Monday Memo
Week of January 11, 2016
WICKERSHAM ELEMENTARY
School Announcements & Updates
Student Spotlight Steps
- Identify a student celebration
- Complete the sheet with the sentence starter "I'm in the spotlight because..." (Be mindful of the wording as it will be public and sent home!)
- Send the sheet and student work/artifact with the student to the main office
- Main office will take a picture
- Spotlight will be read on the morning announcements, added to the digital signage in the main lobby, and returned to teacher mailbox
- Spotlight paper should then be sent home with student!
- Repeat steps 1-6 for MORE STUDENTS!
WWWW Suggestion Sign Up- Due Tuesday January 12th!
After more time to digest, we’ve had several great questions and ideas about the “how to” process for WWWW- What Wickersham Wants Workshops.
See the document emailed on Thursday 1/7/15 for a flow chart of the how-to, and please do not hesitate to ask any additional questions!
It is on Schoology, but here is a quick link to submit your workshop suggestions: WWWW-Suggestion Doc
Take a risk and be innovative!
FIELD TRIP REQUESTS/PROCEDURES
All Field Trip Requests need to be submitted to schoology Under Section 4 of the Staff Handbook before February 5th for approval.
JANUARY ASSESSMENT CALENDAR-see attachments on schoology from 12/28 Monday Memo
DIBELS - 1/11,1/12, 1/14
Phonics screener from IU13- 1/20/16
EasyCBM 1/4-1/29 window (all students need to be completed by end of window)
K-2 District Writing Prompts 1/4-1/12 window (scoring during PLC PD time)
3rd Grade CDT 1/21 & 1/22
4th Grade CDT 1/25 & 1/26
5th Grade 1/27 & 1/28
ACCESS TESTING INFORMATION
The ESL team plans to test ACCESS beginning 1/25 until hopefully no later than 2/19. This year will be different due to the majority of the testing being completed online. The Computer Lap has been blocked off or 1/29, and 2/1-2/19 (with many days off in between). A rough schedule for the classroom teachers the testing affects closer to the testing period will be provided. Please discuss any questions with your supporting ESL teacher.
SOCIAL MEDIA-TWITTER
If you are interested in setting up a Professional Twitter Account to start posting to our #WickSDOL2016 so your pictures show up on the Twitter feed, but want support in doing so, please ask Mr. Lipisko or Mrs. Mercado for help!
PBIS Team Needs your HELP!
Every staff member should complete the short survey to help the PBIS Team's Planning
As we revisit our effectiveness and PBIS in January, share your thoughts on the survey below:
January Monthly Celebration Update
After discussion, it was decided to continue with the raffles this month but we will be sure to reiterate behavior expectations. We will have all other components of the assembly so be prepared to participate! The teachers getting pied this month are (names will be "pulled" from a hat for dramatic effect so please act the part):
- K4, K5 and 1st grade-- Kreckel and Kopp
- 2nd and 3rd Grade--Aronson and Miller
- 4th and 5th Grade-- Mercado, Lipisko, Morgan and Miller
The activity this month will be a team building activity in your classroom. Please be sure to share ideas with your team members during our planning times regarding team building activities. This would be a great time to introduce a new morning meeting game or revisit an old favorite. Feel free to email or talk to Sefcik for additional ideas if you're stuck! To help build the team atmosphere, students (AND TEACHERS!) will be allowed to wear a their favorite team apparel (sports jersey, sweatshirt, shirt, etc.) WITH JEANS! The idea behind this month's reward is reiterating to the students that we are a team all working together to be safe, respectful and responsible much like their favorite sports team work together. This is a change from the original idea of having a movie and PJ day due to the DIBELS incentive at the end of the month. An announcement will be made and a flyer will go home regarding students wearing jeans and sports apparel on Wednesday.
Morning Meeting Focus: RESPONSIBLE & RESPECTFUL in the Cafeteria
District Updates & Announcements
Report Card & Grade Files INFO
The grade files for elementary will be opening early and the schedule has been adjusted to not only allow enough time for teachers to enter grades, but also allowing adequate time for administrators to verify free text comments before parent/teacher conferences.
Grade files open for teachers
January 12 @ 2:00pm
Grade files close for teachers
January 25 @ 6:00pm
Admin review free text comments
January 26 – Feb 1
· DO NOT wait until the last day to enter grades.
·
· A news bulletin will be posted in Teacher Access Center tonight stating that the grade entry dates have changed along with a link to a document with some tips to resolve problems that teachers had during MP1.
TEACHERS SHOULD SUBMIT FREE TEXT COMMENTS ON SCHOOLOGY- REPORT CARD INFORMATION FOLDER BY FRIDAY JANUARY, 15TH.
AMVETS National Americanism Contest
It is time for the AMVETS National Americanism Contest. The contest is open to all school age children in grades K5 through 12. This year’s Americanism Contest theme is “What Does Flag Protection Mean to Me?” All entries must be submitted to AMVETS Post 19 no later than February 29th. AMVETS will pick up completed entries, if contacted. See the three attachments for additional details and contest packet.
