Class,
Please follow this link to download it as a Word document.
Progress Report 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Looking Forward?
If you are interested in reading uplifting and Gospel-centered articles and devotions consider Forward in Christ, the monthly WELS Publication. Copies are available in the entryway of Church or the school office.
We could use your help!
v Donating raffle prizes (Again, we want this to be fun for everyone! J)
v Preparing/serving continental breakfasts on Thursday and Friday, Feb 18-19th
v Preparing or donating food for lunches on either Thursday or Friday, Feb. 18-19th
v Serving food for lunches on either Thursday or Friday, Feb. 18-19th
v Shopping for food for meals and snacks (Money will be provided or reimbursed)
The last time we hosted this conference it was a HUGE success and many of the teachers in our conference have said they are excited to come to Apostles again. If you can help us out with any of these areas of need, we’d be very grateful. Please contact any of the teachers or me if you would like to help. THANKS!!
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Welcome to 2010!
It still seems like yesterday that I downloaded software to make sure my three school computers at my first school didn't succumb to the infamous Y2K. It's been a while since that however. . .
Here we are in the year 2010!
There's a song by Jeremy Camp, a Christian recording artist, called "There Will Be a Day." Most of the song is about getting through the trials and tribulations of life. One phrase resonated with me as I heard the song again over our break: There will be a day . . . we'll see Jesus face to face.
That's the truth. It's one thing to celebrate Christmas and even to have our students lead us in a celebration like they did on December 19th, but it's a whole other blessing to consider the fact that we have a personal God waiting for us in heaven -- one we will see face to face.
Have a blessed start to 2010!
Here we are in the year 2010!
There's a song by Jeremy Camp, a Christian recording artist, called "There Will Be a Day." Most of the song is about getting through the trials and tribulations of life. One phrase resonated with me as I heard the song again over our break: There will be a day . . . we'll see Jesus face to face.
That's the truth. It's one thing to celebrate Christmas and even to have our students lead us in a celebration like they did on December 19th, but it's a whole other blessing to consider the fact that we have a personal God waiting for us in heaven -- one we will see face to face.
Have a blessed start to 2010!
Sunday, December 06, 2009
What do those teachers do on Collaboration Days?
So what does the faculty do on those mysterious "collaboration days?" Is it just an excuse to have a good meal (thank you Mrs. Westover and crew) or an excuse to get out early on a Friday?
The goal is simple -- raise the student achievement at Apostles. As a system we want our students to achieve more 'tomorrow' than they are 'today.' That's actually a pretty lofty goal considering our students, on average, already have some of the best test scores in the area and the nation. Recently our 8th graders graduated with scores within the top 10% of the nation. But we aren't content with that.
Collaboration when focused increases student learning. This past Friday we focused our collaboration through a number of different activities.
After beginning with a short devotion based on 2 Peter 1: 5-6, Miss Tjernagel was up for a resource share. During this time of our collaboration a teacher shares a resource that they have found useful. Miss Tjernagel shared with us a book and website.
Next, we reviewed some of the basic concepts of a Professional Learning Community, one which we are in the process of creating at Apostles. We discussed four important elements: Focus (on the 20% which matters most), Reflection (learning what we are learning), Collaboration (increasing the system's knowledge and skills), and Leadership Capacity (raising the collective leadership aptitude).
The next part of our collaboration revolved around identifying an area of focus for increased student learning. After a review of the Language Arts curriculum the faculty choose student writing and, over the next months, will develop SMART goals to increase student learning in that area.
The teachers also discussed the Memory Work curriculum. It was decided that more work will be done this summer along with the Christ-Light Curriculum.
Lastly Miss Miller presented on "non linguistic representations" a research-supported instructional strategy. She specifically discussed helping students develop mental images of learning concepts.
That is just a snapshot of the topics and learning that come out of each collaboration day. A simple website has been developed for our teachers to document progress on our learning community as well as keep our projects organized. If you are interested in learning a little more feel free to browse.
Well, no. There really is a legitimate goal of collaboration days
-- one that needs more time than a early morning meeting.
-- one that needs more time than a early morning meeting.
The goal is simple -- raise the student achievement at Apostles. As a system we want our students to achieve more 'tomorrow' than they are 'today.' That's actually a pretty lofty goal considering our students, on average, already have some of the best test scores in the area and the nation. Recently our 8th graders graduated with scores within the top 10% of the nation. But we aren't content with that.
Collaboration when focused increases student learning. This past Friday we focused our collaboration through a number of different activities.
After beginning with a short devotion based on 2 Peter 1: 5-6, Miss Tjernagel was up for a resource share. During this time of our collaboration a teacher shares a resource that they have found useful. Miss Tjernagel shared with us a book and website.
Next, we reviewed some of the basic concepts of a Professional Learning Community, one which we are in the process of creating at Apostles. We discussed four important elements: Focus (on the 20% which matters most), Reflection (learning what we are learning), Collaboration (increasing the system's knowledge and skills), and Leadership Capacity (raising the collective leadership aptitude).
