Cat Tracks
Spring Shadows Elementary Wildcats Staff Newsletter
November 27 - December 1, 2017
#Limitless Learning
Our Vision
Our Mission
Core Beliefs
- Each student has unique intellectual, emotional, social, and physical qualities.
- We embrace a child’s individual values, interests, and personalities.
- Parents are confident in their child’s social and intellectual educational growth.
- Educators lead their craft by preparing learners in our fast changing world
Principal's Message
Dear Wildcats,
It is with great intention that I wished you a very restful Thanksgiving break! May you come back renewed and ready to proudly serve the scholars at Spring Shadows Elementary. For they will be waiting for you, ready for you to be at the top of your game. We have 3 weeks for which our scholars may attain much learning. Every instructional minute should count for our students and you as the facilitator can make each one count.
This week's announcements are here for you.
- PLC: This week , please report to your grade level meeting room and lead your own PLC using your data. Please bring your charged laptop, access to your lesson plans for the week, and examples of any checkpoints, formative assessments. Some of you are now working on data conferences from the PSAs. I will be visiting all teams on Monday and Thursday.
- Observations: As ever life long learners, we will have two groups of folks coming to give us some feedback on the following: Dr. Cavazos will be coming to observe all K-2 OWDL classrooms on Wednesday. Region 20 will be here to observe 3rd and 5th grade for Opportunity Culture this week as well.
- Faculty Meeting: For K-2 Bilingual, you will be debriefing with Dr. Cavazos after your observations. For the rest of you, you will participate in a training with Cindy Gardner for Accomodations in the classroom.
- Candy Cane Grams: Friday we kick off our 1st day of December with Candy Cane Day! This is our first candy cane day- and PTA is fundraising for 4th grade field trip. They will be selling candy cane grams all this week (think carnation sale- except with candy canes). Friday- make sure to wear red or white and celebrate the kick-off!
Again, thank you for all you do! You make me so proud!
Wildcat Love,
Rachel Martinez
Deadlines/Priorities
- Data Conferences- for those of you that are still working on it. Please be sure to conduct your data conferences this week for PSAs.
- Grades- we only have 3 weeks left in this semester- so make sure to put in your grades accordingly.
- No DRA testing in December or MAP testing until January. Facilitate maximum learning opportunity for all students.
Calendar
- Digital Citizenship - Be Yourself
- 1:00-2:00 ILT PLC
- 2:30 Dismissal
- 2:45 CIT Meeting (Conference)
Tuesday, November 28, 2017: Kinder Extended Planning
- Digital Citizenship - Be Yourself
- 11:00-3:00 Opportunity Culture Site Visit
- Dismissal 2:30
- 2:45-4:00 PBIS Meeting
Wednesday, November 29, 2017: 1st Extended Planning
- Digital Citizenship - Be Yourself
- Spiral Day
- 8:00-2:00 Linda Cavazos Coaching
- Dismissal @ 2:30
- Faculty PLC 2:45-4:00
Thursday, November 30, 2017: 2nd Extended Planning
- Digital Citizenship - Be Yourself
- Happy Birthday, Kritzia Lopez!
- Dismissal @ 2:30
- 2:45-4:00 Team Leader Meeting
- 4:00-6:00 PTA Bingo Night (Cafeteria)
- Digital Citizenship - Be Yourself
- Dismissal @ 2:30
A Look Ahead:
Staff Shout-Outs
- A HUGE shout out to every staff member for making Friday, November 17th a day for families to celebrate with their child! Thank you for your organization (Cindy R. & Cindy G., Melissa & Team, Bea, Rachel, Olga, Adriana) your flexibility (custodial, specials, SPED, and teachers) and all of your non stop gracious attitude!
- Special thanks to Karen for delivering food to folks working long shifts!
- Special thanks to Demetra and Yezenia for giving out Thanksgiving Turkeys to families.
- Many thanks to Wilchester PTA and Blessings in a Backpack for always supporting our families!
