Friday MM

Good Morning!

EOG 2nd admin today is Calculator inactive and a few make-up tests in Reading and science.  Expect a long day and the all clear later than normal.

Although we had our May fire drill Wednesday, we still will need to execute a June drill before the end of the year.  I anticipate Monday afternoon.  

A plea from our grounds committee to water your garden plots and window boxes daily through the end of the year.  After June 13th, It will be handled by Summer staff (Silvia and myself.)

I want to be clear that I will NOT allow field trip fund balances to be used to purchase food for end-of-year celebrations.  We asked for money to enrich and extend students educational experience.  Pizza on the last day does not meet that requirement. Silvia is in contact with our Auditor to provide clarification on the communication needed to either write a refund check or allow parents to have the balance of the fund support the school field trip fund for the following year.  


subs:
Ronald Thomas for Lynn Vernon
Rosemary Hazy for Trish Gulledge

Thursday MM

Good morning!


Let's have a great day of Math testing!  The Downtown  School will be in the gym tonight for their talent show.


Please see Damita today if you have any questions about the EOY data procedures. We will need all NC WISE data for grades to be complete and closed out by 8am Thursday, June 7th. 


Subs:
Annette France for Paige Sipe
No sub for Joel Peddle.  We will let you know what to do about PE this afternoon after the all clear on testing

Wednesday MM

Good Morning!  

 Reading test today!  Keep a GREAT climate for all our 2nd Admin students.

Faculty meeting today at 3:20 in the media center!  Damita will not be able to present her expectations as she is at the WS/FCS Data managers meeting today.   She will be available Thursday to answer any questions from her e-mailed list for the cumulative folders.


Thursday evening the Downtown School will be using our stage and gym for their Annual Talent show.  Then Friday afternoon our fifth grade parents will turn the gym into the site of the Fairy Tale Ball for Monday morning.  Which means that Monday the 4th there will be no gym duty.  Students will report to class at 7:50, please be prepared for their arrival.


subs:
Glendora Epperson for Kim Mason am only

Information from Technology.........

Elementary School Grades 3-5 Posting Final Marks:

This is the first year 3-5 Teachers will be Posting Final “Alpha” Marks in NCWISE.  All 3-5 teachers are asked to review the CHAPTER 13 ES End of Yr Mark Calculations document as well as the accompanying 8 minute WebEx at the on the NCWISE page of the district website at the following link:

http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/Page/45268

The document and Webex are available 24/7.  All 3-5 Core Academic teachers must ensure the Final Mark is calculated.  This mark archives Teacher-Course-Student Linkages. 

Monday MM - 2nd admin week

Good Morning!

I ran into an 85 year old WW II veteran at Harris Teeter on Sunday.  He was looking for the leg and thigh pieces in the rotisserie chickens and couldn't tell which was which due to the packaging/small labels.  After I helped him find the right serving, he shared his story including his remembrance of many of his friends who did not come home.  I was honored to be able to listen and thank this soldier who made a difference in my life through his service to our country.  It was an amazing opportunity for reflection on the meaning of the Memorial Day holiday.

As I write this blog Monday night before our second administration, I want to thank you for serving our students and providing the leadership and support for all to be successful.  Today we are focused on Science testing for the fifth grade with a couple of students beginning reading testing.  Please follow the schedules posted last week and continue to provide Brunson's Best assessment climate.

Wednesday we will have a faculty meeting with Damita, Silvia, Deb, Stephanie, Kathy, & Andy as our presenters to provide structure for our end-of-year procedures.

No Subs today! {as of 9:30 Monday night}

Friday MM

Please remember to PUMP UP your 2nd admin kids to be their best on Tuesday for our re-test window.  We will be on the EOG lunch and recess schedule.  They and the revised specials schedule are posted in the blog documents folder in a sub-folder called May 29-June1.

Kindergarten and First grade will present their musical performance today at 2pm..  All are Welcome as we will make an all call at 1:45 or so.

Enjoy the memorial day Holiday and take time to do something for yourself.  Be.intentional about tending to your socio-emotional needs.

Subs:

No sub for Nicole Robinson

No sub for Stephanie Smith

Joey Stone for Suzanne Sarfert

Gwen Sloan for Cindy Sanders

Thursday MM

Good Morning!


Lara needs your help with our calendar vote.  The Wednesday deadline is now the 29th.  Please follow the directions and let her know which calendar option for 2013-14 you prefer.


Enjoy the Bagels in the fridge room and thanks for your efforts to have a "focused" testing window last week.  We need to replicate our efforts for the 2nd administration which runs May 29-June 1st.  The schedule will be similar to EOG week with only a shift in which special to attend.  Times for specials, lunch and recess will be identical to the EOG week schedule of May 14-18.


