Galloping Gazette
A Newsletter for the Faculty and Staff at CFES
June 11-15, 2018
Put Students First • Seek Growth • Be Open to Change
Do Great Work Together • Value Differences
A Heartfelt Farewell
I want to take one more opportunity before the hustle and bustle of the last week of school to thank you all once again for an amazing five years at the Farm. Over the years, you embraced not only me, but also my whole family. As a mom, thank you for loving on my four children and giving them the best education. As a new principal five years ago, thank you for being patient with me as I learned a new role.
You all have impressed me and have so much to celebrate. Over the last five years, you have created more opportunity for student leaders. You have embraced creative thinking into your classrooms. You have pushed aside phrases such as "because of the SOL test" and taught from your heart instead of to a test. These five years, I have seen quiet individuals blossom into leaders. I have seen teachers take risks and students put kindness first. I have been a proud principal on more occasions than I can count.
This year, for the first time in many, many years (maybe ever!), you all will reach 90% on the SOL reading test for 3rd through 5th grades! BRAVO!! This is not just the work of those three grade levels. This is the work of every individual in this building who supports literacy. From the primary teachers who build the foundation, to the school counselor and library media specialist who conduct novel studies, to the reading specialists who coach their butts off, to the office staff who reads with students and celebrates successes, and to many, many more of you...all of you collectively should be proud!! As I always say...success is not just an SOL score. It is so much bigger, but this year you get to celebrate it all - the qualitative and quantitative success. Kudos!
As you move into the summer, take time for yourself. Relax, read, watch Netflix, sit by the pool, put your toes in the sand, exercise, or do whatever makes you happy. Rejuvenate for an amazing next year ahead. You all have been a gift to me, and I cannot wait to see your continued successes!
When we find out (hopefully soon!) who your incoming principal will be, I know you will give him/her a big Farm welcome. I also beg you to be patient in the transition. Learning a school culture is hard work and takes time. Be forgiving. Be open. Be honest. And above all, please don't compare. The new principal will be their own amazing self, and please let him/her make their own mark on CFES. You all keep doing the innovative work you are already doing, and the next leader will be able to pick right up, and with your support, continue to make CFES a special place to work and learn.
You all will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for an amazing last five years.
Happy summer to you all!
Hugs!
Teri
This Week at "The Farm"
June 11 - SOL Expedited/Make-Up
- Kindergarten Ceremony Practice 8:30am - 9:30am
- Kindergarten Ceremony Practice 1:15pm - 2:15pm
June 12 - SOL Expedited/Make-Up
- Kindergarten Ceremony Practice 8:30am - 9:30am
- Kindergarten Ceremony Practice 1:15pm - 2:15pm
June 13 - SOL Expedited/Make-Up
- Pre-K Nursery Rhyme Event @ 9am
- Kindergarten Ceremony Practice 9:15am - 9:45am
- 5th Grade Bowling Field Trip 10am - 12:30pm
- Kindergarten Ceremony Practice 1:15pm - 2:15pm
June 14 - SOL Expedited/Make-Up
- Kindergarten Ceremony @ 8:30am
- 5th Grade Celebration Practice 12pm - 1:15pm
- Grad Walk @ 1:30pm
June 15 - Last Day of School!!
- Adjusted Dismissal
- 5th Grade Ceremony @ 9:30am
- 5th Grade Walk after Ceremony - TBA
End of Year Obligations
This week...
June 13
- Complete and turn in Technology Equipment checkout Agreement
- Complete and turn in Curriculum Inventories
June 14
- Last day for art, music, and P.E. classes
- Grade chairs cross check cum records
- Cafeteria closed, pick up bag lunches for those who ordered
- All teacher checkouts due to the library
- Grade chair cumulative records check (attachment C) due
June 15
- Cafeteria close, pick up bag lunches for those who ordered
- Room clean up and computer close out to be complete
- Send home IEP progress reports with students
- Adjusted Dismissal
June 15th or 18th by 3:00pm - Turn in keys and sign out sheet!
Grad Walk
Shout Outs!
Tennys, the yearbook looks AMAZING! Thank you for all your hard and heart work you put in to the yearbook this year!
