Solution Tree Model School

Solution Tree Model School

Monday, August 31, 2015

Week of August 31st - September 4th...Go Forward with Purpose & Passion

Quote/Thought of the Week
"Simply telling students what they will be learning 
 before each lesson will raise Student Achievement 
 by 27%"   --John Hattie

"Vision is a destination; a fixed point to which
 we focus all effort. Strategy is a route; an 
 adaptable path to get us where we want to go."
     --Simon Sinek



Weekly Items, Events and Activities
Monday, August 31st--REACH Priority CCA & Fine Arts
Tuesday, September 1st--REACH Priority Math
Wednesday, September 2nd --REACH Priority Science and 
 District Safety Training (2:10PM/Mr. Campbell's Room)
Thursday, September 3rd-REACH Priority Language Arts
Friday, September 4th--REACH Priority Social Studies and PE


Fossil Ridge Student Spotlight
Special Thanks and Congratulations to Mrs. Sheeran's 
Show Choir and Mrs. Hodek's Intermediate Band 
Students for their performances in last week's 2015 
Opening Assembly at Fossil Ridge...It was A GREAT DAY
TO BE A T-REX!!


Fossil Ridge Faculty Spotlight
The Deseret News released the top 25 schools in the 
State of Utah for 2014-2015 SAGE testing. Fossil 
Ridge Science 6 Students ranked #4 for Mid-Level 
(Intermediate & Middle)Science in the entire state!
Congratulations to our Students and the fantastic
Science 6 Team of Mrs. Snow, Mr. Jaggi & Mrs. Emett! 
http://www.deseretnews.com/top/3379/49/4-Fossil-Ridge-Intermediate-SAGE-scores-2015-Top-Utah-schools-in-science.html


Fossil Ridge Professional Learning
Later in the week we will begin to break down our Goals
and Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum for the 2015-2016
school year. In preparation for our work as teams; I have
included two short videos. The Hattie clip discusses 
strategies that have the greatest impact on Student Learning
and the Rick DuFour clip reminds all of us what the real 
difference is between "Teams" and "Groups."

John Hattie:"Know Thy Impact"

Rick DuFour: "The Difference Between Groups & Teams"

BE EXCELLENT ON PURPOSE!!


Sunday, August 23, 2015

Week of August 24th - 28th...ITS A GREAT WEEK TO BE A T-REX!

Quote/Thought of the Week
     "Readers aren't grown on trees, but they are grown in 
      places they are fertilized with lots of print, and
      above all, read to daily."   --Jim Trelease

     "It is not enough to simply teach children to read;
      we have to give them something worth reading.
      Something that will stretch their imaginations,
      something that will help them make sense of their
      own lives and encourage them to reach out toward
      people whose lives are quite different from their
      own."  --Katherine Patterson

Weekly Items, Events and Activities
Monday, August 24th--Student Training Extended 6th Period
Tuesday, August 25th--Student Training Extended 6th Period
Wednesday, August 26th--Student Training Extended 6th Period 
 and School Community Council (9:30 AM)
Thursday, August 27th-- Student Training Extended 6th Period
Friday, August 28th--
REACH Training Extended 6th Period and
 Opening Assembly 

Fossil Ridge Student News and Celebrations
Our students have their first full week of school under
their belt and are beginning to get settled in. We also 
started the implementation of our FRIS...Fantastic Student,
Respectful Environment, Individual Responsibility and 
Safety... PASS Cards to recognize positive student behavior
at Fossil Ridge. Over 50 different students were recognized 
(some multiple times)by Faculty for surpassing behavioral expectations!






Fossil Ridge Staff News and Celebrations
A special Thank You to the members of the Fossil Ridge 
"Top Chef's" who do such a wonderful job making sure our 
Students dietary needs are met during Breakfast and Lunch!


Faculty Professional Learning
Reading Strategies for Mid-Level Students:

Middle School Reading Strategies: The "High Five" (Article)


Be Excellent!




