Friday, February 27, 2015

Friday MM - February 27th

Good Morning!

SNOW DAZE.  March awaits with 20 days to make a difference in the lives of our students.

It's that time - Possible Retention letters will be sent home in the Tuesday packet of March 10th.

  • Dear Parent/Guardian, We are concerned about the academic progress of STUDENT NAME HERE His/her name has been submitted to me as a possible retention and thus may repeat the same grade and curriculum next year. This letter serves as an important communication so that we may work together to do everything in our powers to provide opportunities for success. Please contact TEACHER NAME HERE to schedule a conference before the end of April. We still have ample time for interventions that will support increased learning for your child. We will re-evaluate the academic progress of STUDENT NAME HERE and schedule a conference with you for the end of May to determine proper placement for the 2015-2016 school year.
I need your list of students to receive this letter in my e-mailbox before March 6th.  Students not included on this initial list are not eligible for retention.  Please read the document below regarding the retention of ELL students.

Retention Considerations For Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students 

  • What is the child’s English language proficiency level? 
    • Consideration: the lower the child’s English language proficiency, the more likely his English ability affected his progress in an English speaking classroom.
  • How long has the student been enrolled in a US school? 
    • Consideration: It takes a child 4-10 years to fully acquire a second language.
  • Are LEP instructional modifications being used and documented in the mainstream classroom (PEP and LEP Plan)?
    • Consideration: If LEP instructional modifications are not used in the classroom consistently, the child may not have been able to demonstrate what he knows
  • Are LEP testing accommodations being used consistently and documented for EOQs and EOGs?
  • Is the child receiving the minimum amount of ESL services?
    • Consideration: Without appropriate ESL services, most LEP students will acquire English only through classroom immersion which is the least effective method of English acquisition.
  • Are we considering how much progress the child has made in acquiring English and acquiring content knowledge?
    • AR 5122.3 Guidelines for Placement and Evaluation of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. Cannot retain a child because of English language proficiency.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Tuesday MM - February 24th

Good morning!

Brenda addressed the faculty that was here on Wednesday of last week regarding her resignation. She is working on some health issues that need her full attention. Her last day with us will be February 27th, please thank her for the service she provided to our school.


PTA Birthday Bash for February is today

We still have a fire drill for February to complete.  Wednesday looks like the warmest and driest day of the week.

Info from our Central office;
Tue
  • Hi all - this Friday we're having a KG Information Day at the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem. This is the first time we've tried an event like this. We want to reach families who may wait to register until this summer or right before school starts. Any family with a rising KGer for 2015-16 will receive free admission to the museum. We'll run two information sessions during the day - one from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and then 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. We're hoping to catch families who can come during the day, as well as those who can come after work. If a family needs pubic transportation, WSTA routes 14 and 29 go right by the museum.  The sessions we will have will focus on how they enroll, how to choose a school and how to get ready for KG. We want this to be a fun way to meet the school system and become comfortable with what can be an intimidating process. We also want to encourage them to enroll at their schools during our kindergarten registration week, which is March 9-13. We'll also have several tables with information about transportation, magnet programs, dual language programs and more. We will also have Spanish-speaking interpreters.  
  • Fliers for the event, in English and Spanish, are available in the office - we'd love to see as many families as possible on Friday. We're also sending an all call to grades K-8 tonight to tell them about it.
Subs:
Rosemary for Karon

Monday MM - February 23rd

Good Morning and Welcome back!

I have a new specials schedule that will accommodate our guidance sub being here on Wednesday through Friday.  It will be a slow roll today to test the viability of the changes.  I will post the new schedule this afternoon and put it on the blog Tuesday.

Please welcome Kim Woody back into the fold!  

Subs:
Rosemary for Karon

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Snow Day - Wednesday, February 18th

No school for students on Wednesday! 

Optional teacher workday that begins @ 10:00am (building closes at 5:00 pm)

Optional means it is your decision.  

  • Utilize annual leave
    • OR
  • Make up the day in June
    • OR
  • Safely drive to work after 10 am

Stop by the office so we can record your presence and give you credit for working.


Snow Day - February 17th

It is just before noon and our parking lot has yet to be plowed.  Silas Creek parkway  and Country club road were clear and very passable.  All the side streets in my neighborhood were still covered in snow/sleet.  

I am on my way to shovel the walks and depending on the melting that occurs throughout the afternoon, we may see a delay or closing for Wednesday.  STAY TUNED.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Monday MM - February 16th

Good Morning!

Early dismissal will follow the two hour early lunch schedule.

