LVMS Weekly Staff Newsletter
Week of February 13, 2017
CAPTURE THE MOMENT: WONDER, DISCOVERY, & EXPLORATION
Upcoming Events
Monday, February 13th
Welcome, Mr. Tucker!
TELPAS training, Viking Hall
Tuesday, February 14th
Happy Valentine's Day!
Wednesday, February 15th
7th Grade Writing & 8th Grade Reading Benchmarks
Thursday, February 16th
7th Grade Math, 8th Grade Math, & Algebra 1 (Mini) Benchmarks
UIL Assembly at 3:10 in Upper Gym
Monday, February 20th
Student Holiday/ Campus PD Day
Wednesday, February 22nd
Faculty Meeting Option A at 4:10pm
Thursday, February 23rd
Faculty Meeting Option B at 7:45am
Friday, February 24th
Track and Field Meet at Blanco HS
March 13th - 17th
SPRING BREAK!!!
Friday, March 24th
End of 3rd Nine Weeks
3rd Quarter Self-Assessment due to Appraiser
Attendance...
Remember: students must be in attendance at least 90% of the days the class is taught in order to receive credit or a final grade in a class. We appreciate our staff members' efforts in helping us minimize student absences and prepare our students for their futures!
Note from Mr. Tucker
This is Mr. Tucker (CT), your interim principal. It seems appropriate to share some thoughts with you as we prepare to set out on this journey together.
First, let me say that it is my honor to serve with you to meet the needs of our students. It is important to remember that you have chosen a noble profession. Much of society is absolutely founded on the successful education of our youth. Few things can equal that responsibility. It is my understanding that LVISD is blessed to have you due to your exemplary performance, care and concern for the students.Remember that there is no such thing as "just a teacher." You are a TEACHER/EDUCATOR, making a positive difference daily. Wear that title with pride, knowing that you are called to do important work.
Second, I am interested in developing a professional and trusting relationship with each of you. As we define and refine the rich educational environment that we all seek, I invite you to stop by the office or make an appointment if you wish. We can explore your hopes, dreams and plans for the future. Of course, anything that I can do to support your efforts is a given. As our discussions progress, it is my desire that you will share the traditions and history of LVMS with me. I want to honor what has gone before as we forge ahead into the future.
And finally, I will be working closely with Mrs. Spexarth to understand all the current plans so that we can generate our future successes. Your participation in this important work can not be over emphasized.
Go Vikings,
CT
P.S.
As you may have noticed, most folks call me CT. Please feel free to do so, too. I met a lot of you at the faculty meeting on Wednesday and regret missing those of you who needed to attend the Thursday morning meeting. We will all have more time to visit on February 20th PD day at our campus luncheon. Be sure to come hungry that day!
Meet Our Newest Viking!
Congratulations to Sue Kunze and her new grandson, Cru Carroll Wilson. He’s a
healthy baby boy weighing in at 7lbs 4oz.
February 22nd/23rd Faculty Meeting
Wednesday, February 22nd at 4:10pm
OR
Thursday, February 23rd at 7:45amPlease click on the link below to let us know which faculty meeting session you will attend:
UPDATED DUTY SCHEDULE - SUPER IMPORTANT!
Mrs. Spexarth made some necessary adjustments to the duty schedule as we transition from basketball to track/golf/tennis/powerlifting season.
Please take time to check out the updated schedule to ensure that you are in the right place at the right time. Student supervision and safety is a top priority. If you are not at your duty station you can assume that students are unsupervised and unsafe. Scary!
The new schedule will start on Monday. Thanks for keeping our kiddos safe!
Suggestions Wanted!!!
For example, here's District Goal #1:
- Maximize student achievement by providing quality instruction and educational programs that meet the needs of all students, by developing an extensive curriculum that emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, and using high quality instructional strategies.
Here's an example of a performance objective, or what you want to accomplish as a campus:
- Improve academic achievement on the state assessments for all students and all subpopulations in reading/language arts, math, science, and social studies to achieve the highest accountability rating from the State of Texas. I wanna rock and roll all nite and party every day.
