Date: 10/29/10
To: Michael Z. Green, SuperintendentFrom: Cari Thomson, PhDRE: October Summary of Teaching and Learning
During the month of October WMS staff spent time on Monday mornings on department collaboration, math training, and school improvement planning. Integrated I and pre-algebra teachers met with the Southwest Mathematics Consortium for planning and feedback. WMS teachers are in the implementation phase of the curriculum and will be for some time. I am supporting them by being in each math teacher's classroom at least once a week to observe and give feedback. Additionally, Ms. Riley, Mr. Shoup, and I are meeting weekly to discuss our observational data.
Conference week occurred October 18-22. 8th grade home room teachers were available for arena-style conferencing on Monday October 18 and 7th grade students participated in student-led conferences during the week. 8th grade student-led conferences will be the week of March 27-April, 2010. WMS decided to split SLCs this year to align with student/parent needs and the Navigation 101 curriculum.
Kelly Sloniker attended the Navigation 101 fall conference. Navigations 101 is in its second year of full implementation. Staff has familiarized themselves with the on-line lessons and the second year through is proving to be easier. We devote a Monday a month to Navigation training by grade-level home rooms.
Please check out the Lego Robotics website at http://www.woodlandschools.org/?q=node/9757 . This year's research topic is biomedical technology. Students are working on robotic surgery. They even have an ongoing blog on their website about their activities. I will be taking the team (too bad Tim Brown has other commitments) on Saturday, November 6 to OHSU as they have been invited to learn about the robotics surgical unit. The kids are thrilled and I am excited as well. This is a once in a life time opportunity!
Michael Smith, the WMS art teacher, will be taking a group of students to see the Picasso exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum in December. He is also directing a student-led claymation project (think "Wallace and Gromit"). You should really stop by this classroom and check out the amazing things going on. Support the arts!
Students at WMS participated in Red Ribbon Week in October. This is a nation-wide designated prevention week. Khristina Williams had several lunchtime activities and contests and all were promoted by the WMS Prevention Club. The prevention club has really taken off this year and is attended by more than 25 students!
NJHS also held a book drive in October to donate books to the Share House in Vancouver. WMS students collected over 898 books in less than a week. The canned food drive for World Food Day was also a huge success. Way to go NJHS!
On the CTE front, students are doing great things. CTE students and staff were out in force on Make a Difference Day, which the CTE department organizes with the city. Kim Miller's students catered a port commissioner's dinner in October and also went to Gustav's in Vancouver to explore German cooking. Charlie Farnell is advising FFA with Mr. and Mrs. Vetter and his advisory met and came up with some great storage ideas and class projects to get the wood shop organized. If you haven't been in there in a while, you should really check it out.
Joanne Rooney has Shelby Linnemeyer, who administers the early childhood program at LCC, on her advisory. Joanne has been advertising her early childhood playgroup and there has been interest from Longview and Kelso parents because their community has a need for this program. Ms. Rooney has bilingual students so Hispanic parents and children are more than welcome. Joanne has also applied for a $10,000 apprenticeship program grant.
Woodland Middle School staff will have their first non-working day on November 11, Veteran's Day.