MONDAY MEMO
Shawnee Trail Elementary, December 14, 2015
SHAWNEE TRAIL MISSION: Why do we exist? What is our fundamental purpose?
- To create a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment, to inspire ALL students to become passionate, lifelong learners.
- To make meaningful and enjoyable connections as we educate the whole child academically, emotionally, and socially.
At Shawnee Trail we believe ALL Means ALL:
- ALL students will learn at their highest levels.
- ALL decisions are based on what is best for students and are aligned with the mission of our school.
- ALL, students and teachers, learn by doing and building on our own strengths and the strengths of others.
Collective Commitments:
Cultivate a collaborative culture of continuous improvement:
- Read all resources before collaborative learning meetings.
- Be prepared to share, listen and participate in all group discussions.
Foster a save supportive and trusting environment:
- Start on time.
- Be engaged 100% of the time. (Leave unnecessary distractions behind and focus wholly on the tasks at hand.)
- Collaborate and contribute equally and meaningfully
Practice all of these collective commitments by asking, “How did we do? Are we holding ourselves accountable for the team’s norms?”
- Be willing to apologize or confront with passion and purpose when a team member fails to honor the commitments.
Celebrate success large and small.
Professional Learning
Personal Essay Body Paragraphs
Betsy Hubbard from Two Writing Teachers blog shares her thinking as she plans her next steps for writing instruction. She describes what she notices in her students' writing and her plans to help students dig deeper when writing personal narrative paragraphs .Getting Students Talking to Each Other About Math
In her Smore, Shannon shared a great article that reminds us that having students turn and talk does not guarantee they are engaged in ways that fully support mathematical learning. To support students in their struggle with difficult math concepts students must explain their thought processes and discuss the reasoning of others. "understanding the teacher moves that support student thinking requires looking beyond the first move a teacher makes and toward how teachers extend their interactions with students."
CELEBRATIONS and SHOUT-OUTS!
Shawnee Trail is The Best School in FISD!
SHOUT OUT to PTA and our campus committee for all of their hard work putting on Multicultural night. It was great!
SHOUT OUT to all the reindeer (office staff/administration) for all the wonderful surprises!
SHOUT OUT to Shannon for being an AWESOME support to grade level teams!
SHOUT OUT to all grade level teams for working so hard to delve deeper in our understanding of CFAs so that we can increase the impact they have on our students and instruction!
SHOUT OUT to Kim and Shaheen for helping second grade with Graph Club this week!
SHOUT OUT to Jodi, Cristi and Lucy for the many behind the scene things they do for us. Ordering and getting the pencils ready for our new students, making sure the FastPacs and Lovepacs get delivered, making flyers, etc, etc.
SHOUT OUT to Arezou for a great art exhibit at multicultural night!
SHOUT OUT to fourth grade ELAR for putting together some awesome reading lessons and for being dedicated to the resources!
SHOUT OUT to kinder for using the Swivl!
SHOUT OUT to first for their steadfastness and collaborating together!
SHOUT OUT to second for guiding their instruction immediately based on CFA data!
SHOUT OUT to third for collaborating together daily!
SHOUT OUT to fourth grade for diving in and adjusting based on their students needs!
SHOUT OUT to fifth grade for their openness to adjust to do what's best for kids.
SHOUT OUT to Pam and heather for your patience steadfastness and unwavering support for all of us teachers!
SHOUT OUT to Mr. McCarty for ukulele tutoring!
SHOUT OUT to Kim for helping First and Kinder navigate the new report cards in Eschool!
Kelly has a SHOUT OUT to Cyd and Jennifer T. for planning our Holiday Spirit week and to Jennifer G. and Margaret for organizing the white elephant gift exchange. She also wants to give Whitney and Camille a SHOUT OUT for helping put together the Holiday Party on Friday. "Thanks Guys for keeping the Holiday Spirit alive during a busy month on the Trail!"
Arezou has a SHOUT OUT to Ms. Le for the cards of gratitude from her students and to all those who took the time to stop by to see our first our exhibit of the year!
