Cowboy Courier
February 27, 2020
I really enjoyed getting to celebrate Rosalyn yesterday. She is a perfect representative for our campus.Thanks to Sandra and Lisa for setting up the festivities.
We have so much to celebrate at CMS! Amazing things are happening in all extracurriculars, all departments are showing growth with students, every team can identify growth in our 5 instructional areas, and we have learned so much about how to implement SEL lessons and we are poised to take the next positive steps with that initiative. I go home each day knowing that we gave all we had to give for students and I can look forward to the next day. Even when days are hard, we are in it together which makes it all ok. I truly believe our kids love being here, which is what it's all about!
UIL season is here so make sure you keep up with emails about students being out.
We would love to have your help at the dance Friday night. Sign up HERE
Feb. 28-7th/8th Dance-Volunteers needed please
Feb. 29-Academic UIL District Meet @ CMS
March 5-Fire Drill 10:50am
March 6-Q3 Ends
March 9-Spring Break
Be sure to check the school master calendar regularly. Dates change and I do not include a comprehensive list of events in the Courier. You have to watch the school calendar.
Thank you for all you do!
Amber
Wednesday Meetings
March 4-Leadership Meeting
March 11-SPRING BREAK WEEK
March 18-Grade Level: Supply Lists (Due March 20), CREED lesson review, STAAR Rotations
March 25-STAAR Training (Everyone in attendance)
April 1-The Anxious Brain Part 2
April 8-STAAR Day-No Meeting
April 15-Attendance Election Presentation
April 22-Department Meetings
April 29-No Meeting Unless Something Comes Up
May 6-Leadership
May 13-STAAR-No Meeting
May 20-EOY Celebration
May 27-No Meeting
Report Card Timeline
Quarter 3 Assignment cut-off date will be the Friday before Spring Break, March 6th.
Quarter 3 RC Grades are due NLT 8am on Monday, March 16th.
Teachers will be locked out of the gradebook at 3pm on Tuesday, March 17th. ALL grade changes must be made prior to 3pm on 3/17. If you have a planned absence during this time, will you please get with me at an earlier date to sign your verification sheets?
Quarter 3 grades will be posted to HAC on March 19th by EOB.
Students may gain/lose UIL eligibility on 3/23. I will send out Failure Reports on/by this date.
Attendance Credit Election
We want to make you aware of an important election taking place on May 2 called an “attendance credit election.” Basically, this ballot item asks McKinney residents to vote “for” or “against” the method MISD uses to make mandatory payments to the state under a law commonly referred to as the Robin Hood law. If the measure passes, MISD will be authorized to continue making its mandatory payments using the most cost-effective method, known as “purchasing attendance credits” — the method that it has used since 2014-15. If the measure does not pass, the state will be authorized to detach $2.3 billion of taxable McKinney property and send that tax revenue to another district. That detachment of property could likely be permanent and in the coming years would impact MISD programs.
We encourage you to read more about this important ballot measure by visiting www.mckinneyisd.net/election — and please vote on May 2.
Student Monitoring Reminders
- Never leave your class unattended. Seriously. Even for a minute. I promise unfortunate events take only seconds and it can happen in a class of really great kids.
- Be in the hallways during passing periods and stand where you can also see in your classroom.
- Review your lunch times. Do not release early. Times are designed to facilitate safe traffic flow.
- Return from lunch on time so students aren't unattended.
- The back staircase (by the counselors) is now closed before first period and during lunches.
- After Spring Break, we will begin a "first 10, last 10" rule, which means no hall passes during the first or last 10 minutes of class. Be talking to your students now about this so they understand. They can't walk the hallways for 4 minutes and then run into class and ask to use the restroom. I will talk with leadership about this more next Wednesday.
- I want to be mindful that kids want a bit of social time between classes, but they also can't block the hallways or become disruptive. Your monitoring and use of good judgement to know when to help kids to class is important.
Thank you!
STAAR Info
Everyone's favorite...STAAR! As we enter into the Spring semester, let's be aware of the testing days because they will be here before you know it. The testing dates are different from pervious years, so we wanted to give you a heads up for planning purposes. Please note that the testing dates and the rotation days will adjust our regular schedules for the majority of the campus.
Important dates for planning purposes-STAAR
Tuesday, April 7th-7th Writing/8th Math (6th will be in STAAR rotations)
Wednesday, April 8th-8th Reading (6th and 7th grade will be in STAAR rotations)
Thursday, April 9th-Make Up tests
Friday, April 10th-Bad Weather Day
Tuesday, May 5th-Algebra
Thursday, May 7th-8th Science (6th/7th will be in STAAR Rotations)
Friday, May 8th-Social Studies (6th/7th will be in STAAR Rotations)
Tuesday, 12th-6th/7th Math test, 8th grade math retest (8th will be in STAAR rotations)
Wednesday, May 13th-6th/7th Reading test, 8th grade reading retest (8th will be in STAAR rotations)
Kudos!
I want to give a shout out to our amazing teachers servicing our ELs. It truly takes a village, and I am so thankful for each of them! Special shout out to Traci and Bre for completing all of their ELLevation forms first! They had the most forms to complete, and they ROCKED it! -Katie
I just wanted to send a big thank you to David More and Teri Tippit for coming along with me and our young photographers to Austin last week. They were such a big help and the kids did so awesome. We got several comments that our students were very well behaved and used manners when interacting with the staff at the conference. I am very proud of these young ladies and gentleman that came along for not only their behavior but all that they learned. Thank you again to Mr. Moore and Mrs. Tippit! – Nicole Spinnato
Sent to several teachers:
“We appreciate everyone who has been working with her to give her more time to get assignments and tests done. This has been a tremendous help in several ways. We are extremely grateful for the efforts of her wonderful teachers and staff!!” -Happy Parent
Mrs. Stanley,
You must have made a good impression on our son. He said you are the best ELAR teacher. -Happy Parent
I want to give a shout out to Adriana Torres. I asked her (on a very short notice) to help translate a meeting between myself and a parent. Adriana was a huge help and greatly appreciated by both of us. She went above and beyond and it did not go unnoticed. -Tana