Celtic Courier: Sept. 2-5

Dear Staff,

We hope you are having a great long weekend with your families! What a great first five-day week last week!  Friday night football returned at UA and this week we look forward to our home opener vs. Pickerington North!  Come on our and support the Celtics!  Our student section will be large with the Freshman Tailgate before the game led by our wonderful CAP mentors!  Thanks Lori and Magen for all of your hard work!

Aaron Bauer is now a cheerleading Dad and Anna joins our cheerleaders on the sideline Friday!

Our student section enjoys their White-Out Lebron James style at kick-off!

It is wonderful to visit so many classrooms and see many diagnostics and formative assessments in action.  This article on Checking for Understanding may be very helpful as we strive to ensure that we are embedding checks for understanding and formative assessment as part of our instructional practices in class to achieve our goals in enhancing literacy, feedback and differentiation. "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember.  Involve me and I learn." -- Benjamin Franklin

This Week--

Tuesday: Senior Internet Safety presentation.  Seniors will be dismissed at 8:30 AM to go to the CPA for this presentation and we will take attendance there.  The presentation lasts about 20 minutes and then we will send seniors to second period as soon as we can.  The schedule will be the same all week with a different grade level each day.  Students who miss will be required to make-up the presentation Monday, Sept. 8, as required by the district.

I also have the first Principal's Meeting of the year Tuesday afternoon with the focus on District Goals.  I will have more information for the Chairs on Thursday and Staff on Sept . 10.

Wednesday: Same-subject Team Work. Also Junior Internet Safety presentation starting at 8:30 AM.

Thursday: Department Chair Meeting 7:15 AM in the Media Center.  Sophomore Internet Safety Presentation at 8:30 AM.

Department Chairs Rachel and Kyle good-naturedly stop by after they discover they dressed alike in purple and gray last week! Is that a challenge to other co-chairs? :)

Friday: Freshman Internet Safety presentation 8:30 AM.  Pre-game Jerome band concert at Jerome at 5 PM, Frosh tailgate at 6 PM and Football game at 7:30 PM!  Go Celtics!

Looking ahead--

Sept. 10: Staff Meeting 7:15 AM in band room.  Free Coffee provided.  Also Club Fair during all lunches.  Please be sure to have your club and and organization info ready.

Sept. 19: Homecoming Parade and Pep Rally.  Adjusted Bell Schedule.  Please have your Club, Team or Organization be a part as our parade returns to Brand Road!

Have a wonderful Labor Day and a terrific week!

Cathy

Celtic Courier: Ice Bucket Challenge and Week of 8/25- 8/29 2014

Dear Staff,

What a wonderful first week of school!  Thank you so much for all of your hard work and dedication in giving our students the confidence and hope to succeed this year in all of our classes.

Our first week ended with Maureen's Team taking the Ice Bucket Challenge on the back patio. Much thanks to everyone who participated.  If you were unable to participate, please either pass along the Ice Bucket Challenge by engaging in it and then posting a photo on social media with the hashtag #breastcancer and linking it to BCRFCure (Breast Cancer Research Foundation-- Maureen's choice) or by making a donation to this foundation on your own.

What a great way to start the year-- united as a Jerome family with Maureen in her courageous battle! Enjoy these videos and photos of staff getting cold and wet and loving it-- all for Maureen!

Maureen's Team right after the Ice Bucket Challenge!

Wow!  That's a lot of ice water!

Happy enthusiasm for dumping water on admin team! :)

This weekend I finished a great book, Revolutionize Assessment by Rick Stiggins.  The admin team has been reading this great, short resource that discuss What We Assess, Why We Assess and How We Assess with good and poor examples of each.  We will be using this resource to help us move forward in assessment, but his main point is clear:

"The process of measuring student achievement and using results to inform instructional decision may offer more promise for promoting learner success then any other instructional practice or school improvement innovation at our disposal." Wow! Classroom assessment practices make the difference, just as we have seen as we looked as previous research such as Hattie and Dylan William.

He goes on to say that "we could quite literally double the rate of student learning simply by using day-to-day classroom assessments in more thoughtful, purposeful ways."

As your same-subject teams meet and plan, please consider how we can continue to engage in frequent, formative assessment every 10-12 minutes, as Schomoker suggests, to better ensure student learning DURING class and improve our everyday, classroom assessments.

For this week:

Monday: The District Twitter chat for teachers, admins or anyone interested is #dubchat and is every Monday 7:30 - 8:30 PM.  It's a great way to connect with other educators.

Our admin team meetings are every Monday from 8:50 AM - 9:50 AM.  If you have items that you believe we should be aware and discuss of feel free to send us those items to us. If you ever want to sit in on these meetings, particularly those of you interested in being an admin, feel free to drop by.

