Wildcat News 11/13
From the desk of Beckie Webster
Thank you for keeping the focus on student learning:
Did you know our 5th grade students are designing a skateboard graphic to sale at a skate shop? Thank you to Mr. Romero to provide purpose and excitement to a group of students who are eager to participate. Mr. Romero has been connecting us with local businesses like Brooklyn Heights (2 $25 gift cards), branding company for Pioneer Day and Cedar Park Methodist Church (pumpkins) to support our teachers and students with some fun activities. Thank you for your service!
From a parent this week- "I wanted to send a quick email to thank you for the wonderful Veterans day celebration this morning at the school. I was so impressed by the program and the children. They were so attentive, participated and followed directions so nicely.
My kiddos got a big thrill out of seeing their Dad in the slideshow. I don't know if you could see from where you were standing but there was not a dry eye in the back of the room."
Our students are showing the 7 Habits with their participation and behavior-thank you to our staff for your work to teach our students these life skills. It pays off!!!
Updates:
1. Coat Drive continues-these coats will be donated to our students here at WSE who need them. Please encourage your students and parents to participate.
2. 2nd Grade PLC on Monday, 11/16 due to Turkey Trot from 1:50-3:10 in room 103.
3. Faculty Meeting on Monday, 11/16 in the Library at 3:10 (Kinder is bringing snacks), Topic-Vertical Team share-out and Discourse.
4. Kinder PLC on Tues., 11/17 from 1:50-4:00 in room 103.
5. RTI Tier 3 Meeting in the Library at 3:10 (by invitation).
6. Thanksgiving Day Lunch on Wed., 11/18-it is a busy day in the office. Please make sure you arrive and depart the eating area on-time due to the number of visitors we have in the building (we feed over 1000 people). (Places to go eat-front foyer, cafeteria, science lab, maybe outside due to weather.)
7. Turkey Trot on Wed., 11/18-Sponsored by PTA during Specials Time. Please come out an participate or cheer our Wildcats on.
8. 1st Grade PLC on Thurs., 11/19 in room 103 from 1:50-4:00.
9. Sped./Specials/Support Meeting in the Library at 3:10 on Thurs., 11/19. Topic-Campus Learning Walks/Portfolio.
10. 5th Grade Pioneer Day on Friday, 11/19 from 8-12 on the soccer field.
More Updates
11. This is the new state mandated training that ALL staff must complete by Sunday, November 15, 2015. It takes about 30-45 minutes to complete and is interactive so there are questions that you have to answer.
The link is below:
15. We have about 39 people so far with a staff of 98-Please give us some feedback on Wildcat Wed., as we will use this data to make changes-let your voice be heard!
16. Thank you to PTA for hosting our Teacher Appreciation Thanksgiving Dessert Buffet on 11/12 in the Teacher Lounge. This is yet another reason to take part in this project, please record a short video (no longer than 10 or 20 seconds), starting with the phrase, “Thank you, parents, for …” (you fill in the rest!).
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- The video recording can be done with a camera, smartphone, an iPad or even your laptop/desktop computer. The only specification we have is that the video be recorded horizontally and be full of enthusiasm! Be creative!
- Once recorded, please drop the file onto the L-Drive in the following folder: L-Drive/TeamShare/Parental Involvement Day. Also, send a short email to communications@leanderisd.org sharing that you’ve recorded a video, including your name, grade level/subject and campus.
- The deadline to submit a video is 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13.
Show our community the Love!!!!
Why PLCs?
The Seven Keys to Collaboration in a PLC
1. Embed collaboration-Focus on Learning
2. Schedule time during the school day
3. Focus teams on the 4 questions
4. Make products of collaboration explicit
5. Team Norms
6. Have specific and measurable team performance goals
7. Frequent access to relevant student information
Thank you for dedication to improving student learning one student, one small group, one class, one grade level and one campus at a time-I appreciate you all!
"Great schools "row as on"; they are quite clearly in the same boat, pulling in the same direction in unison. The best schools we visited were tightly aligned communities marked by a palpable sense of common purpose and shared identity among staff-a clear sense of "we."
-Thomas Lickona and Matthew Davidson
Whitestone Wildcats!
Our Campus Vision: At Whitestone Elementary we are inspiring the leaders and thinkers of the future!
Mondays C2 t-shirts
Wednesdays Wildcat t-shirts
Fridays College t-shirts
Email: beckie.webster@leanderisd.org
Website: whitestone.leander.org
Location: 2000 Crystal Falls Parkway, Leander, TX, United States
Phone: (512)570-7400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitestoneElementary
Twitter: @whitestone_elem