Team Thomson News & Notes
October 22, 2017
Important Information for You!
Halloween Parade and Parties
We are getting close to our students most favorite school day of the year - Halloween! Please be sure to be diligent with our food allergy policies when planning your class party. In addition, please include costume expectations, parade details and party plans in your parent newsletters. Costumes are required to be kid friendly. This includes students, staff, and any guests (be sure to share this in your classroom newsletters) that come to join the fun...kid friendly means no scary or gory costumes. No weapons (guns, swords, bow & arrows, knives) are allowed. For safety reasons we don’t wear full masks at school. This sounds like a lot of no’s, but I trust that your conversation with your students will be age appropriate and positive. Also, students will be allowed to wear their costumes to school on Thursday.
Our Thomson costume parade will take place at 10 a.m. Thursday morning. The plan is to exit the doors by the library and walk the inside perimeter of the playground and re-enter the doors by rooms 22 & 23. Parents and family members are to be outside the fence. I know that it may be chilly, but unless it is raining our parade will take place outside since we are doing one big parade instead of two separate ones. Please keep your fingers crossed for no rain on Thursday!
Classroom Circles
I wanted to send out a quick reminder of the expectation I shared with you at the beginning of the year on holding Classroom Circles at least two times a week. Remember that these circles are for community building and part of our restorative practices policy. As Holly Halabicky modeled for us at the District PD, it only takes a few minutes to give everyone a moment to have his or her time to share whatever your topic is for that circle.
Report Cards & Parent Teacher Conferences
As we move toward report card time, I want to remind everyone how important it is to report student achievement and behavior accurately. If a student receives a 2 or below in an academic or Cardinal Code area it is extremely important to include something in the comments about why. While I know that you will be meeting with parents at conferences, these comments are very helpful for future teachers as they can then refer to this record as well. Also, if there are any conferences you would like me to be a part of please get with Anna or Sue to put it on my calendar.
PD Schedule for Friday, October 27th
The PD Session (8:00-11:00 AM) on Friday (October 27) begins promptly at 8:00 AM with a webinar in the Hahn Cafeteria/Gymnasium. It is important that all attendees are in their seats for the 8:00 AM start. Remember to bring your laptop or Chromebook as well as specific intervention data and student names to input into PIVOT.
All classroom teachers, tech teachers and PE teachers (not attending the SHAPE conference)
· Topic: Pivot: Data Warehouse/Interventions and Edupaths
· Time: 8—11 am
· Where: Hahn Cafeteria
· What to Bring: Laptop or chrome book, headphones or earbuds, paper, writing device, present interventions being delivered and to whom
Music Teachers will be meeting as a group, same time, but out at Siple
Special Ed Teachers, Speech Therapists and Counselors will be meeting with Holly location TBD.
Parent-Teacher Conference Appointments and Reminders
Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled by appointment on November 8th and 9th this year. With intersession coming we will want to get reminders to parents and firm up appointments prior to our leaving for break. Conferences take place the week we return from Intersession Break. If you have parents that have not signed up for a conference time, please contact them to schedule one. If you are unable to contact a parent, please schedule a time for them. All parents should receive a Parent-Teacher conference reminder note this week with a return signature date confirming the appointment time. Please ask parents to return these by Wednesday, October 25, so that you can reach out again to any of them that you do not hear back from. As you know sitting down with parents face-to-face is one of the most important factors in building relationships with them and positively influencing the home-school connection and student success.
'Office Hours'
Since this Thursday is Halloween Party Day, I will not be holding lesson planning/curriculum discussion 'office hours'. However, I am happy to sit down with any of you during your planning time this week if you'd like. Again, please get with Anna or Sue to put it on my calendar and I will meet with you in your classroom or with your PLC group.
Quotes Worth Reading
Mr. Harper shared the following in his newsletter and I loved it:
POINT TO PONDER: SPIRIT OF POSITIVITY
CAN'T-DO.
We've never done it before.
We don't have the resources.
It will never work.
We don't have the expertise.
It will never fly.
I CAN'T.
CAN-DO.
We have the opportunity to be first.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
We will give it a try.
Let's network with those who do.
We'll never know until we try.
I CAN.
BE A "CAN-DO" TYPE OF PERSON. BELIEVE IN AND TEACH THE POWER OF POSITIVITY!
Also, remember there is a difference between support and being positive. Not all support is positive. Be mindful that the support you give raises those around you and the support you accept raises you!
Thomson Elementary
Home of the Thomson Teddies!
And..
Where Kids Come First and Futures Begin!
Email: nmiller@davisonschools.org
Website: www.davisonschools.org
Location: 617 East Clark Street, Davison, MI, United States
Phone: 810-591-0911
Celebrations & Announcements
Anna Eastridge will be covering Julie's classroom until the scheduled long-term sub Dee Callan finishes her current long-term position and is able to start November 13th. Additionally, I'd like to announce that Anna Eastridge has accepted the special education position for Thomson and will move into that position once Dee begins.
Important Upcoming Dates:
- Week of October 22nd-PLC Week
- Tuesday, October 24th-CPR Training for the MERT & Crisis Team members, 4-7 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 25th-Staff Meeting, 7:35 a.m. (Agenda: Behavior Committee review, Parent-Teacher Conferences); Baffling Bill visits
- Thursday, October 26th-Halloween Parties!
- Friday, October 27th-Half-day PD/Half-day Teacher Work-Records Day
- Monday, October 30-November 3-Intersession #1
- Monday, November 6th-Cool to Care begins; Board of Education Meeting, 7 p.m. H.S. AMR
- Wednesday, November 8th-Elementary Principals Meeting (Natalie), PTO Fundraiser Pick-up 4:30-8:00 p.m.; Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:30-8:00 p.m.
- Thursday, November 9th-No school for students; Parent-Teacher Conferences 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (with one hour lunch) & 4-8 p.m.
- Friday, November 9th-No school for students or staff