I know there are many unsung heroes out there that I did not get to mention. If you see someone out there going above and beyond and want me to recognize them on cat tracks, please send me an email.
PBIS and Project Class
Project Class: Small groups are going great! Jaci and Luz are doing a wonderful job. This week, Luz will be on campus on Monday with Naomi Futch. Mrs. Futch will be Luz's replacement as Luz has to reduce her hours. Please welcome her and get to know her. Jaci will be on campus this week on Tuesday.
PBIS: Shout out to Mr. Cabrera and Mrs. Castillo on the wonderful job their Kinder bus line is doing. They are all at a level zero while in transition and while waiting in line. Way to go!!
Congrats to those who earned their 3 paws this week. We have more and more classes earning their paws, which reflects the great things you are doing with your class. I have had teachers ask, so to clarify, teachers are responsible for giving their class weekly rewards for earning the three paws. I will reward after the 9 weeks.
Keep up the good work!
Instructional Specialists Message
We already had the DRA/EDL/OS training, so if you missed it, check out THIS folder from Google Drive with the presentations. Materials for the DRA/EDL and OS can be found in the Sweden folder. (Sweden>Staff>SSE>2017-2018>DRA.EDL Files)
Your friendly Instructional Specialists,
Katie & Elizabeth
Library Notes
Welcome back!
This week I will be introducing the Hour of Code many children are familiar with it. The Hour of Code week is next week Dec 4-8th. During the week we would like every children to do around one hour of coding. It does compliment your math lessons plus it it is very important as most of children will be working at something that involves coding in the future. We can have the lab set up at time sure the library computers - younger ones the library ipads.
SSE Readers have 154,925 minutes !!!
By Grade Level
2nd grade -43,709 (12,586 Alvarez, 9,080 Hudman, 8.827 Urrutia, 1,939 Gomez)
4th grade - 29,346 (16,287 Campana, 9,448 Mendoza, 1,691 Lopez-Dav, 1050 Shankar, 870 Tarver,
3rd grade - 24,665 (12, 862 Klauer, 8,795 Pachuca,2,347 Luna, 609 Menefee, 41 Lee)
Kinder - 22,195 (15,120 Almaguer, 6,340 Moreno, 735 Campos)
5th Grade- 19,268 (6444 Hernandez, 3816 Richardson, 3670 Perez, 2,866 Keyim, 2472 Lopez, .
1st Grader - 16,774 (8,770 Barron, 3,667 Garcia, 2,177 Espejo, 2,160 Salina )
Readers with 1000 plus minutes
I sent you an attachment of your class minutes. It will show each children's minutes. Please let me know if there is problem.
Overdues -Lists will be sent out every Friday at 8am. Please let me know if children moved and I will put them in a different place.
Thanks for your support!
Ann
Sunshine Updates
We will still accept dues! Dues are $20 for professionals and $15 for paraprofessionals. We accept cash or check. Checks should be made out to Spring Shadows Elementary.
Jeans Pass UPDATE
- 7 passes for $10
- 3 passes for $5
- University Wednesday $1 for each Wednesday (you can buy in bulk)
You may use your pass any day of the week. Here are the "rules" for jeans passes.
- Jeans need to be without holes or rips
- Wear with a blouse or nice shirt (not a T-Shirt unless you buy the Wednesday pass)
- Wearing jeans without a pass already bought is a $2 fine (to Sunshine)
Please pay Katie Gentry or Rachel Menefee. They will give you a receipt and log your name and number of passes into a Google Doc. Each day you wear jeans, just send BOTH of them an email stating that you are using one of your passes.
If you have any questions surrounding Jeans Passes, please contact Katie or Rachel Menefee.
Spring Shadows Elementary
Email: rachel.martinez@springbranchisd.com
Website: https://cms.springbranchisd.com/sse2/
Location: 9725 Kempwood Drive, Houston, TX, United States
Phone: (713) 251-7100
Twitter: @twitter_rachelmartinez4