Week of September 27th

 

This week, our school community is focusing on the following priorities:

• PBIS: Classroom expectations

• Behavior Focus: Reinforcing positive safe behavior around the school building

• SEL Theme of the Month: Goal setting, self-control and being safe at school

• Trauma-Informed: Belonging: Creating a safe, welcoming environment where every student can succeed. 

• Focus on Routine:

1. Morning & Entry Routines
Greeting at the Door: Welcome students individually as they enter to gauge their mood and set a positive tone. 

Do-Now / Bellringer: Have a clear, predictable task posted on the board (e.g., a short reflection, daily math problem, or quiet reading) so students immediately know what to work on without prompting and to avoid unstructured time.

Group: Have designated space for group and structured routine so students know what to expect. Having a rotation of group leaders helps students be involved. 

2. Classroom Logistics & Transitions
Clear Signals for Attention: Use a consistent non-verbal or verbal cue (e.g., chime, rhythmic clap, countdown) to gather focus within seconds.

Structured Transitions: Give timed instructions before students move (e.g., "You have 30 seconds to clean up your desk and bring your notebook to the carpet—go").  Timers on board are helpful.

Visible Daily Agenda: Display a daily schedule with times or order of activities on the board to reduce anxiety about what comes next.

3. Academic & Instructional Routines
Standardized Station/Group Rules: Create a clear system for group work, including assigned roles (timekeeper, reader, recorder) and noise-level expectations.

Fast-Finisher Options: Provide a dedicated space or menu of meaningful tasks (reading, extension activities) for students who complete work early.

4. End-of-Day & Pack-Up Structure
Dedicated Reflection Time: Reserve the last 5 minutes for point sheet reflection, lesson recap, or gratitude sharing (highs and lows of day)

End of day Checklist: Assign rotating classroom jobs (board eraser, chair stacker, paper collector) to make end-of-day routines collective and efficient.

• Support documents can be found here. Please also be sure to review the SEL Calendar.

Important Reminders

• FAPE is your friend

• Should NOT be completed prior to the IEP meeting

• Take your time; IEP doesn’t need to be provided the same day of the meeting

• Should contain anything discussed in the IEP but not chosen - it's good to have a notetaker jotting these things down throughout the IEP.

• Medicaid- Bill monthly, mark services complete

• Direct Service Staff

• https://secure.smore.com/n/2su7qx

• Case Managers

• https://secure.smore.com/n/k4rvbd

• Nurse's Edition

• https://secure.smore.com/n/v2fhs

• Personal Care

• Personal Care Aides/Paraprofessionals

• Since the change to the MiStar system for special education documents, all special education forms and documents must be finalized and archived in MiStar once they are completed.

  This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Invitations

  • REEDs

  • IEPs

  • METs

  • Other completed special education forms and documents

  Once a document has been reviewed and all required information is complete, please make sure it is finalized and archived rather than left in draft status. This ensures that the student's MiStar record accurately reflects all completed special education documentation and that documents are properly stored in the student's record.

  MDRs: At this time, RESA is directing users to close the form rather than finalize it. Please continue to follow the current MiStar direction for MDRs until further guidance is provided.

Beacon Calendar

Please remember to place ALL meetings on the Beacon calendar, and send the corresponding calendar invites.

Absences

If you are trying to enter a last minute absence, please include Robyn and Stacey on your email to Ariel so we can plan accordingly. 

Monday, September 28th: 

• Behavior Team Huddle @ 8:30 in Large Group Mtg Room
• PIRM @ 10:00 (Lucidi & Williams)
• IEP @ 2:00 (Hiser)
• Castle to BOE
• IEP @ 9:15 (Raul)

Tuesday, September 29th: 

• WAM @ 9:00 (Wusthoff)
• WAM @ 10:00 (Burks)
• Early Release/Staff Meeting
• Castle to BOE (AM)

Wednesday, September 30th:

• Parent Meeting @ 9:00 (Walton)
• Meeting @ 12:00 (Wusthoff)
• PIRM @ 1:15 (Raul)
• WAM @ 2:00 (Wusthoff)
• Castle Virtual Meeting (AM)

Thursday, October 1st:

• District PBiS Mtg @ 8:30 (Castle, Doctor, other various staff)
• Castle @ BOE (8:00-12:00)
• Hiser/Walton Mentor Time @ 10:00
• SSW Meeting @ 12:30

Friday, October 2nd: 

• Castle and some SSW to BOE (AM)
• Castle to Project SEARCH (PM)

Week of September 20th

 

This week, our school community is focusing on the following priorities:

• PBIS: Reviewing the school matrix and reviewing classroom expectations

• Behavior Focus: Reinforcing positive safe behavior around the school building

• SEL Theme of the Month: Goal setting, self-control and being safe at school

• Trauma-Informed: Belonging: Creating a safe, welcoming environment where every student can succeed. 

• Support documents can be found here. Please also be sure to review the SEL Calendar.

When Unproductive Behaviors Occur...

