Kemp - Brazile 11/22

Parents-

 

Our week is just about over as I write this, at least academically it is. I hope everyone enjoys the Thanksgiving break. Please be careful if you travel.

 

The kids finished up their units before the holiday and overall their performance was great. Grades are updated except for spelling and Reading Logs.

 

We finished The Giver. Can’t believe how well they did with this book, making connections and inferences I haven’t seen many kids make. We’ll begin the next book in the series after the break. I ask that they don’t read ahead because we cover certain skills with each section and if they read ahead, it sort of throws a kink in it all. Ask them about the book, you’ll be impressed with their take on it.

 

On Wednesday, the kids brought home their progress reports. The grades are also online through ParentVue. Please understand that we consider any student with a C average or lower to be “in danger” of not passing. If there is a zero, they need to complete the assignment and get it in. We’ll have time after the break to improve averages and enhance their understanding. Also, there are opportunities for extra credit through the production of instructional videos. Must be less than 2 minutes, clear and concise.

 

Also on Wednesday, there was a printout for the kids’ Iowa test results. Gives some ideas how their scores compare nationally, as well as areas they could improve.

 

Have a great Thanksgiving and ROLL TIDE!! (A little extra emphasis for the upcoming Iron Bowl against Aubu…I can’t even finish typing that name this week!)

 

Shane Brazile

---

Note: “This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone and/or e-mail." “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”

---

Kemp - Brazile 11/15

Parents-

 

I’m staying positive today! We’re wrapping up a busy week. The kids have been good today. I’ve also kept them very busy.

 

·         Science unit ended today. New one starts after Thanksgiving break.

·         Social Studies unit ends next week.

·         Check out grades, especially for missing work. Need it turned in.

·         Malia made it in our Weekly Reader.

·         Reading The Giver

·         Good Luck to the Hawks (High School, 7^th grade, and 5^th grade football teams)

·         Roll Tide!

 

We completed our Science unit today. Our next unit is “Electricity and Magnetism.” We’ll start it after next week. We’re in need of a few D batteries for the unit. If you’re able to donate a couple, that would be great. Officially, we’re a little ahead of the county pacing guide, but it will pay off to have covered all of the material before the CRCT.

 

We’ll finish our Social Studies unit (“The Changing Nation”) next week. The kids have been working hard on this and they covered quite a bit. The holiday forced us to push hard so the break didn’t it up too much.

 

Please have the kids check out their grades online. With the heavy use of technology, some assignments may not have made it to me and there is a zero for a grade. I’ve asked them about the missing work, but if there’s a zero, there’s a problem. I need them to re-submit it if it’s digital or turn it in if it’s hard copy. Just today, I had 3 students claim work turned in without a name.

 

On another note, I want to brag on a student. Check out page 7 of the Scholastic Weekly Reader (http://sni.scholastic.com/SN5/11_18_13_SN5). Our very own, Malia, wrote an opinion piece and was selected. I’m very proud of her effort and initiative.

 

In Reading, we’re reading The Giver by Lois Lowry. Great book with so many opportunities for inferencing and critical thinking. I only ask the kids not to read ahead as I have assignments based on that day’s passage. The story changes very quickly, so if they read ahead, it clouds the inferencing activity. If they want another Lois Lowry book to read, try Gossamer or Silent Boy.

 

New Math skills will be updated once the skills tests today are graded.

 

I introduced the kids to the Power Pose. It comes from a TED talk I watched about body language and confidence. Basically, it says you can “fake it until you become it” concerning confidence. We strike these Power Poses for a couple minutes and their research says it increases chemical rates associated with power and confidence while lowering levels of chemicals associated with stress. Eventually, we hope they’re confident without the poses. Even if it doesn’t work, it lightens their mood for a little while and it makes me chuckle.

 

Good luck to our Hillgrove Hawks, both high school, 7^th grade (my son), and 5^th grade teams (a few of our classmates) in their respective playoffs this weekend!

 

Have a great weekend! Roll Tide!

