MS Faculty Blog: Week Beginning Sep 14 (week 4)

The Week Ahead

Monday, Sep 14

MS Chapel 2:00-2:15 pm - all to attend. A reoccurring link will be sent out Monday morning. Advisors, please take attendance during Chapel by looking in the Teams in SHOW PARTICIPANTS and then adding them to myAW.
2:20-3:00 pm - a reminder for students, these are NOT optional

Tuesday, Sep 15

Wednesday, Sep 16

Thursday, Sep 17

Friday, Sep 18

IAP kids on campus 8:00 am - 12:30 pm with Andrea and Clare in the Library.
First Advisory Challenge - We will explain the challenge to kids tomorrow in MS Chapel, but i order to participate within your advisories on Friday, kids will need a pack of plain M&Ms, a straw, and two bowls.
Affinity Groups don't start until October - Devon to connect with new Grade 6 students during this time.
Friday Movie - Standing invite to all students sent. Faculty do not need to attend.

Action Items

Who's on campus? If you need to find someone, here is a link to the results of the Google Survey I asked folks to complete by Monday morning. Here is the link to the survey and here are the results MS Faculty Teaching Locations.

Changes to the Week Ahead, Updates, & Reminders

Parent Coffees - These should have been starting this week but we have pushed them back to begin Thursday, September 24 at 6:30pm. This will be for any new to AWS parents and Shelli and I will run this. You do not need to attend next week.

Technology Help

We have now disabled the ability for kids to create or start their own meetings and so chat!
Teams reminders

A short video reminder of how to mute students directly through the chat or through settings.
To stop the use of GIFS, stickers and memes, please follow these directions:

For each of your teams, click on the three dots
Then, click MANAGE TEAM
Then, select SETTINGS
Then, in FUN STUFF, de-check the boxes that allow for GIFS, stickers, memes, and custom memes

How to Set Up Break-Out Rooms in Teams Video This is a great short video to watch to help you with
How-To Technology Resources This is the Google document that has links to how-to written guides about Teams, Google Classroom, Microsoft Office, etc.
Having a tech issue or need support from Erik or Eric? Please don't email, but submit and helpdesk ticket at helpdesk.aw.org. Please pick Online Academic Continuity Plan as the request type (it's the first choice on the list).

Sandra's PD Corner

NWAIS Fall Conference: If you haven't yet, please continue to let me know if you are interested in attending the conference by filling out this form.
Please take a look at the updated PD Opportunities tab on your divisional or overall Faculty & Staff Teams. Specifically:

LS - ED Week has a webinar on "Providing Age-Appropriate Virtual Learning for K-3 Students"
All - There are several webinars/conferences on Politics, Race, Pandemic teaching, and remote instruction under the "All School PD Opportunities" section.
If you haven't already, do look at the Wellness resources provided by Kaiser (they're under "Additional Wellness Resources for Educators")

As always, that information and more is also available on the Professional Development Resource Board on MyAW, with links to several potential PD providers and opportunities.
Here is the link for the "comment box." A reminder that this is for if there's anything else you need in terms of COVID support in the classroom, COVID testing questions, concerns about things you see, etc - whether you just want to let us know or want someone to follow up with you.

Faculty Dare

While I know you all have a lot on, I would love it if we could lead by example with the Character Strong Dares. Here goes our first one, adapt as necessary:

Absent Students

Kudos!

To Shelli, Will, Kyle, Alice, and John for presenting at the Curriculum Night #1. I am totally impressed by how confident and eloquent you all were and I was exceptionally proud of our MS as I heard you all speak. Thank you all for attending and I am excited that the rest of you will be speaking much more at the next one!

The Month Ahead

MS Faculty Blog