Team Thomson News & Notes
#ThomsonRocks Week of: March 4, 2019
Important Information for You!
Family Reading Night & Book Fair
Thank you all for everything that you did to make the Book Fair and Family Reading Night successful for our kids and families! Here's to a great March is Reading Month!
Genesee County Superintendents' Association Training
Last Friday, I was in Bay City for the Genesee County Superintendents' Association conference. On the Friday of this conference the Superintendents invite members of their Admin teams to listen to a presentation/speaker. This year's presenter was Dr. Tammy Pawloski, "Why Poverty Matters and Why Schools Can Matter More". It was an extremely powerful presentation! While she did not get through anywhere near the 25 strategies that she teaches, it was extremely powerful and thought provoking. In addition to the presentation, she shared a 60 page document/resource packet that I have been working through and will be sharing from in the coming weeks. However, some of the highlights from what we did hear were: Understanding Poverty, Understanding the Effects of Poverty on the Brain, Build Relationships, Decrease Stress (for all), Increase Status, Increase Hope, Hold High Expectations, and Accommodate.
In terms of Understanding Poverty...Did you know?
- Poverty is considered as 200% below low income....this is considered Deep Poverty.
- For a family of four, two adults and two children, this means the family only has an income of $24,858.
- In Michigan, 14.1% of people live in deep poverty.
- In Genesee County, 18.3% of people live in deep poverty.
- In Michigan, 17.1% of all Michigan kids live in deep poverty.
- In Genesee County, 21.6% of all kids live in deep poverty.
- In Davison, 10.3% of all kids live in deep poverty...that is 1 in 10 of our students.
Kindergarten Round-up & Transition to Kindergarten Night
If you have been through the office you have seen/heard Anna and Sue greeting Davison families new and 'old' as they take Kindergarten Round-up appointments for our new group of kindergartners. So far, they have made over 175 appointments. Thank you for everything each of you are doing to help, even with the little things, during this very busy time.
I will be attending the Transition to Kindergarten event this Thursday from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at Central Elementary. This event gives parents with incoming kindergarten students valuable information about Kindergarten Round-up as well as what they can be doing with their child now to prepare for Kindergarten. A couple of things that I will be highlighting when I talk to parents are...Reading and Talking to their Child; Bedtimes; and Limiting 'Screen Time'.
Active Schools Challenge...ACCEPTED!
I am so excited that Thomson will be participating in The Active Schools Challenge, which encourages students, teachers, and staff to get an average of 30 minutes of physical activity a day. Every minute of activity whether in school or at home counts! The challenge began March 1st, 2019 and runs until the 31st; all trackers and toolkits were delivered to you last week. Thank you to Julie VanEvery for getting us all signed up!
Participation is simple: just track your minutes of physical activity via the paper trackers that will be delivered each week! Commit to Fit! staff will print off paper trackers, drop them off to Thomson and pick them up each Friday during the month of March except the last week where trackers will be collected on Tuesday, April 2nd in order to allow for students to track for the full challenge period! The school with the highest average minutes of physical activity in Genesee County will be awarded the Active Schools Challenge traveling trophy as well as a monetary donation to be used toward health and wellness within that school.
Please include this information in your weekly newsletters. We will answer questions & go through everything at the staff meeting this week.
Cardinal Code Focus for the Week: Bus Safety
This week's Cardinal Code Lesson Focus for the week is Bus Safety. While I know that teachers have expressed that it is difficult for them to 'control' what happens on the bus, which I totally understand, we can support this efforts of our drivers and monitors by reviewing what Cardinal Code looks and sounds like on the bus in the more controlled environment of the classroom. Some key points to remember and reteach are:
- Sit 'Seat to seat, Back to back, Backpack on your lap'.
- Stay in your seat, moving around the bus is dangerous.
- Use a voice that only your the person sitting with you can her.
- Never stand while the bus is moving.
March Calendar
Okay team, we have three solid weeks until Spring Break. I know you are feeling a tremendous time crunch as am I. As you know, Anna manages my schedule. In the next three weeks, 14 school days, I have 2 days of full day meetings scheduled, 3 half day meetings scheduled, 10 meetings either before or after school, and many miscellaneous meetings daily. I am NOT complaining. I am giving you a heads up because my availability is very limited and I am going to have to keep a very tight timeline to get everywhere I need to be, ensure everything gets completed, and try to keep everyone happy. I am going to be focusing any open time on getting out and in the classrooms. Anna is holding me all together by keeping my calendar straight. While Anna and I are still working on solidifying our Breakthrough Coach schedule, I appreciate you following the Breakthrough Coach protocol and making appointments with me through her as much as possible. You are also welcome to email anything that we can handle that way. Thanks...together we will 'march' through these next three weeks and get things done!
Quotes Worth Reading
"My teacher thought I was smarter than I was, so I was."
-Six Year Old Kid
"People, even more than things, need to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed. Never throw anyone out..”
-Audrey Hepburn
Thomson Elementary
#ThomsonRocks
Home of the Thomson Teddies!
And..
Where Kids Come First and Futures Begin!
Email: nmiller@davisonschools.org
Website: www.davisonschools.org
Location: 617 East Clark Street, Davison, MI, United States
Phone: 810-591-0911
Celebrations & Announcements
Birthdays: No March Birthdays...wow...
Important Upcoming Dates:
Week of March 3rd-PLC Week
Monday, March 4th-Reading Exercises the Mind Day; Board of Ed Meeting, 7:00 p.m. H.S. AMR
Tuesday, March 5th-Tornado Drill, Child Study Day, PEP Parent Night
Wednesday, March 6th-Staff Meeting, 7:35 p.m. (Agenda: SI Planning, committees will determine what data they need); For Mar Visits; School Improvement 'My Journey' work...anyone can stay and help, 3:45-5:45 p.m.
Thursday, March 7th-General Admin Meeting (Natalie); DK/K ACC Day; For Mar Visits; Transition to Kindergarten for GSRP & Cardinal's Nest Parents 5:30-7 p.m.
Friday, March 8th-Leadership Team Meeting, 7:15 a.m.; For Mar Visits
Monday, March 11th-Read a Shirt Day
Tuesday, March 12th-District Climate Committee Meeting
Wednesday, March 13th-ACC All Day Meeting; ELA Learning Labs
Thursday, March 14th-Feedback Training 9 a.m.-Noon (Natalie); Elementary Principal Meeting, Noon-2:30 p.m. (Natalie)
Friday, March 15th-GISD Elementary Principals Meeting 7:30-11:30 a.m. (Natalie); Trading Post
Week of March 17th-PLC Week
Monday, March 18th-Snuggle Up with a Good Book (PJ) Day; PTO Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 19th-PTO Pals
Wednesday, March 20th- Staff Meeting, 7:35 a.m. (Agenda: School Improvement)
Thursday, March 21st-End of the 3rd Marking Period; Jean Day for DEF; CMC 4-7 p.m. (Natalie & Sara)
Friday, March 22nd-No School for Students-Teacher PD 7:30-10:30 a.m. (Agenda: Data, Comprehensive Needs Assessment, School Improvement Goals, Strategies, and Activities)