Monday Memo
August 22nd -26th
"Significant learning happens when we have significant relationships!" -Dr Adolph Brown
I don't know about you, but it's the night before my 42nd first day of school and I still get those nervous jitters. My prayer for us all this evening is that we can overcome the thoughts and energy that often makes this night a sleepless one so that we can start the day well rested and ready to go tomorrow.
While I know that we all have been working very hard the past few weeks, the most important work begins tomorrow. Our job is to help each child achieve their personal best. In order to do that , we must remember all of the things we discussed during Academy. We all need to be consistent with our expectation for ourselves, our students and each other. We must work collaboratively not only to provide the best lessons possible for our students but to help each other perform at our best.
Never underestimate the power you have serving in the role that you do. You can be the amazing teacher who will always be fondly remembered. You can be the teacher who believes in the child so much that they decide to believe in themselves. You can be the teacher who makes math easy or inspires a passion for writing. You get to decide the level of impact and influence you will have on your students. Every day, every lesson and with every interaction, you have the power to choose. Ask yourself daily, "Why does what I am doing today matter, and what am I doing today that will promote students’ desire to learn?"
The relationships you build will determine your success. The children will come as they are. Some will have more baggage than others. Some will be easier to love than others, but all will be watching you. All of them will want your acceptance and encouragement, and all of them deserve it.
I am proud of you and look forward to our year together with great anticipation. You are an amazing group of professionals and our students are blessed to have you. I have never been more proud to say that I am a McGowen Maverick!
Make today count,
JL
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Evening Events
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School Dismissal Manager
Stacie has placed an orange Dismissal Sheet in your box. Please have parents that have not set their child’s default dismissal complete this if they walk their child to your class in the morning.
Stacie will also place a copy of your class report from the Dismissal Manager System in your box in the morning so that you can see who has updated their child’s default dismissal.
All missing students from the School Dismissal Manager System have been added.
If you are still missing anyone off your list in the morning please let Stacie know asap.
We must know how every student is getting home by noon tomorrow.
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Shoparoo
Did you know that each week I give out jeans passes to those who are one of the top three participants on Shoparoo? I know that many of you have already joined, but if you haven't, it is not too late. Simply go to www.shoparoo.com to create your account. If you use veft4467 as a referral code, McGowen will earn money for you just signing up. Please feel free to push this information out to your parents as well. Once you sign up, Shoparoo will give you a referral code for your parents to use when they sign up. Schools with just 40 supporters are earning an average of $1,000 every year.
Congratulations to Barbara Peebles and Carin Thomas for being in this week's top three on Shoparoo!
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Focus for 2016 - 2017
In order to help every child their personal best, McGowen teachers and staff will:
- Knowledgeably speak about our current practices that contribute to McGowen becoming a Level 1 Certified High Reliability School.
- Actively participate in grade level and content Professional Learning Communities.
- Engage in collaborative team planning and lesson design that addresses the four essential questions of a PLC.
- Present lessons in such a way that students understand and can speak knowledgeably about posted learning and language targets.
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Remind for Staff
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Happy Birthday!
August
Sharon Butler - 7th
Laura Sifferman - 9th
Michelle Haas - 10th
Jen McCartney - 13th
Maria Elwood - 24th
Marley Goodwin - 30th
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Appreciations
- Gaby & Tanya- Stacie & I would not have made it without you this week. Thank you for all of your help!!-- Barbara
- Angie- Thank you for your help on Back to School night.-- Barbara
- Lynn- Thank you for getting all of the computers set up on Back to School Night!! I also want to thank you for always being there to help parents that are using the library to register! – Barbara
- Office Team- Thank you for all of the help the last 2 weeks when we had a full house waiting to register!! -- Peebles
- Sheila- Thank you for everything the last 2 weeks!! -- Barbara
- Nurse Shannon-- Thank you for helping me get our students with “ shot issues” registered for the first day of school.- Barbara
- Stacie- Thank you for EVERYTHING that you do !! I could not make it without you!-- Barbara
- Holly, Nick, Gaby and Tanya- Thank you so much for helping me with all my questions and welcoming me to your team! I am beyond lucky!!!! -Amy
- Melanie - Thank you for helping me with all of my technical questions… I am sure I will have more:) You are wonderful!!! Amy
- Donna - Where would I be without you??? You are my angel! Thank you for guiding me through all of my questions and ordering. You are the best! - Amy
- Shout out to my team…thank you for all of your support and help getting ready for the new year!!! Michelle H.
