Successful Seminars
It was great to see some of our advisory students starting to get really into seminars and skills groups. I have had awesome reports from their teachers on their participation in these groups.
Psychology is going really well, I have several students who are really getting into our Scratch seminar. I'm also seeing a great start to STARS prep! 75% of my advisees are giving the Spring STARS MAAP employment competition a try this year! Let's hope just as many last until the big conference in the spring. It is a lot of work, but several kids are showing serious interest and progress.
Other highlights for the week include our advisory video and discussion on the Ebola virus in West Africa, transformational outcome goal-making, and ending the week with advisory vs. advisory Jeopardy! Even though we were badly outcompeted (in large part because of me), we worked really well together as a team, and everyone supported each other. Wrong or write. Thanks for a great week advisees!
Psychology is going really well, I have several students who are really getting into our Scratch seminar. I'm also seeing a great start to STARS prep! 75% of my advisees are giving the Spring STARS MAAP employment competition a try this year! Let's hope just as many last until the big conference in the spring. It is a lot of work, but several kids are showing serious interest and progress.
Other highlights for the week include our advisory video and discussion on the Ebola virus in West Africa, transformational outcome goal-making, and ending the week with advisory vs. advisory Jeopardy! Even though we were badly outcompeted (in large part because of me), we worked really well together as a team, and everyone supported each other. Wrong or write. Thanks for a great week advisees!
We're Through with Quarter 2
The school year is officially half way done as of Friday! Welcome to quarter 3! Several great projects were presented to the advisory Friday morning, most of you completely Qt 2 transformational outcomes journals, several of you earned a substantial amount of credit for your hard work and involvement in your skills groups and seminars. A lot of you felt the pains of deadline stress, but your hard work paid off! I got a four page paper analyzing the Serial podcast from R'Elle, an awesome astronomy project from Ari, a creepy project on Serial Killers from our criminal psychology minded student, Nancy, and many more.
Climate Change and Basketball
One has nothing to do with the other! For the last couple of weeks we have spent a good amount of time talking about the science of climate change, and the impact it is having on the world. The students in my advisory have gotten really involved in the topic. We wrapped it up last week and will move onto a different topic in the news this week. But based on interest, I will likely pull together a climate change seminar in the near future.
For the past couple of weeks we have had to adapt to the absence of a teacher, one that used to take our students to play basketball a few days a week. With him gone the other advisors have tried to pick up the slack. I went to play basketball with the kids three times this week. It's been fun watching them interact, improve on team work, and support each other.
For the past couple of weeks we have had to adapt to the absence of a teacher, one that used to take our students to play basketball a few days a week. With him gone the other advisors have tried to pick up the slack. I went to play basketball with the kids three times this week. It's been fun watching them interact, improve on team work, and support each other.
Productive First Week Back from Break
It seems that a two week break was what we all needed in order to get revived for the end of the quarter. Several independent projects were completed, projects for seminars and skills groups are coming together, and Friday Funday's activities were really fun for those of you that could make it! We also had several students apply for Urban Boat Builders, an Emily Program advocate came into speak (and was rescheduled for later in January), transformational outcome journals are coming together, advisory activities were successful, our ongoing discussion on climate change in the news has been really informative. We also wrapped up fractions/percentages/decimals in advisory math lab and are moving onto probability and statistics. So far so good. A lot of credit bumps were earned this week. Way to go guys!
Spirit Week
This week was spirit week to wrap up the last week before winter break. My advisory was generally pretty involved. Pajama day was the best! We also went as a group to Base Camp on Monday to do team building activities and the high ropes course. Great job to all of you who gave it a shot! It was a hard work and a little scary, but a great experience overall. On our final Friday before school let out for break we handed out certificates and played a couple advisory challenge games. Congrats Sarayea for earning a certificate for exceptional leadership skills.
"Family" Dinner
A couple of weeks ago we decided as an advisory to give another team work activity a shot. The students were so disappointed about how "feast" went down, which was generally a disaster because the advisory was working against each other rather than in support of each other. We decided to have a feast of our own, with no time constraints, no pressure of competition. Just a chance for us to work together to make some great food, and to eat together. The students were 100% responsible for the menu, cooking, decorating, washing dishes, cleaning up and more. The only thing I did was pick up the ingredients and bring in cooking utensils from home. The advisory worked very well together. It was a great time. The advisory also decided to give all of their leftovers to kids in the other advisories, which I thought was really cool. They could have just as easily packed up another plate for themselves to take home. Way to go team! We are getting there. Baby steps.
