Cowboy Courier
November 14, 2019
Only a handful of instructional days until Thanksgiving break and then you know the few weeks between Thanksgiving and winter break are a blur of activity. Each day is important. We can't allow the many distractions to derail us from meeting our Q2 goals. We love to have fun and enjoy the holiday season, but remember this is a really hard time for many. Our kids are tired, distracted, excited, anxious, etc. This means we have to be on our "A game" each day. Students will depend on consistency and structure from us. Routines and procedures are our friends. Let's stay focused!
Thanks for all you do!
Amber
What's Coming Up?
Nov. 18-22-CMS Kindness Week (See google calendar)
Nov. 20-Faculty Meeting
Nov. 20-Staff Thanksgiving Lunch
Nov. 22-Read In Day
Nov. 23-Happy Thanksgiving Break
Dec. 2-CMS Holiday Countdown Begins
Dec. 20-Q2 Ends
Read In Day
Friday, November 22nd is our annual Fall Read-In Day!
This is a day that we invite all CMS students and staff to enjoy reading a good book! You are welcome to join in the reading fun (no matter what subject you teach) by inviting your students to relax and read a book of their choice in class. Students (and teachers) may wear school appropriate pajamas this day, and I’m hoping to have some special treats set up for teachers that day, too (stay tuned)!
Students should already have a book when they come to class on Read-In Day. We will be working with ELAR teachers to ensure students have books, as the library will be at capacity that day with displaced Fine Arts students. Please remind your students to have a book the day before so that they are prepared!
I’ve attached the Read-In Day poster if you’d like to print or share it with your students. Please let me know if you have any questions.
ELLevation Information
ELLevation Monitoring Forms
If you receive an email from ELLevation asking you to give feedback about a student, PLEASE complete this form. Monitor students do not all fall within the cohort of teachers at CMS. The form will only be for students who fit the criteria below:
- have exited ESL in the last two years
- have failed a class for Quarter 1
Feedback for these forms come from the district level and have a quick turn around time. Please be aware of the deadline!
Thanksgiving Lunch Sign-Up
From the Counselors
The canvas course “Mental Health for Educators” is now available in eduphoria. This course was written by our IMPACT team and will award 3 hours. Lots of videos and resources.
https://mckinney.schoolobjects.com//wshop/default.aspx?cid=20510
Call for Presenters
Hello, MISD Educators!
We are in search of TOTALLY AWESOME sessions & content facilitators for our next district-wide PD on February 17, 2020.
We want this to be a valuable learning opportunity in which teachers can learn from other teachers about effective instruction (HRS Level II). If you would like to share your passion with other MISD educators and have a TOTALLY RAD session to present, then throw on your legwarmers, pop your collar, tease your hair, and submit a session proposal, or BE SQUARE. Session proposals for February 17 should focus on engaging strategies to improve teaching and learning. If you have presented at Carnverge or any other conferences this past summer, we encourage you to replicate your presentation for February 17.
Also, we are looking for ROCKSTAR teachers that would be STOKED to facilitate a session that content Coordinators have created.
Please complete your Session Proposal, and/or Content Facilitator Form by November 15, 2019.
Kudos!
Hey Mr. Williams,
I've had a good amount of time to observe, and understand (a little) how things are happening for CMS Band. I want to first THANK YOU! Thank you for encouraging, engaging, and training my students not just as band members, but also as a human beings. It is because of band, but I would argue that it is really because of your leadership, that Sofia gets up in the morning to go to school. She's said that to me. So, I'm not just blowing smoke. The fact that you have had the courage and nerve to challenge them with heavy duty music is outstanding. You didn't just throw tough pieces at them, you have walked the road with them as they crunch out the notes and some how make me cry because of how incredibly mature they sound. You have also created an environment where there is spirit, unity, friendship, and a joy for being together. I think at this point in time in the journey to San Antonio, you deserve to know that I am eternally grateful for things playing out in such a way that we ended up at Cockrill, and consequently my kids in the band under your leadership. I know things have gotten a bit more tense as time gets shorter, but rest assured that you have the support of this parent, and my kids (I have no doubt other parents feel the same way). Keep pushing them, keep encouraging them, and keep showing them that they can exceed expectations consistently. You are not alone in this thing! We are all grateful for being in your band.
Sincerely,
Happy Parent
Amber,
CMS is so lucky to have Lauren Scott. She put together the most amazing presentation for our 6th graders to help them learn how to conduct research for their projects and cite their sources. In addition, she created a document for our Canvas page with hyperlinks to the various data bases which will make the process even easier for our kiddos. But wait! There’s more! If students were absent, need a review, or parents want to see what was shared with their students, Lauren has recorded her entire presentation so we can include that on Canvas as well. We can’t thank her enough for partnering with us on our research project and making things so much easier for our team and our students. Thank you Lauren! -6th Grade ELAR Team
Congratulations to Lauren!! She been selected as a member of the Texas Library Association’s Spirit of Texas (SPOT) Award Committee. This committee chooses award winning titles for middle school and high school students written by or about Texas and Texans. I think she's famous!! -Amber
Thanks to everyone who coordinated the awards assembly, Veteran's Day parade, and CTE tours. I know there any MANY people who have to collaborate that make crazy, busy days and big events so successful. Love our CMS team! -Amber