Staff Round Up for October 26

Team,

Thank you so much for your feedback on a daily basis.  Again, I want to thank those who personally reach out to me, with possible frustrations, and the willingness to be part of any solutions that will better serve them, or their colleagues. I truly appreciate that approach and I always have a takeaway or two from those individual meetings.  I will be setting up slots for anyone to set up a 15 minute appointment starting Monday. Dr. Monell will be sending out the process on Monday. This will occur Monday through Thursday between the hours of 3-4.  

As we have made the adjustments to make the Friday faculty meeting optional to watch at that set time, please remember it is still mandatory to watch the recording before Monday morning. Additionally, I am also moving the SEL portion of the meeting to the end of the meeting. As some of you have mentioned to me that there is a feeling of forced positivity, I will have to agree to disagree with this feeling. We need to start thinking of this as SELective positivity. The approach we take is no different that how a teacher initiates a class. If you feel like you do not need to hear any encouragement, the positive things your colleagues are doing, even if  you do not want to contribute your amazing talents to assist with the overall growth of the school, you are welcome to exit the meeting when the SEL portion begins. Please know this option is out of respect to your time, and your belief. I hope moving SEL to the end of the faculty meetings eases the anxiety of those who feel strongly about the SEL portion of your meeting.  

Great job with the participation in sharing your orange for Unity Day! The purpose of Unity Day is to demonstrate that we are together against bullying. We are united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion of all students.

EOS Staff Survey 

 Please use your staff e-mail to login to the survey. Click on this bit.ly https://bit.ly/3dMkXdo to complete your survey by 11.3.20. Please note that this survey does include rerouting you to the recommendation's activity on the EOS Portal. The survey will take about 45 minutes. 

 

THE SURVEY WILL: 

• Identify students who would benefit from increased academic challenge 
• Explore attitudes & perceptions about AP/IB/AICE 
• Examine causes of equity issues in our school 
• Gather information about current academic resources and supports for students/staff 

Please remember that 2021 Benefits enrollment information can be found HERE.

As discussed in the faculty meeting, please refer to the flow charts attached here when it comes to leave while in Covid.

Any questions should be directed to Mrs. Harris in this FORM. 

Gentle reminder, the board voted for High School students to return on January 20th. More details will be communicated as we start preparing for this date. Please make sure you stay in the loop of all GCS and SW communications. A great deal of information is available on our website.  www.gcsnc.com/reopening.

Please share with your parents if they are not an observer in Canvas:

This video has been used district wide to provide information regarding pairing student and parent accounts in Canvas so parents can access what is due, what has been submitted, graded, etc. You’ll see in the video that one of the key pieces is a pairing code that can only originate from the student account holder. 

From the desk of the CF:

Resources and Curriculum Updates:

Please see the attached document where resources have been gathered for teachers. One Stop Shop SWHS.docx The SWHS Canvas page is also being updated and houses lots of great information, please make sure to check out the “Modules” listed. The SWHS Licensed Teacher Teams page now has a “Curriculum Facilitator News” channel, curriculum updates from the district will be posted and uploaded there in order to cut down on school wide emails.

2020-2021 PLCs

The goals of effective professional learning communities:

·        Increase student achievement

·        Create meaningful and quality task and assessments

·        Establish professional relationships

·        Improve teaching and learning

Effective professional learning community (Links to an external site.):

·        Always Assume Positive Intentions: All members come with the intention to work and assume the same of their colleagues

·        All members focus on increasing student achievement

·        Work to create meaningful and quality task/assignments/projects/assessments aligned with course curriculum standards

·        Understand and prepare to implement the district curriculum framework

·        Unpack the curriculum standards to make constructive instructional decisions

·        Set SMART goal(s) (often connected to the most pressing instructional challenge, service-learning project, quality task, or a skill)

o   Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound

·        Analyze student data for strengths, weaknesses, and remediation strategies

·        Review concepts and skills necessary to master standards

·        Develop effective lesson plans and assessments

·        Share instructional practices, pedagogical knowledge, and teaching experiences

·        Always end with an action, plan, or solution

This school year, the focus is for your team to use data to drive instruction and increase student achievement. Below, I have attached the fall PLC meeting schedule as well as copies of the data protocol and assessment analysis documents to be used as you meet. A link will be created weekly for you to submit your data protocol/meeting minutes to Canvas. All meeting minutes should be posted by the end of each week by 5:00 pm to Canvas as an attached Word document. 

The PLC documents can be found in Canvas. The agenda is attached to this e-mail and the exemplar can be found in Canvas. 

SW PLC AGENDA

 

As you have read the e-mail I forwarded to you Friday evening, the PSAT has been canceled for this Thursday. All students will be tested in January pending health metrics.

HOSA has planned to serve the community through various activities that we've been doing the past years.

 These events will occur in the Media Center parking lot. Masks, social distancing MUST be utilized. 

       Oct. 31st - "Trick or Can" students will collect can goods during Halloween in their own neighborhood.  Out of the Garden can pick up collected goods on Monday -Nov. 2nd

      November 20th - "Cover the City" - collecting slightly or new blankets for the Homeless and Urban Ministry.  A representative will come to collect the blankets this day. 

       December 18th - "Rylie's Blessings" - collecting new or slightly used toys to be donated to Wake Forest's Pediatric Unit playroom.

