Monday Memo
December 5th - 9th
Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. -Robert Collier
Thank you so much for your patience with my technical difficulties. I am saving approximately every third word in effort not to lose any more work than I already have today. Keep your fingers crossed!
Sadly, the newsletter has not been my only source of technology frustration this week. I got a new phone but cannot transfer my contacts due to The Little Family iCloud Debacle of 2013. What this means is that I have nobody's contact information in my phone. If you will, please sent me a text with your name as the contents. This will help me expedite the process of transferring each number over manually.
I want to personally thank Maria and the Sunshine Committee for figuring out an alternative solution so that we can have our staff party on Friday instead of Saturday this week. The information about times and locations are listed below. If you have yet to RSVP, please do so by the EOD on Tuesday.
Our next Team Leader Meeting will be held on Monday, December 12th. If you have a topic or a question that you would like to be added to the agenda, please use this link to make your agenda request. In addition, please be sure that your team leader is aware in the event that we need more information to discuss your idea/question/concern.
Make today count,
JL
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High Reliability Schools
REMEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR HRS EVIDENCE INTO YOUR GRADE LEVEL FOLDER!
Thank you to all of the teams that submitted lagging indicators for HRS leading indicator 1.6! This week, we will be focusing on leading indicator 1.7 The success of the whole school, as well as individuals within the school, is appropriately acknowledged. As you think about the lagging indicators (evidence) on your team that align with this leading indicator 1.7, make sure to drop a few things in your team folder located at
Mav Fan Jam
Announcements
Classroom celebrations
Bad Dude
2x2 Readers
Grade level celebrations
Appreciations
Spirit Sticks
Principal’s office Reward
Healthy Schools program
Teacher Appreciation Week
Jeans Pass
Reward’s Day
Positive Notes Home
AnGel Award
Positive Notes from Admin
Staff dinners/luncheons
Sunshine Committee
TOY
Monday Memo
MISD website home page
Appreciations in Monday Memo
Mav of the Month
Star Students
Individual classroom positive reinforcement
WOW phone calls to parents bragging on their child
Social media recognition
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Professional Learning Communities
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Shoparoo
Did you know that each week I give out jeans passes to those who are one of the top three participants on Shoparoo? I know that many of you have already joined, but if you haven't, it is not too late. Simply go to www.shoparoo.com to create your account. If you use veft4467 as a referral code, McGowen will earn money for you just signing up. Please feel free to push this information out to your parents as well. Once you sign up, Shoparoo will give you a referral code for your parents to use when they sign up. Schools with just 40 supporters are earning an average of $1,000 every year.
Congratulations to Lisa Barton and Barbara Peebles for being in this week's top three on Shoparoo!
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Focus for 2016 - 2017
In order to help every child their personal best, McGowen teachers and staff will:
- Knowledgeably speak about our current practices that contribute to McGowen becoming a Level 1 Certified High Reliability School.
- Actively participate in grade level and content Professional Learning Communities.
- Engage in collaborative team planning and lesson design that addresses the four essential questions of a PLC.
- Present lessons in such a way that students understand and can speak knowledgeably about posted learning and language targets.
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Remind for Staff
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Happy Birthday!
December
Barbara Peebles - 9th
Danielle Fortenberry - 13th
Nick Relle - 13th
Krista Daniel - 24th
Amber Evans - 26th
Quin Hance - 31st
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Appreciations
- Donna, Stacie & Barbara - Thank you so much for your help and support on Friday! I could not ask for a better team. -JL
- Kristi, Jennifer, and Deanna - Thank you so much for checking on me on Friday and for the laughs. -JL
- Relle - The timing of your play therapy could not have been better! Thank you for including us in a few moments of fun. -JL
- 4th Grade - Thanks for modifying your schedule last week while the 5th grade students were at camp. It was a tremendous gift of time for Mayella and her team! -JL
- Sylvia – Thank you for another great year at camp! I had an absolute blast this year and cannot wait for next year! Love, JD
- 5th grade team – Thank you for the best 5th grade camp I have ever had! You gals are the best and I’m so blessed to be able to call you my co-workers and friends. Love, JD
- Shana – Thank you for taking care of the situation with a student on the bus as I ditched you. You are truly amazing! Love, JD
- Cab – Thank you for being chaperone of the year while on Johnson’s Peak! Love you sweet friend! Love, JD
- Camp Buddies – Thank you for making this such a great experience for our students. It was so much fun to share camp with you! - SP
- Carin & Lora – Thank you for hosting my student while we were at camp. - SP
- Stacie – Thank you for all of your hard work getting us ready for camp! You are appreciated! - SP
- Thanks Nick for encouraging us to participate with our kids this week in PE. It was so fun! Lisa B
- Thanks to my team for a productive ELM planning day on Wednesday. Lisa
- Thank you Mayella and Irma for always being so positive and willing to help whenever asked. Our school is lucky to have you. Lisa B
- 5th grade team & Sharon- thanks for another successful camp! I appreciate your dedication to making sure the kids have an unforgettable experience! SL
- Shannon- I remain in awe of your impeccable organization! I appreciate all that it takes to be prepared for camp! SL
- Cab & Shiela- thanks for all of the laughs at camp! SL
- JL,Donna, Stacie & Peebles- thanks for managing arrival of 5th graders and their parents Friday! SL
- Stacie & Donna- I appreciate ALL that you do to get us ready for camp! You ladies are simply amazing! SL
- Relle - Thank you for letting us crash P.E. on Friday! It was great stress relief!! Looking forward to doing it again! lp
- I would like to show APPRECIATION for the Library Aide-- Lynn Gerton for such efficient service always when I come to the Library, and always with a SMILE. Thanks Lynn for being so helpful to me as a new teacher at McGowen and being willing to help me learn how to use your library system here at McGowen. Mrs. Oliphant
- Coach McKeen – Thank you for inviting me to come in and play “Boom Clap” with my Kindergarten friends. – Love, Stacie
- JL – Thank you for picking up lunch on Friday. – Love, Stacie
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Bad Dude
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McKinney ISD's Vision, Mission and Beliefs
Any time we have an idea, concern, solution and/or comment, this is the filter through which we should speak. Let's help each other live up to our vision, mission, and beliefs.
Vision:
We are a cohesive, diverse community providing engaging learning experiences for all.
We will provide engaging learning experiences so students can become effective communicators, quality contributors and socially responsible citizens.
Beliefs:
- Partnerships between students, parents, community members and staff are foundational to educational success.
- Positive school culture and a safe environment foster growth.
- Everyone has inherent value and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
- Learning is an active process requiring engaging tasks and engaging minds.
- Relevant and authentic experiences ignite continuous, deeper learning.
- Meaningful relationships enrich learning.
- Confidence fuels risk taking and higher achievement.
- Financial stewardship ensures a tomorrow for education.