Team Thomson News & Notes
#ThomsonRocks Week of: December 9, 2018
Important Information for You!
I would like to thank all of you for your help while I was in Traverse City at the MEMSPA Conference last week. It was a wonderful conference focused on Positive Leadership with my main take aways being...There is genius in every single student we work with, our job is to find it...We have to stop taking ourselves so seriously and enjoy our students, each other, and find the humor in situations...We can't do it alone and must look to each other to a make it through!
I look forward to sharing my learning with you in the weeks to come!
Santa's Secret Shop is Here!
Well, here we go! Our first Santa's Secret Shop in longer than anyone can remember, if not ever, is here. Our main shopping day is scheduled for tomorrow, Monday, using the schedule sent out a couple of weeks ago. We will have a 'make-up' shopping day in the event that we run out of items tomorrow or for those students that forget their money Monday. On Thursday, any student who has not had an opportunity to shop will be given a specific amount of 'Santa bucks' to purchase a gift or gifts for their family. Please do not send students down, a volunteers will come to your room to get those students with money. We will not be bringing down all students to the library. We do not have the number of volunteers I wish we had, but I know we will make it work. Teachers, please collect all money envelopes first thing in the morning. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Cool to Care Final!
Thank you to all of you and your students for your generosity during this year's Cool to Care drive. With the help of all in our Thomson family, we donated 4,624 items total (4,030 actual items, $297). If you haven't already, please schedule any 'awards' with either myself and/or Roy or Michael.
Early Release Day
Wednesday is Early Release Day. Please be sure to include this in your weekly newsletters. You have a signed contract deviation due to ALICE training, so you do not need to stay for PD after dismissal. The secretaries will be heading out for their own PD after dismissal, so the office will be closed.
Cardinal Code Focus for the Week: General Behavior Expectations
From now until the second week in January, please take some time to review those areas that you see are needs for your students. It is important to remember that we teach, not tell or yell...if a student is or isn't behaving a certain way, seek first to understand if possible 'why' and then teach and reteach the behavior you want! Thank you for intentionally teaching the Cardinal Code to your students.
Literacy Essential: Essential 2-Read Alouds
Literacy Essential 2: Read alouds of age-appropriate books and other materials, print or digital. Bullet 1 - Read alouds involve:
• sets of texts, across read aloud sessions, that are thematically and conceptually related and that offer opportunities to learn that children could not yet experience independently.
So, what does that mean for your literacy planning of Read Aloud of Accountable Talk and other read alouds? Are you intentionally choosing books for these times of your day or 'just grabbing a book off the shelf'? How do the books you choose relate to a theme or comprehension strategy? Are you using them to complete an author study? Introduce specific vocabulary tied to a unit of study? Again, if you let bullet 1 sink in, it isn't just about grabbing a book off the shelf to read, books should be chosen carefully with a specific purpose in mind.
Please watch the video in the link below and use it to think about your own book selection for Read-a-loud with Accountable talk. How might your PLC team members help you? What about Cheri Nill? How can I help?
Video Link:
Quotes Worth Reading
"Everything starts with you...You can not look to the outside world to fix things for you if you are not willing to look at and accept your role!"
-Sean Covey
'A few people are gifted, but EVERYONE has genius.'
-Steven Covey
Thomson Elementary
#ThomsonRocks
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: None this week....
Don't forget the 10 Days of Christmas Starts this Week:
- Merry Monday…Take an ‘Elfie Selfie’ for our Office Christmas Tree Our Office! Christmas Tree is looking a little bare...head to the lounge and take an ‘Elfie Selfie’ in the ‘photo booth’. Take it by yourself or with a group. Be sure to send it to Anna and myself so we can get them printed and up on the tree.
- Take a Minute Tuesday! In the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it is important to slow down. In the lounge you will find a basket of Christmas Cards. Please take a moment to write a little note to someone and spread some holiday cheer!
- Work-Out Wear Wednesday! Maybe you’ve eaten a few too many sweets or maybe you just want to be comfy on this Early Release Wednesday...either way, feel free to wear tasteful work out wear to school.
- ‘Toes-ty’ Thursday! No one likes cold ‘Mistle-toes! Don your favorite holiday socks, show the off in the office and have your name entered into a drawing for a fabulous prize.
- Festive Friday, Christmas Luncheon! Don’t forget this is the day the office staff will be providing Christmas lunch... back by popular demand, the potato bar will be served up during the staff lunch periods.
A Special Thank you to Our Social Committee
Thank you to our Social Committee for planning a great Christmas party for the staff! It was nice to get together outside of school for a few hours and laugh and enjoy each others company. A special thank you to Sarah D., Cheryl, and Christine for getting there early to make sure everything was set up!
Important Upcoming Dates:
Week of December 10th-PLC Week & The Ten Days of Christmas Begins...see above.
Monday, December 10th-Santa's Secret Shop; PTO Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, December 11th-Elementary Principals Meeting (Natalie); Child Study Day; Williams Property Teacher Appreciation Night from 5:30-8:00 p.m.-Any teacher that attends will be granted 1 hour of PD, families are welcome to attend with you.
Wednesday, December 12th-Staff Meeting, 7:35 a.m. (Agenda: Finish MiBLISi Survey); Santa's Secret Shop; Early Release Day, Staff does not need to stay due to ALICE Training in September.
Thursday, December 13th-General Admin Meeting (Natalie); Handsome Harry Visits; Santa's Secret Shop
Friday, December 14th-Leadership Team Meeting, 7:15 a.m.; Handsome Harry Visits
Thursday, December 20th-CMC, 4-7 p.m.
Friday, December 21st-School Christmas Sing Along, 2:30 p.m. in the gym!
December 22nd through January 1st-Winter Vacation...Enjoy!
Wednesday, January 2nd-School Resumes