Cobra Connect
Teacher Newsletter - 11/2/18
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/Collins
Twitter: @CollinsCobras
Two Weeks at a Glance
Please check Parent Calendar, Collins Staff Forum, and your personal Outlook Calendar in the event an event was missed.
Monday, November 5th
- 9:15 AM Magazine Kick-Off 5th Grade - Gym
- 10 AM Magazine Kick-Off 6th Grade - Gym
- Shelli Off Campus - District Zoning Meeting 12:45 - 3:00
- District Facilities Planning Meeting (40 guests on campus from around Conroe ISD working on Bond Planning - meeting in Library - parking in back lot impacted)
Tuesday, November 6th
- Election Day @ Collins (6th grade front hallway)
- 8 AM Team Leader Meeting - PLC Meeting Room
- 5th Math Benchmark
- 8 AM Staff Picture - Gym (Black Pants - Gray PTO Shirt "Work Hard Be Kind")
- 8 AM Cobra Focus- PLC meeting room (meeting may need to move due to Staff Pictures)
- Class Pictures - throughout day by LC - Schedule will be out soon!
- Emily out all day - district counselor meeting
- Progress Report grade due at 5 PM
Monday, November 12th
- 6th Science Benchmark
- 1:15 PM PTO Meeting
Tuesday, November 13th
- 7:45 Core Leader Meeting - PLC Room
- Foundations Team Training - Conroe Jett Center - All Day
- PTO Lunch
- Black Walnut Spirit Night
Wednesday, November 14th
- Principal Meeting - Shelli Out 8 - 11:30
- Turkey Trot - Through PE Classes
- Baker House Lunch Avaliable
- District Site Based - Shelli Out 3:35 PM
- Zoning for Suchma - Community Input meeting Knox 6 - 8 PM
- 8 AM Faculty Meeting
- 6th ELA Team visiting two CISD campuses
- 2:45 PM Fire Drill - Shelter in place
- Progress Report Goes Home
- Collins Chili Cook Off
Lighthouse
Lighthouse (previously Social Club) has collected dues, from all staff members, in the past. These dues were used to buy flowers in the event of a close family members death, to provide snacks for the staff and many other ways. At the end of the year any left over funds were used to buy the entire staff lunch. This is just a couple of examples of how the funds were used.
We would love to see 100% participation from our Collins Family.
100% of staff gathers and celebrates every activity sponsored by the Lighthouse team - this is a great way to support each and every Collins family member.
This year the dues will be $20.00 for Teachers and Administrators and $10.00 for Paraprofessionals.
60% of our staff have contributed to Lighthouse through social dues. Thank you so much for your involvement and support.
Magazine Fundraiser Kick-Off 5th Grade Assembly
Monday, Nov 5, 2018, 09:15 AM
Collins Intermediate, Shadowbend Place, The Woodlands, TX, USA
Magazine Fundraiser Kick-Off 6th Grade Assembly
Monday, Nov 5, 2018, 10:00 AM
Collins Intermediate, Shadowbend Place, The Woodlands, TX, USA
Magazine Fundraiser
The Magazine drive is a school fundraiser for the activity fund that is used to buy stuff you want/need for you class. Marie is merely the manager of the event; the library gets no special benefit.
How it works: Students get orders for magazines from family members and friends. It’s that simple. They can also donate subscriptions to some cool charities (like World Vision and the USO and even Collins Intermediate). Ask any Collins Oldtimer if you need more details.
“Coops” (little chicken keychains, we couldn’t call them chicks) will be coming to your box on Wednesday. Keep it out and use it with your kids to encourage their efforts. Kids like to trade to get the characters they want once the fundraiser begins. A few characters have a QR code inside their wrapper that allows you to make it an Augmented Reality (AR) character. Basically, like Webkins of long ago. You character can come to life online. They will start asking as soon as they see it on your lanyard or desk. Keep it a mystery until Monday.
Kick off assembly is Monday, Nov 5. Fifth grade at 9:15 and Sixth grade at 10:00.
Daily remind students this is a fundraiser that helps the whole school.
After the assembly on Monday, homeroom teachers hand out the packets (that will be brought to your Team Leader on Friday afternoon by library volunteers.) Students should each get a big packet, and a direction sheet on Monday after they kick off assembly.
Students may turn in their cards/orders in the library in the mornings from 8:00-8:45 to collect their prizes. We have to keep a tight time on it because otherwise they come in all throughout the day and it’s very distracting to classes. Also, I can get parent volunteers here to help in the mornings.
