Team Thomson News & Notes
January 15, 2018
Important Information for You!
End of the First Semester & STAR Testing!
As you all are aware, this is the last week of the first semester. Wow, the school year is moving along quickly! As you finish up assessments this week, this is a great time to contact parents about the progress that children are making. I know that you have most likely been in touch with parents of students that are struggling, but what about the parents of students that are doing well. I encourage you to personally contact at least 12 parents over the course of the next two weeks with a positive. As a parent, imagine how this would make you feel.
I spoke with Megan and we will complete the make-up on Wednesday for those classrooms that missed their STAR testing due the snow day last Friday. Megan will be reviewing the schedule to make sure it works, make any changes needed, and re-share the document if so.
PLC Data Days & IRIPs
As I shared in last week's staff newsletter, all school business days with the exception of Child Study and IEPs have been suspended at least through the end of January. In order to still have the valuable Data Dialogue and intentional planning of Tier I and intervention groups, Megan and I will meet with PLC groups during your PLC time. Now on the schedule the next PLC week isn't until January 29th, however, you have scheduled PLC time every week. Team Leaders, please let Megan know by Thursday what date your PLC would like to do hold it's Data Day. Megan and I will both be at your Data Day during your PLC. PLC Data Days must be held on or before January 29th.
IRIPs must be completed and turned into Megan by Friday, February 2nd for any student that has not reached the current benchmarks. Please follow the link to the Google Doc reflecting the benchmarks for this and the March IRIP benchmarks:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NAFah12Q6VqJIU1YeNErW-kxipGe-kuuLRDz6nDuoaE/edit
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Cardinal Code & the Golden Lunch Box
This week the Cardinal Code focus is 'Classroom'. This is an opportunity for you to explicitly re-teach behaviors that your class might be wavering with before they become big distractions. Thank you for taking the time to review this lesson with your students.
Also, don't forget that this Friday we will announce our first two Golden Lunchbox winners. Winners will typically be announced on Mondays, but since this is the first week we thought it would be exciting to announce it a little sooner for the first week. Thank you all for helping to promote this! Even after the introduction and lessons last week, there was a positive difference in the cafeteria.
5D+
Teachers will need to complete their Self-Assessment for the 2nd Inquiry Cycle between January 17 - 24. Teacher Growth Plans for the 2nd Inquiry Cycle need to be completed by January 31. Please work with Anna to set up a growth plan meeting beginning next Tuesday, January 16th. You will need to have your Self-Assessment completed and your Growth Plan in draft form prior to our meeting.
ORS Update Reminder
District Director of Communications Michelle Edwards sent out an email on January 13 reminding any employees who worked in our schools between July 2010 and September 2012 to update their email with ORS (Office of Retirement Services). The ORS will be emailing information regarding the amount you can expect to receive from the refund of the 3% retirement healthcare cost which the Michigan Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional. To make sure you get timely information from the state log on to Office of Retirement website: www.michigan.gov/ors/ and click on MiAccount to make sure you have updated contact (email) information.
School districts across the state are scrambling to organize plans to distribute the refunds in an efficient and timely manner. As I write this article, business officials are preparing to attend meetings for instructions regarding tax and other distribution details. It is estimated that refunds should be disbursed by March of this year. As you can imagine there is tremendous effort going into getting this done right. Our district will keep us up to date as they receive more information. Be sure to review FAQ sheets as they are published by our district and the state for further updates.
Quotes Worth Reading
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.”
-Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr.
Thomson Elementary
Home of the Thomson Teddies!
And..
Where Kids Come First and Futures Begin!
Email: nmiller@davisonschools.org
Website: www.davisonschools.org
Location: 617 East Clark Street, Davison, MI, United States
Phone: 810-591-0911
Celebrations & Announcements
Birthdays... Stephanie Weidenhammer, January 14th, Happy Birthday to You!
Important Upcoming Dates:
- Monday, January 15th-Martin Luther King Day, NO SCHOOL
- Tuesday, January 16th-Box Top Challenge Kick-off
- Wednesday, January 17th-Lockdown; STAR Make-up Day; Social Studies Curriculum meeting, 4:15-6:15 p.m.
- Thursday, January 18th-Elementary Principals Meeting (Natalie); CMC Meeting 4-7 p.m.
- Friday, January 19th-End of Second Marking Period/Semester; Leadership Team Meeting, 7:15-8:15 a.m.
- Saturday, January 20th-GISD Literacy Conference
- Monday, January 22nd-No School for Students/Teacher Records Day (report cards can be done from home).
- Tuesday, January 23rd-Julie returns, Dee's last day!; Child Study Day (please get names to Jason and fill out the SIDR); Science Curriculum Meeting, 4:15-6:15 p.m.; PTO, 6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, January 24th-Staff Meeting, 7:35 a.m. (Agenda: Building Problem Solving); Report Cards will be printed
- Friday, January 26th-Report Cards Sent Home; End of PTO Box Top Challenge
- Week of January 29th-Official PLC Week, but remember you will need to meet outside this week for PLC Data Day and to complete IRIPs.
- Monday, January 29th-Math Curriculum Meeting, 4:15-6:15 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 30th-PTO Pals; DI Meeting, 4:15-5:15 p.m.
- Thursday, February 1st-Photo Factory will be in the building to take 'candid' shots; Elementary Principals Meeting (Natalie); CPR Training for MERT Team 3:45-6:45 p.m.
- Friday, February 2nd-IRIPs due to Megan; Staff Pot Luck...sign up in the lounge.