PARCC Testing – Next Week
Students in D97 schools will start PARCC testing the week of March 5. Please click here to read more about this state required assessment.
Respect Week at Julian Middle School
Each day next week has various activities for the students to engage in that are focusing on Respect. These activities support our district vision of creating a positive learning environment that is equitable, inclusive, and focused on the whole child. We will kick off the week with an assembly and have a number of other activities for our students.
Click here for a detailed Respect Week Schedule.
VEX Robotics Competition - Tomorrow
Please join us at Julian Middle School on Saturday, March 3 at 9:30 am for the annual "Battle of the Bots". This is an exciting, all-day competition for some of the best VEX Robotics middle school teams in Illinois! This free event is open to the public and a great way to get kids excited about STEM learning.
Julian School Improvement Plan - Update
The School Improvement Plan at Julian Middle School is focused on providing equitable learning opportunities that increase student engagement for all students. There are 5 teams of teachers that have done work in the following areas: Powerful Instructional Practices Team, Behavior and Academic Intervention Practices Team, Technology Instructional Practices Team, Social Emotional Learning Team, and the Family Engagement Team.
Part of our School Improvement Plan process is having teachers create and lead professional learning opportunities for their colleagues. At our February staff meeting, Julian teachers attended sessions on the following topics:
- Strong Voice and What to Do
- Taking a look at affirming your authority through verbal and nonverbal habits. Explore specific, concrete, sequential, and observable directions.
- The Goldilocks of Calling on Students: Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold, but Just Right
- Explain how to engage all students in discussion. Effective ways and strategies to cold call, and plan a system of cold calling that works for you.
- Canvas Suite Tips
- Are you using Canvas to its fullest potential? Canvas is a powerful resource that can make your life, and your students life more organized and streamlined. Join us as we present three powerful tools in the Canvas Suite that will engage your students and make the grading process more efficient.
- Threshold Strong Start
- Techniques to maximize the first 5 minutes of class.
- Plickers
- Teachers will get a student experience in using PLICKERS as a tool that could be used to formatively assess students, and interpret the data it curates for the teacher.
These learning sessions were created and led by Julian teachers. This model is enabling us to further establish collective teacher efficacy throughout our building. Collective teacher efficacy is the shared belief that through our collective action, we can positively influence student outcomes, including those who are disengaged and/or disadvantaged. I will be providing regular updates regarding the progress of our School Improvement Plan over the next few months of school.
Upcoming Events:
No School - March 26-30 / Spring Break
Sincerely,
Dr. Todd T. Fitzgerald