Galloping Gazette
A newsletter for the Faculty and Staff - Week 5/13 - 5/17
Put Students First • Seek Growth • Be Open to Change . Do Great Work Together • Value Differences
Principal's Message for the week:
Don't be Done!
When the school year rolls to the month of May
And there doesn't seem like there's a normal day.
When kids are wild and on the run,
You want to say, "That's it, I'm Done!"
Nevermind the passion you had at the start.
Nevermind those kids who pull at your heart.
It's all too much, and it's just not fun,
At this point, you just want to be "done".
Why can't you be done, why can't you quit?
It's because of your students, that is all, that is it.
Your students matter, that much is true
They matter a lot and they need you.
It's you who inspires them to do their best
It's you who encourages them when they face a test.
It's you who gives them time one on one.
It's you who they need to never to DONE.
Remember Ron Clark and the power of 10.
Give your best every day and again until when
You think about quitting or lack reasons why
you'll think of your kids and give it one more last try.
When you resolve is renewed and your goals are set,
you'll finish this year strong
As you BEST year yet.
We hope you had the most amazing Staff Appreciation Week and feel loved! Thank you for all that you do to make Christopher Farms such a special place. Happy Mother's day to all of Colt moms!
-Robyn
Shout Outs
Thank you, Anne Young, for facilitating the amazing Q&A Skype sessions with the expert from the elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. It was so engaging and our kids loved it! ~The Kindergarten Team
A shout out to the Third Grade Team for having your students visit our classes for the mock “Animal Expert Expo.” Your students were so supportive to our little ones! - The Kindergarten Team
Hats off to Tennys Kane, Ann Featherston, Whitney Sinnen, and Beth O’Brian for rocking the “Animal Expert Expo” series of activities, not just once, but twice! - Bevin
Thank you September Johnson for the many hours she put in to prepare for her chorus program. Cinderella was a BIG hit!!! I truly enjoyed watching our students shine!!! - Jill
Thank you to ALL of our wonderful teachers and staff! We are truly blessed to have the BEST here at CFES! I appreciate YOU ALL!!! - Jill
Thank you Ms. Jones for allowing us to use your paint and brushes for our first day of the ABC countdown - Art Day! - Mrs. Bullard's Class
September Johnson, you have outdone yourself with an amazing Spring concert! All your time and hard work resulted in a special performance! - Michelene
Thank you to the PTA for the enjoyable treats they provided this week! - Ally
Shout out to Sharon and Marissa for consistently showing up for their students and persevering, especially during the tough times! - Kelsey
Shout out to Patti P. for organizing all the SOL small groups and accommodations. That is a monumental task! The proctors and examiners appreciate your organization! Jenny R.
Shout out to September Johnson for putting on a fantastic Spring concert!!!! - Ceci
Thank you Liz and Michelene for bringing your kiddos down to let my kiddos share their animal habitats and facts they have been researching! It was great practice for our Parent Expo! - Tennys
To my 2nd grade team, thank you for your support and words of encouragement! - Claire
Patti C., thank you for being a friend and teacher to me. I appreciate all you do! - Claire
Bevin, thank you for having my back and providing support! - Claire
Nurse Jill, YOU ARE LOVED - Claire
If you have any shout outs, please send them to Ms. Backer and Mrs. Jacobs by Thursday.
Schedule for upcoming weeks
May 13th - May 17th
*SOLs start this week. No PLCs will occur; rather if your grade is testing, you will have PE at 1:30 but teachers will dismiss their students.
*Jennifer Pleasant will be scanning textbooks this week
Monday, May 13th
· 2:40p - 4:20p Girls on the Run (Rm 7)
· 2:50p SPED Teacher Meeting (Student Placement) (Rm 14)
5:00-6:30 Teacher Assistant of the Year Reception @ Kellam HS
Tuesday, May 14th
· 5th Grade Reading SOL (Part 1)
· 3:00p - 4:00p PBIS Meeting (Library) - Cancelled
Wednesday, May 15th
· 5th Grade Reading SOL (Part 2)
· 2:40p - 4:20p Girls on the Run (Rm 7)
Thursday, May 16th
· 4th Grade Reading SOL (Part 1)
· 8:20 - 9: 10 5th to meet to discuss content boot camp.
