Tuesday MM - Day B

Good Morning!

The Ready NC Extend II  & EOG linking study is an on-line assessment and will be administered by Tanya and Kim in the Computer lab.  The upstairs hallways and lobby need to be quiet for the students from 8:45-11:00.  The Printers in the Lab will be turned off at 8:30.  Do not enter a testing situation.  Please read over your copy of  the NC Testing Code of Ethics before our meeting next Wednesday!

I am looking forward to getting some input on the development our schedule for the 2013-14 school year.  If you are interested in being a part of the conversation, join us in the LTM at 3:30 today.

I am attending a community luncheon today with the leaders of Hanes  and Reynolds to plan for the centennial celebration of Hanes Park.

PTA Birthday Bash around 2pm today.

Subs:
Jane Desantis for Kyrie
Gwen Sloan for Bridget

Monday MM - Day A

Good Morning!

Let's focus our energies on the academic growth of all students. 

The Ready NC Extend II & NC EOG linking study for ELA will be administered in Room 20 on Tuesday morning.  Please provide these students an calm and quiet testing environment.

LTM for the six day rotation beginning today will be sans facilitator.  The final six day rotation for LTM will begin on  May 7th (A-day) and run through May 14th (F-day.)  Kathy is on a Medical Mission in Peru this week and appreciates your support.

No faculty meeting this week as we are expecting 100% attendance at the Spring Fling on Friday.  

PTA Birthday Bash Tuesday.
 
Subs:
No sub for Nicole Robinson
No sub yet for Nancy Smoot
Shelly Kirley for Demarie Anderson 
Gwen Sloan for Bridget Hollomon 

Friday MM - Day F

Good Morning!

Enjoy Mix-it-up day and make a difference in our world through your positive interaction with your Engineering college.

PTA will provide our lunch from Firehouse Subs today as a culmination of the Teacher appreciation week activities.  Thanks for all you do!

We have a leak.  Somewhere under our K-1 wing and media center is a plumbing leak that is wasting water to the tune of 8000 gallons!  We have isolated that line and turned the water off.  The repairs will begin on Saturday May 4th.  Until then there will be no water service to the classrooms on that end of the building. 

ELA Common Core Summer Seminar - The NCDPI’s ELA Section announces a wonderful opportunity for classroom teachers to deeply explore the ELA Common Core State Standards. Teachers will participate in professional development and work with DPI Consultants in creating lessons aligned with the ELA Common Core. There will be two regional sessions: one held in the west June 17-18, and one held in the east June 20-21. For all the details, including expectations and how to apply, download the flyer at http://elaccss.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/home .

Subs:
Gwen Sloan for Allison
Elizabeth Carlson for Lisa (pm only)
Shirley Greenwood for Nancy

Thursday MM - Day E

Good Morning!

Thanks to all the peers who are completing evaluations on our probationary contracted teachers.  Jessie/Paige & Michelle/Allison are finished and can give you advice on using the electronic system to record comments and sign the post conference.  Summative evaluations are being scheduled for all certified staff and must be completed before May 14th (probationary contracts) or June 1st (career contracts)

Please be prepared for Mix-It-Up and help our students connect our activities with the mission of Earth Day.

PTA continues to recognize our efforts with a catered lunch from Firehouse Subs on Friday.  No need to pack and we will get a good deep clean of the Fridge Friday afternoon.

Subs:
no sub for Nancy S. pm only 

Wednesday MM - Day D

Good Morning!

Continue to be appreciated by the PTA.  They are correct, You are wonderful.  

SIT has been moved from this afternoon to Thursday afternoon in the Art room.

HAG tour at 11:30 

UNCF Campaign – The College Fund

We hope everyone can help support The College Fund with a donation of any size.  If you need information or a pledge card, please contact Linnea Patrick: 

lpatrick@wsfcs.k12.nc.us

Place pledge cards in the envelope in Linnea’s mailbox.