Tuesday: 7:20 AM.  I will be meeting with the new Student Council officers for the first time this year.  Much thanks to Lacey Knapp and Kelly Kanitz for serving as advisers this year!  It will be great to see how our student government and its new structure grows this year.

Wednesday:  Feel free to use Wednesdays as your same-subject team time until it becomes official sometime in September.  You can also use other days, depending on what you can coordinate until the official Collaboration time starts.  Please be sure you are continuing to meet as a team at least once per week to focus on learning and assessment. There are still some things to work out with the district on the new Collaboration time, as we mentioned at the first staff meeting. Our first Principal meeting is 9/2 and we hope to know more then.

Friday: First football game at UA! Come out and support the Celts!

Looking ahead--

Sept. 1: No School; Labor Day

Sept. 4: First Department Chair meeting, 7:15 AM in the media center. Please send items for the agenda that you believe we should discuss prior to the first staff meeting.

Sept. 5: First home football game vs. Pick North and Freshman Tailgate.  Come out as a Jerome family and cheer on the Celts!

Sept. 10: First Staff Meeting; 7:15 AM.  Coffee provided. :)

Sept. 19: Homecoming Parade-- It is not too early to plan to participate in this wonderful Jerome tradition.  Please invite your clubs, teams and organizations to be in the parade down Brand Road from Indian Run Church starting at 5:30 PM.  We will then cheer on the Celtics vs.Bradley.  Homecoming Queen and King will be announced at Pre-game.

Sept. 20: Homecoming Dance 8-11 PM

Have a terrific week!

Cathy

Celtic Courier: Week of Aug. 18, 2014

Dear Staff,

We hope you have all had a terrific summer, full of relaxation and family time.  Tomorrow we will all be together once again as a new family, welcoming new staff into this wonderful Jerome family!

As our 11th year begins, it is so exciting to start the year with all of you!  Today I received a photo from my best friend from Marietta. His name is Moe and he and his wife celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary yesterday.  We were in each other's weddings, and have known each other since 8th grade, staying in touch all of these years.

I was a bridesmaid in Moe's wedding and the photo he sent shows all of us bridesmaids happy and excited right before the wedding.  It struck me that it was in 1975, and within two weeks of the wedding I was starting my teaching career at Centerburg High School, teaching English to 9th graders- Seniors. I was 22 years old, only 4 years older than some of my students.  I thought you would get a kick out of knowing what I looked like when I started teaching.  The first staff member who emails me back, correctly identifying which one I am in the photo, will get a free lunch compliments of me.

1975, my first year of teaching.  Guess which one I am and win a free lunch!

This year I start my 30th year in education!  Wow-- time seems to be speeding up!

It has been wonderful to see Maureen in the building and we continue to send positive thoughts her way.  Maureen-- we love you and care about you!

A quick update on one of our students, Jessica Hirth.  Last fall Jessica was diagnosed with cancer and had a kidney removed.  Unfortunately the cancer returned with a vengeance this summer and she has spent nearly the entire summer in the hospital fighting and fighting.  She is in a difficult trial study and starts another round this week.  She must be hospitalized due to the severe effects of the trial and after the first round two weeks ago ended up in ICU.  She is in a fight for her life.

Some of her friends are trying to raise money so that she can have an ipad so that she has something to do during her long hospital stays.  If you would like to donate money toward Jessica's ipad, please bring cash to Carol Jacobsen's desk on Monday or Tuesday.  Her friends will pick up the money sometime Tuesday so the earlier the better.  Shhhhhhh-- they want to surprise her.  Any amount would be appreciated!  Please keep Jessica and her family in your thoughts and prayers!

Staff Update: The district is completing our special education hires still and as soon as we get all of the names we will let you know.  Unfortunately some of these staff cannot be with us on Monday due to special education training.  We are just as eager to meet them as you are!

I had hoped to include the name of our new assistant principal replacing Bob.  The final decision was made on Friday and I do not have the green light to share it with you yet from the district.  As soon as we receive the go-ahead, we will let you know.  It may even come later today, but we did not want to delay passing the rest of the info on to you.

A few words about this week:

Monday: Convocation at Jerome.  Teacher Day: 8 AM- 3 PM. Arrive early to get a parking spot! Vendor Fair at 7:30 AM.  Convocation starts at 8:30 AM in the Gym.

Schedule for Monday: Staff Meeting 10-Noon.  Noon- 1 PM: Lunch provided by PTO.  We would like 100% of the staff to attend this lunch as we will be introducing the new staff members.  Jill and Rose will go over some information about our Peer Collaboration program, and we will have a drawing for staff members.  (Must be present to win!)

