Monday Memo
Summer Edition - July
Team,
It seems unreal to think that I could be talking about summer winding down in July, but here we are. However you have spent your summer, I hope it is has been restful, fulfilling, and fun. Mine has been quite enjoyable and likely the least stressful I've seen in a handful of years. For that, I am grateful.
Thanks to those of you who have already emailed fun pics of your summer highlights to me. If you haven't, please do so as soon as possible. I am working on a video to share with everyone during academy and would like to finish that up next week.
Kathy Robertson has sent out the compliance training info this week. All training must be completed by September 30. Professional staff will be awarded five hours of professional development after completing the training and enrolling in Eduphoria. Paraprofessionals will be given time during Academy to complete the training. To access the trainings, go to the SafeSchoolsTM website for McKinney ISD: MISD Compliance Trainings.
For those of you who like to get your room set up prior to Academy, it is important to remember to sign in on the white board by the front doors. When you do this, please include your name, the time you arrived and your room number. Our custodians do not work in the evenings during the summer, so the last one out of the building will need to set the alarm. If you ever in the building and the alarm is going off, immediately enter the code to turn off the alarm, call the emergency number posted above the alarm to inform them what has happened, and then notify either Sylvia or me.
I need to ask all of you to do me a favor. Initially, the district anticipated six sections of Kindergarten for the upcoming year. As of right now, we only have 76 students who have either fully registered or have confirmed they are coming and are still in the que. If we do not have more Kinder students register soon, it is likely that we will drop to four Kinder sections. If you feel comfortable in doing so, I ask that you reach out on your social media accounts and encourage anyone who hasn't registered their child to attend McGowen to do so asap. Registration is open and Barbara will be in the office this week. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Make today count!
JL
---------------------------------------
Curriculum Updates
Tech Resources Reminders
- Istation: Set to begin loading August 18
- Write Source(grades 2-5): Set to begin loading Sept. 6
- ConnectED(Texas Treasures online): Master codes will be sent to teachers by Sept. 2
ELAR Curriculum & Assessment Connections
All grade level YAGS/IFDs/Exemplars for Q1 are in Forethought
All Q1 DAs for grades 3-5 have been updated in Forethought
Assessments Calendars for grades 3-5 is in District Assessment folder in Forethought
DRA windows will remsin the same for BOY-MOY-EOY per District Assessment Calendar
Istation windows remain the same-Monthly Assessment during the first of each month. Do not assess prior to September 1st.
Math Curriculum & Assessment Connections
- All IFDs Pre-K-5th grade have been posted in Forethought
- Q1-Q2 Exemplar lessons have been posted in Forethought
- TEMI window has been set on the district assessment calendar that will be shared by Leighann Johnson
- Q1 assessment draft has been posted in Forethought
- Q1 Sneak Peeks are August 3rd and 4th
Science Curriculum & Assessment Connections
- The Year at a Glance (YAG) has been revised and uploaded
- IFDs for the year have been updated in Forethought
- All Q1 district assessments and DA resources have been updated in Forethought
Social Studies Curriculum & Assessment Connections
- All grade level YAGs and IFDs are in Forethought for all units
- Rubrics for all units are in Forethought
- Use of Pearson Resource (trainings are in September-see Eduphoria)
- Election Year! (see resources in Forethought)
---------------------------------------
Academy 2016
We are ready to GO FOR THE GOLD this year and look forward to seeing all of you on August 11th! Search McGowen Academy on the Eduphoria main workshop page to easily locate all of our courses! Below is an abbreviated version of our agenda so you can have a general overview of our learning together. As time allows, we will incorporate planning time for you to design with your team.
New McGowen Team Members
Welcome to our newest team members! We are so thrilled to have you and look forward to you becoming part of the family.
Quin Hance
Connie Morris
Fourth Grade:
Deanna Harris
Jennifer Smith
5th Grade:
Nikki Bibb
Special Ed:
Sadie Hunsaker- Speech
Tracie Kelley - Resource
Melanie Nimboorkar - STC Aide
Specials:
Amy Arnold - Art
Tanya McKeen - PE Aide
WELCOME BACK!
Shana Prugh (5th) & Renata Sanchez (FAC/STC Aide)
---------------------------------------
Updated Room Moves
Below is a list of the updated room moves. The names listed in parenthesis indicate who occupied the room this past year.
- Trisha Kincaid to E106 (Cathy Haney)
- Lora Lovell - D110 (Michelle Caballero)
- Deanna Harris - D107 (Aly Flint)
- Jennifer Smith - C111 (Trisha Kincaid)
- Rico Sneller - D104 (Resource)
- Shana Prugh - C107 (Tara Zappe)
- Nikki Bibb - C109 (Rico Sneller)
- Resource Room 1 location - D100 (Lora Lovell)
- Resource Room 2 location - C102 (open 5th grade room)
- Michelle Caballero - E100 (Dys/GT room)
- Connie Morris - F106 (Shannon Dophied)
- Dys (Rhonda Taylor) & GT (Lisa Crates) - H100 (Open Kinder Room)
- Laura Sifferman - F105 (Laurie Leotaud)
- Quin Hance - F104 (Colleen Everett)
- 6th First Grade Teacher - F102 (Laura Sifferman)
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
August:
- 3rd - K-2 Sneak Peeks
- 4th - 3-5 Sneak Peeks
- 8th-10th - New Teacher Training
- 9th - New Teacher Breakfast - 7:30am
- 11th-19th - Academy
- 18th - Back to School Night
- 22nd - First Day of School
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Shoparoo
Did you know that each week I give out jeans passes to those who are one of the top three participants on Shoparoo? I know that many of you have already joined, but if you haven't, it is not too late. Simply go to www.shoparoo.com to create your account. If you use veft4467 as a referral code, McGowen will earn money for you just signing up. Please feel free to push this information out to your parents as well. Once you sign up, Shoparoo will give you a referral code for your parents to use when they sign up. Schools with just 40 supporters are earning an average of $1,000 every year.
---------------------------------------
Focus for 2016 - 2017
In order to help every child their personal best, McGowen teachers and staff will:
- Knowledgeably speak about our current practices that contribute to McGowen becoming a Level 1 Certified High Reliability School.
- Actively participate in grade level and content Professional Learning Communities.
- Engage in collaborative team planning and lesson design that addresses the four essential questions of a PLC.
- Present lessons in such a way that students understand and can speak knowledgeably about posted learning and language targets.
---------------------------------------
Remind for Staff
---------------------------------------
Happy Birthday!
July
Shana Prugh - 19th
Trisha Kincaid - 27th
Michelle Caballero - 29th
Shiela de Leon - 29th
August
Sharon Butler - 7th
Laura Sifferman - 9th
Michelle Haas - 10th
Jen McCartney - 13th
Maria Elwood - 24th
Marley Goodwin - 30th
---------------------------------------
McKinney ISD's Vision, Mission and Beliefs
Any time we have an idea, concern, solution and/or comment, this is the filter through which we should speak. Let's help each other live up to our vision, mission, and beliefs.
Vision:
We are a cohesive, diverse community providing engaging learning experiences for all.
We will provide engaging learning experiences so students can become effective communicators, quality contributors and socially responsible citizens.
Beliefs:
- Partnerships between students, parents, community members and staff are foundational to educational success.
- Positive school culture and a safe environment foster growth.
- Everyone has inherent value and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
- Learning is an active process requiring engaging tasks and engaging minds.
- Relevant and authentic experiences ignite continuous, deeper learning.
- Meaningful relationships enrich learning.
- Confidence fuels risk taking and higher achievement.
- Financial stewardship ensures a tomorrow for education.