So, if you have ideas or feedback related to the performance objectives you'd like to see in next year's plan, please email Michelle Jackson at michelle_jackson@lagovista.txed.net.
For your reference, here is a list of the goals:
- Goal 1: Curriculum, Instruction, & Student Achievement: Maximize student achievement by providing quality instruction and educational programs that meet the needs of all students, by developing an extensive curriculum that emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, by using high quality instructional strategies.
- Goal 2: Learning Environment: Provide a safe, nurturing educational environment that reflects a commitment to leadership, digital citizenship, service, integrity, character, and high expectations for all students.
- Goal 3: College & Career Readiness: Prepare graduates for success in post-secondary pathways by developing programs and activities that promote college readiness and that support pursuits in career and technology fields.
- Goal 4: High Quality Staff: Attract, develop, and maintain high quality professionals by offering competitive pay and benefits, and by working collaboratively to determine, meet, and facilitate their specific professional needs.
- Goal 5: Family & Community Engagement: Welcome, inform, and nurture partnerships with our families and community partners to ensure active involvement in promoting high expectations, strong values, and the academic achievement and success of all students.
- Goal 6: Planning & Decision-Making: Develop an efficient, transparent, and collaborative approach to planning & decision-making that communicates the priorities, processes, initiatives, and challenges of the District to all.
Don't Forget! Principal Candidate Profile Survey for Current Staff Open Until February 24th!
Lago Vista ISD is seeking input to assist in setting the skills and qualifications to be used in selecting the new principal for Lago Vista Middle School. Your input will be a critical part of the District's process.
The survey below consists of 33 questions and should take 10-15 minutes to complete. All input is anonymous and confidential and is for the sole use of the District. Input will be accepted until February 24, 2017.
CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY!
We appreciate you for taking the time to provide us with feedback!
Mark Your Calendars: Benchmark Dates This Week!
2017 Benchmark Dates
Feb 15 – 7th grade Writing & 8th grade Reading
Feb 16 – 7th grade Math, 8th grade Math, & Algebra 1
April 3 – 6th grade Reading, 7th grade Reading, & 8th grade Science
April 4 – 6th grade Math & 8th grade Social Studies
April 5 – Algebra 1 (2nd benchmark) & Make-ups
Below is a copy of the bell schedule for our testing days this week. If you have any questions, please let Mrs. Spexarth know. Thanks!
TELPAS Training on Monday
LVISDEF Grant Applications Are Due March 24th!
Each year, the Lago Vista ISD Education Foundation awards grants for innovative teaching projects. Their goal this year is to award $15,000 in grants! Applications must be submitted no later than the end of the 3rd Nine Weeks.
We all enjoy social media as a pastime and it enables us to remain connected to our social group. Sometimes it is good to disconnect and focus on other relaxing or productive activities. Here is an article about How Using Social Media Affects Teenagers.
This month, Mrs. La Rosa will be visiting the classrooms to talk with the students about communication skills. The topics that will be covered are:
Empathy
Active Listening
Negotiation
Compromising
- Nonverbal Communication
7th Grade Boy's Basketball
This past Saturday, Lago Vista entered our first ever middle school tournament. Our first game was against Gateway, and it proved to be a battle. Through four quarters of basketball, Lago Vista struggled offensively, but continued to score points under Ryder Phillips and Jeremy Hill. The leading rebounders were Mikey D'Ambrose and Jackson Humpky. Leading the team in steals were Logan Parsons and Author Munoz. By the end of the game, Lago Vista came out on top with a win of 36 to 28. This allowed Lago Vista to move up in the bracket to go against our biggest rival of the year, Comfort.
