The Meeks Messenger
2nd Edition, Vol. 11 October 2019
Hey, hey Mustangs!
What a great two days of learning at the Leander ISD CIC! Thank you to those of you who presented and shared your ideas with others! It's one thing to do great things in your classroom, but it's quite another to share those things with others...THANK YOU!
As you reflect on the sessions you attended, think about ONE thing you can commit to implementing this year. Just take a chance and go for it! What's the worst that could happen...you fail? SO WHAT! You'll never know until you try!
Thanksgiving Activities:
As fall arrives and the holiday season is rapidly arriving, it is time to review practices around Thanksgiving programs and lessons.
As a district, we need to challenge the dominant and often inaccurate narrative about Thanksgiving and provide students with a more balanced perspective of this holiday. Teaching Tolerance has provided a list of resources for all grade levels to more accurately portray the first Thanksgiving. Scholastic also has many resources for grades PK-8.
If your grade level is planning a Thanksgiving program, please consider culturally sensitive practices and the costumes students are asked to wear. We appreciate your support as we strive to create accurate, relevant, and meaningful learning experiences for our students.
Don't forget to share our story with the world by using #TheGreatestParkside and #1LISD on Twitter! You can also tag our campus @Parkside_ES. Your PLN (Professional Learning Network) wants to learn from you! Y'all have so many great things to share! Enter your Twitter Handle here so we can follow you!
Thank you for all you do!
Maggie, Erin, & Lauren
Important Dates to Remember!
October 23 - Unity Day! Wear CRAZY Socks to SOCK it to Bullying!
October 24 - Fall Picture Day, Coffee Chat with Admin 6:00pm at Red Horn
October 25 - Family Fitness Costume Ball, Kids First Program (3rd grade only), Dewali lunch provided by amazing moms!
October 28 - National First Responder's Day!
October 30 - Faculty Meeting (ALL staff), College Awareness Day (wear a college shirt)
October 31st - Literacy Day: Dress as your favorite book character! Kinder Pumpkin Carving
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!
- Kate Lindeman (10/6) 4th grade
- Dianne Beard (10/6) Receptionist
- Cherly Adair (10/8) Speech
- Tasha Rodriguez (10/9) 3rd grade
- Jamee Randall (10/18) 5th grade
- Beth Barr (10/25) 2nd grade
Unity Day - October 23
Instead of wearing orange on October 23rd, Parkside students and staff are encouraged to wear CRAZY socks! We are going to Sock It to Bullying! Please spread the word to your students and parents!
Replacement for BLOOMZ...A message from Leander ISD...
Last week we received a report of parents and students being able to contact as well as see other parent and student information within the Bloomz program. We are requesting that the use of Bloomz as a communication tool for Leander ISD not be used at this time. We know that the use of this tool allowed for several components of communication, which are essential for teacher/parent communication and in working with teachers and departments have made some additions to our approved list of tools.
To see a complete list of approved applications for use in Leander ISD, please visit Digital Resources Approved List (which can also be found on the Leander ISD Staff webpage).
We know there are new and emerging technologies released every day. We want to ensure we support you in bringing those innovative tools safely to your students, parents, and staff. If there is a program that you would like added to the list, please click here to learn about the Digital Request Process.
If you receive any questions from parents regarding the removal of Bloomz; please let them know that we want to ensure that vendors we use in LISD meet high-quality data privacy and security standards. This product unfortunately had some concerns and we will continue to partner and use vendors that can provide safe and secure programs.
Please see the chart below for approved programs for use for communication within Leander ISD:
Shirley Hord Learning Team Award
Share your team's learning and win a trip to the 2019 Annual Conference!
The deadline to submit your video and application is October 25! Prizes: The winner of the 2019 Learning Team Award receives: A cash gift of $2,500 for their school to support collaborative professional learning, courtesy of Corwin. Complimentary three-day registrations, airfare, and three hotel rooms for learning team members to Learning Forward's 2019 Annual Conference in St. Louis. A celebration of the team during a general sessions at the 2019 Annual Conference. A profile in the The Learning Professional and on Learning Forward's website.
Details can be found here.
State Assessments and Scheduling Events
Literacy Day Schedule
8:00 - 8:30 Character Parade
8:45 - 9:30 Author Presentation Kinder ½ of Second (Locklear, Barr, Martinez, Armstrong)
9:45 - 10:30 Author Presentation First and ½ of Second (Janda, Reid, Lafevers, Hoffman)
11:15 - 12:00 Author Presentation Third and ½ of Fifth (LaTouf, Ehrsam, Newman, Jamar)
12:15 - 1:00 Author Presentation Fourth and ½ of Fifth (Regehr, Troller, Randall)
Normal Lunch Schedule
Kinder 10:15 - 10:45
First 10:50 - 11:20
Second 12:00 - 1:00 lunch/recess
Third 12:35 - 1:05
Fourth 11:25 - 11:55 lunch / 11:55 - 12:25 recess
**Make sure you give yourself time to get to presentation from the playground. Make up the missed recess time at 2:05
Fifth - 12:35 - 1:05 recess / 1:05 - 1:35 lunch
*the half of fifth going to the second presentation will have to do recess after the presentation at 1:35
Box Tops!
Parkside Elementary is collecting box tops through October 25. If we collect more than $1000 worth, I will kiss a PIG!
Instructional Coach Newsletter
Counseling Corner
Please reach out to Julie if you have questions!
We Are Here for YOU!!!
Email: lauren.meeks@leanderisd.org
Location: 301 Garner Park Drive, Georgetown, TX, USA
Phone: 17110
Twitter: @TheRealMrsMeeks