05.22.16 Staff Update
A Communication Tool for the Seven Hills Staff
Personalized Learning at Seven Hills: Finishing STRONG!
Yes...even these last 9 days matter! Make them count for your students. Make those final intentional moves to reach the summit. You have moved mountains this year, and I couldn't be more proud.
25 Tricks to Get Your Students Through The Next Few Weeks of School:
The end of the year and summer fever is upon us. Thankfully, we have lots of activities planned to help make the time meaningful! In addition to the fun, I know that you are also busy focusing on completing end of the year assessments and curriculum requirements. I believe that through intentional planning, students and teachers can have a successful end of the school year, making memories and reducing disruption. I love the ideas shared in the article linked below for helping make the last few weeks fun and engaging. If you choose number 3 and 4, use the Principal's Wall of Fame to celebrate! On number 7...use GoNoodle to your advantage...For #14, I know I said I don't like these, but the idea shared is for the last day...how fun!!!
End of Year Assessment Predictions: (These were due last week...if you have not done so, please take a minute to make your predictions)
Our campus instructional focus this year was that all students would demonstrate a full year's growth. We have been very intentional this year about using data to drive instruction, intervention, and enrichment decisions, and preliminary data indicate that we are on track to meet our goal. Highly effective people carefully examine practices to refine their craft. To help guide your work as a reflective practitioner, I am requesting that all instructional staff complete end of the year assessment predictions.
Please complete this Google Form by Friday, May 13: http://goo.gl/forms/lmo8KZdWqx
Your responses will be combined with middle of the year predictions and reflections.
Next Steps for The Leader in Me:
- June PD for ALL Staff: June 6 -8 at Eaton High School(This is the only scheduled opportunity for this training. Remember, The Leader in Me requires the adults in the school to work on themselves before they can implement with students.)
- Continue to record all of the wonderful brainstorming ideas in your Leader in Me notebooks! Great ideas are popping up everywhere!!!! We need to make sure we remember them all!
"Leadership is communicating a person's worth and potential so clearly that they are inspired to see it in themselves"
End Of Year Communication
- End of Year Envelopes: On the last day of school, students will be given a manila envelope with important parent information to take home for the summer. Teachers will be given labels with student names and the papers to go in the folders. Teachers will stuff the envelopes for their homeroom classes. Information in this envelope includes, but is not limited to:
-Report Card (all students must receive a paper copy of the final report card)
-"Save the Date" flier for important summer and back to school dates
-School Supply Lists
-Traffic Pattern Letter from the Principal
-Summer Activities Calendar/Challenge with STRIDE Log-in information and Summer Library Hours
-Other resources provided by your team
- Awards: in the staff meeting last week, I shared an outline of different awards that may be given at each grade level's awards assembly for end of the year awards. This was certainly not an exhaustive list, nor were all awards required. The expectation is that there be consistency across the grade level. There are a few required awards:
-A Honor Roll for the Year
-A-B Honor Roll for the Year
-Principal's Award
A Google Folder has been set up with different award templates. https://drive.google.com/a/nisdtx.org/folderview?id=0B8yhX3NGzE4hYl9oZC13eGtyWUE&usp=sharing (there are currently no templates in this folder...but there will be soon :)!)
Lecia will have paper for awards later this week. The framework for awards given at the staff meeting is attached to the S'more email. For participation certificates, the club sponsor needs to create the certificates. For A-Honor Roll and Perfect Attendance, please check your records against the list Wilma has in the office beginning the week of August 31.
- School Supply Packs: Order forms for EPI school supply packs were placed in boxes last week. This is an optional way for parents to go ahead and take care of collecting school supplies for the 2016 - 2017 school year. To order school supplies: www.educationalproducts.com/shoppacks. School ID: SEV001. Order now through June 20, 2016.
- Online Registration for Returning Students: Online registration has been re-opened. We appreciate everyone's patience and understanding. Please remind parents to take a minute to complete the registration process for the 2016-2017 school year.
- Kindergarten Registration Continues: Parents can still register their child for Kindergarten. Parents should stop by the front office between 8 and 2 daily to complete the registration process. There are no additional evening events planned.
- Pre-K Round-Up: This year we will host a Pre-K Round-Up on May 24 from 8:30 - 11:00 and 12:30 - 2:30. Fliers will be placed in all PK -5 teacher boxes communicating the event on Monday. Please send these home with all students to help us get the word out to our families.
- Class Placement Letters: If you receive one, turn it in to the front office. Letters turned in after the deadline may not be considered.
Staff Member of the Week:
Marina Leal:
Joy Ellis:
Learn more about Marina and Joy when you stop by the Star Staff board in the Teacher's Lounge this week!
Million Word Challenge Zoo Field Trip is Wednesday!
- Permission Slips: all students attending the field trip must have a signed permission slip turned in. Permission slips were placed in teacher boxes 2 weeks ago. Extras are in the office.
- Attire: Students and staff should wear the Field Day shirts. If staff did not purchase a field day shirt, it would be very helpful to wear your grade level color. Students need to wear comfortable shoes. All sunscreen and bug spray must be administered by a parent. Staff may not administer these. Students may wear hats and sunglasses. The school is not responsible for lost or damaged items.
- Lunches: All students will need a sack lunch for the trip. A half-sheet form was to be sent home last week for parents to indicate whether or not their child will need a lunch from the cafeteria or will bring one from home. This helps the cafeteria plan. Please turn counts in to Kathy Self on Monday, May 23.
