Monday Memo
February 13th - 17th
Success seems to be connection with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit. -Conrad Hilton
We need your help. Please be extremely careful when dialing. The district had a dozen 911 calls last week that were actually just mis-dialed calls. This created an issue with the police department and our SROs. One of the calls actually came from our campus in the cafeteria office. Your help is appreciated!
Our next Team Leader Meeting will be held on Monday, February 13th. If you have a topic or a question that you would like to be added to the agenda, please use this link to make your agenda request. In addition, please be sure that your team leader is aware in the event that we need more information to discuss your idea/question/concern.
Our next round of committee meetings will be held on Wednesday. Please be sure to reach out to your committee chair if you have something that needs to be added to the agenda by the end of the day on Tuesday.
Make today count,
JL
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Our Newest Maverick!!!
Peyton Grace Hardy
February 10, 2017
7.4lbs 21.5in
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T-TESS End-of-Year Conferences
For teachers evaluated this year, you can provide evidence to challenge post-conference ratings based on the rubric, but must also have Domain IV evidence and personal goals.
Attached you will find the T-TESS End-of-Year Conference Overview For Teachers. This will give you further information about what to expect.
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Shoparoo
Did you know that each week I give out jeans passes to the three highest scoring staff members on Shoparoo? I know that many of you have already joined, but if you haven't, it is not too late. Simply go to www.shoparoo.com to create your account. If you use veft4467 as a referral code, McGowen will earn money for you just signing up. Please feel free to push this information out to your parents as well. Once you sign up, Shoparoo will give you a referral code for your parents to use when they sign up. Schools with just 40 supporters are earning an average of $1,000 every year.
Congratulations to Krista Daniel, Barbara Peebles and Ashley O'Connor for being the highest three staff contributors to Shoparoo this week!
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Focus for 2016 - 2017
In order to help every child their personal best, McGowen teachers and staff will:
- Knowledgeably speak about our current practices that contribute to McGowen becoming a Level 1 Certified High Reliability School.
- Actively participate in grade level and content Professional Learning Communities.
- Engage in collaborative team planning and lesson design that addresses the four essential questions of a PLC.
- Present lessons in such a way that students understand and can speak knowledgeably about posted learning and language targets.
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Remind for Staff
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Appreciations
- Stacie - Thanks for always looking out for me! -JL
- SL - Thanks for providing the TELPAS training on Wednesday in spite of your absence. The show must go on! -JL
- Donna - Thanks for pulling more than a fair share of the Spirit Stick sales. I appreciate all that you do for us. -JL
- 2nd Grade - Thanks for the group effort in managing the discipline issue on Friday. Sometimes there is just not enough time in a day. -JL
- Holly Bianchetta - Thank you for putting in the extra effort into modifying the performance last week to incorporate parent feedback. You did an outstanding job! -JL
- Krystina, Tracey and Rico - Thank you for taking the time last week to discuss how to best meet the behavioral needs of your students. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but I'm happy to come back to the table again if needed. -JL
- Jen McCartney and Quin Hance - thanks for jumping in to help us with walker parent pick up duty whenever you're needed!! - Melanie
- Kinder - thanks for your bravery this week and doing a Breakout with your classes! - Melanie
- Burford – Thank you for doing the Kindergarten Fairy Tale Breakout! My peeps loved it!! lp
- Marilyn and Tracie- Thank you for all your help as I learn the ropes! Appreciate you both!! Jen
- Rico, thank you for helping us record in ELAR!! KWard
- Michelle, thank you for always helping in times of need. You are efficient and if you don’t know, you find the answer in a timely manner. Thanks for all you do for us!! KWard
- Deanna, Rico, and Jennifer S., thank you for being flexible in your schedule in order for us to flex group in writing! KWard
- Michelle & Sylvia, thanks for the contacts you made so that Mr. McGowen and Mr. Evans could be highlighted. It was such a special treat! KWard
- Coach – Thanks for covering my class so I could go see my little prince at the Kindergarten Fairytale Ball!!
- Bravo & Prugh – Thanks for all the collaborative talks we’ve had lately about our students. You guys definitely speak my love language. -Hoye
- 5th grade team – Thank you for being such an amazing team and taking care of everything while I was out last week. Love you all! -JD
- Chitwood – Thank you for taking care of my sub and class while I was out last week! You are truly amazing and I’m beyond blessed to have you as a teaching partner! Love ya, JD
- Hoye & Prugh – Thank you for taking care of my sub when she had any science and math questions while I was gone. I am so grateful to be able to collaborate with the two best content ladies I have ever worked with! Love you both, JD
- Bravo – Thank you for taking care of the huge task of Leadership day! You are truly amazing in what you have done and continue to do with Leadership day to teach our students leadership skills and make the program bigger and better every year! I’m beyond blessed to be able to work beside you daily and to call you friend. Love ya, JD
- Burford – Thank you for allowing me to attend TCEA and all you did to take care of me while we were there! I’m so excited about all the cool things I learned there and cannot wait to share it with our McGowen Family! Love, JD
- Prugh & Relle – Thank you for covering my car rider duty last week while I was gone. I owe you both! Love, JD
- Prugh – Thank you for always taking care of situations that deal with fluids that I cannot handle. I owe you big time and several Starbucks drinks anytime you want! Love ya, JD
- Hoye – Thank you for all you do with our science lessons, warm-ups, and exit tickets. I know we have gone through a lot this year with getting into a grove with ELM and planning and I appreciate your flexibility, collaboration, and grace as we continue to figure things out. I love working with you and am looking forward to the years ahead. We got this! Love ya, JD
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Staff- thanks for your patience and understanding during TELPAS training! I love the power of technology! SL
JL, MC, SdL, Donna, Peebles, Stacie- thanks for helping me out while I was out! SL :)
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Bad Dude
We want to recognize Holly Bianchetta as the Bad Dude this week. Along with being a great team player, Holly works tirelessly to foster a love for music in all of our students and provides them with multiple opportunities to showcase their talent. Last week's Black History Month performance, is just one of the many examples of the excellence of her work. Holly continuously seeks out opportunities for her students to perform and welcomes opportunities to learn and grow as a professional. We are so grateful for her dedication to our students and to our team. Thanks, Holly!
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Retirement Education Seminar
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McKinney ISD's Vision, Mission and Beliefs
Any time we have an idea, concern, solution and/or comment, this is the filter through which we should speak. Let's help each other live up to our vision, mission, and beliefs.
Vision:
We are a cohesive, diverse community providing engaging learning experiences for all.
We will provide engaging learning experiences so students can become effective communicators, quality contributors and socially responsible citizens.
Beliefs:
- Partnerships between students, parents, community members and staff are foundational to educational success.
- Positive school culture and a safe environment foster growth.
- Everyone has inherent value and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
- Learning is an active process requiring engaging tasks and engaging minds.
- Relevant and authentic experiences ignite continuous, deeper learning.
- Meaningful relationships enrich learning.
- Confidence fuels risk taking and higher achievement.
- Financial stewardship ensures a tomorrow for education.