BESTeam Tidbits
September 18, 2016
As we enter the fourth week of school, take some time to reflect on the quote tfrom Simon Sinek. Take a minute to write a reflection in your Bransford journal about what this means to you.
To me, as I work on this newsletter on Saturday night while watching my Red Raiders continue to search for a defense while running up the score board, this quote speaks directly to my heart. I could be stressed that I have homework due, newsletters to write out, the campus improvement plan to finish, and a plethora of parent emails to respond to, not to mention the three lovely ladies running around the couch deserving attention. However, I do not feel stressed. On the contrary, I feel incredibly blessed. I feel blessed to be in a job that allows me to work with and learn from each of you daily; a job that affords me repeated opportunities to see students excited about learning, discovering, creating, and growing; a job that challenges me each and every day. Working toward the goals outlined in LEAD 2021 for the students and staff at Bransford Elementary is a true passion! Though the work is difficult and time consuming, it is rewarding and exciting!
I look forward to seeing your reflections on Simon Sinek's often quoted words above. Thank you to each of you for sharing your passion for education with the students, staff, and families of BES! Thank you for your passion for building an excellent school together!
What's your super tech power?
Watch DOGS
Tuesday, 9/20
- Richard Brown: Matthew/Ritter
- Tommy Snyder: Noah Snyder/Chapman
- Open
- Open
Friday, 9/23
- Greg Takacs: Takacs/Marino
- Matt McNicholas: Raine McNicholas / Ms. Floyd
- David Billinger: Ethan & Owen/Hill&Ryan
- Open
Thursday, 9/29
- Drew Cashatt: Megan&Mason/Hockenbrough&Engle
- Open
Friday, 9/30
- Steve Namy: Michael/Mrs Vise
- Michael Rowntree: Hudson and Anna Rowntree, Mrs. Hill and Marino
- Matt Hammons: John (Hill) Luke (A. Kaufmann)
Power of YOU!
Celebrations
- Thank you for taking time to create your Laps for Learning classroom posters with your students!
- Thank you for taking to heart the POWER OF YOU! I have received several emails from parents praising many of you for the inspiring words and acts of kindness you have bestowed upon their students.
- Thank you Tonya and Cathy for getting all of our students established in Istation!
- Thank you teachers for getting BOY assessments started!
- Thank you to the cafeteria monitors for collaborating to make lunch an enjoyable experience for all Texans!
- Wonderful start to PALS this week!
GREAT Super Charged Tuesday! Thank you for encouraging students to come each day with their devices charged!
AMAZING start to goal setting conferences! Tonya and Jamie are looking forward to meeting with everyone!
A big SHOUT OUT to Sue for an OUTSTANDING Laps for Learning pep rally! The students and parents are excited for Laps!
Great race dots! Thank you Abbey and Scott for the entertainment at the Laps pep rally!
To do...
- Tech Super Power: Please see above.
- Spring Creek: Sign up here for your shift.
- Principal Panel: Please share the following link with students regarding principal panel. I will also share the link in the parent newsletter. Kinder, I will place copies in your box on Monday for the paper applications. All applications are due on Monday, September 26, 2016 by 2:55 p.m.
- Sunshine Committee: Please turn in Sunshine money to Abbey by October 7. Thank you!
- United Way Representative: Are you interested in being the BES campus United Way Campaign Manager. The United Way contribution campaign will kick off in October. Managers will need to distribute and then collect pledges forms to/from all staff, and then deliver your campus donation to Finance by the deadline. (Instructions will be sent to managers by October 7.) Let Jamie know ASAP.
- Before/After School Activities: Are you planning on having a before/after school activity? Please complete this form so we can update our website with all of the great happenings of our campus. Thank you!
- Flex Learning: The new Flex program is ready for 2016-2017. Visiting the following link from the district website (http://www.gcisd-k12.org/Domain/3804), you will see the requirements, understand why Flex is important to our profession, and get access to the site. Once you get to the actual Flex site, find the tab that represents your job so you know which modules to complete.
The due date for completing Flex is October 19, 2016. Remember that FLEX encompasses the compliance-type professional learning that is required each year (Bloodborne Pathogens, FERPA, etc.) Instructional staff receive 2 paid days (Flex Days) to complete the training. This way you can complete it when it is most convenient for you. Paraprofessionals will be afforded time during the week in August to complete Flex time.
Dyslexia Simulation: If you are new to BES or did not participate last year, please make plans to attend one of the remaining dates for dyslexia simulations:
Student Voice
Please view this new SMORE . Student voice powerful, simple, free concept. It summarizes the concept of "voice" in GCISD, provides some options for teachers who want to join the movement, invites teachers to participate in a collaboration session, and shares additional resources. We have started a new hashtag to collect district insights and ideas - #GCISDVoice Please share "voice" ideas and examples from your campus this year.
Ways we are gathering and using student voice at BES:
- Principal panel (see above for applicant information)
- Library liaisons
- KC Club
- Please share how you are using student voice in your areas!
3-D Printer
Thanks to a generous donation from Staples, your campus is receiving a Makerbot 3-D Printer. The printer, accessories and supplies will be sent to your learning commons next week. While you may house the printer where you would like, I would suggest that it reside in the learning commons so that all classes may have access.
You will receive the following:
MakerBot Printer
MakerBot Scanner (allows you to scan a physical object and turns the scanned image into a file that can be printed)
Several spools of plastic filament in various colors
Training has not yet been scheduled. However if you have an adventurous, tech savvy person on your faculty they may feel free to open it and dive in. Much of what can be learned is on their YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/makerbot
In addition to the printer and supplies an empty computer cart will be sent so that your printer may be mobile and in order to provide storage for the supplies.
