CANNON LEGACY
A Newsletter For Cannon Staff 2017-2018
Principal Points - 5/7 - 5/11
Just because we only have 11.5 school days left in the 2017-2018 school year doesn't mean that things are "winding down". In fact, MOST of us will feel like we are operating at top speed, with all of the events still scheduled for the remainder of this school year! STAAR testing; Grade Level Field Trips; Career Day; Senior Walk @ Cannon; Hawaiian Choir Concert/Competition; Field Day; EoY Awards Ceremonies; PACKING UP TO MOVE, etc....
But....HANG IN THERE!!! Don't get too busy and forget to take the time to truly enjoy these final days with your scholars! They deserve the BEST of you & their school experience, right up to the very last day! THANKS for all that you do!
Proud to be your principal,
Tona :)
Enjoy this special tribute to moms!
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Lisa's Coaching Corner
I want to HIGHLIGHT the #digital20challenge. This is a GREAT self-paced summer professional development because you will gain new ideas and expand your digital toolbox while you are home in your pajamas/shorts/swimsuit. It is also fun to follow the Twitter hashtag to learn what others in the district are learning too! Please click here to learn all the details and sign up.
Feeling so overwhelmed that you find yourself stuck? Here is one tip that will help you push through when you think you can't. Use the "Do 5 Things" technique. Just chose 5 small things and do them and STOP. Once you do this several times you won't just stop at 5. This is just one way to help push reset and move on.
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DATES TO REMEMBER
5/14 STAAR Testing - 3rd & 4th Math; 5th grade Math retakes
5/15 STAAR Testing - 3rd & 4th Reading; 5th grade Reading retakes
5/16 1st grade field trip to UTA planetarium 8:30-1:00
5/16 STAAR Testing - 5th grade Science
5/16 PLC Week A - 1st grade 2:15-3:45
5/17 PTA Ice Cream Party for 3rd-5th grade students 12:00-2:00
5/17 PLC Week A - 2nd grade 2:15-3:45
5/17 Cubs Night Out @ Jason's Deli
5/18 5th grade field trip to SWA Frontiers of Flight Museum
5/18 PLC Week A - Kindergarten 2:15-3:45
5/21 5th Grade College Day
5/21 CHHS Graduation Walk in Cannon hallways 9:00-10:00
5/21 Kindergarten field trip to FWMSH 9:00-2:00
5/21 CEC 3:15-4:00 pm
5/22 Choir field trip to Hawaiian Falls
5/22 Cubs Night Out @ Cici's Pizza
5/23 Career Day
5/24 Field Day
5/25 Bad Weather Makeup Day - No school!
5/28 Memorial Day Holiday - No school!
5/29 2nd Grade Awards - 8:00-9:00
5/29 1st Grade Awards - 9:30-10:30
5/29 Kindergarten Awards - 1:45-2:30
5/30 3rd Grade Awards - 8:00-9:00
5/30 4th Grade Awards - 9:30-10:30
5/30 AttenDANCE Party - 2:15-2:45
5/31 5th Grade Awards & Celebration - 8:00-11:00; Clap out for 5th 11:35
5/31 Last Day of School - Early Dismissal 11:45
6/01 Teacher Workday - last contract day
6/01 End of the year staff breakfast - 8:00-9:00
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STAFF CELEBRATIONS & UPDATES
JENNIFER BRYANT will be making a move to Grapevine Middle School next year to join the 6th grade STEM team as an ELA teacher. We will miss Jennifer at Cannon, but are excited that you will continue to work with some of our former Cannon Cubs and support STEM learning at GMS. Best of luck to Jennifer in her transition to middle school!
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THIS WEEK'S EVENTS
SPECIALS SCHEDULE FOR STAAR DAYS
Next week is STAAR and since we are testing in 3rd, 4th & 5th grades, there will be testing going on ALL over the building. There will be NO KCAN on STAAR testing dates. As always, we appreciate your help to keep our hallways quiet to help us maintain a great testing environment for our scholars who are testing. Below is the specials schedule for the upcoming STAAR testing days:
May 14:
8:20-9:05: 1st grade
9:10-9:55: 5th grade
10:00-10:50 give restroom breaks
10:55-11:45 2nd grade
12:50-1:30 3rd grade
1:35-2:10 Kindergarten
2:10-2:45 4th grade
May 15:
8:20-9:05: 1st grade
9:10-9:55: 5th grade
10:00-10:50 give restroom breaks
10:55-11:45 2nd grade
12:25-1:15 Kindergarten
1:20-1:45 3rd grade
1:45-2:10 4th grade
2:10 1st PLC
May 16:
8:20-9:05: 4th grade
9:10-9:55: 1st grade
10:00-10:50 3rd grade
10:55-11:45 2nd grade
12:25-1:15 Kindergarten
1:20-2:05 5th grade
2:10 PLC
Enjoy This Special STAAR Message For Our Cubs!! (Thank you Julee! )
IT'S TIME FOR EoY PLANNING!
