Creasy Connection
December 9, 2015
Mid-Week Update
- Glad student pictures arrived and went home today. Mrs. Mikesell will send you a picture retake schedule tomorrow for Friday.
- Let's Sing is happening, songs chosen, arrangement in the works, rehearsing on Monday after school. Meet in Brown's room.
- The Tree of Giving is in place in the school office if you would like to help a family with holiday gift needs. We have a great tree and playful menorah in the office, if you have another symbol of the holiday season to share let us know.
- Hope you read through the Eagle Entries sent last night. It has information on several school related topics that will be on interest to you as well - lice, recruitment of parent tutors, etc.
- Kinder and 1st grade classes, Tech Tubs for coming Chromebooks are here. So that we are prepared when the devices arrive, Allie and JoEllen will be getting them ready and delivered to you. Consider where you will want to have them in your class? Might be a good idea to check out a couple of 2nd grade classes - most have them mounted to tables or in a cabinet with a power outlet.
- Revised update of the SIP plan has been submitted for review. Check with your SIT rep if you would like to see it. They have shared Google access to it. Once we get final feedback we will post it on the school website.
Principal Passage...
Admin Meetings
Principal Lunches in January
Sure hope your Thanksgiving holiday has been a time of respite and memorable. It simply flew by for me. We have three weeks before the winter break with many things to accomplish! I think I just heard the starter pistol go off...and we are off to the races.
Rebecca Craps soon to be published educator - so proud! Mrs. Craps wrote an article to be published in National Council for the Social Studies publications. The article will appear in the September/October vol. 29, no. 1 issue of Social Studies and the Young Learner titled "Teaching with Primary Sources." Way to go Mrs. Craps!
Let's sing is coming together. We had 14 positive responses! The most popular day to practice is Monday. Let's have a brief meeting tomorrow, 11/30 after school starting in Charlotte Brown's room. Come if you can. Not too late to join in...click here.
Picture Retakes CHANGE will be on Friday, December 4th - more details below. Hoping that first pictures arrive for Tuesday packets.
I'll be sending out an Eagle Entries newsletter to parents on Monday. If you have suggestions for parent information - please let me know.
Calendar Links
- A staff calendar on the Haiku site - the Whitaker Staff Calendar go to the calendar tab to see the full calendar.
- The second School Wires Calendar is for families on our school website.
Sharon
Retakes December 4th
Raz NEWS
We have our online resources info night for parents scheduled - Thursday, December 10th at 5:45 pm. Interested in helping with this explaining any of our online resources? . NEED volunteers knowledgeable in BrainPop, Tumblebooks, RAZ kids, etc. to speak briefly on the use of the site. You are the best teachers of these products, it is a short-lived evening and a benefit to our students. Support would be appreciated. Just email Creasy
A live Raz webinar is part of our purchase and is scheduled for Wednesday, December 2nd in place of our staff meeting.
Raz-Kids delivers hundreds of interactive, leveled eBooks spanning 29 levels -
TOY and CEY
Schools are not to nominate one in-house candidate for CEY but are to open nominations for all classified employees that you feel meet the criteria within the school and district. The deadline for nominations is December 14th. Here is a link to the nomination form. Sure hope you will take the time to nominate some of the fine and supportive classified members of our staff!
TOY is a different process with only one nominee per school. The deadline for this nominee's name is December 18th. Look for an email from Mrs. Weeks, SIT Chair and Mrs. Hester, TAC Representative with details on nominations.
Haiku Progress
#3 12/16 at 2:30 pm
Last session was productive and helpful. Hope your Haiku sites are coming along.
As the Haiku online learning platform is our school-wide PDP goal budgeting time for it is productive on several fronts.
Swivl Camera
Capture your instruction via video. Each school in the district was provided a Swivl camera for just this purpose. It is a great way to take stock of your instructional practice and/or ways to improve. You can view - just you or ask colleagues for feedback - entirely up to you.
Go to this website for additional info on the camera and its use and application possibilities.
http://www.swivl.com/product/#top
Haiku learning module for Swivl use.
Middle School Tours
December Calendar
- 12/1 1st Grade Planning Day
- 12/2 Staff Meeting - Raz Kids Webinar
- 12/3 PTA General Meeting 6:00
- 12/3 Winter Program - 4th Graders & Chorus
- 12/4 Picture Retakes
- 12/5 Wheel Power performs in WS Jaycees Parade 5:00
- 12/9 Parent Tutor Training
- 12/10 Login to WES Online Subscriptions 5;45pm
- 12/14 Deadline to nominate CEY candidate
- 12/15 Progress Reports
- 12/15 Hanes MS band to perform - 5th graders
- 12/16 #3 Haiku Training
- 12/16 Vote for TOY (Deadline to submit 12/18)
- 12/18 Last Day of School before Winter Break
- 1/4 Students Return to School from Winter Break
A few more items...
- NEW - Eagle Scout project underway near the herb garden on the kindergarten lawn. Benches are not set - do not let students on them yet.
- Set creation is underway for the 4th grade performance on 12/3 so use of the stage is restricted until after the performance.
- Emergency Sub Plans should be on file with Mrs. Mikesell or their location in your room listed with her.
- Please copy me on your classroom newsletters either via email or on paper. This should be at least bi-weekly or weekly if you wish.
Whitaker Elementary School
Email: screasy@wsfcs.k12.nc.us
Website: http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/wes
Location: 2600 Buena Vista Road, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
Phone: 336.793.6740
Twitter: @WhitakerWSFCS