September 9-13
BRMES Staff ~ Weekly Garden Talk Update
{Week #3}
MONDAY, September 9: A Day: Lunch~ Popcorn Chicken
- Happy Birthday Sarah Warner ~ consider sending her a birthday text - 970-471-1554 :)
- Speech Services begin with Mrs. Drabek!
- Walk to Read begins...Grades 1-5
- Resource groups begin....
- 1:00-2:30: MAP Testing Math: 3rd Grade (on laptop carts)
- 2:15-2:45: 5th Grade Team Meeting in Room 297
- 3:15-4:15: Advisory Team Meeting (be sure you have one team member attend) in Staff Lounge
- 6:00: School Board Meeting
- Eagle Eye Reward (5 winners per class - send to the office for their award)
- 1:00-2:30: MAP Testing Make Ups/Finish Up: 3rd Grade
- 2:15-2:45: 4th Grade Team Meeting in Room 297
WEDNESDAY, September 11: A Day: Lunch ~ Sloppy Jo's
- 12:40-1:05: 1st Grade Team Meeting in Room 297
- 1:10-1:35: Kinder Team Meeting in Room 297
- 2:15-2:45: 2nd Grade Team Meeting in Room 297
- 3:15: Certified Staff Meeting in the Library
THURSDAY, September 12: B Day: Lunch ~ Pizza
West Computer Lab CLOSED (although you can still check out the laptop carts)
Individual Student (and Staff) Picture Day ~ Sign up here. Pictures will take place in the East Computer Lab. Staff: If you didn't get a staff ID photo taken (or don't like that photo), please stop in to ask for your photo to be taken for our front bulletin board. :)
Lunch Time: New Hires Check In Meeting with Val (optional working lunch)
2:15-2:45: 3rd Grade Team Meeting in Room 297
FRIDAY, September 13: A Day: Lunch ~ Grilled Cheese/Tomato Soup
- Happy Birthday Kaycie Winn (Sept. 15)!
- 8:30: IEP Cosent Meeting (Wolf)
- Vision Screening Day for all Kinder & 4th graders (and new students)...be as flexible as you can once the Lions Volunteers arrive to pull kids to screen them.
- 1:00-2:00: Building RtI Team Meeting in Conference Room
- 2:05-2:50: Grades 3-5 Recess Rodeo Outside (you'll have a map before the event)
- PM: Home Girls & Boys Soccer Games ~ first and only Friday night games (and yep, I'm bias'; but come watch! Your ID gets you and your family in for free!)
Team Meeting Topics:
Sept. 9-12: Math Group Focus - Start Sept. 23rd?
Sept. 16-19: Behavior Work with Mr. D.
Sept. 23-26: Principal's Agenda / Evaluations & Goals
Sept. 30-Oct. 3: Reading / Co-planning / Into Reading Adjustments / Problem Solving
Lounge Cleaner of the Week: Anne & Janna
Look at our BLOOMERS!
- Kaycie & Felicity for signing up to read a book via Facebook Live!
- Karen B. for her lunchroom out outside 'training' and expertise
- Natalie for helping my student find my class
- Jenn for working so hard to support schedules and kids (and teachers)
- Lesley, Sara W., and Crystal for their powerful collaboration
- Jamie for remembering my MAP tester
- Jamie, Sara A., Michelle, and Carissa for mastering out front dismissal in record time
- Lesley for providing such a positive EL structure for a student and for using word banks
- Natalie for going all in to help an EL student feel comfortable and access to curriculum
- Ricki for helping transition a student from the recess rodeo to the bus
- Evonne for loaning out so many books
- Tyler for re-teaching expectations and following through
- Jamie for sharing supplies with me
- Sara W. for sharing math manipulatives
- Yuri for simply pitching in to help students wherever, whenever
- Crystal B for sharing student info to help make it easier on me
- Teddi for asking for tips and tricks for some specific kiddos
- Janna for taking on the staff birthday luncheon sign ups
To Do List:
- Emergency Bags: Find your flashlight. Put your room number on it and bring it to the office or put in our mailbox so we can get new batteries put in. If you have an emergency bag without a flashlight, let Donna know.
- Leadership Premium Sheet: Send Val any edits/ideas you have to propose any changes to our annual certified leadership premium definitions or make changes on the document. I highlighted dates and such that need to be edited. See it here.
- First Aid Needs/Bandaids: Is your bag stocked and ready? Your student demographics (a copy) should be ready soon to add to your bag.
- Certified Staff Survey for October 4th TTD Topics. I will talk about this at our Wednesday staff meeting. You can provide feedback now or wait until the staff meeting.
- Fanny Pack/Waiter Apron Thingy: We had purchased a bunch of red apron thingys for folks to use at recess 2 years ago. If you have an unused or extra one that you aren't using; please bring them to the office to re-distribute. If you'd like one; add your name to this list.
