Geneseo High School Blog Site

friday-noteFriday note for 12/15 - 12/19

DEPARTMENT CHAIR MEETING NOTES

December 4, 2008

7:15 to 7:47 AM

Conference Room

In attendance:            S. Rehn, K. Kroener, L. Carey, J. Zum Mallen, J. Fiers, M. Haugse, S. Eberhardt, L. VanDerLeest, S. Scherer, A. Ringenberg, T. Minnaert, J. DePauw, T. Mackey

Topics:

Mike spoke about a conference he attended yesterday.  One of his sessions was on test prep for the ACT.  The speaker was good.  He said that taking time for test prep was not enough, there still needed to be a strong base in the appropriate content area being tested.  The speaker indicated that staff should always look to improve professional development.  At the speaker’s school, there were three levels in core areas, each with entrance and exit criteria.  Teachers should be teaching skills to prepare students for work and/or college.  Teachers should be able to tell, for each lesson, each day, what skill they are teaching and how is it reflected in curriculum.

Mike spoke to item number one on the agenda, in reference to movies in the classroom.  Movies are not necessarily bad, but only should be used when they reinforce a skill taught in the classroom.  We should continue to strive to protect instruction time.

Mike introduced topic number two from the agenda.  It opened up a lengthy discussion in reference to the use of Skyward.  It was the general feeling that there are still many components of the program that many of us are still not familiar.  Jan and Linda will put together, with input from staff, a list of topics that we would like Rayanne to address at in in-service, hopefully in January.  This led into topic number five, and the discussion continued.

Topic number three - The Gretchen Courtney audit has been received.  We are hoping that someone will be here before Christmas to go over it with us.

Topic Number four - Mike has requested a literacy / reading instructor be employed for next year.  Duties would include, as listed in the agenda.  The Board should vote on this at their December meeting.

Topic number II 1. - The budget - Mike complimented our staff on how they spend their money.  We have been told that our district will receive less money next year.  We are to try to only spend as needed.

Morning Supervision

North End: Murray
South End: Nelson
East Side: Neumann
Cafeteria: Obrecht
Bus Supervision
East End:  Schnowski        West End:  B. Smith        Back Side:  B. Smith

Early Bird Supervision
Hirschfelder and Johnson                    Early Administration: Mackey

Reminders

•  Considering all the institute time we have used, it should be easy to infer that the Words of the Week are significant.  We will post the words of the week in the Friday note or on the blog site. Though they are not indigenous to GHS, we will still try to use all the words of the week in the announcements.   And, to add symmetry and balance,  we ask that teachers use that word each day in their instruction.   Mr. Haugse is still taking suggestions about a culminating activity once every 2-3 weeks involving the vocabulary words.
Words of the Week #2 (use each word in order of the day of the week.  First word first day, etc.):
Symmetry - the proper or due proportion of the parts of a body or  whole to one another with regard to size and form; excellence of  proportion.  In math, it means  a rotation or translation of a plane figure that leaves the figure  unchanged although its position may be altered.  The statue of David has excellent symmetry in regards  to size, form, and proportion.   For math -  A circle has rotational symmetry and reflection symmetry.
Indigenous - originating in and  characteristic of a particular region or country; native.  Mrs. Young’s class was able to  determine that the mysterious plant was indigenous to the Mississippi  river valley.
Infer - to derive  by reasoning; conclude or judge from premises or evidence: to guess;  speculate;    surmise. The student was able to infer his displeasure from the  cool tone of Mr. Domino’s voice.

•  the Roger Taylor link the for differentiation is  www.rogertaylor.com
user id    GHS          Password geneseomapleleafs
• Check out this link, it’s a great promotional vocab. In a charitable way kids can do, it is cool.
http://www.freerice.com/

Kudos

Congratulations to all of the coaches and sponsors for the fine job they did this fall with their teams and activities.
Good aim by the FFA Trap Teams and Mr. Stahl on their first place finish at the ROWVA Alumni Trap Shoot.

Best of luck to Mr. Christensen as he begins the inaugural year of the Mathletes Club.

Thank you Julie and Lindsey for the fine job you did filling in and keeping attendance this week.

Dates of Importance
11/25 - PLAN testing
11/27 - 11/28 - Thanksgiving break
11/17 - PIC meeting 3:30 District office - Suggestions/feedback to Michelle S
12/4 – Department Chair Meeting – 7:45, conference room

DEPARTMENT CHAIR MEETING NOTES

November 20, 2008

7:15 to 7:45 AM

Conference Room

Present:  K. Kroener, L. Carey, J. Zum Mallen, D. Aper, J. Fiers, M. Haugse, S. Eberhardt, L. VanDerLeest, S. Scherer, A. Ringenberg, T. Minnaert, J. Swanson, J. DePauw, T. Mackey

Word of the Week:  Mike will give one word a day.  It will be defined, spelled, and used in a sentence.  He will try to have it incorporated into the daily announcements wherever appropriate.  He was looking for ideas for a culminating activity for every couple of weeks, or so.  Suggestions included some type of a contest, mad libs, etc.  Mike will take ideas.

Fibal Exam Schedule:  The first draft of the exam schedule for first semester was distributed.  Itt will be discussed at the next meeting.

CPG Update:  Linda said that it was in the hands of the BOE.  They will approve it in December, and then she will ask for any last checks for grammar, typos, etc.

The next here items on the agenda (How are we doing as a school, audit on syllabi, and audit on vocabulary strategies) were for self reflection

Make-up Work Policy:  Mike asked for each chair to review policies/procedures within their own department.  He wanrts to know what kind of coinsistency is out there.  There is an issue at the Middle School that is bringing this to the surface.  The distribution of report cards was also discussed, in reference to many of them not making it to the hands of parents.  There were many suggestions on this topic, but one was to add something to the registration paperwork asking where parents would like information sent.  It was also questioned if there could be something in Skyward that could trigger a notice to parents of a grade goes too low, of could Scottt use school messenger to notify parents

School Board Policy:  Mike did a good job of explaining how this procedure works in a democracy, and that we should continue to be professional. And work within our procedures.  It was brought up that the chairs wondered if the BOE always knew what went into our thinking.  Mike said that Joni did a good job of conveying this information.  They also asked if it might be possible to hear the resoning that the BOE used to make their decisions.  Joe indicated that the BOE meetings were open meetings and anyone can attend, especially when they know there is something on the agenda that is of particular interest to them.  This would allow them to hear, first hand, the discussions.

December 10, 2008:  This is a one-hour early release.  There may be time for some department meetings.

January 16, 2009:  There will be a ½ day in-service following the last day of finbal exams.  This is not for grading exams.  It could be for test item analysis.  Mr. Kuffel will have about twenty teachers from the district in a teacher leader workshop.  Thjose names will be given at a later date.

Differentiation of Instruciton:  This should be getting done.  We would like to know of anyone who has attended any kind of a workshop/conference on this topic.

Weeding the Garden:  We did an activity at our unit administrator’s meeting yesterday on this topic.  Reflectiopn on this topic will continue, with potential action.  The idea is to look at what is going on, keep what is good and valuable, and weed out what is in the way to success, or, at least, try to accomplish it in another way.

Friday Note 11/17-11/21friday-note

Friday note 11/17-11/21.

DEPARTMENT CHAIR MEETING

November 6, 2008

Time:   7:15 to 7:34 AM

Present:           S. Rehn, K. Kroener, L. Carey, J. Zum Mallen, J. Fiers, M. Haugse, S. Eberhardt, L. VanDerLeest, S. Scherer, A. Ringenberg, T. Minnaert, J. DePauw, T. Mackey

Topics of discussion:

1. Mike had everyone participate in an activity to show how differentiation is important.  He stressed that equal is not fair.  We don’t all need to teach the same thing on the same day, in the same way.  He asked chairs to monitor their departments to see that what is described in Course Planning Guides and Syllabi is being done.
2. On the topic of adding Driver’s Education being added to the GPA and for eligibility - voting was:  9 yes, 1 opposed, 1 abstained.
3. Reminder about the reimbursement paperwork to be completed for all field trips.
4. There are to be no microwaves in classrooms.  Refrigerators only upon approval.
5. Flip charts for emergency procedures.  Anyone interested in assisting with updating these should see J. DePauw.
6. There are new cards for informal drop-ins.
7. If anyone would like to nominate a teacher who graduated from WIU for their Master Teacher program should see Mike.
8. Chairs should meet with Linda to double check materials that have been submitted for CPG.
9. Discussed the schedule for November 7, 2008 in-service.

     North End:  Hickerson

     South End:  Hufford

     Hallway south of Commons:  Kiss

     Cafeteria/Commons:  Kroener

Bus Supervision:

     Back Hall:  Peterson

     Outside:  Rice and Ringenberg

Early Bird Supervision:  Rakestraw and Rehn

Early Administration:  Haugse

Reminders:

1.  Be sure to remain at bus duty until the buses have departed form the High School.  After the students move to load, please move to the gate to keep students from crossing once the buses have begun to move.

2.  Be sure to complete all requested follow-up to today’s work.

Kudos:

1.  Larry Johnsen, Travis Mackey, and all of the football staff and team for their continued success.

Dates of Importance:

November 10, 2008     No school in observance of Veteran’s Day.

November 11, 2008     Staff Welfare and Advisory Meeting  7:15 AM  Conference Room

November 12, 2008     JKB Men’s Volleybal Tournament  6:00 PM in Facility

November 13, 2008     Faculty Meeting  7:15 AM in Library

November 14, 2008     IMEA District Festival  All day at Augustana College

“Buy the truth and do not sell it, get wisdom, discipline and understanding.”