To make your donation online, use the link below.  Names of donors will go into several drawings that will take place before the campaign window ends on May 19.

1. Please make sure you sign the card and complete all information.
2. DO NOT include your social security number but your employee ID # which can be found on your pay stub or by going to the WSFCS website --- Employees tab --- Employee Self Service.  After you login you will be taken to a screen that will show your address and other information.  Your ID # will be on that screen. 
3. Debit/Credit card gifts should be processed online via the UNCF/WSFCS giving page located at:  http://give.uncf.org/wsfcs.  VERY IMPORTANT:  After making an online gift, donors are asked to return completed pledge cards (checking the online giving option) to their campaign coordinators 
4. Payroll deduction is encouraged.  Gifts over $100 will be billed in equal amounts in October 2013, December 2013, February 2014, and April 2014. 
5. The campaign ends May 31, 2013.  I will need all donations by May 19th.
6. Gifts $50-$999 will receive a UNCF gift of appreciation
7. Gifts of $1000 or more qualify for the national UNCF annual giving society

Tuesday MM - Day C

Good Morning!

The PTA continues to acknowledge your efforts with food in the lounge and "Time-Off Tuesday."  Enjoy your celebration and continue to be a force in the classroom with your students.

Elizabeth Humphries for Trish G.

Spring Fling 2013 "Under The Big Top"

Dear Brunson Families,

We are very excited about our upcoming Spring Fling scheduled for Friday, May 3rd at 5:00 pm until 7:30 pm. We have added festive performances by Circus Daze and Winston-Salem's own School of The Arts. Exciting new games and activities, inflatable fun, a dunking booth, circus fun, amazing raffle baskets, animals, hula hooping and fabulous food are coming soon. Be sure to mark your calendar for Friday, May 3rd! 

To volunteer for this event please click below @ Sign Up Genius.

 

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/4090A4FAEA929AB9-spring 

 

If you have questions please call Elaine Byers, PTA Spring Fling Committee Chairperson at 671-5268.

Monday MM - Day B

Happy Earth Day!

I appreciate you!  The PTA appreciates you and will demonstrate their respect with a week of celebrations in your honor.

There is a voluntary meeting for those who are interested in developing our testing schedule in the LTM at 3:30 today.

Tuesday all are welcome to join and watch a Ready Regional Webinar in the LTM after-school.

Wednesday we will review our School Improvement Plan and make a schedule for tweaking our actions and strategies for 2013-14.

Friday is MIX-IT-UP Earth Day style!

Enjoy this great week here at Brunson.  

Subs:
Shelly Kirley for Demarie
Gwen Sloan for Bridget

Friday MM - Day A

Good Morning!

Field trip today for fourth grade to our State Capital.   Enjoy and best wishes with the weather.

Subs:
Kiayana Payne for Deb F.
No sub for Jeff

Thursday MM - Day F

 Good Morning!

I am at a Elementary Principals meeting today, the agenda is posted in the blog documents folder.  

Here is the PBIS data as mentioned at yesterday's meeting.

 (Click on picture to enlarge)

Below is a note from Bud Harrelson

Dear Principals,

As part of the Single School Culture internal evaluation, next week, the staff at your school will be sent a survey regarding learning team meetings. We are asking that only the staff who participated in learning teams take this electronic survey. A principal/assistant principal survey regarding learning teams will be forthcoming. Please encourage each learning team participant at your school (other than learning team facilitators) to participate in the survey with full honesty. The data will be summarized in order to protect teachers' identities and will be presented with the results of the entire evaluation in August. If you have any questions about the survey or the evaluation, please contact Corliss Brown, the Race to the Top Program Evaluation Specialist.


Sub today - Emma Pitts for Angela A.

Wednesday MM - Day E

Good Morning!

Faculty meeting this afternoon in the media center.  On the agenda;

• UNCF Campaign
• MLC decision 
• STEM rubric
• Testing calendar
• PBIS Data reflection
• good of the order

Here is the PBIS data to reflect upon. 