- Release of Student Forms: If a parent plans to take their child home directly from the field trip, the appropriate paperwork must be completed before the day of the trip. All parents taking their children from the trip will need to sign-out with the teachers.
- Chaperons: Teachers need to secure chaperons. We assisted with this process several weeks ago, but the teacher is responsible for ensuring they have chaperons to support their class at the zoo. If you are having trouble securing chaperons, please let us know. I know many grade levels help support each other on field trips, by sharing chaperons. We will have a few extra staff members available.
- Plans for Students Not Attending the Field Trip: There were will be students not attending the zoo field trip for a variety of reasons. Each team needs to develop plans for student work and activities for the students who stay at school. A plan for who will supervise students not attending the field trip will be shared on Monday. We will have a few activities planned for students who are staying at school.
- Information Needed: RESPOND BY MONDAY, May 23:
-Chaperons - please respond to the following questions about chaperons for the field trip: http://goo.gl/forms/n64rVtohmXm5K0wQ2
-Students Attending - please respond to the following questions regarding students attending the field trip: http://goo.gl/forms/amE2FUCc1HkEWoWx2
What's Happening Next Week at The Hills?
- Monday, May 23:
- Tuesday, May 24:
-PK Round up 8:30 - 11:00 and 12:30 - 2:30
-5th grade celebration planning meeting, 6:00 pm
-1st Grade Dance Team Popcorn Party, 3:00 - 3:30
- Wednesday, May 25:
-MWC Field Trip to the Zoo -(see handout from Staff Meeting and attached in S'more Email as well as notes below)
- Thursday, May 26:
-3rd Grade STEM Skype - 8:50 - 9:30
-No Staff Meeting - (Due to the amount of assessment data needing to be entered in Eduphoria, Student Profile Sheets needing to be completed for the class sorting protocol, and SBBBs due, I am gifting this time back to you.)
-Night of No Limits
- Friday, May 27:
-SBBB Due (Please note the deadline extension) EOY Writing and Math Over Time (These will be saved to put up for the BOY as well)
Save The Date: (please add these dates to your calendars)
May 31: Class Placement Process in PLCs
June 1: Class Placement Process Continues if needed
Teacher and Student Talent Show...Details will be sent on Monday.
Happy Birthday To:
Kim Brister 5/31
Updates and Information
Campus and District Updates:
- Star Carnival: We will send out an email with more detailed info about the carnival later this week. We are still looking for volunteers to sign up for the dunk tank and carnival booths.
Carnival booth: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0e4baca82aa46-star2
Dunk Tank: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0e4baca82aa46-star3
- End of Year Writing Assessment Window: Our end of year assessment window begins this week. Please note that the EOY writing prompt is “ Write a composition about something that makes you happy.”
- End of Year DRA Window: DRA copies are in the workroom. Please refer to Tanya's email for more information about these assessments. K- 2, please let Wilma know what days you would like the 1/2 day subs so that we can get these scheduled.
- GT 30 Hours and Professional Learning: Classroom teachers are required to complete the initial 30 hours of GT training and maintain 6 hour updates annually. We will be moving toward 100% compliance at Seven Hills over the course of the next year. We will be sending emails to teachers over the next week confirming who has record of completing the initial 30 hours and who is in need of completing them. Both Shelly and I understand that many of you have certificates noting completion of the 30 hours in a different district, and therefore they are not recorded in Eduphoria. If you have these certificates, please hold on to them so that we can document appropriately when we ask for them. There will be summer opportunities to work on completion, and there will also be opportunities offered throughout the school year.
- FLEX Agreements: Please make sure you have completed your FLEX agreement for the 2016 - 2017 school year, and turn this in to Leslie or me.
- Summer School: Tanya Ledger is the point of contact for Summer School. If any parents have questions regarding Summer School, please direct them to Tanya.
The link below will direct you to all of the programs that will be offered this summer. A flier will also be placed in teacher boxes this week. If you have any questions, Tanya is your girl! http://www.nisdtx.org/summer
- Summer School Teachers: If you are interested in supporting summer school as a sub or a STAAR Test Administrator (10 hours pay), please contact Hayley Sample.
- June 2 Awards Assembly Schedule: (please communicate with your parents, even though it has been in Constant Contact for the last 3 weeks, we are receiving lots of phone calls and questions in the office)
- 1st Grade: 9:30 - 10:00
- 2nd Grade: 10:00 - 10:30
- 3rd Grade: 10:30 - 11:00
- 4th Grade: 11:00 - 11:30
- 5th Grade: 6:00 pm
SST/RtI Meetings: With the time remaining in the school year, we are going to try a new approach to SST Meetings/RtI Updates. We have discussed as a campus group that the RtI/SST system needs reorganizing. Should this approach yield positive results, we will consider continuing next year. Meetings will be scheduled on Fridays and a few Thursdays for the remainder of the year. This schedule will allow us to meet with teachers two more times prior to the end of the year. The format will be, the teacher listed will bring all SST and progress monitoring data to the meeting. We will begin with students that are in RTI. We will focus on students that are in the homeroom only. If teachers are departmentalized and your partner teacher has concerns as well, then both will need to come to the homeroom teacher's assigned time. We will focus on four questions: What interventions are you using? How often are you using them? What is their effectiveness? Next steps? The schedule is outlined below. Please let Leslie know if you have a scheduling conflict or questions.
Thursday May 27 - Twa, Brister, Gill, Rusin, Pate, Mitchell
Friday May 28 - Zeigler, Willis, Any one else who needed more time