May 16-Get Whitt It!
Carpet Conversations
We'll have an area in the gym taped off that you can move bookshelves or other items. After Thursday's pm talent show, you can also fill up the stage. Feel free to start moving as you are able.
Adding to the pack...
Harley is off to be great things and will be missed!
Last three teachers of the month!
These three teachers won't get to be appreciated at a luncheon but we still want to be able to celebrate them! Please vote below and we need THREE! Soooooo...if you could vote three times?? That would be great. I'll take the top three and figure out a way, in addition to their certificate so they can feel all the love!
Way to rock STAAR!
For those that were pulled, thank you. For those that tested and actively monitored, thank you. For the contribution you've made to all our testers, thank you! To Morgan and Shari, THANK YOU.
Is your bucket empty?
We have more unstructured time in the next 6 days than we've had all year. Keep an eye on your friends that we know struggle when they don't have hard and fast expectations. You've done an AMAZING job keeping students engaged and dialed in thus far, keep it up!
Let Morgan and I know if there is something we can do to support you as we close out the 18-19 school year!
Morgan's Musings
Bad Weather Drill
We will have a bad weather drill Monday. Please go over procedures with your classes. :)
Field “Hour”
K: 7:45-8:45
1: 9-10:00
2: 12-1:00
3: 1:15-2:15
4: 10:15-11:15 (based around when seniors show up)
Teachers need to be outside during field day activitiesJ
We will be checking on empty volunteer slots to see if we need to chip in at any of the stations.
Recess: All recess times stay the same except:
3rd Grade 9-9:30
2nd Grade 2-2:30
Lunch: Students will get their sack lunches and bring back to the classroom to save until you eat. :) There is a lull between 10-11 to not interfere with Sr walk.
Pick Up Times:
9:00 Kinder
9:20 2nd Grade
9:40 3rd Grade
11:00 1st Grade
11:25 4th Grade
If you are not eating lunch at your normal time, please notify parents AND the office! :)
Senior Walk: 10:00-ish-11:00ish. I have heard this is kind of whenever they get here… :)
No PACK. PACK teachers will get packed up and help at field day/wherever needed.
Paras will get packed up and help at field day/wherever needed. Also partner with special friends you service who may need more support.
If you notice something I missed or any issues, please let me know!!
Notes from Patricia & Patty
I will need your last 9 week honor roll list as soon as possible! I will put this one in your box to be given out during class.
I will also need an End of Year honor roll list. This one will be the one announced on the stage during the celebrations - unless you tell me otherwise.
- From Patricia:
- All grades for final report cards are due Friday, 5/17/2019 at 5:00 p.m. Email me with names of anyone being retained.
- Grades 2 - 4 . . .Don't forget to run your Grade Proof Sheets for all your Grade Books by 5/20/2019, they will be turned in to me. KG-1 Your Report Cards are your Grade Proof Sheets you will need to make a copy of them after you have signed and marked promoted or retained, I will need a copy and a copy will go into their CUM file.
- Final Report Cards will go home for all grades on Thursday, May 23, 2019.
- All staff must sign off on Reports for the Year prior to leaving for the summer. Reports will not be ready until 5/23/2019 in the afternoon.
Counselor's Corner
I know, I know, you are probably thinking: no blues here! But we know that the summer blues are real for so many of our kids. You've done such an excellent job cultivating a community and relationship with them, the idea of not being in your class anymore is a huge loss, especially for those who lack coping mechanisms or emotional self-regulation.
In fact, you may be seeing an uptick in negative behaviors (or even a cycling through of old behaviors that were once extinct) as we near the end of the school year.
This article is a great resource for parents, but I believe its advice benefits educators. If you see students who:
- Report of physical complaints (e.g., headaches, stomach aches)
- Increased irritability/behavioral challenges
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Changes in sleep/appetite
- Increased rigidity/inflexibility
- Avoidance behaviors
These may be signs that they're struggling with the transition or are experiencing this end of the school year as a loss.
So, how can we help?
1. We can offer closure in the classroom. This can look like a tradition (signing yearbooks, exchanging Roblox info, creating a class book).
2. We can discuss how ready they are for the next level. Statements like "they won't let you get away with that in ___ grade or _____ school" are rarely helpful. Consider replacing those discussions with ones that affirm what skills students have already mastered. Statements like "that sure does look like a 1st-grade line" to kindergarteners afforms to the doubting student that he is, in fact, ready to move forward.
3. We can honor the relationships we've developed by reminding them that you'll still be here (unless you won't) and that they can come to see you next year and hug you. For those of you who, like me, are moving to other locations, you can say "You are a Whitt Wolf, and Whitt Wolves are always cared for and never forgotten, no matter what!".
Thank you for all you do to love our kids through all the stages and ages. You are their advocates and their home away from home! May we all have the very smoothest end to the school year, and may all our wolves leave us happy and return ready to do it all again!
Notes from the nurse!
- If you are the first adult present and need to alert the crisis team, use your walkie talkie OR if you do not have the walkie talkie, send someone to call the office and they will alert the crisis team. Be sure to name your location so that help will arrive ASAP.
- FOR NEXT YEAR: The grade level crisis team member will have the walkie talkie.
- Patty or Patricia will make an overhead call to also alert the crisis team to the appropriate location, as well as remind everyone to keep the hallways clear. If you are not on the crisis team, remember to keep your students in the classroom. We need the hallways clear for all of the first responders, including our crisis team, as well as EMS.
- If you are not on the crisis team, please do not come and try to help. I absolutely understand that these nuggets are like your own children, but we will definitely call you if we need additional support. (email the code word MAYHEM to Amber for a prize)
- A crisis team member will delegate or call 9-1-1 from the closest district phone. The district phone will notify district employees at the ESC. Our crisis team members will be up to date on their CPR and first aid and will know whether or not we need EMS support.
Calendar Comings!
15 PTA Volunteer luncheon
16 PTA luncheon@ FBW; AT out @ESC; Day performance talent show, Senior reception, PM talent show
17 Field Day (No PACK), Senior Walk
20 All Library Materials due to Mrs. Arellano
20 3-4 Shenanigans trip
21 Bookworm party, K-2 readers (ice cream in the cafeteria)
22 Splash Day
23 Student celebrations, last day!
24 Badge and Key Collection
25 MP moves to Wylie!
May-hem indeed....
Whitt Elementary
Website: http://www.wylieisd.net/whitt
Location: 7520 Woodcreek Way, Sachse, TX 75048, United States
Phone: 972-429-2560
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whittwolves
Twitter: @WhittWolves