Harwood Union Staff Blog 2022-23 : Harwood Staff Blog Update

Team -

We’re opening the blog today with a note from Jess Deane:

Over the past few weeks, we’ve collected a lot of data that gives us a look at the academic “status” of this school year so far. We already know that, in a number of ways, this year is uniquely challenging. The data I’ve seen so far, and look forward to sharing and analyzing more together, only further confirms this.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the students’ feedback from the ELO survey. Perhaps the most commonly identified “barrier/challenge” to ELO was this:

“I think that the rotational schedule for booking the entire class should be removed. It is overly complicated and just gets rid of time for true ELOs. Not all teachers feel the need for this time either. I think that teachers should never be required to book a whole class, and that teachers should not book the entire class in consecutive weeks for class time purposes (open work time with the teacher available is different).”

On Wednesdays, students are asking for more study spaces, opportunities to ask their teachers questions and catch up on work, and more creative and active options.

I can’t help but connect this with recent data from Quarter 1 progress reports:

In grade 10, out of 112 students,

67 students have at least one class < 2.6
20 students have three or more classes < 2.6

In grade 11, out of 130 students,

64 students have at least one class < 2.6
16 students have three or more classes < 2.6

On the Collective Leadership Teams, we are exploring this feedback and proposals for what we can improve about ELO. In the meantime, as fully-booked classes continue on the rotating schedule (Math, STEM, Drivers Ed, and PE/Wellness next week), consider this feedback when planning the use of time on ELO Wednesdays - both anecdotal and numerical data seem clear that students need more time to complete work and get support.

How can we structure ELO blocks, even when they are fully booked, to provide them with this time?

Let’s work together to continue improving our practices to support all students. We’re all in this together!

Jess

Calendar:

Staff Member	Appreciations
Alex and Andrew	For using the student bathroom in order to support our community in being a safe space for ALL students!
Marcus, Kevin, Katie & Brian Wagner	Thank you for diving into lunch duty in the cafeteria - for circulating the seating charts, helping clean up and generally keeping students safe.
A HUGE shout out to Maggie and Phil	For continuing to manage contact tracing line lists and communication to families while also managing weekly testing in addition to the daily needs of our community.
Jodie	For your collaboration and brilliant idea to hit two birds with one stone as we seek to ensure bathrooms are appropriately used and support Staff wellness.
Global Studies Team	For your collaboration and thoughtful mini unit on media and addiction and for continuing to foster Harkness skills.
Tedin, Andrew, Kate Stauss & Jackie	For your collaboration in to hold Frankenstien’s trial and the beautifully persuasive arguments made.
Skyler	For his vision to transform the room in the front office that represents a physical environment that supports a positive school climate and culture.
Bernadette	For all her work on student support plans, lunch group with struggling students, communication to teaching teams
Thank you all	For your responsiveness to ensuring seating charts are up to date and easily accessible. Contact tracing has been much smoother and taken far less time as a result.

Safe - seen, heard, respected & understood:

Topics	Information/Links
Fire Drill reminder	When: Friday November 12th @ 10:35 Where: By Flex Block How: Fire Drill Reminders and logistics
Cafeteria reopening	The Harwood Cafeteria is open again! If students are feeling uncomfortable in the cafeteria please email their counselors so we can consider appropriate next steps. Next week TA’s will have time to process this reopening with students so we can continue to support this transition.
Student Support	Tardy Students: Students still need to check in at the Front Office when arriving at school late. Students also need to get a pass if tardy Reminder: please do NOT send students back out to get a pass if they don’t have one just mark as a UX. How to Seek Support: If NO student support specialists are available: Call the front office If that doesn’t work call Duane Log an entry so we can follow up later Log Entries: Please log all incidents in PowerSchool If you can't write an incident report because you don’t have access on PowerSchool, please email the student support email
Family Newsletter	Want to see what’s going out in this week’s ? See here.