Week 6

Happy Fall ya'll...wow...the weather really been a roller coaster lately.  I don't know about you, but I'm really starting to see some beautiful colors as I drive.   

This week is going to be a week where we all need to be "all in".  Several staff are going to be out of the building for a variety of training's, including Administration,  so we might be asked to pitch in with various tasks.  Your support and flexibility will be much appreciated.

It was great to see 4th grade honored for the Attendance Wars...popcorn and a movie.  Their 97.8% attendance rate was great. They have set a high bar for the rest of the grades to follow. 

I want to give a big shout out to the Intervention team for working so hard to complete the AIMSWeb Benchmark testing.  Now that we have multiple measures of student test data, it's time to start digging deeper with student interventions and progress monitoring.  More to come on this next week...  

Please make sure to be in attendance at our Wing Meeting on Wednesday.  We have some important information to review.

Make it great!

Specials...

• This week, my weekly observation will be input into the Framework.  It will focus on the Climate and Culture section of the Classroom Framework.  
• Reminder to keep making those parent phone calls and logging colors in the system for student behaviors.  You are continuing to build the foundation of your expectations of student behaviors, and if you don't address them now you will get them all year.

Special Education...

• This week, my weekly observation will be input into the Framework.  It will focus on the Climate and Culture section of the Classroom Framework. 
• Accommodation Logs....It is very important to stress to the classroom teachers the necessity of following, completing and submitting the accommodation logs for their students.  This is a legal right that our special education students are entitled to and it is a MUST DO for staff. If you are not getting those logs, please let me know so that I can follow up with the specific teacher and/or Dean.

Intervention...

• This week, my weekly observation will be input into the Framework.  It will focus on the Climate and Culture section of the Classroom Framework. 
• All caseloads are up and running. If you need help please see me immediately!
• Caseload logging should be occurring everyday.  This ensures that you remain in compliance with the Grants department.
• Paras need to log their time into Lawson each day.  You should have two job descriptions each day...one para (grant funded) and one recess aide.  If you work 37.5 hours a week, you need to log in 6.5 para hours and 1.0 recess aide each day. If you work 35 hours a week, you need to log in 6.0 para hours and 1.0 recess aide each day.  Please see me or your Dean if you have any questions.

News To Know...

Oct. 7th-Picture Day
Oct. 8th- (Black Out Day)
Oct.9th- Wing Meeting (Black Out Day)
Oct. 10th- Board Meeting 6p.m.
Oct. 11th- (Black Out Day)
Oct. 14th- NHA Performance school visit; Vision Screening begins
Oct. 18th- Progress Reports go home/ Pink Out $2.00
Oct. 21st-Safe School Week
Oct. 23rd-High School Night 5p.m.-6p.m.
Oct. 25th- Behavior Dress Down/ Scholastic Book Fair begins/Truck or Treat
Oct.28th- Panther Den open k-2
Oct. 29th-Panther Den open 3-5
Oct. 30th Panther Den open 6-8
Oct. 31st-Half-Day 12 noon dismissal/ Free Dress
Nov. 1st- No school Regionals

APPLE AWARDS...🍎

Just a few things that I noticed..

🍎  Shout out to Kim, Adria, Clarissa, GiGi,  and Charise for working as an effective team to complete the AIMSWeb bench marking.

🍏  Shout out to Angi and Monique for providing the teachers with the necessary student Accommodation Logs and guidance.

🍎  Shout out to the Specials team for so willingly providing the 8th graders with a short Special on Friday, which enabled the 8th grade teachers to have their prep time before our Early Release.   

Week 5

This week, we welcome October and all things Fall and Pumpkin Spice! 🎃 Can you believe that this week marks one month of school completed?  I don't know about you but I feel like September flew by in a whirlwind! 

This week also finds us winding down with testing...both NWEA and AIMSWeb Benchmarking.  Both of these testing windows close on Friday, October 4th, so we need to make sure that we strive to complete these with 100% participation.

All Special Pops staff should be running their schedules according to those provided to you departmentally. There is an expectation by both students and teachers of the kids being pulled for breaks and/or instruction at their instructional level.  Let's make sure to be dependable and prompt.

With Count Day occurring on Wednesday, October 2, please encourage your students to be in attendance.  It will be a Free Dress Down Day for the students who attend school.

