FIRE Alarm Newsletter Week 5 2013-14

Quarter 1 - Dates and Events

09/20 – Club Rush @ Lunch

09/20 – End of Progress Report Period #1

09/25 – No FIRE – Coupon Fundraiser Last Day

09/26 – Back to School Night

09/27 – Fall Renaissance Rally

09/30 – Early Bird Yearbook Orders due

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

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. 

41. Be relaxed.
42. Kneel, squat, or sit at their eye level.
43. Answer their questions.
44. Tell them how terrific they are.
45. Create a tradition with them & keep it.
46. Learn what they have to teach.
47. Use your ears more than your mouth.
48. Make yourself available.
49. Show up at concerts, games and events.
50. Find a common interest.

FIRE – Daily Expectations

Make sure that FIRE routines are respected.

F 1^st day of FIRE each week – Weekly plan, calendar, group discussion or fun activity

F Attendance & seating & materials checks

F Peer tutoring & travel procedures

F Students held accountable for being on-task

F FIRE Crew models appropriate behavior

What can you do during FIRE to ACTIVELY encourage students to be active participants in their education experiences?  What experiences can you share with your FIRE students?          DO IT NOW!

Do You Have Struggling Students?

Mid-quarter progress reports go out at the end of  this week.  Students with D and F grades will get reports sent home next week.  If you have FIRE students with Ds and Fs, it is time to sit down with them individually and make an action plan for the rest of the quarter, including BINDER ORGANIZATION , as we will be instituting random binder checks in the next few weeks.

October 1 – Senior Career Day, FIRE

Senior crew should make arrangements for coverage of the FIRE class in their absence.  If you have a junior partner, tell them you will be gone.  If you are both seniors, really make it clear to your FIRE teacher ASAP that you will be out that day.

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 1 –COMMITMENT TO LEARNING

Young people need a sense of the lasting importance of learning and a belief in their own abilities.

·         Achievement Motivation

o    Young person is motivated to do well in school.

·         School Engagement

o    Young person is actively engaged in learning.

·         Homework

o    Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.

·         Bonding to School

o    Young person cares about her or his school.

·         Reading for Pleasure

o    Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.

FIRE Crew leaders (and the FTHS faculty) have the ability to directly affect their students in

1) Achievement Motivation (e.g., Renaissance Program); 2) School Engagement (e.g., AVID strategies in FIRE); and 3) Homework (e.g., FIRE work time).

FIRE Crew,

It is time to check in on your students’ binder organization skills!

As an EDA teacher, I have seen some VERY UGLY looking messes in backpacks and binders in the past few weeks!  Your freshmen desperately need your persistent help, saintly patience and direct guidance to get it together - as a neat, well-organized binder is the basis for organizational success at FTHS!

Do a spot check this week on every student during FIRE; take note of those who need 1) a pat on the back for a job well-done, 2) a little help to get more organized, and 3) a full-scale intervention to clean out the backpack and set up their binders.  Need binders or dividers? Let me know and I will get my hands on some.  NOTE: Manila folders cut in half make cheap dividers! 

We suggest a minimum of 2 full size binders, one binder for 1, 3, 5 and one binder for 2, 4, 6 days. Kids with a period 7 class are encouraged to have a smaller binder for that one class.  The checklist for Binder Checks is below – I have miniature versions available for you in D104 at any time.

 

Binder and Notes Check

Student Name:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     SAMPLE STUDENT

Part One Criteria:  Organization/Neatness	Yes	No
1.  Does the student have all materials:  colored pencils, pencils, pens, calculator, etc.
2.  Does the student have all subject dividers?
3.  Does the student have all dividers labeled?
4.  Are the side pockets/folders clear of unnecessary papers? (Projects are OK)
5.  Does the binder pass the "shake" test?

Part Two Criteria: Does the student have at least one page of notes or a learning log for each class?	Notes		Learning Log
Period 1 and 2
Period 3 and 4
Period 5 and 6
Period 7