In the Comfort game, Lago Vista came out on top early, with an amazing post game by Jackson Humpky. He had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Mikey D’Ambrose played amazing defense and both he and Logan Parsons had 4 steals each. Ryder Phillips led the team in passing and 3 pointers with two. As the game continued, all of the Lago Vista players created a team effort to push for the win. As the 4th quarter came to a close, Lago was up by one with 30 seconds to go. A bad pass forced Lago to run back on defense and a block shot put Comfort up by 1 with only 4 seconds to go. In the last seconds, a missed half court shot by Lago Vista ended the game. The Vikings took a hard lost, but Coach Tomlin adds, "I could not have been more proud of our boys and how hard they fought to win."
In the last game of the season, our boys were physically and mental drained and it was hard for them to push through it. All of the Vikings played and cheered on, but we just did not have anything left in the tank. Lago Vista ended in fourth place with a loss to Blanco, but our boys worked incredibly hard in that single day. Coach Tomlin adds, "Great job this season, boys...I can't wait for next year."
The 8th Grade Boy's Basketball report will be included in next week's newsletter.
7th Grade Girl's Basketball
The 7th Grade Lady Vikings ‘A’ Team took 3rd place in the District Tournament at Lago Vista Middle School on Saturday Feb. 4th.
The Lady Vikings easily handled Johnson City in the first game of the day 32-10.
The second game of pool play was against Comfort. The Lady Vikings held Comfort to just 1 point scored in the last 3 quarters of the game. Unfortunately, after one of those games where you just can’t buy a basket to save your life, Comfort won, 13-14. It was a nailbiter up to the very end, and the girls fought hard to the very last buzzer of the game. We almost had it!
The third and final game of the day was against Blanco. The Vikings never looked back after that second game, and won with a final score of 33-17.
Congratulation to the 7th grade Lady Vikings on a great basketball season. These girls worked hard and improved their basketball knowledge and skills SO much in these 4 short months. We can’t wait to see them grow in the game as they get older! Thank you for a great season.
8th Grade Girl's Basketball
The Lady Vikings 8th grade A team hosted and played in their district basketball tournament Saturday, February 4th at the High school.
In the first game, the Lady Vikings played against Comfort. It was a great game for us and we executed our defense and offense very well. The Lady Vikings held the lead the entire game. The final score was 30-10, Lago Vista. Grace Rhone had 11 points, Josey Kannmacher had 6 points, Esther Long had 5 points, Jade Press had 4 points, and Madysen Sheppard had 2 points.
The second game the Lady Vikings played was against Johnson City. It was a hard fought game and it challenged the Lady Vikings to play at their best. The Lady Vikings won the game by 5 points, 23-18. Jade Press had 12 points, Grade Rhone had 4 points, Aryanna Wallace had 3 points, Josey Kannmacher and Esther Long both had 2 points.
After our 2 victories, the Lady Vikings were in the championship game playing against Ingram. Ingram was the only team the Lady Vikings lost to in our regular season. We knew we would have to play at our absolute best to defeat them. The lead went back and forth between the Lady Vikings and Ingram, both teams playing their hardest. In the end, fatigue and foul trouble may have gotten the better of the Lady Vikings. The Lady Vikings lost to Ingram by only a handful of points. Though taking home second was not what we were hoping for, the Lady Vikings did their greatest and left it all out on the court. I am very proud of these amazing young ladies and what we were able to accomplish this year together. Their future is so very bright! Way to go Lady Vikings!
Supply Budget Funds
The awesome folks who have agreed to serve as department chairs are:
- Rachel Karg, ELAR
- Wendy Phillips, Math
- Tyler Simons, Science
- Kain Tomlin, Social Studies
Remember that any supplies purchased with supply money must be used to enhance instruction and support grade level TEKS. If you need help, please let Suzy know!
Students with Sniffles
If a student becomes ill during the school day, he or she must ask permission from you to see the school nurse. If a student says he/she doesn't feel well, please send him/her to the nurse...please don't make that call on your own. If the nurse determines that the child should go home, the nurse will contact the parent.
Thank you for reinforcing this information with your students!
Reminder About Student Cell Phone Use
Now that we have classroom iPads available, it would be unlikely that a lesson needs cell phone use. That being said, you may plan an awesome lesson that DOES require it. If you are planning a lesson that requires students to use their cell phones, please make sure to get that approved in advance. Thank you so much!