1-3 PM: Staff Meeting with important information provided by the Special Education Dept.

Tuesday: Teacher Workday. 8 AM- 3 PM.  Lunch on your own.  Make-up Schedule Pick-up will be 9-11 AM.  The district would like all staff to participate in the District Wellness Screening. They will be at Jerome on Tuesday 7 AM-11 AM.  In addition, each staff member should have their Staff Photo taken on Tuesday also.  Please bring a polo shirt for the photo-- please do not wear a T-Shirt in the photo. No meetings are scheduled on this day so that you can have the whole day to work. At 1:30 PM our freshmen will be enjoying candy on the front patio with their mentors!

Peer Collaborators will also be trained on Tuesday.  What a great new program!  Thanks Jill and Rose!
Wednesday: First Day of School.  Much thanks to Lori Davis and Magen Beatty and the CAP mentors for all of their work in organizing this day.  Lori already sent out the alternative schedule for freshmen and their mentors. Please be sure to review it.  Freshmen and mentors will be with Ted Wiese for a kick-off assembly in the morning and then mentors will be trained.  Mentors and freshmen reunite at lunch and for fun team-building activities for the afternoon!  What a great way to start high school!

We also hold a freshman parent meeting at 7 PM on Wednesday to welcome the parents to our Jerome family also!

We have an adjusted bell schedule with a 20-min homeroom also for the entire school in order to have you go over school expectations, the bell schedule for the day, etc.  We will send out those talking points and the bell schedule on Monday.

Please remember to meet at 7:30 AM Wed. to form our tunnel to welcome our students, an 11-year tradition thanks to Sondra Snodgrass!!  The BEST first day tradition ever!

Fall sports will soon be in high gear.  For sports schedules please go to dublinschools.net/celtics.  Our first football game is away at UA on Friday, Aug. 29.  Our first home game is Friday, Aug. 5 vs. Pick North.  Hope to see you there!

Have a wonderful first week!  We are so lucky to have each of you in the Jerome family!  We cannot wait to see each of you on Monday for every day, you change lives for the better!

Cathy

Celtic Courier: Back-to-School 2014-15

Dear Staff,

Love. Care. Serve.  We continue on our Energy Bus ride together with these new words from The Carpenter, also by Jon Gordon. Throughout the year, we will focus on how these words can help us grow together as a staff,  become better people, and help us help our students become better people.  For those of you who attended Leadership Academy, Dr. Michele Borba's words reiterated a similar theme-- that we should foster schools of hope, be positive role models for our students, and inculcate good character traits through our daily interactions and lessons.

We hope you have had a restful and wonderful summer with your families. Congratulations to Jason Rice, married July 4^th and Marc D’Auteil on the birth of his daughter, Isabella, on July 16!  Congrats also to Matt Williams on the birth of his son Eddie June 6 and to Christine Files on her marriage this summer.

The Jerome family is happy to welcome our new staff members: Maegan Harder, Ryan Longbreak (Jerome graduate!) and Chris Mitchell - Science; Also, Emily Habak (McPherson) is now full-time in Science at Jerome.  We also welcome Sue Neely - Health; Taylor Harle and Heather Kearnes - Math; Katie Zwick – English, Sammy Klein and Emily Bersnak – Special Ed; Dan Sansuchat - Applied Science and Laura Fattelah – World Language.  And believe it or not, we are still hiring . . . 
After all, we hit 1500 students just last week!

In order to get to know each other better and celebrate as a family, please send to us digitally your favorite family summer photo.  It can be vacation scenery, people, your backyard inflatable pool, a favorite family photo – something fun that shares with us a favorite summer memory you have.  Please send your photo to Kelli Stover, our receptionist, at stover_kellie@dublinschools.net by August 12.  

Jeff and I in Ketchikan, Alaska after an exhilarating Zodiac ride in the Pacific.

We are asking for 100% staff participation in sending us a photo.  How fun to see us and our families together! As last year, we will view these during our all-staff luncheon on August 18.  We are asking all staff members to attend this PTO-sponsored luncheon to celebrate our first day back together!  We will also be introducing our new staff members during this luncheon.

We have much to look forward to this year!  Challenge Days are four days again this year, November 10-13.  Much thanks to Andy Zweizig and Gretchen George for heading up Challenge Day again this year, and to all of the other staff members who volunteered to help and organize this event.  We hope you will volunteer to participate and experience Challenge Day one of those four days.  If you have not yet experienced Challenge Day, please consider it this year.

