Cobra Connect
Staff Newsletter 9-13-19
Home of the Cobras
Collins Intermediate is committed to academic success and general well-being of all students. Through collaboration and teamwork, we will provide meaningful strategies and interventions for all students to reach their learning goals.
Website: http://collins.conroeisd.net/
Location: 6020 Shadowbend Place, The Woodlands, TX, USA
Phone: 281-298-3800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CollinsCISD/
Twitter: @CollinsCobras
Collins Cadence - School/Parent Newsletter
News for the newsletter will be taken from the Google document.
Updated data due Friday - end of day on the first and third Friday of each month.
It is an expectation that ALL groups will share information through the Collins Cadence.
Publish Date: Every Monday
Two Plus Weeks at a Glance
Please check Parent Calendar, Collins Staff Forum, and your personal Outlook Calendar in the event an event was missed.
CLUBS Should start meeting this week. Announcements should be made on KCOL and information entered in Weekly Parent Newsletter - DATA DROP!
Monday, September 16th
- 10:30 AM District Academic Conference District visitors to classrooms
- Faculty Meeting - Support Staff 2 PM 6th Conference Room
- Admin Team Meeting 3 PM
- Goals Submitted - ISP Scored - SLO Submitted 4:30 PM
- Team Leader Meeting 8:00 AM PLC Meeting Room
- Mrs. McCure out all day for district training
Wednesday, September 18th
- Read For A Better Life (College Park Students over to read - @ 10:15 AM)
- Mr. Barnhart out district training 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
- PTO Lunch
Thursday, September 19th
- Book Fair Preview
- Rock Your School - Get Your Teach On!
- All 6th Social Studies Teachers out at district training
- Fire Drill 2 PM
Friday, September 20th
- Book Fair Preview
Collins Book Fair Monday 9/23 - Friday 9/27
Monday, September 23rd
- Colossal Cobra Nominations Due - see link in Sept 6th staff newsletter
Tuesday, September 24th
- Mrs. McCure & Mr. Barnhart out for district training 8 AM - 12 PM
- Core Leader Meeting 7:45 AM PLC Meeting Room
- All 5th Science Teachers Out for District Meeting
- TPSP Training during PLC time
Wednesday, September 25th
- Mrs. McCure's Guidance Lessons - 5th grade
Thursday, September 26th
- Care Team Meeting 8 AM PLC Room
Friday, September 27th
- Mr. Barnhart out - district training 8 - 10 AM
- Shelli out - district training 1:00 - 3:00 PM
- Universal Screener Reading Data Due
Monday, September 30th
- 6th Colossal Cobra (Respect) Location: Gym, Time: 10:30 AM
- Collins PTO Community Bond Information Meeting 6 PM Cafeteria
Tuesday, October 1st
- Team Leader Meeting 8:00 AM PLC Meeting Room
- 5th Colossal Cobra (Respect) Location: Library, Time: 12:50 PM
- Admin Team Meeting 9:30 AM
- Friends Of Collins PTO Fundraising Deadline
Wednesday, October 2nd
- School Custodian Appreciation Day
- ATM Meetings
- GT Parent Info Night 6 PM - 7 PM
Thursday, October 3rd
- Mrs. McCure out district training
Friday, October 4th
- Baker House Lunch
- Shelli Out - Personal
Please include in your L-C Newsletters
The November 5th CISD Bond Referendum includes a total of 5 new campuses throughout the
Caney Creek, Conroe, and Grand Oaks Feeders. Classroom additions and capacity upgrades are also included in The Woodlands, TW College Park and Oak Ridge Feeders.
To learn more about the November 2019 Bond Election, please visit www.conroeisd.net/bond
or visit our Facebook page at @CISDBond2019.
Please send committee meeting dates to Mrs. King ASAP
All dates should be on Staff Calendar
Collins Spirit Night
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2019, 04:00 PM
Torchy's Tacos, Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands, TX, USA
New Deadline for ISP/SLO Submission
Goals Submitted - ISP Scored - SLO Submitted
By Monday, September 16th 4:30 PM
New Electronic Progress Report
This week marks the first time that our campus has started sending Progress Reports home via Parent Access. Many of our parents have signed up for Parent Access accounts, however we still have around 58 families who do not have Parent Access accounts. These students will be taking home a paper copy of their progress report. The paper copy for these students was placed in your mailboxes.
Currently we have 39% of our parents that have signed for the progress report. I picture of the email parents received is below. It does state that a hard copy will also go home and that is incorrect.
We need your help...
