BESTeam Tidbits
September 5, 2016
Communication Expectations
LEAD 2021 IV. Communication Strategy: We will create a plan that customizes communication methods and messages for students, parents, teachers, administration, and community to communicate and support the GCISD mission and strategic objectives.
- The district will engage the community by encouraging employees and students to be ambassadors to community groups.
- Communication with students will utilize current technology and allow for customization.
- GCISD employees will receive training in communication and will use this knowledge to build relationships.
- Communication in GCISD will be tailored to meet the needs of underrepresented populations.
- GCISD will inform parents and students of the academic standards, expectations,and progress of each student as appropriate throughout the school year.
- Communication capabilities/technologies will be clearly defined, incorporated and refreshed as part of the professional development process for all GCISD employees.
- Communicate all district sponsored student activities to stakeholders utilizing effective communication methods and modern technologies on a timely basis.
As outlined in LEAD 2021, Communication is a key element to creating a successful school and building the home-school connection. As we strive to meet the communication goals of our district, thank you for complying with the following BES communication expectations:
- E-mail: This form of communication will be used to convey important information on a day to day basis. Faculty members will check their e-mail before and after each school day. E-mail responses are required within one business day. Remember that e-mails are public record; use students’ first name and last initial or first and last initial, do not divulge personal information, and refrain from forwarding non-school related items through district e-mail.
- Texting: Texting with parents regarding school should be kept to an absolute minimum. It is best to communicate through e-mail on your school device. If you must communicate via text with a parent regarding school, please include another staff member in the conversation. Remember, texts, like emails, are considered public record. When communicating with parents who are outside of school friends, texting is an appropriate mode of communication.
- Phone Calls: Phone calls are a great way to communicate the great happenings at school as well as share concerns that arise throughout the day. When calling parents, thank you for using your classroom phone. If you are calling a parent to discuss non-student/non-school related matters outside of school hours, using your cell phone is an appropriate mode of communication.
- Social Media: Tweeting, Facebooking, and using Instagram are all wonderful ways to share live events at school. Thank you for being aware of the red cameras around the building. These cameras posted outside of classroom doors mean that one or more of our Texans have a photo restriction. Shelly called each of the parents who chose no on Skyward to ensure they did not want their child's picture on social media. Thank you for respecting the parents' wishes. If you do not agree with the red cameras, please let Jamie or Tonya know.
- Weekly Newsletter: Each Friday, every teacher, or grade level, will send home a newsletter, electronically (or hard copy if requested) to keep parents informed. It should include a curriculum calendar for the coming week, appropriate classroom information (like project due dates or upcoming tests) as well as grade level and school-wide events.
Thank you for the AMAZING communication with our stakeholders! You are doing a great job sharing our stories! Thank you for working together to communicate to our students, staff, families, and stakeholders as we continue to build an excellent school together!
2016-2017 BES Goals
Creating a positive welcoming environment for our students and staff where risk taking is encouraged and embraced
Using student voice to influence decisions in our classrooms, hallways, and building
Using the Units of Study in each grade level to create a systematic approach to writing
Starting CORE visits to learn from the experts on our staff
Taking time to build relationships with staff, students, and families
Celebrating the GCISD reading challenge with our students and staff
Use the new Learning Platform Rubric and T-TESS to assist us in our growth toward a learning platform
Develop students and staff who are skilled problem solvers, collaborative workers, effective communicators, global citizens, and self-regulated learners
Celebrations
- Relaxing and enjoyable three day weekend!
- FANTABULOUS curriculum night! Thank you to each of you for taking time to share LEAD 2021, campus goals, and classroom expectations. We received wonderful compliments from families about the value of the evening!
- 100% staff attendance on Friday!!!!! Thank you each of you for being at BES on Friday! :)
- A HUGE shout out to 5th grade an Kinder for sending photos to put on the website. YAY!!!
- Thank you Brittany for updating our website! It is looking FABULOUS!!!!
- Excellent rainy day dismissal! A BIG thank you to each of you for pitching in to ensure our students were dismissed safely!
