Team Meadow Update
Staff Update - February 23, 2020
Team Meadow,
I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weekend we've been gifted in February!
First of all, I want to thank you for your engagement and participation in last week's PD with Teaching Tolerance. I've appreciated hearing your feedback on this positive and reflective experience. Coming to the table with our colleagues to hold rich dialogue through important topics illustrates all the more what fine professionals you are. We will continue to deepen conversations regarding social justice standards and how they influence our daily work with children. Keep the resources you received in a handy location so that we can use them for reference during team meetings as we move forward.
Secondly, let's take a look at a few items for this week's agenda:
Welcome, Katie Evans! With Baby Foley due to arrive any day now, Friday was Katie's last day. Please welcome Katie Evans to Team Meadow on Monday. We are thrilled to have her join the team, and we also can't wait to meet and welcome Baby Foley!
Construction/Transitions - Space will continue to tighten over the next few weeks as we prepare for construction to begin in the preschool/BAC wing. Here's an update on where we are.
- STEM- Thanks to those that were able to pitch in on Friday after school in order to help Kara move items to the "new" STEM room (Family Room). Furniture and larger items will be moving upstairs soon. In the coming days, she will continue working on getting the space in order to host classes in that space in.
- Preschool - Once Kara has everything out of the room on first floor, preschool will transition to the "old" STEM room (first floor/2nd grade hallway). We anticipate this beginning sometime next week.
- BAC/Bridge/Early Start Spanish - This team is next on the list as well to move into the cafe in the first or second week of March (TBD). Facilities will relocating cabinetry from the preschool/BAC wing and installing them in the cafe for BAC storage. That will begin in the next couple of weeks as well. One of the Early Start Spanish classes will hosting one of their classes in the staff room.
Pop-In- (Monday) We will have a POP In on Monday after school. On Thursday, Kara sent an email with information regarding the topic (Fact Fluency). See more details below.
Coaching Clinic - Simply making you aware that on Tuesday, Kim Gray and I will be in Westfield with other ZCS literacy coaches for our last coaching clinic.
Supply Lists - Please be sure to get refined supply lists to me once your team reviews. I truly appreciate your assistance. See Friday's email for details.
Boone Meadow Blast - is this Saturday, 11:00-2:00. Although not expected/required, if you are able to attend or volunteer, it is always received with great appreciation by the PTO and families. If you do want to volunteer, I've provided the link. BME Volunteer
Once again, I am grateful for each of you. Thanks for all you do, and especially for how you do it.
Tom
Pop In!
Colleagues,
Monday’s Pop-in is happening! I hope you can make it, because we need your mind and your expertise. Please meet in the family room (new STEM room) for a Computation and Fact Fluency Think Tank. A think tank brings together the greatest minds to examine important issues, brainstorm and consider ideas, and offer creative, practical solutions to tackle common challenges. You are the greatest minds. Computation and Fluency is a common challenge faced by our students. Together, we can create solutions.
Our agenda will include:
Defining fluency
Examining research based best practice and our standards in order to . . .
Answer these questions:
- Content/Skills - What do we want students to know and be able to do?
- Teaching - How can we foster student growth in this area?
- Monitoring - How will we know when students know and can do it?
- Intervention – What will we do when or if they don’t or can’t do it yet?
Based on our conversation, we will determine next steps as a team. Attached is an article on assessing fact fluency (see Thursday's email from Kara). Below are links to other articles that can inform our conversation:
Jo Boaler - Fluency without Fear
Fact Fluency to Promote Math Love
See you there!
Kara
Important Dates & Information
February
24 - Pop In
25- Kindy Round-up registration will go live; Kim and Tom in Westfield for Coaching Clinic
26 - Baby Foley due date
27 - Blue Ribbon Meeting after school (more info to come)
29 - Boone Meadow Blast
March
4 - PTO Meeting @ 7:00 (Cafe)
8 - Daylight Savings
10 - Holi
18 - Wellness Night
20 - Boone Meadow Mixer (evening social for adults @ Golf Club of Indiana)
25 - Kindergarten Round-Up
27-April 3 - Spring Break
April
8 - Passover
10 - Good Friday
12 - Easter
13 - PTO Meeting @ 7:00 (Cafe)
19 - Orthodox Easter
May
6 - PTO Meeting @ 7:00 (Cafe)
22 - Last Day of School
2-Hour Delay Details
A handful of a few important bits of info should we have a 2-hour delay...
- Bus arrival is at 9:50 AM; Kindergarten students arrive at 10:50 AM
- Preschool will open @ 10:15 AM, the car line will begin at 10:05 AM
- Kindergarten teachers will not meet with regular RtI groups on delay days
- Scheduled PLCs will occur after school on delay days
- Early Start Spanish and Bridge will be from 10:00-10:50
- All BAC sites are open at normal times at all sites, except for Preschool BAC, which will open at 10:15 am (car line will begin at 10:05)
- Certified Staff Members: Your expected arrival time is 9:40 when we have a 2-hour delay. If it is safe for you to come earlier, you are welcome to do so, but not expected.
- Administrative Assistants are welcome to adjust their times to the accommodate the 2 hour delay if needed.
- Instructional assistants should plan to arrive on the 2-hour delay time
- Additional information is located on the ZCS website: http://www.zcs.k12.in.us/apps/pages/school_delay_closing_information
E-DAY REMINDER
With a forecast that includes a few inches of snow with mixed participation, e-day possibilities increase. However, keep in mind that school cancellations can occur for a variety of reasons- power outages, water main breaks, etc. come to mind. if school were cancelled tomorrow, would you be e-day ready? This year, the first cancellation will activate an e-day and will not be made up in May. Please keep this in mind and make sure you are prepared.
First Five Elementary E-day RA Rotation Schedule
*NO KDG RELATED ARTS ON E-DAYS
E-Day #1 – First Grade – Wellness; Second Grade – Music; Third Grade – Art; Fourth Grade – STEM
E-Day #2 – First Grade – Music; Second Grade – Art; Third Grade – STEM; Fourth Grade – Wellness
E-Day #3 – First Grade – Art; Second Grade – STEM; Third Grade – Wellness; Fourth Grade – Music
E-Day #4 – First Grade – STEM; Second Grade – Wellness; Third Grade – Music; Fourth Grade – Art
E-Day #5 – First Grade – Wellness; Second Grade – Music; Third Grade – Art; Fourth Grade – STEM
Personal Business Day(s) Requests
For Certified Team Members:
To requests "personal business days," please complete the following process.- Go to the following link, and complete the "personal business request" form. https://goo.gl/forms/CycfilABEUyILbh83
- Once the form is completed, please send a brief email to me (Tom) that includes the date(s) of your request(s). Remember, this should be completed at least 48 hours prior to the personal day.
- Enter your upcoming absence in AESOP as soon as possible. (It can always be deleted later should plans change.)
Thanks -
Contact Us
Email: thundley@zcs.k12.in.us
Website: http://www.zcs.k12.in.us/bme/
Location: 5555 S Main St, Whitestown, IN, United States
Phone: 3178732226
Twitter: @ZCSBoone_Meadow