East Elementary: Team East News
Staff Newsletter for 2018-2019, Episode 4
From the Bottom of Our Hearts...
Thank you for a wonderful October. We celebrated many accomplishments and enjoyed an amazing Western Days, a great Dinosaur George event, and a fun Red Ribbon Week with our students. We also enjoyed our first ever Fall Break and I know we hope that will become a regular part of our district calendar!
Each month I struggle with the words I want to say because I feel like it is one of the few opportunities I have to address you all as a team. It is one of few opportunities I have to try in some small way to communicate how much we appreciate all of you, how amazed we are with your collective commitment to each other and our staff, and to let you know how blessed we feel to get to do this work with all of you each and every day. So for this month, I believe this quote says it best... My heart truly has no bottom... As hard as this work can be sometimes, I truly would not want to be anywhere else.
Please take time over this holiday season to pause and remember that what we have here at East isn't something any of us should take lightly. While this year has brought about new challenges, we get to do this work together and figure it out as a family. It doesn't get any better than that! Hang on tight and let's push to see out students learn and grow as much as possible in the next few weeks. Thanksgiving break is just around the corner!
We love you all!
Melissa, Ashley, and Courtney
T-TESS Practices and Power Walk Window
When walkthroughs are completed you will receive a notification email. At that time, please login to DMAC to review your walkthrough and digitally sign the document. Individual goals will be discussed when summative conferences are held at the end of the year.
Also - This Monday, November 5th, we will being our next Power Walk window. Please remember that we will begin to look closely for Purposeful Talk. We discussed this recently in common planning and it was suggested if that is an area you struggle with, a timer can be used to remind you! We look forward to sharing this data with you at the close of the window.
Important Reminders
- Active monitoring is essential to ensuring student success. Please make sure you are monitoring students on the playground and that there are no surprises. Also - please make sure you are counting students as you transition from one area to another.
- Small group lesson plans are due every Monday from all classroom teachers.
- Running records documentation and RtI (blue) folders need to be updated according to the established schedule and ready to discuss at our next RtI meeting.
- Please do not release students early for bus or pickups in the afternoon. Teachers that are on duty have been arriving to their duty station and students will already be there. This is a safety issue. Students should never be left unsupervised.
Staff Christmas Party - December 13th
Turkey Trot on November 15th!
Happy Birthday!
9 - Tina Hudgins
11 - George Palmer
11 - Malynn Batson
11 - Mindy Baker
13 - Becca Hicks
16 - Melissa Alexander
30 - Ashley Zucosky
Pennies from Heaven
School Safety
Also, additional radios have been purchased with campus funds. As part of our next emergency team meeting, radio protocols will be reviewed and discussed. We hope to tighten these expectations and become more skilled at using our radios.
Personnel badges should be worn at all times. This will ensure campus personnel are easily recognizable in case of an emergency.
Emergency bags have been filled and distributed to all classrooms. Please make sure your bag and emergency folder is easily accessible by the front door of your classroom. Anytime you leave the room for an emergency or a drill, you need to take both of these things with you.
Writing Workshop
On November 13th, Janice will be on campus and will walk classrooms with us to see our writing instruction in action. She will return again on November 28th to meet with us again in Common Planning.
Looking Ahead: November Events
- November 1st - Red Ribbon Week - Team Jerseys
- November 2nd - Red Ribbon Week - Purple Out
- November 2nd - PreK Field Trip to Zoo
- November 5th - HEF Jeans Day for $100+
- November 6th - Guided Reading with Kathy Newsome
- November 8th - College Day
- November 9th - Kindergarten Field Trip to Zoo
- November 12th - Veteran's Day Assembly @ HJH (East Students will participate in parade)
- November 13th - Thanksgiving Feast for Kindergarten Only
- November 13th - Lead Meeting
- November 13th - Janice Baker -- Writing Workshop Walkthroughs
- November 15th - Turkey Trot during Fine Arts
- November 15th - Holiday Bazaar
- November 16th - Third Grade Program and Early Release @ 12:30
- November 19th - 23rd - Thanksgiving Holidays
- November 28th - Writing Focus during Common Planning
- December 5th - Behavior and Academic RtI
- December 4th - 6th - PTA Holiday Store
- December 6th - PTA Polar Express Night and Holiday Store