- Thank you, thank you, thank you for crafting last week and sharing a little bit about you! Our Texans' Wall of Fame looks fabulous! The Lex Prin video below is a little laugh to thank you for taking time out to do a little crafting, using all different types of markers, pens, pencils, and fonts!
To do...
- Before/After School Activities: Are you planning on having a before/after school activity? Please complete this form so we can update our website with all of the great happenings of our campus. Thank you!
- Flex Learning: The new Flex program is ready for 2016-2017. Visiting the following link from the district website (http://www.gcisd-k12.org/Domain/3804), you will see the requirements, understand why Flex is important to our profession, and get access to the site. Once you get to the actual Flex site, find the tab that represents your job so you know which modules to complete.
The due date for completing Flex is October 19, 2016. Remember that FLEX encompasses the compliance-type professional learning that is required each year (Bloodborne Pathogens, FERPA, etc.) Instructional staff receive 2 paid days (Flex Days) to complete the training. This way you can complete it when it is most convenient for you. Paraprofessionals will be afforded time during the week in August to complete Flex time.
Dyslexia Simulation: If you are new to BES or did not participate last year, please make plans to attend one of the remaining dates for dyslexia simulations:
Wed 9/14 3:45 at Panther Den at the PDEC
Tues 9/20 4:30 at Panther Den at the PDEC
Thurs 9/22 4:30 at GHS library
Lesson Plans: Please create a folder that you and/or your team will use for the school year and share it with Jamie and Tonya. Thank you!
FYI
- Student Voice: From Dr. Newell: As you know, one of Dr. Ryan's goals is to implement a process for inviting and utilizing student voice in our schools. Last year, we had a group of teachers who participated in a pilot with this initiative and the results were promising. Students responded extremely positively when given the opportunity to become partners in educational decision making. Voice can happen through formal, school-wide means AND through informal means of teachers simply inviting students into frequent conversations about what works best for them in classroom contexts.
Please view this new SMORE . Student voice powerful, simple, free concept. It summarizes the concept of "voice" in GCISD, provides some options for teachers who want to join the movement, invites teachers to participate in a collaboration session, and shares additional resources. We have started a new hashtag to collect district insights and ideas - #GCISDVoice Please share "voice" ideas and examples from your campus this year.
- Technology Update: We are using the new technology work order system. Students will also have the ability to enter work orders for their devices. Click here for the instructions to enter a technology work order. Click here and here for signs for your classroom.
- Report Cards: Report cards will ALL be online this school year. Thank you for helping to spread this change to families.
- SAGE: Staff members can join SAGE, Supporting & Activating Gifting Education, for free through September 15. This is a great opportunity to stay informed about gifted education in GCISD.
- Math Message: Click here for the latest math message. Great info from the math department!
- No Picture Signs: Please take note of the no picture signs outside of some classroom doors. These signs are indications that one or more of the students in the classroom have photography restrictions. Please check with the classroom teacher for more information if you are going to take pictures in that particular classroom. Thank you!
- Flu Clinic: Mark your calendars for Friday, October 14 for the annual flu clinic from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the staff lounge.
- Specials' Procedures: Specials' Team wants to thank everyone who has been kind and supportive as we tweek the arrival and departure procedures for our classes. We are doing our best to adjust to the new schedule. Here are some procedures that have changed or been added:
Arrival (1st - 5th)
1. A clock is now at the top of the stairs leading into our area. Please, follow this time when sending students to the gym.
2. Line students up at the double doors in boy/girl lines, as this allows more students to form in the entry to the Specials' area.
3. Please wait until a Specials' teacher has asked the students to enter the gym.
4. If you are late, and the other students are in the gym, please escort your class to the gym and let them join in the activity.
Departure (1st - 5th)
1. Music and Gym classes will be escorted to the red line outside Mrs. Halliburton's office. Students are being asked to not talk in order to keep from disturbing others who are working.
2. Art classes will line up in the art hall and join the others as they are lead back to class.
3. Mrs. Apodaca will let you know when all of the classes are present.Please do not take your grade level back until that time.. This will ensure that no classes are being left unsupervised.