I will announce the specials schedule on the Morning Announcements.  

Subs:
HUMPHRIES, ELIZABETH for Linnea Patrick
FAULKNER, META for Demarie Anderson
Deb Gray for Jenny Niles-Orefice



Friday, February 13, 2015

MIX-IT-UP MM - February 13th

Happy Valentines Day 

"think global and act local" is utilized as a statement to encourage ACTION.  Today in your Mix-It-Up teams consider developing a Learning Target.  Below are some that I have attempted as examples, NOT exemplars.  You are the masters at the creation of quality Learning targets and I will be travelling through the building excited to see what you have crafted. 

  • I can build a case that actions speak louder than words
  • I can add value to my community through my service learning project
  • I can create a legacy of care through my consistent actions
  • I can demonstrate that individual action toward service has a cumulative effect when applied throughout the school community

  • I can........
Another Light bulb joke just for fun,

Q: How many existentialists does it take to screw in a lightbulb? 

A: Two. One to screw it in and one to observe how the lightbulb itself symbolizes a single incandescent beacon of subjective reality in a netherworld of endless absurdity reaching out toward a maudlin cosmos of nothingness.

REMEMBER - WE HAVE SCHOOL MONDAY.
It is our make-up day from January 14th.

Subs:
BROWNING, STEPHEN for Stacy Swanson
FAULKNER, META for Demarie Anderson
ROSA, JACQUELINE for Lisa Weber
Natalie Newman for Sara Davis

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Thursday MM - February 12th

Good work with our PLT goals yesterday!  I am looking forward to seeing your strategies in action as I complete the next round of observations.  I am encouraged that many folks have PDP goals that are supportive of their PLT goals.

Joke of the day for dog lovers

How Many Dogs Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb?
  • Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned-out light bulb?
  • Border Collie: Just one. And I'll replace any wiring that's not up to code.
  • Dachshund: I can't reach the stupid lamp!
  • Toy Poodle: I'll just blow in the Border collie's ear and he'll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.
  • Rottweiler: Go Ahead! Make me!
  • Shi-tzu: Puh-leeze, dah-ling. Let the servants. . . 
  • Lab: Oh, me, me!!! Pleeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Can I? 
  • Malamute: Let the Border collie do it. You can feed me while he's busy.
  • Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.
  • Doberman Pinscher: While it's dark, I'm going to sleep on the couch.
  • Mastiff: Mastiffs are NOT afraid of the dark.
  • Hound Dog: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
  • Chihuahua: Yo quiero Taco Bulb.
  • Pointer: I see it, there it is, right there...
  • Greyhound: It isn't moving. Who cares?
  • Australian Shepherd: Put all the light bulbs in a little circle...
  • Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? Light bulb? That thing I just ate was a light bulb? 
I am at the Elementary Principals meeting today and will return after Lunch.  the agenda is posted on the blog documents folder.  If you look closely at the agenda you may see why I posted the joke.

Guidance coverage for today
Dr Stevens will cover all guidance today.
8:30 with Cota-Robles
9:15 with Steele
12:30 with Smoot
2:00 with Patrick

Technology Coverage for today
1:15 Davis will have a sub.
2:00 - Faullin with Overby

Subs Today:
GOLDENSTEIN, ALAN for Sara Davis pm only
MADDELEIN, MERRY SARA for Tiffany Ray
FRANCE, ANNETTE for Charity Cota-Robles
no sub for Stacy Swanson


Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Wednesday MM - Early Release Day

Good Morning!

Specials schedule is on the board, posted below and in the blog documents folder.  Our ER Lunch schedule remains identical to the one we used on the previous 3 ER days.  It too is posted on the board and in the blog documents folder.

  • 8:30 Wednesday 
    • Hailstock MUSIC 
    • Binkley TECHNOLOGY 
    • Smoot PE 
    • Zarate ART 
  • 9:15 Wednesday 
    • Anderson TECHNOLOGY 
    • Davis MEDIA 
    • McGee PE 
    • Weber ART 
    • Woody MUSIC 
  • 10:00 Wednesday 
    • Byrd TECHNOLOGY 
    • Coles PE 
    • Grisette ART 
    • Steele MUSIC 
  • 11:30 Wednesday
    • McNatt TECHNOLOGY 
    • Overby MEDIA 
    • Patrick PE 
    • Crigier ART 
    • Sipe MUSIC 

Our WSFCS/ACCESS testing window began Tuesday! Please encourage extra-respectful hallway behaviors while our ELL's are taking their annual assessments these next 3 weeks.