Please include the following statement in your upcoming LC newsletter
Collins will now send home all progress reports electronically through your Parent Access Account (PAC). Please use the following link to log in to PAC https://pac.conroeisd.net/
An email was sent to parents on Friday 9-13-19 as a helpful reminder to parents that progress reports were available to view. The email incorrectly stated that paper copies would be going home. Parent Access will be the only delivery method for those families with a PAC account.
Thank You
Counselor Updates
Lunch Bunch
I am looking for recommendations for Lunch Bunch Students. I have room for 6 around my table, but don’t have enough to fill it up yet. The recommendations I currently have are from parent referral or student referral. Please fill this out to help me find a good group - especially our lunchroom peeps who are seeing a lot of things!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8EJO0RpSqa5SP7I-TGvO-_iQ2Nphlk2rDjkgRovxuwLZm4A/viewform
COUNSELOR VISIT
Once again, here is the form to use when referring students. Thank you for using this. It helps me track the times I see students and helps me know the issues that may need to be addressed through guidance lessons.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSegXNhWrTtUmEG1kxFZqjZyms9nOIbqrUYE_opWAXuyHIXusA/viewform
VSCO ALERT
As many of you know we have had a VSCO girl surge the past few weeks. For those of you who don’t know, VSCO is a photography app that is very popular with high school and college students.
URBAN DICTIONARY’S TOP DEFINITION of a VSCO GIRL
VSCO GIRL - VSCO GIRL- Wears oversized t-shirts or sweatshirt with Nike shorts. Has Vans, Crocs, Birks, and wears a shell necklace. She also wears tube tops and Jean shorts. She always has a hydroflask. She can't leave home without a scrunchie and her favorite car is a jeep.
As with any trend, we just want to monitor and make sure that students are not being excluded.
COLOSSAL COBRA
Just a reminder to nominate your students for Colossal Cobra. Nominations are due by September 23rd. Please only nominate for Respect for the month of September. If you worked ahead on nominations, they have been deleted. Here is the link if you need easy access.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZJaMh7RPe6Zhds9rdQz7Zn17mHUGW_2gJEFQ_85ijCw/edit#gid=0
GUIDANCE LESSONS
Guidance lessons will start Wednesday, September 25th with 5th grade through science and Friday, September 27th through science. Please know I will be in the classs room all day. I will post the schedule outside my door so you know where to find me in case of issue.
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
Technology Updates
Yay! Please click the link below to check out who received our 1st Connected Cobra Award of the 2019-20 school year!
Do you have an idea, a suggestion, or an adjustment for how we use and learn technology? Great! Share that with a tech committee member because we are meeting on October . Click the link to see members: http://tiny.conroeisd.net/UmqHe
There are a few teachers/staff that are using one of the older models of monitors- the squarish ones. Email me to update to a larger size!
Collins Book Fair
Fall ’19 Book Fair Info
Theme: Reading Superheroes
Contest: Whichever LC/Fine Arts/PE/Front office staff teachers promote participation with the most creativity and enthusiasm will get some free reading swag. I want visual proof (which I will use to celebrate you.. and books).
Sept 18 – Read for a Better Life Day visitors and Book fair set up; regular rotation; last day for check outs until September 30
Sept 19-20- Book Fair Preview Days - Come at your chosen times. Students with library rotation on Thursday the 19th will go to PE. Students with library rotation on Friday the 20th will go to the computer lab instead of the library.
September 23-27 – Book Fair Shopping (9-3:00 daily) Plan on bringing your class on the date you signed up for. Make sure to communicate this to parents in your newsletters. If students bring money at other times you can send them any time it is convenient for you. Please make sure they have money to spend and aren’t just coming to hang out. I will close down at 3:00 (except last day) to do end of the day $$$ wrap ups and duties so don’t expect kids to be able to come at the very end of the day. Remember, they can only come at lunch if their parent (adult) is with them. They cannot bring their friends.
****Classes with library in rotation will go to the computer lab for lessons with Ms. Lahey
*** If students want to turn in library books during book fair, you will need to keep them in your classroom. Perhaps a nice large basket would work? I would hate for library books to get mixed with book fair books. Oh, the chaos that would ensue! There is no checking out once book fair gets set up. If you, as a teacher, need books, I will move shelving around and make an exception just because I love you. 🙂
September 27 – Book fair closes early at 2:30 so we can reset the library for the following week.
September 30 – library re-opens for normal check outs and schedule
Book Fair Events
Lunch with Loved Ones –only students with their parents can come to the book fair during lunch time (can’t bring their friends)
Wishlists –Teachers should fill out wish slips and put it in the proper LC pocket. Parents like to supplement your classroom libraries. If you don’t have a classroom library, get with your LA teacher and see what they would like. J
20% OFF – all staff and volunteers get 20% off their purchases.
