Tuesday MM - November 25th

Happy Thanksgiving!

On September 28, 1789, just before leaving for recess, the first Federal Congress passed a resolution asking that the President of the United States recommend to the nation a day of thanksgiving. A few days later, President George Washington issued a proclamation naming Thursday, November 26, 1789 as a "Day of Publick Thanksgivin" - the first time Thanksgiving was celebrated under the new Constitution. Subsequent presidents issued Thanksgiving Proclamations, but the dates and even months of the celebrations varied. It wasn't until President Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Proclamation that Thanksgiving was regularly commemorated each year on the last Thursday of November.

In 1939, however, the last Thursday in November fell on the last day of the month. Concerned that the shortened Christmas shopping season might dampen the economic recovery, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a Presidential Proclamation moving Thanksgiving to the second to last Thursday of November. As a result of the proclamation, 32 states issued similar proclamations while 16 states refused to accept the change and proclaimed Thanksgiving to be the last Thursday in November. For two years two days were celebrated as Thanksgiving - the President and part of the nation celebrated it on the second to last Thursday in November, while the rest of the country celebrated it the following week.

To end the confusion, Congress decided to set a fixed-date for the holiday. On October 6, 1941, the House passed a joint resolution declaring the last Thursday in November to be the legal Thanksgiving Day. The Senate, however, amended the resolution establishing the holiday as the fourth Thursday, which would take into account those years when November has five Thursdays. The House agreed to the amendment, and President Roosevelt signed the resolution on December 26, 1941, thus establishing the fourth Thursday in November as the Federal Thanksgiving Day holiday.

http://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/thanksgiving/

So will anybody have two or more thanksgivings this year?  Think about all the changes in our society since this proclamation and.... Be thankful.

Subs:

Coneita Hicks for Darcy Steele PM only

No sub for Deb Fidali

No sub for Deb Gray
No sub for Natalie Newman

MIX-IT-UP DAY!!!

Be engaged with your students and lead them to enjoy their new team of scientists in our events today.

No sub for Brenda Washam
No sub for Deb Gray

Friday MM - November 21st

Good Morning!

I am at Central office this morning for Zone 6 Reading Interventionist interviews.  I hope to come back with options to support our 3rd and 4th grade classrooms.

Please prepare for the Mix-It-Up day on Monday.  We will focus on academics from 8:30-10:00.  Wait for the all call for the day to begin and ENGAGE with your scientists to create a memorable experience for all.

Subs:
Sheren Elmallah for Donna McNatt PM only
No sub for Doris Davis
Janet Stephens for Tiffany Ray PM only
Rosemary Hazy for Jen Crigier

Thursday MM - November 20th

Congratulations to Jessie Spaciel our 2015 Teacher of the Year!

Congratulations to Karon Kiger as she leads our Teacher Advisory Committee.

Symphony for 4th and 5th at 9am in the gym.

The non verbal cue will be explained to students at the Mix-It-Up assembly.  Feel free to work with your class before then or wait until the assembly.  We will implement the signal in our hallways schoolwide beginning Tuesday the 25th.

Subs:
Oscar Staton for Demarie Anderson PM only
Rosemary Hazy for Donna McNatt PM only
No sub for Doris Davis
Karen Jernagin for Tonya Lovin
Ronald thomas for Tonya Grisette PM only

Wednesday MM - November 19th

Good Morning!

TAC and TOY nominations due before 1:15 today.  

Faculty meeting at 3:25 in the media center.

WS symphony for 4th and 5th grade classes @ 9am on Thursday.  There will be no announcement, please be on time!

Subs:
No sub for Kim Burch
No sub for Kathy Wilheit - cc meeting
No sub for Doris Davis
Rosemary Hazy for Donna McNatt

Tuesday MM - November 18th

Good Morning!

I am at the Elementary Principals meeting today - Agenda is in the blog documents folder - followed by a Magnet Schools meeting in the afternoon. I hope to be back on campus by dismissal.

Please announce the availability of Tuition Reimbursement Scholarships to your faculty members. This is an excellent opportunity for employees to apply for partial reimbursement for tuition costs (up to $200) for courses offered by colleges and universities. The enrollment dates eligible for tuition reimbursement are: May 2014-December 2014. To access the application for reimbursement, please go to: http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/Page/407. For tuition reimbursement guideline. The deadline for submission of tuition reimbursements is December 17, 2014. Should you have questions or concerns, please contact Becky Dickson at 748-4079.

Monday MM - November 17th

Good Morning!

One week from Today we will MIX-IT-UP.  Thanks to the PBIS Team for designing this vital event that builds our collaborative community.

