Holy Cross Staff Memo
Monday, January 7, 2019
Welcome Back to School
We will have a staff meeting today and we will discuss some of the issues mentioned in this newsletter but not all, so it is your responsibility to take the time to read, understand and act where necessary.
Congratulations to our PK and K4 classes
Any score above a 5.0 means that our "visits" will now be bi-annual instead of annual.
Great job ladies and thank you to everyone for our cooperation as this team prepared for this visit and on the day of the visit.
Church is being used tomorrow and Wednesday (after chapel)
Gala coming soon
The gala is at a new and lovely venue and it will be lots of fun. The theme is "Havana Nights".
We need items for our silent auction of course. Each class is responsible for a themed basket. I will send you a googledoc for you to enter your basket theme. How you accomplish this (collecting donations of $$ or items) from parents is up to you, whatever works.
In addition, we need donations of goods and services. Practically everyone knows someone with a business who can donate something. I will print copies of the donation letter and make them available to everyone. Please do your part.
Business or individuals can also sponsor a table. We make very little money on the actual tickets. Most of our profit comes from sponsorships and the silent auction.
Field Trips
1. If you are going to be late coming back, you must let the office know as soon as you know this. Letting us know a few minutes before 3 that you are running late does not give us time to notify parents. They show up to pick up their kids, clog up the pickup line, etc. As soon as you know that you are doing to be late (such as when you are getting on the bus to come back) let the office know as well as your ETA (googlemaps or Waze can estimate this for you).
2. Field trips are a privilege and not a right. You can withhold a field trip from a student with a serious behavioral issue given the proper conditions. First, you need to have been communicating to parents about the child's behavioral problem. They should not hear that a child cannot go on a field trip due to on-going misbehavior without first hearing about the misbehavior through whichever means you use (Dojo, email, letter, phone calls, etc.). If you are leaving behind many of your students because of behavior, there is another issue going on. An administrator can remove a child from a field trip as well, but we will take care of that communication should it become necessary.
3. When you request a field trip, the price is based on the number of students that you state will be going. I have to cover the cost of the driver and also a mileage charge based on where you are going. This total is then divided among the total number of children you state will be attending. I usually deduct a few kids when computing the cost. However, if you tell me that 40 kids are going and it ends up being 30 (your decision or the parents) then we will not cover our expenses for the trip. We are not trying to make money but we do need to cover our expenses. So, bear this in mind.
4. If you are a younger grade teacher, please note that we cannot manage at school numerous kids that are left behind on a field trip. Unlike older students who we can put anywhere with work to complete, a kindergarten or early primary student cannot be expected to sit quietly for hours in another classroom and we can also not place them in an upper elementary or middle school classroom. Therefore, a few younger students only can be accommodated.
5. Remember that you need enough chaperones for your age and the destination of the field trip. The day before the trip is not the time to take note of how many chaperones you have.
6. Send Lisa an email when you schedule the trip, letting her know that you will not need lunch, or will be back late for lunch.
7. If you are leaving kids behind, send the office an email letting us know where they are.
Thank you for addressing these issues.
While these situations have happened with specific groups/classes, they could have happened with anyone so do not take this personally if you feel that it applies to you.
Financial Peace workshop begins this week
Clocking in and out, Requesting time off
Teachers... if you are requesting time off do it in the system as well as fill out the pink slip and turning it in to me.
I will advise you when we will change to the new system.
Rummage Sale coming soon
Mailboxes
Math and Reading Programs
We are going to be printing reports this week. A quick glance before the break was very disappointing in some cases. It is the responsibility of the teacher to work this into the weekly program and/or home learning and to monitor it.
3rd and up - your kids should also be on Mappers. This should have a direct influence on your MAP scores.
We are not expecting anything out of you or our students that any other school is not expecting, public or private.