WHS Staff News - Week of 12/3/18

Midyear Assessments (Update)
All assessments will be approved by Friday, December 7
Can anyone give their assessment before the break? If you can please add your name/course to this doc. 
Our next step will be mapping out the assessments so that they are manageable for the students.  I plan to share a draft of the schedule with all of you next week, as well as get it out to the students. 

Waldwick School District Newsletter 
Please see Doc from Kristen Strauss for information related to district newsletter. 

Working Wednesday Schedule 
This Wednesday, December 5, we will meet for 10-15 minutes in the Little Theater.  Focus will be on school security.  I attended a training session on Friday and want to share some things I learned about. As an FYI we will be doing a lunch time drill later this week.  I will talk more about this on Wednesday.

Warrior Gear Sale - Last call. Sale ends Friday at 8am. 

Alumni Day - Friday, December 21st from 8 - 11:30. More details to follow. 

WHS Staff News - Week of 11/26/18

I hope everyone had an awesome break and enjoyed their time with family and friends. We have 20 days to the holiday break! Not sure how that is possible, but it is.  Let's make the most of those days. Here are a few ideas for what you could do during those 20 days:

• Make one positive parent/guardian call/email each day for the 20 the days
• Take 20 minutes each day to reflect and appreciate life
• Take 20 minutes each day to read and learn. Alternate, one day for professional, one day for pleasure
• Go for a 2o minute walk each day. During school, get outside or walk the halls.  
• Over the next four weeks, spend 20 minutes a week talking with your students about their interests, hobbies, what makes them laugh, favorite movies, music, etc. This can happening during lunch, before school, after school, in the hallways, etc. 
• Take 20 minutes to reach out to old friends, colleagues, mentors. Let them know you are thinking of them.  If someone made a positive impact on your life, let them know.    

These are just some fun ideas I thought of.  Come up with your own list,  I made my own list. 

Thanks for all the work you did on the budget over the last few weeks. I believe we are in a good place moving into the 19-20 school year. 

See Instagram post below, I would to love have a few teachers participate in the 20 day Takeover.  

Important Dates 
Tuesday 11/27 - Heroes and Cool Kids Training at BCC - 8:30 - 1pm (Names on Calendar)

Wednesday 11/28 - Working Wednesday (Agenda will be updated later today)
*ScIP Meeting 

Tuesday 12/11 - 9th Grade Assembly - 12 - 1pm @ Little Th (This will be a three part series for the freshmen class http://www.scottchesney.com/ )

Tuesday 12/12 - Winter Concert - 7pm @ Little Th


What I'm Reading
Leadership Contradictions via Jeff Zoul
Teaching Responsibility or Compliance? via George Couros
Lead Communicator via Tony Sinanis


Tweets/Posts

Alumni Day @ WHS - 12/21/18

Waldwick Gear Sale (Sale ends 12/7)

View this post on Instagram

Looking for volunteers for Instagram take over ... Let me know why I should pick you? We have 20 days to the holiday break so let’s have some fun leading up to it. Email me or send a remind why you and what your plan is for the takeover. Looking for 20 volunteers. One per day. Students, teachers, administrators, secretaries, aides, etc.

A post shared by WaldwickWHS (@waldwickwhs) on Nov 25, 2018 at 12:35pm PST

2nd annual Orlaksgiving!! Happy Turkey Day @WaldwickWHS 🦃🍽 pic.twitter.com/cfcO3aIMt1

— Dayna Orlak (@desiorlak) November 21, 2018

Staff News (Video Message) - Week of 11/12/18

WHS Staff News- Week of 10/15/18

Boys Soccer is heading to the Bergen County Semifinals after beating Ridgewood tonight 0-0 (PKs 4-3) ! Great team effort. ⚽️⚽️⚽️#Proud #OwnitWHS #WarriorNation pic.twitter.com/5MDV6qAyNh

— Waldwick Athletics (@WHSWarrior_ATHL) October 15, 2018

Fun times around Waldwick High School

Congratulations to the Boys Soccer Team on their HUGE win in the County Playoffs! Final Four! 

Spirit Rally Pics - A lot of laughs and smiles at the Rally on Friday.  Great job by Mr. Freeman and the Student Council for putting on great show!  Thanks Mr. Opderbeck for all the great pics! 

First edition of The Echo - Special Edition Great job by the Echo Staff, Mrs. Larson and Mr. Opderbeck's students.   

This Week

Tuesday, 10/16 - Voting Assembly in the Little Theater
1:00 - 1:25  Seniors
1:30 - 2:00 Juniors 
Bergen County Clerk, John Hogan will be speaking to our students regarding voter awareness.  

The goal of the program is to get students near voting age registered to vote and excited about participating in elections. What the program entails is a presentation from Clerk Hogan on the reasons why it is important to vote, the elections process in general, how to get registered, and most importantly, how to be an active participant in the electoral process. At the end of his presentation, Mr. Hogan sends members of his office around to students with voter registration forms and booklets with additional information about elections and voting. All students that are 17 and older can fill out a voter registration form and be free to vote in the first election after they turn 18 if he/she is not already. 

Tuesday, 10/16 - Becton HS Math teachers will be visiting and spending time with a few of our teachers 

Working Wednesday - Will update Agenda later today.  Please check back on Wednesday.  

Thursday and Friday - I will be attending the NJPSA Fall Conference and will not be in district.   

SGO's 
I know a lot of you have been working on your SGO's. As a reminder, data needs to be entered into the Staff Portal. The original due date set back in June was Monday, October 15 (Timeline).  If you will not have your data in by 3pm today, please email me so we can talk. 

