Weekly FIRE Newsletter for December 3, 2013

Quarter 2 - Dates and Events

12/02 Cheers for Children Food Drive Begins

12/02-13 Order Wintergrams

12/03 Poinsettia Delivery, Spirito Hall 2:30-5

12/04 “Stop Hunger” Games Reaping 11:10

12/06 “Stop Hunger” Games at 11:50 in Quad

12/06 End of Progress Report #3

12/13 No FIRE – Extended Period 4 - Matchmaker

12/13 Winter Formal – All Grades Invited

12/18 Wintergrams Delivered Period 4

12/22 – 01/05 Winter Break

01/06/14 First School Day of 2014

More Ways 2 Show Kids You Care

Use SOCIAL engagement with your FIRE students every day to increase positive interaction.  Choose one or two new items below to use this week with each FIRE student.  

131. Introduce them to people of excellence.

132. Tell them what you expect of them.

133. Give them your phone number.

134. Introduce them to new experiences.

135. Share a meal together.

136. Talk directly together.

137. Be spontaneous.

138. Expect their best; don’t expect perfection.

139. Empower them to help and be themselves.

140. Love them, no matter what.

 

Poinsettia – Delivery and Pick Up

The Poinsettia Sale Fundraiser funds the FIRE program, crew training and FIRE incentives, etc. 

Plants will be delivered to Foothill on Tuesday, December 3, 2013.

Plants will be available for pick up in Spirito Hall from 2:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Due to lack of storage space, plants not picked up may be donated.

Cheers for Children

We are collecting boxes of bread mix, cake mix, and other dry mixes for our Foothill contribution to the Cheers for Children food basket drive!  Encourage your FIRE students to participate in this very important cause!  New this year…

The “Stop Hunger” Games

The Reaping ceremony takes place on Wednesday, December 4 at 11:10 am.  All candidates over 13 years of age must enter their names. Remember – you can volunteer to take the place of someone else.  Each District must have at least 10 volunteers (One male and one female per classroom).

Each district will be assigned an ASB rep who will serve as the district escort. We will have games and quizzes during lunch each day that will hopeful build spirit and raise awareness for Cheers for Children.

The district with the most points at the end of the three week period will be the victor.

District D:        Mr. Frazier (D104)

District E:         Mr. Villa (E108)

District F:         Ms. Dowler (F107)

District I:          Mrs. Ferris (I104)

District H:        Mrs. Hunt (H105)

District G:        Mr. Duston (G107)

Mid-Quarter Progress Report – 12/6

Teachers will be evaluating student work for mid-quarter progress reports starting on Friday, December 6.  Students with low grades, Ds and/or Fs, will receive progress reports home via direct mail in the next week or so.

Please talk with each of your FIRE students about their current progress in all classes.  Help those who are struggling in any way to identify the “why” behind their struggles and then set specific goals to help address those issues.  Follow up with your struggling students EVERY day.  Semester grades are FINAL and go on the high school transcript.

FIRE Alarm Newsletter Week 10 2013-14

Quarter 2 - Dates and Events

11/01/13 Poinsettia Sales Begin (benefits FIRE)

11/03/13 Daylight Saving Time Ends

11/11/13 Veteran’s Day – NO SCHOOL

11/13/13 Junior Career Day (during FIRE)

11/13/13 Poinsettia Orders Due by 2:30 p.m.

11/25/13 Special Schedule – 2, 4, F, 6, 7 Block Day

11/27/13 NO SCHOOL

11/28/13 Thanksgiving Day – NO SCHOOL

11/29/13 NO SCHOOL

12/03/13 Poinsettia Delivery, Spirito Hall 2:30

12/22 – 01/05 Winter Break

01/06/14 First School Day of 2014

More Ways 2 Show Kids You Care

Use SOCIAL engagement with your FIRE students every day to increase positive interaction.  Choose one or two new items below to use this week with each FIRE student.  

91. Chaperone a dance.
92. Tell them stories in which they are the hero.
93. Believe in them.
94. Nurture them with good food, good words, and good fun.
95. Be flexible.
96. Delight in their uniqueness.
97. Let them make mistakes.
98. Notice when they grow.
99. Wave and honk when you drive by them.
100. Give them immediate feedback.