- JL and Sylvia thank you for an awesome Academy week; it is always encouraging and motivating!!! Michelle H.
- Lisa Barton, Jen McCartney, Lori Peterson, and Kristi Ward - Thank you so much for taking time to help me clean the science lab. I could not have done it without you! Love ya, JD
- 5th grade team - Thank you ladies for all the hard work you have put in the last couple of weeks. The collaboration exhibited has proven that we are a strong team and we are going to have an amazing year! Love you Jesse’s Girls! JD
- Cab, Kristi, & Lori - Thank you for loaning me your pink accessories. It brought a smile to my and several other faces all day. Love, JD
- Cab - Thank you for all your help last week. You are always right there to help when I need it and I appreciate you more then you know! Thank you also for making things look pretty for me :) Love ya friend, JD
- Shana & Nikki - I’m so excited to be working with you this year! Thank you for all the great collaboration in math and science planning. Your ideas are amazing and our students are beyond lucky to have you! Love ya, JD
- JL, SL, Cab, and Buford - Thank you for another great academy! I’m pumped about the upcoming school year and all the awesome things we will be implementing. You all rock! Love, JD
- Chit - Thank you so much for all your help last week to ensure our classes are ready to go Monday morning. You are the best teaching partner a gal could ask for. Love ya girl, JD
- Bravo - Thank you for always being energetic, positive, and sharing great ideas. You always look at all angles to ensure what is best for everyone. Love ya girl, JD
- Keri – Thank you for all you have done with ELM! LP
- Rico – Thank you for the video to help our parents! LP
- JD – Thanks for your copier video! LP
- Shambo – Thank you for all of the help this past week it was greatly appreciated by your one armed comrade. – Stacie
- McKeen – Thank you so much my friend for all of your help this past week. – Stacie
- De Leon – Thank you my friend for everything this past week. - Stacie
- Sylvia, Michelle, Melanie, Shiela & Donna - Thank you for all of the time, energy and effort you put into planning and leading Academy. I could not ask for a better team! -JL
- Barbara - Thank you for the endless hours you have put into enrolling and scheduling all of our students. I don't know how you do it, but I am so grateful for you! -JL
- Stacie - Thanks for all of the extra support you have given the last few weeks and for managing all of the School Dismissal Manager questions. You're the best! -JL
- JD - Thanks for managing the Science Lab clean up. I appreciate all that you do to take care of our team. -JL
- Gaby & Tanya - Many thanks to both of you for the hours of time you spent helping the office and working on our ELM materials. We would have been in a world of hurt without you! -JL
- Thank you Stacie for all of your work with dismissal system questions this week!! -Tebo
- Thank you kinder team for being so awesome!-Tebo
- Thank you Jennifer and Sylvia for a fun week of learning!-Tebo
- Thank you PTA for a fabulous pizza lunch!-Tebo
- Thank you Ms. Barbara for being amazing!-Tebo
- McGowen Family, I just wanted to thank the Mcgowan Family for welcoming me back! I am so grateful to be educating young minds with such a great educators by my side! Thank you, Laurie Leotaud
- 1st Grade Team – Thank you for working so hard together to make “Meet the Teacher Night" a success and for working countless hours on planning, including ELM! Great Team Work 1st Grade! We are going to have a great year! Love you, Laurie
- JL & SL, Thank you Jennifer and Sylvia for bringing me back to my 1st grade family! Love you, Laurie
- Lori- Thank you for setting up the classroom. It looks wonderful!!! All of your help is much appreciated. -krystal
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Bad Dude
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McKinney ISD's Vision, Mission and Beliefs
Any time we have an idea, concern, solution and/or comment, this is the filter through which we should speak. Let's help each other live up to our vision, mission, and beliefs.
Vision:
We are a cohesive, diverse community providing engaging learning experiences for all.
We will provide engaging learning experiences so students can become effective communicators, quality contributors and socially responsible citizens.
Beliefs:
- Partnerships between students, parents, community members and staff are foundational to educational success.
- Positive school culture and a safe environment foster growth.
- Everyone has inherent value and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
- Learning is an active process requiring engaging tasks and engaging minds.
- Relevant and authentic experiences ignite continuous, deeper learning.
- Meaningful relationships enrich learning.
- Confidence fuels risk taking and higher achievement.
- Financial stewardship ensures a tomorrow for education.