The Knight Times

Thomas Dale Faculty and Staff,

Can you believe that it is already October!? For me, it feels like December, and I'm sure you feel the same. We have accomplished A LOT in just one month together! We have tackled our first month of school and created a warm, welcoming environment where students are loved and cared for. I appreciate your efforts to build an environment and plant the seeds for trust, communication, and relationships to flourish.

With that, I would like to ensure that we are continuously improving our communication structure. The Knight Times, our primary communication tool, is robust. It is the one-stop shop for all things communication at Thomas Dale. Our weekly newsletter is a clear glimpse into our school as an organization and an indicator of how large we are and how many moving parts we have. I appreciate your commitment to reading The Knight Times and ensuring you are in-the-know when it comes to what's happening in the The Castle. Each week, I make adjustments based on feedback. This week, you will notice that each piece has an indicator of Information or Action Item next to it to signal to you whether an item is FYI or requires action. I am also including a Hitchhiker's Guide to Reading The Knight Times in a short video you can access HERE.

As always, please let me know how I can get better and how we can get better!

Up-Front Link Summary:

• KUDOS
• Tech Integrator - Janice Skipwith
• Go Purple Flyer
• Christmas Mother Volunteer Program Flyer
• 1st Period Teachers: Student Transportation Survey
• Tardy Clarification and Administrative Referrals
• PSAT Information Folder
• Teacher Built Resource Center
• Genius Hour Input
• Morning Announcement Faculty Form
• SOS Refresher Presentation
• Phone-A-Friend Signup (support from Megan Bryant)
• Homecoming Information - SCA
• Knight's Cafe Order Form

#EveryKnightEveryDay

The I Make A Difference award is a weekly recognition for a staff member going above and beyond the requirements of the job. Each week, the previous I Make A Difference award winner will select one member of the faculty/staff who displays excellence, goes the extra mile, and makes a difference and "pass" it on.

From Dave Duncan:

The eighth recipient of the I Make a Difference award is Deb Short. For those of you who do not know who Deb is – she is our Testing Coordinator (among many other things). She is most famous for being the person that holds the Thomas Dale ship together at SOL time. She trains us on the rules and regulations mandated by the state (and you know how difficult we can be as teachers) and then makes what is probably the most difficult testing schedule there is to make. She is amazing when she enters that zone and her expectations are high. She expects everyone to play their part and play it well (something she expects even more from herself). Now, let’s talk about the Deb Short many people do not get to witness. She is one of the most compassionate people I know and it shows in her love for the students. She has cried tears of joy when students have succeeded in overcoming obstacles that stand in the way of graduation and she has cried tears of sadness when students don’t quite reach those goals. She is a motivator and she takes a personal interest in every student in this school by ensuring those specific educational goals are eventually met. She works hand-in-hand with teachers, counselors, and administrators to make certain that students are taken care of in the remediation process and that every opportunity is afforded to them to succeed. She brings to her job a personal touch that is both esteemed and infectious. Lastly, I will say this – there has never been a day that I have walked out of her office feeling worse than when I walked in. When the storm clouds are looming, her office becomes a refuge. She has a way of setting you on the right course and her smile will stay with you for the rest of the day. Deb – thank you for everything you do and for making a difference at Thomas Dale High School.

The purpose of our weekly KUDOS is to give public affirmation to a faculty/staff member for a job well done. Anytime you witness something that you think deserves KUDOS, you are invited to fill out THIS FORM with the staff member's name and a little about why he/she deserves KUDOS. You will notice a difference in the form. We have added a layer that will send each individual recipient an email with attachment shortly after the KUDOS has been submitted! The list of teacher names and valiant acts will be published in The Knight Times. At each faculty meeting, those nominated for KUDOS will be entered into a drawing for a special prize! Be alert to the wonderful actions of your colleagues and give a shout out when you see something awesome!

Please enjoy this week's KUDOS by clicking HERE!

