Monday Memo
Week of November 5th, 2018
In case you missed it.....
Community Connections
Geometry culmination
Scary and unsettling....
Important Dates
TREATIES RECOGNITION WEEK and INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AWARENESS MONTH
Monday, November 5th - Day 3
- All day - Stephen/Paszt class to Outdoor Education
- 10:30am - Jenn and Christine at the Spec Ed follow up meeting at PHHS
- 11:20am - Room 156 Parent Meeting
Tuesday, November 6th - Day 4
Wednesday, November 7th - Day 5
Thursday, November 8th - Day 1
Friday, November 9th- Day 2
- 9:30am - Grade 1-6 Remembrance Day Assembly in the Gym
- 9:30am - Kindergarten's to the Cemetery for the Remembrance Day service
- 3:30pm - Support Staff Team Meeting
- End of day - Initial Observations of Learning/Progress Reports sent home
Upcoming
- November 12th - Staff Meeting and School Council
- November 16th - Photo Retakes
- November 16th - Interview schedule due to Jennifer
- November 22nd - Optional Interview Night
- November 23rd - PA Day (Math and Health/Safety)
Important Information for the Week
November Interviews
We're almost through Progress reports - next step....interviews! Just a reminder that there is an example of an invitation letter in the "Important Documents and Info" folder on Edsby that you can personalize and use. You may wish to consider sending the invite for interviews home in your Progress report envelopes. Please sure to hand in your interview schedule to the office by November 16th.
Scope and Sequence/School Improvement Planning in Math
As you are aware, we have just finished the Geometry focus and are now heading into Measurement. Lisa still has a few coaching spots to fill if you're interested. Please let's use her as much as possible as our coach or this valuable resource may not continue! If you are not up to a full coaching cycle, why not consider a few lesson supports on Number Talks to deepen this learning for you and your students? Although Kindergarten isn't technically part of the Tier 1 support, Lisa and have talked about opening her schedule to all 5 Kindergarten classes for 1-2 sessions of Number talk support. If you're interested in having her in your room, just ask!
Holiday Concert
Unfortunately when I booked PHHS for our Grade 1-6 Holiday Concert, they mistakenly did not put us in the gym - which is booked already for a volleyball tournament. I'm just waiting to hear on a revised date - so stay tuned. As soon as I know I'll pass along to you, and ask for your support in ensuring parents are aware.
Parents - Edsby
We now have almost 300 families (ok, we're stuck at 291) who have signed up for Edsby. This is an all time record! Please take a minute to look at your class on Edsby to see who is not signed up. I'd be happy to send an individual email to encourage them if you have any who are not yet on. It's such a great way to keep in touch with the school (Peek at the Week and our school calendar) as well as connect with your class website and their child's portfolio. Let's get them hooked together :)
Mayor's Holiday Card Contest
If you are interested in having your students complete artwork for the Mayor's annual Holiday Card Contest - please see me. I have the instructions and cardstock all ready for those who would like to give it a go.
ALP Feedback and "Passion Sharing Board"
Thank you to everyone for sharing your Annual Learning Plans with me. It's exciting to see your foci and your plans for professional growth for this year. Posted with this Monday Memo is an overview document of all our areas of focus - intended to support us in connecting with others who have similar goals, or tap into other areas of interest. In addition to our ALP's, Meg has offered to create a "Passion Sharing Board" in the staff room. This will be a great space to tap into each other's strengths and passions to support each other. For example, did you know that Christine has a degree in instrumental music?! You might choose to ask her about some suggestions on incorporating more music into your program.... What other strengths and passions are hiding in our staff?!
Board Based PD
At different times of the year, there may be opportunities to be involved in Board based PD. These days are always booked under code 811 in ATE. In the memo about the opportunity, there is also always a charge back code provided. Unfortunately, I am the only one who can enter this code! So....if you're booking a day under code 811, please email me the charge back code as well, so that we don't get error messages in our month end reports. Thanks!
Our School Survey
Just a head's up that immediately following the staff meeting next week, we'll be launching the "Our School" survey for students in Grades 4 - 6, and will provide 4 survey monkey questions for classes in Grades K - 3 to complete. This data will help us to form our "Well-being" School Improvement Goal that runs January - January. More info to follow at the staff meeting!
Half day Absence
Just a gentle reminder that a half day at Ganaraska starts and ends at 12:10pm. This is extremely important when you put it in ATE - more or less minutes must be paid out of school budget to OT's if we have wrongly informed the time. I try to monitor and correct where I can, but more and more times are being entered incorrectly. Your help in ensuring the proper half day time is greatly appreciated!
School Council Update
The major fundraiser for School Council - the Donation Drive - started last Thursday. You will have seen the flyer that was sent home to families. A reminder that all their hard work in raising funds is to support us and many of the "extras" we do in our school! Please consider taking a minute to "push" this donation drive during the month of November. The more we promote, the better the donations, and subsequently the more Council will be able to support this year.
Something to Think About......
Jennifer Sampson
Email: Jennifer_sampson@kprdsb.ca
Website: https://ganaraskatrail.kprdsb.ca
Location: 34 Percival Street, Port Hope, ON, Canada
Phone: (905)885-5631
Twitter: @ganaraska_trail