Subs:
FRANCE, ANNETTE for Bobbie Robinson
HOLLAND, STEPHEN for Venice Hailstock
BAREFOOT, TRACIE for Wendy Binkley
HICKS, CONEITA for Nancy Smoot

Monday, February 9, 2015

Tuesday MM - February 10th

Good Morning!  

Below is our schedule for Wednesday;
  • 12:50 - dismissal
  • 1:30 - PLT meetings
    • Objective - progress monitor goals and "scale, scrap or shift"
      • Mobile 41 - 1st & James
      • Room 28 - 2nd, Tonya & Kim
      • Mobile 34 - 3rd & Anna 
      • Mobile 39 - 4th, Janet & Jack 
      • Mobile 37 - 5th, Joel & Diana
      • Media - HAG, Deb, Cindy & Stacy
  • 2:45 - End of PLT
  • 3:00  - All staff in media center to CELEBRATE and SHARE goal success and next steps.
  • 3:30 - Dismissal 
Subs Today;
MORGAN, PEGGY for Suzette Lopez
MADDELEIN, MERRY SARA for Bridgette Holomon
YOUNG, NANCY for Linnea Patrick
THOMAS JR, RONALD for Kelsey Byrd
No sub for Nicole Robinson
No sub for Kathy Wilheit


Monday MM - February 9th

Good Morning!

Eric Jensen will inform the following teachers this week.  

  • Monday - Burroughs & Gulledge
  • Tuesday - Lopez & Hollomon
  • Wednesday - Hailstock, Robinson, Smoot & Binkley
  • Thursday - Cota-Robles & Ray
    • There is a Community meeting Tuesday from 5:30-6:30 at the Ed building hosted by Eric Jensen.  For all those who are interested, please come and and hear his message.

Wednesday we have our Early Release day, so our PLT meeting will not occur in their regularly scheduled spots.  the schedule for our Wednesday work will be posted on the blog Tuesday.

PLEASE work with your families to ensure timely pick up on Wednesday.  Our last Early Release day was in October.

Subs:
Wille Mae Carson for Trish Gulledge
Peggy Morgan for Brandi Burroughs
No sub for Nicole robinson
Miss Georgia for Lisa Weber pm only


Friday, February 6, 2015

Friday MM - February 6th

Good Morning!

DANCE PARTY - 40 minute sessions provided by the PBIS team with technical assistance from DJ Sta-CEEEEEE

  • 4th and 5th grades @ 12:20
  • 1st and 2nd grades @ 1:10
  • Kindergarten and 3rd grade @ 2:00

Subs today;
Kathy Hawkins for Patricia Vivanco
Catharine Lowe for Bridgette Holomon
Stephen Holland for Diana Adkins
No sub yet for James Dorsett
Felicia Covert for Bobbie Robinson


Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Thursday MM - February 5th

Good Morning!

Let's make today FANTASTIC.  

No subs as of Wednesday night.  

Wednesday MM - February 4th

Good Morning

This afternoon at 3:30 in the media center there will be a Expeditionary Learning meeting to share details from Tuesday's learning walk See you there. 

Our "Morning Team" will meet Friday morning @ 7:30 in the cafeteria.  This is a change from the 4th as I overextended myself.

TAC will meet at 7:30 Thursday.

PBIS Dance Party Re-COG-nition is Friday!

No subs today


Monday, February 2, 2015

Tuesday MM - February 3rd

Good Morning!

I am at the joint principals meeting this morning and will return after Lunch.

Our WSFCS "School Letter grade" letter shall be in EVERY student's packet today!  I have placed a copy in the shared drive and in the blog document folder.  The office will print and deliver by Lunch.

SIT @ 3:30 in Mobile 36

STEM @ 3:30 in the LT room

Expeditionary Learning Walk this morning w/ the third grade team.

Can you send me an e-mail if you are trained mentor?  (also if you want to be considered in the future, send me an email)


Monday MM - February 2

Good Morning!

We have a GREAT week ahead.

3rd Grade Reading assessment will be administered Tuesday.  Provide the appropriate environment through EXCELLENT hallway behavior.

SIT meeting Tuesday - Bring your artifacts for the documentation of interventions.

TAC meeting Thursday morning.

PBIS monthly Re-COG-nition will be a dance party on Friday the 6th.  5 cogs for admission.

Subs:
Meta Faulkner for Tonya Grisette
Katherine Robinson for Trish Gulledge

Still working on a sub for Jenny - Today 
Grisette - PE with Joel
Zarate - Technology with Stacy
Sipe - Media with Deb