Each month, we will celebrate and recognize one teacher as the Teacher of the Month and one staff member as the Staff Member of the Month. We were so excited to celebrate Jamie Barrack as our Teacher of the Month and Michelle Kimenhour of our Staff Member or the Month!

Submit your nomination for October's Teacher and Staff Member of the Month by clicking HERE.

Each month, we will celebrate and recognize one student from each grade level as the Student of the Month. This student will be publicly recognized in front of classmates and on social media. Additionally, we will place a yard sign at each student's place of residency indicating that they are a Student of the Month for the appropriate grade level. Each student will be able to keep the yard sign. Each student who is nominated but not selected will also be recognized publicly.

Please think of a student you feel is deserving of October's Student of the Month and submit that student's name HERE.

• CPR Certified (Action Item). Please send Mark Fowler an email letting him know that your CPR certification is up-to-date.
• October 8 - Senior Meeting (Action Item - Senior Homeroom). Jay Roudabusch is coming for his annual cap & gown senior assembly on Oct. 8 during Club/Activities Meetings (9:20-10:00am). Seniors should report to Homeroom for attendance, and we ask that all Senior Homeroom Teachers escort their students to the auditorium and stay with us to assist with supervision.
• Tech Integrator (Information). Janice Skipwith is a wonderful resource for high-quality instruction. Please see her weekly newsletter HERE.
• From the Libraries (Information/Action). Remember we are here to help you with research projects, PBL projects, resources, booktalks and more! Don't forget to use the library! The libraries are open for students on Wednesday and Thursday mornings for Academic Enrichment. However, each student must have a pass from the library to attend. This is the only time of day that we do not take passes from teachers.

• Go Purple on October 1 (Information). Monday begins Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and you are invited to wear purple on Monday, October 1. Click HERE to view the flyer.

• Budget Advisory Committee (Information/Action). The school division is seeking 2 High School Teachers from across CCPS to serve on the Budget Advisory Committee. Please let Chris Jones know if you are interested. Thanks!

• Volunteer Opportunities (Information). The Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Christmas Mother Program is looking for volunteers. If you are interested in participating please click Here.

• (Re-Print, Information/Action) Date Change. Because of the weather event, we needed to reschedule our Back-to-School Night. After consideration and a request to open up other dates, the best date available is October 17. We will host an Open House instead of a Back-to-School Night. In an Open House format, we will open our doors from 6:00-7:30pm and folks will come and go as they please. The evening will not be structured with bells or following a set schedule.

• (Re-Print, Action Item) 1st Period Teachers. Please give students THIS FORM to complete in your 1st period class by next Thursday. It will take students 2-3 minutes to complete. Please have them select how they get to school each day. If they have/will ride the bus at least once, they will need to include their route number. I cannot explain how much you are helping us by carving out a short period of time for the students to complete this form. The bit.ly is http://bit.ly/2MPgwiQ (please remember it is case sensitive).

ATTENTION ALL EMPLOYEES (AND WE MEAN ALL!): Open enrollment for health and dental insurance takes place October 1 – 31, 2018. Be on the lookout for information from the Benefits Department via email on or about Monday, October 1. It is required by federal mandate that ALL employees pick up benefits materials and sign for them (even if you do not want them). This includes all employees: those who currently have benefits, those who do not currently have benefits, employees who do not want benefits and new employees who just received benefits or who just recently declined them. See Lyn Williams in the main office or Kirsten Graham in the west campus office. You can pick up and sign in either office. Our deadline for signing is October 12.

Please read the following information for updates and clarity on our discipline processes.

From Deb Short:

Here we go....we have lots of information that we are excited to share with you pertaining to the PSAT Test day on Wednesday, October 10th. All 10th and 11th graders will be testing during the PSAT Testing block; room assignments were made by their English Teacher/Period. Please make sure that you open all documents and let me know if you have any questions. Everyone will have a duty .....if I missed you by chance, please let me know. I don't want anyone to feel left out....

