The Cannon Connection
Staff Information & Updates 9/16/13
The Week in Review
...to include learning opportunities for our scholars this week about Constitution Week and Citizenship Day. Information was sent out last week about curriculum connections/resources that can be utilized to promote these this week. Be sure to check out the Special Edition on KCAN's Tuesday morning show, to help supplement this learning for your scholars. Also, don't forget to encourage your scholars to join staff as we dress in patriotic colors on Tuesday, 9/17. Citizenship Day and Constitution Week are combined events that commemorate the formation/signing of the US. Constitution on September 17, 1787, as well as recognizes all who, by coming of age or by naturalization, have become U.S. citizens.
...to show interest in leadership opportunities for any professional staff members who are interested by applying for the GCISD School Leadership Institute. This program is for those who desire to grow as instructional leaders in our district. The application is due to Tona by 9/20.
...to begin our WatchD.O.G.S. program, with dads scheduled to be at school each day this week. When you see our awesome Watchdog Dads in the hallways, be sure to give them a high five and thank them for taking the time to fill such an important need at our school! There were over 85 dads & kids in attendance at our WatchDOGS recruiting event last week (Thanks Mandy Coburn & Dad's Club!)
... to celebrate together at the PTA's Annual Family Back-to-School cookout on Saturday, 9/21 from 12:00-3:00. This is a wonderful opportunity for Cannon staff to show their support of PTA and mingle with Cannon families.
Constitution Week & Citizenship Day
Welcome Cannon Watch D.O.G.S!
Back to School Family Cookout
Dates to Remember
9/16 MAPS Testing Window continues - 2nd - 5th
9/16 E.M.T. Meeting - 3:00 - library
9/17 Citizenship Day - Staff & scholars dress in patriotic colors!
9/19 Lockout (Lockdown) Drill
9/20 PLC Week A - Kinder; 5th; 2nd
9/20 Online Trainings Checklist/Form Due to Tona (Puzzle Outline)
9/21 PTA Back to School Family Cookout - 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.
9/24 STEM Leadership Team meeting - 3:00 - 3:45
9/25 Early Release - K-5th 11:45
9/26 Early Release - K-5th 11:45
9/27 Staff Flu Shot Clinic - 7:00-10:00 - Conference Room
9/27 PLC Week B - 3rd; 4th; 1st
9/27 Last day for BoY Reading & Writing Inventories
9/27 Teacher website updates deadline
10/1 U.CAN meetings 3:00 -3:45
10/2 Picture Day
10/4 PLC Week A - Kinder; 5th; 2nd
10/8 CEC 3:15 pm
10/10 Read to Succeed - GHS Football Players @ Cannon
10/10 Shelter Drill (Severe Weather)
10/11 PLC Week B - 3rd; 4th; 1st
10/15 U.CAN 3:00 -3:45
10/18 PLC Week A - Kinder; 5th; 2nd
10/18 End of 1st nine weeks
10/22 Evacuation Drill (Fire)
10/22 STEM Leadership Team meeting
10/23 Report cards home
10/23 -10/25 5th grade @ Sky Ranch
10/25 PLC Week B - 3rd; 4th; 1st
10/29 U.CAN 3:00 -3:45
REMINDERS & UPDATES
- STAFF MEETINGS/TEAM ROSTERS/U.CAN ROSTERS - In your email this weekend, you received copies of all 2013-2014 meetings dates (U.CAN/CEC/STEM Leadership/EMT); Team Leadership Rosters; & U.CAN course staff participant rosters. Please make sure you have added all of these dates to your calendars. Please note that the STEM Leadership Team meeting scheduled for this week has been rescheduled for 9/24 and CEC has been rescheduled for 10/8.
- CAMPUS WEBSITE UPDATES - As a reminder, all teams should have their grade level/department website updated no later than 9/27. Each team page should list all members of the team and provide links to each individual team member page. Each team member's page should have the following links in the left-hand bar: 1. HOME - info. about the teacher & active links to all digital communication - Blogs; Facebook pages; Wikispaces; digital newsletters, etc... Please check to make sure all are active links - parents should be able to simply click and go to these sites. 2. ABC's of Cannon for Parents - we will provide all of this information and link it. 3. Schedules - Daily schedules (including Engineering time), conference/Specials, recess, and lunch. 4. Classroom Expectations - specific classroom rules, responsibilities, behavior expectations, etc... 5. Learning Expectations - overview of 9 weeks curriculum topics; iPad/digital learning; STEM in the classroom; homework procedures. **Please note that teachers/grade levels can add additional links in the left-hand bar, but #1-5, as described above, are mandatory for all.
