Black Cat Bulletin
Keeping it R.E.A.L! Respect + Effort + Attitude= Leadership
October 2017
From Our Principal...
Our teachers are working tirelessly to make sure they know your child's skill level and ability, they are designing instruction to meet their needs, and they are being responsive to the needs of the curriculum, the community, and every child's individual performance. Additionally, we are making sure we are mindful in our responses to social and academic needs in our community. You won't find a staff that is more dedicated to the community than ours. I am continually impressed and inspired by the work these professionals do and the collaboration that magnifies their impact for our children and our families.
Education requires so much more today than the career for which many of us were trained. Instead of whole class instruction, many teachers are designing many levels of instruction for multiple subjects every day. Instead of opening a textbook and reading a chapter with the children, and having them answer the questions, teachers are coordinating resources that match the needs of the groups and designing structures and lessons that challenge students. Instead of giving the test at the end of the chapter, teachers design the assessments to match the standards. Instead of teaching in isolation, teachers are collaborating and coordinating with one another to build a strong source of support for each other, and for students. The examples go on and on for how teaching is different today, and what makes that B a worthy accomplishment and a credit to each and every teacher in our school.
Additionally, in EVSC, we address the whole child in ways other districts may not. Our approach to social-emotional learning; supports we provide to children who need extra attention or those who excel; collaborative teaching and planning; awarenesses of that which children bring into their education as prior childhood experiences; and so many more ways that our superintendent, Dr. David Smith, is guiding us in being responsive to community and social . We have intense, intentional goals for every lesson. We assess and monitor every child for each of these goals. We then build a program of support for every child.
From Our Principal Intern...
Dave Burgess, author of Teach Like a Pirate, talks about setting a 5 Word GPS for the school year. In his conversation, he discusses considering how we would like our students to describe their classrooms at the end of the year and taking the top five adjectives to use as our GPS for the year. As lessons, activities, and outreach take place throughout the year, we step back and compare them to our GPS. Will this work help us reach our 5 Word GPS? If not, we then revise our work to make sure we are heading in the right direction. Those 5 words act as a compass for our work throughout the year, to guide us in creating powerful opportunities for students.
With this in mind, I began to consider my 5 Word GPS for West Terrace. How would I like the community, students, and staff to describe our building? I'd like to share my GPS for the year:
Challenging
We strive to create challenging opportunities for all students. This means we adopt a growth mindset, celebrate current student successes, and continually find ways to support students as they grow as a learner. Each day is viewed as an opportunity to grow and learn something new!
Safe
Students learn best when they are in an environment where they feel safe. We create these environments by developing strong relationships across the building. As these relationships build, students view the school as a safe place to share thoughts and ideas without fear of what others will think or how they will be viewed. As this feeling of safety builds, deeper learning can take place.
Collaborative
We are better together. Students learn from the teacher and each other. As students work together, they learn more than simply content. They learn speaking and listening skills and how to treat others with respect. These are skills students will use throughout their lives.
Innovative
Current research allows us to continually revise our practice and develop opportunities that set students up for success. Maya Angelou said, "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." We are committed to continually learning as educators. As we grow, our practice reflects our learning.
Engaging
We want students to want to come to school! Engaging lessons create an excitement for learning. They allow students to interact with the content and enjoy the learning experience. This is how we develop a life-long love for learning, which is our goal for each child.
Think about the school year. What is your 5 Word GPS for your child or family? Take a minute to talk to your student about their goals for the year. I'm excited to see how we grow in 2017-2018!
Welcome NEW TEACHER!!
INFORMATION
Notes From The Nurse
Recycling News
Please remember that you can recycle aluminum cans here at West Terrace!! The aluminum recycle cage is parked in the east parking lot right next to the recycle dumpster. We ask that you put only cans in the cage. Every penny we earn from the cans comes right back to our school!
PAWS ON PARADE
Our top Paws On Parade walkers this month are...
2nd grader Lleyton King with 15 miles 0 laps
4th grader Lida Wayne with 10 miles 2 laps
1st grader Emma Brown with 8 miles 4 laps
2nd grader Gavin Rolly with 7 miles 5 laps
2nd grader Caiden Cassin with 7 miles, 2 laps
In addition to the top walkers, this year I will be adding the total miles that all the students have walked/ran per grade. I will post this on a map in the hallway across from the Café. This way there is a visual of how far each grade has walked as a total if each student took turns walking across the US. So far...