At our Wednesday Faculty meeting we are charged with electing two people from our staff for;

• Teacher of the Year
• TAC chairperson

In the Lunch feedback boxes there will be slips of paper to nominate for each position.  Please be sure the nominee is willing to accept before you place their name on the form.  Self-nominations are encouraged.  I will accept nominations though 1:30 Wednesday and then will compile a ballot for our election at the Wednesday staff meeting.

November Birthday Bash is Tuesday @ 1:50 

Subs today

No sub for Irene rush

Oscar Staton for Suzette Lopez

Rosemary Hazy for Donna McNatt pm only

Friday MM - November 14th

Good Morning!

Thanks for your support of Family Game night and the Book Fair.  

Subs:
Robert Gifford for Donna McNatt
Ms Georgia P. for Lisa Weber
Laurie Howington for Stacy Swanson

It’s that time of the year to nominate classified employees from across the district for the 2015 – 2016 Classified Employee of the Year. Starting on October 31^st through December 1^st, you can nominate any classified employee for this award. Open the link below to nominate any Classified Employee from across the WSFCS district for the Classified Employee of the Year.

http://intranet.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/CEY.nsf/NomMenu?OpenForm​

​ 

Ken Leak

Chairperson, Classified Advisory Council

Thursday MM - November 13th

Good Morning!

Subs today;
Susan Mullis for Darcy Steele
Rosemary Hazy for Donna McNatt

2015-16 Kenan Fellowships Application Period Runs through Jan. 19, 2015

The Kenan Fellows Program is accepting applications for its 2015-16 fellowship year. Fellowships are available to K-12 educators in your school district. Don't miss this amazing chance to apply or encourage a deserving teacher to apply. Our fellowships are based in STEM-connected research and industry fields. They are designed to give teachers a summer internship where they experience innovative ways of making learning relevant for students without interrupting their current classroom responsibilities. Selected Kenan Fellows receive 80 hours of professional development and at least a $5,000 stipend. The fellowship program positions teachers to serve as leaders in their schools and districts and become advocates for education. Please share this announcement and brochure with teachers in your school or district. We also encourage you share it on your websites and social media sites. Online applications end on Monday, Jan. 19, 2015. Continue checking our website, kenanfellows.org, for the latest projects as new ones are added often. To download the brochure follow this link.

Wednesday MM - November 12th

Good Morning!

I am thankful for our Veterans and the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month."

Continue to enjoy the book fair and I look forward to seeing our staff interact with our families at the family game night on Thursday.

Friday MM - BOOK FAIR

Good Morning!

PLEASE emphasize the community nature of our book fair as pre-correction reduces the temptation for theft.  The family night on Thursday November 13th is an AWESOME time to come to school and interact with our families.  Please see Deb and volunteer to assist with you time and talents as our media collection is directly funded by this event.

After you think about your gift of time to Media, Please consider a monetary gift that is needed by the United Way.  So far 3 people have made a pledge.   So let's step up and get 10 pledges today.  Use the link on the bottom of the WSFCS homepage.

Re-COG-nition for 3-5 at 9:15 in the cafeteria.

Also - The PBIS Team would like to have a very brief meeting right after school Monday to get the Mix It Up Day theme and structure in your hands so you can start planning. We'll meet in the gym 5 minutes after buses and meet for 15 minutes.

Please wish the 5th grade LEGO robotics team well as they travel to Greensboro on Saturday for the statewide competition.

Subs:

Carol Sumner for Karon Kiger

Georgia Papanikolaou for Paige Sipe

George Webster for Stacy Swanson - AM only

Rosemary Hazy for Jen Crigier 

No sub for Jeff Faullin - PM only

Thursday MM--November 6

Thursday MM--November 6

The STEM Team would like to share a few tips/updates/reminders for our upcoming STEM Fair.

* December 4, all projects arrive and judges visit

* December 5, classes visit other classrooms who share their specials time to see projects (specialists accompany students as they move).  They will also want to visit the media center where the top projects from each classroom will be.

* Every students should participate in a project, whether it is done in-class or at-home.  We encourage in-class team projects.  Feel free to use your EIE kits as a springboard--many projects at the district level last year were VERY similar to our kits. :)

* District Fair guidelines are posted on Brunson's home page, but students are not required to follow that protocol for our fair.  We want this to be a joy, and a natural fit in curriculum, not a burden!

Please see your STEM team rep if you have questions or need support!

