MIS Monday Message
May 9 - 13
Coasting or Teaching?
In the last three weeks of school, the feeling is that it's time to coast. But is it? Is every one of your students prepared for the next grade level? Have they mastered everything that they need to so they can be successful next year? So much time is wasted as we near the end of the school year because we start coasting.
But who are we hurting when we coast? Sure, it feels good to relax, but is it necessary? Your students will be coasting all summer, so the best thing we can do is teach with a sense of urgency until the last day. We have planned a few fun activities for the end of the year, but they are not a reason to coast. Our students deserve to learn every moment that they are at school, and that's the job we are hired to do. Thank you so much for continuing to teach even on the days when we have special events. We simply don't have the time to put movies in and coast when our students have so much more to learn.
I appreciate you working extra hard these last few weeks to plan engaging activities that will keep your students' attention. These are probably the hardest weeks all year to teach. We're trying to keep things as normal as possible in order to send the message to the students that school is still in session. We decided to do our RtI meetings online this time in order to preserve your teaching time.
As you know, we're having a very difficult time getting substitutes. We have a very limited pool of people who are willing to sub and can handle the students. There are times when we just can't avoid a teacher being out, but I really need you to work with us when we have to split classes. Please understand that we do that as a last resort, but sometimes have no other option. Thank you for being willing to help out your team members and please try not to be out if at all possible. Thursday and Friday of this week we have many subs because of the Vertical Alignment meetings in the district. It's going to take all of us helping out on those days to make sure our students are taken care of.
We had 75 students check out of school on Friday after the Mother's Day luncheon, and those absences will count against those students. Please make sure that parents know if they check their child out early, it does count against them. We will be counting absences until the last day of school, and parents need to know that. Please help us to share this message.
As the quote above says, it takes all of us putting the kids first in these last few weeks. This is a true test of the culture of our school, and we want to end strong. Our kids deserve nothing less than the best!
Discipline Notes
Now is the time to pull out any tricks you have for encouraging positive behavior in the classroom. Third grade started last week with a "snack sack" reward for students each week that earn 95% or above on their SAR. Please work your grade level to decide on a short-term reward if you think it will help. Rewards should not be longer than 30 minutes for the week and need to be consistent across the grade level.
Aly's Getting Married!
THIS WEEK AT MIS
* Partner Teacher meetings this week. RtI meetings will be online this week.
MAP Testing is May 6 - 20.
Monday, 5/9
- Shark Tank winner presentations
Tuesday, 5/10
- Multiplication Bee (3rd only), 1:30 pm
- Yearbook signing - schedule to follow
Wednesday, 5/11
- 5th-grade tours (Tucker, Nelms, Johnson)
- Leadership meeting, 1:45 pm (paras cover)
Thursday, 5/12
- 5th-grade tours (James, Fincher, Duncan)
- Vertical Alignment meeting for math
- Shower for Aly Ryburn, MIS Library, 3:20 pm
Friday, 5/13
- Vertical Alignment meeting for literacy
- Boy and Girl classes (5th only)
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES:
- May 16 - 20, Team meetings
- May 18, Grades cut off; Schoolwide spelling bee
- May 19, Leadership meeting (new and old team); Evacuation drill; STEM Night
- May 20, Grades uploaded by noon; 5th grade Talent show dress rehearsal
- May 23, 3rd grade Picnic @ City Park; 5th grade Talent show for 3rd/4th at 1:30
- May 24, 4th grade Picnic @ City Park, 5th Grade Day (Walk of Champs in pm)
- May 25, Fun in the Sun
- May 26, Honors Assemblies
- May 27, SAR Reward
- May 30, Memorial Day Holiday
- May 31, Last day of school
Julie Workman
Principal
Monticello Intermediate SchoolEmail: julie.workman@billies.org
Website: https://classroom.google.com/c/OTM1ODM4NTNa
Phone: (817) 694-6475
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julie.m.workman.7
Twitter: @Jworkman97