GATE Staff Newsletter
9.22.19
Week 2
Happy Sunday everyone!
Congratulations to Amanda on the arrival of sweet Mia! We are all thrilled for you and your family. Enjoy your time at home with her!
I'll be sending these newsletters out every Sunday/Monday. Please take 10 minutes and read this newsletter thoroughly - there's a lot of information in it and hopefully many of your questions answered. Let's have another great week of learning!
Coming Up...
- 9/23: Ms. Breeden's 1st day! Welcome! Morning News Crew begins.
- 9/24: -
- 9/25: Kate at Elementary Principal's meeting 9-12. Fire Drill @ 1:50. Review procedures before this happens!
- 9/26: -
- 9/27: Hive Huddles 2:30-2:50pm.
- 9/30: -
- 10/1: P2 Assembly & Fun Run Updates 2pm, Workroom
- 10/2: 6:30-7:30 Resident Information Night at Meadows Media Center (Come if you'd like to support!)
- 10/3: -
- 10/4: Fall Photo Day! See schedule below. Try to have all F&P's done by today and entered into Illuminate by Oct. 25th. Hive Huddles 2:30-2:50pm.
Other School Dates
- Oct. 1: P2 Assembly/Fun Run Intro 2pm (Students only)
- Oct. 2: Avondale Resident Information Night 6:30-7:30pm in Media Center (For Avondale residents interested in applying to GATE for next year)
- Oct. 4: Picture Day (See flyer below)
- Oct. 7th: Spirit Week - Monday: PJ Day, Tuesday: Crazy Hair Day, Wednesday: Character Day, Thursday: Career Day, Friday: Spirit Day
- Oct. 7th: Some clubs begin
- Oct. 9th: Coffee with the Superintendent @ Meadows Media Center 8:30-10:00am
- Oct. 10: Girl Scout Information Meeting 6pm, room 153
- Oct. 10: PTO Meeting 7pm in Media Center
- Oct. 11: GATE Fun Run! (See flyer below!)
- Oct. 12: MAGC (Michigan Association of Gifted Children) Fall Conference - Kate, Michelle and Kimberly attending!
- Oct. 16: Avondale Resident Information Night 6:30-7:30pm in Media Center (For Avondale residents interested in applying to GATE for next year)
- Oct. 17: Early Dismissal (12:53)
- Oct. 24: GATE Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30-8pm (Teachers will send out sign-up)
- Oct. 25: GATE Family activity night 7-9pm (room 163)
- Oct. 29: GATE Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30-8pm (Teachers will send out sign-up)
- Oct. 31: Classroom Fall Parties/Halloween parade (Time TBD)
Fun Run
- We are having a Fun Run to raise money for our school! (Book room, classroom supplies, etc.). This will be our PTO's biggest and most involved fundraiser in order to help support your classrooms and our school.
- The Fun Run is scheduled for October 11th, and beginning our donations on Sep. 20th.
- Goal: The school goal is $8,500 with all families at least registering. The individual donation goal is $75 per student. Your classroom goal would be $75 x # of students.
- The PTO will be using a company called "Get Movin" and for a small fee, they allow us to use their website to collect donations, track progress, and communicate with families. All families will receive a link to register with a unique ID. To donate, families can use this website, but it's better to encourage them to send in a check so we don't have to pay the credit card fees.
- Since the AMS track may not be finished by October, we will be using our drop off loop for the Fun Run race! One time around is .15 mile, so about 7 laps is one mile. We will be allowing students to choose between running in the competitive or the non-competitive race.
- Here's the BEST part for CLASSROOM TEACHERS: 5% of YOUR classroom's donations will go back to YOU to spend for any classroom supplies you need!!! It will be added to your PTO reimbursement monies. You can also choose to create a classroom incentive for meeting your classroom goal if you'd like. Something simple and easy to do - like a popcorn party or similar. If the school goal is met, the PTO will be providing cider/doughnuts and I will be dressing up in something....not sure yet what exactly the PTO has in store for me!
- This Friday is the kick-off - the PTO will be bringing around large butcher paper for your class to take 10 minutes and create a class/team name. It can be something fun and silly! Make the team name LARGE on the paper and decorate it! Hang is somewhere around your classroom or in the hallway! The students will break through it during the fun run!
Parent/Teacher Conferences
- Oct. 24: GATE Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30-8pm
- Oct. 29: GATE Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30-8pm
Please create a sign-up genius for your parent/teacher conferences at the latest by Friday. The parents know to look for that soon from you. Please be mindful of any students that might have siblings at GATE and coordinate so the parents can get a close time. All teachers are required to be here on these nights so that you can be available for conferences. Please coordinate with Ms. Spencer if you'd like her to be present for meetings with students/parents on her caseload. I can also sit in any conferences if you'd like.
The PTO has graciously offered to provide dinner for all staff on both nights. It will be an early dinner set up around 4.
Phone Extensions
NEW Early Dismissal/Sick Student Routines
Picture Day - October 4th
Morning News Crew Info
Positivity Project (P2)
Don't forget - all resources are available at posproject.org.
Try to find an activity from the online resources for teamwork on Friday. This is a really important discussion with our students because many of them struggle with this. Gifted students typically think their ideas are best, they can be perfectionists and only want certain ideas used, may get easily upset when their ideas aren't used, and can struggle to compromise. Have some gifted-specific conversations this week and be sure to generate some ideas on how they could improve in this area!