PSAT Bell Schedule: This adjusted bell schedule is different from previous years but we are excited to try something new. HERE The Lunch Block will be during Block 1; more detailed information will be shared.

PSAT Proctor/Room Assignments: HERE If you are normally at the Main Campus and have been assigned a duty on the West Campus, more detailed information will be shared about your specific duty on the West Campus.

Other Information: Seniors that report to school at 8:30 will report directly to the Small Auditorium for a "Study Hall". All Freshman will report directly to the West Campus. HERE

9th Graders that have 2E on the Main Campus: Please inform your students where to report on the West Campus. For now, the list is "alpha by teacher" but it will be changed before test day to "alpha by student". HERE

West Campus Room Assignments: West Campus teachers, some of you will only have your 2E students, with no additional students added. Others will have students added to your class from the Main Campus. Just like last year, a program of "activities" will be planned for the West Campus and this information will be shared by Administration. HERE

Mandatory PSAT training: If you were assigned a Senior "Study Hall" duty or a duty on the West Campus, you do NOT need to attend training. Everyone else MUST attend training. Training has always been offered after school, but since the CORE departments have Common Planning, training will be offered during the times listed below. If you can not attend any of these sessions, I can offer training before or after school or at the beginning of your planning and it will last no more than 30 minutes. If any of these times do not work for you, please email me and we can make other arrangements. Please remember that training is MANDATORY.

Career Center: Tuesday, October 2nd at 7:30 a.m.

English: Wednesday, October 3rd at 1:35 in RM 307

After School: Wednesday, October 3rd at 3:05 in RM 201

History: Thursday, October 4th at 11:35 in RM 501

Math: Thursday, October 4th at 1:35 in RM 202

The most important part of all of this information is that your support and cooperation are greatly appreciated. Thank you!!!

Great job on recognizing students with positive referrals. More referrals have just arrived and on Monday, an additional 5 positive referrals will be placed in boxes. The students seem genuinely excited when they receive one, some smile, some jump for joy and others ask how they can earn them. So please consider "writing a student up." Several of you have asked about criteria for positive referrals. The criteria is simply who you want to recognize and what you want the student to know that you appreciate them doing. When you fill out a positive referral form please give them to the appropriate administrator

• A - G: Dr. Grabham or Mrs. Lee
• H - M: Mrs. Hicks or Mr. Patterson
• N - Z: Mrs. Clark or Mr. Fowler

Thank you for recognizing our students!

Whether you’re having a hard time getting your students engaged or you and your students are rocking Monday Meeting, check out our new Teacher Built Resource Center! This is a place where we can all share activities, games, and ideas that have worked well during our Monday Meeting Enrichment. Let’s build this together and support each other along the way!

Our first Genius Hour will be Monday, October 29th! From learning how to throw a football or teaching someone how to change a tire or even learning how to study better…many great ideas were suggested through homerooms and we are excited to start this activity. In order to organize this day, we need you (teachers and students) to fill in the following form if you would like to host/run a Genius Hour. If you have a talent/skill/hobby, please consider hosting! We have lots of Knights that want to learn new things!!

bit.ly/TDGeniusHour

New Teachers/Mentors:

The next New Teacher/Mentor meeting will be held Thursday, October 4th in the West Campus Auditorium. The beginning of the session will be SOS training from School Counseling. Also, do not forget to submit your monthly collaboration log.

Google Classrooms for Homerooms:

Homeroom teachers - please have all of the students in your homeroom join their respective class’s Google Classroom. The School Counseling Department will be posting important information pertaining to each grade level throughout the year, and this is the best way to get that information to them!

This is also where we will post any links/information that students need to access from SCA, Administration, or other faculty members.

Class of 2019 (Seniors): qdpxews

Class of 2020 (Juniors): aitbjqt

Class of 2021 (Sophomores): 816xqic

Class of 2022 (Freshmen): uxfpb8

Thank you for your time!

Dear Thomas Dale Faculty & Staff,

The link below takes you to a google form - what we feel will be a simpler way for you to quickly get us your announcement to run on the daily video announcements.

