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

FIRE Alarm Newsletter Week 4 2013-14

Quarter 1 - Dates and Events

09/09-13 – Spirit Week

09/11-13 – Podzentations in Black Box @ FIRE

                 *Schedule on back ;0)

09/13 – FTHS Fall Dance, 7 – 10 pm, Spirito Hall

09/18 – 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.  Personally, I like #32 and #35 – use those phone numbers and any note cards can go through the front office for addressing and postage.

31. Share their excitement.
32. Send them a letter or a postcard.
33. Follow them when they lead.
34. Notice when they’re absent.
35. Call them to say “hello”.
36. Hide surprises for them to find.
37. Give them space when they need it.
38. Contribute to their collections.
39. Discuss their dreams and nightmares.
40. Laugh at their jokes.

FIRE CREW:  Please remember to come to D104 at the START of FIRE on Fridays (or, at the latest, the first day of FIRE each week) to pick up your newsletters and any support materials that may be waiting for you as you will need them on Tuesdays during FIRE to complete pertinent activities or share special news or schedules.  LATE or NEXT DAY is not okay! Podzentations THIS Week

Check the schedule on the reverse side of this newsletter to see which day your group attends. 

FIRE Crew are to walk their groups to the Black Box at the START of FIRE and stay with their groups for supervision during the presentations.

Teachers may work in their rooms, hold intervention or enjoy a long lunch on their assigned Podzentation day!!!

Grade 9 Students – Checking grades in EDA

Freshmen are checking grades each day when they report to Mrs. Carr or Ms. Pelfrey for their Education in the Digital Age class.  They should know which classes they need to work on or to which teachers they should travel during the week at FIRE time.  Please verify that weekly goals are set and plans made for effective use of FIRE time.

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. 

External Asset Category 4 –CONSTRUCTIVE  USE  OF  TIME

Young people need opportunities – outside of school – to learn and develop new skills and interests with other youth and adults.

·         Creative Activities

o    Three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.

·         Youth Programs

o    Three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school or in the community.

·         Religious Community

o    One or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.

·         Time at Home

o    Out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or fewer nights per week.

Share your own activities with your FIRE students.  Invite them to a club meeting, or to one of your activities inside or outside of school.  Plan a simple get together outside of school.