Staff Proclamation
August 1, 2019
Examples of Living Our Mission
- Congratulations to Raylynn for successfully earning her Google Level 1 Certification! Way to demonstrate that teachers are learners!
- Every classroom that is being worked on this summer provides students choice and a voice in their classroom experience. Kids Deserve to have a say in their classroom design. You've each taken "future ready" classroom design and made it work for you and your students. With flexible seating arrangements, classroom spaces that promote creativity and collaboration, and options for varied preferences, your students are walking into learning spaces that are made for them! Way to be RELENTLESS for our Royals!
- Many of you attended PD opportunities this summer either online, formal presentations, workshops, or the EdCamp events. Kids Deserve to have teachers who are learners! Thank you for modeling this for your students and continuing to grow and learn! I am incredibly proud to see so many of our Royal teachers at these events representing DGS and exemplifying our mission!
- We had a large group of staff members attend the BIST training. This 3 day training was a commitment in and of itself, but I am so glad we were there together to hear Marty's message and philosophy. I will be including important BIST reminders in our weekly staff updates.
Summer Project Updates
- Moving the library before we even started summer!
- Tuck pointing and brick work to seal the gaps in the brick by the gym
- Exterior lighting and sound upgrades and systems
- Asbestos abatement and new carpet in three classrooms
- Complete overhaul of the office area
- Painting the baseboards in the hallway royal blue (take a concerted effort to look at this. It truly makes a difference)
- Painting of so many classrooms... The band/orchestra room, both fourth grade classrooms, technology lab, Raylynn's classroom, Sam's classroom, Michelle's classroom, and Lyndsay's classroom... plus touch up in many other areas and trim work in many classrooms.
- Exterior outlets installed for outdoor power needs (hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, holiday lights and bubble machines:)
- Updated bathroom lighting in the 4th/5th grade wing
- Updated faucets in the bathrooms closest to the office
- A stage built for Britney's room
- The movement of teachers in and out of their spaces
The list truly goes on and on.... This has been a busy summer and I am truthful when I say, we have, hands down, the best custodians in the district!
Class Lists
Class lists will officially be available in Power School beginning the afternoon of August 7th. We are also finalizing our staff in 4th grade and aide positions. So, Prior to August 7th, class lists are not finalized. We are waiting to determine if any students will need to be moved to DGS and complete registration for other students. I would not recommend labeling, numbering or otherwise until after August 7th for these reasons.
The DRAFT class lists can be found HERE , but I reiterate, these are subject to change and nothing is final until the 7th.
Any of you that are sending postcards or letters, you can get labels from Lisa after that date. We have metered /pre-stamped envelopes in the office you can use to send letters to students. Just let Lisa or myself know if you need any.
Master Calendar
Each of you should have access to the DGS Master Calendar. Please be sure to check it frequently so you are aware of events and activities.
2nd-5th grade teachers and specials teachers will also need to check the tab for "morning supervision." These are the designated days you are asked to supervise in the gym beginning at 7:25am. If you are absent on a day you have supervision, please be sure this is in your sub plans.
The meeting calendar with PLC topics, staff meeting dates, and links to agendas will be on the front page of the master calendar document. This includes SIP days, RTI meetings, ILT meetings, ect.
Each teacher has a tab along the bottom of the calendar. Once you have your classroom schedules finalized, please be sure to add that to your tab along the bottom of the master calendar.
DGS Staff Resources and Dashboard
I would bookmark/star this so you can access it when you need it. Please note this has items like updated classroom fund balances, the daily transportation list, the master calendar and more.
General Office Supplies
Supplies are all in the staff lounge. If we get low on supplies, please let Lisa know ahead of time so we can replenish them.
Extras of Chocolate Touch, Water bottles, Plans on a Page, Expectation posters, evacuation posters, ect will be on the library cart in the office should you need these. These will also be given out at the staff meeting.
On the Docket
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
- ILT Meeting 9am-1pm
- Class Lists Posted at 4pm in Powerschool
Thursday, August 8, 2019
- New this year, the principals have planned a special Back to School BBQ Bash for all elementary staff and their families. This year’s event will be held at Banner Elementary School on Thursday, Aug. 8 at 6:00 p.m. Hamburgers and hotdogs will be served. Water and lemonade will also be provided. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. This will be a great opportunity to visit with colleagues and to welcome our new staff to the district. RSVP at https://forms.gle/j88PdfiGN7t182W27. Hope to see you there!
- Teacher Institute Begins. You can view the agenda HERE. Events are also on the Google Calendar.
