Friday Focus - Week of Oct. 5-8

Thank you so much for your participation, energy and questions over Thursday and Friday.  I left feeling so blessed to have you as a staff!  Your dedication and willingness to learn on behalf of our students is awesome!  As I read your exit tickets I could see lots of new ideas and lots of questions.  One common question was "Where will writing fit in my schedule?"  This is a great question and one that you will spend your profession learning to balance.  As we spend more time with these new materials, I hope it becomes more clear for all of us.  I do still here Cristianne Lane's advice, "When they become better writers, their reading improves too."  Both reading and writing are so intertwined.  Please continue to ask this question  and others of yourselves and colleagues as we begin unpacking the standards and these writing resources.

This is a very busy week!  Here are a few details to keep you in the loop.



Parent Teacher Conferences
Tuesday and Thursday are parent teacher conferences. Here are a few things to remember.

• Dinner will be provided for teachers and other helpers beginning at 4:30 in the teachers lounge. 
• Contract time is until 8:00PM for everyone.
• Friday is off for everyone because of these evening hours.
• Remember to smile, work on positives and team building with the family and share 2-3 things you think they can realistically do to help you at home.
• Lations in Action (LIA) students will be available in the lounge to help with translation.  Just call the lounge extension to request help.
• Let Angie, Shawn or Jorma know if you will need our help at a conference.
• Remember - Be an 'eye-smiler'!! Students and families recognize care and sincerity even in tough discussions and even if they don't react the way you would hope.

“I was glad my father was an eye-smiler. It meant he never gave me a fake smile because it's impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you aren't feeling twinkly yourself. A mouth-smile is different. You can fake a mouth-smile any time you want, simply by moving your lips. I've also learned that a real mouth-smile always has an eye-smile to go with it. So watch out, I say, when someone smiles at you but his eyes stay the same. It's sure to be a phony.”

― Roald Dahl, Danny the Champion of the World

Lations in Action

We are very fortunate to have the help of an association from Jerome High School called Latinos in Action.  This group of kids is truly amazing.  They support our translation needs through conferences each year.  They are very professional and they sign confidentiality contracts to show an understanding that what is shared between you and families is private.  They will be available in the Staff Lounge if you are to need help.  Please welcome them to Jefferson and help them feel at home and appreciated.

Otis Spunkmeyer Cookie Dough Fundraiser

This Thursday begins the cookie dough fundraiser.  Please plan to send packets home Thursday.  This was very successful last year and we are hoping for the same support from our families and the community in the next few weeks.  Please talk this up, but encourage kids to only sell to family and friends.  We do not want them selling in their neighborhoods unless they are with a parent.  Also, this year there will be an online option for purchase that will be delivered directly to customers.  Please consider sharing this on social media and with your own family and friends.

A Great Resource for Mentor Text and Writing Lesson Ideas
This one was started by the North Nevada Writing Project.  A great one to get notifications from.
http://writinglesson.ning.com/m/blogpost?id=3025388%3ABlogPost%3A182049

Project Learning Tree Workshop Coming Soon
Project Learning Tree is offering a workshop for teachers on Nov. 6-7th in Twin Falls called "Focus on Literature with WILD, WET & PLT."  If you are interested in more information, you can make a copy of the flyer hanging on the whiteboard in the office.

Upcoming Events

Oct. 6th & 8th - Parent Teacher Conferences

Oct. 6^th & 8^th – Fall Book Fair (Part of Parent Teacher Conferences)

October 8^th – Cookie Dough Kickoff - No Assembly

October – T-shirt Sales - PTO
October 13th - Individual Student Pictures

Nov. 13^th – Jefferson Gives Day – Food Bank donations

Nov. 17^th – Jefferson Literacy Night & Cookie Dough Pick Up

To Do

• Turn in Management Plans to Angie
• Turn in Teacher Artifact Bags and Theme Song