Garden Club: Students grades 1-5 are invited to join the garden club. We will meet at 7 am on the first Wednesdays of the month: September 7th, October 5th, andNovember 2nd.
Students will learn about plants while helping weed, fertilize, plant and finally harvesting the fruits of their labors in the school garden. This fall we will try our hands at growing lettuce, radishes, and marigolds.
If you have any questions or would be interested in volunteering in the Bransford garden please contact: Andrea Hickson at andreahickson@sbcglobal.net
PTA News
- Website: PTA has a new website! Check it out here! http://www.bransfordpta.com/
- Watch DOGS: Watch DOGS will host an orientation meting on Saturday, September 17 at 4:00 p.m. at BES. They will start on campus the next week. Our goal is to give you advance notice about visitors coming to our campus. Thank you for welcoming our volunteers to BES!
- Garden Club: Garden Club starts NEXT week! Students in grades 1-5 will meet in the garden with Mrs. Hickson.
- PTA Grants: Thank you for turning in PTA grants to Jamie the day before executive board meetings. This affords time for Jamie and Lis to review all grants before the meeting starts. Any grants turned in late will be saved for the next meeting. The next PTA executive board meeting is October 7.
- Laps for Learning: Excitement is building for the annual Laps for Learning event! Save the date for the Laps pep rally on Friday, September 16. Get your sneakers ready for Laps for Learning on Friday, September 30. We will all be walking, jogging, and cheering on our terrific Texans as we raise funds for our campus.
- CELEBRATION: 100% of staff joined PTA!!!! Thank you for joining PTA!!!!
T-TESS Updates
- Pre-conference window opens on Tuesday, September 6. Please be looking for an invitation from your appraiser.
- 10-15 walkthroughs can begin starting this week.
- Click here for the updated walkthrough format.
- Thank you for working on your T-TESS Goal Setting/PLP during August. If you need assistance with your T-TESS Goal Setting/PLP, please let Jamie, Tonya, or Cathy know.
Attendance
DMAC Updates
DMAC has released new features especially for teachers. They are found on the TEKScore Teacher Dashboard. The following link is to a webinar that will explain how teachers can utilize them.The webinar is 40 minutes and the important part is the first 20 minutes. (The remaining portion is about T-TESS DMAC and we do not use T-TESS DMAC).
https://www.dmac-solutions.net/files/webinar/DMAC-LIVE-083016.mp4
2016-2017 Information
At this time, we have the following position open:
- Special ed para
Dates to Know
***Please check the BES master calendar on Google for updates***
- September 5: Labor Day Holiday
- September 7: Garden Club
- September 8: Picture Day
- September 9: BES Spirit Day ~ Wear a Bransford shirt or red, white, and blue
- September 15: Dot Day & PTA Meeting 6:30 p.m.
- September 16: Laps for Learning Pep Rally & BES Spirit Day
- September 17: Constitution Day
- September 20: Spring Creek BBQ Spirit Night
- September 23: BES Spirit Day
- September 28: Talk with Texans 12:00 p.m.
- September 30: Laps for Learning
- October 3: CEC 3:10 p.m. & Snuffer's Spirit Night
- October 6: GT LEAD Curriculum Night
- October 10: Student Holiday/Staff Professional Learning
- October 14: End of 1st 9 Weeks & Dad's Club Movie Night
- October 20: BES Spirit Night at Kendra Scott
Week at a Glance
Monday
Holiday
Tuesday
Tonya out
Jamie court p.m.
Wednesday
Garden Club @ 7:00 a.m.
KC Club begins after school
PLC Technology
CHHS PALS orientation
Jamie Principals' Meeting
Thursday
Picture Day
Denise H. @ mtg. 1:30-3:30pm
Choir after school
Friday
BES Spirit Day :)
Jamie out
Shelly out
- Tamela out
Jamie Halliburton
Email: jamie.halliburton@gcisd.net
Phone: 806-441-6518
Twitter: @BESHalliburton