PONY NEWS February 13th
HELLO PONIES- A LITTLE TO SHARE ABOUT KARA SNEED
My Inspiration
A Baylor University graduate, I have taught for twenty years. My first five years, I looped with the same class from first to fifth grade in Irving ISD. That was an amazing experience; I was the Bilingual teacher on campus for all translation work in French. The last fifteen years of my career have been providing Gifted and Talented services for students in LISD. When I started working in LISD, I returned to college to study Spanish to better serve the students in our community. I learned to love languages from my amazing grandparents who raised me from age four on. Seventy or so years ago, my grandfather, Arnold, entered the first Bilingual education program in the state of Texas, German - English. He was the child of German immigrants and did not speak English. When I began college, I had plans to become an actuary; that had been my plan for many years. Having to pay for college independently, I taught an afterschool program on a Title One campus in Waco, where I fell in love with teaching and mentoring students. Also during that time, I discovered how important overcoming the challenges my grandfather once faced might have truly been. Coming full circle, that understanding drives my desire each day for professional growth and excellence.
In my personal life, I have been married for twenty years to a very intelligent, humorous man named James. We live happily in Lewisville with one cat, Cayenne.
Specials Showcase Science Discovery
Our LVES scientists have been working hard discovering their world.
Most recent discoveries:
Kindergarten- Weather patterns and seasons
1st grade- Rocks and minerals
2nd grade- Force and Motion, soil, rocks, and minerals
3rd grade- Force and Motion and Forms of Energy
4th grade- Cloud in a Jar Water Cycle and forces of earth science/formation of landforms
5th grade- Light, electric circuits, and Weathering-Erosion-Deposition
Let's Make all of our Students Winners!
A Minute with the LASes...
Please TAKE A MINUTE TO REVIEW the rating tips on this link.
You don't need to bring anything with you. The rater manual, PLD rubrics, and plain paper will be provided.
Thanks for your assistance!
RTI NEWS (UPDATES)
New Referrals:
Meetings for new referrals will be scheduled beginning next week, February 18th. This week, please look for an invitation to meet with the RTI committee (for new referrals only). Please refer to the email that will be sent this week, so that you can have all appropriate documentation and steps completed (so that we can get the most out of our meeting).
Existing RTI Students:
Regarding students already in RTI, Mrs. Simpson will send you a list of these students.
Teachers:
- Please review the list carefully.
- Be prepared to meet with the RTI team to tell them if the students have improved or need a different intervention and/or Tier. (Please note, all decisions will be based on data.)
- During the meeting, we will reschedule an RTI meeting if necessary.
Given that we have started Pony Time, tutoring, and Saturday school, we are hopeful that our students are responding to the current interventions that have been set in place for them, and hopeful that our numbers of both new and existing RTI referrals will decrease.
Mrs. Simpson will be sending an email regarding the RTI committee members, agenda, meeting norms/expectations, and process . Thank you for being advocates for our students' educational needs.
TAKING A MINUTE TO CELEBRATE YOU DURING VALENTINE'S WEEK
- Feel free to wear your jeans for the week!
- Don't forget to sign up for a massage.
- Look for a special treat in the teacher's lounge on February 14th beginning at 10:00.
- Enjoy a free breakfast on the morning of our professional development day, February 17th.
- Don't forget to take a moment to tell your students how much you care for them!
A MESSAGE FROM MRS. LENTZ
Fever policy is: if a student has a temperature of 100.00 degrees or higher they will need to be fever free, without needing medicine to reduce their temperature, for 24 hours.
Student will be excused if they have any or all: fever, vomiting or diarrhea.
Although there is no set vomit policy from LISD, I tell parents to keep them home if they continue to be sick.
If a student seems sick but clinically checks out ok and you decide to call his/her parents yourself, please inform the parent that it will not be an excused absence. Parents always have the option to pick up their students. If they decide to pick them up per your call, keep them in your classroom until they arrive. The front office will call when parents arrive.
A reminder that I call parents for each clinic visit – no matter how small the complaint.
Calendar for the next 2 Weeks
February 17th
We will be learning and working together in Lewisville ES. We will have time together as a faculty and time with your grade level/team.
The agenda with more details will be shared with you during the week.
TEENS FOR JEANS
NEW!!!! PLEASE SIGN IN FOR THIS WEEK'S PONY NEWS MESSAGE
SIGN IN HERE
STAFF SHOUT-OUTS
- Kim Kilam for all the help and support coordinating Student Council! from Beth Hayes
- Sharica Jones, thank you for your excellent efforts getting students into the computer lab for Morning Istation. Attendance is soaring.
Thanks for the Shout-Outs!
Submit a Shout-Out to someone else HERE and we will share it in future Monday Messages.