Murphey Memos
Weekly Updates
Loving to Learn, Learning to Lead, Leading the Future
Character Trait of the Month: Perseverance
Brown's Buzz
Star Staff Member of the Week: Ms. Luciana Brown
Thank you.
Staff Attendance
- Our district monitors staff attendance along with student attendance. Both are needed to ensure a successful year. This past week, we had 8 staff absences on student days which was 8 less than last week. We didn't make our 100% goal. But, that's progress.
Something to Think About
“We are fortunate to work in a noble and honorable profession where we have the power, the ability and the compassion necessary to make the world a better place.”
John Blaydes, Educator, Author, Motivational Speaker
Our Goals
Reading composite from 40.1 to 45.1.
3rd Grade Reading From 28.9% to 30.7%.
4th Grade Reading from 37.9% to 42.9%.
5th Grade Reading from 51.0% to 56.0%.
3rd Grade Math from 44.7% to 49.7%.
4th Grade Math from 34.5% to 39.5%.
5th Grade Math from 37.3% to 42.3%.
By 2019, Murphey will decrease the achievement gap between all students and students with disabilities in reading from a 25.8% gap to a 20% gap as measured by the NC End of Grade tests.
By 2019, Murphey Traditional Academy will reduce the number of office discipline referrals from 58 to 50.
May 13th
- Thomas out - morning
- Latin PLC
- 3rd - 5th grade EVAAS meetings
- 1:00 K-2 rehearsal. Counts as specials time
May 14th
- Tied Up Tuesday
- 1:00 - 2:00 K-2 rehearsal. Counts as specials time.
- 3:10 Staff Meeting (no meeting, spend time preparing for transition night)
- 6:00 Transition Night
- 6:45 PTA board meeting
- 7:00 K-2 Concert
May 15th
May 16th
- 3rd ELA PLC
- C4K
- K field Trip
May 17th
- Plans uploaded by EOD
- EVAAS due
May 18th & 19th
Future Events
- Transition Night
- Spring Concert
- PTA Meeting
- Tied Up Tuesday
- Kindergarten Field Trip
- Staff meeting
5/24
- Field Day
- Kona Ice
- Holiday
- Champions Meeting
- EOGs
- Leadership Team
- Tied Up Tuesday
- K-4 Awards
6/7
- 5th grade graduation
- Kona Ice
6/11
- Last day of school
6/12
- Teacher Workdays
Announcements
Guidance this week is 4th and 5th grades.
The EVAAS window is open for teachers of record (homeroom teachers), EC, ESL, and AG teachers. We will work on it together during PLCs. However, if you are comfortable with EVAAS, you can go ahead and begin before your meeting. Please bring a laptop and your EVAAS log in information to the meetings.
Make sure to check the EOY document sent to you last week. It has important guidelines for the end of year. Suggested roster forms will be sent out soon.
Tuesday, May 14th is Transition Night for all grade levels. On this night, parents and students will be able to learn expectations of the next grade level. Our K-2 students will perform. This night is required for all staff members. Please meet with your grade level and decide what you will present during this event. Flyers will go home in the next week to promote this event.
Continue to have PLCs as scheduled in the PLC room. The coaches and I are working directly with students at this time. Therefore we may not attend all of the PLCs. Please email notes and questions.
We need all hands on deck for lunch duty. We can no longer provide proper supervision of students in the cafeteria. Therefore, beginning Monday, in addition to the current monitors on lunch duty, each grade level will need at least one teacher to stay for lunch duty. You can divide by days, weeks, or break up the time. See Ms. Brown or your leadership team rep if you have questions.
Computer lab schedules will be posted on the door of the lab. Please sign up when you want to utilize the space. Actively monitor students to make sure they aren't mistreating the equipment.
If you need to tell your students what they will be having for lunch, here's the link to the lunch menus: Lunch menus
Make sure you read the May chapter of Growth Mindset Coach. You will need to activities for your class meetings. Also, post this month's mantra in your classroom: Mistakes are opportunities for learning.
Please continue to collect Box Tops. We were very excited to be able to purchase a class set of books for 5th grade literacy...all with Box Tops money! It's simple and all of those little Box Tops add up!
Greensboro Science Center Opportunities for Educators
All teachers, school staff, and administrators are invited to attend the Greensboro Science Center Teacher Appreciation event from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM on May 11, 2019. Present a GCS ID badge for free admission, light refreshments, and access to special events.
The Greensboro Science Center offers Distance Learning Programs aligned to K-8 NC Science Essential Standards. A limited number of Title 1 schools are eligible to receive a discounted price on the programs through June 2020. For questions, please contact Emma Linn.
Why We Should Practice Talking To Ourselves
Our inner voices are constantly buzzing away in our brains, and psychologists have discovered that what the voices are saying can have an impact on our success or failure. Lev Vygotsky, an early twentieth-century psychologists, called the self-talk of very young children "private speech". Eventually, that private speech turns into an inner monologue, or self-talk, working hard to organize thoughts, regulate behavior, and develop self-awareness. It's important to talk about inner voices with kids. Sometimes kids don't even realize that everyone else has an inner voice too!
ELA Curriculum Updates
Let the Assessing Begin! Remember that the DIBELS assessment window is now open. Don't wait to begin assessing your students! The window is open until May 24th but remember we have field day ~ so our window closes May 23rd. We cannot go past that date so please begin your assessments. progress monitor students in intensive and strategic DIBELS measure.
TRC Assessments: The assessment team has started with the TRC assessments. You may look at the data right away. I encourage that. It may be the end of the year but there is much we can learn about our teaching from the data.
