Hoot Hoot Herald
January 11-15, 2016
Reminders
School Calendar:
The school calendar for 2016-2017 has been finalized. One significant change is that Thanksgiving Break will now be one full week. The winter break will now commence on Wednesday, December 21, 2016 and go through Monday, January 2 (staff development will be on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 and classes resume on Wednesday, January 4, 2017). Here's the link: https://www.austinisd.org/sites/default/files/dept/calendar-planning/docs/AISD_Calendar_2016-2017.pdf
MLK Day:
Remember that Monday, January 18 is a student and staff holiday for Martin Luther King day! I would love to have a student (s) write and deliver an announcement about MLK on Thursday of next week and on Friday in the assembly. First come - first serve! If you want to volunteer a student (or two) for this, please email me.
Also, please find time during social studies to talk about the importance of MLK and why our country has dedicated January 18th to his memory.
Leadership Team:
We will meet on January 11th- after school - in the library.
Agenda: benchmarks, interventions, technology,
Visiting Chinese Scholars:
We will have a team of four Chinese educators visiting our campus from January 15th through February 12th. These educators will be visiting several classrooms. Thanks in advance for welcoming them.
Happy Hour:
Lupe Tortilla - Wednesday - January 13th - starting at 4:30.
MOY I Benchmarks
Our students did a great job on the benchmark assessments. Good job teachers in preparing our kids! And, thank you for taking Monday to analyze this data so that we can develop our intervention groups. Great work!
Reading:
Doss-87%
District-70%
Writing:
Doss-87%
District-62%
Math:
Doss-78%
District-64%
Science:
Doss-88%
District-84%
Let me know if you have any questions or if you need any assistance.
Staff Allowance Deadline is NEXT Week
The PTA has not always been strict on the deadline in the past. However, this year we are going to roll any remaining funds from the staff allowance line item over into general classroom supplies line item to make sure funds don't go unused. If you have a special circumstance (like Mrs. Hodges mentioned) or if you anticipate that you will not be able to meet the January 15th deadline, please see me in advance of this date. We will get you what need!
Fifth Grade Transition to Murchison Information
Here are some key dates for our 5th grade parents:
5th Grade Transition to Murchison:
Jan. 8- Parent Principal Coffee - discuss up-coming events for choice sheets
Jan. 11-15- Classroom guidance on college/career choices
Jan. 20- 2:00- Murchison counselors will meet with 5th grade to discuss and hand out choice sheets
Jan. 25-29- Counselors will go into 5th classrooms to assist, help answer questions pertaining to choice sheets
Feb. 2
5:30-7:00pm at Murchison
Murchison Choice Sheet Night for parents and studentsFeb. 5- Choice sheets due to Murchison
From our Reading Specialist
Counselor's Notes
SMALL GROUPS -
- Will begin in January and will meet approx. once a week for 6 weeks
- Invitations will go out this week to students and parents.
- A list of students and a schedule to teachers by Monday, 1/11.
GROUPS-
- Changing Families (Divorce/Break-Up)
- Friendship Club (Social Skills)
- My Fabulous Family (Students being raised by Gay or Lesbian Parents)
- The Chill-Out Club (Anxiety)
Computer Lab News
Our new student devices (tablets & Chrome books) were scheduled to be delivered by January 15th. However, I am guessing they will be here about 2-4 weeks after that.
AISD IT Director Alan Stevens wrote ”We are still aggressively projecting that all deployments will be completed by the end of January.” Alan is providing a weekly update to all the schools and I will forward new information as soon as I get it. According to the last update, most of the schools that ordered a month before us have not been notified of their delivery date yet. Doss will be notified a week before the equipment arrives and it will take a few more days to test, label, and distribute all the student devices. Please let me know if you have any questions. -James
G/T Testing for Spring 2016
GT Testing Spring 2016:
Jan. 11-22
· Nomination Window for parents and teachers
· Parent nomination on paper or online
· Teacher nomination only online
Parents are encouraged to confer with teachers prior to nominating their child.