Ms. Vincent has a SHOUT OUT for coach Grawe! Not only is she super fun to work with but she impressively knows each student by name and need. Every. Single. Student. Her heart for the students and families at Shawnee trail is mesmerizing and convicting! They LOVE PE every day because of her. She's a rare gem. :)
DON'T FORGET
- Share all team Google doc forms with Pam, Heather, and Shannon each week.
- Bring a white elephant gift to the Staff Holiday Party on the 18th if you signed up!
- Frisco Family Services Food Drive goes through Jan. 15th (items needed: oil, grains, cereal, flour, pasta, canned meat, fruit cups, crackers, canned goods, toiletries, baby items, paper goods)
- Secret Pals - Bring a $5, $10, and $15 gift the week of Dec. 14th (Reveal on the 18th)
HOLIDAY SPIRIT WEEK
Dear Teachers,
To celebrate the last week before Winter Break, we are having a Spirit Week! Here is the schedule:
- Monday, December 14: PJ Day – we need to “ease” into this last week before break!
- Tuesday, December 15: Red Day – wear red clothes
- Wednesday, December 16: Green Day – wear green clothes
- Thursday, December 17: Ugly Sweater Day – Find the ugliest sweater & proudly wear it. Prize will be given to the ugliest of them all
- Friday, December 18: Holiday Hat/Shirt Day – wear a Santa hat, reindeer ears, elf hat, etc…Also wear a holiday shirt if you have one!
The Sunshine Committee
December's Character Focus is Gratitude
Gratitude is the appreciation for the benefits we receive from others, and the desire to reciprocate.
Those who demonstrate gratitude—and those who don’t—see life differently. Individuals demonstrating gratitude tend to emphasize language related to gifts, givers, blessings, blessed, fortune, fortunate, and abundance. Individuals who don’t demonstrate gratitude, on the other hand, tend to focus on deprivation, deservingness, regrets, lack, need, scarcity, and loss. For instance, a grateful person might say, “I get to go to class today,” whereas an ungrateful person might say, “Why do I have to learn all this useless stuff?”
Observing Gratitude
Feeling or demonstrating gratitude could involve:
- Recognizing what other people do for you
- Showing appreciation for opportunities
- Expressing appreciation by saying thank you or doing nice things for people
December/January Reminders:
Monday, Dec. 14th
- Frisco Family Services Food Drive Begins! (Dec. 14th -Jan. 15th)
Tuesday, Dec. 15th
- Instructional Team Leader Meeting 7:10
- 4th and 5th Grade Choir Practice (2:50-3:30)
Wednesday, Dec. 16th
- K-2 Kids Count Program (2:50-3:30)
Thursday, Dec. 17th
- 1st Grade -Zooniversity (9:00-9:45)
- Spirit Store Open (Before GMST)
- Winter Parties (2:00-2:50)
- Staff Holiday Party, 10381 Promontory Drive (3:30-6:30)
Dec. 21st-Jan. 1st
- Winter Break -No School
Monday, Jan. 4th
- Protected Day -No PDAS Observations
Tuesday, Jan. 5th
- Instructional Team Leader Meeting 7:10
- 4th and 5th Grade Choir Practice 2:50-3:30)
Wednesday, Jan. 6th
- Staff Meeting in Pod 3 (3:15-4:15)
Thursday, Jan. 7th
- Olweus Committee Meeting (3:15-4:15)
Friday, Jan. 8th
- GMST
December Birthdays
Cyd Coker-Gilkey 12/1
Mary Webster 12/3
Lucy Mark 12/11
Kim Hunt 12/12
Michele Todd 12/13
Hannah Ryan 12/16
Jennifer Morris 12/30
Camille Bryan 12/30
Best of the Best
"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." -Melody Beattie
Thank you for recognizing the great things in each other with all of the Shout Outs. We are all blessed, staff and students, to work and learn in a school where showing appreciation is the norm.
Shawnee Trail Elementary
Email: schaeffp@friscoisd.org
Website: http://schools.friscoisd.org/ES/shawnee-trail/site/home
Location: 10701 Preston Vineyard Drive, Frisco, TX, United States
Phone: (469) 633-2500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShawneeTrailElm
Twitter: @shawneetrailelm