Thanks to Lori Davis and Magen Beatty and the CAP (Celtic Advisory Program) advisors for all their work in creating a high quality freshman program. Please remember that our freshmen and advisors are on a different daily schedule the first day than our other students.  It is always wonderful to tunnel and clap in our new freshman class and all our returning students.  Meet at either entrance by 7:35AM to help form the tunnel.  We would like to form one giant tunnel door-to-door.  Thanks to Sondra Snodgrass for coming up with this terrific idea-- a 10-year tradition now!

Once again our Wellness Program will he hosting the Biometric screening which will take place on 8/19 from 7-10:00 AM in the Library.

On the first day of school, Aug. 20, we will run an extended (20 min) homeroom after 1^st period for all students so that you can distribute and review their planners and handbook info.  We will send out via email the talking points for homeroom on the first day. All freshmen will report to 1^st period.  They will be dismissed via the PA system to report to the  CPA for an official welcome.  

Freshmen will then report to homeroom followed by attending periods 2, 3, and 4. Periods 5, 6, and 7, freshmen will be participating in CAP activities with their mentors.  We will also provide the freshman schedule via email.  All other grades will be in class Periods 1-7, except for CAP Mentors, who will be with the freshmen.  

For those of you who want to come in before Aug. 18, the building is open from 7:00-3:00 weekdays.  Administrators and secretaries will be available.  Please note that schedule pick-up days are Aug. 11 and 12 in the mornings.

The teacher daily workday is unchanged, 7:15 AM – 2:50 PM. 

 If you have questions about your teaching and/or room assignments, please contact one of the administrators or Carol Jacobsen in the main office.  If your room assignment has changed and you need help moving, we will be happy to assist you.  

Please know that some room assignments and schedule changes occurred over the summer to better accommodate students and/or traveling staff.  Please be sure and look at the new master schedule to be posted soon.  Kay is out until Aug. 18.  Until then an administrator, George or Carol can answer your master schedule questions.  

Convocation will be at Dublin Jerome 7:30 – 9:30 AM on August 18.  Please join us for this wonderful welcoming event at Jerome.  The remainder of Aug. 18 we will meet as a staff.  

Our Celtic Marching Band will open Convocation with our great fight song.  As a Celtic family, please honor our band and school by standing and clapping to the Fight Song to kick-off Convocation.  

August 18:  Workday 8:00-3:00  Convocation Day at Jerome

         7:30-8:30              Vendor Fair and light breakfast

8:30-9:30              Convocation at DJHS (please attend and sit together as a staff)

10:00-12:00          Staff Meeting in Cafeteria (Large and small                             group work)

12:00-1:00            Lunch at Jerome - provided by PTO; All staff attends

12:00-12:30          Lunch and summer photos

12:30 - 1 PM        Introduction of new staff

1:00-3:00              Staff Meeting in cafeteria

August 19:  Workday 8:00AM-3:00PM

         7:00–10:00 - Biometric Screening in Library

         9:00-11:00 - Band schedule pick-up (and make-ups); Please be aware band members and other students will be finding their classrooms, lockers, etc.

         8:00-1:00 - Peer Collaboration Training for students in Cafeteria

         12:00-1:00 - Lunch on your own.

         9:00-1:00 - Staff photos:  Please wear a polo shirt or other appropriate school shirt for your staff photo (No T-shirts please).

        

Other important dates/information that you may want to note are the following: 

Aug. 20 - first day of school; adjusted bell schedule:

Aug. 20                First day of school; Freshmen Parent Meeting 7:00PM

Aug. 27                Open House (contractual) 7:00PM – 9:00PM

                           Senior Parent Meeting 6:00PM

Aug 29                 1^st Football Game at UA @ 7:30PM

Sept. 1                 NO SCHOOL

Sept. 5                 Freshman Tail Gate – 6:00PM

Sept.                    Academic Ice Cream Social during lunches; students do not miss class

Sept. 17               Interims

Sept. 19               Homecoming Parade 5:30PM:  All                                                            clubs/sports/organizations welcome

Homecoming Game vs Bradley 7:30PM

Sept. 20               Homecoming Dance 8:00-11:00PM

Oct. 2                   Parent/Teacher Conferences 4-7:30 PM               

Oct. 2                   Student/Staff Picture Make-Up Day during lunch

Oct. 15                PSAT (required for all Juniors) – 2 hour late arrival for non-testing students?  To be confirmed by district.

Oct. 16                End of 1^st Quarter

Oct. 17                NO SCHOOL       

Nov. 4                 Parent/Teacher Conferences 3-6:30

Nov. 10-13          Challenge Days (All freshmen & includes CAP                                          Mentors)

Thank you for being a part of the Jerome family.  We are truly excited about this upcoming school year and the opportunity to work again with such an outstanding staff—one that is truly dedicated to helping students grow and learn, a school where every student counts, every day.  A school of hope, and where we love, care, and serve.  See you soon!

Cathy