• First try Tier 1 strategies so students can remain in the classroom
• Offer a walk, a choice (not too many choices), or a fidget, offer the calming corner
• If support is needed, discreetly say on the walkie, "Behavior Support to room ***, Staff's last name." 
• Inform the social worker of what's going on
• If behavior is escalating call Alaina or Amanda
• Alaina and Amanda or a social worker will be the only people who should be contacting administration regarding student behavior when a student may need to go home, or requires further disciplinary action. 

Beacon Calendar

Please remember to place ALL meetings on the Beacon calendar, and send the corresponding calendar invites.

Instructional Time

Instructional time should be structured, and schedules for the day should be clearly outlined for the students upon arrival. Our students perform best when activities are planned from bell to bell. Detailed lesson plans should include all activities planned for the day...hands on activities are highly encouraged, as our students learn well with this structure. Lesson Plans MUST be entered into Planbook for the week, by the start of Monday for that week. Remember to make learning fun for students. Videos should only be shown to enhance the curriculum, and should be short in nature as part of instruction. If you are showing a movie as an occasional award, this is fine as long as it's clearly outlined in your weekly lesson plans, but should not be a regular occurrence.  Please let us know if you have any questions. 

Purchase Requests

When requesting to purchase items for your classroom, please send the request to Ariel, and copy Robyn on it for approval. Please include links for what you would like to purchase. 

Monday, September 21st:

• Behavior Team Huddle @ 8:30 in Large Meeting Room
• IEP @ 9:00 (Hill)
• Castle to BOE @ 12:30

Tuesday, September 22nd: 

• Castle to LP Meetings all day
• IEP @ 9:15 (Williams)

Wednesday, September 23rd:

• Castle to BOE (8:00-12:30)
• Intake Committee Mtg @ 9:00

Thursday, September 24th: 

• Mentor Time (Hiser/Walton)
• Castle to BOE (12:00-3:00)

Friday, September 25th:

• Castle to BOE (AM)

Week of September 13th

 

Let's get ready for our first full week with students! We got this!! At the start of the year, and as students begin switching classes, please remember to establish norms, go over expectations, and look for opportunities to provide specific praise to students. 

PBiS/Trauma-Informed Focus of the Week

Please review all parts of the Circle or Courage, as well as the entire PBiS Matrix. Support documents can be found here. Please also be sure to review the SEL Calendar.

Cell Phone Policy Reminder (this actually includes any electronic device)

            Phones will not be permitted at school during instructional time.

• ALL electronics need to be shut off and put away.
• If a student uses or takes out their phone/electronics during class time, they will be given one warning to put it away. 
• If they do not comply then they will be asked to turn their phone/electronics into an administrator. 
• If they refuse to turn it in, a parent will be called to pick up their device. 
• If it continues, further disciplinary action will occur and could result in not bringing it for the remainder of the school year.

**Students are permitted to use their phones and earbuds during lunch time. If this becomes a problem it will be revisited. Students may NOT take videos of others. 

Introductions

Teachers - if you have not yet reached out to families to introduce yourself, please be sure to do so this week. It's important to have an open line of communication with parents, and we want to create a strong home-school partnership. 

Attendance

Please remember to have student attendance entered for the AM by 9:00. Also, please make sure you sign in each day if you are LPEA. 

When Unproductive Behaviors Occur...

• First try Tier 1 strategies so students can remain in the classroom
• Offer a walk, a choice (not too many choices), or a fidget, offer the calming corner
• If support is needed, discreetly say on the walkie, "Behavior Support to room ***, Staff's last name." 
• Inform the social worker of what's going on
• If behavior is escalating call Alaina or Amanda
• Alaina and Amanda or a social worker will be the only people who should be contacting administration regarding student behavior when a student may need to go home, or requires further disciplinary action. 

Beacon Calendar

Please remember to place ALL meetings on the Beacon calendar, and send the corresponding calendar invites.

Instructional Time

Instructional time should be structured, and schedules for the day should be clearly outlined for the students upon arrival. Our students perform best when activities are planned from bell to bell. Detailed lesson plans should include all activities planned for the day...hands on activities are highly encouraged, as our students learn well with this structure. Lesson Plans MUST be entered into Planbook for the week, by the start of Monday for that week. Remember to make learning fun for students. Videos should only be shown to enhance the curriculum, and should be short in nature as part of instruction. If you are showing a movie as an occasional award, this is fine as long as it's clearly outlined in your weekly lesson plans, but should not be a regular occurrence.  Please let us know if you have any questions. 

Purchase Requests

When requesting to purchase items for your classroom, please send the request to Ariel, and copy Robyn on it for approval. Please include links for what you would like to purchase. 

Monday, September 14th

• Behavior Team Huddle @ 8:30

Tuesday, September 15th

• Castle to Supervisor's Meeting (9:00am-?)
• IEP @ 2:00 (Wusthoff)
• Staff Meeting Canceled

Wednesday, September 16th

• PBiS Committee Mtg @ 9:00 (Hiser, Deeter)
• Intake Committee Mtg @ 9:00
• Fire Drill @ 2:00

Thursday, September 17th

• Castle to RESA in AM

Friday, September 18th

• Castle to Project SEARCH in PM