BME Staff Update
November 30th, 2018
Team Meadow -
I can't believe we are simply hours away from December 1st! Time flies as we approach the half-way mark of the school year!
A few items:
Thanks to PTO for the special treat from "A Cup Above" coffee, as well as, Titus Donuts. The sugar high should help us make it through the day.
BME Staff Holiday Gathering will be after school on Friday, December 14th. Amanda Rennard secured the Golf Club of Indiana Clubhouse for our little event that will begin around 3:30. This event is completely optional, but should provide a wonderful opportunity to spend time with good friends. She will send out more information soon.
Denim in December - We will continue the tradition this year with staff donation to a local charity.
- For each day that you wish to wear jeans in December (Fridays included), donate a dollar to participate. You choose the days you wish to wear jeans (examples: If you wish to wear jeans each Friday in December, donate $3 for 12/7, 12/14, & 12/21. If you want to wear jeans every day in December, donate $15 to the cause. Donate $5, and you pick any five days you wish to wear jeans, etc...)
- Whenever we wear jeans to work, we still need to be professional in our dress/appearance. Please make sure that jeans are in good condition and that professional tops or ZCS/BME spirit wear accompany the outfit.
- Once again, we will support our neighbors at the "So Big" Mountain House.
Winter Parties - Please select either December 20th or 21st for your winter classroom parties. Remember that we refrain from a "Christmas Party" as many of our families don't celebrate Christmas. Polling the students for info, puts many children in an awkward position in front of you and their peers. (See reminder below...Holidays 101).
Please communicate the date and time of your party to Beth and Barb, and be sure to have guests pre-register.
That's all for now. Thankful for you and all you do,
Tom
ZTEP and ZTEP+ Reminders
As we near the end of Semester One, a few friendly reminders are listed below.
PLUS teachers will want to refer to the PLUS checklist for details and due dates.
Peer Observations and reflections need to occur by the end of December.
- Document your reflection on what was learned during peer observations as artifacts uploaded to SFS by the end of December.
- In SFS, the artifacts need to be named: Peer Observation #1 and Peer Observation #2.
Please feel free to reach out to Lauren or me if you need any assistance. We are Happy to help!
ZTEP
- By this time, all extended observations have occurred (or is scheduled with your primary evaluator to be completed by mid-December).
- You may have also had a short observation conducted by your secondary evaluator. This isn't required in 1st semester and may occur in 2nd semester.
- An unannounced long observation will occur in 2nd semester.
Chaucie's Place - Body Safety Information
- Presentations are next week (Tuesday-Thursday)
- Another copy of the schedule is attached in this newsletter for your convenience.
- A presenter will come to your classroom at your scheduled time. They will take care of the presentation, but please remember that you are to remain with your students during this time. Thank you.
- Please remember that all students participate unless as parent "opt-out" is given to the school. Copies of the opt out letters are available in the office.
Calendar Items & Information
November
30th - "A Cup Above" Coffee will be located in the staff lounge (ready to serve at 7:15) They will be here for a portion of the morning until all have had an opportunity to received a beverage. Thank you to PTO for coordinating...(Namely Jill Stockwell and Torrye Kampen)
December
3rd - Hanukkah begins
4th-6th - Body Safety lessons
13th - Boone Meadow Voices concert (7:00 PM in cafe)
14th - Staff Holiday Gathering @ 3:30 (Clubhouse @ Golf Club of Indiana - More details to come)
17th - BME Family Gathering @ 1:30 in gym (Second Step/SEL Convo)
17th-21st - Tom out (foot surgery & recovery)
20th or 21st - Winter Parties (your choice of date)
21st- End of 2nd Quarter & Last Day of School before Winter Break
25th - Christmas
January
7th - Students return to school
21st - Dr. MLK, jr Day (no school)
'Tis the Season... Holidays 101
As we move into the month of December, we are in full immersion of the the holiday season. Once again, this serves as a reminder and our need to be sensitive to our community and families. And for me, I absolutely love this time of year. It is steeped in family traditions, my faith, and celebrations.
For those who are new and those who would benefit from a reminder, ZCS expects staff to be mindful and respectful of the many diverse holiday traditions in our community. We want to demonstrate to families that our mission is the education of all children. We love every child who enters our school and want him/her to feel accepted. Families and traditions can be stressful enough without the feelings that sometimes come with celebrating a “different” holiday or none at all.
Let's be mindful of our classroom holiday decor and instructional plans. As professional educators in a public school, we must recognize that all of our diverse learners experience life in different ways. Many of our BME families celebrate Christmas, but it is important to remember that many of our families do not. We need to be sure we don’t cause children to feel alienated under our roof by doing something that causes a child to feel that there is something wrong with their family. We may enjoy things that come with the season and this time of year, but we need to be respectful of both our diverse student population and school board policy.
In sum, is it okay for students to know if you celebrate Christmas? It's completely fine, but don't make them celebrate it too. Can students talk about Christmas and their upcoming holiday traditions? Sure. But if that's true, we should also allow our students to talk about Diwali and Rosh Hashana with their classmates when these conversations occur. It might come up in community circles, or during hallway greetings. When it does, feel free to engage and ask questions about these celebrations that are important to them. It's okay to seek understanding. However, as public school educators, we need to respect all our students and their beliefs and not come across as promoting one religious holiday over another.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to talk with Lauren or me.
Respectfully,
Tom
Personal Business Leave Requests
For Certified Team Members:
To requests "personal business days," please complete the following process.- Go to the following link, and complete the "personal business request" form. https://goo.gl/forms/CycfilABEUyILbh83
- Once the form is completed, please send a brief email to me (Tom) that includes the date(s) of your request(s).
- Enter your upcoming absence in AESOP as soon as possible. (It can always be deleted later should plans change.)
Thanks -
Contact Us
Email: thundley@zcs.k12.in.us
Website: http://www.zcs.k12.in.us/bme/
Location: 5555 S Main St, Whitestown, IN, United States
Phone: 3178732226
Twitter: @ZCSBoone_Meadow