Friendly Neighbor
I am so proud of my students this week. Our advisory dynamic has been a little shaky in the recent past, as has our relationship with our immediate neighbors. I decided that I wanted to get my students to do something cooperative together and at the same time try to build positive relationships back up with our neighbors. I pitched an idea to my students to make holiday cookies for our neighbors, hand deliver them and include a newsletter written by Jennings students on Jennings projects. The advisory was reluctant at first, but were eventually on board. Most of the advisory helped in some way or another. We made some really awesome, well decorated cookies because the advisory worked well together. We are starting to get a way from a "me, me, me" mentality and moving closer to a "we can do this together" mentality. The neighbors were really appreciative. It certainly didn't mend our relationships over night, but it's a start. Thanks for all that contributed!
Feast
Each advisory chose a culture to study. Every day of the week, each advisory will cook dishes and organize activities around their chosen culture. Our advisory chose Mexican culture. Our menu included agua fresca, tamales, chiles rellenos, and tres leches cake. Although there were a few bumps in the road, for the most part it turned out well. The cake, agua fresca and chiles rellenos all turned out really well. We knew from the get go that the tamales would be a challenging dish to make, as they take time and there are several methods to choose from. They didn't end up done on time, so we froze them over the holiday weekend, and will try again on Monday. Our team also spent a lot of time and energy making two pinatas. Thanks to Gabriel, Tyler and Nancy for their contributions. They both turned out really well. It was fun to watch the school crack into them. This event certainly tested our groups ability to work as a team and problem solve. Team work is one area we can stand to improve. We will be going on a mystery advisory outing in order to spend some time together and do a little team building in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned for that!
Highlights of the Week 11/13
This was a pretty rough week as far as attendance and productivity is concerned. There are a lot of sicknesses going on and the students are getting a bit antsy for a break. Thanksgiving break is badly needed! So, I wanted to take this week to highlight some of the amazing projects that are being done right now in my advisory. Amari, Nancy and Sarayea are well on their way to wrapping up some pretty impressive community action projects. Amari is collecting clothing and canned foods for victims of sex trafficking. She has been working closely with an organization called "Breaking Free", which was organized to help girls get out of the sex trade. Nancy is collecting toys for children with cancer whom will be in the hospital over the holidays. She made fliers, business cards, contacted several toys stores in the area including Toys R Us, who offered to donate several hundred toys. Then there is Sarayea who is getting involved in lowering teen pregnancy rates by educating the public. She will be making a website with information and resources on teen pregnancy. She will also be making hundreds of "fortune tellers" with information on proper use of contraceptives, places to go in the city to get assistance and more. She will casually leave these "fortune tellers" all over the city where teens might be (like the city bus), with a link on it connecting to her website for more information. Gabriel and Karisha are also in the initial planning stages of their community action projects, which includes writing a bill to add puppy mills to the Animal Welfare Act (Karisha), and addressing the misconceptions about our student population to the community (Gabe) by hosting an event at school in which the neighborhood is invited. Great job so far guys! Keep it up. I'm impressed by your abilities to do such advanced projects. These projects are not easy. They take a lot of hard work and passion.
We also started a personal finance "unit" this week in advisory, which will probably go on for the rest of the quarter, as well as daily math and Thursday math labs. I am impressed with participation. Keep it up.
We also started a personal finance "unit" this week in advisory, which will probably go on for the rest of the quarter, as well as daily math and Thursday math labs. I am impressed with participation. Keep it up.
Highlights of the Week 11/3
Off to a slow start this new quarter. We have started new seminars and reading groups. A good start with those so far. I have seen some pretty amazing projects and project ideas so far in some of your seminars. Very inspiring stuff. We also got about 10 pie orders last week for our advisory fundraising for Syria project. We will make those pies this week and get them off to their buyers. Thanks to those of you who presented in last weeks presentation day. If you presented you got a certificate for doing so, and you received a significant credit bump for your efforts.
Highlights of the Week 10/30
We had SUCH a busy week! Between being the end of the quarter and me being sick, we actually had a pretty productive week (some of us). Dr. Fisch came to talk about his experience with the Holocaust, presentation day on Thursday, Halloween decorating on Friday! So busy. I think we are probably all looking forward to winding down a bit as we start a new quarter.
