The Roar
March 23, 2015
Teach as if you are a student in your own class. Would you want to be there? -Ron Clark
News to Roar About
- A huge thank you to Jennifer Dalton and Karen Fryer for leading running club when I couldn't be there! You guys are awesome!
- Thank you to Lisa Newton for spending many hours before and after school to prepare our team for the Future Problem Solvers competition! The kids did a super job and will never forget the experience.
- Debbie Davis for your support on the weekend with our Future Problem Solvers team!
- Karen Taylor for checking in with me each morning to see if I need help in covering teachers or lunch duty while sickness, common planning and other meetings have been going on.
- Paras for always jumping in to help where needed.
- Thank you to Marie Patterson for handling a student concern and letting me know a plan of action immediately! I appreciate the support!
- Thank you Chris Rogers for teaching the 5th grade keyboard class so we could have our rehearsal. You are amazing!!
- Thank you LInda Pulliam, Sondra Wilson, Jennifer Tatum, Tisha Spain for coaching and encouraging our drama and dance students. You selflessly give of your time and talents!
- Thank you 4th and 5th grade teachers for being so flexible so we could rehearse for our spring program.
- Thank you Bridget for grade hopping to help cover SSTs. We appreciate your support when we were very short-handed.
- Stem lab teachers for an excellent job in redelivering to your grade level. You are providing important leadership for our school's work in STEM!
- Custodians for extra duties while understaffed. You did not miss a beat in keeping our school in tip top shape.
- RFL Basketball team members for a very exciting, nail-biter on Friday night. You all did a super job and provided a fun opportunity for our families. A great game and a fundraiser for a great cause!
- Terri Poffenberger and Heather Garren for your leadership in organizing Friday night's event. It was a huge success!
- Thanks to all of our teachers for getting your report cards ready on time despite challenges with the portal and gradebook! You guys are the best!
- Thanks to Kathy Schmidt for organizing our visitor from ZooAtlanta on Friday. The students enjoyed hearing from our guest speaker.
- 1st grade teachers for an awesome common planning day! We appreciate your work as a team to provide awesome learning for students.
- Thank you to our instructional staff for your input into our vision and mission at CFGs this week. Your work will result in positive work at our school.
- Crook,Graham and Acres classes for an awesome week of Leadership Academy. Thank you for sharing your students with us.
- Tom Gibby for producing the exciting commercials for the RFL basketball game! The students were pumped to attend! Thank you for your hard work on the videos!
- Thank you to Mike Stanton, Chris Rogers and Tom Gibby for showcasing your Harbins DudePerfect skills in the basketball commercials. It looks like you had a great time and your work got the kids excited about the game!
- Joan Tullis for your swift response in a "hairy" situation. Your support when folks are in need is outstanding! Thank you for being a great thinker and problem solver!
- Amy Moore for your leadership in the Harbins Cafe! We are glad to have you on the Harbins team!
- Thank you to everyone who donated items for the basketball game concession stand. The event was a huge success. We will share a grand total once we know.
Announcements
Building Open on March 28 from 8:00-12:00
Literacy Updates
Spring Assessments: Please begin rotating F&P kits the week of March 30th. If kits need restocking, please send them to Dalton's room or email levels needed. The deadline for entering Kidtalk data is Thursday, April 30th. If extra Word Study Big 20 copies are needed, please email Dalton with this information, too.
Second grade teachers will need to utilize the upper grades kits on the mornings of GMAS testing.
Volunteer Breakast on April 2
The theme is iBuild a Better Future. Archer colors are great for those who wish to color coordinate.
- Support and 1st grade- fruit
- Special areas- paper products
- Kindergarten- beverages
- Special ed teachers (s/c and resource)- pastries
- Self-cont paras- casseroles
- 2nd grade; casseroles
- 3rd grade: pastries
- 4th grade: 1 grits and casseroles
- 5th grade: bagels, cream cheese/spreads, etc. and condiments
Area Board Meeting
NEW! UGA and GCPS ESOL Endorsement Partnership
The UGA College of Education (COE) invites GCPS teachers to take part in the Georgia ESOL for Content-Area Teachers (GECAT) program, a federally funded initiative to provide FREE UGA ESOL endorsement courses to teachers. This is a 9-hour, three course UGA graduate program especially designed with practicing educators in mind. It will begin in August 2015, and participants will earn the endorsement in December 2016.