This message is from Maggi Jackson, PTA President

Dear all,

The PTA would like to update the Staff Preference forms that we have kept on file in the main office. This is a reference sheet for families when they are looking for ways to show their appreciation to you!  You can either fill it out electronically and return to maggi.jackson@gmail.com, or print it and return to Laurie Steadman in the main office.  Once we have received your completed forms, we will alert Brunson families that these forms are available for their reference. Just in time for the holidays!  (Will be posted in staff blog folder)

ALSO - the PBIS cafeteria feedback forms are on the teacher tables in the cafe.  Please try to complete one each day you are in the cafeteria to aid in our data collection.

PBIS Re-COG-nition for 3-5 will shift to Friday Morning.  

Subs:
Whitney Peel for Kim Woody pm only
Laurie Jerome for Tonya Grisette
Lindsey Berry for Jenny Niles-Orefice
  

Wednesday MM - November 5th

Good Morning!

I am at the Joint Principals meeting this morning.  The agenda is posted in the blog documents folder.

Meeting today for EL teachers @ 3:30 in the media center.

The Clinard Innovation Grant application process is open!  Please visit the link as two teachers from each Title One elementary school will be awarded a grant between $50 - $500.

SIT made some moves to improve our Teacher Advisory committee

• We will elect a new TAC chair at our next staff meeting on November 19th
• Self-nominate if you are interested by sending an e-mail to SIT chair Allison Phelps.  She will compile the nominees and create a ballot for  the meting.
• We will accept volunteers for TAC  Representatives at the 11.19.14 meeting 
• TAC will meet @ 7:20 on the following
• December 11th
• February 5th
• March 19th
• April 23rd
• May 21st
• Teacher can submit Professional concerns via a new paper form or through an e-mail to a TAC representative.
• Minutes from each TAC meeting will be e-mailed at the conclusion of the meeting

Subs:
David Robinson for Wendy Binkley
Rosemary Hazy for Venice Hailstock
Craig Greenlee for Nancy Smoot
No sub yet for Marcela Zarate
Georgia Papanikolaou for Paige Sipe

Tuesday MM - November 4th

Good Morning!

SIT and STEM meet today

Wednesday after-school, the Expeditionary Learning teachers will meet in the media center from 3:30-4:00 

PBIS Monthly Re-COG-nition!

Today, all students who want a chance to participate should turn in 1 cog for the lottery;

• THIRTY (30) K-2 students will be drawn on Wednesday Morning for the Nautical Design challenge that afternoon at 2pm in the Lobby

• THIRTY (30) 3-5 students will be drawn on Wednesday Morning for the Avionic Design challenge on Thursday from 9:15 -10:00 in the cafeteria

Sub;

Revonia Holmon for Paige Sipe

Monday MM - November 3rd

Good Morning & Happy November!

@ 2pm today all 5th grade will have a strings performance in the gym during specials.  

In an effort to improve our Teacher Advisory Committee we will begin our next SIT team meeting on November 4th with an open forum to discuss improvements.  Please come to Mobile #36 at 3:30 if you are interested, or give your SIT representative the information to lift your voice/opinions to the team.

Our Mix-It-Up date will be Monday, November 24th.  

A note from our school leaders at WSFCS about Tuesday's election

As you know, Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4th. Sam Mills and I did a comprehensive review of all polling sites last year and made a presentation to the Board of Education about safety concerns and suggested improvements at some schools. Many of you we’ve already spoken to about specific changes at your schools, but I wanted to send out an additional reminder about general things that can be done to improve safety on election day.

• As a general rule, students should not be in the halls unsupervised, especially in elementary schools. When possible (I know it will be more difficult in high schools) a teacher or staff member should be in the halls at all times while students are in the halls (classroom changes, bathroom breaks, etc.) when there is the potential for voter-student contact.
• Remind your staff to be more vigilant about voters and other people roaming the schools and, if possible or practicable, have staff members monitor the areas in (in rotating shifts) and around the voting area if it directly intersects with student traffic. 
• We are not required to provide restrooms for voters. However, you may want to consider allowing a voter to use a staff restroom in the office if necessary. You may also want to place a sign outside the student restrooms which directs voters to go to the office for a restroom. 
• If you are one of the few schools where voting was moved from one location on campus to another (from the gym to media center, for example), make sure that you have signs directing voter traffic to the appropriate place. I am happy to speak with you all on Monday and/or to assist in getting these signs done before Tuesday. 
• You may want to consider using physical barriers (such as cones or rope) to separate voter traffic from parent/student traffic, especially during arrival and dismissal times in the common areas and lobby.

STAFF PLEASE PARK IN THE BUS AREA FIRST and then AGAINST the BERM to allow for voters to utilize the spaces nearest the "BP Bridge."

Subs:
Lindsey Berry for Lisa Weber PM only
Vickie Jones for Bobbie Robinson 
Rosemary Hazy for Darcy Steele PM only