Friday MM - DAY F

Good Morning!

We are on our 24th day of school.  Can you identify areas of general student strengths?  Can you identify specific student targets for focused intervention/enrichment?  "Know your students" is an important slogan but is ineffective without action.  Continue to plan for, and implement actions each and every day.  We have the power to change the world.

Assembly Today for Rachel's Challenge.  October  is WSFCS Bully Prevention Month.  Let's keep this conversation alive each and every day with our students as we strive to create a "Bully-Free" campus.

Many subs today.
Lynn Boyles for Mariah
Peggy Neal for Demarie
Dorothy Campbell for Trish
Gwen Sloan for Linnea
No sub for Jenny or Stephanie S.

Thursday MM - Day E

Enjoy this Thursday full of Learning!  

Please help yourself to some treats in the shelter.

Thanks to all who supported our new staff last evening.  I am appreciative of the talent our students benefit from on a daily basis.

Rachel's Challenge Kick-off assembly will be at 2pm Friday for all 3-5 classes.

Wednesday MM - Day D

Good Morning! 

We need your help to recover the Kuerig K-Cup device that allows you to place your own coffee into the machine.  this was purchased by our YMCA leader and left here in the spirit of goodwill and sharing.  If you have "misplaced" this device, please return it to the coffee area in the shelter.

Speaking of goodwill, thanks for the efforts to make our WatchDOGS program a success.  DOGS will be here starting Monday, October 1st.

Lasagna will be served at the Faullin household for all our new staff and their buddies/mentors @ 6:30.  Buddies/Mentors remember to bring a salad or dessert, we have the rest of the meal covered.  New staff, just bring yourself and the great attitude that we have seen over the first month.  It has been a great start to our school year and the balance of veterans and new staff is a factor that has been critical to positive growth in our school culture.

Thanks to the THEME TEAM for a great meeting last evening.  they have structured our STEM event for October 18th to incorporate our tradition of a pot-luck supper with engaging STEM activities for families.  ALL of us need to lend our support to this event and make it AWESOME.

 

Tuesday MM - Day C

Good Morning!

I want to draw everyone's attention to the STAGE.  The PTA is beginning to prepare for the rummage sale on October 12th and will need all our help modeling respect of stuff and space.  So remember these two points

• the STAGE is not a Dumping Ground
• the STAGE is not a open shopping area

Brass under the Big Top will be today at 1:00 for all K-2 as the PBIS class cog celebration.  Be in the gym before 1pm so we may start on time.  3rd grade may want to consider eating at the picnic tables or in the classroom as we will need the cafe area to be quiet beginning at 1pm.

Theme Team will meet tomorrow, Tuesday the 25th, at 3:15 in T31 to begin planning for the year.  See you then.

The Lasagna dinner for new staff is Wednesday at 6:00.  Please see me today if you want to attend but have not been assigned to a new staff member.  Also new staff and buddies, let me know today if you are unable to join us for this event. 

SIT made great progress this month and has created a plan that focuses on literacy for our students who struggle.  Strategies to improve our student's success will include our continued shift in lesson design and the implementation of RTI.  These research-based strategies are only effective if utilized.  Blooms taxonomy would suggest that our understanding needs to climb the ladder toward toward application and analysis. I am looking forward to this journey and the shift in classroom practices that will empower kids to own their critical thinking skills.

Monday MM - day B

Good Morning!

It will help if I........model and expect others to follow my lead as I participate during our moment of silence every morning.

PTA birthday Bash is today.  Please let all students know that their names will be called as we double months September and October in the morning announcements.

SIT meeting today after school in the art room to finalize our plan to send to the central office.

WatchDOGS Pizza night is Tuesday at 6pm.  We will also be recognized that evening at the School Board meeting as a School of Distinction. 

Wednesday the Imagine it booster has been moved and our New Staff Lasagna dinner will be that evening at 6pm.

Here are a couple of STEM related announcements

Real World Design Challenge - Registration Now Open! The Real World Design Challenge is an annual design competition that provides students the opportunity to collaborate and experience real world design projects with the goal of sustainably increasing the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in the workforce. Students will experience real world challenges in the following ways:

-  Real Problem: An industry-defined problem provides a practical application of classroom curricula;

-  Real Tools & Resources: Inspire students by showing them what is at their fingertips;

-  Real Roles for Students: Require teamwork, leadership, innovation and problem solving skills;

-  Real Contribution: Students can make a difference, solving industry-based problems.