Participating teachers will receive all tuition, fees and course materials free. In addition, they will earn a $200 stipend for each course completed in the program. Course work is offered on-site at your school or at a nearby school. The grant prioritizes secondary teachers in math, science, physical education and health, but the COE will also accept applications K-5 teachers. Teachers are strongly encouraged to sign up with colleagues from the same grade level at their school to optimize the professional learning community model of instruction.
Please review the attached invitation, flyer and contract for additional details. Only 45 slots are available statewide for this cohort.
What: Georgia ESOL for Content-Area Teachers (GECAT) program
When: Application Deadline: April 1, 2015
Where: On-site at your school or at a nearby school
Interested teachers should email the UGA College of Education at gecat@uga.edu to begin the application.
Don't forget to pass along your "You Matter" notes to someone who matters to you.
Substitute Requests
The It Factor
Who can attend? Administrators, Teachers, Media Specialists and LSTCs
What is happening now? Registration for the 5th Annual Gwinnett Digital Learning Conference
When is the conference? June 11 from 8:30 - 3:45. Registration begins at 7:30.
Where is the conference: ISC
How can I register?
· Log on to the employee portal
· Click on the PD&E icon on the portal home page
· Search by title: ME - Gwinnett Digital Learning Conference or search by course number: 14593
· Register for the conference.
Need registration assistance? Email GCPS Technology Training or call 678-301-6609
Want more information?
· Check out the conference web site at https://sites.google.com/a/gcpsmediatech.org/gdlc/ for more details.
· Conference registrants will receive Choice Session information on April 1st.
DDA Test Room Locations
DDA Schedule
Mon. 3/23: SC Gr. 3-5, Gr 1-2 MA = No Team Time
Tues, 3/24: SS Gr.3-5 = No Team Time
Media Center Closed
Textbook Reminder
Cupcake Challenge
What: Calling all Bakers. Looking for bakers for this year's Cupcake Challenge, If interested, please email Heather Garren.
When: The Challenge will take place on Monday, March 30th after school.
Why: All sale proceeds benefit Relay For Life
How: Bake 60 cupcakes (all the same flavor). Give your cupcake a creative name. Bring them to school on Monday, March 30th.
All cupcake variations are sold for $10.00 a box. Participants vote on 5 categories for awards.
If you bake them, they will come!
Computer Lab Laptops and e-Class
- When leaving the computer labs, please make sure student laptops are logged out and that the screens are left open. If students shut down or close the lid, it causes delays and problems with the next class who comes in. Thanks!
- Need e-Class or BYOD help? Check out this handy troubleshooting guide and remember to fill out a TSR if you need assistance from the Harbins Tech Team.
Grade Level Professional Learning
- March 27 - 4th Grade Collaborative Planning
- April 1 - Tool Time
- April 15 - STEM Team Redelivery
- April 16 - Grade Level Staff Development - Math/Literacy Combo
Faculty Meeting
Our next faculty meeting will be on March 24th from 3:20-4:30. For our time together, please read Chapter 5 of our staff book study, Putting the Practices Into Action by Susan O'Connell and John SanGiovanni. Bring your book to the meeting with you.
Classroom Spirit Award
ABCD Awards
Please send your nominations to Cindy Truett by February 10th for recognition of staff members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that teaching and learning at Harbins are at the highest levels.
School Improvement Team
The SIT Team meeting will be held on March 31 from 1:15 - 4:00. Location: Professional Development Room. Read professional article for our session.
Roar Deadline
If you want to add something to the Roar, it must be sent to Montine by noon on Thursday of each week. If not turned in by Thursday at noon, it will have to be entered into the following week’s Roar. Thanks for your help!
News to Roar About
We will place “News to Roar About” in the Roar each Monday. It is our hope that throughout the year that you will take time to send us a note to let us know about a colleague who deserves recognition for outstanding work. Please be sure to share your compliments with us so we can highlight those individuals in the Roar. You can email compliments to Cindy Truett or Montine Powell.
Leaders in Learning
A Chrome file will be shared with each teacher, please go in to list your Leader in Learning for August when Montine sends out the notification email.
Staff Birthdays
Lea Sirmans 3/25
Theresa Emmett 3/26
Cynthia Palmer 3/28