2017-2018 Course Selection is Coming!
It's hard to believe that it's almost that time, but we are getting ready to begin the course selection process for next year. The LVMS and LVHS course guides will be published this month. Parents and students are encouraged to read through the course guides and plan their course selections carefully.
Current 6th and 7th Graders
Course selection sheets for upcoming 7th and 8th graders will be reviewed and completed during the last two weeks of May.
Current 8th Graders
Course selection sheets for upcoming 9th graders will be reviewed and completed during the week of April 24th-27th. LVHS will hold an 8th Grade Parent Night on April 27th to discuss courses and graduation plans. Stay tuned for more details!
In case you’re curious, in addition to our new snazzy logos, we also have two fonts that are a part of our official branding. Click below to download the official Lago Vista fonts:
Mighty Mighty Friars (The Top One) - http://www.dafont.com/mighty-mighty-friars.font
Featured Item (The Bottom One) - http://www.dafont.com/featured-item.font
To install them, you will need to shut down Word. (It took me two times...just FYI!)
OLDIES BUT GOODIES (AKA, INFORMATION THAT WILL REMAIN IN THE NEWSLETTER EVERY WEEK BECAUSE IT’S IMPORTANT!)
Do Your Duty!
Here's the link to the current duty schedule. Again, if you are scheduled to be off campus during your scheduled duty time, please make sure that you find someone to cover you. Thanks!
Cafeteria Expectations (Review for Teachers AND Students!)
Student Expectations in the Cafeteria
Be Respectful
· Exhibit appropriate peer interactions.
· Use appropriate language.
· Follow adult directions.
· Clean up after yourself.
· Wait your turn in line.
Be Responsible
· Keep your technology off and away.
· Pick up anything you drop.
· Remain in your seat.
· Use hand signals to communicate your needs.
· Wait for permission to get up out of your seat.
Be Safe
· Keep your hands, feet, and belongings to yourself.
· Keep backpacks and belongings out of the walkways.
Hand Signals
Once seated, students may not get up out of their seats in the cafeteria without permission. The hand signals above should be used to indicate to the adults in the room what a student needs. Here's a rundown:
1 Finger = I need a utensil (or napkin, ketchup, etc.).
2 Fingers = I would like to return to the line for seconds or to purchase something.
3 Fingers = I need to throw away my trash.
Crossed Fingers = I need to go to the restroom (1 at a time ONLY).
Reminders for Adults on Duty
- Students may NOT use personal electronic devices once the instructional day begins (including lunch).
- Noise level should be conversational. Any yelling or inappropriately loud voices will result in consequences.
- Tables are dismissed one by one. All trash should be picked up and there should be no food in the floor.
Have Something to Contribute to the Weekly Parent Newsletter?
Please paste your newsletter information in the shared Google Doc below. Please make a note on your entry to let us know there are pictures.
If you have pictures, please create a subfolder on Drive that is easy to identify. Here’s the picture folder:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_3Lwg9XyF0oOXdCZ24zZFp0WnM
LVMS Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures Review
As we begin the second semester, we would like to take a moment to review arrival and dismissal procedures, particularly as they relate to car riders. Student safety is our top priority and your observance of these procedures is greatly appreciatedI
DROP-OFF
As a reminder, supervision is not provided for middle school students who arrive to school before 7:30am. Car riders are dropped off directly in front of Viking Hall. Parents must use the entrance on Bar-K and follow the loop around. This is to ensure that cars are not forced to line up on 1431.
- Please make sure your students are ready to quickly exit your vehicle so that the line moves quickly.
- Also, we ask that you pull forward in the line (even if it is past the doors to Viking Hall). This will help keep our drop-off line running efficiently so that you'll be on your way in no time!
PICK-UP
Car riders will wait to be picked up directly in front of Viking Hall.