1st graders have walked a total of 95.5 miles
2nd graders a total of 91.0 miles
3rd graders 40.5 miles
4th graders 36.2 miles
5th graders 0.1 miles
We have 148 students in the club so far this year. This means we have 148 students on the right track to start a good lifelong healthy habit along with getting many other benefits too. Be sure to ask your child how many miles or laps they have completed and what their goal is they want to achieve.
Tammy Jewell
POP Coordinator
Calendar Link--click below for calendar
IMPORTANT DATES
October 18-19: 5:45-7:15 Girls Basketball Tryouts
October 20: Breakfast with Mummy
October 21: Trunk or Treat
Important policy reminders
Drop Off/Pick Up
JOIN THE WEST TERRACE PTA!
President: Jenny Fuquay
Vice-President: Sandi Davis
Secretary: Tera Babb
Treasurer: April Coughlin
PTA MEETING DATES:
Wednesday, September 27 @ 5:30pm
Wednesday, October 25 @ 5:30pm
Wednesday, November 29 @ 5:30pm
Wednesday, December 20 @ 5:30pm
Wednesday, January 24 @ 5:30pm
Wednesday, February 28 @ 5:30 pm
Wednesday, March 21 @ 5:30 pm
Wednesday, April 25 @ 5:30pm
Extended Care
We are having loads of fun in our A.M. and P.M. Extended Care Program. We open
at 6:30 a.m. and enjoy quiet play, coloring and games with our friends. (Homework catch up time is sometimes done at this time) Breakfast can be brought in from home
or bought from our Cafeteria at 7:30. The kids are sent on to class at 7:45 when school
officially opens.
The afternoon program includes time for snack, homework, crafts, games, netbook usage and outdoor play. The 4th and 5th graders provide a fun cheering section for
our home games and we will begin allowing the younger kids to join in soon.
Thank you to all parents for keeping your accounts caught up and picking up your
kids on time. A big pat on the back goes out to you! If I can be of any help to you,
please email me at Barbara.grant@evsck12.com.
Barbara Grant
Extended Care Coordinator
Community Outreach
Jenna Hancock-Wargel Berkshire Hathaway Home Services (Click here for more information)
THIS YEAR'S STAFF
Please help us welcome the following staff members to our teams.
Here are the specific grade level assignments:
Kindergarten:
Tara Kolb, rm 32
Wendy Brunson, rm 30
Lisa Gooch, rm 33
Angela Hayes, rm 34
Christine Harris, rm 21
First Grade
Amanda Woods, rm 1
Brooke Corressell, rm 3
Mallorie Roberts, rm 6
Cindy Evans, rm 5
Second Grade
Vera Emmons, rm 9
Nicholas Iaccarino, rm 23
Carie Kingery, rm 10
Trisha Kavanaugh, rm 15
Amy Nau, rm 12
Third Grade
Courtney Rueger, rm 16/ Stephanie Scheu, rm 11
Robin Bass, rm 19/ Denise Strawn, rm 18
Fourth Grade
Shelly DeWeese, rm 22/ Nikki Paul, rm 17
Megan Murphy, rm 24/Lindsey Stine, rm 29
Fifth Grade
Trish Toelle, rm 26/Cassie Curl, rm 28
Renee Schefer, rm 27/Simone Nance, rm 25
Special Ed
LIfeskills:
Jennifer Bennett, rm 4
Sarah Walls, rm 2
Resource:
Renae Jackson, rm 14
Shelley Patton, rm 21
Elizabeth Ray, media center
Rotation
Susan Kemper, Art, rm 8
Anne Woodruff, Music, rm 7
Peggy Davis, Gym
Nadine Risley, Technology
Office
Katie White, Principal
Bethany Lynch, Principal Intern
April Coughlin, Counselor
Sheri Moore, Principal's Secretary
Nicole Smith, Secretary/Receptionist
Christine Hamilton, Nurse
Kim Sitzman, Media Aide