There are a few things that we should be thinking about:

1.  If you have frequent fliers regarding masks, please let me know who they are on this form: Unmasked  This is for students who are continually reminded, and as soon as they walk past, they take it off again.  This is NOT for kids who request mask breaks or frequently forget, but will leave it on when asked.  

2.  What if we have to close...  Are students prepared to use Schoology to find their work?  A reminder... you can see what Schoology looks like from a student's perspective.  Can they actually do the work without printing it?  If PDFs are uploaded to Schoology, students will not be able to write on them.  If you want them writing on the form, it should be done in Google Docs.  If students aren't using Schoology to access their work during the day, they won't know how to access it from home.  Also, if you are having them access their work with you in the classroom, you will be able to see the glitches at a time that you can fix them because they cause too much confusion. Hint:  There WILL be glitches.  Students might not do the work.  And, if they don't, they will have to retake the class; however, we need to give them every opportunity and all the support we can possibly give them.

3.  Assigning work in a global pandemic:  

This is not a good year to do extended projects.  This is a year to have a laser focus on specific skills and knowledge that will help fill gaps and move students. along.  When deciding what kinds of work to assign, think about the really important things they need to know in your class.   Assign work that aligns with those most important ideas.  One thought that we have talked about is to use Schoology assignments to sharpen skills that have already been taught.  

When visiting classrooms, I see students engaged with important ideas.  Time on task has been excellent.  Kids are generally busy right up to the bell.  Venture teachers and staff are doing the right work. We need to continue what we've been doing while planning for the possibility that students might have to work on their own.  We hope that won't happen, but the preparation is essential if we find ourselves in that situation again.

4.  What do you need and how can I help?  With teaching, I usually feel like I've walked in your shoes and have a good sense of your struggles, but I've never been in the classroom during a pandemic, so you need to tell me.

5.  Thanksgiving break is around the corner.  We got this.  No matter how much you think we may be missing, nobody is doing this any better than we are.  Nobody cares more about our kids than we do.  Nobody has more insight into their needs than we do.  And... Thanksgiving is around the corner.

From Mrs. Eastman's Literacy class.  Thank you Max B. for putting student slides to music:

Six Word Memoirs

Bus/Parking lot duty: Cooley and Gonzalez

Monday 11/16:

Tuesday 11/17:
Wednesday 11/18: Non-Work day
Thursday 11/19: 

Friday 11/20: 

Bus/Parking lot duty: No one

Monday 11/23: Sleep in

Tuesday 11/24: Play all day
Wednesday 11/25: Veg and relax
Thursday 11/26: Eat lots and be thankful

Friday 11/27: Play, shop, hunt, relax (any, all, or something different)

Week of Nov. 9

 Thanks for the article, Lynn.  Definitely worth a read:

High School Is Not the Time to Let Up on SEL

This fox reminded me a bit of our Venture foxes.

Bus/Parking lot duty: Baker and Pavlik

Monday 11/9:

Tuesday 11/10: Kaiser out @ am
Wednesday 11/11: Work day 9:00 Trauma informed training (for any who haven't had this training that includes the ACE's study)
Thursday 11/12: 

Friday 11/13: 

Bus/Parking lot duty: Cooley and Gonzalez

Monday 11/16:

Tuesday 11/17:
Wednesday 11/18: Non-Work day
Thursday 11/19: 

Friday 11/20: 

Bus/Parking lot duty: No one

Monday 11/23: Sleep in

Tuesday 11/24: Play all day
Wednesday 11/25: Veg and relax
Thursday 11/26: Eat lots and be thankful

Friday 11/27: Play, shop, hunt, relax (any, all, or something different)

Week of November 2

Pizza with the Principal

I had the pleasure of spending an advisory period with Mrs. Pavlik's class for a session of "Pizza with the Principal."  Students were asked to respond in words and writing to two questions.  I'm sharing some of their responses because we are in this work together and their feedback is  for all of us. 

What is something that's going well for you or what is working for you at Venture?

Student responses verbatim:

Having my teachers there for me if I need anything.  I think their there for me because they want me to succeed.

