Thank You to our Reading Fluency Center Volunteers

It was another short week due to a very icy Tuesday morning, but we are back at it with all things teaching and learning.  A big part of what a school does centers around literacy, and we could not do the job we do without the support of our awesome parent base. 

One very important aspect to how we address literacy (as it relates to reading) is through our parent volunteer Reading Fluency Centers.  Today the co-chairs held their annual thank you breakfast for volunteers in the program; I was more than happy to stop by and say thank you to these folks who provide a great service for our students.  Students meet with trained volunteers for short periods during the week, reading passages aloud, practicing their reading at an independent level and charting their progress.  Our reading specialist Kathy Sederholm created this program seven years ago for us and though some of the original volunteers have rotated off at this point, the structure is so strong that the FC parent chairs have a transition system for new volunteers coming on board.  A well run endeavor if ever there was one at HiPark! 

Big thanks to Kathy, as well as current chairs Leslie Donovan and Heidi Murphy for building upon

Co-chairs Leslie and Heidi

the original structure and continuing to give our parents (and grandparents) opportunities to make a real time difference in a child's life.  As we all know, reading fluency is one of the five identified reading skills we want children to master, per the National Reading Panel's original report.  Research shows that fluency (rate, accuracy, prosody) is a skill that is key as students move into those more content focused/text dependent intermediate years and beyond - moving from learning to read to reading to learn.  Of course, fluency in all areas is a goal, so math fluency centers are being piloted in fifth grade this year (thanks Melissa O'Donnell and Leslie Donovan) and I'm sure those champions of math fluency will keep parents posted as that newest program evolves.  Thanks for making a difference in all you do, fluency volunteers!

A few of the volunteers who stopped by for breakfast today!

Special days with special peeps!

We ended our week with an atypical snow day.  Something you don't see very often in the great city of Austin.  However, before that "day off" (not really a free day as we will all make it up on Feb 17), our staff and students celebrated No Place For Hate Week with a variety of special days.  Thanks to counselor and SEL coordinator Cari Land for getting it all together.  A good week.

Tuesday saw many of us in red and black, a nod to unity even given our individual differences.

Wednesday saw many colors of the rainbow, as a reminder that "all colors are included at school".

Then finally, it was Pink Day on Thursday, a reminder "to bust the stereotype that only girls wear pink".  Loved it!

All of these special dress days served as a great tie-in for the MLK activities in classes this week, with one really standing out for me.  Ms. Zabilka's first grade students developed a pathway to change on the floor, just outside her class door. They listed things they could individually do to change the world for the better.   Great reminder that even our youngest students can think deeply, do care about the world around them, and feel empowered to get things done.  Pretty cool.

Good words

Big Scottie Welcome to newest Creative Learning Specialist Ruthie Fisher.  Ruthie is joining our 2nd grade classes this semester as a drama specialist (first semester was a dance focus), helping integrate the power of theater our second grade language arts and social studies TEKS.  Thanks Ruthie!








Even though tutoring is in full force second semester at grades 1-5 - including a bit of cursive handwriting practice - enrichment opportunities are back as well.  Check out the cool offerings for after school if you have not done so.  Everything from a film club to a robotics club to a math club.  Additionally, we are finishing up our Boosterthon Fun Run fundraiser this week and there have been many positive learning outcomes.

Teachers supporting today's run!

Such as the physical and social/emotional health and wellness messages delivered each day.  Thanks to the Boosterthon Committee chairs Christy Strub and Krista Bergeron, as well as PTA board officer Bergan Casey.  They kept the momentum going and monitored and adjusted as needs arose.  True Champs!  Our parent base works tireless hours, all unpaid, all on behalf of this school, and yep, it does indeed take a village to keep all the balls in the air.  All for kids, all good, and all worth it.

Check out the pics below from today's grade level fun runs.  The energy level was cool, not to mention catching!

 

Though every teacher is a winner in my book, I'm happy to announce our 13-14 Campus Teacher of the Year is Mrs. Pam Kolodziej.  Those of us who have seen her in action as the 5th grade Social Studies teacher are amazed by the all she does, including the special learning events she dreams up and puts in place.  Who can forget last year's Presidential Debates, complete with Secret Service?! And this year's History Project Runway, with the thumping, current music selections playing as our fifth graders strutted down the runway in costume?!  She goes above and beyond in all she does and this peer selected recognition is well deserved.  Congrats Mrs. Kolodziej.    

Finally, as we head into the long weekend, let's take a moment to remember the reason for Monday's holiday.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's message was one of hope and peace and service, and most importantly, unity around our common spirit.  Next week, our school will have a variety of activities around the celebration of everyone's uniqueness, through our No Place for Hate Week daily events and varied Dr. King remembrances and lessons in our classrooms.  However, those activities are also designed to bring into focus our oneness as people. Our common human spirit.

This coming weekend, my wish for you is to find ways to celebrate Dr. King's message in big or small ways. Celebrate who you are and the gifts you bring to the world, connect with others, be of service to those you love and perhaps even those you may not know so well.  Peace, love, unity, and hope for all.  Certainly good words for our days ahead.

A cold start!

It was a cold start for staff and students as we returned to school post winter break.  Regardless, it's good to be back as there is always much to do in a school second semester.  Nice to see familiar faces and some of the "cool" attire many wore to combat those polar vortex temps.  Check out the headgear below.  Love it!

Gear guaranteed to keep the head toasty warm!

We've been in and out of classes this week and I've got to tell you, the teachers and students have gotten right to it.  Lots of writing and much focus on good math instruction.  Think manipulatives, daily work with multi-step word problems,  and student use of varied strategies during learning.  Our math committee has also been hard at work filming their November parent math presentation.  There are some clips on a couple of team wiki sites already, with a bit of additional filming to go.  You will be able to see and hear K-5 teachers demonstrate invented/alternative strategies to solve problems, as well as model drawing in action.  Our goal is to have these completely posted before the end of January.  Check out the grade level wiki sites on the hipark website if you want to know more.

Training and spreading the good word to all of our stakeholders is important to us.  And it's important to me.  In the spirit of furthering understanding of all things creative learning/arts integration, we are hosting a parent workshop on Friday, January 24, 8:00-10:00, HP cafeteria.  UT's Drama for Schools staff Katie Dawson, Sarah Coleman, and Lara Dossett will provide the why behind the what, while demonstrating DBI strategies currently being used in our classrooms; they also will provide attendees with some very concrete strategies parents can use at home to help support learning.  Cool.  Promises to be hands-on, engaging, and something you really won't want to miss. Bring a friend and hope to see you there. 

Finally, big shout out to Sally Hunter, fourth grade teacher and truly a social studies guru if ever there was one. She recently completed an application with the Gilder Lehrman Institute on behalf of Highland Park and we just received word that it was accepted.  What does that mean for our school? Sally tells me that "Highland Park is an official Affiliate School of The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.  Our teachers now have access to exclusive professional development opportunities, web chats with historians, and over 60,000 primary source documents representing more than 500 years of American history.  Very exciting old stuff!  The Social Studies vertical team will help interested H.P. teachers set up there own accounts on the Affiliate School Program Site.  For a glimpse at what Gilder Lehrman has to offer, check out http://www.gilderlehrman.org/".  Big thanks to Sally for continued advocacy of high quality teacher and student learning.

Welcome Back Scotties to Second Semester!