Team Meadow Update
Staff Update - January 20, 2020
Team Meadow,
I hope everyone had a great weekend with opportunity to reflect and consider the impact of Martin Luther King, Jr, and all he has done for humanity. To quote our friend and colleague, Jenny Froehle, "Today is not a calendar 'make-up call' for diversity, nor a superficial holiday from school or work. It is a reminder to pause and consider what is right, what justice really means, what courage looked like, and what each of us can do to bring a better world." (stolen from her Twitter feed) What speaks to me is the fact that in little and big ways, you are making the world a little better each moment you spend with your students. Never underestimate the influence you have on the humans in your presence. Continue to instill passion, wonder, curiosity, and bravery as they care for themselves, others, and the world around them.
Kiel Family - As you know, JoAnn Kiel's funeral is tomorrow in Columbus. Please continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this time. As a token of love & sympathy from Team Meadow, Amanda ordered a flower basket for the family.
Maggie Bennett - Please welcome Maggie to Team Meadow! She arrived from Colorado this past Friday, and is beginning to settle in the community. She is planning to visit on Tuesday and Wednesday in order to spend time with Melissa, the students, and to get to know the rest of our team. We will host a "meet and greet" for families on Tuesday evening from 5-6:00 in Tuttila's room. I just had the opportunity to meet Maggie in person, and she is delightful. Welcome, Maggie!
Mid-Year Conferences & Observations - Thank you to those of you that are coming prepared for mid-year conferences with data and information ready to share during dialogue. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to catch up half way through the year, take a look at the Teacher Effectiveness Rubric, and dialogue about other needs you may have or anything else on your mind.
Enjoy the rest of your day,
Tom
Classroom Grants & Imagine PD Grants - ZEF
Due 2/20/2020!
Imagine Professional Development Grant:
Classroom Grants:
In addition, Classroom Grants support academic excellence and innovation; community and school partnerships; and matching funds for external grants. These grants are also due on Thursday, February 20th.
Please click on the link below for more information and applications.
Important Dates & Information
January
20 - MLK Jr. Day (no school)
21 - 100th Day of School; Tom & Lauren out for Elementary Principal Mtg (Union 7-9:00); JoAnn Kiel visitation and service in Columbus (11:30-2:00); Maggie Bennett Meet and Greet (5-6PM)
25 - Chinese New Year
27 - Staff Meeting
27-31 - Digilab (alternate 5-day rotation schedule for Related Arts - No RACE Day on the 31st)
30 - 4th gr Hoosier Heritage Showcase (5:15-6:00) & STEM/Lit Night (6:00-7:30)
31 - Baby Tuttila due date
February
3-7 - Digilab- available for co-teaching with Kara
5 - Global School Play Day
6 - PTO Meeting @ 7:00 (Cafe)
7 - 4th Grade Parent CoffeeTalk w/ Matt Doublestein (8:30-9:30)
14 - Valentine's Day (& parties)
17 - Presidents Day (no school)
18 - Staff Professional Development Day (no school for students)
22 - Boone Meadow Blast
26 - Baby Foley due date
March
4 - PTO Meeting @ 7:00 (Cafe)
8 - Daylight Savings
10 - Holi
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
8 - Passover
10 - Good Friday
12 - Easter
13 - PTO Meeting @ 7:00 (Cafe)
19 - Orthodox Easter
May
6 - PTO Meeting @ 7:00 (Cafe)
22 - Last Day of School
STEM & Literacy Night: Out of This World!
This is the information shared with families in the Friday Flyer:
Thursday, January 30, 6-7:30
Get ready for our annual STEM Night! This year we are hosting a space-themed night that combines STEM activities with great books and book talks, too! We have lots of fun planned including the digital planetarium, virtual reality, coding, engineering and design projects, and more. We have invited special guests and have ways for your family to participate before AND during the event.
