Monday Morning Motivation
Central Elementary Staff News----October 24--October 28
Work Hard, Play Hard!
Dear Staff,
This past week of parent/teacher conferences, I was struck several times by how little the public knows or grasps what is expected of educators beyond teaching curriculum. There are not many people who are willing to walk a mile in your shoes to realize this. Nevertheless, those who live with an educator know the truth. You work very hard!
Although frustrating at times, I try not to get too hung up on people not understanding and give them some grace. Unless you are in the trenches, one cannot really know how difficult it is or the level of training it takes to be good.
That's just it; you are good at what you do! You make this job look easy in so many ways, which is why I think people ask for more. It is o.k. to set limits with your time and take care of you. The impact of this work is so fulfilling and significant. I encourage you not to be too hard on yourself and enjoy your teaching. In the end learning should be fun for both students and teachers!
I am grateful for the lessons you plan, the environment you create, and friendships you help foster in the classroom. I appreciate the time and energy you give to this profession. As we enter the second quarter, I encourage you to work hard and play hard, too.
Have a great week!
Julie
Two Weeks at a Glance
Central Calendar
MONDAY, October 24
- Star testing begins
TUESDAY, October 25
- INALI leadership group to come tour Central Elementary
WEDNESDAY, October 26
- Community Forum -Drugs/Teen Violence PHS at 6:30 p.m.
THURSDAY, October 27
- Team Leader Meeting 7:30 a.m. Please send agenda items by Wednesday
- Allies for Education meeting our new media center 6:00 p.m.
FRIDAY, October 28
- Fall Parties
- United way fund raiser for students 1.00 to wear costume
MONDAY, October 31
TUESDAY, November 1
- Professional Development committee 7:45 a.m.
- WIDA meeting central office
WEDNESDAY, November 2
- Everyday Math Textbook Adoption Committee Meeting Clarks Creek LGI 4:15-5:15
- School Board Candidate Forum 6:30 p.m. PHS
THURSDAY, November 3
- RTI Committee Meeting 7:45 a.m.
- CPI Training Middle School
FRIDAY, November 4
- Spanish Classes to Visit Central Elementary
- Family Fun Night
Parent Teacher Conferences by Numbers
- We have 574 students at Central.
- There are 24 grade-level teachers plus special education and specials teachers who were available for conferences.
- According to our sign-in sheets, teachers held 482 separate conferences.
- Please let me know if something came out of conferences which you think I need to be made aware. Also, if you have suggestions or concerns for our parent-teacher conference process, please let me know those as well.
Announcements and Reminders
STAR Testing week of October 24th
· November 15th Data Team Meeting
· December STAR Middle of the Year testing (window opens 11/28-12/22)
· December 20th Data meeting
Legacy Grants are available. The fall grant deadline is November 1st. I would like to see at least one teacher from Central Elementary submit an application.
- Math Textbook Adoption will look very different than in the past. Stay tuned if you are on the committee. Check out materials in the teacher's lunchroom
Family Fun Night-If you are interested in volunteering, you can sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e44a5ad22a6ff2-family1/
High School Spanish IV Class to visit on Friday, November 4. The students will teach a 30 minute lesson to grades 1 – 5. I appreciate your help and willingness to host my students. 9:00 – 9:30 – Central Visit
November 11 we are having a Veteran's Day program. April Miller is working hard to put this together. Just putting this on your radar.
November 2-Kick-Off-Major Saver (November 9-14 Collection) is looking forward to another successful campaign and partnership with the Plainfield Community Schools and the Plainfield Community Schools Legacy Foundation. Below are the campaign dates and details about this year’s campaign.
Shrek the musical is presenting to our students on November 18th at 9:00.
Fall Parties
Teachers will coordinate volunteers for individual classroom parties. Make sure your volunteers have background checks on file. Please send the list of volunteers to Karen.
Fall Parties are October 28th.
K- 2:45-3:30
1- 2:00-2:45
2-2:30-3:15
3-2:45-3:30
4-1:30-2:15
5-2:45-3:30
United Way
The Plainfield community School Family will, once again this year, be participating in the United Way of Central Indiana fundraising efforts. Central is proud to participate. This is an excellent opportunity for us to teach our children about the importance of giving to others through charitable donations.
Event for Teachers
Beginning Monday, October 17th-October 28 teachers can purchase a 35.00 Jeans Day Pass, which is good for 10 days of casual jeans dress.
Event for Students
Students can wear their costume for a dollar on October 28th (fall party day).
Costume Guidelines (This is going home to parents via email on Monday; let me know if I am missing anything.)
- Costumes must be school appropriate--family friendly.
- Students may not wear masks of any kind or cover faces.
- Costumes must not contain weapons that resemble or could be mistaken for real weapons. Additionally, wings, light sabers, swords, etc cannot be brought to school. Please save those for home trick or treating.
- Costumes must not drag or reach the ground. Shoes must be worn.
ISTEP+ 2017
There will no longer be Book 2 sessions of ISTEP. Instead, new pilot items will be added to the live administration of ISTEP, but will not be included in school or student accountability measures. This will increase some of the testing session times, but will not be overly long.
ISTEP multiple choice questions that were included in the Applied Skills portion of the test will now be eliminated.
The ISTEP Science test will include new tech enhance question items that will be for piloting purposes only.
We will more than likely take the multiple choice portion of ISTEP online again (grades 3-5).
ISTEP Practice Tests are approved for use as instructional preparation again this year.
- Beginning with this year’s ISTEP, 10 graders will need to pass ISTEP for the graduation requirement. Students who do not pass will be given two opportunities in the their 11th and 12th grade school years to pass
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
Many ISTEP preparation support items are now available in the IDOE website including new released items and the ISTEP Experience.
ISTEP+ Grades 3-8
MATH:
- Item Sampler Video
- Item Sampler PowerPoint
- Instructional and Assessment Guidance Video
- Instructional and Assessment Guidance PowerPoint
SCIENCE: (Grades 4 and 6)
- Item Sampler Video
- Item Sampler PowerPoint
- Instructional Guidance and Assessment Video
- Instructional Guidance and Assessment PowerPoint
SOCIAL STUDIES: (Grades 5 and 7)
- Item Sampler Video
- Item Sampler PowerPoint
- Instructional Guidance and Assessment Video
- Instructional Guidance and Assessment PowerPoint
ELA:
Staff Celebrations!
- Our hats off to Karen and Margaret for working under pressure to make sure we had report card envelopes. As Karen likes to say, Thanks for "taking care of business."
- Jill we appreciate your coordination on United Way.
- September Attendance 97.76 percent!
- Congratulations to all of you for doing an excellent job of reporting Common Assessments CAFALL was a success!!
- Thank you Diana White for adding more positive recognition in the cafeteria. The rising STARS look great!
- Jennie Menser we appreciate you leading our Central Celebration and for heading up our committee to make it even more fun. Our next one is January 13th at 9:00.
- Congratulations on a successful parent teacher conference day!
- Congratulations to Lexy for getting married. We are happy for you!! Welcome Mrs. Hollingsworth back to Central on Wednesday!
- Nancy Chandler (2nd)
- Diana Cragen (4th)
- Jill Maple (11th)
- Shonda Meranda (21st)
- Shelly Weaver (23rd)
- Kim Lease (25th)
- Megan Johnson (31st)