My meeting yesterday was informative and full of conversations about Race to the Top and the NC Ready Initiative.  I will share many more details in our SIT or faculty meetings coming up.


subs:
Lynn Boyles for Julie LaPlante
Lynn Jenninigs for Nicole Londono
Rosemary Hazy for Stephanie Smith

Tuesday MM

No Excuses - I just forgot the bagels.  My fault, I am sorry.  My plan is to have bagels and cream cheese from the bagel station in the fridge room by 7:45 on Thursday the 24th.  I will understand if you are skeptical.

The Brunson future meeting was well attended by the West Highlands Neighborhood. They want to convey their hopes and dreams lie with Brunson remaining as the "anchor tenant" of their community. 

No faculty meeting Wednesday.  A small group of 8 faculty members will be trained in CPR by our central office staff at 3pm in the media center on Wednesday.  

There will also be no Blog for Wednesday as  I will be at my Principals LTM and then on to the monthly elementary Principals meeting.  Our agenda is focused on School Improvement planning and the shift that will add value to the process.

Please refrain from the video festivals that plague some schools after testing is complete.  We have many EIE activities and STEM related explorations that would engage and enrich the lives of our students.  See Andy Kraft today if you need any assistance or guidance with your STEM focus to close out our amazing school year.

Sub today - Rosemary Hazy for Linnea Patrick

Monday MM - After EOG Schedule

Good Morning!

Make-up tests today in only a few locations, so please be aware and respectful for the students this morning!

Results will be shared with grade levels as we are able to make our rounds.  Keep all instruction relevant and engaging so our children can continue to grow in these final 13 days of school. 

From Lara and TAC to the Brunson Staff,

It is time to vote on which of the two calendar options we would prefer for 2013-2014.

Please respond by Wednesday to Lara Overby via e-mail with either the word traditional or unified in the subject line.  She will tabulate our results and share with central office.
 

Check out the following message from Dr. Lambros.

I understand that Brunson is sending 12 teachers to a PBL Institute in August that Bud Harrelson is supporting for Hanes. We will need to know the names of the 12 teachers attending from Brunson by June 7. We need their email addresses as well so we can communicate directly with them and give them registered access to the PBL library.

Thanks, Ann Lambros, Ph.D.

Assistant Dean for Education and Director

Center of Excellence for Research, Teaching, & Learning

Wake Forest School of Medicine
 

We do not have 12 confirmed participants.  In fact, we only have two.  Please consider this amazing opportunity to grow professionally and commit to the August 6-9 training for PBL.

No Subs Today

Friday MM - EOG make up day

Good Morning!

Excellent effort on keeping a safe and warm environment for students to perform at their maximum potential on the EOG.  Let's continue as we have a few students to re-test over the next 2 days.  Locations for testing Friday (today)

• Main floor - Media & Art Room
• Outside - Mobile 34, Mobile 35, Mobile 38, Mobile 40
• Upstairs - Resource & Guidance

Next Week - May 21-25th - brings the opportunity to enrich all our students with engaging instruction.  Utilize methods to "connect" topics from this year and bring relevance into everything you plan.  Our schedule for the week is......

• Remain in our EOG lunch schedule. (posted on the board and in the Blog documents "May 21-25, 2012 schedules")
• Have a NEW Specials schedule (posted on the board and in the Blog documents "May 21-25, 2012 schedules")
• Have a NEW Recess schedule (posted on the board and in the Blog documents "May 21-25, 2012 schedules")
• Have a K-1 Musical Performance on Friday at 2pm
• Have CPR training for selected Staff on Wednesday May 23rd
• Have BAGELS in the Fridge room on Monday as a thanks from Kathy, Andy and I for your cooperation and dedication to students during our EOG week. 
• Have student's best interest at heart and plan instruction so that we do not know which group is "remediation" and which is "enrichment."

More Schedule info about next year and beyond is below.

The 2012-13 calendar: The Department of Public Instruction has granted our last waiver request, so we’ve been able to finalize the 180-day calendar for next school year. School will start on Monday, Aug. 27, and the last day is scheduled to be Monday, June 10. Open house for middle schools will be Aug. 21; for high schools, Aug. 22; and for elementary schools, Aug. 23.

You can see the calendar on website at http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/1213calendar.

The 2013-14 calendar: Our board of education will be setting the 2013-14 calendar at its meetings on May 22 and June 12. The board will be choosing from two options, which you can see at http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/1314calendar.

