As the fall semester ends, the transition into spring provides the perfect moment to strengthen classroom systems. Use the following framework—Reflect, Reboot, Refine, Reset—to guide your midyear reset with clarity and confidence.

Reflect - What structures and routines from the fall do I want to continue, and what needs to change?

• Identify 1 - 2 routines that consistently worked well and why.

• Pinpoint the moments where learning was lost (transitions, directions, group work).

• Look for root causes, not just surface-level symptoms - what is the real challenge?

Reboot- What procedures need to be explicitly re-taught as if it were the first week of school?

• Choose 2 - 3 high-impact routines to model, practice, and reinforce in January.

• Teach each routine step-by-step with clear examples and modeling.

• Provide feedback and practice opportunities until expectations feel automatic again.

Refine - How can I simplify or streamline a routine to make it easier for students to follow?

• Reduce unnecessary steps and add visual cues (charts, checklists, posted directions).

• Assign student jobs or roles to distribute responsibility and improve flow.

• Ask students for quick feedback on what slows them down or confuses them.

Reset - What tone, expectations, and community commitments do I want to re-establish as we begin spring?

• Revisit classroom norms and co-create class commitments for the new semester.

• Re-teach essential routines during the first week back: entering, exiting, transitions, tech use, etc.

• Rebuild relational routines - greet students, check in, and affirm the growth they’ve made.

Teaching is a profession of reflection and refinement. No teacher, first year or twentieth year gets everything perfect the first time. Midyear adjustments show your professionalism and dedication, not your inexperience.

Reflecting, rebooting, refining, and resetting isn’t just about procedures. It’s about reclaiming your confidence, your energy, and your vision for the classroom you want to create.

The spring semester is a powerful opportunity for a fresh start, for you and your students.

You’re not starting over.

You’re starting ahead.

Even with the best structures and routines, we may still have students who struggle to meet our expectations. What do we do when we have tried everything in our toolbox? Maybe it’s time for a new tool, or a new way to use an old tool.

PBIS World is a resource to help address a variety of behavior issues. Here’s how it works.

1. Identify the behavior

2. After you identify the behavior, ask yourself, “Are these the behaviors I am seeing?”

3. Review the list of possible interventions. Each intervention provides specific information and directions about why this intervention is effective, when to implement it, and how to implement it.

Remember, addressing student misbehavior is oftentimes trial and error. What works for one student may not work for another, and what worked for a student yesterday may not work today. Don’t lose hope. Continue to maintain your high expectations and continue building your toolbox, you’ll be ready for whatever comes your way.

MobileMind Registration 

Saturday, January 10th

In this session, educators will learn how to collect, interpret, and respond to student data in order to make strategic instructional decisions. Through interactive activities and real classroom examples, participants will practice analyzing assessment results, identifying patterns, and determining next steps for whole-group and targeted instruction. By the end of the session, teachers will walk away with a deeper understanding of the data analysis process and a clear plan for applying these strategies in their own classrooms.

On the events tab, look for “External Events.” Click “Request Approval,” and follow the prompts to upload documentation for out of district professional development.

Do NOT select 'I need pre-approval for this event' as this will only slow down your process.

Be sure to include accurate dates and times, proof of attendance, and the types of credit you are requesting, such as off-contract, GT Update hours, ESL, etc. You can select multiple time categories.

Do not submit out of district workshops to both MobileMind AND eduphoria. Please keep your request limited to one platform.

Adobe Creativity Institute

Jan. 24 Registration Link

Register in MobileMind

Education is often filled with acronyms… PLC, ARD, RtI, T-TESS, STAAR, etc. but what do all these acronyms mean? Take some time to explore these quick reference guides for the most common acronyms used in education, and specifically special education or SPED.

Common Humble ISD Acronyms

Special Education Acronym Quick Reference Guide

As the semester wraps up, taking a few minutes to intentionally close out your digital classroom can make a huge instructional difference when students return. A clean tech reset helps you start the next term focused on learning—not troubleshooting.

Wrap Up Your Instruction in Your Learning Management System

Schoology (6-12)

Take time to close out your semester courses. 

1. Finish First-Semester Tasks 

• Finalize all first-semester grades. Enter a score for all gradebook items / no blanks.

• Review gradebook categories, weights, and grading scale. Grading categories and weights in Schoology must match TAC. 

• Confirm every assignment has a due date to avoid eSchoolPlus sync issues.

• Grade and publish any remaining Schoology assessments; export results if needed.

• Clean up unused or duplicate materials.

• Save any content you plan to reuse into Resources.

2. Prepare for Course Transition 

• Students will continue to see first-semester courses over winter break for review.

• These courses will be removed from student view on January 7, but you will still be able to access them under Courses > My Courses > Archive.

3. Set Up Second-Semester Courses 

• Complete your gradebook setup and eSchoolPlus configuration for each section by January 5 (step-by-step directions).

• When copying content, copy only the folders or items you need to avoid clutter in your gradebook.

• Update due dates, availability settings, completion rules, and linked materials after copying.

• Check visibility settings so only intended items are published.

• Review your Gradebook Sync Log for any errors.

• If using linked sections, verify that the linking setup is correct once new rosters load.

• Ensure your course has a clear organizational structure for students and families.

• Post a short “Welcome Back” message or overview to help students get started.

4. Students will see second-semester courses on January 6.

Check out the Schoology End-of-year (term) checklist for teachers for more support or reach out to your campus Schoologist. 

Google Classroom (K-5)

Take time to put a bow on your course for the semester. 

1. Grade and return any assignments. 

2. Clean-up your Google Drive folder, if needed. 

3. Manage student groups

4. Clean-up organization with Topics

5. More items to consider for organization.

*Note: When exploring Google Classroom resources keep in mind that we are on the Education Fundamentals version of Google Workspace and may not have access to all features. 

A few device tips…

• Check and report any breakages so they can be repaired. 

• Device running slow? Consider a reboot. 

• Power down and plug in devices for the break. This will make sure they are ready to go when you return. 

Final Thought 

You don’t have to do everything perfectly—just intentionally. A small amount of digital preparation now leads to a smoother, calmer start in the new year. Your classroom (physical and digital) will thank you.

Wellness is a connection of paths: knowledge and action.” – Joshua Holtz

WORTHY MOTIVATIONAL MUSIC

Deep Breaths- Lookas

Have Questions? Contact us!

pl@humbleisd.net

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