Ignite Summer Camp: Once we have completed our assessments, you'll receive letters for the IGNITE summer camp. Third grade letters may go home as early as next week. Only students invited to the camp may attend. Additional information is forthcoming.
Paideia Seminars will focus on perseverance in May. Check the Paideia folder for suggested seminars on this topic. Remember you aren't limited to seminars in the file. I encourage you to write your own. Please share once you've done that.
Math Curriculum Updates
Elementary Math Curriculum Revisions Survey
Ensure your teachers received the Canvas Curriculum Resources Revision Survey that was sent on Monday. We would love to hear from all elementary school teachers regarding how we can make our curriculum resources easier to navigate and implement.
Data Analysis Sheets for Corrective Instruction
Please see the Data Analysis Form and Action Plan Form that were previously shared to assist teachers with interpreting interim data by standards and design a plan to address students’ needs based on this data. These forms address the beginning, progressing, and proficient students and included both Re-teaching and Enrichment as part of the plan. Teachers may choose to use these forms when developing a plan for Corrective Instruction. For questions, please contact your elementary math supervisor.
Correction to 4th grade Scope and Sequence
NC.4.NBT.6 is listed in the 4th grade Scope and Sequence for Module 5 and Module 7. The standard was taught in Module 3 and was assessed on interim 2. It will not be assessed on Interim 3.
New NCDPI Released EOG Tests
NCDPI has finalized a released form for each end-of-grade (EOG) mathematics test. The forms are available in a paper/pencil version and online through NCTest. The paper/pencil released forms are available at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/releasedformsScience Curriculum Updates
Summer Camp Opportunity
Global Health Connections International is very honored to host the 2019 Summer STEAM Camp at North Carolina Central University for the 5th consecutive year for rising 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. Please see attached flyer for more information.
UNCG Elementary Science Camp
The UNCG Design Studio is offering a Maker Camp for students during the summer, where campers will engage in robotics, circuitry, engineering, and computer science. Please see attached flyer for more information
Title 1 Updates - Mrs. Thomas
- Our final Title I update is due on Monday, May 13th. Therefore, please send me a copy of your 4th quarter interim report and I still need report cards from several teachers! Please help a sista out!
- In addition, if you are tutoring after school, you guessed it, I need documentation for the Title I notebook. Could you please send me a copy of the letter you sent home to parents inviting their child to tutoring, a copy of some one giving permission, (I'll blot out names) and an example schedule events of your tutoring time.
- I still need a copy of a report card for 3rd quarter from each teacher. Again, a report card is needed from each teacher. You may submit those electronically. Big shout out to Mrs. Wallace and Ms. Jackie Lyles for submitting their report already! Woot! Woot!
- Thank you in advance for helping us be in compliance with our Title I documentation!
GCS News
Summer Camp Counselor /
Group Leader –
Job opportunities for TA’s and ACES Staff
PRINCIPALS - PLEASE DISTRIBUTE to TA’s:
We need camp counselors / group leaders for Read to Achieve summer camp:
- Dates are July 8 – August 12 (Monday-Friday)
- Hours are 7:30AM – 4:00PM
- Pay is $480 per week.
- Limited positions also available weeks of June 17-28 and August 5-16
- Apply in Applitrack (click here for posting)
- Must upload resume and include current supervisor (Principal or Site Coordinator) as a reference…
*** We will send Principals and Site Coordinators a brief reference checklist through AppliTrack to help us filter applicants.
For more information, please contact Jeff Uhlenberg, 336-370-2321, ext. 5
2019-2020 Open House Schedule – Traditional Calendar Schools
The Open House dates for 2019-2020 traditional calendar schools will be:
Monday, August 19, 2019 – High Schools
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 – Middle Schools
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 – Elementary Schools
Additional information on Launch of 2019-2020 School Year Professional Learning Days can be found in the Academic Services section of the LAU. For more information, please contact Tiffany Perkins.
Professional Development
Summer Training
All teachers wil be required to get 2 days of training in math. New to Eureka teachers have a required plan. Experienced teachers will have a menu of options.
Performance matters: TAG Summer Learning 2019
Summer Learning 2019
SUMMER LEARNING 2019 opportunities are now available to GCS employees for registration. Summer professional learning includes any sessions occurring between June 12, 2019 – August 13, 2019. You can view summer learning opportunities by selecting the TAG - Summer Learning 2019 on the Course Page in the Performance Matters – Professional Learning Platform. We have attached a snapshot document HERE for you to view and this information is also linked on the Professional Development district webpage. As a reminder, the most up to date information will be in Performance Matters- Professional Learning platform.
Additional opportunities for professional learning will also occur on the district led professional learning days at the start of the 2019-20 school year. To register for a professional learning opportunity, search for the course number in Performance Matters – Professional Learning platform. For questions about an offering, contact the department/contact person identified for that event.
Mentor Training (face-to-face) Summer Option
Now is great time to get mentors trained in anticipation of new hires for the 2019-2020 school year.
NC DPI will be offering a summer face-to-face mentor training for teachers that would like to become mentor trained this year. This training will take place June 19th at Dudley High School. Click here to register for this full day training. Please choose the mentor training option on the registration form. Participants will earn a trained mentor certificate that they will need to submit to Alyson Booneboonea@gcsnc.com in the Office of New Teacher Support. We have also shared this information with lead mentors and CFs. Click here to reference the criteria for mentor selection.
For more information, please contact Crystal Vandiver, 336-665-8000.
Summer Learning Opportunities on Instructional Design for 21st Century Learners
Click here for summer learning opportunities on Instructional Design for 21st Century Learners. For more information, please contact Dr. Whitney Oakley.