Big Top News
September 17th-21st
Ring Leader Tidbits
~Thank you to EVERYONE for working so hard these past few weeks! Things are up and running, and assessments are already taking place! You are all amazing, and I can't tell you how many times a day I think how lucky these students are to have a staff like you guys!! You all make mine and Kathleen's job SO much easier because of how efficient you all are in EVERY position. Shout out to all of you for your hard work and dedication!
~ We want to officially welcome Rebecca Riddle to our 4th grade team! She signed her contract at the end of last week, and she is now officially a member of the staff! Yay!! I have updated the staff roster on One Note that reflects this change. We are excited to have her join the team!
~ Speaking of changes, we want to let everyone know that Liza Garcia will be leaving us sometime in the next few days. She will be going to Greenfield to work in the structured class. We will miss her and wish her the best of luck! Our new ACES aide will be Michelle Casey. She is coming to us from Hafley and has experience in SPED classrooms, including structured and life skills. I will let you know once I hear of the official start date for Michelle and the departure date for Liza. Hafley is working to find a replacement, so we are just in a holding pattern until all positions are filled.
~Thank you to everyone who completed the online form that I sent out asking for opinions about affirmations and how we can improve, as a campus, in areas that were lower on our survey results. I valued everyone's feedback and honest responses. If you haven't had a chance to take it, you can still take it at any time. I wanted to list some of the responses below that were given under the question "What does working in an atmosphere with mutual respect look like, to you?" Take a few minutes to read over these responses, so we can all work to make sure we are respecting each other in everything we do at Elkins!
- Teachers collaborating and taking ideas from another in an atmosphere free of gossip and everyone working as a team. Different perspectives find solutions to problems.
- When we communicate and support each other.
- Mutual Respect, to me, means that every staff member is courteous of others' thoughts and opinions. If someone disagrees, it is done out of respect. It is also nice to hear when students in other grade levels are succeeding and not always hearing about how "you" as a grade level failed to prepare students for the next grade level.
- When members collaborate to find solutions to issues, and have open communication with one another.
- Everyone treats each other with kindness!
- All staff members feeling included in every event. Positive conversations with others around school. No talking behind other staff members back. Ability to have fun and joke around with your co-workers.
- Working together as a team. Seeing the value that every position brings and adds to the picture as a whole. Everyone acknowledging that without all of us working together and doing our best in whatever position we are in (office, custodial, cafe, teaching, etc) our "ship" would not sail. Helping each other. Encouraging each other. Building each other up.
- Realizing just how just 1 minute of my time to ask someone how they are feeling if they haven't been well or compliment them on a new shirt or ask how their day has been can really make someone that is struggling or having a bad day feel important or noticed or valued. I think it is so easy for us to get caught up in our own chaos that we forget about others that are working along side us with a common goal.
- Respect. Give it. To get it.
- An environment with mutual respect should include open communication to make everyone on the same page in regards to academics, expectations, discipline, teacher responsibilities, etc. We all should all be willing to help each other, even if it isn't necessarily part of our "job description."
- Everyone’s voice/opinion is considered
- Respecting each other's knowledge and skills. Working as a team. Listening to each others concerns or comments..not dismissing them. Trust
- Everyone is respectful when speaking and working with others. All voices are heard in a non-biased atmosphere, and all ideas are respectfully addressed.
- People feel welcome to ask questions or make suggestions. Staff members take the time to listen and responds when questions or suggestions are made.
- Staff can communicate praises, strengths, weaknesses, and frustration with respect.
- All working together with little to no negativity. Where everyone does their job without complaint!
- Everyone sees each other as a resource, support
- Just the fact that everyone knows how hard everyone else works.
- Taking more time to collaborate about various programs that are school-wide through committees or planning meetings
~ I am enjoying meeting the new students for lunch this week! I'm "testing" at the end of each session to make sure I know their names! I did pretty well this morning in remembering some of my new friends who walked in the front doors. I'm working to be able to say their names each time when I greet them! After I have lunch with them, I am calling each parent to let them know that I enjoyed meeting them and welcoming them to our school. I hope this will go a long way in making them feel a part of the Elkins family!
School Bulletin
- Our first PTA meeting is this Thursday! We will have pizza for the parents, as well as present the Title 1 information and a bullying presentation by Tammie. An email to parents went out this morning, and the flier is going home today. Please encourage your parents to attend! Please have one representative from your grade level present at the meeting.
- Make sure you upload your TTESS goal and SLO into STRIVE after we have had our meetings. Make sure to email myself or Kathleen to let us know once it's in there, so we can go in and approve it.
- Our first CPAC meeting will be Tuesday, September 25th. This meeting is to look over the campus improvement plan and approve it. It shouldn't take too long. Team leaders, a meeting request went out today. If you cannot attend, please ask a team member to attend in your place.
- The parent/student/teacher compacts that went out didn't have a place for signatures (Don't ask me why... I have no idea what happened). So... we WILL be sending those out again. Please collect those, sign and return once you have your entire class. Please try and get as many of them back as possible!
- Sign ups for clubs will take place next week. I will get that list out in the next few days!
- Our first lockdown drill will be next Thursday. This will simulate a TRUE lockdown, and we will come to your rooms to release you. (Actually, district admin may be the ones unlocking you!)
- We will be completing the grade book checks again this year. I will do our first one this week. Please make sure you have the correct number of grades entered and are entering them in the correct amount of time, per the grading handbook. Thanks for your continued support!
Elk of the Month Criteria
Here is this month's focus:
August/September:
Self Concept
GE:
self esteem
humility
PA:
valuable
happiness
success
DATES TO REMEMBER
Tuesday, September 18th:
- CLC: Writing 4th Grade (8:00 am)
- CLC: Librarians (12:30 pm)
Thursday, September 20th:
- Individual fall pictures
- Kori off campus at meeting
- Parent Academy 5:30-6:30 pm
- PTA Meeting & Parent Information Night- 6:30 pm
Friday, September 21st:
- Hearing/Vision Screening: Kg, 1st, 3rd, 5th
Tuesday, September 25th:
- Tammie out at meeting
- CPAC meeting- 3:00 pm
Wednesday, September 26th:
- 5th Grade Science CLC (8:00 am)
Thursday, September 27th:
- Lockdown Drill @ 9:35 (stay in rooms until doors are unlocked from personnel)
- Parent Academy 5:30-6:30
Friday, September 28th:
- Clubs!
Monday, October 1st:
- All staff (REQUIRED) training on 504 at 3:00 pm
Thursday, October 4th:
- Parent Academy 5:30-5:30
Friday, October 5th:
- Early release for parent/teacher conferences at 11:40
Monday, October 8th:
- Student holiday. Staff district staff development
Tuesday, October 9th:
- Student holiday. Lead4Ward Training for our campus (HDC)
Thursday, October 11th:
- Kori off campus at meeting
- Elk Junior Council meeting @ 3:00
KORI WERTH - PRINCIPAL
Email: kwerth@ems-isd.net
Website: http://www.emsisd.com/site/Default.aspx?PageID=2336
Location: Fort Worth, TX, United States