The Challenge is FREE for students and teachers.  Each teacher that signs up a team will receive access to professional engineering software for the project as well as access to mentors from industry, government and academia. State champion teams get an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, DC for the students and the teacher to compete in the National Challenge. Teachers can sign up today and add their roster of students later by visiting www.realworlddesignchallenge.org . For more information, please contact Tina Marcus, state coordinator for The Real World Design Challenge, at tina.marcus@dpi.nc.gov or 919/807-3423 

The Emerging Issues Prize for Innovation Challenge - NC State University’s Institute for Emerging Issues is sponsoring its third annual Prize for Innovation challenge. North Carolina high school students are encouraged to unleash their creativity and work collaboratively to come up with an innovative product or tool that will benefit their community. The team with the most innovative and viable product will receive $5,000 to make that idea a reality. Finalist teams will receive $1,000. The Institute for Emerging Issues will host an informational webinar about the challenge on Wednesday, Oct. 3, from 3-4 p.m. Webinar registration is available online at https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/710558623 . If you are unable to make the webinar, a recording will be available online at www.emergingissues.org . Applications are due Nov. 16 and should be sent electronically to emerging_issues@ncsu.edu or by mail to Campus Box 7406 Raleigh, NC 27695 to the attention of Prize for Innovation. To learn more about the challenge, including how to apply, please visit www.emergingissues.org (click on News+Events, then Emerging Issues Prize for Innovation)

Friday MM - Day A

Good Morning! 

The International Day of Peace will be commemorated here and across the district at noon with One minute of silence.  Please be prepared for the announcement and prepare your students for a moment to reflect.  Our fifth graders will be presenting how they "live their statements," as they communicate to the crowd assembled at city hall:

"It will help if I..........." 

Enjoy your Friday and make today peaceful through your actions.

“Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal."
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.-

Subs:
Meta Faulkner for Lisa Weber

Thursday MM - Day F

Good Morning!

Attention all Certified staff.  PDP conversations need to be completed before October 6th.  Andy or I need 15 minutes of your time where you will:

• Open McREL and Log into your account.
• Show us that you have completed your self-assessment
• Open your PDP
• Explain your goals and why they were chosen
• Describe how you will monitor your goals
• Complete the electronic signature
• Talk about the time-frame to complete the first observation

Please e-mail us a couple of times that are convenient for you to meet.  The breakdown of who is with Andy or Me is found on the Staff Shared drive in the 2012-2013 Teacher Evaluation folder and the file is "Brunson eval 2012-2013 schedule."

Those who are available we will have a SIT meeting on Friday afternoon at 3:30  in the art room.

Reminder that today the ident-a-kid group is on campus.

Wednesday MM - Day E

Good Morning!

Stephanie will begin the K-2 report card meeting at 3:30 in the Computer Lab.

I will meet with all assistants in the Art room at 3:20 or as soon as they secure all students transportation home.

We will try for a Fire drill on Thursday or Friday Morning, Be.prepared.

There has been a climate change of Venue for Thursday's showering of gifts on Mariah.  Due to the heat in the media center, we will celebrate in the art room.

Tuesday MM - Day D

Good Morning!

We have some severe weather possibilities today so review the tornado drill procedure.  The bummer is that we have outdoor PE today due to the Planetarium in the gym.  Joel will make the best of it as he always does. 

The teams have been erased from the LTM boards and I have assigned a few folks to roles that will help with the effective operation of our school.  If you were assigned, I have sent you an e-mail.  I have also posted the "2012-13 Teams" spreadsheet in the Blog Documents folder and next to the sign-in board.

If you did not get in to see the Flex Benefits representative today, he will return on Thursday and has 6 slots still available.  The sign-up sheet is with Silvia.

The K-2 Report Card and Progress Report meeting will be in the computer lab on Wednesday at 3:30.  Stephanie and I will lead you through a collaborative process to unleash the potential of this format.

See you in the classrooms today except for the following LTM's, 1st grade and 4th grade.