- BOOK OF THE MONTH - Don't forget to check in the CAN Share drive for this month's STEM BOM information. This month's book, shared as an e-book with all Cannon scholars, is the perfect complement to our Student Orientations for iPads. This book, Being Safe Online, can be accessed through the Follett Enlight app on the iPads. What a wonderful way to reinforce our message to scholars about being good digital citizens online and being responsible with with their new devices! I encourage you to have your scholars participate in this month's Campus Design Challenge, to create videos to illustrate the DO's and/or DONT's of safely using iPads at school and home. Information about this challenge and the App of the month is provided on the September BOM information page, located in the BOM folder on CAN Share. HUGE thanks to Tina & Trisha for their hard work on this great resource!
- STEM FAMILY NIGHTS & OPEN HOUSE - Please note that there has been a change in the date of our fall STEM Family Night. It has been re-scheduled for November 14th. Our spring STEM Family Night will be on May 8th. We will continue with our Open House - Showcase of Learning on March 6th, during Texas Public Schools Week.
- PTA UPDATES & REMINDERS - Please remember to support our PTA by joining PTA and submitting your $8 membership dues. PTA T-shirt's are still available and order forms were left in mailboxes. Payment for both of these can be left in the PTA mailbox in the mailroom.
GETTING CONNECTED @ CANNON!
* A directory of all staff blogs & Twitter accounts will be available on our home page, so that you can link to this directory from your own blogs, newsletters, Facebook pages, etc
* A campus blog, that is dedicated to showcasing STEM-related/1:1 learning experiences
* An iPad App - designed specifically for Cannon scholars & families!
* School Messenger email blasts to parents will now be sent as text messages as well!
* Our awesome PTA wants to partner with us to provide us a new digital marquee- Wow!!
In the meantime, please make sure you are providing links to our Cannon Facebook page
and that you are using our Cannon Twitter name @cancubs in all of your school-related tweets and ask parents to follow @cancubs on Twitter!
Check out some of these recent Tweets from Coach V, Tina, Judy H, 4th grade & Mrs. Blizzard! Are you tweeting your good news with us?
Awesome turnout for Cannon's Watchdog Dads recruiting event!! Thanks dads! #cancubs pic.twitter.com/71vtCcAVAO
Congrats to @MsDianeNorwood 1st grade #cancubs class! They won Stevie's #STEM Math Spirit Stick! #trivia #KCAN pic.twitter.com/i8FtRQBavh
Cannon Library @Cannonreads 12 Sep
Special thanks to the @GHSMustangFB team for coming out to read with our #cancubs this morning! #gcisd #GHS
Judy Hockenbrough @JHockenbrough 11 Sep
My second grade is taking on #geniushour. Some amazing inquiry questions today. My favorite, "Why are spider webs sticky?"
STEM 4th @STEM4th 9 Sep
We viewed and discussed this TED talk in class today. The conversations around STEM were amazing!... http://fb.me/28frHiex7
TEDTalks Updates
Gever Tulley: Life lessons through tinkering | Video on TED.com
Riqui Villarreal @CannonCoachV
FRIDAY ASSEMBLY!!! get it. #cancubs pic.twitter.com/Cm2s75EV3y
TECHNOLOGY UPDATES
- BENEFIT REPLACEMENT PROGRAM - Thanks for your help to get iPad User Agreements signed & returned, along with payments for the Replacement Benefit Program. Be sure to collect all returned items and place in your grade level collection envelope. The deadline to get these items back is Tuesday, September 17th. Please send friendly reminders to all parents and let them know this is the final phase, before sending devices home with scholars!
- STUDENT EMAIL ACCOUNTS - Every GCISD student has a gcisdstudents.net email address. These email addresses are being changed to match their network login (first three letters of last name + last four numbers of student id). Trisha will provide you with a new list of updated student accounts next week.
- REPLACEMENT FOR LOST ITEMS - Beginning October 1st, campuses will be responsible for replacing all lost power adapters (estimated cost for iPad - $20; & laptop - $70) as well as replacements for audio cables and projector remote controls. As soon as we receive the pricing list for these items, it will be shared with all staff, as teachers will be held liable for these items.
- PERSONAL COMPUTERS - are not allowed to be brought from home and used at school unless they have specific permission from Lane Hunnicutt. This policy does not apply to Smartphones.
TO DO LIST
- Set a timer and turn in attendance by 9:45-10:15 daily
- Remind scholars to dress in red, white & blue for Citizenship Day on Tuesday 9/17
- Update teacher websites by 9/27 & get blogs and other social media started!
- Collect payments for iPad Benefit Replacement Program and submit envelopes to Debbie on 9/18 with payments
- Complete GCISD School Leadership Institute applications & turn in to Tona by 9/20 if interested
- Finish all online trainings and turn in checklist by 9/20 - Don't forget LPAC & Bullying video -both on Eduphoria eCourses.
- Make plans to attend PTA Family Cookout on Saturday, 9/21 12:0-3:00