Strategies for Meeting ELL Needs Online Course
Explore methods for engaging students in cooperative learning, using instructional strategies that appeal to multiple intelligences and applying language in formal and social context. Tackle strategies in vocabulary building and leveraging prior background knowledge to improve comprehension and create opportunities for interactive learning. Learn how to apply these strategies and instructional practices in the classroom to help English language learners develop proficiency.
Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 will be running a 6 week course for 18 Act 48 hours – $40. The course is fully online and will begin on January 18th – February 26th.
To register for this course you can visit: http://www.cliu.org/Page/631 and click on CPETracker Non Member Form at the bottom of the page. Contact Sandy Bowen at bowens@cliu.org or 610-769-4111 x1201, if you have any questions.
$900 Scholarships Available for IU1 ESL Online Certification Program
Beginning March 5th, The Intermediate Unit One (IU1) is offering an online, English as a Second Language (ESL) Program Specialist certification program that fulfills the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) requirements of Act 48 and can also be used toward applying for Level II certification.
This online ESL Program is 18 credits comprised of six, 3-credit courses taught through an online Moodle platform. Each ESL course includes a face-to-face, field-experience component of 10 hours per course in a K-12, ESL classroom setting working under a certified ESL teacher. Each course runs approximately 6 weeks.
Tuition cost is $340 per course. IU1 is offering $900 scholarship reimbursement for the first four courses reducing the total cost for the 18 credit program to $1140.
Interested persons with a valid PA teaching certificate may contact Jenny Lent, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, at 724-938-3241 ext.268 orjenny.lent@iu1.org<mailto:jenny.lent@iu1.org> with questions pertaining to the IU1 ESL Program Specialist certification program and scholarship opportunity.
Interested candidates may also visit the Intermediate Unit One’s website at http://www.iu1.org/services/esl-certification for more information and to access our Frequently Asked Questions documents. Interested candidates can also download the application packet on our website for the next cohort beginning on March 5th. Application packets for the March cohort are due by February 19th.
BrightBytes Survey
The School District of Lancaster will once again administer the BrightBytes survey in all schools to continue to have statistical data for analysis and to help us in planning for technology integration and the use of 21st century skills. This year the data collection window will be set from February 1st – February 29th. (Based on feedback from last year, this year’s window is longer to provide more flexibility to schools.)
The survey takes 10-minutes and should be administered to all students in grades 3-12 (as many as possible for the most accurate results) and all teachers and school administrators.
As noted previously, the survey is research-based and uses statistical modeling to help generate results and analysis. It is provided free to the SDoL through the IU13. It helps the SDoL by providing consistent district and building-based data around technology integration, access and use. Feedback is organized around CASE (classroom, access, skills, and environment).
More information about how to access the survey will be provided closer to the opening of the window. Questions may be directed to Michael Slechta or Terry Tippett.
Science Representative
Please let Mrs. Mercado know by JANUARY 14th if you are interested in being our Science representative at the district level for participation in the review of elementary science curriculum materials. This day-long review is expected to take place in early March. Once the team is organized, and a date for the review is selected, further information will be provided.
Inclement Weather Memo
Please review the most current Inclement Weather memo sent on Friday, January 8th for updated information.
Please make note of the of the following change in our absenteeism policy effective January:
Please review Email sent on December 18th regarding:
Revision to the District's Standard Operating Procedures- Absenteeism
The Standard Operating Procedure for Absenteeism has been revised. This will go into effect January 1, 2016.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
See someone going above and beyond...email or leave a note for Mrs. Mercado so we can celebrate and acknowledge each other through the staff spotlight section of the Monday Memo!
THANK YOU MS. TADLOCK AND MS. LOCKNER FOR YOUR WORK TO MAKE OUR NEHS INDUCTION CEREMONY A SUCCESS!
Week-At-A-Glance
MONDAY 1/11/16
- Mercado Out
- Lipisko/Wertman out AM-contact office for any needs
TUESDAY 1/12/16
- 7:45-8:15 A.M. PD- Team PLCs
- K-5 PLC's Scoring
- Arts Team/ESL/LS Team- PLC Work- See Schoology PLC FOLDER
- Grade Files Open @ 2:00 p.m.
- Mercado Out
WEDNESDAY 1/13/16
- Monthly Celebration
- Early Release PD
THURSDAY 1/14/16
- 3:45-4:15 PD
- K-5 PLC's Scoring-ALL SCORES ENTERED ON GOOGLEDOC SENT BY MR. LIPISKO FOR DISTRICT
- Arts Team/ESL/LS Team- PLC Work- See Schoology PLC FOLDER
- Pizza with Principal
- Lipisko Out
FRIDAY 1/15/16
- Design & Development Day
- No School for Students
LOOKING AHEAD
1/15/16- No School for Students-Design and Development Day for Teachers
1/18/16- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day- NO SCHOOL/OFFICES CLOSED
1/20/16- Wickersham Attendance Meetings, K5 & 3rd OUT LDC Training
1/21/16- Parent Breakfast
1/28/16- K5 & 3rd OUT for LDC Training
1/29/16- PBIS Training- Team Members Out: Hart/Lipisko/Snyder/Mercado/Wertman/Melendez-Swinton/Kopp/Crawford
January Birthdays
1/31 Deb Schnader