Team Meadow Update
Staff Update - November 24, 2019
Team Meadow,
I hope that everyone had a fantastic weekend and enjoyed the beautiful weather on Sunday! Can you believe we are in our last week of November?!?
Oh, how I love Thanksgiving! A time set aside to reflect on the things in life which we can show gratitude. We have only a couple of days of school before we have our much needed Thanksgiving Break with family and friends, and I truly hope that your launch into this holiday season is filled with some rest and relaxation.
A few quick items on this brief update…
- Staff Meeting - We will not have a staff meeting on Monday (11/24).
- Thank you to everyone for opening your spaces for our New Teacher Academy this past Wednesday. Our guests were very complimentary, especially when it came to the documentation panels/visible learning, evidence of student voice/empowerment, and flexible seating. Your collaborative spirit and your positive beliefs in students are evident in this space.
- Don't forget: NWEA testing window opens immediately after Thanksgiving Break. We have adequate devices for testing to occur in classrooms, so please coordinate with your team to share devices. Teams should work together to design a testing schedule that works best for the team. Please be sure to complete testing by end of day, December 11th, which will allow all to review data and assist with planning for student supports and needs.
Grateful for you,
Tom
'Tis the Season
As we near Thanksgiving break (7 school days), the return back from this break typically kicks-off the holiday season. And for me, I absolutely love this time of year. It is steeped in family traditions, my faith, and celebrations.
For those who are new and those who would benefit from a reminder, ZCS expects staff to be mindful and respectful of the many diverse holiday traditions in our community. We want to demonstrate to families that our mission is the education of all children. We love every child who enters our school and want him/her to feel accepted. Families and traditions can be stressful enough without the feelings that sometimes come with celebrating a “different” holiday or none at all.
I ask that as we return back from Thanksgiving break, let's please be mindful of our classroom holiday decor and instructional plans. As professional educators in a public school, we must recognize that all of our diverse learners experience life in different ways. Many of our Boone Meadow families celebrate Christmas, but it is important to remember that many of our families do not. We need to be sure we don’t cause children to feel alienated under our roof by doing something that causes a child to feel that there is something wrong with their family. We may enjoy things that come with the season and this time of year, but we need to be respectful of both our diverse student population and school board policy.
In sum, is it okay for students to know if you celebrate Christmas? Sure. They will probably ask you about it and want to talk about it. It's completely fine, but don't make them celebrate it too. Can students talk about Christmas and their upcoming holiday traditions? Sure. But if that's true, we should also allow our students to talk about Diwali and Rosh Hashana with their classmates when these conversations occur. It might come up in community circles, or during hallway greetings. When it does, feel free to engage and ask questions about these celebrations that are important to them. It's okay to seek understanding. However, as public school educators, we need to respect all our students and their beliefs and not come across as promoting one religious holiday over another.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to talk with me, or Lauren.
Respectfully,
Tom
Important Dates & Information
November
25 - Equity Walk after school w/ representative group; No Staff Meeting
27-29 - Thanksgiving Break
December
3 - 2nd grade Family Folk Dance Night
4 - 1st grade Family Folk Dance Night
12 - Boone Meadow Voices Concert
23-Jan 3 - Winter Break
January
20 - MLK Jr. Day (no school)
30 - STEM NIght
February
5 - Global School Play Day
6 - PTO Meeting @ 7:00 (Cafe)
17 - Presidents Day (no school)
18 - Staff Professional Development Day (no school for students)
March
4 - PTO Meeting @ 7:00 (Cafe)
18 - Wellness Night
20 - Boone Meadow Mixer (evening social for adults @ Golf Club of Indiana)
25 - Kindergarten Round-Up
27-April 3 - Spring Break
April
13 - PTO Meeting @ 7:00 (Cafe)
May
6 - PTO Meeting @ 7:00 (Cafe)
22 - Last Day of School
2-Hour Delay Details
A handful of a few important bits of info should we have a 2-hour delay...
- Bus arrival is at 9:50 AM; Kindergarten students arrive at 10:50 AM
- Preschool will open @ 10:15 AM, the car line will begin at 10:05 AM
- Kindergarten teachers will not meet with regular RtI groups on delay days
- Scheduled PLCs will occur after school on delay days
- Early Start Spanish and Bridge will be from 10:00-10:50
- All BAC sites are open at normal times at all sites, except for Preschool BAC, which will open at 10:15 am (car line will begin at 10:05)
- Certified Staff Members: Your expected arrival time is 9:40 when we have a 2-hour delay. If it is safe for you to come earlier, you are welcome to do so, but not expected.
- Administrative Assistants are welcome to adjust their times to the accommodate the 2 hour delay if needed.
- Instructional assistants should plan to arrive on the 2-hour delay time
- Additional information i located on our ZCS website: http://www.zcs.k12.in.us/apps/pages/school_delay_closing_information
E-DAY REMINDER
With a forecast that includes temperatures near 90 degrees this week, a snow day might be the furthest thing from your mind. However, school cancellations can occur for a variety of reasons- power outages, water main breaks, etc. come to mind. if school were cancelled tomorrow, would you be e-day ready? This year, the first cancellation will activate an e-day and will not be made up in May. Please keep this in mind and make sure you are prepared.
As a reminder, the conference (digital leadership/citizenship) e-day has already been prepared at the district level. This will only be used for conferences. Please make sure you are communicating in your newsletters to families about the November 14th e-day. We have been including it in the Weekly School Smore, but the more places it can be seen, the better!
Personal Business Day(s) Requests
For Certified Team Members:
To requests "personal business days," please complete the following process.- Go to the following link, and complete the "personal business request" form. https://goo.gl/forms/CycfilABEUyILbh83
- Once the form is completed, please send a brief email to me (Tom) that includes the date(s) of your request(s). Remember, this should be completed at least 48 hours prior to the personal day.
- Enter your upcoming absence in AESOP as soon as possible. (It can always be deleted later should plans change.)
Thanks -
Contact Us
Email: thundley@zcs.k12.in.us
Website: http://www.zcs.k12.in.us/bme/
Location: 5555 S Main St, Whitestown, IN, United States
Phone: 3178732226
Twitter: @ZCSBoone_Meadow