Monclova Primary
Weekly Bulletin
Events for Week of March 18 - March 31
Sunday, March 17
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Monday, March 18
Tuesday, March 19
Lunch with the Principal - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm - conference room
Wednesday, March 20
End of 3rd Quarter
Tornado drill - 9:50 am
Wax Museum rehearsal - 2:30 pm - (classes visit)
Wax Museum - 6:30 - 7:00 pm - Blaesing, Rowe, Soli
Thursday, March 21
AWAKE Shirts and jeans
Staff Meeting - 7:30 am
Principal/Director Meeting - 1:00 - 3:00 pm (Betsey out)
Wax Museum rehearsal - 2:30 pm - (classes visit)
Wax Museum - 6:30 - 7:00 pm - Frederick, Stroshine
Friday, March 22
Spring Break Begins!
March 23-31
SPRING BREAK
Announcements
Thank you:
Mrs. Martinez and the 2nd grade team for all the hard work put into the 2nd grade music program. It was a HUGE success as I heard many comments from families on how much they enjoyed it and how well behaved our students were during the performance. Your dedication to Monclova is greatly appreciated!
Mrs. Bigelow for overseeing movie nights this year. It is a favorite MAPS sponsored event that you help make a success each time!
Reminders:
Third quarter Grades are to be finalized by Wednesday, April 3 at 8:00 am. IEP progress reports and RIMP updates must be sent home on this day, too. Please make sure to follow all deadlines!
Please be cognizant of the calendar and upcoming events. Once we return from spring break, the months of April and May are packed with significant events. April will have all of the AIR testing taking place so carts will be in 3rd and 4th grade 8 days. April and May have several school wide programs, field trips, staff celebrations, professional development and more!
AIR testing for 3rd and 4th graders will be as follows:
3rd Grade ELA Test – April 16 and 17, each section is up to 90 minutes in length
3rd Grade Math Test - April 25 and 26, each section is up to 75 minutes in length
4th Grade ELA Test – April 09 and 10, each section is up to 90 minutes in length
4th Grade Math Test - April 23 and 24, each section is up to 75 minutes in length
The carts will be with 3rd and 4th grade on testing days. Specials will be switched for 3rd and 4th graders on days that 3rd grade tests. Also, due to the number of accommodations students require, there will be testing in the conference room, room 190, room 209 and some office areas. Please make sure to check schedules of rooms as you plan out activities during April. While most test on the days listed above, there will be small group testing taking place on other days as well.
April 8 - 22 is our spring benchmarking and last measure in STAR for SGP purposes. I realize with AIR and STAR, the need for technology is great, but just like last year there are enough days to complete all testing. Please see Jill and/or Betsey regarding special circumstances with your class.
April 22 will be our 2 hour delay and staff meeting. We will be combining with the other primary buildings for the 1st of several trainings on Fountas and Pinnell's Literacy Continuum. The training will be in the Monclova community room from 7:30 am - 10:00 am. More information will be shared as details are finalized.
Please log into eTPES and make sure you have everything "PINNED". All formal and informal observations need to be pinned by you entering your PIN number. After Wednesday of next week all observations will be completed! Student growth measures will be entered after April 22, the completion of spring benchmarks.
Words of Wisdom and Action..............................
Student motivation is something each teacher battles throughout a school year, however, I am impressed daily how you go out of your way to find interests for your students. The conversations about their personal lives goes so far and extends the caring relationships you have already established. Here is a quick read with some ideas you may have even tried or observed.
8 Ideas for Keeping Reading Motivation High
We want our students to finish the year deeply engaged with self-selected texts, maintaining a sense of urgency about the importance of their reading lives. These eight ideas will help keep interest high until the last bell of the school year rings.
Tidy the Tubs
Give everyone a book tub and a few minutes to straighten it. Students check to see if all the books in the tub belong there, return misplaced books to their correct homes, and tidy it up by making sure all the covers face front. This brief activity accomplishes two things: the library gets a quick cleanup, and interest in books is generated. It isn’t uncommon to hear, “Oh! I want to read this!” or “_______, you would love this book, because you are interested in books about _________.”
Student Book Talks
If you grew up with Reading Rainbow, an image immediately comes to mind of what happened right after LeVar Burton said, “But you don’t have to take my word for it.” Student recommendations can be highly effective ways to increase interest.
Teacher Book Talks
Grab a stack of books you believe students will love. Briefly tell about the plot of each one or read its blurb. Ask who wants it. If more than one person wants a particular book, put names on a sticky note. Students will pass it to the next person on the list when they are finished.
Teacher Recommendations
When we know who they are as people and as readers, it becomes second nature to match our students with books, especially when we are voracious readers of children’s literature ourselves. Students are often highly motivated to read a book when it’s accompanied by the words “I found this book and thought of you.”
Add Variety
Bring in newspapers, poetry, graphic novels, and magazines.
Book Trade
If you do not have an extensive library and students are ready for some new material, do a temporary trade with another teacher. Swap tubs for a month.
Public Library
Bring new choices in by borrowing books from the public library. The librarian can suggest titles and authors for your age group.
Read Around
Read Around is an idea that came from Steven Layne and is one of our favorites. Students get to preview a book or magazine for about a minute. When you say, “Pass,” they pass the book to someone else. Students add items they are interested in to their “want to read” list.
It doesn’t take a lot of time or money to keep motivation high. These ideas will help your readers stay engaged until they have to leave you for the summer.