Tiger Beat
Acton Weekly Update 12/20/19
Things to Know
AM Breakfast:During our last principals and coaches meeting we met with Betsy Willard, director of Star Express. She shared that they do not believe elementary schools are allocating enough time for students to eat breakfast. They would like for us to plan for at least 20 minutes to get students through the line and completing their meal. Right now we give them about 15. So, starting in January Jen and I will be going out to buses at 8:30 and directing breakfast students in from the buses that have arrived. We hope this little bit of extra time will help. Next year we will adjust schedules to accommodate for more breakfast time.
Thank you!
Parent Requests for testing: Since PTC's this year we have had several parent requests for an educational evaluation. Whenever a parent gives a verbal or written request we have 10 school days to respond to that parent. Please send an email to me (Brook) and Dr. Welch, aerin.welch@ftcsc.org, immediately. We appreciate you continuing to share with families the SOS process and how we can learn how to best service the student through that process first, but we do need to be made aware. There are excluding factors that we need to explain to families and we can take care of those things for you.
Grading Window: Just a reminder to do your best to have grades entered and posted before we leave for winter break. You will not be required to report to school (you may work from home) on Jan. 3rd if you need to finish posting. Please let Sarah know as soon as your grades are ready to be checked. This will be your check off for not having to be in the building on Jan. 3rd. Anyone whose grades are not correctly posted on/by January 3rd will have a disciplinary action. So, please get them posted as soon as you can and Sarah and I will check for you so you know you are good to go!
Greetings Reminder: Please be sure you are at your classroom door when students are arriving. Your greetings to students make their day. In PBIS and CD training this is one of the top ways to build a relationship with your students.
January GR Training Dates: January 13-17th
Carolyn Gwen will be back in Franklin Township for one week for continued Guided Reading training. Please review the schedule below and plan accordingly. Sarah already has everyone's subs scheduled. (GREAT JOB SARAH!)
Jen Pryor will be at each training.
January 13th- Third Grade/Renee Alger
January 14th- Fourth Grade/ Jessica Curtis
January 15th-Fifth Grade
January 16th- First and Second Grade/ Megan Davis
January 17th- Kindergarten
Paper: We are eating through our paper supply at a faster pace than ever before. We only have 4 cases of white paper left and it will need to last us until mid January. PLEASE only copy a minimum of what you need and copy 2 sided every chance possible. Sarah is placing our January-June supply and we will purchase more than normal, but whatever we pay extra for paper we will have to cut back on other supplies.
PLEASE refer to the January Schedules email I sent out this week. It has several important dates, schedules and coverages listed that we want to ensure everyone is prepared for.
English Language Learners Spotlight
Coaches Corner
Upcoming Dates:
Q2C2 data entered by 1/3
Data discussed on 1/8
Guided Reading MOY assessments given and data entered: Jan 6th-Jan 20th
Carolyn Gwynn: Week of January 13th
Half day planning: Week of February 24th
EDM:
Begin teaching Unit 5: 1/6
Classes entered and students added into EDM by: 1/24
Pre-test for Unit 6 (EDM Math Boxes 5-14) given: 1/29-2/4
Guided Reading Reminder
Thinking Ahead: The Middle of Year Guided Reading Assessment window is right around the corner, January 6-17. Just to be thinking ahead, here are some guideline tools to use to help plan for this. Keep in mind that you are able to use time at your Victory Table to complete assessments. Ideally we will still meet with our most frequent groups.
Link to a one pager for GR and lesson planning resources (Please checkout)!
Link to GR ASSESSMENTS Tips and Tricks
Have a relaxing and wonderful Christmas with your friends and families!
Counselor Corner
Upcoming Counselor Things:
-Over the break, I will be reviewing and entering all the data from the parent surveys. From that information and my personal list, I will be creating the small groups for next semester. I may need your help in deciding who is of the highest need once we get back.
-Just from looking at the needs assessments as they come in I've noticed a ton of parents saying their child needs a small group for stress and anxiety. This tells me the whole school could use some lessons on coping skills for worry/stress/anxiety especially with the testing season beginning soon. Once we get back from break I will work with you on creating time to get in your classroom.
Counselor Request Forms:
-I know these seem like it is creating more work, but it is SO helpful for me to have written requests so I am not just trying to remember who asked to talk to me when I walked in the cafeteria.
-I've noticed many teachers put these forms in their calm down corners or safe places, which I think is a great place for them to live.
-These also will help me keep track of how many students I am meeting with individually #data
Happy Holidays!
Coming Up
Guided Reading MOY Assessments 1/6-1/17
Friday 1/3: Teacher Work Day- GRADES MUST BE CORRECT and POSTED ON-TIME
Monday 1/6: Welcome Back
PBIS Lessons:
9:45 Fifth Grade
10:40 Fourth Grade
2:50 First Grade
2:30 Evacuation Drill
Tuesday 1/7:
Collaboration: CFA Data Entry time
PBIS Lessons:
9:10 Second Grade
9:40 Third Grade
11:45 Kindergarten
9-11 Kindergarten GR Coverage
Emerine: Amber
McMaster:Stevens
Froning:Holly
1:40-3:40 Third Grade GR Coverage
(assess study hall kids during recess or use an alternative recess time)
Simmons- Holly
Jewell-Mariah
Milholland-Jennifer S
Wednesday 1/8:
Collaboration: CFA Data Discussions
2:15-2:35 Fifth Grade GR Coverage (to make up for a shorter time due to 5th grade lunch/recess)
Scott- Amber
Greene- Mariah
Gilliland-Holly
Thursday 1/9:
AI/Principals Meeting
9-11 First Grade GR Coverage
Gilkerson-Stevens
Elliott-Thurston
Miller-Sutton
1:40-3:40 Fourth Grade GR Coverage
Reynolds- Jennifer S
Rigsby-Holly
Beechler-Mariah
6:30 PTO Meeting
Friday1/10:
9-11 Second Grade GR Coverage
Krug-Mariah
Parsons-Sutton
Brooks-Stevens
2:10-3:40 Fifth Grade GR Coverage
Scott- Amber
Greene- Mariah
Story-Holly
January GR Training Dates: January 13-17th
Carolyn Gwen will be back in Franklin Township for one week for continued Guided Reading training. Please review the schedule below and plan accordingly. Sarah already has everyone's subs scheduled. (GREAT JOB SARAH!)
Jen Pryor will be at each training.
January 13th- Third Grade/Renee Alger
January 14th- Fourth Grade/ Jessica Curtis
January 15th-Fifth Grade
January 16th- First and Second Grade/ Megan Davis
January 17th- Kindergarten
January 21,2020
Cafeteria Lock Down Practice with Officer Rizzi
9:40 First Grade
10:00 Third Grade
10:20 Second Grade
10:40 Fourth Grade
10: 50 Kindergarten
1:45 Fifth Grade
January:
3 Teacher Record Day
6 Evac Drill
6 Students return
6-17 MOY Guided Reading
7 grades post for parents
9 PTO Meeting
10 Bus Driver Appreciation day
13-17 Kindness Week/Library Lessons K-2
13-2/28 WIDA
14 Skating Party
17 All Pro Dads
17 Mother Son event
20 MLK Day (make up day if necessary)
22 Field Trip forms due
22 Counselors meeting
FTCSC Hedgehog Focus
The Hedgehog Concept is based on an ancient Greek parable that states, "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing." ... Hedgehogs, however, simplify the world and focus on a single, overarching vision, which they then achieve.