The goal of book fair is to give students an opportunity to broaden their reading horizons with personal book ownership. And supplement the library budget. And have some fun! And we all need some fun in our daily lives.
Can't wait to see you at the book fair. Let me know what questions come up.
Collins Wild Cards
Wednesday, October 2nd ATM Meetings
FA/PE ATM 11:20 AM Mr. Hunt's Room
Something to Ponder
Are you full of energy or is it anxiety?
Throughout my career I have heard several times, "I don't have anxiety I'm just a really energetic person." For some that was true, but for others the more we talked the more they realized what they considered energy was actually anxiety. This anxiety was affecting their lives in ways they hadn't noticed before.
How do you know, you ask? Well, the answer is, it takes self-reflection and self-awareness to distinguish between the two. These are two areas that our fast-paced world doesn't give us much time for.
Below are a few ways to start your self-reflection which will build your self-awareness.
What are your thoughts?
Thoughts are a great way to distinguish between the two.
Are they like the ones below?
I don't have enough hours in the day.
I have to get all this done or things will fall apart.
I HAVE to do this, then ___________, then _________, then _______________. (while also experiencing physical symptoms of nervous or upset stomach, jittery, headaches, etc.)
I feel tense all the time.
Why am I the only one doing the work?
No one around me is capable of getting their job done.
If I don't do it, it won't be done right.
I have to be the best at all I do and I don't accept less than the best.
I have to be the 1st to do everything that is offered. (Could be with career or personal)
I HAVE to do EVERYTHING!
Full of what-ifs.
I have to rush through everything today because if not I will run out of time.
If I don't accomplish this certain goal then this won't happen and that won't happen. (a snowball of thoughts)
I'm putting too much work on those around me so I will just do it all myself.
The two most energetic people I know are also the two most positive people I know. Sometimes we put a nice spin on negative thoughts to make them seem like they are positive. What is the root of your thought, positivity or fear?
Don't be afraid to challenge your thoughts. A great way to do this is with the "6 Whys". Ask yourself the why behind a thought and see what you come up with.
P.S. The "6 Whys" can also work for your children when they are asking to do something or get something.
How are those around you responding?
Another way to distinguish between the two is by looking at those around you.
Colleagues/Friends/Other Adults - Are they jumpy or stressed around you? Are they extra quiet around you? Are they starting to avoid you?
An energetic Principal/AP/Counselor will inspire their teachers.
An energetic teacher will do the same in the classroom.
A Principal/AP/Counselor with high levels of anxiety will drain their staff and create a stressful and unhappy environment.
A teacher with high levels of anxiety will do the same in their classroom.
Children - Are they silly? Are they angry and acting out? Are they showing signs of anxiety?
Sometimes with my own personal children, I believe I can "hide" my anxiety, but the reality is that they feel the energy I bring to the environment. I have one child whose response is to shower me with compliments while my other sweet baby responds in a totally different way. This one will run around the house and start to act out. Both are responding to my anxiety.
Do I realize how much of my anxiety I am passing to others?
Self-Care
If I want to be the best I can be THEN
I need to identify my triggers of anxiety and put self-care at the top of my list.
Give yourself downtime in the evening away from e-mails, texts & other forms of work related communication
Turn off all non-essential notifications on your phone
Exercise - 20 minutes of aerobic exercise will give you 4 to 6 hours of reduced anxiety
Deep breathing
Laugh - find ways to laugh throughout your day
Mindfulness - even if for only 2 mins. a day
Limit caffeine to less than 400 mg per day
Surround yourself with positive people
Give yourself the same grace you would give to your best friend
Speak it out loud - "These thoughts are going to raise my anxiety. I need to take care of them before they get out of control."
A little self-reflection & self-awareness can go a long way.
CISD Logo Kelly Locke
Prof LPC/Mental Health Specialist Counseling
Conroe Independent School District
Phone Number Logo 936-709-7922
Email Logo klocke@conroeisd.net
Oldies But Goodies
So as a reminder the September 6th Newsletter has:
- Collins Student Clubs Communicate
- Join PTO
- Progress Report - Order of Events
- Colossal Cobra - Selecting Students
- Clinic Updates - Vision and Hearing
- Something to Ponder
Nancy Villanueva
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Karen Ferguson
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Liz Albritton
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Misty Rust
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Mary Andrews
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Stephanie Bogenrieder
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Frances Parker
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Ashley Kammer
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Kellie Lahey
Friday, October 25, 2019
Becky Taylor
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Paige Kirbo
Monday, October 28, 2019
Audra Hermanns
Thursday, October 31, 2019