Maslow before Bloom

 

Last Wednesday, at our faculty meeting we started talking about the needs of our students during this stressful time.  Many of you are seeing the high needs our students have and you are responding so well.  I found this Edutopia article this week, "How to Maslow Before Bloom, All Day Long" and felt it was a great article to follow up our conversation with!  

Highlights of article includes: 

    *Maslow before Bloom reminds us the basic need for safety an belonging must be met before challenging academic work.

    * Brain Breaks, Brain Smart Starts, 10x10 strategies, etc. do not take away time from instruction - they are in fact necessary for student learning to occur

    * Positive greetings/strong relationships matter

Thanks for all you do for students.  I hope you take time to read this article as it will give you ideas for how to create your own personal tool kits for helping students. 

"How to Maslow Before Bloom, All Day Long" Article by Tom Berger

Important Information: 

Let is Snow - Between COVID and the snow, we are having a hard time getting back to school!  Virtual days have been a struggle for all of us, including the students.  Our plan this week is to take it one day at a time, but depending on the severity of the storm, we plan to use a combination of virtual days and good old snow days that we will make up later. We do have a small handful of students that do not have Internet Access.  I am reaching out to those families and will be emailing all of you as well, if they are in your classes.  We may be asking you to help us pull together some packets that can be delivered.  Thanks for your help!

Surprise and Delight - We will have a Surprise and Delight brainstorm opportunity on Friday morning at 7:20 a.m. for anyone that would like to join us.  We will be looking at fun things we can do with the students in high school and middle school (Ron Clark).  Please watch for a change in time if the weather holds this week.  

ISTEP Testing - Juniors were supposed to test this week on Tuesday, Wednesday.  Students know that the first day we are back to school, we will be testing!  Tests will begin first periods and could run through 4th period for math on both days.  I will send an updated schedule as it unfolds.  Our last day in the testing window is February 26th so we appreciate your help!

Special Education Team Meetings - As a follow up to our conversation with Kim Waninger about working together to meet the needs of our special education students, we have team meetings planned on the following dates this week.   If we are not in school on these days, we will reschedule as soon as we can - so please watch your emails about possible date changes and details for the meeting.

       7th Grade Core Teachers - (Math, Science, Social Studies, English) 10:45 - 11:15 Wednesday, February 17th in Teacher's Lounge - Lunch will be provided as we use this time to brainstorm

      8th Grade Core Teachers (we will email the list of students out - so please come if you have any of the students in your classes only.) - 7:20 a.m. - 7:55 a.m.  Thursday, February 18th Teacher's Lounge (Light Breakfast Provided)

     9th Grade Core Teachers - Thursday, February 18th  11:15 - 11:54 - Teacher's Lounge - Lunch Provided

Be sure to take time for yourself this week!!!  Play in the snow, read a good book, take a nap, dance in the kitchen like no one is watching!