We know that wearing a cloth face covering is one of the best tools we have for reducing the spread of COVID-19. I know I speak for our staff when I say we want our students to return. However, until our community, particularly the 2765 zip code area, steps up and plays a role in protecting themselves and others, very little will change.  Our zip code along with only other other zip code has the highest risk of transmission in all of Guilford County. As competitive as I am comparing our school and community against others, this is something I believe many of you would agree with me that this is not an area we want to be on the forefront of. Thank you in advance in being part of following the health and safety protocols recommended to us.  

Southwest family, our Nursing Fundamental students are sponsoring the fall blood drive again this year on Oct. 29 from 8:15-1:30. Due to Covid-19, it will be held at the Covenant Church United Methodist on Skeet Club Rd. Please come out and help us meet our donation goal and invite others to come. All the information for the blood drive is located on our Southwest home page. There is also a parent consent form for students that are 16 yrs. old. Students must be at least 16 yrs. old and weight at least 110 lbs. Donors must bring ID or One Card to the appointment. Appointments can be made online.

https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=Southwest%20Guilford%20HS 

Service learning Opportunity - Operation Christmas Cards for Troops
Operation Christmas Cards for Troops.docx

Feel free to use this link when students tell you they don't have a device, or internet, or need work, etc.... 

Counselors' caseloads are as followed: Ms.Graves A-D 10th-12th, Ms.Campbell E-L 10th - 12th, Ms. Graham M-R 10th - 12th, Mrs. Hudgens S-Z 10th - 12th, Ms.Compton 9th grade counselor

Have you left your mark at SWGHS? Buy a Legacy Brick to commemorate your time as a Southwest Cowboy, and make a contribution to your sport, band or chorus to help fund critical equipment and uniform purchases and fees! AND get a great deal RIGHT NOW! The first 21 seniors/senior families to purchase a Legacy Brick this year will get 21% off the price of the brick! That's $21 off the $100 brick! Click here to order your brick, and enter 212021 in the promo code field to take advantage of this deal! 

Please support our SW Athletic Dept. and Booster Club by promoting and giving to a wonderful cause!   It is a simple process.  Just click on the QR code and the paypal link below.   

https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=LASEJ3ZFD3DKC

Also check out this awesome video that our Women's soccer athletes took part in! 

All Return to Play forms must be filled out correctly for students to practice.  Get your forms here: https://cowboysports.org/main/filesLinks/

Volleyball Workout Dates:  Skill Development M-Thurs Oct. 26-29^th Check-in 3:45 Tryouts (Mandatory)- Nov. 4, 5, 6^th 3:45 PM  ALL SESSIONS END after 90 minutes

Cross Country Workout Dates:  Skill Development M-Thurs Oct. 26-29^th Time:  Check-in 4:15 in front of main gym  Sessions end 5:45 PM  (all practices are outside)

M/W Basketball Workouts: Women- Oct. 26/28^th 4:15 PM Check-in  Ends- 5:45 PM Men- T/Thurs Oct. 27/29^th Check-in 4:15 Ends- 5:45 PM

*Note: Starting week 3 of workouts- Each sport moved to Skill Development which is 90 minutes, M-Thurs (Times will check for practices)

First Official Start of Season:  VB/XC November 4, 4 PM

Contact your coach if you have questions:

Volleyball- Meredith Antley         mantley12@gmail.com

XC- Chris Patrick                                mtbpatrick.cp@gmail.com

W. Basketball- Nick Scarborough                               ntscar11@gmail.com

M. Basketball- Greg Vlazny                                           Vlaznyg@gcsnc.com

GCS High School Athletics Calendar

Sports/Activities	Conditioning Period (Max 2 Days Per Week)	Skill Development (Max 4 Days Per Week)	NCHSAA Start Date
Volleyball and Cross Country	September 28	October 12	November 4
Swimming & Diving and Marching Band	TBD	TBD	November 23
Basketball & Cheerleading	October 19	November 9	December 7
M Soccer, M Lacrosse, and W. Lacrosse	November 9	December 1	January 11
Football	November 30	January 4	February 8
M/W Golf, M Tennis, W Soccer, and Softball	January 4	February 1	March 1
Baseball, W Tennis, Track & Field, and Wrestling	January 20	March 15	April 12

From the desk of our Football Coach, Chuck Doak, 

COWBOY FOOTBALL: Building COWBOY STRONG individuals through FOOTBALL.

If you are interested in playing and have not talked with Coach Doak please click the link below and fill out the questionnaire.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=H_vimqLeQ0yBlHYk_LuzDOdfFgYrfy1Kkese-QchOc1UNFFMTldHTU9MUzJZMUIyODhVV0EzODZDMy4u

UPCOMING DATES

Oct. 19th - Oct 30th

Free College Application week

Wednesday, October 28

Report Card mailed to students

Thursday, October 29

PSAT on campus 

Blood Drive - 8:15 - 1:30

Friday, October 30th

 UNCG Virtual Visit @11am

Senior Cap and Gown Ordering - 9AM - Noon

Saturday, October 31st

"Trick or Can" 

       

Thursday, November 5th 

Decision on re-entry

Wednesday, November 18

2nd quarter - 1st interim report

Friday, November 20th 

"Cover the City"

Friday, December 18th 

"Rylie's Blessings"

Wednesday, January 20

Current plan for re-entry for HS on 50% capacity - A/B day model

If there are any items I have not addressed, or failed to get answers to you, please remind me so I can stay on top of those inquiries. 

We are in it it together. We got this. We are... Southwest!

Enjoy your weekend!

Mr. Hettenbach