Poinsettia Sale – November 1-13

The Poinsettia Sale Fundraiser funds the FIRE program, crew training and FIRE incentives, etc.  Please take time throughout the next two weeks to encourage your FIRE students to the share information about the fundraiser with their parents and to take the order forms home on Friday.  There are no competitions, but the money that would go towards purchasing these plants at Target, Lowe’s, etc. could go to Foothill instead. It is an easy shopping decision to make!

Junior Career Day

Junior FIRE Crew leaders need to make arrangements to be out of FIRE class on Wednesday, November 13^th for Career Day.  Please discuss with your FIRE teacher as soon as possible, especially if both leaders will be attending the Career Day guest speaker presentations.

Quarter 1 Renaissance Incentives

Please be aware and share with your FIRE classes that Foothill will now be recognizing Renaissance membership on a quarterly basis.  Grades for Quarter 1 are due TONIGHT by midnight so finalized grades will be available next week.  So, keep an eye out and an ear open for announcements relevant to the NEW Renaissance list, which should include our freshman class!

Crew Self-Evaluation

Have you been “all you can be” as a FIRE Crew leader this quarter?  Have you slacked off in some areas, been absent a lot, been hanging out & not focused on your FIRE students?  Now is the time for self-reflection and change for the better!

 

Help Develop Assets in Your Students

Internal Assets – Reflect internal values, skills, and beliefs that young people also need to fully engage with & function in the world around them:

·         Commitment to Learning

o    Need a sense of the lasting importance of learning and belief in own abilities

·         Positive Values

o    Need to develop strong guiding values or principles to help make healthy choices

·         Social Competencies

o    Need the skills to interact effectively with others, make decisions, and cope with situations

·         Positive Identity

o   Need to believe in their own self-worth and feel that they have control over the things that happen to them

FIRE Alarm Newsletter Week 9 2013-14

Quarter 1 & 2 - Dates and Events

10/14-18 Teen Read Week & Red Ribbon Week

10/18 – Last day of quarter 1

10/21-10/25 – Fall Break

10/28 First Day of Quarter 2

11/03/13 Daylight Saving Time Ends

11/06-TBA Poinsettia Sales (benefits FIRE)

11/11/13 Veteran’s Day – NO SCHOOL

11/25/13 Special Schedule – 2, 4, F, 6, 7 Block Day

11/27/13 NO SCHOOL

11/28/13 Thanksgiving Day – NO SCHOOL

11/29/13 NO SCHOOL

12/03/13 Poinsettia Delivery, Spirito Hall 2:30

12/22 – 01/05 Winter Break

01/06/14 First School Day of 2014

More Ways 2 Show Kids You Care

Use SOCIAL engagement with your FIRE students every day to increase positive interaction.  Choose one or two new items below to use this week with each FIRE student.   Numbers 83 and 88 are easy this week.

81. Give them a special nickname.
82. Marvel at what they can do.
83. Tell them how proud you are of them.
84. Pamper them.
85. Unwind together.
86. Be happy.
87. Ask them to help you.
88. Support them.
89. Applaud their successes.
90. Deal with problems and conflicts while they are still small.

 Quarter 1 Grades – Coming Soon

Touch base with every FIRE student meaningfully this week. Look for last minute areas where students can improve (e.g., turning in homework, increasing quiz/test scores, completing project work) that can have an IMMEDIATE positive effect on their Quarter 1 grades.  Quarter 1 ends on October 18, 2013!

Celebrate the End of Quarter 1

Take a little time this week to show your appreciation for your FIRE students.  You could schedule a brief celebration on Friday during FIRE.  You could write “warm fuzzy”-type notes for each student and give the notes to them with a small treat. You could create award certificates (positive ones only, please) that recognize their strengths or overcoming of a challenge this quarter.

FIRE Crew – Join the “Revolution”

On edmodo.com, join Mrs. Carr’s and Ms. Pelfrey’s BFYA Revolution group to see what your students are reading.  Join in the discussions, bring it up in FIRE one-on-one if you have read a common book, share your own love of literature and books you have enjoyed!