The next part of our collaboration revolved around identifying an area of focus for increased student learning. After a review of the Language Arts curriculum the faculty choose student writing and, over the next months, will develop SMART goals to increase student learning in that area.
The teachers also discussed the Memory Work curriculum. It was decided that more work will be done this summer along with the Christ-Light Curriculum.
Lastly Miss Miller presented on "non linguistic representations" a research-supported instructional strategy. She specifically discussed helping students develop mental images of learning concepts.
That is just a snapshot of the topics and learning that come out of each collaboration day. A simple website has been developed for our teachers to document progress on our learning community as well as keep our projects organized. If you are interested in learning a little more feel free to browse.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
6 Great 'Things' about Conference
This past Thursday and Friday our teachers and I were in sunny Phoenix, Arizona with about 170 other WELS teachers from California and Arizona. Here are just a few of the parts I liked the most:
Number 1: The Worship Theme -- This year from the opening service on Wednesday to each devotion through Friday the theme carried in each Scriptural message: "Servants of the Servant," based on selected portions of the book of Isaiah. It's a blessing to understand our role as servants of children and families based on the role of the Ultimate Servant, Jesus. (By the way, Pastor J. Bauer, a former student at Apostles was the preacher for the opening service and the one who organized the devotional theme.)
Number 2: The Doctrinal Presentation -- Pastor Michael Hintz, the Director of the WELS Commission on Evangelism, presented on "Passionate Evangelism," which he defined as:
-A love for the lost (those that don't yet know the Saving work of Jesus).
-Desire to understand and relate to the lost.
-Adaptable (especially to the culture and the geographic area)
-Self-disciplined (to be in the Word of God on a personal level each day)
-Trusts fully in the the power of the Holy Spirit
Number 3: The Educational Presentation - Dr. Daniel Johnson, current president of Wisconsin Lutheran College, presented on and facilitated a discussion on the characteristics of Christian schools which appeal to the community, based on his dissertation research. The real benefit came as our faculty was given time throughout the presentation to discuss the implications and reality of his research as it applies to Apostles. We briefly discussed everything from marketing, to leadership, to evaluation, to finances, to safety, to academic excellence, to excellent teachers.
Number 4: Fellowship -- Again about 170 teachers from WELS schools across California and Arizona came together in Phoenix. This gave me and all our teachers time to talk to, mingle with, learn from, and otherwise collaborate with other teachers in schools with the same mission.
Number 5: Break -- Everyone needs a break once in a while and teachers are no different. This early November break gives teachers an opportunity to revitalize just before we move into another busy time in the school year (right before Christmas.)
Number 5: Blessings -- I suppose it doesn't take a conference to realize this but our school system truly is blessed. While we had a chance to discuss some of the challenges in the last decade, it is clear that the Lord continues to bless our school system as He has for the last 150 years.
Number 1: The Worship Theme -- This year from the opening service on Wednesday to each devotion through Friday the theme carried in each Scriptural message: "Servants of the Servant," based on selected portions of the book of Isaiah. It's a blessing to understand our role as servants of children and families based on the role of the Ultimate Servant, Jesus. (By the way, Pastor J. Bauer, a former student at Apostles was the preacher for the opening service and the one who organized the devotional theme.)
Number 2: The Doctrinal Presentation -- Pastor Michael Hintz, the Director of the WELS Commission on Evangelism, presented on "Passionate Evangelism," which he defined as:
-A love for the lost (those that don't yet know the Saving work of Jesus).
-Desire to understand and relate to the lost.
-Adaptable (especially to the culture and the geographic area)
-Self-disciplined (to be in the Word of God on a personal level each day)
-Trusts fully in the the power of the Holy Spirit
Number 3: The Educational Presentation - Dr. Daniel Johnson, current president of Wisconsin Lutheran College, presented on and facilitated a discussion on the characteristics of Christian schools which appeal to the community, based on his dissertation research. The real benefit came as our faculty was given time throughout the presentation to discuss the implications and reality of his research as it applies to Apostles. We briefly discussed everything from marketing, to leadership, to evaluation, to finances, to safety, to academic excellence, to excellent teachers.
Number 4: Fellowship -- Again about 170 teachers from WELS schools across California and Arizona came together in Phoenix. This gave me and all our teachers time to talk to, mingle with, learn from, and otherwise collaborate with other teachers in schools with the same mission.
Number 5: Break -- Everyone needs a break once in a while and teachers are no different. This early November break gives teachers an opportunity to revitalize just before we move into another busy time in the school year (right before Christmas.)
Number 5: Blessings -- I suppose it doesn't take a conference to realize this but our school system truly is blessed. While we had a chance to discuss some of the challenges in the last decade, it is clear that the Lord continues to bless our school system as He has for the last 150 years.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