Morning Announcement Faculty Form

There are two guidelines you need to know:

• Turn in your announcement at least a week before you’d like it to run.

• Please limit the time your announcement will run to three specific days.

If you’d like to share video promotions, raw video footage or still photographs to use during the morning announcements, place the media in the folder provided in this Announcements Folder in TDHS Essentials and fill in the following in the attached form:

• Tell us that you’ve included video or photography for us to find and use.

• Tell us what you’ve named your video or photograph.

• If you’re handing in multiple video clips or still photographs, group them in a folder and tell us what you’ve named the folder.

• Keep all edited video clips brief (think 30-45 seconds).

• You can share unedited raw footage - just know that we’ll edit it for broadcast.

We would love to also use your videos & photographs in The Knightly News publications - there is a place on this form for you to give your permission for that use.

Thank you for your support and patience !!

Lee Bloxom, adviser, The Knightly News & The Knightly News staff

School Counselors are gearing up for SOS (Signs-of-Suicide) Presentations which will occur during the time frame of October 8th through October 22nd. The SOS program which is geared to all 10th graders offers training to assist students with depression awareness and suicide prevention. During each lesson, students will view and discuss the Friends for Life video which helps them to recognize warning signs of suicide and seek help by using the ACT Model of Acknowledge. Care. Tell. Presentations will be presented through H/PE 10 classes (students not currently in H/PE 10 will be assigned a session to attend). In addition to this method of support for our students; we always welcome faculty, family, friend and self referrals.

New staff to Thomas Dale will receive training on the SOS program, during the new teacher meeting on October 4, 2018.

Returning staff please review the following presentation. If you want further clarification and/or training, you may attend the meeting for new staff onOctober 4, 2018 held in the West Auditorium immediately after school.

So, call me when you need a friend!
Have you ever been in the middle of teaching, or dealing with challenging behaviors and wished you could PHONE A FRIEND?? Well, now you can!

Phone a Friend support will be offered every Tuesday and Wednesday, during 2nd period, at both campuses!

Phone a friend for support with…

• using proactive circles in class to build trust and community

• addressing and uncovering the function of behavior with a particular student through restorative conferencing

• connecting to helpful resources, tips, and tricks regarding relationship building and understanding the brains of your young people

• finding a way to smile on a tough day- I’m happy to just sit with you, listen, and try to bring a smile to your face!

The Culture by Design Team is not only here to help students, but also to support teachers. I believe a big part of improving our culture is taking care of each other! So, if there is anything I can do to make your job easier, please don't hesitate to reach out!

While I won’t have all the answers, I promise to work with you to find and/or create the solutions you need!

Please CLICK HERE to sign up for the month of October.
I will be in the library, but can come to your room if you prefer.

If you need to meet at a different time, please email me personally to set something up :)

-Megan Bryant

You may not realize this, but Thomas Dale High School has an excited and committed group of student journalists working on The Knightly News. They will be traveling the halls during Enrichment, before & after school, and sometimes during 1st block in order to get the interviews and the information they need to better tell the Thomas Dale story.

Below is a picture of the press pass they will be carrying when they are on official Knightly News business. In order to carry a press pass, each of these journalism students and their parents have signed a Knightly News Code & Conduct Form. If they abuse this pass, they will lose it.

We really appreciate your support as we rebuild Thomas Dale’s journalism program. If a student journalist comes to your room with this pass & asks to interview one of your students, please encourage them and allow them to get the information they need to write the stories of Thomas Dale.

They do need to wander the halls to do their work as student journalists. We appreciate your support !

Thank you, Lee Bloxom , faculty adviser for The Knightly News

Please click on the link to the Google Doc, it has all of the information about Homecoming Week, as well as a sign-up form for chaperoning the dance and links to post for your Homerooms to vote on the Court. (All links are embedded in the form).

Don't forget Dale-Gates (5:30-7) 9/28, 10/12 and 11/2.