- Lunch Tote/Laundry Baskets: I'm in search of some new, rolling tubs/totes as many are too heavy to carry when full of cold lunches. If you'd be interested in one for your classroom, add your name to this list.
- OPTIONAL: Sign Up for Health Preventive Screening for September 26th. We will have a few roving subs to help cover classes if they are needed.
- OPTIONAL: Interested in reading a book from home (or wherever) on a specific date from our PTA Facebook page? Sign here here if so.
Staff Notes:
- Dismissal Reminders: It is so important you are not rushed at dismissal time as accuracy of where kids go/need to go per daily plans and messages is crucial. We had a full week of hiccups and lost kids/scared parents. Please always know exactly where you directed or escorted each student per your list/notes/messages. Everyone should be in their classrooms at 2:50 to allow ample time to get organized and have a nice goodbye for students with clear directions. If students are confused, try to help them problem solve before the bell rings. Kindergarten is doing a great job getting kids going to their destinations a few minutes prior to the bell. Everyone else, please do not dismiss until the bell rings. Thank you for continuing to polish up dismissal!
- Special Ed. Student Schedules: I've heard from a few now frustrated that not all IEP kids are getting services yet. Please be patient as case managers work through schedules, benchmarking and more. Also note that referrals don't happen quickly as the law is clear about a need for data and we also can't just hire additional staff. Phil, I, nor any case manager can just add staff. It takes data and a board decision to ever add staff. With that said, assume we will work through kinds and twists and it could take all of us to offer help, flexibility and patience. Yes there is an IEP with specific service time; however that can also mean it may not fit a classroom teachers schedule at all; and more importantly has to fit into the case manager puzzle to fit for all students. We recognize we still don't have a Physical Therapist either and are trying to come up with a plan as we have a legal obligation to provide services; but have no applicants. Bottom line, if you've got time, offer to pitch in or show admiration for these case managers that are challenged to make it work for kids.
- Benchmarking/Screening Update: Almost done...just a couple more days...
- 2 NEW laptop carts are here and ready to check out! You may check OUT a whole cart via a weekly sign up sheet by the west lab door OR you may check OUT a whole cart AND the lab space to set them out in. We may end up going to a monthly check out; but for now; it is week by week.
- Outside Recess Times: Week 2 was so. much. better! Thank you for always checking the recess schedule if you are doing a reward recess so that you don't interfere with another grade levels time.
- Specials/Lunch/Recess Schedules: They are tight and precise this year. Please make sure you look at clocks as you arrive at your location and note if you are EARLY or LATE. If you are early; take a walk. Bells should be set to line you up at all recesses. (Let me know if we missed one). I want to ensure specialists get their transition times and lunch & recess schedules are as close to perfect as possible.
- PBIS: Eagle Eyes & Expectations: It may feel trivial; but strive to continue recognizing 5-10 students per day with Eagle Eyes! Classroom/School Management feels boring, tough, and routine; but it's so SO important right now! Grades 3-5 we will do a quick recess rodeo round with your crew this week to re-teach all the playground expectations! Behaviors have been great so far; so I know you are all teaching the expectations!
- Attendance & Lunch Count: Week #2...almost there! Set yourself a timer or a classroom job to help ensure attendance is taken by 8:30 AM and again by 1:15 PM and lunch count in the AM!
- Safety Update: There are always so many opinions, concerns, articles, and priority put on schools in regards to safety. It appears the latest push coming soon for Idaho Schools will be a new, common language. I am going to start using these words as I predict they will be a pretty seamless transition for us. The state is recommended these 4 'safety' words/practices:
- Evacuation = (Old Word...Fire Drill...but same process as what was have practiced - get everyone outside when threat is inside)
- Reverse Evacuation (we haven never practiced this; but it simply means everyone outside goes INSIDE to safer spaces - could be a wild animal in area, police activity, weather alert and more)
- Hall Check = (Old Word...Soft Lockdown)...exterior doors are locked and everyone checks hallways and keeps instruction going within classrooms
- Lockdown = Lockdown...same as what we've practiced. Secure rooms, kids, hide, quiet as there would be a serious threat inside the school).
PTA NOTES:
- Box Tops: If you get a receipt or an old cut out box top; put them in the PTA mailbox ASAP. No need to track them by class or gradel
- PTA Student Tshirt Contest will be rolling out the form soon. They will be due back by Oct. 18th. Theme is: Gardening
- PTA Teacher Grants: If there is something you are wanting for your classroom; please consider filling out a PTA form for a grant. They have budgeted a lot of money to hand out; but need applications.
- PTA Facebook Live Readings:Sign up link above, for those daring ones who want to try it.
- PTA Membership: Consider joining the PTA to help show support for the work they do. You are the 'T' in the PTA. Their deadline for membership is November 1st. There are foms on their website or in our office. It is $15. to join for a year.