Hello Bailey's community,

Notes from Principal's Coffee on 2/19/08 - thanks to Larry Lefbom for recording what was discussed.

Mr. McClain reviewed the attached (something similar was reviewed at the February PTA meeting).

Points were raised about the skills gained by previous drama program: goalsetting, play development process, elements of acting/theater and behind the scenes roles. Discussion ensued about importance of play to parents/community/children. Back and forth about old vs. new and clarification of the road ahead. We will participate in the Arena Stage Playwriting competition wherein plays are submitted in the mid-March timeframe. We will pick ~2 plays from this competition (or take the winners, I’m not sure) for Bailey’s 4th/5th graders to audition, produce and present in the April/early May timeframe. While not as large as past productions, this allows others to participate (i.e. writers).

What’s up with TV news? A: Want more integration between technology and classroom goals. At same time, the teacher that ran the news is on a one year sabbatical (Mr. Leavitt). Some teachers wanted to do the news, others didn’t. Also, students that aren’t immersed in technology at home were falling even further behind and we wanted to shift some resources towards them. Also saw that the 15 minutes per day for watching the news was a burden on every teacher at the school and many students weren’t listening anyway unless they were in that day’s production. Other technology integration with home room teachers is taking place.

Distance learning is becoming more $ and it appears the students learn more from hands on learning. As distance learning passes field trips in expense, it seems a better use of our resources for the better learning environment afforded by field trips. But we’ll continue some distance learning. I was losing attention here, so I probably don’t have this part exactly right.

Some questions around drama focus and importance. Mr. McClain noted the bottom up review of our drama program and emphasizing it’s integration with class curriculum is evidence that drama is very important at Bailey’s. Just continuing existing programs without thinking about them would be evidence that nobody cares.

Mr. McClain will get out a survey with goal of helping us move forward and bring in those voices unable to make the PTA meeting or coffee. Life is about evolving and we’ll be taking things one step at a time.

Photos of the Mural Installation (September 2007) are available thanks to Aysegul Acar-Dreyer.

New Baileys Marquee -- again thanks to Aysegul Acar-Dreyer for the photo.

Bailey's teachers Lynn Riggs and Betsy Walter were interviewed on the August 16th edition of The News Hour with Jim Lehrer about how some of the country's best teachers are dealing with the No Child Left Behind law. Check out audio and video of the segment "Teachers Grapple with Attaining Education Law's Goals".

The Student Responsibilities and Rights handbooks are posted on the Fairfax County Public Schools Special Services web site in several languages.

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