Monday, August 17, 2015

Weekly Focus: Week of August 17th - 24th

I. Quote of the Week

     Every Student deserves a GREAT start to the 2015 - 2016 
     School Year! We can't Ensure one at Home but WE can 
     at Fossil Ridge. Let's make a Positive difference in 
     the Lives of ALL Our Students Each and Every Day. 
     We can never have too much AWESOME at Fossil Ridge!


II. Weekly Items, Events and Activities of Note

Monday, August 17th--REACH Training Extended 6th Period
Tuesday, August 18th--REACH Training Extended 6th Period
Wednesday, August 19th--REACH Training Extended 6th Period
Thursday, August 20th--School Pictures (Science Classes) and 
 REACH Training Extended 6th Period
Friday, August 21st--REACH Training Extended 6th Period

III. Faculty and Staff News & Celebration

A big "Shout-Out" Thank You to our Office Staff for all their work getting our Students Registered and "Holding Down the Fort" during the craziness that accompanies the first few days of the new school-year...Kathy, Deb, and Sandra, You are the Best!!

Fossil Ridge Welcomes Our New Faculty Members for the 2015-2016
School Year...Leslie Jack (LA7), Christie Gubler (Art),
Nikell Dodge (Science&), Chad Campbell (CCR), Mike Webb (Science 7), Vickie Thompson (Special Education), and Beth Robison (Reading).






IV. Fossil Ridge Student News & Celebration

Its like Christmas throughout the Classrooms and Halls at Fossil Ridge because the Kids are all BACK!! In the first few days I have observed and experienced the joy and excitement as our New and Returning Students are finally back to school...Here's to an Excellent Year, the Best Year Ever at Fossil Ridge Intermediate!







                             



V. "Inspiration Station" Fossil Ridge Professional Learning
     Literacy Articles, Blogs & Videos
        1."Literacy:Every Student, Every Classroom, Every Day"

        2."From Reading to Understanding'

        3."Every Child, Every Day"

        4.YouTube Video (1:24) "What if You couldn't Read"
          share_video_user



Have a Fantastic Week...Lets ALL be Excellent, Our Kids Need It :)








Friday, August 7, 2015

When Will the Students Finally Arrive?!!

As I look out the windows of my office on this cloudy Friday morning, all I can think about is the "sunlight" that is about to break through the "clouds" next Thursday as the school year
commences and our Fossil Ridge Students walk through the doors! I am reminded of a TV show I watched as a young boy (I'm dating myself on this one)called "Welcome Back Kotter"...

          "Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out.
    Welcome back to that same old place that you laughed about.
     Well the names have all changed since you hung around,
    But those dreams have remained and they're turned around.
   Who'd have thought they'd lead ya (Who'd have thought they'd           lead ya) Back here where we need ya (Here where we need ya)
    Yeah we tease him a lot cause we've got him on the spot,
     Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back, welcome back."


As a first year Principal, I have spent the Summer with our Admin Team, Teacher Teams, Literacy Team, Tech Specialists, PBIS Team, and individual teachers to prepare for the upcoming school year. It has most certainly been a busy summer of learning, discussion, planning, and reflection. For the most part the building has been relatively quiet during the Summer and as a result I am so anxious and excited to get all 900 of our students back into the halls and classrooms of our building. Our goal is to make this year, and every year at Fossil Ridge the best school year our students have ever experienced! To paraphrase a quote from another colleague in education Beth Houf; "We want to be the kind of school where students, parents, and faculty are beating down the doors to get in..." I can't share enough how excited I am for our school year to begin. The 2015-2016 school year at Fossil Ridge will be a new and exciting journey for me; but most importantly for the students, faculty, and staff at Fossil Ridge Intermediate School...WELCOME BACK! ITS A GREAT DAY TO BE A T-REX :)

First Week's Schedule

Monday, August 10th 
Registration Continues:   8AM-11AM & 12:30PM-2:30PM 

Tuesday, August 11th
Back to School Night:     6PM-7:30PM

Thursday, August 13th
SCHOOL BEGINS!!           7:45AM-2:00PM

Friday August 14th
2nd Best Day of the Year! 7:45PM-2:00PM  


"Inspiration Station"

Professional Learning at Fossil Ridge

"There Will Be Days" ASCD Article. August, 2015