Parents who are parked for pick-up in the baseball field parking lots on Bar-K must be waiting for immediate pickup at dismissal.
- To ensure their safety, students must proceed directly to this area using the doors that exit to the faculty parking lot behind the gymnasium and may not walk through the car pickup lane.
- Students may cross at the crosswalk only when given clearance by the crossing guard.
- STUDENTS MAY NOT WAIT IN THE AREA BY THE CROSSWALK TO BE PICKED UP. They will be escorted to the pickup line.
- Students waiting for pickup must be in the supervised pick-up line at Viking Hall.
Thank you for helping our Vikings remain Respectful, Responsible, and SAFE!
Budget Requisition Process
If you need help remembering the requisition process, or need the form, here’s the link:
http://www.lagovistaisd.net/default.aspx?name=business.purchasing
Also, Dr. Lofton-Bullis will be providing departments with their remaining budget amounts next week. As we approach testing and prepare for the summer, please remember to plan ahead for what you need (i.e., lab supplies, summer reading novels, calculator batteries, etc.).
Absence Request Process
If you're submitting a request to use discretionary leave (i.e., not sick leave), you must do so at least 48 hours in advance. PLEASE be sure to also email Jayme Spexarth to let her know you requested an absence.
Last minute requests due to sickness or emergencies must be put in Aesop and followed up with a phone call to the campus substitute coordinator (Sue Kunze) and Jayme Spexarth. If you don't get an answer, please leave a message. Thanks!
Fundraiser Process - Make SURE You Follow The Steps to Get Them Approved in Advance (THIS INCLUDES FUNDRAISING WEBSITE PAGES)!
You can find all the forms you need here:
http://www.lagovistaisd.net/default.aspx?name=business.activity_accts
For now, please submit all fundraising forms to Dr. Lofton-Bullis. And, of course, let us know if you have any questions!
Quarterly Self-Assessment Forms
Remember: Quarterly Self-Assessment Forms are due on the last day of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Nine Weeks in Eduphoria Appraise. If you are a new staff member, or have any trouble logging into Eduphoria, please contact Holly Jackson at holly_jackson@lagovista.txed.net.
Remember to Be in the Hallways During Passing Periods
Exchange Hours are Due April 3rd
You must submit these through Eduphoria (Workshop). The steps are listed below, but please make sure that you request Exchange Hour credit (and NOT compliance video credit).
http://www.lagovistaisd.net/users/0001/curriculum/Steps%20to%20Request%20Credit%20for%20Mandatory%20Compliance%20Videos%20in%20Eduphoria.pdf
Grading Guidelines - Please Make Sure You Know Them AND Follow Them!
The LVISD Grading Guidelines outline the expectations for grading in our District. The purpose of grades is to provide students and parents with feedback on mastery of content and to document academic progress. So, please remember that teachers’ grades are expected to be a reflection of a student’s mastery of the state standards. We are also required by policy and statute to provide reteach/retest opportunities, which is outlined in the LVISD Grading Guidelines.
Here is a link to the LVISD Grading Guidelines for your reference:
http://www.lagovistaisd.net/users/0001/curriculum/LVISD%20Grading%20Guidelines%202016-2017.pdf
Curriculum Expectations and Information
This information is provided to revisit instructions and clarify expectations for curriculum documents, especially for our new staff members. Please let Dr. Lofton-Bullis know if you have any questions.
Expectations for EACH Course
- 1 Snapshot (in Word) - Due at the beginning of the school year
- 1 Unit Organizer for Each Unit (in Word) - Due on the last day of each 9 weeks
Where can I find the Snapshot template?
The snapshot templates in Word are located here. If your TEKS have been updated (LOTE, for example), please be sure to update them in your snapshot. If you have an old snapshot and have uploaded a new one, please remove the old version from the Google Drive folder. If your snapshot has a year listed in the title, please delete that.
Where can I find the Unit Organizer templates?
The unit organizer templates with TEKS check boxes are located here. There are instructions on how to "lock" the forms; otherwise, you will need to double click the check boxes. Plain versions of the template without checkboxes are located here.