Thank you and thank you for your help! Only together can we make Dale even better and improve School Spirit!

Do you have any old games at home that you don’t use anymore?

Monopoly, Uno, Taboo, Scrabble, or just a deck of cards?

Please consider donating them!
We would like to create a bank of games to house in each main office for teachers to check out and use during Monday Meeting.

All donations are greatly appreciated!

Faculty there are opportunities to pick up extra monies. Thus far we have had a few teachers who have completed TWAs and are up and running earning the big bucks, but we are in need in other areas. If you are interested in earning a little extra cash and helping the school please see Mr. Fowler on Monday

Positions available

Saturday Detention

After School Detention

Safety and Security (roam building after school)

After School Supervision (SC, CBG etc)

Alternative Attendance program (seat time)

United Way

Faculty we need a volunteer to coordinate our United Way giving program. Every year we contribute as a faculty to the United Way and this year as a motivated, energized faculty, sans bullhorn I expect to be beating away the volunteers. This position does not involve a lot of work and is very rewarding. A big shout-out for MaryBeth Johnson who did it for many years, but alas she has retired. If you are interested in picking up the mantle please contact Mr. Fowler on Monday. This is a one time deal and is over within a month.

This week’s treats are Cinnamon streusel muffins,banana nut muffins and breakfast pizza.

For those of you who don't know the Knight's Cafe is run by my (Laurie Gholson) first period Life Skills Class, which is comprised of Exceptional Education students. The students handle almost every part of running their own business. They take the orders, process them, fill them, make the food and deliver. Below is the link to order food for the week. Once you fill it out the fun starts!

There are a few changes this year. The order form will now close on Tuesday night. Food will be delivered on Thursday during homeroom. If you would like to pay in advance (cash or check) I will take it and keep track of what you spend in the cafe. Your remaining balance will be noted on the cafe receipts.

If you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact me laurie_gholson@ccpsnet.net .

Please access the order form by clicking HERE.

As part of our intentionality to strengthen trust, communication, and relationships, we will include agendas and minutes from our meetings in this section of the newsletter.

• Admin Team: September 27
  
• ILT: September 7
  
• Instructional Admin: September 21
  
• Community Partners Meeting: September 11
• Principal's Advisory Council: September 19
• English: September 19

Lee Bloxom - October 2

Cindy Waters - October 3

Becky Reiter, Bianca Lapierre - October 5

Anne Coppedge - October 7

Enjoy your day!!!

Stay connected to OUR CALENDAR and mark yours!

Click HERE for our 2018-2019 meeting dates.

October 1 - Specialty Center Fair (CTC@Hull)

October 2 - All County Band Exhibition

October 4 - Competition Cheer Invitational

October 8 - Pathways Meeting

October 8-12 - Homecoming Week

October 8-22 - Signs of Suicide Presentations for 10th Grade Students in H/PE Classes

October 10 - PSAT Testing (Adjusted Schedule is HERE)

October 12 - Early Release Day for Students (Adjusted Schedule is HERE)

October 17 - Open House (6-7:30pm)

Click below to access previous issues of The Knight Times, our weekly staff newsletter:

• Week of August 13
• Week of August 20
• Week of August 27
• Week of September 3
• Week of September 10
• Week of September 17
• Week of September 24

Click below to access previous issues of From the Castle, our monthly parent and community newsletter:

• August 2018
• September 2018
• October 2018

If you have information you need to share, input you seek, or dates you need to communicate, please send it to me. As we improve our communication structure, The Knight Times will become an increasingly collaborative document.

Please email me what you'd like to share - just ensure you have The Knight Times as part of your subject line. I will just need a title, body of text to include, and a picture attachment (if you have one to add to your piece).

Email: christopherm_jones@ccpsnet.net
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/ccpsnet.net/tdhs/
Location: 3626 W. Hundred Rd. Chester, VA 23831
Phone: (804) 768-6245
Facebook: facebook.com/ThomasDale
Twitter: @GoTDKnights