- Kindergarten Orientation 5:30pm-6:30pm
- 1st-5th Grade Open House 6:30-7:30pm
- Headshots at 8am in the Foyer
- Staff meeting in the gym 9:30am
- Additional meetings and training information can be found HERE
- First Day of School. All students will report to their classrooms upon arrival. All specials staff, please be help outside in the front greeting students. This is an important day for all of us to begin building relationships and setting the tone for the school year. As a reminder, we're focusing on ensuring that students respond to our greeting, so please work on that when you greet a child. Their response can be a high-five or handshake or hug... it doesn't have to be verbal.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Friday, August 16, 2019
- Fire Drill at 10am
Safety Reminders
- You will be receiving an updated flip chart for your classrooms regarding safety information. Please review it. Also, I suggest programming my cell phone, George's cell phone and Lisa's cell phone in your phones. You will also be receiving a red packet of emergency information. I suggest reading through this and including it with your sub plans.
- When you leave your classrooms, please shut off the lights and shut the door. Ensuring that the hallways look uniform is a safety precaution.
- Ensure you review your fire, lock down and severe weather plans with your students
- There is a new Trauma Bag outside the gym by the AED machine. This would be used in the event of a massive injury. Any smaller first aide issues should be sent to the office.
- Each of you will receive a bag of bandaids and 'ouch report' forms. Please use these in your classrooms as needed. Students should not be sent to the office for minor things like paper cuts, hang nails, scratches, ect. Use your professional judgement.
Student Snacks
Yellow Office Passes
Yellow Office Folders
Please send the folders down regardless if there is anything in it. These are also in your mailboxes if you haven't cleared it out yet.
Bist Bytes
For the first week of school, please ensure you are completing the following:
Greet your students at the classroom door EVERY DAY and/or establish a classroom greeter
Ensure students respond to an adult greeting every time from the beginning
Create a Classroom Mission Statement
Ensure a DGS Behavior Expectations Matrix is visible in your classroom
Introduce your Whole Brain Teaching 5 Rules and 3 Life Goals
Introduce Hurtful vs Disruptive Behaviors
Make a T chart with students to identify hurtful and disruptive behaviors. All other “rules” should fall under these two categories. Tell students that the goal of these two rules is to make sure our classroom is safe so they can count on you (and other adults in the building) to address them when they are hurtful or disruptive. Display the BIST Goals for Life poster. Read each goal and ask students to restate the goals in their own words. Using the Goals for Life Poster, identify what goal is not being met in each behavior on the Hurtful/Disruptive poster
Brainstorm and Discuss Gateway Behaviors and Caring Confrontations
Caring Confrontation-address behaviors without embarrassing students.
Teach students how you will ask them to change their behaviors (individually, not in front of the class, when possible), what their response should be, and what will happen if they do not change their behavior.
ICE-
I see…(you are talking and disrupting other students).
Can you…(stop talking during this lesson)
Even though...(it might be tempting to talk to your friend).
Teach kids to say YES in a respectful way (not yeah). Give students the opportunity to PRACTICE responding in an appropriate way.
If they cannot respond appropriately, or if they respond with the appropriate “yes” but the behavior does not change, they move to the safe seat.
Don’t let ANYTHING slide in the beginning…Gateway behaviors (talking, tapping, etc.) can lead to more disruptive and/or hurtful behaviors.
STAR Testing Information
Star Testing begins August 19th. Please plan on having all testing done by August 29th.
All testing can be done in your classrooms with the student Chromebooks.
Students can access Renaissance by going to the district website and clicking "students' at the top of the page. An icon will be there for them to click on. You can view this at https://www.dunlapcusd.net/students
TESTING REMINDERS:
- PERA changes will have evaluations tied to SGP growth between the fall and spring benchmark.
- Our school goal is to ensure our SGP is 66 or above. We will include this on our communications to parents as well on our school data center. SGP scores over 65 will constitute an excellent rating. Those scores between 35-65 will constitute a proficient rating.
- You must test students within the testing window to have your testing results included in district and building level data reports.
- Kristen Hawes or Kaiann Holt can assist you in student make ups
- Remember, that if a student needs to retake a test, you must do that the same day.
- Below are the pre-test instructions for each test. Please ensure you review these in your PLC and with your students.
- You can provide parents information in your newsletter or online platforms by providing the link to the parent's guide to STAR Assessments
- Thank you for proctoring and monitoring student testing during the test taking sessions. Please review the testing instructions with students and walk around and monitor students as they test. Your presence is important. We will use these results to analyze student growth. It is important to remind students of the importance of the assessment as well.
- I will print parent reports for you to send home with students with Progress Reports on September 13th.
Waterbottles
The Chocolate Touch
You can view the schedule for reading HERE
Hard copies are also in mailboxes.
I encourage classroom teachers to work with their Royal Families or other grade levels across the district to coordinate reading times or book chats about the book!
I have also created a Google Site with resources for you that you can access HERE
Discipline Dashboard (Data will be maintained here)
Maintenance Requests
This helps George, Nancy, and Tom Grimm track building and district requests.
You can ask verbally for a request, but also be sure to send the email. It can be as simple as "Please move desk to stage in my classroom" or "Air Conditioning is leaking."