Where can I access existing documents?
Go to "Shared with Me" and search for "LVISD Snapshots & Unit Organizers". If you need editing rights to your folder, please request it from Dr. Lofton-Bullis.
What do I do when I'm done with my documents? How do I submit them?
Once you are done, save your document to your grade level folder on Google Drive. This is the folder appraisers will check to verify completion of these documents. Remember: no Google docs...Word only!
How should I name my documents (so we don't have 120 Unit 1s)?
Naming conventions are very easy. Yes, please put spaces in the document name, just like below:
- Grade # Subject Snapshot - Example: Grade 6 Math Snapshot
- Grade # Subject Unit # - Example: Grade 4 Math Unit 1
What if I did an awesome job last year and don't have any changes to make?
You should review your snapshot, make sure your priority standards are those you wish to keep, and UPDATE THE REVISED DATE. (We can see the last time it was updated and there are a few 2014-2015s out there!)
Anchor Time Expectations for Students Doing SSR (Silent Sustained Reading)
Make Sure You Know About StayALERT (...and Talk About it With Our Kiddos!)
Lago Vista ISD uses StayALERT to help keep our schools safe. StayALERT is a bilingual, confidential website, e-mail, phone and texting avenue for students, teachers, staff, parents and community members to be able to confidentially report unsafe behaviors, suspicious activities, bullying, acts of violence, harassment, and a host of other potential disruptors to school safety.
Users may anonymously report concerns 24-7-365 via the StayALERT website, an e-mail, a phone call to a recorded and monitored line, or via a text message from a cell phone. Photos and video clips pertaining to the StayALERT report may be included. No special app required! Reportable information will be forwarded in a timely manner to a pre-designated school official for review.
To make a report, use one of the methods below:
Website: stayalert.info
Call or Text: (206) 406-6485
Email: report@stayalert.info
EVERY WEDNESDAY IN LVISD IS COLLEGE DAY! BE SURE TO SPORT YOUR FAVORITE COLLEGE'S GEAR! ENCOURAGE YOUR STUDENTS TO DO THE SAME!
Need an LV Window Decal for Your Car?
There is a school-endorsed Etsy store selling window decals to promote school spirit for our Lago Vista Vikings. Each decal has a detailed description along with the option to personalize it.
Visit www.etsy.com and enter "LV Flightline" in the search engine. When you get to the store, pick out the decal or decals of your choice. There are different types of payment accepted, including PayPal.
Decals are shipped locally free of charge. Thanks for your school spirit and GO VIKINGS!
LVISD Monthly Character Traits
Be honest • Don’t deceive others, cheat, or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends, and country
October – Respect
Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant and accepting of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit, or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements
November – Compassion
Care about how others feel • Do kind and thoughtful things for people in need • Put other people’s needs before your own • Volunteer your time and resources for charity • Be willing to listen
December – Caring
Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Forgive others • Help people in need
January – Citizenship
Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in your community • Stay informed; vote • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment • Volunteer
February – Fairness
Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded and listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly • Treat all people fairly
March – Responsibility
Do what you are supposed to do • Plan ahead • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act — consider the consequences • Be accountable for your words, actions, and attitudes • Set a good example for others
April – Integrity
Be strong enough to do what you know is right • Do the right thing, even when it is difficult • Be your best self • Resist peer pressure • Choose words and actions that are sincere • Set high standards for yourself and stick to them
May – Gratitude
Say thank you for the things that you receive • Think about what you are thankful for and why • Show others how nice it feels to be remembered and appreciated by someone • Write thank you cards • Enjoy giving back • Understand that you are not owed things; you earn them
Lago Vista Middle School
Website: http://classroom.lagovistaisd.net/default.aspx?LagoVistaMiddleSchool
Location: 8039 Bar-K Ranch Rd Lago Vista, Texas 78645
Phone: 512-267-8300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lago-Vista-Middle-School-1266891766714816/
Twitter: @LagoVistaMS