Building and District Updates

Feedback has been positive regarding this platform/format for monthly communication. If you have any other suggestions or ideas specific to how we can better improve our communication, please email me or give me a call and let us know what we can do better! In this month's update you will gain insight around the following:

1. WHY do we have an early out every Friday?
2. What's Happening in Our Buildings?
3. Bond Updates
4. Communication Outlets
5. Superintendent's Message: Gratitude

Don't forget!! Friday, 10.4 and Monday, 10.7 are non student attendance days!

This past spring our school board approved a calendar that has protected time built in on Friday afternoons from 2:00-3:30 for teacher collaboration. Why is this so important? Research shows that collective teacher efficacy has a large effect size connected to student achievement. Collective teacher efficacy refers to the collective belief of teachers that they have the expertise to be able to positively impact students’ learning. John Hattie identifies collective teacher efficacy as having an extraordinary impact on student achievement. With an effect size of 1.57, collective teacher efficacy has twice the impact of feedback and three times the impact of classroom management. The more teaming that takes place with grade level or content specific teams, the better outcomes we will have.

Because of this, teacher teams need to have built in time to meet around four essential questions to ensure high levels of learning for all. Those 4 questions are below:

1. What do students need to know, understand and be able to do? This relates to the content, concepts, standards, knowledge, skills, and performance.

2. How will we know if they have learned it? This would be assessments, proficiency, evidence, rubrics, and grading practices.

3. What will we do if a student has difficulty learning it? Examples of this would be interventions, re-teaching, grouping, engagement, progress monitoring.

4. What will we do if a student already knows it? Extension, individualization, leadership opportunities, project-based learning, and other things that extend the learning.

There is a lot that goes into creating high functioning teams focused on student growth, and we will be spending time this year continuing to build capacity within our district to ensure we are getting better.

Each month we will link the building level newsletter on the district wide communication. As feedback comes in, we will make adjustments as needed. Thanks!

Our community forums have been going really well, and we are excited about the three we have left. Please join us if you have questions or need more information to make an educated vote come this November.

October 21st @ 6:00 in the ACT office board room

October 27th @ 3:30 in the Middle School

November 3rd @ 3:30 in the Middle School

If you have yet to check out our new Bond website, please do so by clicking HERE. It is filled with great information. Below you will see our video as well highlighting some of the needs we have.

We have a variety of ways to stay connected with all things FCSD. Please check out these options connected the district as a whole, and like or follow them!

Follow us on Facebook by clicking HERE

Follow us on X by clicking HERE

Follow us on Instagram by clicking HERE

As we start week six of the school year, and the fall season begins to set in, one word comes to mind.....gratitude. I am so thankful for everyone involved in supporting our kids, and each of us plays a large part in the growth and development of your son or daughter.

I pulled the following from a book excerpt I read and thought it was worth sharing. It was more for parents, but it made sense from an educators perspective too. Author Dr. Danny Huerta, shares some thoughts from his book 7 Traits of Effective Parenting. He goes on to say, “Gratitude is one of these traits. Do you believe that grateful people are actually healthier people? Researchers have consistently found that grateful people tend to be happier, healthier, more optimistic and less stressed when life gets challenging. It’s refreshing when someone expresses genuine gratitude. It creates a sense of connection and peace. Parents who practice demonstrating gratitude to their kids reap these same benefits. Here are some benefits kids receive when their parents practice gratitude:

• Attitude - Genuine gratitude teaches kids to be respectful and humble. They are less entitled and more able to recognize the truth that their lives are filled with gifts, blessings, and privileges.

• Peacefulness - Kids learn to be happy with what they have rather than being thirsty for the next thing or moment. Peacefulness is a full-time constant.

• Perspective - Kids learn how to pay attention to what they have rather than what they don’t have.

• Flexibility - It allows kids to see difficult circumstances as opportunities to grow, rather than horrible problems that must be avoided."

Have a great October!

-Mr. Wigle