Edmodo code# 5o9fvj (that’s an o as in “ostrich”)

Revolution details are online at

http://www.fthswiki.org/bfya-revolution

There are also quotes from the students on the “What the Grade 9 Students Had to Say”…it will be updated regularly with more quotes and more pictures.

Help Develop Assets in Your Students

External Assets – Focus on external structures, relationships, and activities that create a positive environment for young people: 

·         Support

o    Surrounded by people who love, care for, appreciate, and accept them.

·         Empowerment

o    Feel valued and valuable; happens when youth feel safe and protected

·         Boundaries and Expectations

o    Need clear rules, consistent consequences, and encouragement to do their best

·         Constructive Use of Time

o   Need opportunities to learn and develop new skills and interests with other youth and adults

FIRE Alarm Newsletter Week 8 2013-14

Quarter 1 & 2 - Dates and Events

10/11 Senior Panorama & Senior Pride Lunch

10/14 – Revolution Project Launch for Grade 9

10/14 – Magic Mountain for qualified 10-12s

10/14-18 Teen Read Week & Red Ribbon Week

10/18 – Last day of quarter 1

10/21-10/25 – Fall Break

11/03/13 Daylight Saving Time Ends

11/06-TBA Poinsettia Sales (benefits FIRE)

11/11/13 Veteran’s Day – NO SCHOOL

11/25/13 Special Schedule – 2, 4, F, 6, 7 Block Day

11/27/13 NO SCHOOL

11/28/13 Thanksgiving Day – NO SCHOOL

11/29/13 NO SCHOOL

12/03/13 Poinsettia Delivery, Spirito Hall 2:30

12/22 – 01/05 Winter Break

01/06/14 First School Day of 2014

More Ways 2 Show Kids You Care

Use SOCIAL engagement with your FIRE students every day to increase positive interaction.  Choose one or two new items below to use this week with each FIRE student.   Numbers 74 and 77 are easy this week.

71. Meet their parents.
72. Let them tell you how they feel.
73. Help them become an expert at something.
74. Be excited when you see them.
75. Tell them about yourself.
76. Let them act their age.
77. Praise more; criticize less.
78. Be consistent.
79. Admit when you make a mistake.
80. Enjoy your time together.

The Revolution Project Is Coming

Your grade 9 students will attend the project launch on Monday, October 14.

Details are online at

http://www.fthswiki.org/bfya-revolution

Senior Crew: October 11 – 11:00 a.m.

Senior FIRE Crew will be participating in the Senior Panorama and Senior Pride Lunch on Friday, October 11 starting at 11:00.  Please remind your junior FIRE Crew partners and your FIRE teachers that you will not be attending FIRE on Friday, October 11^th.

Quarter 1 Grades – Coming Soon

Find areas where freshmen can improve (e.g., turn in homework, increase test scores, complete project work) that can have an IMMEDIATE positive effect on grades.  Q1 ends on 10/18/13!

Over the next 2 weeks you should interact daily with your FIRE students, especially those who may be struggling. Help them stay on-task and plan for intervention/visits with their teachers during FIRE.  Suggest study strategies!

Help Develop Assets in Your Students

Developmental Assets are positive experiences and qualities that all of us have the power to bring into the lives of our students. 

Internal Asset Category 4 – Positive Identity

Young people need to believe in their own self-worth and to feel that they have control over the things that happen to them.

·         Personal Power

o    Feels he or she has control over “things that happen to me”.

·         Self-Esteem

o    Reports having high self-esteem.

·         Sense of Purpose

o    Reports that “my life has purpose”.

·         Positive View of Personal Future

o    Is optimistic about her or his personal future.

Create a “Game Plan” to help the students to exercise their “Personal Power”.  If students work hard and are successful in following their “Game Plan”, they will achieve more academically – this raises “Self-Esteem”.  By raising “Self-Esteem”, students have a more “Positive View of Personal Future”.  You CAN absolutely make the difference in a student’s life!!!