Thank you to the ladies in the front office for all of the help collecting money and organizing and distributing yearbooks! You made the process much smoother for me! - Tennys
I’m so glad to be on a team with such helpful, smart, and creative women! I appreciate all of you! This year I’ve taken on some new challenges and I couldn’t have managed the load without you! -Mary Stewart
Thank you to Libny, Monika, and Teresa for braving the last part of the school year with us as a substitute. Thank you to the 5th grade teachers and Mary Clifford for all the help you have given to Libny and Monika!
Wende you’ve been so helpful this year! I appreciate all you’ve done to support our class and grade level. -Mary Stewart
Andrew Richardson, every week a teacher or many compliment your work! Thank you again for paying attention to detail. We LOVE having you at the Farm!
Thank you to the Hospitality Committee and especially Claire and Mary S. for showing our retirees with love. Thank you Patti C. for the yummy Patti Cake, and thank you to ALL the staff who stepped in to make the retirement celebration a special one.
BRAVO to Al, Michelle N., and Megan J. for sponsoring the Colt Maker and Robotics clubs this year. The students were AMAZING at the STEM Trifecta! Al was definitely the talk of the convention center with his innovative risk taking with robots.
Happy Trails
5th Grade Final Walk **Changes** This Year
Room Close Out
- Make sure all boxes and furniture are labeled if they are moving to another room. Put items together the best you can. Please try not to overfill boxes. If you need more boxes, please ask Mercy'd.
- Please do not move furniture. Leave it to our professional custodians.
- Try to push all boxes and furniture to one side of the classroom.
- Try to stack (safely) any boxes staying in the room on the sink or built in bookshelf.
- All free standing bookshelves must be emptied. All items will be moved out of the classroom to wax floors.
- Items can be kept in filing cabinets. If you are moving from one room to another, you can label your filing cabinet to move with you.
Password Changes
A poorly constructed password may result in the compromise of individual systems, data, or the VBCPS network. For that reason, safeguards such as password history, complexity, age, and length must meet or exceed the following guidelines:
1. The previous 24 passwords cannot be reused
2. Passwords must contain at least 8 alphanumeric characters
3. Passwords must contain three of the following four items: a. Upper case letter b. Lower case letter c. One number (for example, 0-9) d. One of these special characters (, !$%^*()_)
4. Passwords must not contain part of the account name or display name 5. Passwords cannot be changed more than once in 2 days
The following table outlines the changes to the password policy that will go into effect July 1, 2018. Existing passwords will continue to work until such time as the password must be changed.
Also, please be reminded that Self Service Password Reset (SSPR) is available for students and staff. SSPR allows you to reset your password and unlock your account from any Internet connected device.
Questions should be directed to the Customer Support Center at 263-1111.
Social Studies Textbook Adoption Committee
June 18 Flex Day
Teacher assistants, ISS coordinators and library assistants may not work more than 40 hours in any one week. The time sheets will provide documentation to support the hours reported in WISE.
The flex day applies only to the following group of employees:
- All teachers whose schedule ends June 18
- Teacher assistants, ISS coordinators, and library media assistants
Security assistants are not eligible because of security needs of the building.
Eligible employees who do not choose to make use of the flex day and do not wish to report June 18 may choose to take personal reasons leave with approval of the building principal.
2018-2019 Essential Sessions - Transforming Learning through Curriculum Updates
Literacy Folders
As a reminder, the folders have a table on the front in which teachers should record the student's annual Spring DRA2 instructional level score. The Spring DRA2 and a spring writing sample should be stored in the literacy folder. For fourth- and fifth-grade students who are reading on or above grade level, their most current DRA2 should be stored in the folder. Teachers will place a checkmark in the table after inserting the spring writing sample, indicating the writing piece has been included in the folder. The literacy folder and table will provide evidence of literacy performance through the elementary grade levels.
In addition, data from the literacy folder will assist teachers in planning instruction at the beginning of each school year to meet students' needs and begin small group reading instruction prior to the completion of the Fall DRA2 administration. The folder will remain in the cumulative file when a student transfers to another school within VBCPS; this includes students progressing from elementary to middle school.