Feb. 2-4, Feb. 8, Feb. 12- GT Testing online in computer lab
Feb. 1-22- Teacher observation of students. Complete observation survey and inventory; collect student portfolio work- samples due to to Hill/Engel by 2/22
March 7 – April 1- GT Decision Committee Meetings, specific dates TBA
Nurse's Notes
Greetings! Hope everyone had a wonderful Winter Break!
Staying on task with the Maintain No Gain program over the holidays is difficult. Congratulations to those of you who did! It is important to continue practicing what has been learned to maintain the goal. The following healthy tips will help with staying on task.
Controlling your environment is crucial:
*Eat with a small group when you can. One study found that dining with six or more people can cause you to eat 76% more, most likely because the meal can last a long time.
*Sit next to a fellow healthy eater.
*Keep visual evidence around of what you've consumed so you don't forget.
Bertha Cavazos, RN, BS
Library Schedule
Monday, January 11
9:00 Gall/Francis
10:00 Hyvl/Barrick
10:30 Warner
11:00 Johnson/Gall
1:45 Barrick/Stover
Tuesday, January 12
8:15 Sprague (K)
8:30 Plaisance
10:05 Evans
10:20 Elbrecht
11:45 Sprague (1)
2:30 Hughes
Wednesday, January 13
8:30 Cormack/G
9:00 Means
10:00 Singerman
10:15 Mowry
11:30 Aguilar/Carroll
12:00 Truesdale
1:00 Hayes
1:30 Baehr
2:30 Hawkins
Thursday, January 14
8:10 Folts
8:25 Raup
9:00 Smith
10:00 Stone
10:15 Hall
11:30 Haurwitz
12:30 Jones/Wiley
1:00 Eddleton
1:30 Lauck
2:15 Daly
2:35 Keys
Friday, January 15
10:00 Collins
10:15 Vrba
1:00 Hello
2:30 Cardwell
Calendar
Monday, January 11
Leadership Team Meeting, 3:15, Library
Tuesday, January 12
Wednesday, January 13
Staff Happy Hour, 4-6, at Lupe Tortilla
Thursday, January 14
PTA General Meeting- 8am, Cafeteria
Doss Mandarin Immersion Program- Parent Information Session and Class Tour for prospective kinder parents-10am, Cafeteria
CAC Meeting, 3:15-4:30, Mrs. Hughes Room #309
Friday, January 15
Monday, January 18
Student and Staff Holiday
Tuesday, January 19
ELL Advisory Group Meeting, 3:15, Location TBD
Wednesday, January 20
Murchison Choice Sheets Meeting, for all 5th grade students (even if trying for magnet, etc), 2pm, Cafeteria
Thursday, January 21
Brazilian Teachers Tour Library and Classrooms, approx. 8am through noon
Friday, January 22
Computer Lab Schedule
Monday, January 11
8:15 Soong (1)
9:45 Hodges
11:15 Sheridan
12:00 Mowry
12:45 Wiley
1:30 Hello
2:15 Evans
Tuesday, January 12
8:15 Barrick
9:00 Eddleton
9:45 Stover
10:30 Plaisance
12:00 Che
12:45 Taylor
1:30 Hyvl
2:15 Francis
Wednesday, January 13
8:15 Gall
9:00 Smith
9:45 Keys
10:30 Collins
12:00 Hall
12:45 Cardwell
1:30 Carroll
2:15 Johnson
Thursday, January 14
8:15 Sprague (K)
9:00 Means
9:45 Daly
10:30 Vrba
11:15 Raup
12:00 Singerman
12:45 Hughes
1:30 Baehr
2:15 Bones
Friday, January 15
9:45 Folts
10:30 Elbrecht
11:15 Stone
12:00 Truesdale
12:45 Lauck
1:30 Hayes
2:15 Hawkins