Monday MM - Day C

“Let our government be like that of the solar system. Let the general government be like the sun and the states the planets, repelled yet attracted, and the whole moving regularly and harmoniously in several orbits.”
— John Dickinson (Delaware Delegate), 1787

Good Morning and Happy Constitution Day!

Tuesday we will have the Morehead Planetarium in the gym and there will be two adjustments to our daily schedule. 

1. Students will report to class at 7:50 as the gym will be closed.  
2. PE will be meeting in the classroom and then outside based on the weather.

Thanks to Sue Ann and Maria for stepping up to cover classes Friday.  Our title one kindergarten classes from across the district were all at a conference in Raleigh.  80 plus subs right there in addition to they typical Friday bump.  The teachers did their job in reporting, our system was just stretched to the max.  I am comforted in knowing our capable TA's can perform and keep kids focused on our mission.

Speaking of Teaching Assistants, Maria Cook will move to serve Mrs. Hunt and a new assistant, Jennifer Antonosanti, will work with Mrs. Hollomon.  Jennifer will take on the secondary roles with Paige and Joel, while Maria will work with Angela and Trish.

LTM meetings continue their norming process with Kindergarten at 9:15 and 5th HAG at 1:20.

SIT meets Tuesday for goal setting and strategies based on our CNA.  3:30 in the art room.

A sample of students from Sipe and Spaciels fifth grade classes will  represent Brunson at the International Day of Peace celebration on September 21st.  The entire WSFCS will commemorate this event with a moment of silence at noon on that day. 

Make today special!

“Democracy is based upon the conviction that there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people.”
— Harry Emerson Fosdick

Last Chance to Step Up!

If you want to join the Brunson team for Step Up Forsyth, please do so before Saturday.  Here is the link.  http://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/Publichealth/stepupforsyth/   and I am the captain.  You do not have to work out with a group.  Keep up with your own hours and enter them online at your convenience.  The goal is simply to encourage an active lifestyle--and get some credit/prizes for it!

Kathy

FRIDAY MM - Day B

Good Morning!

Glad to be back from my meeting.  Looking forward to seeing you all in action today.  

Enjoy the weekend!

Thursday MM - Day A

LTM begins TODAY!  2nd grade kicks off at 8:30 with Kathy facilitating.  Our assistants (Nicole for Debbie, Maria for Bridget, Sue Ann for Trish) will get the classes to specials and then deliver an excellent lesson after picking them up from specials until 9:35. 

Many Snaps in advance to our EXCELLENT classified staff who make our Single School culture Learning Teams possible with their effective instruction and supervision.

I am at the elementary Principals meeting today.  I have posted the agenda to the blog documents folder.   

If there is anything that you would like for me to speak about to our central office support personnel, please let me know and I can help facilitate a response.  For instance, 4th grade is concerned that  the approved Motor-coach carrier list has been reduced from over 15 companies, down to 2.  I will ask for help on this as the costs have risen and competition for dates from these two monopolizing companies is problematic here at the school level.  Rest assured that this is not whining.  Nine times out of ten, our centrally located support staff appreciate the viewpoint of the school and make appropriate adjustments.  After all we are a learning system.

SIT is tonight at 3:30 in the Art room. 

Wednesday MM - Day F

Good Morning!  I have a 7 am dentist appointment and will be in shortly.

I hope you all have enjoyed the first eleven days and have begun to build great habits in your students and yourselves.  We want to begin some duty-free lunch on October 1st, which is an A - Day.  The standard is for each and every student to know the PBIS lunchroom expectations before they are supervised by an adult other than their teacher.  Look over the following from our PBIS handbook and use a likert scale to rate you and your class.

1-never occurs
2-rarely occurs
3-usually occurs
4-always occurs

Student Expectations

1. Stand quietly in line until time to tell the Cafeteria worker what items you want to eat.

3. Know your student ID number so you can enter the number at the cash register. Have money ready if needed for a purchase.

6. Sit facing your table with your bottom on the stool and both feet on the floor.

8. Talk quietly with the classmates next to you or across from you at your table.

12. Quietly get in line along the Gym wall and wait for a teacher to dismiss the class.

Staff Expectations
1. Teach and model Cafeteria expectations.