New Field Trip Request Form/Procedures
Dr. Casarico has created a new Field Trip Request Form.  You no longer need to print it or have it on Goldenrod paper. It does require you to justify the trip and how it relates to the curriculum by answering the following four questions: (If your trip was already approved, you do not need to fill-out any new paper)

1. What is the purpose of this trip?  How does it support the curriculum?
2. What preparations will take place prior to the trip?
3. Describe the learning activities that will take place during the trip.  
4. How will it be determined if the trip was successful and that intended goals were met?

There is also a new Field Trip Permission Slip (Page 3)  which is on the doc as well. 

Process 

• "Make a Copy" of the Field Trip Request Form 
• (Naming Format: WHS FIELD TRIP/Teacher's Name, Date of Trip , Location)
• Compete the form (Same old stuff and new questions)
• Share the new Doc with me, which will be the first level of approval
• I will share it with Mrs. Malagone who be the second level of approval
• It will then go to Dr. Casarico for final approval and then be added to the next BOE agenda

WHS Staff News - Week of 10/2/18

Video Message regarding Semester Assessments and Monday's Professional Development Day. 




Resources

Semester Assessments Pilot - Information Sheet 
WHS Semester Assessments Survey

Working Wednesday Agenda 

Monday's Professional Development Schedule (I will add link here when finalized and send out)

Week of Respect - October 1 - 5
Wednesday - Assembly David Flood (2pm in the MSMPR)
*An announcement will be made for students to report to the MS MPR towards the end of Block 5 (Period 7) at approximately 1:55 PM

Friday - District-wide wearing Orange and Jeans

WHS Staff News - Week of 9/24/18

Back to School Night info

The link above has a few reminders for the night - please review them.  I know some of us have talked over the years about the need or importance of "Back to School Night." Let's use the night to tell everyone that enters your room that you:  care about their child, want the very best for them and will be there to support them.  Share your love and passion for teaching and have them walking out of the room saying, "That's the type of teacher I want teaching my child!" Have fun and enjoy yourself!  

Working Wednesday Agenda
Wednesday's 18-19 SY

Week of Respect - October 1 - 5

Monday - Wear Blue (World Day of Bullying Prevention) 

*We will make this a Warrior Monday

Wednesday - Assembly David Flood (2pm in the MSMPR)

*An announcement will be made for students to report to the MS MPR towards the end of Block 5 (Period 7) at approximately 1:55 PM

Friday - District wide wearing Orange and Jeans 

Important Dates 

Wednesday, September 26 - "ESL Back to School Morning" 9am in the Media Center 

Thursday, September 27 - Back to School Night 7pm 

Friday, September 28 - 9th Grade Class Meeting 1pm 

Wednesday, October 3 - Assembly "David Flood" 2pm

Monday, October 8 - Professional Development (Full Day)

Recent Blog/Twitter Posts 

Waldwick Stigma Free Event - Talk Saves Lives 
Back to School Night 2018

Lets Go Ben!!! #Holdtherope #OwnitWHS @coachgruz https://t.co/jCHKCvxJKx

— Kevin Carroll (@Kevin_Carroll_) September 22, 2018

WHS Staff News - Week of 9/10/18

When you think you are ahead, you never are.  It's just life! 

Please find a quiet place to sit and read The Source posts.  I don't write them for me, I write them for you so there is clear communication. 

I have to say with all honesty, the start of this school year has been more hectic than others for me. It's great having the students back in the building to see them smiling and talking and getting back into learning.  Hopefully, you have had a great first few days with the students and all of the other stuff is falling into place. 

It seems like the most important question around the building today is,"Do we still have Warrior Wednesday's?" YES we do, but remember it's picture day and tomorrow's picture will be going in the yearbook. 

Wednesday 9/12 (A lot going on)

• Picture Day - All staff needs to have their picture taken down in the Greenberg Center 

• Assembly Schedule - All classes will meet 

• Grade level Assembly - All teachers will walk their period 4 class down to the gym when called and sit with your class. An announcement will be made at 10:37. All instructional staff, counselors, CST, are expected to attend as well. Please find a seat in the bleachers. *All seniors are expected to be at the meeting as well if they ask.

• Working Wednesday's - as mentioned in June and again on September 4, we will use Wednesday's throughout the year for meetings, professional development, collaboration and time to get things done.  Each week an agenda will be shared so everyone knows where they should be and what needs to get done. 
• Working Wednesday Agenda

• Select Wellness will be sponsoring a "Welcome Back" breakfast and massage on Wednesday, September 12, from 8 AM - 12 Noon in the Little Theater for all WHS staff. A sign-up sheet will be on the counter in the Main Office if you would like to sign up for a free 10 minute massage.

Friday 9/14 - Freshman Class meeting at the end of lunch. Meeting will begin at 11:45 and should be done by 12. Matt Rypkema (Class of 2018) will be here to talk about the heart screening and how the screening saved his life. 

Unit Plans
Dianna and I have met with a few teachers already about the unit plans and have come to realize that although we all had the same template, some of the expectations last year were different by department (My Fault). We also noticed that some classes need to do more changes to meet the template requirements than others. In order to make this week most effective, we are asking you to look at the material that has been sent out about this year’s expectations (Daily Unit Plan Expectations) and decide on 1 class that you are teaching this year that you can spend this week focusing on planning out Unit 1. This will be what we check on Monday and provide feedback on so you can apply it to your unit plans for your other classes.

If you started a few days and want to get them checked this week, feel free to reach out to Dianna to set-up a meeting and she can help you with the questions you may have. Please use this doc (Unit Plan Review Chart) to list the ONE class you want feedback on for Monday.