Watch KCOL every day to see the mystery Coop of the day. Students who can show you that Coop may come to the KCOL room at the end of the announcement for their prize. Once we have left the KCOL area, they can’t get the prize, so please don’t make them wait. Let them know it pays to pay attention. J
If anyone needs extra forms of any kind let me know. I have it all in the library.
If students bring in orders after the Friday cut off, we will still take them. I will let you know when I’m ready to send them all off.
Thanks for your help with all of this! Let Marie Willingham know if you have any questions.
Student Clubs
Would love to publicize your meeting day/time in the parent newsletter. Would also love updates and pictures from your club meeting. Can't wait to see and hear about the amazing things our groups are doing.
- Announced on KCOL - have announcement written as you want it read - and window of time to make announced.
- Placed in PowerPoint that runs on Havivison - send announcement electronically to Marie Willingham with window of time to say in PowerPoint.
- Placed in the Weekly Parent Newsletter.
- Work to collect email addresses of club members to email parents directly with regular/needed updates.
- Open to any other suggestions.
the parent newsletter. Information due Monday - Noon. Targeted publication Monday PM or Tuesday AM.
Flipping The Switch on Anxiety - Not just a parent meeting
Flipping The Switch on Anxiety
Thursday, Nov 29, 2018, 06:30 PM
The Woodlands College Park High School, College Park Drive, The Woodlands, TX, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Assistant Principal Prose
Sign In - Sign Out
Every staff member - no matter the reason that leaves campus should go to Eduphoria and electronically sign out and then sign back in when they return. Even for a quick McDonald's lunch run!
Click on Image for Steps in Eduphoria for Sign Out/In
GT
GT Nominations begin October 1 through December 18, 2018. You can download forms from our Collins Website or ask Assistant Principal for a copy.
Parent Informational meeting, Wednesday, October 3, 6-7pm, Collins Cafeteria
GT - Required 6 hour update
Conroe ISD will be participating in a 30-day free trial of online professional development. The 6-hour G/T update has never been easier! In the coming days I will be sending out more information but for now, get the word out to your teachers and administrators to take full advantage of this unique opportunity. Here are some details of our trial that will be starting soon:
Website: www.tagtondemand.com
- Teachers can access the courses on their own schedule and revisit them anytime.
- Teachers can access the training from the couch, coffee shop or the little league game.
- Teachers can receive up to 6 hours of CEU/G/T credits.
- Access begins on 11/01/18 for 30 days.
- Every course is self-paced.
- Can select courses that you find more relevant to you.
- Have teachers visit the library now and look through the courses available.
- Entire library is fully accessible on all mobile devices.
- Link and registration code coming soon so your teachers can get started.
5th Grade Field Trips - Change of Dates
November 26th
November 27th
November 28th
November 30th
Specific LC travel dates still being determined.
Staff Pictures 2018-2019
November 8th - 8 AM
Please plan ahead for this event!
All Collins staff members will gather in gym by 8:00 AM.
We will line up by height and be ready to assume our photo position.
Please wear black pants and the gray PTO shirt "Dream Big" shirt for picture.
Technology
Melanie Cockshott and Stephanie Bogenrieder are this week's Connected Cobras!
Did you see who is being recognized for their work using technology w/students?
Did you see the new Tech Tidbits link (to help you fix some situations) on the bottom of my web site?
I have all of this info, and more, on my web page! Book mark it!
Reminder: When you check out a cart, please return it at the end of the day...if you think you may need it for another day, go ahead and check it out for that day, too! We had a teacher today who could not find one of the extra carts, so there had to be a change in plans! That's a hard start for a Monday.
Extra Recess - Sign Up
I have setup an extra recess sign up page under One note in the PE Tab. This sign up will help everyone see who and where extra recess can take place and what times are available. This will help with organization for when your class or LC can go outside. I will also include in One note daily where PE will be located. I have created time slots in Onenote so put either your name or LC. I hope this helps and if you have questions please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks and have a great Tuesday.
Collin
Instructional Rounds
We have just put out a new schedule that should allow teachers the opportunity to participate in an Instructional Walk that have not done so yet. If you find there is not a time slot that fits your schedule, please come visit one of us and we will create a time that works for you and the host teacher.
More odds and ends:
- If a visiting teacher sees the host teacher using an instructional practice they use in their own classroom, they'll continue to use it because they were affirmed of how effective it is. The two teachers could collaborate at a later date and discuss/share ideas for upcoming lessons.
- On the other hand, if a teacher sees the host teacher doing something they do not currently do, they will feel more empowered to try it in their own room.
