Congratulations Mrs. Baker, Venture High School's Teacher of the Year!  We appreciate everything you've done for students, staff, and the community this year and every year of your career.  Your upbeat, can-do attitude is an inspiration to adults and students.  We wish you all the best this year and in your new journey as a retired teacher!

Welcome Spring!  And Welcome to a New Trimester...  So often this term embodies the whole notion of "best of times, worst of times."  Most students have made progress and we can see the fruits of our labors as their windows of resilience get wider, they learn to persevere through challenge and earn credits.  At the same time, we grow weary of their antics, they get squirrely with spring on the way and we begin the process with a new set of students.

Kudos to you for working with the kids that many others have given up on.  None of us gets to choose who is in our classes, we take the kids we get and we give them 100% of our best efforts.  Every day. Every single day.  Thank you for keeping the faith and continuing your good work.  The structure, caring support, student-centered lessons, and refusal to give up on them makes a difference.  

Exhibit Night.  I believe this exhibit night was the best yet.  Parents were so pleased to see the work

students have done, and they're thankful to each of you for making Venture a welcoming place for students to learn.  A parent in my office yesterday cried as she told me how happy she was that her daughter found a place that accepts her as she is and offers the support she needs to learn and grow.  Thank you for making this event a priority for Venture and for kids.

Wellness:  Wellness for third term will be on April: 14, 21, 28 and May:5, 12, 19

As you think about what you want to offer for third term wellness, I want to encourage you to find a topic that can sustain over the six sessions.  Please think of things that students might enjoy that they would otherwise not be able to do.  This is important.... Please, do not let it be a study hall, free period, or chatting session.  If it feels daunting to plan for six sessions, consider partnering with someone else and sharing the load.  We have money in the budget to purchase supplies and experiences for students.

Awards Assembly:  The awards assembly for term 2 will be April 7 at 11:20.  Awards will be given for perfect attendance, no tardies, GPA.  Let's revive the Spirit of Venture Award.  Advisory teachers, could you choose a student for 9, 10, and 11.  Do we want to do a senior?  The reason I ask is that their numbers are dwindling and they're recognized by Rotary. Email me or stop by with your thoughts.

Bus/Parking lot duty: Penske and Gonzalez

Monday 3/13:  Certified Staff Collaboration day: Agenda

Tuesday  3/14:  First day of Term 3

Wednesday 3/15:

Thursday 3/16: Kaiser out

Friday 3/17: St. Paddy's Day BBQ and Venture/New Vision Basketball in the gym Kaiser out

Bus/Parking lot duty: Gaynor and Higgs

Monday 3/20:  Non Work Day

Tuesday  3/21: 

Wednesday 3/22:

Thursday 3/23: Kaiser out

Friday 3/24:

Bus/Parking lot duty:

Monday 3/27:  Spring Break

Tuesday  3/28:  Spring Break

Wednesday 3/29: Spring Break

Thursday 3/30: Spring Break

Friday 3/31: Spring Break

Bus/Parking lot duty: Levy and Eastman

Monday 4/3:  Non work day

Tuesday  4/4:  Kaiser out @am

Wednesday 4/5:

Thursday 4/6:

Friday 4/7: Awards Assembly

 

Just a note... You feel like sunshine to lots of our kids and to your colleagues and always to me. Thank you for being the bright spot in someone's day.

New students coming our way...  On Monday, we will be meeting for cross district collaboration at 7:00.  Then, at 8:30 I would like to meet with staff briefly in the library to brainstorm how we will brainwash instill our values in our new students coming third trimester.  I don't feel that we got enough bang for our buck with the orientation day.  I've wondered if or how our leadership students and others could help orient them.  Bring your thoughts on Monday and we can discuss/plan for our newbies.  

Also on Monday, I would like to discuss an idea I've had around absent students.  Students often say that it doesn't matter if they're absent because the teachers get them caught up and they have A's.  I'm wondering if it's beneficial to spend class time helping students get caught up, or if it reinforces the message that class time is irrelevant.  Even parents are telling me attendance doesn't matter because their child is doing very well in school despite frequent absences. Would it be helpful to only use after school time for catch up?  What would happen if we all said, "I'm sorry but I need to use classroom time to focus on today's lesson.  You can stay after school and I will work with you on what you've missed."  Think about that and bring your thoughts on Monday.  

And Students Get a Survey!   

The window for the Cognia Engagement Survey is now open and we will have advisory classes take it over the next week.  We are aiming for 100% participation. 

Students can access the student engagement survey through Clever.  The link looks like the one below. They will just need their student ID and the first three of their last names.

And YOU Get a Survey!

Staff can access the survey here:  https://eprovesurveys.advanc-ed.org/surveys/#/action/204889/p30861

Please try very hard to take the survey this week.  Classified staff:  We need your voice too - Please log in and respond to the survey questions.

Bus/Parking lot duty: Cooley and Smith

Monday 2/20:  President's day: no school

Tuesday  2/21: 

Wednesday 2/22:

Thursday 2/23: Extended Learning

Friday 2/24: Wellness

Bus/Parking lot duty: Baker and Doering

Monday 2/27:  PD Day Agenda

Tuesday  2/28: Advisory: Cognia Survey

Wednesday 3/1: Advisory: Cognia Survey

Thursday 3/2: Extended Learning

Friday 3/3: Wellness

Bus/Parking lot duty: Mazhan and Posey

Monday 3/6:  

Tuesday  3/7: 

Wednesday 3/8:

Thursday 3/9: Exhibit night

Friday 3/10: Wellness; last day of Term 2

Bus/Parking lot duty: Penske and Gonzalez

Monday 3/13:  

Tuesday  3/14:  First day of Term 3

Wednesday 3/15:

Thursday 3/16:

Friday 3/17: St. Paddy's Day BBQ (Hook, spring games?)

Bus/Parking lot duty: Gaynor and Higgs

Monday 3/20:  

Tuesday  3/21: 

Wednesday 3/22:

Thursday 3/23:

Friday 3/24: