Cat Tracks
Spring Shadows Elementary Wildcats Staff Newsletter
March 18 - March 22, 2019
4th Grade Field Trip- MFAH
Our Vision
Our Mission
Core Beliefs
- Each student has unique intellectual, emotional, social, and physical qualities.
- We embrace a child’s individual values, interests, and personalities.
- Parents are confident in their child’s social and intellectual educational growth.
- Educators lead their craft by preparing learners in our fast changing world
Living our Core Beliefs!
We run as ONE!
Principal's Message
It is my greatest hope that you have been recharged this past week and that your cup runs over with great memories, love, and laughter! I thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of my spring break and am ready for the 9 weeks. I know there is much learning to be had these coming 9 weeks. However, I want to start with something incredibly important.
This past week, the world heard about the tragedy in New Zealand. If your students want to talk about it or have questions, we use this educator site that guides us on how to have tough conversations with children. Teaching Tolerance includes some good articles and guides. As educators we must work together to rid bias, bullying, and hate in all it's forms. If you don't feel comfortable during a community circle and feel a counseling lesson needs to be had with your children, please reach out to Demetra. We have great support network that can work with our children.
In my last message, I discussed the following:
1). Expectations- seeing teachers embrace student independence vs. dependence as the teacher empowers students rather than controls students. What are ways in which you have facilitated independent learning, thinking, and representing in your classroom?
2.) Environment- walking into learning spaces this week it is immediate what you value and want to showcase as evident learning from your students. Displays of data walls, student work, student writing, and anchor charts are imperative to support student learning. Now, think: What learning needs is the environment set up to facilitate? As we move towards greater student agency- what needs to be considered to facilitate the learner in communicating, discussing, sharing, or debating?
3) Opportunities- I noticed everyone focused on content, activities, and/or assignments at grade level standard. Now that we have our foundation, it's important to recognize the difference between work and learning opportunity. A learning opportunity invites all students to the learning, have a low threshold for entry and a high ceiling so that learners can take themselves as fast as they wish. (Proficiency scales) Such opportunities provide students with the chance to apply their skills and knowledge in novel contexts even as they acquire new understandings. Powerful learning opportunities don't feel merely like doing work for the teacher but have their own worth that students readily perceive.
We will be doing instructional rounds with a focus on increased student agency (uses of proficiency scales or personalized pathways for students) as well as how you give effective feedback to students. These will take place mid week.
With love, respect, and admiration,
Rachel Martinez
Calendar
Monday, March 18, 2019:
1st Grade Extended Plannig
Group 1
- 8:00-10:00 ILT
- 2:45-4:00 Team Leader
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
2nd Grade Extended Planning
Group 2
- Cindy Off Campus
- TELPAS: 4th & 5th Grade Listening and Speaking
- 3:00-4:00 Afterschool
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
3rd Grade Extended Planning
Group 3
- TELPAS: 4th Grade Listening and Speaking
- 2:45-4:00 Faculty PLC (Library)
Thursday, March 21, 2019
PLC Thursday
Group 4
- 3:00-4:00 Afterschool
- 5:00-7:30 5th Grade Track Meet (Stratford High School)
Friday, March 22, 2019
4th Grade Extended Planning
Group 5
- Spiral Day
- 1:30-2:00 ILT
Library News
March Madness of Reading Starts on Monday! Be sure you send home to the slips that the office run off for you. Remember there is a different one for each week so they have to make sure the student bring them back. They have until Tuesday the following week to return them. READ to keep in the GOLD!!
1,000,000 Minute Goal Update
SSE Readers now have 705,336 minutes with our March Madness of Reading we should make our 1,000, 000 minutes !!
Sorry, I got the K-2 classes minutes in before I sick and I wasn't able to finish the rest. It is no fun being sick during spring break! I will try to get all minutes next week!
Thanks again for your support!
Ann : )
Shout Outs
Flexible Grouping Planning
Flexible Grouping Planning
Spring Break Tutoring!
Mother's Empower Retreat
Mother's Empower Group
Mother's Empower Group
Valuing Self through Timelines (2nd)
4th Field Trip
4th Field Trip
Remember to Sign Up for Sunshine and PTA!
Join Sunshine & PTA for $30 (certified staff) & $25 (non-certified staff). You can pay cash or check to Mrs. Berryman or Mrs. Gentry. Checks can be made out to Spring Shadows Elementary.
We are trying to get 100% participation in Sunshine & PTA!
When you join, you get an SSE Unstoppable T-Shirt, 5 Jeans Passes, 4 Late Arrival Passes, and 4 Leave Early Passes.
Please review the PDF attachment to see our SSE Sunshine Bylaws that the team revised and agreed upon at our last meeting. This will give you more information about Sunshine and what your dues are used for.
Sunshine SEMESTER JEANS PASS for $30
The one caveat is that your jeans are to be worn with a nice shirt and shoes (not a t-shirt).
See Mrs. Berryman or Mrs. Gentry to pay for your pass!
Spring Shadows Elementary
Email: rachel.martinez@springbranchisd.com
Website: https://cms.springbranchisd.com/sse2/
Location: 9725 Kempwood Drive, Houston, TX, United States
Phone: (713) 251-7100
Twitter: @twitter_rachelmartinez4