Monday Morning Motivation
Central Elementary Staff News----August 14th--August 18th
Growing Pains
Dear Staff,
I understand many of you are experiencing growing pains as we learn all there is to know about our new enVision math adoption. This is a very resource rich program and finding the time to filter through all there is to know has been a challenge.
The professional development committee met last week and shared that it would be beneficial to have someone from EnVison come in and help us with the program.
I have contacted our representative, who agreed to send someone to help us. On Monday, August 21st , during your grade-level prep time, you will meet in a teacher's classroom with your laptops and an EnVision representative will be there to help you go through a lesson and answer all your questions. This is not a presentation, but an opportunity for your team to ask specific questions. Keep in mind that on September 20th, you will spend a half day with EnVision where you will hear all about the computer interventions and Math XL. (Please note, I'm in the process of changing the date to August 23rd because of the Eclipse. Knowing you all in the afternoon would want to experience it, I have put out an email over the weekend and am waiting a response. Please keep both dates open.)
With this meeting on the 21st or 23rd, I have decided to move our data team meeting to the following week on August 30th. This will give you even more prep time during the week of the 21st to work on your math curriculum as a team.
Have a great week!
Julie
Announcements and Reminders
Newest items at the top of the list
Khan Academy training will be held at Admin building in the boardroom on August 16th from 4:10-5:00PM. High Ability math teachers are highly encouraged to attend, but anyone is welcome if they would like to learn more about this program.
Excitement is building for the solar eclipse. Make sure you are talking about your plan as a team. See below.
- Science Day is September 1st. This year, there are different experiences, which should be fun for students. A schedule will come out early this week and note there are times when students are in class, so plan accordingly.
- The materials ordered earlier in the summer with Title One money are here and will be delivered this week.
- Please let me know if you do not have an emergency map in your classroom or if you have one, but it needs to be updated.
- Central Hub Parent Newsletter https://www.smore.com/nmuwh
- PTO Online Spirit Wear Ordering Now Available www.muddredprinting.com
- Be sure to be checking your calendars to send sub requests in early. Nicole C. shared that she knows we have lost a few good subs for this year.
- We will have a parent educational event at Central Elementary school during our parent-teacher conferences from 1:00-8:30. The thought is that we would have a room set up (library), staffed with someone from Pearson and several school staff. Parents would be invited (lured) into the room where they would go to a table designated for a particular grade level math. There we would have something set up to highlight how Envision math is different from traditional math, or key things to know to better help their child with Envision math, or simply something really cool or interesting related to math.
The following is how email addresses are structured for 4th and 5th grade students:
Students will use their current student password to log into their email.
Important things to note:
- All students have a One Drive and should get into the habit of using it. The H: drive isn’t going away this year, but will in the near future and students need to understand how to use OneDrive. Once logged into this they can access assignments from home (or anywhere) as it is cloud based. Students also have the ability to download Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel as part of their student package. These can be downloaded on a home computer.
- Student email is set up in a “walled garden.” This means that students can only email each other and their teacher. Filters are in place that look for bullying or inappropriate pictures or language. When this is detected, emails are sent to the appropriate staff members for review.
Central Calendar
MONDAY, August 14
- Required Reading Due
TUESDAY, August 15
- WIDA/SIOP Meeting 7:15-8:15 Admin
WEDNESDAY, August 16
- Cabinet meeting
- Khan Academy training Admin Boardroom 4:10PM-5:00PM
THURSDAY, August 17
- Community Forum Kindergarten 6-7 PHS
FRIDAY, August 18
- September Field trip form due
MONDAY, August 21
- enVision grade level meetings during prep (special education teachers join a grade level)
- Solar Eclipse
- PTO meeting in cafeteria 7:00PM
TUESDAY, August 22
- Technology Application Committee 7:15AM-8:15AM
- NED Convocation 2:15-3:00 (begin calling students down at 2:00)
WEDNESDAY, August 23
- enVision grade level meetings during prep (special education teachers join a grade level)
- Do the Math Webinar 3:00-5:00 Central Office
THURSDAY, August 24
- Math Fact Challenge and AR Committee 7:30AM-8:20AM
- Allies for Education
Friday, August 25
- PTO Spirit Orders Due
- School Picture Day
Saturday, August 26
- Aquatic Center Party for Plainfield Employee Families 7:00PM-9:00PM
Curriculum and Instruction
Solar Eclipse
On Monday, August 21 Indiana residents will be able to witness the amazing site of a Total Eclipse, where the moon will completely cover the sun. This will be the first Total Eclipse seen by the United States in 38 years. It will occur 1:30-3:30 p.m. with the total eclipse occurring around 2:24 p.m.
Central students will witness this phenomenon. They will be inside watching the eclipse live on the classroom Promethean via the NASA website. NASA has special cameras that can safely capture the eclipse and broadcast it to our classrooms. Our window blinds will be open so that students can see the world darken while they safely watch sun move behind the moon.
NASA is going to live stream the eclipse and this map shows all of the sites they will be streaming from.
Staff Celebrations!
- A HUGE amount of praise and celebration goes out to the assistants in our special education room. Great job Mandi, Angela, Teresa and our sub, Suzanne H. for academically engaging our students and building relationships with them last week! Thank you for taking care of our students.
- Thank you to the classroom teachers who supported and will continue to support our students in Mrs. MCDonald's class.
- Nice job with our drills. We are continuing to look at ways of getting to the basement faster.
Happy Summer Birthdays
June
Katy Riester 5
Amber Ocker 12
Amy Western 14
Linda Dickey 25
Lexi Hollingsworth 26
Kathy Crum 29
July
Carey Hackleman 18
Bridget Davis 21
Diana Harris 22
August
Debbie Brouillard 2
Michelle Strange 3
April Miller 11
Chris Luther 23
Julie Thacker 31
WORKING HARD IN MISS CARMICHAEL'S CLASS!
Our Mission
Providing engaging academic experiences, the Central Elementary Community will inspire and support students to become caring, confident, lifelong learners.