· 3:00p - 4:00p PTA Meeting
· 2:40p - 4:30p Stem Club Meetings (Rm 34/ Computer Lab/ Rm 38 Art Room)
Friday, May 17th
· 4th Grade Reading SOL (Part 2)
_______________________________________________________________________________
May 20th - May 24th
SOLs this week. No PLCs will occur; rather if your grade is testing, you will have PE at 1:30 but teachers will dismiss their students.
Monday, May 20th
· 3rd Grade Reading SOL (Part 1)
· 3:00p - 9:00 Skinny Dip Cashola
Tuesday, May 21st
· 3rd Grade Reading SOL (Part 2)
· 3:00p - 4:00p Faulty Meeting (Library)
Wednesday, May 22nd
· 5th Grade Math SOL (Part 1)
Thursday, May 23rd
· 5th Grade Math SOL (Part 2)
· 2:40p - 4:00p Stem Club Meetings (Rm 34/ Computer Lab/ Rm 38 Art Room)
Friday, May 24th
· Expedited & Makeup SOLs
PBIS: Tip of the week
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade Teams - With SOLs starting this week, why not try doing a mindful breathing exercise during your Morning Meetings? The Stop, Think, Breathe YouTube channel has several great, short, guided breathing and mindfulness exercises for children. Try the “box breathing” technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFdZXwE6fRE&t=37s which all third graders have been taught (fourth and fifth graders learned this technique last year, too). You could also have students share their own personal relaxing routines and learn from each other!
Primary Grade Teams - With the stress and excitement of the end of the year in the air and behaviors amping up, this is a great time to review “belly breathing” as a way to calm down and self soothe. Check out this short video to review the technique we introduced earlier in the year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PcCmxEW5WA.
Birthdays
5/1 - Christine Hayes
5/6 - Denise Norred
5/8 - Anne Young
5/20 - Debbie Hall
5/21 - Melissa Raehl
5/21 - Michelene Kesner
Staffing Updates
Math Question of the Week
Teachers in grades 3-5: Please have your students check out the "sweets" themed math question of the week board by the bathroom near the Innovation lab. Questions will be posted each week for each grade level. Students just need a half sheet of scratch paper and a pencil. Have them write their name and teacher's name on their paper. They attempt the problem, show all of their work, and circle their final answers on their paper. Then they fold it and place it inside the grade level "mailbox" at the bottom of the board. At the end of the day on Thursday, all of the responses will be checked and a winner will be chosen at random. Each grade level will have one winner that will go on the announcements that Friday and receive a coupon for an ice cream at lunch.
SOLs start this week and our students are ready to rock it!
Rooms will be checked on Monday, May 13 for testing conditions. On Tuesday, SOL testing begins. Please remind students to be quiet in the halls and encourage everyone to be supportive of our students who have worked so hard to do their best. If you go outside, please stay away from testing areas remembering that students who are testing get distracted when they see others outside playing. Please assume testing is still going on until an announcement and/or email has gone out.
Please be on the look out for an email on Monday for all rooms that will used and some friendly reminders about testing.
4th quarter testing window
- Math Quarterly - Grade 2
- DRA - May 1 - June 7th - the DRA must be administered to ALL students in grades K - 4. Students reading below grade level in grade 5 should be assessed. DRA must be recorded in Synergy no later than June 7th.
Important Links from the principal packet
Digital Summit - Out of this world technology PLP - Sign up now
Celebrating this rockstar, who was tagged by the superintendent!! So well-deserved!
Our K students showing off their animal research to our 3rd graders and their parents!
#Goodphonecalloftheday - We only have about 30 days left - Who can we highlight?!
Keep these coming!
Please check out our form below to see how Mrs. Porter and myself will be celebrating our students and continuing our positive culture and environment.