The traditional calendar: This maintains the schedule we’ve used for several years. School would start Aug. 26 and end June 9. Students would have two days off for fall break, a 12-day winter break and one week for spring break.

The unified calendar: We last used this schedule in 2004-05. School would start on Aug. 5 and end May 28. The calendar would have a one-week fall break that would include remediation time for some students, 16 days for winter break and two weeks for spring break that would include remediation time for some students. This schedule would allow high schools to finish exams before Christmas. It also would give more instructional time to students who are below grade level. The State Board of Education would have to give us a waiver for us to use this option.

We want to know your opinion,  The board will consider input from families, teachers, principals and the community when adopting the calendar. It takes two votes to approve the calendar, and those votes are scheduled for May 22 and June 12.  The TAC leaders from Brunson, Kathy and Lara, will address how to express your opinion later next week.

Theo Helm

Thursday MM - Math Calculator Inactive

Good Morning!

I am excited to have another great day of testing.  Our Proctors and support personnel have been outstanding.  Our capable Test Administrators have shown stellar leadership for the students in our school.  Thanks for a job well done.  

We will have make-ups on Friday!!! A few 5th grade science, One reading and several math groups.  Keep your heads up for the all clear this day as it may not come until later as Joel, Cindy, Almudena, Deb and others will be testing and proctoring to allow as many assistants to return to their classroom work.

I am finalizing the Specials schedule for next week and want you to be sure to communicate that our current EOG lunch schedule will continue through the end of this year. 

Subs for Thursday.........

Wednesday MM - Math Calculator Active EOG

Our Kindergarten, First and Second grade classes have been outstanding citizens as they have created a quiet environment for our EOG testing.  A job well done!!!  We will be looking for you in the halls the remainder of this week with class checks to support your efforts with recognition!

More recognition and snaps to Kathy for her well-crafted testing plan and the competent and caring manner in which she treats our staff and students.

Our SIT meeting will be postponed until we receive more information on our next steps and template for the upcoming school year plan.

Reminder to have a grade level rep in Lisa Weber's mobile at 3:20 this afternoon for a science materials meeting.

Tired after a week of EOG's?

 

Let Sociale Gourmet deliver lunch to you at school on Friday, May 18. 

 

Need dinner, too?  Let them deliver a prepared dinner to your school on Friday, so all you have to do is cook it.

 

Ordering is simple! 

• Online orders at www.socialegourmetetc.com (credit cards accepted)
• or complete a paper order form and attach payment (Available at school on Tuesday or in the blog documents folder on the staff share)
• Paper orders will be picked up from THE OFFICE on THUR 5/17

Enjoy! 

Tanya Bear McKenna

Kindergarten Teacher @ Lewisville Elementary

 

Subs:

Tuesday MM - Reading EOG

Let's replicate the climate of our school from the science day!   Thanks to everyone being flexible and STUDENT -FOCUSED.


Lisa Weber will meet with a representative from each grade level on Wednesday in her mobile for Important Science materials updates.  Please select a teacher to attend this 20 minute meeting.


No subs Today!

Monday MM - Science EOG

Good Morning!

Build confidence!  It takes about nine positive comments to balance one negative.  Front-load your students for optimal performance.  

Keep the halls quiet and be especially considerate of all testing areas.

Schedules are in the "blog documents" folder and posted on the board.

Great Spring Fling Event.  Thanks to those who came out to support our PTA and students.  If you did not make it, you missed a glorious night.

Subs:

No sub for Dorothy Manigault

No sub for Irene Rush

Rosemary Hazy for Janet Gauss

TEST DAY EXAMPLE:

 

“Today you are going to take the …”                  8:45

15 minutes for directions, then start.                9:00

50 minutes to work                                           9:50

3 minutes for break                                          9:53

50 minutes to work                                           10:43

3 minutes for break                                          10:46

50 minutes to work                                           11:36

STOP.  Collect materials.

At this time there will be some students who do not finish.  You walk them to the stage.  We make sure they get a bathroom break and are ready to get started again.  BEST case…                                                      11:50

Compassion calls for a lunch/restroom break.   12:30

Resume testing                                                1:00

Test for 50 minutes.  We reach the 240 limit.     1:50

Friday MM - SPRING FLING

Let's make today POSITIVE and encourage everyone to come to the event this evening!

Check out this Blog with a picture of our own Betty Jo Moore!

Next weeks schedules are posted on the board.  The electronic documents can be found on the Blog documents folder in our Staff shared drive.  That is also where you will find the Power Point from the faculty meeting, in the staff meeting folder.

Subs:

Denise Jennings for Suzanne Sarfert

No sub for Angela Claudio

??? for Paige Sipe AM only

Thursday MM - Day 5

Good Morning!

