Staff Weekly Update
For the week of September 19th, 2016
“Good teachers have said this for a long time — mistakes help us. We can learn from mistakes. But this is a much more powerful message: that we can learn only from making mistakes. Weneed kids making mistakes. If kids are not making mistakes — if they’re not struggling — we’re limiting their brain growth.
Check out www.youcubed.org for some INCREDIBLE math resources that help *you* understand math better in order to teach it better. Our Math Leadership Group was introduced to her book at our first meeting at Butler University! YOU WILL LOVE HER RESEARCH!
Hokki Stool Sign-Up Sheet
- Once all 60 have arrived, James will get these unpacked and will deliver to Mandy.
- Mandy will get bar codes placed on them and she will "check them in" to the Destiny system (same system used for our library books).
Follow these directions to request more for your room:
- Under our SG Staff Files look for the file titled, Hokki Stools Sign-Up
- Fill out the form. I have done an example for you on the first line.
- Mandy will check this sheet and she will check these out under YOUR ACCOUNT to those that do not have any in their rooms first, and then will move on to those that have the least amount.
- If you already have a significant amount checked out to your room this may mean that you will not get more.
- James will then deliver them to your room as soon as they have been checked out.
- All "extra" Hokki stools will be stored in a location TBD, depending upon how much space is needed.
- Gentle reminder: All Hokki stools must be checked out to your account before having them placed in your room.
The Same Page
SAME AS LAST WEEK . . . JUST WANTED TO REPEAT THIS MESSAGE!
This section will be devoted to specific strategies, vocabulary, etc . . . that I would like to request we all attempt to do in order to provide consistency for our students from grades KDG-4th grade. There may not be something every week, but as I think about what would be beneficial from a KDG-4th vertical alignment, I'll note it here. Allison will also be sharing some "same page" ideas that we have discussed for literacy.
Append, not add! Let's clear up some confusion for our students. Both Ryan and Courtney Flessner have suggested that we use the term "append" the zero vs say "add the zero." Let me use this in context for you:
When trying to teach students multiples of 10, some sort of short-cut, or a pattern, we've all said something like, "10 x 80 is 800, so just add two zeros after the eight." For those students that take what we say literally, they envision 8 + 0 + 0 , and this technically adds up to 8, not 800! Append means to "attach" or "affix." Let's all try to lose the term "add" in this type of context and replace it with append.
2016 - 2017 District Priorities
Reminder on PT-Conferences
- The deadline to get your schedule to the main office is Friday, Sept. 23rd.
- Our Parent-Teacher Conference window officially begins on Monday, Sept. 26th.
- Don't forget to fill out the shared document titled, PT-Conference First & Last Schedule (Oct. 2016)
- Will you be in need of Connie, Martha, or Lisa to attend one of your conferences? If YES, do not forget to fill out this Google Form, please.
- https://goo.gl/forms/jqFNk2rfUGns81gt1
Please know, we will be happy to support you!
Class Training Schedule for ALICE - See Screenshot Below
Please let me know by Monday evening (9/19) if this will not work for your schedule.
Important Annoucements & Reminders
Wednesday, September 21st - Staff Meeting on School Safety & ALICE. Agenda to come out soon.
Friday, September 23rd - Non Pay-day Jeans Day!
Message from Emily Clare:
I’m excited to announce that each non-payday Friday in September will be jeans days to raise money for The Lupus Foundation! In exchange for wearing them, please give Jen Evans or Alison Maxey a $5 donation per Friday (either cash or a check made out to The Lupus Foundation of America, Indiana chapter). Also, I invite anyone and everyone to join us for the walk on October 1 downtown on the beautiful canal. To join my team or learn more, please visit this link: http://lfach.convio.net/site/TR?px=1087012&pg=personal&fr_id=1240&et=yTYerwnVFVetW44rCiGMdA&s_tafId=2668
For those of you who I don’t know yet, I’ve had Lupus for about 10 years now. I was diagnosed very quickly, luckily, because it runs in my family. I have 2 aunts who have both passed away because of it. With the funds raised at this event and others like it, a cure or even better treatment options are within reach so that I can continue to be a survivor of this unpredictable disease.
Tuesday, October 11th - Please mark your calendars! On this morning at 8:45AM, SGE & our transportation department will be conducting our annual bus evacuation drill! The only students that will participate will be the morning bus riders. An assignment of one staff member to one bus will come out soon. What do classroom teachers need to do? NOT A THING. Simply be in your room to greet the car riders and walkers and please be prepared to have our bus riders enter the building a few minutes late due to the drill.
Tennis shoes, today and every day - Please remind your students/families to please wear appropriate shoes to Wellness. The IDEAL would be that our students wear tennis shoes each and every day! This decreases injuries all around the building and the playground, too.
Calendar Items
Mon. Sept. 19th
- 8:00 - Farley in BOY
- 8:00 - Counseling Club Mtg - Lisa's office
- 8:15 - Parent Mtg for PS & KDG students - conf. room
- 9:30 - Mtg w/ Boone County Youth Asst. Pgrm - Largent, Farley, Cox - conf. room
- 1:05 - Largent in lunch w/ 4th grader - Connie's office
Tues. Sept. 20th
- 8:00 - Grade Level Mtgs for RtI
- 8:05 - Farley in BOY
- 9:00 - SGE Bus Drivers in Epi-Pen Training - Teacher's Lounge
- 10:45 - 12:30 - KDG-2nd in Cox Cafe - Lisa's office
- 2:00 - 3:00 - Elementary Counselor's mtg - PVE
- 3:00 - Largent leaves for eye appointment
Wed. Sept. 21st
- 8:00 - Staff Mtg on School Safety - Media Center
- 12:30 - 1:30 - 3rd-4th in Cox Cafe - Lisa's office
- 2:40 - 4:00 - Flu Shots @ SGE (Free if on health plan; $17 if NOT on health plan)
Thurs. Sept. 22nd
- 8:05 - Farley in BOY
- 8:10 - SPED Staffing for 1st grader - conf. room
- 11:05 - 504 + PTC for 3rd grader - Largent, Farley, Cox, McDaniel
- 3:30 - PTC for 1st grader - Largent, Farley, Cox, Clare
Fri. Sept. 23rd
- Non PayDay Jeans Friday! $5 please to Jen Evans
- PTO Spirit Day - Colts spirit wear
- 9:20 - 12:20 - Largent/Farley in Class Training for ALICE (see schedule above)
- 1:00 - Largent out for lunch meeting & will return back by 2pm
Happy Birthday: September
***UPDATED BY JEN EVANS!***
1-Najamus Ather
2-Tara Fure
13-Melinda Strawmyer
15-Mandy Lotarski
15-Kris Barksdale
17-Linda Wayman
27-Erica Moore
28-Deidra Smith
30-Martha Farley