3. Develop a plan to teach students their Student ID numbers and how to keep Cafeteria clean. Teach and review these weekly.

7. Monitor students while in line. Remind them to speak clearly to tell Cafeteria workers what items they want, rather than pointing.

9. All staff will sit in chairs at the end of tables to model and monitor Cafeteria expectations at least through September.

11. Dismiss students, one table at a time, to take trash following the designated pathway making sure that all tables are empty and clean in time for next class to arrive.

Email Password Requirements - you may be prompted in the next few weeks  to change what you currently use, so please  read below and be prepared. (see Stephanie if you need some assistance)

These enhancements require for WSFCS users to now login to their email with a secure password which must meet the following requirements:

• Password must be at least 8 characters long
• Password contains characters from at least three of the following four categories:

1. English uppercase characters (A - Z)
2. English lowercase characters (a - z) 
3. Base 10 digits (0 - 9) 
4. Non-alphanumeric (For example: !, $, #, %, etc)

The following link will allow you to test the strength of your password:
https://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/password-checker.aspx

To change your password so your computer login matches your email, perform the following steps:

1.    Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete buttons on your keyboard

2.    Select ‘Change Password’

3.    Type your old password

4.    Enter & confirm your new password

Tuesday MM - Day E

Good Morning!

The Buddy and Mentor list is posted in the blog documents folder on the shared drive.  check it out and remember that we are all responsible for advancement of the teaching profession.  Be.good to each other and support excellence with your words and actions.

A message from Theo Helm, Director of Marketing and Communications for WSFCS;

Tomorrow marks the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Cable 2 will be running a video marking the anniversary throughout the day. The video is about 6 minutes long; please take a moment to watch it. It will air at:
 
10:30 a.m.
12 p.m.
2:30 p.m.
3:30 p.m.


PBIS Team meeting Tuesday afternoon in the LTM.  

Wednesday we have our 3-5 grade TAM training in the computer lab.  Please be there by 3:20 and we can learn how to use this technology tool to benefit the families we serve.
 

Monday Extra

Happy Monday morning!  I am looking forward to meeting with K-3 and ESL folks this afternoon at 3:30 in the media center to clarify our Dibels sweep plan, and to practice with anyone who wants to explore the tablets.  (I just thought about how odd that sentence might sound to a second language speaker!)
--Kathy

Good Morning!

Enjoy the day and Let's develop some AMAZING relationships during curriculum night. 

I will Blog more for Tuesday regarding our Buddy and mentor lists.

Friday MM - Day C

Good Morning!

Now that we are 8 days into our new schedule , I want to visit each grade level during your common planing today in order to;

• listen to how you have structured your day with our schedule.
• listen to your plans for curriculum night
• listen to your perceptions of your classroom assistant assignments
• share with you the LTM schedule that will begin on our next A-day, Thursday September 13th.

I will come to a common classroom about 10 minutes after your special starts.  Look for me as I will be looking for you!

Our School representative list is due to central office today and I have an opening for a teacher to serve as our UNCF representative.  Interested?  you will see me today in our Grade level meetings, so just speak up!  After all that is what we are looking for, someone to speak up on behalf of the UNCF.

Let's continue to assign Class Cogs and  individual Cogs for students following the matrix.  Build great habits early and enjoy the positive climate for the remainder of the year. 

Thursday MM - Day B

Good Morning!

Thanks for your attention and professionalism yesterday during our Flexible benefits meeting.  Mark will be here on the 17th and 20th to have some individual meetings.  Sign up with Silvia for a spot on his calendar.  

I also appreciate your responsibility to the duty to report Child Abuse and Neglect.  If you have any questions to this policy change, please see me.

PBIS folders need to become a habit.  Let's work together and empower our students to help lead this vital communication protocol.

Remember that Curriculum Nights are next Monday and Tuesday.  I will come around Friday to ask each grade level about plans for success during your common planning.

As we spoke about the testing code of ethics, I was reminded that we are administering new EOG tests this year and there will be no re-test.  This paves the way to be proactive and create some AMAZING common formative assessments to grab some data on the leading edge.  The shift to formative data will drive your differentiated instruction and yield attainment of learning targets for all students.