I am comfortable in my body for the first time.

I know my teachers better because the class sizes are small.

My teachers like me (thank God)

My confidence is boosted and it feels great!

I have good grades.

The small classes and the more one on one we get with the teachers if we are struggling.  Also, how the teachers don't overwhelm us in work.  At my other school, teachers wouldn't care to help.

If you were principal for a day, what is one thing you would change at Venture?

I know we can't do anything now, but I would have lunch with everyone again.

Go back to Google Classroom

Have designated hang out spots in the halls so people can actually get to their classes.

I would make a "don't have to do anything day" where you just have to be respectful.  You would still go to all your classes, but its just a whatever day in class.

Go back to Monday's off.

No school on Monday's instead of Wednesdays.

Please email me with a date and time if you want your students to have "Pizza with the Principal."  They can be asked these same questions, or we can seek their feedback on another school issue.  

Alternative Dog Competition

Bus/Parking lot duty: Doering and Stolken

Monday 11/2:

Tuesday 11/3:
Wednesday 11/4: Non-Work day
Thursday 11/5: 

Friday 11/6: 

Bus/Parking lot duty: Baker and Pavlik

Monday 11/9:

Tuesday 11/10: Kaiser out @ am
Wednesday 11/11: Work day 9:00 Trauma informed training (for any who haven't had this training that includes the ACE's study)
Thursday 11/12: 

Friday 11/13: 

Bus/Parking lot duty: Cooley and Gonzalez

Monday 11/16:

Tuesday 11/17:
Wednesday 11/18: Non-Work day
Thursday 11/19: 

Friday 11/20: 

Week of October 26

Feeling Wonderful About Venture Classrooms:

We have all been working diligently to increase academic conversation in classrooms.  The shift in learning is pretty remarkable as students converse about one another's thinking.  This makes sense, because learning is a cognitive process.  The word "cognitive" connotes mental processing, which by it's nature, happens more efficiently in a social setting.  In conversation, we process, problem-solve, reason, compare/contrast, and form opinions that later change as new ideas are brought into the realm of our intellectual processing.  

In the absence of an opportunity to process, no learning takes place.  This statement bears repeating over and over until we, unlike most of the teachers who taught us, are firmly convinced that talking at kids (even if that talking is lively, informative, and entertaining) does little to increase their learning.  Most of us did not benefit from classrooms that used strategies for processing information, so we are continually forging new paths.  

Venture teachers... You are trailblazers courageously implementing protocols and new strategies.  I know this is true, because I see it in classrooms everyday -Thank you! It is so hard to find protocols and strategies that really work, but you keep looking -Thank you!  It is risky - kids don't want to participate, so you hear crickets and have to wait out their discomfort while hiding your own - Thank you!  When they start talking, you find out how wide the learning gaps are and it feels disheartening, but you forge ahead and fill those gaps as well as you can - Thank you!  Nothing we do is perfect and sometimes the first steps of a new practice can feel awful, but it's worth it.  As a group, we are changing our approach to instruction.  One kid at a time.  One lesson at a time.  One interaction at a time.  Making a difference.  Thank you.

Chat Stations for Class Discussion: A strategy to increase academic conversation.

Because chipmunks are awesome:

Bus/Parking lot duty: Beck and Posey

Monday 10/26:

Tuesday 10/27:
Wednesday 10/28: 7:50 am SAT day for seniors
Thursday 10/29: 

Friday 10/30: 

Bus/Parking lot duty: Doering and Stolken

Monday 11/2:

Tuesday 11/3:
Wednesday 11/4: Non-Work day
Thursday 11/5: 

Friday 11/6: 

Bus/Parking lot duty: Baker and Pavlik

Monday 11/9:

Tuesday 11/10:
Wednesday 11/11: Work day 9:00 Trauma informed training (for any who haven't had this training that includes the ACE's study)
Thursday 11/12: 

Friday 11/13: 

Week of October 19

 

Congratulations Angie and Whitney!