- STUDENT PLACEMENT FORMS will be placed in teacher mailboxes this week (pink -girls & blue-boys) along with a key to use for completing these forms. Upon receiving these, please start completing a form for each student in your classroom. If you are new on your team - please ask a veteran teacher any questions you may have. Plan a date with all members of your team, including GT & Sped teachers, so that you can all work together to create classes for next year. Remember to include any information that will be helpful for next year's teachers as they welcome students into their classrooms. Please be sure to ask if you have any questions about this process. Before you turn your team's placement forms in to Tona, please add a sheet for each group in your grade level folder here. Directions & an example form are in this folder.
- EoY GRADE LEVEL AWARDS CEREMONIES Don't forget to share EoY grade level awards ceremony dates with parents! Click here to access the folder for this year's awards ceremonies. In this folder, PLEASE read these instructions first before adding your student names/information on the slideshow templates within your grade level folder. If you are new to your team this year, please talk to veteran teachers on your team for more information and work together! Also, please don't forget to update the Awards Descriptions your grade level will be handing out to scholars this year, so that this information is ready to go on our awards program dates! ALL AWARDS THAT WILL BE GIVEN BY SPECIALS TEACHERS, CLUBS, etc... must be filed in the grade level award boxes by Anne's office by Friday, May 18th - no exceptions please!! A list of all "separate" certificates that will be awarded can be located in the folder for this year's award programs provided above. Please make note of the dates/times of our End of Year Celebration Ceremony for each grade level and communicate this information to parents NOW, so that they can make plans to attend.
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CAMPUS REMINDERS & UPDATES
TELPAS TRAINING PORTAL The Pearson TELPAS Training portal will close on July 2nd. After this time, all certificates and training histories from the 2017-18 TELPAS portal will be lost. This does include calibration certificates and basic training certificates. If you have not made personal copies, please do so before this time. We do NOT have these copies on our campus! TELPAS Training Center
BRIGHT BYTES SURVEY FOR 3rd-5th STUDENTS & STAFF The following information was sent to all campuses on Friday from Tony Zahn. All 3rd-5th grade teachers and students need to complete a Bright Bytes survey between May 14 and May 31st. This data will allow us to provide you with data to continue successful implementation of technology in our classrooms. The unique links for Cannon are as follows:
Students: www.BByt.es/7M9WL
Professional Teaching Staff, Liaisons, Librarians, Campus Admins: www.BByt.es/7M9WT
DALLAS MORNING NEWS EMPLOYEE SURVEY link was shared with all staff last week. This survey is new for GCISD and the district is excited about the opportunity for our district to gain recognition as one of the best organizations to work at in the DFW area, as a result of this survey. Please don't forget to complete this short survey!
CAST 2018 CALL FOR PROPOSALS IS OPEN! CAST 2018 will be held in Ft. Worth in November 2018, so this is the perfect time for our awesome Cannon staff to plan to present some of the incredible things you are doing with your students! Please talk to Julie and Lisa about any ideas you have for a presentation - they are happy to help! Presenters will get to attend the conference on all dates and enjoy some wonderful sessions. Click here for the CAST 2018 proposal information.
GRAPEVINE-COLLEYVILLE ISD NIGHT AT GLOBE LIFE PARK ON JUNE 5 The Texas Rangers and Grapevine-Colleyville ISD are thrilled to present Grapevine-Colleyville ISD night at globe life park. Enjoy an evening of Rangers baseball with fellow Grapevine-Colleyville families. A portion of each ticket sold will go back to Grapevine-Colleyville Education Foundation. Discounted tickets are available for all Grapevine-Colleyville ISD employees, friends, and families through this exclusive offer. Click here for the flyer about this event!
TECH TALKS Check out the last Tech Talks for this year! It's a great time to learn about some new tech tools and to provide Julee with some feedback that will help her plan for next year!
FIELD DAY It's almost time for Field Day 2018!!! This year is going to look a little different regarding how we are doing field day. Because of bus schedules, Kinder-2nd will be loading up on the busses @ 9:00 to go to GMS and begin their events at 9:30. When the buses return, grades 3-5 will load up and head to GMS and start their events at 10:00. CLICK HERE TO READ & SHARE THE FIELD DAY LETTER SENT HOME TO FAMILIES.