Shane Brazile

 

---

Note: “This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone and/or e-mail." “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”

---

Kemp - Brazile 11/11

Parents-

 

I had a few good questions that I thought I’d share the answer with everyone.

 

1)      Synergy/ParentVue for online grades – If you had already completed the form with me in person or in the front office, just send me an email and I can reprint. If you have not completed the form, they require it to be completed in person. I know it’s a pain, but it’s the county rule so your ID can be verified.

2)      Some had trouble with tutorial links and I couldn’t figure out the problem, until I realized the links that were being used weren’t supposed to be links at all. I’ve updated the page so the phantom links are gone and the tutorials are all linked. The issue was that the IXL skill names were turning into links that wouldn’t take you anywhere. Not all skills have tutorials, but the ones that do are there now. Most tutorials are hosted through Khan Academy and should be viewable on all platforms. If not, there’s a Khan Academy app for iPads.

 

Thanks,

Shane Brazile

 

---

Note: “This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone and/or e-mail." “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”

---

Kemp - Brazile 11/8

Parents –

 

Look forward to the weekend. I have quite a bit of projects to grade – the kids have worked hard this week on them.

 

Trying to give a good with the bad, but I’m pretty frustrated today with their efforts in math. I have few that are doing the required work at home and it’s showing on their tests. Today was especially frustrated since I walked them through several examples before we took our skills quizzes. After grading them now, I see many didn’t show any work and many didn’t follow the steps we had just completed. I had each of them individually repeat the important steps for each process. As you can imagine, it took a little while to go around and do this. It was to make a point and make sure they knew the important component. However, on the quiz many didn’t do that step.

 

We work out these problems every day. Have been since August. For them to not complete the steps or show work is unacceptable. Please check their grades on Synergy (if their grade was below a 50, I entered it as a 50 and listed the true grade in the notes).  I want them to redo the skills test if they failed it. I can stay after Monday and give the skills tests again. I’ll average their two grades (anyone scoring below a 50, their grade will be averaged as if it’s a 50). I’ll begin administering the quiz at 2:30 Monday once my duties with dismissal are complete. If you’d like your child to go to ASP afterwards, please let me know. Otherwise, I’ll have them walk to the front to be picked up in carpool line. I must leave by 3:15pm. If they can’t make it up, I will drop the lowest grade in each category (computation, problem solving, and skills) at the end of the quarter.

 

To practice over the weekend, I have their skills and the corresponding IXL activities listed on the math section of our website. I teach decimal multiplication mainly using two different methods. The break apart method or the window pane method that most learned in 4^th. The main issues I found were multiplication mistakes and not moving the decimal point the correct number of times. With decimal division, I primarily teach using the partial quotient model that was taught in 4^th. The key is to make sure they have their decimals added out to the thousandths place. I show the traditional method too, but mainly when I’m working one on one with those who have shown they understand the method. The issue I see with these skills tests is improper multiplication and placement of decimal point.

 

I tell them repeatedly each day to double-check their work with the inverse operation, but I know of only one student who showed their work for that.

 

Sorry to send an email with such a negative slant, but it’s extremely frustrating to show them and then have them ignore all we’ve done this year.

 

Thanks for your support with this,

Shane Brazile

 

---

Note: “This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone and/or e-mail." “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”

---

Kemp - Brazile

Parents –

 

First, we need the kids to wear their class shirts tomorrow (Wednesday) for some pictures that will be taken.

 

Second, I’ve just about caught up on grading from when I got behind during conference week. Not sure my logic but I graded the most recent first then the older assignments. So if you just were on last week, you’ll see new grades from the beginning of the quarter. If you see a zero, there’s a missing assignment and it needs to be turned in. Some have been sent digitally and the Evernote address might have been entered incorrectly or just may have been lost in cyberspace. Whatever the case, I need the assignment to grade it.

 

Thirdly, don’t forget the first part – the kids need their class shirts tomorrow.

 

Thanks,

Shane Brazile

 

---

Note: “This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone and/or e-mail." “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”

---