K-2 Team Newsletter
October 21, 2019
Principal's Message
We made it through returning from fall break and parent teacher conferences. Thanks for going all in on Friday and setting up our families for success. If you still have required conferences that didn’t show up please highlight them yellow on the tracker and schedule them either before school, after school, or during the following (related arts, lunch/active play). As a reminder this week we are jumping feet first into our no opt out academics priority. While there will be no priority walkthrough this week Dr. P and the admin team will be conducting co-observations.
Operations Important Information
iPads
Computer pros updated all but 11 iPads, due to the fact that some were activation locked. In addition, they changed the labeling system without asking that I created earlier this year. Therefore, I have renumbered the iPad with a silver sharpie but I will keep the label that computer pros put on the iPad by grade level for uploading apps. For example, if your number is 48 that is labeled 6th grade. We can ask them to upload an app to the 6th grade iPad even though you may have a 1st-grade class. I am sorry for the confusion and change but they didn’t consult with me prior to making the change. I will pass out iPads no later than Tuesday, October 22nd.
K-8 Book Fair
This week we are hosting our annual fall book fair. The book fair is set up in the PD room an will have a variety of selling hours throughout the day. Be sure to stop in and pick out yourself or our scholars some reading goodies!
- RA Teachers should review the email from Caroline to internalize the book fair schedule. During the times assigned to your classes, you will pre-view the book fair with scholars. Scholars who are unable to meet expectations will miss out on the preview event. All scholar book fair sales will be supervised the assigned staff members. No scholar should independently visit the book fair.
School Wide Focus
Priority #2 - No Opt Out Academics
This is our new focus area K-8. The admin team will popping in this week to conduct our first round of observations for our new priority. You will receive your feedback in Whetstone.
Weekly Data Meetings - WDM
Wednesday 10/23: 1st Grade Math and 2nd Grade Math **due to field trips
Tuesday 10/29: Kinder ELA
Deans of Academics
Progress Monitoring: Please progress monitor your scholars this week on Friday during their RTI block
RTI Plans: Reminder- Your RTI plan for the week needs to be placed into this folder on a weekly basis.
Reminder: Please ensure you are implementing your DDI action plan as planned during Data Day.
Dean of Culture
It is week 12 and we are plowing through the mouth of October! This week our goal is to be extremely intentional about getting to 100% and not opting out. There are a number or scholars that have completely turned around their behavior because we are not opting out and keeping them in the classroom.
This week let’s dig even deeper! Review the documents that I gave out during PD this summer: 1. The Glow/Grows description document, 2. The Ladder document, and 3. K-8 Student Culture Plan. I have reprinted copies of each and placed them in your boxes as well as pictured below.
Secondly, our school building is a representation of the work that we do. People are constantly coming in and out of our building. The way our classrooms, hallways, restrooms, etc. looks communicates something. We have to keep the spaces within our school clean and sacred. Let’s work together this week to achieve the following goals for clean spaces:
100% of lockers are not left open, no materials are hanging out, and every class has chosen a scholar to be a locker monitor (email me the scholar you choose).
100% of scholars take time to clean up their area at the lunch table before throwing away their tray, and every class has chosen a scholar that day to whip down the table after everyone is done eating (I have spoken with Mrs. Erica who will have extra rags available).
100% of restrooms are clean, because scholars put all trash in the can (there will be signage in the restroom to remind scholars to keep the restroom clean).
I will be monitoring our spaces and sending updates through slack of how we are doing.
This week’s WIG WINNER IS...
ATTENDANCE
Dean of SEL
This week we have been focusing on our body safety skills, and we will continue to do so until Thanksgiving break. We are moving toward talking about safe and unsafe secrets, and the difference between reporting and tattling. Please reinforce our “stop, that’s not safe” message when in your classrooms.
LIM: Habit #6 Synergize - Work together to solve problems!
EXCELLENT JOB THIS WEEK WITH GIVING GLOWS AND FOCUSING ON THE POSITIVE. This week remember to give glows with precise praise rationale, align to our GREAT virtue and LIM habits. In the motivating power of positive praise, scholars feel loved, supported, and inspired to do their best each day.
Upcoming Events
October 21st
- Suicide Training (PAST DUE)
Oct. 21st-25th
Book Fair
Oct. 22nd
Field Trips (K and 2nd)
Oct. 24th
Fall Festival 5:15 pm - 7:30 pm (all staff are expected to attend unless prior approval granted)
Oct. 25th
AgMo PD & Insight Survey
Oct. 31st
Progress Report
Reminders
Principal and GLLs should be notified of late arrivals (after 7:28 am) or "early outs" (before 3:45 pm). Please see K-5 Playbook for details.
Yearbook - Just a friendly reminder to send pictures for the yearbook of events, activities, etc... to Jaquandria Hayes or Jessica Moore
Review the Crisis Management Plan (here). There are several drills happening SOON!
- Use Kronos to schedule an absence in advance
- All sub plans should be updated immediately after an absence
- Input all unplanned absences in Kronos within 24 hours of your return
- Grades should be updated in Illuminate weekly
Staff Absences
Oct. 23rd
Tori Rokicki (Admin - PD)
Oct. 24th
Macie Garrett (1st)
*1/2 Day AM
Shout Outs
Congrats to our G.R.E.A.T. Winners of the Week and check out the Class Photo of the Week!
Teacher of the Week
Thank you for exhibiting the core value of RESPECT! This person has such a calm teacher presence and one of the best examples of warm demanding that I have ever worked with. Her classroom is an environment where students feel safe, loved, and are continually challenged to be the best. She has a special talent for reaching the scholars who need the most behavioral support and taking them under her wing. She is also good at reaching out across grade levels to communicate and keep academics consistent as well as help support all scholars. I respect her so much as a teacher, a mom, and just an all around great person!