Thanks for your attention at the faculty meeting last evening!  I am thrilled to be providing an excellent environment for our EOG week.

A delivery from Sociale Gourmet near Thruway is coming NEXT Friday, and as long as she is making one delivery, she wouldn't mind if others wanted to order.   If anyone is interested, Tanya Bear McKenna will pick up orders (with appropriate money) next Thursday after school and take them to Sociale.  The menu is linked here - SOCIALE

I will be traveling to CO today to tape a segment on cable 2 about the the food bank and our Backpack program. 

Continue to build confidence in your students!

sub:
No sub for Nicole Robinson pm only

Wednesday MM - Day 4

Good Morning.

Enjoy the Teacher appreciation Taco Luncheon today in the Art room.

In the  Blog documents you will find the schedule for lunch, Specials and recess for next week.  Please look this over as we will review this at the faculty meeting this evening.  You may notice that K-2 have no scheduled specials.  Our Classroom assistants will return from proctoring to their primary role and stay for the remainder of the day.  During the afternoon, K-2 teachers will plan a 30 minute lesson for the assistant to teach while they have a planning period.

I expect for all staff to be present at this vital meeting except for Tonya G. (sick child) & Lisa W. (science CO meeting) & Anne C. (sick leave) & Kathy W. (TAC meeting)

Silvia will be out all day and  I have a Doctors appointment this am and will be in after 9:30.

Tuesday MM - Day 3

Good Morning!

Primary Election Day.  Students report to class at 7:50 and all activities in the gym are suspended. Joel will hold PE outside.

We have visitors from Sherwood Forest here this morning to see our 1st grade Imagine It instruction.  News of their expertise travels.

We have tours for HAG at 8:30 and 11:30. 

2nd grade and 4th grade have Field trips today.

Proctor Training will occur at 8:30 in the cafe.

EOG testing will begin today for the Extend II students in Tanya Lovin's Classroom.  Please be respectful of the testing environment in that area all week long.

Sub

Rosemary Hazy for Tonya Grisette

Monday MM - Day 2

Good Morning and Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

It is vital that everybody attend our Wednesday Faculty meeting as we will set our expectations for the culture and climate of our EOG testing week.  We will meet in the Gym and chairs will be set up by our fabulous fifth grade bus riders.

For today - Healthy snacks and drinks in the teachers’ lounge today provided by the PTA in appreciation for all you do.  Enjoy!

There are sign-up sheets on Silvia's desk for Spring Fling assistance on Friday night.  Mrs. Thrower has provided Tootsie Pops as an incentive, so see Silvia and sign up soon!

• Raffle/wrist-band money collectors
• Dunking booth "victims" - prepare to be soaked
• Dunking booth operator - stays relatively dry 
• Taco dinner servers and cashier.

Friday MM - Day 1

Good Morning!

Today I will attend our Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools STEM Community Luncheon @ Truliant Credit Union. Desired Outcomes:  By the end of this session we will have: 

Received presentation on Strategic Planning Process

Received overview of North Carolina’s STEM plan

Received overview on current WS/FCS initiatives

Discussed next steps for STEM education in WS/FCS

Teachers,

If you have not registered for the CCES workshops for your grade level (register for 3, you already have credit for the one you attended with the district), please do so by Friday of this week.  I plan to start crediting subject areas that have been completed.  Once I do that, and people evaluate, the workshop will disappear and I will not be able to access it again.  ESL, please see me.

Thanks, Kathy

From our PTA.........Fabulous Brunson teachers and staff, we are excited to honor and appreciate all of you next week!  On Monday, we will have healthy snacks and drinks in the teachers' lounge throughout the day.  And on Wednesday, we will have a Terrific Teachers & Staff Taco Lunch in the art room through all lunch periods with lunchroom coverage provided.  Enjoy!

Subs:
Lynn Boyles for Suzanne Sarfert
Tiffany Ray for Trish Gulledge pm only

Wednesday MM - Day 5

Good Morning!

The Creekside kids buses for SC left this morning from The mall and I am late on my post, sorry.

I would like to meet with our third fourth and fifth grade residential teachers this afternoon from 3:20-3:30 in Mariah's room regarding our preparation for the second administration of the EOG.

On the survey front we have a new STEM tool developed by Andy K. that will help us build our capacity to deliver rigorous instruction.  We still have until Friday to get higher than our 75% rate of return on the NC TWC.   32 of 41 teachers have completed this  valuable tool and we use the information to improve in the coming years. 

Sub

Rosemary Hazy for Karon Kiger in the afternoon only

No sub for Ashley Bristow