fehling and Thomas QPR Training in Library; Evening Conferences  

Friday 10/5:  Flex day - non work day

Bus/Parking lot duty: Meeks and Hook

Monday 10/8:  Non Work Day

Tuesday 10/9:  Hamill and Doering QPR Training in Library

Wednesday 10/10:  College Readiness Day PSAT

Thursday 10/11:Hamill and Doering QPR Training in Library Kaiser and Eastman in Boise

Friday 10/12:  Kaiser and Eastman in Boise Extended Learning Schedule

Bus/Parking lot duty: Beck and Doering

Monday 10/15:  Collaboration Monday - Secondary Departments cross district at 7:00am

Tuesday 10/16: 

Wednesday 10/17:   Eastman and Meeks QPR Training in Library

Thursday 10/18: Kaiser - Admin mtg am. Eastman and Meeks QPR Training in Library

Friday 10/19: 

Extended Learning
If students are completely caught up in all classes, they should take their pass to the commons area or to the gym for free time.  Otherwise, they should be working with a teacher.  Even if they finish their work early, please do not send them to the commons or the gym.  The reason for this is that kids coming and going makes it nearly impossible to monitor when kids slip in that don't have passes.  

Books

Please make and record your book decision on the chart in the staff room by Monday before you go home.  If you need me to order a book, because the one you want is taken, please email me the title and author of the book.  Thank you!
Here is a sheet explaining the criteria for the book talk:  
Please sign up for the book talk - sign up sheet is in the staff room.
Most books are being read by 2 or 3 people so we should have plenty of spaces available.

Credits
There are book credits in the library - these are earned by reading your selected book and completing the criteria.  The other credit is for collaboration. This is typically a credit for people on the leadership and MTSS teams; however, everyone in the building is involved in training and collaboration so any one of us can get this credit.

Week of September 24

Bus/Parking lot duty: Higgs and Levy

Monday 9/24:  Collaboration Monday
Tuesday 9/25:  Kaiser a.m. Admin meeting 
Wednesday 9/26:  
Thursday 9/27:   
Friday 9/28:  Extended Learning Schedule

Bus/Parking lot duty: Eastman and Mahoney

Monday 10/1:  Non Work Day Conference/Kaiser

Tuesday 10/2:  Kaiser at a conference

Wednesday 10/3:  Fehling and Thomas QPR Training in Library

Thursday 10/4:   Fehling and Thomas QPR Training in Library; Evening Conferences  

Friday 10/5:  Flex day - non work day

Bus/Parking lot duty: Meeks and Hook

Monday 10/8:  Collaboration Monday

Tuesday 10/9:  Hamill and Doering QPR Training in Library

Wednesday 10/10:  College Readiness Day PSAT

Thursday 10/11:Hamill and Doering QPR Training in Library Kaiser and Eastman in Boise

Friday 10/12:  Kaiser and Eastman in Boise Extended Learning Schedule

Conferences

Evening conferences will be October 4 from 2:30 - 6:30.  What are some things we can do  to showcase student learning at Venture? We will discuss this during our staff meeting on Monday and the conversation will be more productive if everyone has already given it some thought.

QPR Training
We need every student to go through QPR training by Thanksgiving.  Connie and Gina from Heritage Health will train advisory classes.  These trainings will be conducted by putting two advisories together in the library.
Here is the schedule.

Week of September 17

Bus/Parking lot duty:   Fehling and Hamill
Monday 9/17 Non Work Day
Tuesday 9/18: 
Wednesday 9/19:  
Thursday 9/20:   Kaiser: a.m. admin meeting
Friday 9/21:  Picture Day

Bus/Parking lot duty: Higgs and Levy

Monday 9/24:  Collaboration Monday
Tuesday 9/25:  Kaiser a.m. Admin meeting 
Wednesday 9/26:  
Thursday 9/27:   
Friday 9/28:  Extended Learning Schedule

Bus/Parking lot duty: Eastman and Mahoney

Monday 10/1:  Non Work Day
Tuesday 10/2:  
Wednesday 10/3:  
Thursday 10/4: Evening Conferences  
Friday 10/5:  Flex day - non work day

Monday Collaboration: 9/24
8:00:  Staff meeting/PD Library
10:15- 1l:00:  Advisory Planning/ Library
11:00 - 12:00: Baked Potato Lunch in Angie's room
12:15 - Department Meetings (15-30 minute nuts and bolts, then departmental collaboration)
1:00 - Math Planning - math teachers/Ryan
1:00 - ELA Planning - ELA teachers/Kaiser

Check Out the New Pages...
Look at the top of the blog page - next to Home is a new page, "Century 21 Skills."  This is where I will link the information that Keeth Matheney sends us for the advisory class every week.  This week I took his email, and fixed some of the broken links etc. with the goal of making it easier for you to read and see what lies ahead for the 21st Century Skills class every week.  My hope is that you can scan through and find things you need easily.

Bus Duty
The bus duty schedule was adjusted to because we have fewer people available for duty this year.  The new schedule is under helpful links ---->

Online Evaluations in Homeroom
This will involve some learning, but it should save paperwork and time once we all get familiar with the process.  Please go into Homeroom and check it out using the following instructions.  The first task is to enter your goals.  This is essentially the same thing that we did last year, but the process is housed in one place for convenience.

Access

Evaluators and teachers click the Homeroom link on My CDA Schools.

 - There is an icon on your desktop to go to My CDA Schools or for out-of-district access, navigate to https://my.cdaschools.org

Login

Your login and password are the same as your district username (not email address) and password.

Launching Evaluations

Evaluators and teachers on the launcher/waffle in the upper-right corner and choose "Evaluations"

What Teachers Can Do Now

Teachers can log into Evaluations to fill out a professional growth plan for this year. It provides the opportunity upload files and identify SMART goals for each of the Danielson Framework domains:

Evaluators will be able to see the teachers' plans once submitted (and the task appears as complete on your dashboard).

Week of September 10

Bus/Parking lot duty:  Cooley

Monday 9/10:  Collaboration Monday
Tuesday 9/11: 
Wednesday 9/12  2:30- Mandatory Health Education in Library 
Thursday 9/13:   
Friday 9/14:  

Bus/Parking lot duty:   Fehling and Hamill

Monday 9/17 Non Work day
Tuesday 9/18: 
Wednesday 9/19:  IMEN School Visit
Thursday 9/20:   Kaiser: a.m. admin meeting
Friday 9/21:  Picture Day


Monday's Collaboration Schedule:
Click here for Monday's Schedule

7:13- 7:35 - Department Head Meeting (Conference room) (Lex, Angie, Adam)

7:40 - 8:40 - Design Team Meeting - (Conference Room)

Great First Week!

This might have been the best first week of school I have ever experienced.  Even through some challenging circumstances, everyone pulled together and the week was successful!  You do not hear this enough - THANK YOU!!!

So much of education is about figuring out how to do a better job with things that don't matter.  This year, our focus is on creating learning experiences that make a difference. 

Thank you for giving so many kids a second chance and a shot at an education that was designed for THEM!

Absences:
Please keep in communication with Valorie so we can track students making up time.  If a student in your classroom is behind, call parents to let them know their students are staying after school to retake tests or get additional help.

Extended Learning Friday
The first extended learning Friday will be September 28.  This time cannot be used to make up time from unexcused absences.

Credit Audits:
By Monday, I will have put the credit audits and transcripts for all junior and senior advisories in your box.  Please make copies of them so you have one and they have one.  You can use these with students to help them see what classes they still need to take.