PTA is providing water for each student so please help remind them to keep up with their water bottle while there (please put names on them) and maybe keep them in a backpack or bag so we don't lose them. Remember we will not have access to the building to come in to cool off/ get drinks from the water fountain. The concession stand will be open and each grade will have a time slot to go there and will also have face painting during that time. If parents send in money you might want zip lock baggies to help your students keep up with it while we are there.
Lunch will be done when we get back to Cannon in your classroom (sack lunches). Please turn in a count to Lisa that morning and remind your students that ordered one to go get it when you return! It might be a good idea to have your students bring a snack for the morning/concession time since lunch is much later than normal!
Students are not allowed to be checked out at GMS. Everyone will ride the bus to and from GMS! Since we are on buses, permission slips are being sent home. Please keep your classes permission slips and send them to me once you have collected all of them!
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NEWS FROM THE LEARNING COMMONS
Reminders From Mrs. Wagner
GCISD READS CELEBRATION
The final count is in and (drumroll please.....) 374 Cannon scholars successfully completed the GCISD Reads Challenge this year! Thank you for your help to support this effort and encourage a love for reading with our Cubs!!
This summer Cannon will participate in the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge, a free online reading program that invites students to log their reading minutes each week during the summer. The goal is for students in our school to keep the magic of reading going and read the most minutes possible in an effort for our school to earn the title "Best in State." All current students have been given an account. Students will get their account information during the week of May 7. The challenge begins May 7, 2018 and ends September 7, 2018. Another bonus is all the reading students do during the summer counts towards their GCISD Reading Challenge for the upcoming school year. CLICK HERE FOR THE SUMMER READING NEWSLETTER FOR PARENTS with all of the details!
LIBRARY BOOKS ARE NOW OVERDUE!
Please help us by turning in any library books that your students OR you may still have checked out. Packing up the library is a HUGE task and difficult to do when there are so many outstanding books still - over 200 to be exact! HELP NEEDED PLEASE! :)
MOVING UPDATE & REMINDERS
It's May and time for all staff to begin planning for our end of the year move! I have provided some important reminders for staff, as you begin to pack and prepare for the move, as well as the most updated timeline for moving-related events. We understand that this is a stressful time and that there is a LOT to be done, but we've GOT THIS and we are a TEAM! Let's work together and stay positive! We have A LOT to be excited about and MUCH to look forward to! Ask questions - we are here to help!!
PACKING/MOVING INSTRUCTIONS
- Think & Plan Forward! We don't know exactly what to expect in terms of our move-in when we return in August, but rest assured, it is going to be VERY LAST MINUTE. Pack with this in mind! Meet with your teams and plan out the first several weeks of school and pack any materials or items needed to get the year started. Consider how you would begin the year if there was an issue and we had no wi-fi or network for awhile? Plan for the worst and hope for the best! I would highly recommend that any boxes of lesson materials you need for the first two weeks of school be taken home with a team member for storage over the summer. That way, in the event of a very late move-in, you won't be searching for "that box" in the midst of everything else!
- Purge & Pack!! This is the mantra we want all staff to chant as they are going through items in your rooms. Remember that if you have NOT used something all year long, you probably don't need it anymore!!
- Boxes, tape and labels are provided by the district. We are receiving boxes in shipments and as we start to run low on our supply, we order more. Boxes are on the stage and tape & labels are available by request from Debbie. Please do NOT take more boxes than you need and stash them in your rooms! We can get as many as we need, so please take only a few at a time. Important: Notify Debbie when the supply is low, so that we don't run out and have to wait for more to be delivered.
- We understand that the boxes are small. These are regulation-sized boxes used by GCISD, to avoid overpacking and causing boxes to get too heavy for the movers to lift. Some items you have in your room will not fit in these boxes and may require a larger box, or to be simply secured and labeled. Larger boxes can be used for large items only, but please do not pack these boxes to where they are too heavy to lift.
- Filing cabinets must be emptied out and items packed in boxes. No exceptions!
- Items Left In Rooms Several have asked if they can just leave items in their classrooms that they don't want to move. The answer to this question is generally NO! While there may be some exceptions, such as old bookcases that you no longer want, please remember that no files, folders, student work, books, etc... can be left in the rooms. These items must be discarded and or shredded, if necessary.
MOVING TIMELINE
- Movers will be coming on various dates throughout the month. IF you have boxed items ready to be moved, they need to be taped, accurately labeled and stacked in the hallways outside of your classroom 24 hours BEFORE the movers arrive. Please be sure to put a note on these items to let custodians know that they are NOT TRASH. Let Tona know when you have items ready to be picked up on one of the following moving dates. May 18; May 23; May 30; June 1 (Don't forget to notify me that you have items to be picked up on a specific date. We will NOT walk the halls looking for items.)