Angie Beck has received the 2020 Outstanding Teacher in Community Service award from the Idaho Family and Consumer Sciences Educator Association.  Angie was recognized for the many service learning projects that takes place in her class. A small sampling of the many service projects led by Angie include the Pumpkin Roll fundraiser, the Courtyard Project, and Venture's Prom.  Congratulations, Angie!  We appreciate everything you do for our Venture students!

Whitney Hamill received the 2020 Teacher of the Year Award from the Idaho Family and Consumer Science Educator Association.  Among other things Whitney was recognized for creating an encouraging learning environment and for creating and nurturing strong positive relationships with her students to help them become successful members of society.  Congratulations, Whitney!  We appreciate everything you do for our Venture Students!

Why Wear Masks?

Last week several of us were discussing whether there was any purpose to wearing a mask if we still need to quarantine if exposed.  Our district nurse, Nichole, shared some information about emerging research that suggests that masks reduce the viral load and people are less sick as a result. Early on it was noted that medical personnel that experienced multiple exposures to COVID became very sick and/or died, even if they weren't in a high risk category.  Research going back to 1938 shows that, for some viruses, how sick you get depends on how much virus gets into your system.  

The following comes from the University of California San Francisco newsletter:

 In February, one of the first outbreaks of COVID-19 outside of China occurred on the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan. Of the 634 people on board who tested positive, about 18 percent of infections were asymptomatic. In March, an Argentinian cruise ship found itself in a similar predicament, but of the 128 people on board who eventually tested positive, 81 percent were asymptomatic.

A key difference, Gandhi noted, was that on the Argentinian ship, surgical masks were issued to all passengers and N95 masks to all staff as soon as the first passenger became sick.

More recently, an Oregon seafood processing plant where workers were required to wear face masks reported an outbreak of 124 cases, 95 percent of which were asymptomatic. Similarly, in a Tyson chicken processing plant outbreak in Arkansas where workers were provided mandatory masks, 455 out of 481, or nearly 95 percent were asymptomatic.  

So, why are we wearing masks?  Because research supports that if you get COVID-19 while wearing a mask, you may be exposed to less virus and, as a result, be less sick or be completely asymptomatic.

Bus/Parking lot duty: Meeks and Hook

Monday 10/19:

Tuesday 10/20:
Wednesday 10/21: 8:00 am staff meeting (SAT information), 9:00 School-Connect 12:30 staff collaboration in library
Thursday 10/22: 

Friday 10/23: 

Bus/Parking lot duty: Beck and Posey

Monday 10/26:

Tuesday 10/27:
Wednesday 10/28: 8:00 am SAT day for seniors
Thursday 10/29: 

Friday 10/30: 

Week of October 12

Shout Out to Angie...  The Unity display is awesome!

Thank you for getting students involved in positive ways to make a difference in their school community.

Masks

Please, as kindly as possible, continue to ensure that students are wearing masks properly.  It is really an unpleasant nuisance for many of them and it would be good to avoid power struggles, but we need to remind students to wear them properly.  If they need a break, maybe you can send them to stand outside for a couple of minutes or follow through with whatever plan you have in place for them to take a mask break.  If the weather is decent, you can also take them outside.  It hasn't been an issue for Venture (knock on wood) but there have been complaints from parents in other schools that social distancing and masks aren't enforced in every classroom.  It's important for kids to be in school and everything you do to follow district guidelines is greatly appreciated.

THANK YOU for the disinfecting you do between classes.  This is yet another of the many COVID responsibilities that we've taken on and your efforts are greatly appreciated.

THANK YOU for putting assignments on Schoology.  As a staff, you have taken this on and you are doing a great job with it.  Student absences are very high and it is extremely helpful for there to be weekly messages and work posted for them.

Wednesday Collaboration

Because we only meet one more Wednesday in October and once in each November and December, we have quite a bit we will be doing.  Please plan on most of the day being spent in collaboration.

