Week Ending December 15--Last Blog of 2017!

Last Blog of 2017

Important information for your return to work on January 2.

The locks on your classroom doors at the high school will all be changed over vacation. We are the final school in the district to have this completed. Donna and I will be in next Friday, December 29th to organize all of the new keys for each teacher in all our departments. Depending on what you need access to will determine what key you will get. For those of you who currently have a master key there is a good chance that you will not have a master after the vacation. There are new protocols in the district on limiting the number of master key holders.

For those teachers who need access after hours, what we will have is card access that may be borrowed by teachers (like you would at a library) to gain access to the building. For example, if Toni or Norma take their students to a show in Boston and return late and need to get into the school for students to pick up instruments. Another example would be if a competition is on a Sunday and the advisor needs access to the building after the competition to return items, the advisor or teacher will sign out the card and will be able to get into the school. Once in the school you will use your school issued key to access your room.

On January 2, please come to the benches right outside the main office and we will have a few people there to collect your old keys, and hand out your new keys. You will sign off that you received your new keys. You will have a door key, your lav key and a lock down key. (Instead of having to come outside of your door to lock it in a “lock-down” emergency or drill, you will now be able to lock your room from within with this additional key. We will have lanyards for those who need them to keep your three keys and your school ID. We will also have a drill “shelter in place” in January so that all teachers will be able to practice using their new keys. Thank you.

Good News

From Jordan Albernaz, Math Department

Colleagues,

I wanted to thank you all for allowing students to attend the Mock Trial Field trip this past Thursday.  They worked hard and were able to take home a well deserved Win.  Please congratulate them if you get the chance.

Pictured left to right: Audrey Raupp, Kathryn Hutchinson, Madison Pella-Sabourin, Moira Flath, Madison Warwick, Josh Neronha, Kai Gallman, John Schott, Blake Land, Benjamin Carroll, & Kaelib Courtwright.

From Ruthann Baker, World Language

As you know, the NKHS German Department celebrated the beginning of Karneval last month with a pot-luck supper and performance evening. In Germany, this is called the Fifth Season, since it begins on November 11 (at 11:11 am) in order to allow for detailed preparations for the major events leading up to Lent. (We enjoyed the evening so much that we are contemplating how we might celebrate a second time during high Carnival season this February, perhaps in an in-school event, to share the experience with others. Let me know if you have an inspiration.)

The German Club Theater kicked off the evening, complete with a parade and a royal Bavarian wedding (which was unique to the NKHS German Club, and a holdover from Oktoberfest). Students also helped run games for each other, as well as our guests.

Guests of honor included our pen pals and musician performers from the Greene School, including their teachers, Susan Hoaglund and Kurt van Dexter (who plays a mean accordion), and several officers of Jane Sokoloski's very active German Cub at Brown University. Jane's Gang surprised us by bearing "Outreach" gifts, and also by bringing along Angela Merkel (actually, a cardboard version, which meanwhile has gone missing, and we'd love help to bring her back!).

The evening's highlights included an absolutely delicious menu provided by our guests, folk dancing during dinner, the cake walk contest, the vigorous performances by all four German classes, and the coronation of this year's Royal Couple: Queen Kaitlyn Sutton, and King Billy Cross.  

Health & Wellness.   

TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS   part 2 from Jonathan Quinn, PE

• Just do your best to limit stress
• Don’t expect everything to go as planned
• Don’t let unexpected events ruin the holidays for you
• Be adaptable and flexible

Tips from Linda Twardowski, School Nurse

• Flu and cold season is upon us.  Here are a few suggestions for staying healthy during this and the holiday season:
• If you have Kleenex in your classroom, move the box from your desk.  Otherwise you are inviting the germs directly to you.
• Wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer—great stocking stuffers.
• Cough and sneeze in your elbow and encourage your students to do the same.  Coughing in hands spreads germs to the doorknob, railings etc.
• Get adequate sleep every night ---Ha Ha good luck with that one.
• Put paper towels in shared bathrooms.
• Get a flu shot.

Have a Happy and Health Holiday Season!

Linda

Upcoming Events/Important Dates

December--Diversity

19 Chorus Winter Concert

20 Band Winter Concert

21 Fine Arts Expo for our 8th grade sending schools

22-January 2--School Holiday

Teaching and Learning

From Leslie Buckley, Data Clerk

Grades for the 2nd Progress posting for quarter 2 are due next Thursday morning, December 21st, at 9:00 AM.  Directions are attached.  If you have any questions please call me in the Guidance Office.....either in-house phone #1023 or outside phone #241.

Please note: Because this is the second progress posting of the quarter,  the "push pins" are already red, so having red push pins does not guarantee you've posted grades for this particular posting.  You'll know you've completed all the steps when grades appear in the column titled "Prog Q2 grd 2nd Post".  

From Heather Lebel, Transition AcademyTeacher

I wanted share this picture with you from our trip to Walmart last Friday morning.  This is Mr. Wilson with Hayden and Ryan.  We were picking up items for our coffee shop and also items for our weekly shopping service.  Gene Wilson is new to us this year and has been a wonderful addition to the Transition Academy!

Thank you Gene and we hope you have had a wonderful fall at NKHS.

Tech Tip

From Mark DeLucia

Explore function within Google Docs

Most likely, as you’re reading this, there is a tab open in your browser with an open Google Doc.  Click it.  In the bottom right hand corner, you’ll see what (to me, anyway) appears to be a square dialog box with a plus sign in the center.  This is the Google Explore function, which allows the user to search the internet for information and images, as well as their Doc for information about a particular topic, directly from the document, without ever having to leave.  This is especially useful if you have a student (or Tech Lead Teacher) who can become easily distracted by switching tabs to search for information.  But here is the best part-- go ahead and type in a search.  As you hover over the results, in the right-hand corner of the result you will see quotation marks and the word “cite as footnote”.  Clicking this will automatically create a footnote citation within the document for that particular website.  I have generally found it to be a useful time-saver that helps students (and me) stay focused!

Videos Worth Watching/Articles Worth Reading

Tips and Tricks to Keep Kids on Track During Genius Hour

Mark’s Tech Tip was inspired by this article which also includes a video and resources on how to hone in on the Genius hour or 20 time. Not familiar? Take a look. If you do know about it, read on so you may try something with your class, if you are inspired.

Food for Thought  

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” James Baldwin

Until next time, Think, Create, Innovate...Denise