April 25 - April 29

Our Mission:  “Educate students for lifelong learning and responsible living.”
Our Vision:  “Provide a learning environment that promotes and develops academic and
social growth.”

• Monday April 25th:  Archer's class leads Rise N Shine.  Word of the Week:  Friendship.  3rd Grade Reading Tests are returned.  Board Meeting 5:30 p.m. at Administration Building
• Tuesday April 26th:  PLC's for 4th - 6th, Ms. Hunt, Mr. Christian, Ms. Alvarez, Ms. Benedix, Ms. Hobson in library for Roster Verification.  Please be sure you have your Single Sign On with the State Department of Education as well as your laptop computer.  Celebration:  Brandy Williams Wedding Showing 3:30 p.m. Library.
• Wednesday April 27th:  Secretary's Day.  Please have your class make cards for Ms. Ozoya, Ms. Lopez, and Ms. Rader in the front office.  Friendship Awards due in the office to Ms. Ozoya.  
• Thursday April 28th:  Progress Reports go home in Thursday folders.
• Friday April 29th:  Friendship Awards during Rise N Shine.  Make sure your data cards are up to date in the conference room.  This data is used when we begin looking at classes for next year.  

Celebration:  Two of the fourth grade jingles were winners for the Tobacco
Jingle Contest!  First place went to Thelma in Ms. Lara's class.  She won a limo ride to a recording studio where her jingle will be recorded as well as some money.  Second place also came from Ms. Lara's class - Jose L and Jose B also won some prize money.  Congratulations to these talented students.  Thank you to Ms. Rone and Ms. Baker who assisted the students.

Don't Forget - Math/Science night is coming up.   Faculty Meeting on May 3rd will be spent working on Math/Science Night.  






Great Expectations Practice 9:  The Magic Triad, a positive and caring environment, and discipline with dignity and logic are evident.

• Demonstrate, teach and model the Magic Triad.
• Take time to speak with each learner every day and allow learners time to interact with one another.
• Encourage creativity and uniqueness; listen intently and empathetically to learners' ideas and concerns.
• Redirect attitudes and behaviors with positive dialogue, an understand of cause and effect, and "when, then" (contingencies) statements.
• Keep your word.
• Build good relationships with all stakeholders inside and outside the learning environment.
• Verbally affirm desired behaviors and attitudes.
• Seek to change behaviors and to solve problems, rather than choosing to punish.
• Teach and model the Eight Expectations for Living, the Life Principles, creeds, and quotes to affirm or redirect learners.
• Offer resources, opportunities and support as learners develop influence over the challenges they face.
• Develop awareness that every learner is a vital and valuable part of the learning community.
• Offer choice as often as possible.  Choice is a motivator and reflects trust in the learner's ability to choose.

The last few weeks of school can be difficult for even the most dedicated experienced teacher.  Testing is over (almost) and students and teachers alike are feeling the "Spring is in the Air" bug.  Students who can be difficult sometimes experience this more than the average student.  Here are some suggestions for connecting with your students these last weeks of school (or anytime really).  It is not just the "difficult" students who get spring fever.  Remember - we do not yell at students. Instead we remind students of the expectation and procedures.

Coolidge Elementary has read 20,262 books.  As a school 35,579.65 hours have been spent on MyOn.  Please check the QR code to see how many books your grade has read.  Email Mrs. Brett with the information for your grade level.  

Grade	Enrolled Students	Started Students	Avg Lesson Attempts	Avg Lessons Passed
3	148	142	36	11
4	139	132	59	20
5	59	57	35	13
6	95	91	34	11

4,573 of 8,204 lessons have been passed.  11 hours and 59 minutes were spent last week on Think Thru Math.  1 hour 7 minutes were spent nights/weekends on Think Thru Math.

Edutopia Article:   

Fresh Starts for Hard-to-Like Students

APRIL 7, 2015

Even though your toughest students are just kids at the mercy of emotions they don't understand or can't control, it can be hard for a teacher to stay calm and not take these ongoing behavioral problems personally. My advice: it's time to hit the reset button!

Tough kids are usually covering a ton of hurt. They defend against feeling pain by erecting walls of protection through rejection. Efforts to penetrate those walls by caring adults are generally met with stronger resistance expressed through emotional withdrawal and/or offensive language, gestures, and actions. Like a crying baby unable to articulate the source of its discomfort, these kids desperately need patient, determined, and affectionate adults with thick skin who refuse to take offensive behavior personally. Here are some ways to connect or reconnect with students who make themselves hard to like.