- Research shows that rounds stimulate excitement and energy among faculty members almost immediately. As a result our practice improves and our students benefit too.
- We have had 20 Instructional Walks (43%) to date. Let's keep going! Visiting a teacher in your subject area makes for a great round--you can even try a different grade level. On the other hand, you can go cross-curricula. If I can repeat what a fine arts teacher shared with me recently, "It was interesting to see one of my students in a different setting." Instructional Rounds give you the opportunity to see things differently!
Thank you host teachers. Your willingness to open your doors and allow us into your classroom is allowing us to take our teaching craft and student achievement to the next level. Thank you to those teachers who have already completed their round. You rock!
Kellie, Shawna and Pat
Warm Up Wednesday
Pants
Black warm up pants of your of your choice (either solid or a stripe down the sides)
Shirt
Current PTO Collins school shirt "Work Hard, Be Kind, Dream Big, Collins Cobras"
An LC created team shirt (that the entire team is wearing)
A PLC created team shirt (that the entire team is wearing)
IF we were to create a Collins Staff shirt - it could be worn in the future.
To conclude - four shirt options and one warm up pant option.
If jeans are worn on Wednesday - staff member must use a "Jeans Pass".
Please remember for our staff picture we are are wearing the Gray "Work Hard, Be Kind, Dream Big, Collins Cobras".
CARE Team - Foundations
Heather Ramsey: LC 5-1, 5-2, 5-3
Paige Kirbo: LC 5-4, 5-5
Melanie Cockshott & Julie Berg: LC 6-1 & support staff
Shawna Yates: LC 6-2, 6-3
Lisa Lackey: LC 6-4, 6-5
Collin Henry: PE and Fine Arts
One-liners
★ Check your Feet
★ Third Tile - Single File
★ Check your Hands
★ Check your Voice
★ Right Side, Safe Side
★ Hats/Hoods off
****** Next Meeting Thursday, November 1st********
Copy Machine Important Update - Dark Print
Teachers & Staff.... regarding item #4 below....in addition to dark borders creating issues with printing and possible jamming problems, it also sucks up toner. Sooo, when printing items with a dark border, please erase those edges.
Something new regarding cardstock copying...
Not only do you have to:
- load the card stock in the side (tray 5)
- select the appropriate paper weight (heavy)
- select the correct paper size
- ensure orientation of the inserted paper matches the selection of the paper size
But, you also should NOT use the duplex function. If you need your card stock to be 2-sided, you should run 1 side...collect your copies and turn them over to run the second side.
Ugh...I know...it's a pain in the tail to have so many rules and processes and procedures, but know they are for the good of us all so our beloved copy machine stays in tip-top shape. Thanks for being rule-followers!
Copy Machine - Please review #5
- When loading paper in his trays, be patient...wait for the tray to completely lower before dropping in a ream of paper. He looks like a strong, tough guy...but he doesn't like surprises and his tray cables are more delicate than we think. They can't handle the force of a ream of paper being dropped in unexpectedly.
- Before loading a ream of paper, it may even be helpful to slightly thumb through/fan the paper to help separate those sheets of paper.
- Mr. Copy Machine is smart. Follow his instructions - in order. In the event of a paper jam, he will tell you how to locate the jam in great detail....be sure to follow the steps listed on his display monitor. Don't automatically assume that the jam initiated in the paper tray. Following his steps in the order listed will reduce the potential for ripped paper pieces getting stuck in unreachable areas of the machine. If it states to turn knob 3, then open tray 1, then remove the paper from slot C...that's what you should do (even if you see the paper in slot C sticking up and waving at you). I can't stress it enough....please FOLLOW the sequence of instructions listed on the display screen.
- Please ensure that all of his levers & lids are shut, lowered and/or replaced properly before pushing the guts back in the machine after clearing a mis-feed/jam.
When things aren't closed properly, it throws off the alignments and sensors to allow paper to flow freely and correctly.
- If you are printing something with a dark border, please make sure the margins are set to at least .4 - anything smaller/narrower than that confuses our otherwise brilliant copy machine and will create problems when printing.
Cardstock...this is a biggie and requires it's own set of bullets
cardstock should always be loaded in the side bypass tray 5 (never in the main trays)
- always identify the paper as heavy weight
- always verify the correct size & orientation of the paper
- If staples need to be replaced, please check with me or Karen Kline to obtain staple cartridge & instructions on the replacement process.
Yearbook
When taking group shots make sure you know the students that are not allowed to have pictures taken. Mrs. Cast will share those names with teachers that have the student in their LC's.
Yearbook on sale now!
$40.00 Now
$45.00 In the Spring