(click on the graph to enlarge)

What can we do to curb the upward trend?  We have the power to do it!

No subs today! 

Tuesday MM - Day D

Good Morning!

We are not going to discuss the tragedy in Boston as a whole class or address the school.  Please answer Students questions about the tragedy in a kind and compassionate manner and refer to Jenny the students who are struggling with the horrific event.  Focus on academics and continue to build your class community.  We will take some time to reflect as a staff at our meeting Wednesday.

The STAY banquet was awesome.  This year we have three teachers working in their first year.  Please give them a pat on the back for their efforts to understand this amazing profession.

• Angela Adams
• Charity Cota-Robles
• Kyrie Garst

Lots of stuff today

• SBAC testing for fifth grade 
• Field trips for 3rd HAG and all 4th 
• Allotment meeting this afternoon
• STEM meeting after-school

Subs:
Cynthia Hodges for Anne Campbell pm only
Latia Ward for Mariah Lee

Monday MM - Day C

Good Morning!

Our kindergarten registration was PACKED.  Many folks arrived early and our team responded with kindness and compassion.  Thanks to Kathy for the organization and leadership.  She is out today at her annual EOG Assessment training.

Check the calendar as we have many events, meetings and field trips this week.  Our fifth grade will participate in a Smarter-Balanced Testing Consortium pilot on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Please Reflect on our actions as we behave responsibly to show the students our respect for an appropriate testing environment. 

Speaking of the three R's, where does a fourth R - Relationships - fit into our culture and climate here at Brunson? 

No subs today.

Friday MM - Day B

Good Morning!

Please welcome our honored guests today.

1. Our new Kindergarten Families will arrive for enrollment appointments in the media center from 8:30-10:45 this morning. 
2. Our new superintendent Dr. Beverly Emory will arrive around 1pm for a brief meeting and Classroom visits. 

Please send good vibes to Andy as he competes in a 200 mile team relay race this weekend.

Thanks for all the help and support for our Subs on Thursday.  

The STEM team is nearing completion of the Recognition Rubric.  This pilot is serving us well as we chart our course to engage students in STEM education. What have you done with the Engineering Design Process lately?  Our team believes that is our most consistent and pervasive method of integration.

Subs:
no sub for Andy 

Thursday MM - Day A

Good Morning!

At our next faculty meeting - April 17th - we are going to discuss the opportunity to shift the Technology in our school by joining the "MLC."  

Read the information below from Dr. Weycker and follow the link to be informed before the meeting next Wednesday the 17th.

• Intent Forms are due April 19 for schools wishing to allow students and staff to bring their own devices to school for instructional purposes. This form is on the Technology Department’s webpage and can be found at http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/Page/69938. This is not a pilot (this is not a test…it is the real deal!)! We are providing this opportunity for schools who express an interest in providing instruction in a mobile setting with students bringing their own devices. The training to help teachers prepare themselves in preparation for the school year is extremely important. We are willing to flex times and work with schools but the amount of training we are requiring is minimal to the amount we believe it could be to be successful. After April 19 and the forms are collected we will begin the process of determining the training schedule. Schools who are interested in becoming a MLC campus will be able to schedule the training at their site. Others may require pairing with another school or coming to a common ground for training.  This is an exciting opportunity but truly requires teachers making adjustments such as going from being the deliverer of instruction to the facilitator.

Silvia forwarded an e-mail form Jordan Callaway our amazing PTA president regarding our assistance at the Spring Fling on May 3rd.  Please reply to her sign-up genius and let's all work together to create a great event to build our school culture.

I am at a STEM meeting this morning at Atkins.  We also have a PTA board meeting at 1pm this afternoon.

Wednesday MM - Day F

Good Morning!  

Subs:
Melta Mebane for Kyrie G.
Jane Desantis for Tonya L. 
No sub yet for Venice H.