1. Express gratitude to your difficult students.

At a seminar that I gave at a school in Houston, one of the teachers talked about the turn-around in a boy from her class the year before who had been driving her crazy. She was determined to "love him even more" as her primary intervention. She initiated an "I need a hug" ritual by telling him that since she had no son at home to hug, she needed a "little boy hug" every day to get her day started in a happy way. She asked him to take the job, and every day, "little boy hugger" performed his function. Although challenges remained, mostly due to this child's very unpredictable home situation, his classroom behavior showed substantial improvement.

Since hugging isn't always appropriate, consider this strategy. For two weeks, try expressing something positive every day to each of your difficult students. Hard as it might be, make your first interaction each day something welcoming. For example, when a chronically late and uninterested student arrives, fight the temptation to ignore, tersely request a viable excuse, or hand out a late slip. Instead, make your first comment an expression of appreciation for coming. For example:

Carson, I was hoping you'd show up -- and you did. Welcome! By the way, we're on page 62.

Wait until there is no audience around before you express concern and/or give a consequence for the student's behavior:

Carson, I am concerned that you continue to fall behind because you're often missing part or all of class. Here's your late slip, but much more important to me is knowing how I might help you get here on time. What's going on?'

2. Use encouraging statements every day.

Words of encouragement get and keep students connected and motivated. Below are a dozen examples. Find an excuse to share at least a few of these every day.

• You really hung in there by _______.
• That was really cool.
• Wow, you pushed yourself today, and it really worked out.
• I was so impressed today when you _______.
• It was awesome to see you _______.
• That took some special effort.
• I hope you feel proud about _______, because you should.
• Thanks for putting a smile on my face when you _______.
• It's not easy to _______, but you are making it happen.
• Your cooperation is really appreciated. Thanks.
• That was flat-out good!
• Congratulations! (And then be specific about what you are congratulating.)

3. Act toward your worst student the way you act toward your best student.

Who is your best-behaved or most motivated student? When you think about that student, what adjectives come to mind? When you interact, what comments come naturally? When the student makes a mistake, how do you usually react? For one week, try acting toward your worst-behaved or least-motivated student in the same way, and see what happens.

A teacher at an elementary school that I recently visited told me about Ken, a fifth grade student who had developed a bad reputation but was making an effort to turn things around. Transitions were especially difficult. Knowing there was going to be a substitute teacher the next day, Ms. Silver told Ken, "Tomorrow a sub is going to be here. I expect responsible behavior, and there'll be consequences if I hear otherwise." The sub reported that Ken was awful. When Ms. Silver returned, she told him that she was stuck between a rock and a hard place because, although she was proud of his overall progress, she was very disappointed with his recent behavior. When she asked him what he thought would be a fair consequence he said, "If I was a good kid in this school, what would you do?" She said that she would probably ask the student to explain what happened, why it happened, and what he thought a good consequence would be. Ken looked her straight in the eye and said, "Well, then that is what you should do to me."

4. Send the parents a "positive postcard."

Prepare an email or note home that briefly describes positive behavior or an achievement that you've recently observed. Show it to the student before sending it. If you haven't seen positive behavior that you can genuinely acknowledge, write a positive note or email as if a behavior you are seeking has already happened. Show it to the student. Ask him or her to tell you when it would be a good time to send it.

How do you hit the reset button or make a fresh start with hard-to-like students? As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/fresh-starts-hard-to-like-students-allen-mendler

Coolidge Elementary Academic Goals for 2015-2016

• All Students WILL achieve academically.
• Reading:  Increase reading proficiency by at least one grade level.
• Math:  Increase math achievement by 10% with 80% mastery of math facts on grade level.  
• Writing:  Increase writing proficiency by 15%
• Student Attendance:  Increase student attendance to 98%.
• Increase Faculty Attendance to 98%
• Decrease suspensions by 25%.

STAR:  https://hosted58.renlearn.com/217454/

Oklahoma State Blueprints:

http://ok.gov/sde/oklahoma-academic-standards

Melissa Brett | Principal

Coolidge Elementary School | Oklahoma City Public Schools

5212 S. Villa, Oklahoma City, OK 73119

(405) 587-2800