October 2, 2009

I have a directors meeting Monday and Tuesday in Mobile.  I will leave Sunday afternoon.  I'll see you all next week.

October 5, 2009 - Specialist PLT begins (9;00 - 10:00)-- who is going to be the leader this week?
Remember: You need a log - (log is not minutes) - Record big ideas from team's disucssions during the meeting, and decisions the team makes.  Log is not being evaluated and need not be lengthy.  The idea is to communicate information that helps readers get inside the meeting, glimpse the team's thinking, and learn where the team is going.  Logs supply a written plan for the next meeting.  Use logs to review strategies and directions and to track the teams effectiveness.
Remember -If you refer to Anne Jolly's book -- for us when it mentions students we think teachers we serve.  I've downloaded the tools and saved a copy to the G drive.  It is called Team to Teach tools and it is in PDF format.

At the meeting in September, the placemat consenus decided that the focus would be 5 E lessons while learning how to differentiate lessons both 5 E and traditional lesson and learning how to use technology to support 5 E lessons, enhance 5E lessons, and our presentations.  (I elaborated - the consensus was 5E, technology and differentiated instruction but to any of those taken seperately will not allow as much professional growth to occur as if the team uses technology and differenctiated instruction to support, and enhance the presentation and application of 5 E lessons.) 

Data notebooks:  all contain current AYP information.   We serve 4 schools still in SI and 2 that didn't make AYP.   In schools imporvement : Moody HS, Etowah HS, Pell City HS, and Wellborn HS.  Moody, Pell City and Wellborn did make AYP this year and if they make it one more year then they are OUT of SI.  Didn't make AYP: Etowah HS, West End HS and Southside HS.  Likewise, if they do not make AYP again, they go into SI.  

Staff Meeting - 10:30 - Carol is the leader.  Donna is the notetaker for Oct. if memory serves me correctly.

Proration- 7.5 % declared for the education budget.  Steve held some back from the sites so he is "covering" the proration.  But if it is declared again, we will lose money from our budget.  Remember, it was cut 50% from last year so there isn't much left to trim!  We must be very cautious.  Please car pool when ever possible. 

If you have material request from paper to pencils to staples or whatever, please ask Lynn.  She knows what we have and where it is and asking her will prevent us ordering something we already have ample in supply.  Barry, Lynn and I reguarly discuss material needs and if we have the money in the budget to fund the purchase.  

Data: White Plains Elementary data will be on the "G" drive by the end of Friday. 

School PLT:   I have had 4 requests for help with PLTs at schools.  If it is ok with you all, I will handle those until the request get to many for me to handle.  That will free you up for ASAP.

Equipment:  Please make sure all equipment (projectors, elmos, interwrite pads, everything, is labeled with AMSTI JSU and numbered.  Carol was working on this earlier this year.  Also, any equipment you are not using on a weekly basis can be left in the vault.  Just a thought....

Certificates - AMSTI certificates for teachers will be sorted and seperated by schools by end of Friday.  On Monday, if you have trips planned to a school, get that schools certificates and please deliver.  I will take all of Calhoun Counties to their central office to be distributed through their interoffice mail.  THANKS