September 14th - September 18th

Quote/Thought of the Week
"The greatest resource we have in our schools
is the Human Resource, and their is NO cap on
Human Potential."  --Anthony Muhammad

"Essential Learning Outcomes/Guaranteed & Viable
Curriculum/Learning Targets are sets of Academic
Promises Teacher Teams make to each one of their 
students."   --Tim Brown



Weekly Events and Activities
Monday, September 14th--REACH CCA & Art Priority Day
Tuesday, September 15th--REACH Math Priority Day
Wednesday, September 16th--REACH Science Priority Day
  Community Council Meeting (9:30AM)
Thursday, September 17th--REACH LA Priority Day and
  School Picture Re-Takes
Friday, September 18th--REACH PE & Social Studies
  Priority Day and CCA Child Care Day at Fossil Ridge

Fossil Ridge Student Spotlight
Thank you to all the Fantastic and Talented Fossil Ridge
Students who auditioned for the 2015-2016 School Musical
"Annie", and Congratulations to the Students who were 
selected to be a part of this year's cast and crew!

Got Music...Fossil Ridge Band and Orchestra Students 
"Getting their Music On"

 

This Week's "GET YOUR BRAIN ON" Students...ITS A GREAT DAY TO
BE A T-REX!!

Student Patriotic "Tear Art" from Mrs. Gubler's Class...

 

Fossil Ridge Faculty Spotlight
Happy Birthday Mrs. Sonia Sheratt...September 14th!
Happy Birthday Mrs. Jana Anderson...September 19th!

On Thursday, September 17th a Film Crew from Edivate 
(Professional Development & Teacher Observation Organization)
will be at Fossil Ridge to film STEM lessons taught by 
Mr. Huck Stewart, Mrs. Jana Anderson, and Mrs Sarah Myers.
This is a wonderful opportunity for three of our own Faculty
Members to share the "Magic" that happens on a daily basis in
the classrooms of Fossil Ridge Intermediate School!

Fossil Ridge Professional Learning

"Begin with the End in Mind". 

http://inservice.ascd.org/three-lessons-for-teachers-from-grant-wiggins/

"Smarter Everyday". Youtube clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFzDaBzBlL0&feature=em-share_video_user

"Using Depth of Knowledge Questions to Increase Rigor"

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/webbs-depth-knowledge-increase-rigor-gerald-aungst

FOSSIL RIDGE 

INTENTIONAL EXCELLENCE!

September 7th - September 11th

Quote/Thought of the Week
     "Learning Intentions (daily targets) describe what it
      is that we want Students to Learn and their clarity 
      is at the heart of Formative Assessment. Unless 
      Teachers are clear about what they want Students to
      Learn (and what the learning outcomes look like),
      they are hardly likely to develop good assessment
      of that learning."   --John Hattie. Visible Learning

     "A Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum gives students 
      access to the same essential learning regardless of 
      who is teaching the class AND can be taught in the
      time allotted.This Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum
      is the essentials that every student must know in 
      order to be successful in the course, grade level, 
      and life."    --Robert Marzano

Weekly Items, Events and Activities

Monday, September 7th--NO SCHOOL (Labor Day)
Tuesday, September 8th--REACH Math Priority Day
Wednesday, September 9th--REACH Science Priority Day

Thursday, September 10th--REACH Language Arts Priority Day 
Friday, September 11th--REACH Social Studies & PE Priority Day

--Fossil Ridge REACH Time--

 REACH is our school-wide Tier II Intervention and Extension time 

at Fossil Ridge, which takes place everyday from 1:25 – 2:00PM. 

REACH is built into our daily schedule to provide Intervention Time 

(extra help, additional opportunities to gain necessary skills & knowledge, 

resources, etc) for ALL of our students. Intervention Time allows us to 

ensure that ALL  Fossil Ridge Students are Learning at High Levels. 

Interventions provide Immediate & Specific Help, as well as Re-Teaching 

of key concepts and skills necessary for success. REACH also provides 

Extension Time, creating the opportunity for our students to use their 

academic passions to extend their learning (Robotics, Minecraft, 

Social Dance, Silent Reading, Science Labs Engineering, etc.) Students 

may either be selected by teachers for Intervention Time to provide 

additional help, or they may attend Extension Time based on the 

course/activity they have signed up for. It is vitally important that our 

students understand that Intervention Time is NOT a punishment, but 

rather a means for our Team at Fossil Ridge to ensure ALL our students 

are learning at high levels. At Fossil Ridge we believe REACH Time is 

every bit as important as classroom time, as it is an extension of 

classroom learning and instruction. Each subject area is provided with 

a “Priority Day” for Intervention Time as follows…

     ^Monday=College & Career Awareness and Fine Arts

     ^Tuesday=Math

     ^Wednesday=Science

     ^Thursday=Language Arts

     ^Friday=Social Studies and PE

Fossil Ridge Student Spotlight

Congratulations to our Inaugural "Get Your Brain On" Students for doing amazing things in the classroom, learning at high levels,showing improvement, and being good classmates!   

It's A Great Day To Be A T-Rex Students for August...

Literacy, Leadership and Limitless Learning!

Students Engaged in High Levels of Learning at Fossil Ridge...

Fossil Ridge Faculty

A very special THANK YOU goes out to the entire Fossil Ridge Custodial Team for keeping our Campus, Classrooms, Hallways, 

and Commons Area so clean and beautiful! Fossil Ridge is 

11 years old and looks like it was just built. We appreciate 

all the hard work our Custodians put in for Fossil Ridge!

 Fossil Ridge Professional Learning
Engaging in the "Right Work" to ensure High Levels of Learning 
for ALL Students; the Importance of Team!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FldnHUgjTcM

The Importance of Daily Learning Targets: "Knowing the Target"

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar11/vol68/num06/Knowing-Your-Learning-Target.aspx

Be Excellent :)

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"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzwJXUieD0U&list=PLsRNoUx8w3rORdRjz4Sx1Pwdn5hW8AWPn&feature=em-share_video_in_list_user

Rick DuFour: "The Difference Between Groups & Teams"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hV65KIItlE

BE EXCELLENT ON PURPOSE!!

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:

Turn Middle School Students into Critical Readers (Article)

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

The Teaching Channel: Word and Inference Walls (Video/6:30)

Be Excellent!

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"

           http://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/PRIK/PRIK0615/index.php#/58

        2."From Reading to Understanding'

           http://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet.aspx?

        3."Every Child, Every Day"

           http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-

           leadership/mar12/vol69/num06/Every-Child,-Every-Day.aspx

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

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvsbM6mA_14&feature=em-

          share_video_user

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

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

 http://inservice.ascd.org/there-will-be-days/