Mustang Message
January 29, 2018
A Principal's Perspective
How do we encourage lifelong reading in our students? I am reading a book by Dr. Steve Layne, Igniting A Passion for Reading, where he provides strategies for fostering the love of reading in our schools and classrooms. Buying books for the classroom library with specific students in mind is just one effective tip shared. Telling a student, “I thought of you!” and putting specific books into their hands is another example! Or providing a space where books you have read are highlighted and shared fosters the excitement of reading in the classroom. These are a few of the strategies shared in his book. But when attending a Steve Layne workshop session at a conference, what struck me about Dr. Layne was his genuine love of books because he was an avid reader too! His enthusiasm, sadness, frustrations, and other emotions were conveyed as he talked about books that he had read. Not just any books but children's literature that we use in our classrooms.
How do we as a campus and in our classrooms foster the love of reading with our students? Do we share our favorite books that we have read with our students? Do we share the emotions that we feel as we read a particular passage? Do we share our thoughts about a character in a book? Do we read children's literature so that we can make recommendations to our students? In looking over the recommended 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime by Amazon, I was struck as to how many I need to read and how many were actually children's literature. Check out the recommendations at the following link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html/ref=pe_3044410_266754040_pe_button/?node=8192263011
I think the cartoon by Dr. Dawn Bentley sums it up for us (see below). If we are going to encourage our students to be readers, we model that through our shared experiences of the wonders of a book.
Be Innovative - Design the possibilities!
Donna
Morning Duties of the Week
Gym & Morning Assembly (7:20-7:45): Piscacek
Gym (7:20-7:45): Owen
Parent Drop Off Direct Traffic (7:20-7:55): Craigen
Parent Drop Off Car Doors (7:20-7:55): Gibbs & McMurray/Gilpatrick
Cafeteria (7:20-8:00): Bartosh
Bus (7:15 - 7:55 Buses/ Car Drop Off after all buses arrive): McMurry
Counselor Schedule: - K & 1st
Librarian: GP
Week at a Glance
Monday: 4th grade going to the symphony; GP Choir 3:05-4:00; Three weeks progress reports due
Tuesday: Jean Tweet Tuesday (wear jeans if you tweeted about your class/school 3 times in January)
Wednesday: Class picture day
Thursday: PTO Meeting 12:00 Science Lab; BRAVE 3:15-4:15
Friday: SOUPer Bowl Social Committee Staff Luncheon - Sign Up Link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0e49afa629abfc1-gpsouper
News & Notes
- Official 100th Day of School - Tuesday, February 6th.
- Do you tweet on Twitter? CSISD now has #SuccessCSISD to tell our story to the College Station community about the great things happening at our schools and in our classrooms. Take time to tweet at #SuccessCSISD and @greensprairie to share what is happening in your classroom. During the month of January, any teacher that Tweets to #SuccessCSISD and @greensprairie (you can put your news on both hashtag and handle) three times during the month of January can wear jeans on Tuesday, January 30th! Jean TWEET Thursday! Note: Create your tweet. At the end of your tweet add the #SuccessCSISD and @greensprairie so that your tweet can be tweeted in both places. You can also post your tweet on the GP Facebook, your class page, and/or Instagram. You can go to Twitter to check out tweets for CSISD and Greens Prairie.Remember that the students will do individual Spring Picture poses immediately after the class pictures. The office will call you when it is time to come down.
- February faculty meeting will focus on CHAMPS in the classroom. There will be two meeting dates to choose from. The faculty meeting will be for all professional staff. Please see link for more information and to sign up for a meeting that fits your schedule best. Link: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C094BA9A82DA0F94-february
- Picture Day Information: We will have a staff picture so all staff will need to meet in the cafeteria at 7:30. We will be using Channel 2 on the radio to communicate with the office. We will use the phone to call down to your rooms when it is time for you to bring your class. Please make sure you don't forget about our students in SpEd, Speech, Specialist or the grade level assistants. Remember that the students will do individual Spring Picture poses immediately after the class pictures. Schedule Link: http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1355033#anchor
- Bus Information for Field Trips: Elementary students usually fit 3 to a seat for a total of 71 passengers. 2 to a seat equals 48 passengers. Adults being bigger means less total passengers.
Lights: There has been a computer glitch with the outside lights. I have requested that the lights stay on 24/7 until the glitch is corrected.
Please remember that we need all staff in Morning Assembly at 7:45.
Student Information: With Valentine's Day coming up, reminder that we can give out student names on a class list. Please do not share addresses, phone #s, or emails without getting permission from the parent.
2018-2019 School Calendar has been approved. Link: http://web.csisd.org/school_board/agendas/2017-2018/January/ItemH-2aTramelCSISDSchoolCalendar18-19OptionB.pdf
Mustang Yee Haws!
Happy Birthday:
Micki Lindner, Feb 3
Amanda Simmons, Feb. 4
Rebecca Macik, Feb. 4