Clubs
All of the clubs had enough interest to send home flyers. We are now waiting to make sure we receive all the payments by Friday the 27th. Please send any club registration forms and payments down in the notes for office folder. If anyone needs additional club registration forms - they are in the workroom by the mailboxes. I also linked all of them in the GATE Gazette on Friday. It's OK if they didn't send the interest form. What's the most important is that the registration form and payment is sent by Friday.
Please note that Science Olympiad is "first come, first served" so please give the forms to me on the day you receive them.
Never keep money from students in your classroom overnight. Always turn it in the day you receive it.
Weekly Newsletters - REMINDER
Communications Sheet & Other Forms
Staff Meeting Dates
Well, the survey results were 50% wanting AM and 50% wanting PM. As a compromise we'll do every-other staff meeting at 6:45am-7:45am and every-other at 3:05pm-4:05pm. Please mark your calendars.
11/12 3:05pm-4:05pm
12/10 6:45am-7:45am
1/14 3:05pm-4:05pm
2/11 6:45am-7:45am
3/10 3:05pm-4:05pm
4/14 6:45am-7:45am
5/12 3:05pm-4:05pm
6/9 6:45am-7:45am
Kalpa Hours - Tracking your PD
The course codes are 1019050 & 101952
The Kalpa link is in the HUB.
Book Room
Please check in the book room for updated book sets - there are new books coming in each week!
Updates on Supplies...
-Agendas should be here in a week or so.
-Don't forget to submit any receipts to Megan Marx (gateptotreasurer@gmail.com) with the reimbursement form to receive your money back. I've linked the form below in case you can't find it. Remember, classroom teachers get $200 and special area get $100.
Weekly Dose of Encouragement
OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW
GATE Applicant/Interested Parent Tours
Most dates are on some Fridays at 9am, but there are some parents that cannot attend those that will come on other days/times. I'm giving you all a heads up now - if you see us walking around the school or peeking in your classroom - you won't be surprised. No need to stop and have a quick chat about what your students are doing unless you have time. In other words, don't stop teaching. :) It's a fantastic opportunity for interested families to see what we have to offer. It benefits all of us when we are able to show them what a fantastic environment we provide for our students!
Here's the link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080a49aca62da0f58-avondale
GATE Application Dates - FYI
Every year I coordinate all of the application process for next year's students. This involves two important "windows" - one for resident students of Avondale, and one for students outside of the district that we call "school of choice" students. Any student can apply if they live in Oakland county or any county contiguous to it. Students come in for testing and take the MAP math, MAP reading, and complete a narrative writing assessment. These are scored and students must score in the 93rd percentile or higher in both MAP tests in order to be considered. You are always welcome to attend the information nights or be a part of the selection teams. Please let me know if you're interested.
2019-2020 Applications: Important Dates
October 2nd 6:30-7:30: INTERNAL Information Night at Meadows
October 16th 6:30-7:30: INTERNAL Information Night at Meadows
Nov 4 - Nov 15: INTERNAL Application Window
Nov 20th: Writing assessment conducted at each home school
December 13th: Selection team meeting at Meadows
December 16th-17th: Internal Parent Notification
January 10th: Letter of intent OR Appeals DUE
January 16th: Internal appeals meeting
January 17th: Notification of decision for internal appeals
January 29th 6:30-7:30: SCHOOL OF CHOICE Information Night at Meadows
February 5th 6:30-7:30: SCHOOL OF CHOICE Information Night at Meadows
February 3rd - March 3rd: SCHOOL OF CHOICE application window
March 9th and 11th: Writing assessment and Math MAP assessment.
March 16th and 18th: Reading MAP assessment.
March 23rd: Selection team meet
March 26th-27th: School of Choice Parent Notification
April 3rd: Letter of intent OR Appeals DUE
April 13th: School of Choice appeals meeting
April 16th- 17th: Notification of decision for school of choice appeals
FOSS Kits
I have continually reported that we haven't received our FOSS kits yet for the first units - and finally on Friday I found out that they were never ordered. Ugh. So I talked to Coleen Brunni, our new Asst. Sup. of Curriculum and Instruction - and she submitted an order for the kits they didn't order. She said the turn around time should be short. I'm sorry that it's been a struggle with supplies this year - you all are fantastic and patient! I will let you know ASAP when they get delivered.
We will have two FOSS kits this year. They will be used during Trimester 1 and Trimester 2.
2nd-Pebbles, Sand, Silt (Fall drop off, Nov 6 PU), Solids and Liquids (Nov Drop off, Feb 19 PU)
3rd- Water and Climate (Fall drop off, Nov 6 PU), Motion and Matter (Nov Drop off, Feb 19 PU)
4th- Soil, Rocks, and Landforms (Fall drop off, Nov 6 PU), Energy (Nov Drop off, Feb 19 PU
5th- Earth and Sun (Fall drop off, Nov 6 PU), Mixtures and Solutions (Nov Drop off, Feb 19 PU)
2nd/3rd: Amanda Merrill - 2nd grade kit
2nd/3rd: Kimberly McDermid - 3rd grade kit
3rd/4th: Amy Dixon- 3rd and 4th grade kits
4th/5th: Michelle Gierman - 4th grade kits
4th/5th: Erica Burmann - 5th grade kits