Cool Cat News
Principal Brief
October 16 -20
Cool Cats,
The next few weeks will be BUSY! We have lots of events going on next week and parent conferences will be here soon! This time of year can bring on many stresses. Take time to go over important dates with your team and start preparing early for parent conferences. If you would like for Vanessa and I to attend a parent conference, please send us an appointment for the day/time. We are happy to come! Remember to get plenty of sleep, try and get some exercise, take time to breathe and ask for help when you need it!
We have our Blue Ribbon Celebration on Friday! I usually find that when I over plan the day usually goes smoother. Please take time to communicate with your parents about the events of the day on Friday. Next week is a good time to review bus expectations, manners, etc. Students will have ribbons that they will wave during the Sapphires dance and the teacher dance. They will love it, but they will also need to be reminded that they are not hitting each other and being crazy. You will get a class set of ribbons. I would use one to model your expectation. Pass them out once students have been seated in the sanctuary. When music plays (except the Star Spangled Banner) students may wave their ribbon.
The following week is Red Ribbon Week. Some schools have theme days each day. Team leaders discussed that this can be a distraction. We will discuss being healthy on the morning announcements. We will end the week with Book Character Day and a morning book character parade.
Thanks,
Shawna
Upcoming Dates:
10/16 WEHS Homecoming Parade @ 6:30 (participants arrive by 6) Wear your crazy Capital clothes! Please get jeans passes to wear from Rita if you participate. Cheryl Holder is turning me in to Katniss - girl on fire!, School Board Meeting at 7pm where we will recognize Susan Shuler as the October District Wylie Way Award Winner
10/17 Blue Ribbon Rehearsal @3pm at FBW - students participating will be riding a bus to rehearsal. If you are in the program (dancing, singing, etc.) please plan to attend rehearsal.
10/18 Wylie Way Unity Day - wear orange and jeans!, 2-4th grade students will complete a Wonder kindness chart. We wil get them to you on Tuesday. I will read Spookley the Square Pumpkin on the morning announcements. I would love for kids to write/draw about the main idea of the book, Marco's Pizza Spirit Day for PTA 11am-10pm,
10/19 Severe Weather Drill 1pm - No push in help - the team will be preparing for the BR event.
10/20 Term 1 ends/grades due, awards due, Blue Ribbon Celebration @ 10am FBW, Blue Ribbon Parade @1pm. Please wear your new Blue Ribbon Polo and a nice pair of black pants or skirt. You may change into jeans and tennis shoes for the parade. No push in help. This will be a fun day for students. K-4 - students may watch a G movie on this day in the classroom. You are welcome to combine classes so that you may get a short break if needed. We will not have rotations on Friday.
10/23 Term 2 Begins, Pre-K, 1-4 Parent Conference Week, Wylie Way Food Drive Kickoff, McDonald's Night (K) 5-7pm, Boo Buddies Week, Red Ribbon Week
10/24 P/T Conference Night 3:30-6:30pm, Dickey's Night PTA 3-8pm, Sunshine Committee Meeting 3pm
10/25 3/4 RTI Meeting
10/26 G2 Musical 9am & 7pm, PTA Board Meeting 6pm, PTA General Meeting 7 pm, #edtechwylie PD 3-4pm, Book Character Day- Book Character Assembly and Parade at 7:50am
Parent Conferences
MAP Parent Conference Talking Points
What is MAP? MAP is an assessment we give 3 times a year. This is an adaptive assessment, which means it adjusts the level of questioning while your student is taking it. This does not show mastery, rather the level that teachers need to be working with students.
Some things to think about…
- Please spend time talking about the student’s strengths – both academically and behaviorally! Parents should know what their child does well. 😊
- With #1 in mind, clearly communicate when there is a concern. Sugar-coating academic concerns will confuse parents. Be clear and use the data to help them understand.
- Advanced – make advanced academics a priority. When they are in a conference about an advanced student, the teacher should reference the higher standards that we have for them. The whole conference should be approached differently because our goal is “masters.” Teachers should be sure to talk about the support and differentiated instruction the advanced student receives.
- MAP – be prepared to talk about MAP in a way that parents will understand. Please see the links below when getting ready to discuss MAP data with parents. This was covered in the MAP Implementation Team meeting.
Kara Broyles and Stacy Hefner can answer (or find the answer) on MAP related questions. They are the MAP implementation team.
How to print MAP Student Progress Reports for conferences: https://docs.google.com/a/apps.wylieisd.net/document/d/1Kc2w68dDNFzfq2urMGc1Ym_7HQ7D1AHxTCblDS9TWC8/edit?usp=sharing
MAP Parent Letter BOY: https://drive.google.com/a/apps.wylieisd.net/file/d/0B2Gt7VOztRQgT1pPbDRYdTNsT2M/view?usp=sharing
MAP Parent Letter BOY Spanish: https://drive.google.com/a/apps.wylieisd.net/file/d/0B-lmhcaAdXwWMWQ0V09DUVNaU2M/view?usp=sharing
MAP Parent Kindergarten Letter BOY https://drive.google.com/a/apps.wylieisd.net/file/d/0B2Gt7VOztRQgNy1YUVp3LUhuY0E/view?usp=sharing
Kindergarten Spanish – coming soon!
Parent conference talking points for MAP https://docs.google.com/a/apps.wylieisd.net/document/d/13jB4959aB-1c0i1BzSXHoOJrx5Xi5oTeuS7ck845NwI/edit?usp=sharing
R- Time Every Wednesday!
Rtime for Better Relationships! 10 minutes every Wednesday!
- Show good manners and respect at all times.
- Care for everyone and everything.
- Follow instructions with thought and care.