THE FLIGHT RECORDER
Statesville Road Elementary's Weekly Staff Newsletter
Principal's Point to Ponder
Everyday at Statesville Road, Erika Portillo enters her classroom just like the other 86 fourth graders in our school. But for Erika, just being here is nothing short of a miracle. Erika's story of overcoming astonishing odds to arrive in Charlotte, NC to be reunited with her mother was highlighted on the front page of last Sunday's Charlotte Observer. But Erika's story of escape from abuse, homelessness, and extreme poverty might have never been known. Her story might have never been known because she is one of the quiet ones. She is a student in our school who comes every day, is compliant, and exhibits a desire to learn. Because of her quiet disposition and absence of apparent issues, Erica could have easily been overlooked...overlooked for support services, overlooked for academic support, and overlooked by potential adult advocates. Erika's story made me think about all the quiet ones in our school. So often our attention and time is focused on the 'squeaky wheels': those with deficits, needs, and family issues that scream out loud at us. But there are countless quiet stories that we do not know and countless silent needs that may be going unmet. So this week, let's all begin the work to build relationships with the quiet ones. It's time for us to answer the call of the voices that have not been heard.
In case you missed Erika's story, click the link below.
Instructional Strategy of the Week
Experiment With This
The Statesville Road Science Store is now open for business!! If you need materials for this week's science experiment, we've got you covered. Just drop by the first classroom on the right on the kindergarten hall and you will find all you ever needed and more! All science materials are organized and stored just for your taking. Science experiments are a great way to make learning come alive and for students to encounter real world application of the standards. By the end of the year, we expect the Science Store to be empty because of all the wonderful experiments that have occurred in your classrooms throughout the year.
Kudos / General Reminders / Expectations
- Kudos to Lungarini for a successful first day of Real Men Read!! We look forward to this initiative continuing each month this school year.
- Kudos to Turner for volunteering her time to record each week's Monday Message in Spanish and for serving as the interpreter for our first PTA meeting last Thursday.
- Kudos to Patterson, Earley, McCarthy, and Gist for attending the Project LIFTing event last Wednesday. #wearestatesvilleroad
- Teachers: If you have any fundraiser booklets that have been turned in, please make sure you turn those in to the front office by Tuesday of this week.
- Teachers: Please remember to follow the schedule for Monday's vision screenings sent by Nurse Lydia and remember to have your students' orange cards in hand when you bring your class to the screening.
- Chick-Fil-A this FRIDAY!: Place your order for a Chick Fil A combo in the front office with Ms. Johnson by Thursday of this week. The cost of the combo is $6.00...cash only. Our school receives $1 for every combo meal purchased. Combos will be delivered during lunch times on Friday.
- LESSON PLANS: Thanks to those of you who have been posting your lesson plans to the google drive. Please remember to use your grade level folder and your individual folder within the grade level folder to post your lesson plans.
- This week's TUESDAY FOLDER: The PTA will put dues information and fall fundraiser information in your boxes on Monday. Please make sure this information is sent home in the TUESDAY FOLDER.
- Common Assessments: Unit 1 Common Assessments are scheduled for September 26, September 29, and September 30. Next Wednesday (October 1) will be a DDI staff meeting for all grade levels to have time to analyze this data. The data will be self populated in SchoolNet and data reports produced in SchoolNET (additional training this Wednesday).
- Self Assessment and PDP: Certified Staff, your Self Assessment and PDP are due in MyTalent by September 25th. Let me know if you have any questions.
Monday, September 22, 2014 (Day 5)
- Lungarini and Patterson at SAMs training
- 8:00: Monday Meeting (please begin to bring your students to the Multi Purpose Room at 7:55...remember to double up down the hallway for quick entry and remember we enter the multi-purpose room on LEVEL ZERO.)
- Discovery Ed: 4th Grade Math
- Vision Screenings (follow schedule from Nurse Lydia)
Tuesday, September 23, 2014 (Day 1)
- Lungarini and Patterson at SAMs training
- Discovery Ed: 5th Grade Reading
Wednesday, September 24, 2014 (Day 2)
- Walser at SchoolNet Training (AM)
- Discovery Ed: 5th Grade Math
- 3:30pm: STAFF MEETING...we WILL have ScoolNet training for the scanning process (yay!)
Thursday, September 25, 2014 (Day 3)
- Discovery Ed: 5th Grade Science
- 6:00pm: HIspanic Family Night (volunteers needed for child care...please see Ms. Abdel-Hameed)
Friday, September 26, 2014 (Day 4)
- 8:00 - 8:30: Reading Buddies (refer to classroom pairings given at last week's staff meeting)
- End of Unit 1--Has your class completed the Unit 1 Summative Assessment? Please prepare to display the Unit 1 Summative Assessment in your grade level hallway.
- Unit 1 Common Assessment (4th / 5th science)