Please keep Tonya Lovin and Damita Sharp in your thoughts as they grieve the recent loss of an in-law.

Ponder...

Many of you have enough copies of the NC Testing Code of Ethics to wallpaper your bedroom, and it is rather sleep-inducing reading.  This afternoon, to get us started, I would like some volunteers to share one thing that always sticks with you during the trainings.  Thanks, and please read Jeff's blog below....

Wednesday MM - Day A

Good Morning!  

I am at the Central Office this morning for a Joint Principals meeting.  The agenda for this and other meetings will be posted in the Blog documents folder on the shared drive.

We had a productive SIT meeting this afternoon and will filter data for our Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA)  this Thursday in the art room.  Please join us if you are interested.

I interviewed 4 candidates for the open assistant position and was impressed.  One more to interview on Wednesday afternoon, then we can make a recommendation.

Tuesday also brought us a visit and inspection from our Fire Marshall.  We have a few specific issues in classrooms concerning storage and clear exits to the windows.  I will address you individually if there needs to be a change.  We also had one Scented Plug-in violation.  More specific details of his comments will be provided at our staff meeting Wednesday.

Speaking of the Wednesday staff meeting, we will begin at 3:30 with our Testing Code of Ethics Training.  EVERYONE must be present and sign to confirm your attendance.  The Colonial Life rep will begin at 3:45 and needs 20-30 minutes to explain the policies.  Individual sessions will be scheduled after the meeting for a date to be determined.

A Message from Allison C. Tomberlin, General Counsel Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education

As November draws closer, we will certainly see increased political activity throughout the county, state, and nation.  Please take this opportunity to review Board Policy 1311, Political Activity in Schools, and to remind your staff members that public resources (including public e-mail services) should not be used to promote or solicit votes for a particular candidate.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the School Attorney's Office.

Make today a Masterpiece!

Tuesday MM - Day F

GREAT Assemblies for PBIS on Friday.  Let's all pump it up and build some great habits with our kids.  Focus on one or two habits each day for each area on the matrix.

I have several interviews today for the Vacant Assistant position in  1st TBE.  I also am looking ofrward to our Fisrt SIT meeting this afternoon.

Reminder to sign up in the LTM for Teams/Committees.

A message from Cydney Conger, Staff Development Program Manager, STAY Coordinator, Project Enrich Coordinator about Mentor Training



The mentor training for those that have never been trained will be Friday, September 28th and Saturday, September 29th.  Mentors will receive a monthly stipend once they are trained and serving a first or second year teacher.

Principals, please send me the names of anyone you are recommending to become a mentor.  Participants must be recommended by their supervisors in order to register and participate in the training.  Participants must also be able to participate both days.  This is a 12 hour training.  Once I have the names, folks can register online with the WS/FCS professional development link with the following information:

Title:  Mentor Training
Location: EB-room 219 (EB is the Education Building located at 4801 Bethania Station Rd.)
Date:  September 28 and 29, 2012
Time:  8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Let me know via e-mail by Friday if you are interested in this vital function to sustain our profession.


A message from Heather Belk regarding FLL;

Hello Staff,

I know you have experienced a very hectic week and I apologize if my timing is bad, but I'm writing because I am looking for interested faculty to coach the LEGO Club (FLL) this year.

We are planning the following:

1. Holding an interest meeting on September 14 or September 18th

2. Practice on Tuesdays and Fridays with this Practice Schedule

9/18 and 9/21

9/25 and 9/28

10/2 and 10/5

10/9 and 10/12

10/16 and 10/19

10/23 and 10/26

10/30 and 11/2

3.  First competition is November 3rd.

Please let me know if you are willing and available for those times for practice and the first competition.   I hope I'm not putting any pressure on you, but I'm getting a big response from parents who want their kid to participate, but are who are unable to coach.  So far, we have 1 definite parent coach-Rob Alexander.  The Brunson Burner lists me as the contact person for the club, but I'm only a communications person, not a coach.  I'm willing to market the club on our website and FB, send emails and flyers, and organize when possible. 

Looking forward to hearing from at least one or two faculty members soon.

Many thanks, Heather Belk [heatherbelk@yahoo.com]