• With all the activities revolving around the formal Teacher Appreciation week, the PTA has decided to change our week to an earlier date.  We are celebrating you the week of April 22^nd –April 26^th.
  
  
  In lieu of an “Apple a day” what would make you feel the most appreciated?  Even though a lot of families and classrooms have their own ideas for you I would like your honest opinion’s so I may pass that on to the families.  What do you really want, is it supplies, time, or something else?
  
  
  I also would like to remind families why you do what you do every day with the various challenges you face as a teacher or staff member.  Please answer the question below for me in a few sentences or paragraph.
              
                                      Why teach?
  
  
  Thank you very much for your precious time and I look forward to hearing from each of you so we may finish our plans for the big week.
  Sincerely,
  Reply to Nicole Henshaw
  NHenshaw@triad.rr.com
  336-255-2341
  
  

Tuesday MM - Day E

Good Morning!  

I have not heard much from you all on our new specials schedule or the action teams. Maybe it is because...

• You did not read the blog posts previous to Monday
• You never read the blog
• The schedule is perfect, why mess with it
• You do not want to volunteer for another thing
• Whatever the reason - fill in the blank

My deadline to post the new schedule is Wednesday, so if you have issues with the schedule, please let me know.  As for the action teams, they can wait until the end of the week for your commitment.

Garnet is willing to help with our tech needs while we search for a replacement for Stephanie.  Please e-mail me your technology issues and I will do my best to respond quickly.

I am at the Joint Principals meeting today and will return after lunch.  the agenda is posted to the blog documents folder.

Monday MM - Day D

Good Morning!

I am thrilled to be back with our amazing students.  We have one quarter remaining to engage their minds.  

Report cards will be delivered in a Thursday Packet this week.  Andy, Kathy and I will review comments and Damita will help with the NC WISE portion as our goal is to print and deliver to you all by Wednesday at Noon for appropriate envelope stuffing.  We will provide a special insert for students to take home on Tuesday to explain to parents the date of distribution.

Subs:
No sub for Kathy W.
No sub for Dorothy M.
John Wright for Kim M. (pm only)  Keep Kim in your thoughts and prayers as her Grandmother passed this weekend.

POWER SCHOOL

The following is from our IT department.  Please see me if you have any questions about PowerSchool activation.

Teacher Accounts for PowerSchool have all been issued and now we need them activated ASAP so we can get the courses pushed out. 

With such a large group we will cut off all those who have not activated their accounts by Wednesday, April 10 and push out the courses. 

This will create lots of extra work for my staff but we don’t want to hold up the 2000+ teachers who have activated their accounts. 

After next week, we will begin dealing with individuals who did not receive an activation email or deleted it.

Specials Schedule

I have posted in the blog documents the schedule for specials that will begin on our next "A day"- April 11th.

Please review and inform me of any suggestions/corrections before Tuesday.  I know we will make some adjustments during our assessment window of May and April as we utilize our specialists as test administrators.  

If you are interested in serving on a SIT action team to work on schedules, please e-mail me before Friday April 12th.  In the subject line of your e-mail message to me please choose one or both of the following;

• 2013 Testing Schedule Team
• 2013-2014 Specials Schedule Team

The first meetings will be @ 3:30 in the LTM:

• 2013 Testing Schedule Team - Monday, April 22nd
• 2013-2014 Specials Schedule - Tuesday, April 30th 

April Race to the Top Calendar

Dear NC Teachers, 

If you are on spring break, I hope it's a great one! If you had your break last week, welcome back! 

Attached (in the blog documents folder) is this month's Race to the Top calendar focusing on Home Base. This month, there are several webinar opportunities and other items to notice. Also, I hope you'll take a moment to be introduced to Ken Little, Instructional Improvement System Business Analyst for Learning Systems, and see what he's been reading lately. I have now added two new items to my reading list as a result! 

Hope your spring is a great one. 

 

Vanessa W. Jeter, director

Communications & Information division

NC Department of Public Instruction