Welcome Back, GES Staff!
Growing, Excelling, Shining
Dear GES Team,
It’s about that time of year! Our first student day, Monday, August 28, will be here soon! I am looking forward to seeing all of you again.
While the district has undergone some major changes this summer administratively as well as with a plethora of construction projects and changes to grade level building configurations, I am thrilled that we have some consistency coming our way at GES. Our custodial crew has once again done an amazing job of getting our building ready for the upcoming year and our office staff has processed many registrations, a few withdrawals, and lots of back-to-school mailings and supply deliveries. Though we have lost sixth grade to the middle school, we have transitioned to a new year with minimal changes in classroom placements and staffing.
We will once again be kicking off our UNITY expectations at the beginning of the year. Information regarding the Only One You kick-off activity and the sign-up calendar are in Google classroom (code: vesvsfw). Also, please be aware of the following:
- As of this date, unless I have talked to you specifically, your assignment will be the same as last year. A few changes may still be possible as new students arrive, but, hopefully no major changes will be necessary. The rosters have been updated daily throughout the summer as new students enroll and others have withdrawn. To date, we have approximately 675 students on our rosters for the 2017-18 school year, including those currently pending.
- The annual voluntary HSA sponsored luncheon for all staff members will be held on Thursday, August 24, at 11:30. I hope you will be able to join us for this event. For the afternoon of August 24, teachers will be able to work in their rooms. Paraprofessionals will be compensated for two hours to meet and plan with teachers. Please coordinate this time with your learning support or intervention teacher.
- Cafeteria/Recess monitors will be meeting at 1:00 after the luncheon on August 24. At this time we will discuss the upcoming school year.
- On the afternoon of Wednesday, August 23, and the morning of Thursday, August 24, we will be having our professional development day in our GES library. The day will consist of a faculty meeting, as well as opportunities for collaboration and professional learning. This year our time will focus on professional staff; paraprofessionals will not be able to attend. Paraprofessionals, please keep your eyes open for future professional development opportunities. Details regarding the district-wide kickoff on the morning of August 23 will be coming from Missy Woodard.
I am so excited to join together with all of you for another school year with our students! There is only one you, and you are an important part of what we do at GES!
Please relax and enjoy the remaining days of summer! If you have any questions about anything, please do not hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
Stephanie
No Place for Hate
UNITY Kick-Off
For this year’s kickoff of our UNITY expectations, we will once again be tying our expectations together with No Place for Hate. Each classroom will be using the book Only One You by Linda Kranz. There is a great Youtube link of the book that allows you to project the book and do a live oral reading rather than a recorded voice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbqkNSkqQPs&index=2&list=PL2TR_FXrcPZkuFTLDXT9xNtJ4MFykNcXX
The book is short and the text is simple. It lends itself to great opportunities to pause and integrate our UNITY expectations. If anyone is in need of a UNITY poster, there are a few spares in the office.
For the kickoff, each classroom teacher will be expected to sign up for a time slot in the Makerspace during the first two weeks of school, from August 28 - September 8. The Google calendar is available in our new GES 2017-18 Google classroom. The Classroom code is vesvsfw .
While in the Makerspace, you and your class will:
1. Read and discuss Only One You while reviewing the UNITY expectations. You have the freedom to guide your own conversation with your class. Please include a discussion (preferably student directed) about how our individual contribution to the climate of our building will help to make the school a better place for all of us.
2. As part of this discussion, please have students set an individual goal for how their individuality will make a positive contribution to our school this year. Students can record their goals on an index card or you might choose to create a video recording with your class using the green screen. These goals will be revisited throughout the year.
3. Using the Makerspace materials, each student will create a unique design for a rock that will represent their individuality. The rocks will be used to create a rock garden in the courtyard that students and staff will be able to see throughout the year as a reminder of the importance of each individual and how, when we are all put together, we become an amazing community.
4. Please reinforce “I” and “T” from our UNITY expectations by having students clean up the Makerspace area before exiting the room.
About Us
Email: sllandis@boyertownasd.org
Website: www.boyertownasd.org
Location: 36 Congo Road, Gilbertsville, PA, United States
Phone: 610-369-7485
Twitter: @GilbertsvilleEl