Bus/Parking lot duty:  Eastman and Mahoney

Monday 10/12:  2:30 Lockdown drill meeting 

Tuesday 10/13  
Wednesday 10/14 Non-work day
Thursday 10/15: 

Friday 10/16: Lockdown drill

Bus/Parking lot duty: Meeks and Hook

Monday 10/19:

Tuesday 10/20:
Wednesday 10/21: 8:00 am staff meeting (SAT information), 9:00 School-Connect 12:30 staff collaboration in library
Thursday 10/22: 

Friday 10/23: 

Thank You For Being AWESOME!

This has been the most unique and challenging opening of the new school year imaginable.  Our work and our mission to educate every student continues with purposeful thought and creativity despite the challenges of the pandemic. Each and every one of you has risen to this challenge and you are making a difference for our students.  Your courage, your hard work, and your grace under pressure is what makes Venture High School an amazing place for students and adults.  You are AWESOME and I thank you for the tremendous effort you are making on behalf of our students.

Moving to Yellow

Finally the day we've all waited for - all of our students physically present in the building every day.  As we welcome students back into the building full time it's important that we continue to socially distance students (as much as possible) and ensuring everyone is wearing their masks appropriately.  The kids have been pretty good about it, but it becomes even more important as we are squeezed together a bit more.  Also, the disinfecting of surfaces needs to continue.  All of these factors work together to help ensure that we can keep kids in school, full time for the rest of the year.

Thank you for everything you do to make them feel welcome, connected and safe at school!

Evaluations and Homeroom

At our last collaboration we talked about evaluations being housed in Homeroom this year.  Here is a video that Mike sent out to administrators:  Homeroom Evaluations  Mike produced this for administrators, but I think it helps to clarify the process for all of us.  Let me know if you have any questions and I will help to find the answers.

Powerful Teaching and Learning

A powerful, researched-based learning strategy worth consideration is Retrieval Practice which is the process of trying to remember information without having it in front of you.  This learning strategy is certainly not new.  We've all used flashcards and self-quizzes  to learn material, but memorization has fallen by the wayside as we focus on more "active learning."  Unlike many of the instructional dinosaurs sent to the strategy graveyard, this one is supported by cognitive research.  

Often the first time we ask students to recall information is for an assessment.  The student answers questions incorrectly and this is usually the first time they know that they don't know the material very well.  Retrieval practice is an instructional tool, not an assessment tool and spacing opportunities for retrieval out over time increases the likelihood that the information will make it's way into long term memory.  Practice quizzes or other techniques that require students to remember without looking up the answer prior to the assessment can help them organize information into long term memory that will benefit them for the test and help them build a fact base that improves future learning and thinking.

I have questioned whether this practice runs counter to our efforts to develop a culture of thinking.  However, thinking requires that we manipulate information to form new concepts, solve problems, or make decisions.  That process is hampered if we have to continually look up information that can committed to memory.  For example, simple math problems become unreasonably tedious if a calculator has to be used for simple computations.  

Despite our widespread scorn of factual knowledge, research suggests that the more factual knowledge a person has on a topic, the more critically and analytically they can think about that topic. Studies also show that poor readers can outperform good readers when they have more factual knowledge about the topic (https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.494.4592&rep=rep1&type=pdf)

Additionally, the practice of memorizing information helps increase the brain's ability to learn in general. It serves as exercise for the brain.  Forcing the brain to retrieve information builds neural pathways which is active learning as opposed to listening, reading, or watching that can be quite passive.  If thinking is about shuffling information in new and creative ways, let's not forget the importance of memorizing and learning facts as one component of helping our students become better thinkers.

For more information, check this out:   http://pdf.retrievalpractice.org/RetrievalPracticeGuide.pdf        or this:  https://www.the-learning-agency-lab.com/science-of-learning-research-retrieval-practice.html

Bus/Parking lot duty:  Bauman and Hamill

Monday 9/28:  

Tuesday 9/29  Picture day #2
Wednesday 9/30 Whole group collaboration:  Agenda  Dept. meetings; 
Thursday 10/1: 

Friday 10/2: Flex Day  no School

Bus/Parking lot duty:  Higgs and Levy

Monday 10/5: We're in yellow!!!  (all students every day) 

Tuesday 10/6
Wednesday 10/7: Non work day
Thursday 10/8: 

Friday 10/9: