MCMS Staff Update- October 16 - 20, 2023

Good Afternoon MCMS,

Happy Fall Break Friday!  Thank you for meeting with our parents today, I know they appreciated the opportunity to hear about progress of their children.  Maintaining a positive line of communication helps build support for student growth.  

I hope that each of your have a fantastic long weekend and get much-deserved rest!  During this time enjoy the cool fall temperatures and a chance to take a break from your normal busy schedule.  I appreciate all of your time and dedication to our school, you are key to our students success!  

Make sure you are looking over the 2023-2024 MCMS Calendar for current activities and events on campus.  If we have any changes to the calendar, we will make sure to let everyone know.  

Below are updates and reminders for this coming week, October 16-20. Please let me know if you have any questions about this email, upcoming events, classroom supplies, or anything else.  We are here to support you!

Happy Birthday! We wish a very happy birthday to those who celebrate this week!

• Cecilia Kelly (10/17)
• Wendy Shealy (10/19)

Academic Awards- Tuesday, October 17th

• Thank you to Mrs. Shealy and the Awards committee for your leadership in preparation of the first quarter awards.
• Grade levels will be dismissed to awards day over the phone intercom.
• Within your team, please coordinate the logistics for bringing students to the Awards Ceremony and who will remain with those not attending.
• 6th Grade will enter using the side door by the parking lot.
• 7th and 8th Grade will enter from the 8th Grade hallway.
• We will follow the Awards Day Bell schedule below.
• Please reach out if you or your team has a question related to our Awards Day.

Instruction

• Take some time over the next week to reflect over the successes of your first quarter of instruction.  I encourage you to identify those lessons or activities that were successful and build upon that success.  
• Please reach out to content leads or administration if you need resources or help with instructional planning.
• We will continue completing our weekly classroom observations using the districts Feedback Protocol form and the eLeot observation tool.  Teachers will only be observed with this tool one time.  We are working on getting the feedback from this form sent to you. 

Professional Learning - Second Quarter

• Below are the remaining Wednesday Professional Learning dates for the second quarter.  The dates highlighted in yellow will be full faculty.  I will send additional information and reminders.
• October 18th - IDM PL- Engage & Activate Prior Knowledge
• October 25th - Early Release- Teacher Work/Collaboration Time
• November 1st - Content Team Meetings
• November 8th - Leadership Team
• November 15th - IDM PL- Content Delivery
• November 22nd - Thanksgiving Break!
• November 29th - Coke and Conversation
• December 6th - Early Release- Teacher Work/Collaboration Time
• December 13th - Leadership Team
• December 20th - MCMS Holiday Social! 

Ellevation Training

• Below are the Ellevation Training modules you will need to complete this school year:
• Semester 1: Pathway- Understanding Multilingual Learners: 
• Intro to LTELs (Q1)
• Intro to Multilingual Learners (Q1)
• Intro to Newcomers (Q2)
• Intro to SIFE (Q2)
• Semester 2: Pathway- Developing Academic Language (4 modules in this pathway):
• Intro to Develop Academic Language (Q3)
• Develop Academic Language with Meaningful Messages (Q3)
• Develop Academic Language with Strong Sentences (Q4)
• Develop Academic Language with Weighted Words (Q4)
• If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Carpenter for more information.

Teacher Absences

• Thank you for your support and flexibility with subs, we are doing our best to make sure we limit how many classes we are having to split.
• We appreciate everyone's adjustment!
• If you have a planned or unplanned absence, please have work posted in Schoology for students to complete.  Take time with your classes to go over your expectations of them if you are out.  Having posted work for your students is very helpful for the substitute and if your classes have to be split.

Facility Updates/Needs 

• Please let us know if you have any classroom or facility needs.

MCMS Schedule- October 16th - 20th

• Monday (10/16)
• Fall Break - No School!
• Tuesday (10/17)
• Academic Awards
• 8th Grade @ 8:00 AM
• 6th/7th Grades @ 8:45 AM
• Report Cards Distributed to students
• Related Arts Classes will Rotate for Quarter 2
• Team Meetings @ Planning - Student Behavior
• Football Practice
• MCMS SIC @ 5:30 PM in the Media Center
• Wednesday (10/18)
• Professional Learning @ 3:30 in the Cafeteria - IDM
• Thursday (10/19)
• Earthquake Drill
• FB AWAY @ Newberry
• Friday (10/20)
• 6th Grade Anti-Bullying Assembly (Enrichment)
• Worth the Wait Clothing Boutique for staff

Sneak Peek at 10/23 - 10/27:

• RRDD- Team Colors/Gear and SDNC Board Meeting (10/23), RRDD- Hawaiian Shirt and/or Lei Team Meetings, and Mass Screenings (10/24), Early Release, RRDD - Camo (10/25), PSAT for 8th, RRDD- Clothes from any decade (10/26), RRDD - Neon (10/27)

7 Mindsets Schedule

• Thank you for continuing to teach the 7 mindsets curriculum and infusing it within your daily teaching.
• Mindset of the week- Everything is Possible
• 7 Mindsets Schedule 2023-2024

Please let me know if you have any questions about this week's updates or any other topic.  

Have a great day!

Dr. Dobyns