Highlights of the Week 10/23
This was an awesome week, one our advisory should be proud of. We spend a morning packing food at Feed My Starving Children. We packed enough food to feed 28 children for a year. We also hosted our own advisory exhibit for the rest of the Jennings students to view. Sara's advisory students spent a couple weeks researching cultures from around the globe. They put together presentations and artifacts, including recipes for the rest of the student body to sample. They worked really hard, under the pressure of a specific deadline, and did a wonderful job. Thanks to those of you who participated in this event. It was a lot of work, but you earned a good chunk of credit and hopefully learned a few things. Several of my students also earned certificates this week for completing their 45 Day PBL Toolbox checklist early: Gabriel, Amari, Ari, Tyler, and Sarayea. The rest are very close. Nice work this week!
Productivity 10/13
As of 10/14, well over half of my advisory is at 100% + productivity. Ninety percent of the students that are not quite at 100% are very close, in the upper 80's and 90's and are getting higher and higher every week. I am so proud of the effort and growth I've seen from this group the last few weeks. Keep it up!
Certificates this Week 10/9
Over half of you in my class have 100% + productivity. The rest of you are gaining speed quickly. Even though some of you didn't earn certificates last week, you should be proud of yourselves. ALL OF YOU. I have several students that are floating around the 80-99% scale and that number is going up significantly every week. With that said, don't use that as permission to slack off. Keep working toward your goals. Finish projects.
I also had several students win an award for representing Jennings in a positive light. Nypree, R'Elle, Angelo and Arianna were wonderful to have on the Forestville Mystery Cave Park trip, and other visitors agreed with me. I would invite them on another trip any day. Thanks guys!
I also had several students win an award for representing Jennings in a positive light. Nypree, R'Elle, Angelo and Arianna were wonderful to have on the Forestville Mystery Cave Park trip, and other visitors agreed with me. I would invite them on another trip any day. Thanks guys!
Weekly Project: Start a Club
Three students decided to take advantage of last weeks weekly project, starting a club. Nypree and Karlos are starting a drumming ensemble, and Angelo is starting a board club. Starting a club is very helpful for your resume and organization skills. Learn how to be a leader and how to run and organize a team. Stay tuned for meetings and events planned by these students in the future and find a way to get involved.
Certificates this Week 10/2
Congrats Tyler and Karlos for getting certificates this week. Tyler for "innovative project" and Karlos "noticeable improvement".
Off to a Good Start on Holiday Pie Fundraiser 9/25
On Friday of this week I got a list of jobs to make our pie fundraiser as successful as possible (details on fundraiser under quarterly assignments tab). R'Elle, Nancy and Arianna helped get us started by finding pumpkin and apple pie recipes that can be frozen until the holidays. They also did a practice run on both pies to gauge interest from students and staff. They taste tested the pies at the end of the day. Their taste buds suggested that they would indeed purchase pies from us for their holiday celebrations.
Certificates This Week
Congratulations to Ari, Arianna, Tyler, and Nancy for having 100% + productivity so far this year.
Thank you to those of you who earned certificates for random acts of kindness: Sarayea, Gabriel, Nypree and R'Elle.
Thank you to those of you who earned certificates for random acts of kindness: Sarayea, Gabriel, Nypree and R'Elle.
Sara's Advisory Students in Various Seminars 9/18
It's great seeing my advisory students get so involved with their seminars. That's the way to earn credit, and THAT's one way to get the most out of your experience at Jennings, by participating. Thanks R'elle for hosting an awesome Minute to Win It challenge through Student Government, and Gabby, Karisha, Nancy and Tyler for providing some of the best apple cider I've ever had!
Friday All School "Minute to Win It" Challenge 9/18
Congrats Val's advisory for winning the golden toilet seat! We will take them next time!
The World is the Classroom!
One of our very own advisory students has been working long, arduous hours at home helping restore a family members home. This experience could be turned into a project and awarded credit. What are you working on at home that could be turned into a credit opportunity?
Archery 9/17
A few of our advisory students were able to participate in an archery lesson on Thursday. They were all great. Bulls eye!
Congrats to those who earned certificates on Friday for perfect attendance! 9/18
Arianna B., Nancy, and Tyler!
Congrats to those who earned certificates Friday for completing a project! 9/18
Gabby, Ari T., Nancy and Tyler
St. Croix River Canoeing - 9/11/15
On Friday of our second week of school, one of JCLC's seminar's (Outdoor Activities) set out to Taylor's Falls and canoed 8 miles to Osceola. Several of our advisory students got to enjoy this experience.
Barn's Bluff Advisory Outing - 9/9/15
We headed out as an advisory on our "mystery advisory outing" on Wednesday. I didn't tell the advisory where we were going. We drove about an hour to Red Wing, MN and hiked to the top of Barn's Bluff where we got an amazing view of Red Wing and the Mississippi River. Then we got ice cream at the Red Wing Confectionary. It was a great start to the year!
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