- June 1st - movers will finish transporting remaining boxes/other items to storage
- June 1st - technology will shutdown network after 3:00 on this date, so that they can begin pulling out equipment from IDF closet & projectors.
- June 4th and 5th - auctioned furniture items to be picked up
- June 4th - 8th - Facilities, Technology and Security Departments will be removing any items they would like to keep
- June 9th - contractor will begin demo of existing building
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WORTH A READ...OR A LISTEN!
GREAT END OF YEAR IDEA FROM THE TECHIE TEACHER! This post shares everything you need for your students to design an informative brochure for next year's class. What a GREAT idea!!
JUST FOR FUN VIDEO that can be shared with your students about some quirky optical illusions. It shows how to make them and some are really simple! If you are looking for some fun brain-stretching activities or moments during the last days of school, your Cubs are sure to enjoy this!
ANOTHER JUST FOR FUN VIDEO! Your students will LOVE watching this elaborate marble run video below, made with simple materials, including dominoes, plastic forks and fidget spinners! COOL!
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CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION CORNER
SUMMER STEM EDUCATOR TRAININGS!
STEM ACADEMY - 21st Century Learning Academy
Please see information below about the 21st Century Learning Academy for STEM Educators at Ft. Worth Museum of Science & History. This wonderful training has now become an expectation for all staff that is hired to work at Cannon and we are continuing to send existing staff that have not yet been trained. Please let Julie Brenegan know asap if you are interested in participating this summer! The $50 fee will be waived for all Cannon staff! See additional information & dates below.TEACHING SCIENCE THROUGH INQUIRY
This workshop immerses teachers in processes, pedagogies, and implementation strategies that will enhance professional practice and build understanding of inquiry-based instruction. Click here for more information about this training. See Julie Brenegan asap for more information & let her know if you are interested in participating!
GCISD LEARNING INSTITUTE -CALL FOR PROPOSALS
SUMMER LEARNING!
As the end of our school year rapidly approaches, it's time to begin thinking about how you'll spend your lazy days of resting and reflection. The C&I team has compiled many opportunities that will help to grow and challenge the "teacher side" of your brain during the summer weeks. Please browse through the options and select the ones that meet your personal learning goals.
If reading by the pool (or inside in the air conditioning) is your preference, be sure to stock up on titles that meet your learning needs before you leave. GCISD has two new options for accessing books, so please check these out as well!
MYSTERY SCIENCE - FREE FOR ONE YEAR!
We have been given a free district license to Mystery Science for the next year (now through June 2019)
Please bookmark the URL below in order to access. ENJOY!
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TWITTER REMINDERS FOR @canSTEM
Please help us reach our campus goal for all staff to participate in a 5-minute a day communication plan, as stated in George Couros's quote shown here. It's truly a simple way to SHARE & LEARN from the best minds in GCISD! I am going to be highlighting our school twitter account HEAVILY with parents & our school community, to help create our own "outward culture of celebration"!!
As a reminder, please include our school's handle, @canSTEM, in all of your tweets, so that they can be automatically retweeted on our school account. At the end of the day, simply go to @canSTEM and scroll through our school's tweets for 5 minutes and see what your colleagues are sharing! If you want to learn more from them about an idea they shared....you will only have to walk across the building to get more information firsthand!
Please click here to see our staff list of social media accounts. Please add/update any information so that we can make sure we follow each other!
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About This Background Image...
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TO-DO LIST
- Set a timer and complete daily attendance ON TIME!
- Give high fives & hugs to all of our 3rd-5th grade scholars and teachers for good luck on STAAR this week! Please make note of specials schedule changes and remember to help us keep the hallways quiet and free of distractions.
- Review moving reminders & timeline information carefully!
- 3rd-5th Student & staff need to complete the Bright Bytes survey sometime between 5/14 & 5/31.
- Complete the Dallas Morning News Employee Survey if you haven't already.
- Begin working on Student Placement sheets with your team.
- Share summer reading information with your students & families.
- Share Field Day information with your families!
- Begin working on EoY Awards ceremony planning with your team.
- Consider submitting a proposal to present at CAST 2018 - see Julie or Lisa!
- See the information about summer STEM & inquiry trainings! Let Julie know if you are interested!
- Check out other summer learning opportunities in the C & I Summer Learning news.
- Take your scholars out to the back of the school to see the construction progress!
- Review the information in this newsletter about the 5-minute a day communication plan. Tweet & blog about all of the great things you are doing in your classroom/grade!
- Update teacher website, blog and other social media.