1. Please RSVP here to help us prepare materials for the night.
2. Check out our list of Space Themed books and find more at the public library to start reading with your kids. You can also read books you find at home. You’ll develop their interest and background knowledge about space. You’ll be ready to make a family book advertisement on our Flipgrid Book Talk link.
3. Consider making a space themed “Family STEM Project” to display in our Out of this World Museum. Kids and parents can use their imaginations to create dioramas, design projects, and more. You can bring your family creation to display in the café, the night of the event.
We can’t wait to celebrate STEM and Literacy with you on the 30th! More info to come next week.
Kara Benson and Kim Gray
February PD Day - 2/18
We are so excited to be able to offer all elementary teachers the opportunity to learn from three exciting Professional Development Trainers from Teaching Tolerance during our time together in February. Teaching Tolerance is a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center and has been providing training across the country for almost 30 years.
This interactive workshop will help you learn how to effectively implement anti-bias instruction in your classroom. Participants will explore practical strategies for accomplishing academic and social-emotional goals side by side. We will discuss learning conditions that honor all identities and reflect diversity, equity and justice. After exploring ready-to-use materials, applying rigorous standards and planning ways to incorporate research-based teaching practices, you will leave the workshop with ideas and tools for transforming your classrooms and school.
You will learn to-
• Incorporate the Teaching Tolerance Social Justice Standards to create and sustain classroom and school environments that honor diversity, equity and justice.
• Speak up—and teach students to speak up—against bias and injustice.
• Build a collaborative and respectful learning community with a diverse group of learners and educators.
Details-
Who: All elementary teachers, administrators, counselors, media professionals and coaches.
Date: February PD Day – Tuesday, February 18
Time: 8:00 am – 3:30 pm (lunch will be provided)
Location: Zionsville Community High School (please park around the back of the Freshman Center/ESC and enter door 22)
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or your building administration team.
Chris
Interactive Modeling
I'm putting this here again to serve as a strong reminder of "interactive modeling" and how it benefits development of structure for teaching new routines and expectations. I'm going to let this reminder sit for another week for review and to let it soak a bit.
I was reading from one of my Responsive Classroom books a few days ago about Interactive Modeling. It is a great way to teach any routine or skill that needs to be done in a specific way in any group setting. Instead of assuming that if we tell children how do do something enough times, they'll "get it." Instead, interactive modeling show students exactly how to do what we expect and gives them a chance to practice meeting those expectations. The Interactive Modeling structure has build-in steps that help students notice for themselves the details of how a routine or skill looks and sounds in action, and it provides immediate teacher feedback.
Interactive Modeling in Action:
- Say what you will model and why.
- Model the behavior.
- Ask students what they noticed.
- Invite one or more students to model
- Again, ask students what they noticed.
- Have all students practice.
- Provide feedback. (Tell them what they did well, and what can be improved. Try it again if needed.)
Remember that this is part of their learning. They'll mess up, make mistakes, and you will continue to guide. Sometimes they need reminders, however, with well established routines and clarity in expectations, you should experience the need to as many reminders.
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 is located on the ZCS website: http://www.zcs.k12.in.us/apps/pages/school_delay_closing_information
E-DAY REMINDER
With a forecast that includes a few inches of snow with mixed participation, e-day possibilities increase. However, keep in mind that 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.
First Five Elementary E-day RA Rotation Schedule
*NO KDG RELATED ARTS ON E-DAYS
E-Day #1 – First Grade – Wellness; Second Grade – Music; Third Grade – Art; Fourth Grade – STEM
E-Day #2 – First Grade – Music; Second Grade – Art; Third Grade – STEM; Fourth Grade – Wellness
E-Day #3 – First Grade – Art; Second Grade – STEM; Third Grade – Wellness; Fourth Grade – Music
E-Day #4 – First Grade – STEM; Second Grade – Wellness; Third Grade – Music; Fourth Grade – Art
E-Day #5 – First Grade – Wellness; Second Grade – Music; Third Grade – Art; Fourth Grade – STEM
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