Thanks again to Staples for this very generous donation.
FYI
- Watch DOGS: Each week, we will be posting the names of the volunteers coming. Please let us know if you have any questions.
- Staff Attendance: Remember to let Jamie, Tonya, Denise, Shelly, and your team know when you will be out. Thank you!
- GCISD Reads: Check out the information on the new reading challenge. https://www.smore.com/cyf5c-gcisd-reads
- Periscope: As a reminder, we do not allow the use of Periscope in GCISD.
- Technology Update: We are using the new technology work order system. Students will also have the ability to enter work orders for their devices. Click here for the instructions to enter a technology work order. Click here and here for signs for your classroom.
- Report Cards: Report cards will ALL be online this school year. Thank you for helping to spread this change to families.
- SAGE: Staff members can join SAGE, Supporting & Activating Gifting Education, for free through September 15. This is a great opportunity to stay informed about gifted education in GCISD.
- No Picture Signs: Please take note of the no picture signs outside of some classroom doors. These signs are indications that one or more of the students in the classroom have photography restrictions. Please check with the classroom teacher for more information if you are going to take pictures in that particular classroom. Thank you!
- Flu Clinic: Mark your calendars for Friday, October 14 for the annual flu clinic from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the staff lounge.
Cornerstone Tasks
PTA News
- Website: PTA has a new website! Check it out here! http://www.bransfordpta.com/
- Watch DOGS: They will start on campus on Tuesday. Our goal is to give you advance notice about visitors coming to our campus. Thank you for welcoming our volunteers to BES!
- PTA Grants: Thank you for turning in PTA grants to Jamie the day before executive board meetings. This affords time for Jamie and Lis to review all grants before the meeting starts. Any grants turned in late will be saved for the next meeting. The next PTA executive board meeting is October 7.
- Laps for Learning: Excitement is building for the annual Laps for Learning event! Get your sneakers ready for Laps for Learning on Friday, September 30. We will all be walking, jogging, and cheering on our terrific Texans as we raise funds for our campus.
- CELEBRATION: 100% of staff joined PTA!!!! Thank you for joining PTA!!!!
T-TESS Updates
- Click here for the updated walkthrough format.
- Thank you for working on your T-TESS Goal Setting/PLP during August. If you need assistance with your T-TESS Goal Setting/PLP, please let Jamie, Tonya, or Cathy know.
Attendance
Call for Outstanding Student Nominations
Nominate your outstanding 4th-8th graders for summer 2017 Lone Star Leadership Academy camps! Participants travel to the Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin/San Antonio, or Houston/Galveston area to join delegations of other distinguished students from across Texas for a week of fun, learning, leadership development, and visits to significant Texas destinations. Each day participants explore notable Texas sites, learn about unique careers from professionals, and work in small groups to develop specific leadership skills. In addition to improving their leadership abilities, participants gain self-confidence and independence and develop new friendships with other high-achieving students from across the state.
Nominees must:
· Be in 4th-8th grade
· Maintain an 85 or higher average
· Demonstrate leadership ability
· Be involved in school/community activities
Nominate your outstanding 4th-8th graders online at:http://educationinaction.org/nominate-leaders
Nomination Deadline: Friday, November 4, 2016.
2016-2017 BES Goals
Creating a positive welcoming environment for our students and staff where risk taking is encouraged and embraced
Using student voice to influence decisions in our classrooms, hallways, and building
Using the Units of Study in each grade level to create a systematic approach to writing
Starting CORE visits to learn from the experts on our staff
Taking time to build relationships with staff, students, and families
Celebrating the GCISD reading challenge with our students and staff
Use the new Learning Platform Rubric and T-TESS to assist us in our growth toward a learning platform
Develop students and staff who are skilled problem solvers, collaborative workers, effective communicators, global citizens, and self-regulated learners
2016-2017 Information
Dates to Know
***Please check the BES master calendar on Google for updates***
- September 17: Constitution Day
- September 19: Learning Leaders at 3:15 p.m.
- September 20: Staff meeting (details below) & Spring Creek BBQ Spirit Night
- September 23: BES Spirit Day
- September 28: Talk with Texans 12:00 p.m.
- September 30: Laps for Learning
- October 3: CEC 3:10 p.m. & Snuffer's Spirit Night
- October 6: GT LEAD Curriculum Night
- October 10: Student Holiday/Staff Professional Learning
- October 14: End of 1st 9 Weeks & Dad's Club Movie Night
- October 20: BES Spirit Night at Kendra Scott
Week at a Glance
Monday
Melanie Gonzalez on campus with Cathy
Choir @ 2:55 pm
Girls On The Run @2:55pm
Learning Leaders in Learning Commons at 3:15 p.m.
Tuesday
Watch DOGS start
Tonya to testing training
3, 4, 5 science teachers meeting with Cristi and GES at BES 3:15 p.m.
All other classroom teachers meet with Cathy at 3:15 p.m. in the Cathy's room
Para time sheet meeting at 3:00 p.m. in the Learning Commons
Spring Creek BBQ Spirit Night 5-9pm
Bricks 4 Kidz @ 3:00pm
Wednesday
Stem Scopes training during Wednesday meeting time
Jamie’s principal meeting
Thursday
Abbey at Suicide Prevention Training
Choir @ 2:55pm
Watch DOGS
Friday
Jamie: Units of Study training in Houston
Cathy C&I at PDEC
Girls On The Run @ 2:55pm
Jamie Halliburton
Email: jamie.halliburton@gcisd.net
Phone: 806-441-6518
Twitter: @BESHalliburton