Make it great!

Specials...

• Lesson Plans are due by Monday...email or paper.
• Our 03's and Team Meeting will continue next week.
• This week, my weekly observation will be input into the Framework.  It will focus on the Climate and Culture section of the Classroom Framework.  
• Reminder to keep making those parent phone calls and logging colors in the system for student behaviors.  You are continuing to build the foundation of your expectations of student behaviors, and if you don't address them now you will get them all year.

Special Education...

• Lesson Plans are due by Monday...email or paper.
• Our 03's and Team Meetings continue next week.
• This week, my weekly observation will be input into the Framework.  It will focus on the Climate and Culture section of the Classroom Framework. 
• Accommodation Logs....It is very important to stress to the classroom teachers the necessity of following, completing and submitting the accommodation logs for their students.  This is a legal right that our special education students are entitled to and it is a MUST DO for staff. If you are not getting those logs, please let me know so that I can follow up with the specific teacher and/or Dean.
• AIMSWeb Progress Monitoring...this needs to begin this week with your students.  We will have a refresher on this process during our Team Meeting on Wednesday.

Intervention...

• Lesson Plans are due by Monday...email or paper.
• Our 03's and Team Meetings continue next week.
• This week, my weekly observation will be input into the Framework.  It will focus on the Climate and Culture section of the Classroom Framework. 
• All caseloads are up and running and each Interventionist/Social Worker should have completed at least one logging by end of day Monday, September 30.  If you need help please see me immediately!
• Caseload logging should be occurring everyday.  This ensures that you remain in compliance with the Grants department.
• Paras need to log their time into Lawson each day.  You should have two job descriptions each day...one para (grant funded) and one recess aide.  If you work 37.5 hours a week, you need to log in 6.5 para hours and 1.0 recess aide each day. If you work 35 hours a week, you need to log in 6.0 para hours and 1.0 recess aide each day.  Please see me or your Dean if you have any questions.

News To Know...

• Oct. 2nd- Count Day/ Staff Meeting (Cooper’s class)

  Oct. 7th-Picture Day

  Oct. 8th- (Black Out Day)

  Oct.9th- Wing Meeting (Black Out Day)

  Oct. 10th- Board Meeting 6p.m.

  Oct. 11th- (Black Out Day)

  Oct. 14th- NHA Performance school visit? Vision Screening begins

  Oct. 18th- Progress Reports go home/ Pink Out $2.00

  Oct. 21st-Safe School Week

  Oct. 23rd-High School Night 5p.m.-6p.m.

  Oct. 25th- Behavior Dress Down/ Scholastic Book Fair begins/Truck or Treat

  Oct.28th- Panther Den open k-2

  Oct. 29th-Panther Den open 3-5

  Oct. 30th Panther Den open 6-8

  Oct. 31st-Half-Day 12 noon dismissal/ Free Dress

  Nov. 1st- No school Regionals

APPLE AWARDS...🍎

Just a few things that I noticed..

🍎  Shout out to Kim Armstrong, Adria Willer, and Charise Mills for taking on extra duties to assist with AIMSWeb Benchmarking in grades 4-8.

🍏  Shout out to Monique for providing the extra support needed in grades K-2 Special Education during this time without a full time teacher!!!!

🍎  Shout out to Angi for her help with NWEA test make ups.  Your assistance was so valued and appreciated!

Week 4...9/23/19

"Individual commitment to a group effort--that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." --Vince Lombardi

The difference between success and failure is a great team and I want you to know how impressed I have been with the collaboration and support you show to each other, to the grade level teams, to administration, and to me on a daily basis.  Each of you truly demonstrate that you are here for our kids and that you are invested in their success.  I want you to know that I feel so abundantly blessed to work with such dedicated and professional people.  I cannot do this without each one of you!  

So, we have "officially" moved out of the "honeymoon" phase 😐and it is imperative that the culture that we are creating is solid and supportive of student success. To this end, make sure that you use the Interactive Framework to drive your formation of the Classroom Climate and Culture.  What we front load and establish now will pay off throughout the remainder of the school year.

Make it great!

Specials...

• Make sure to submit your Lesson Plans to me by Monday.  You can email them or print them and pass them on to me...it's your choice.
• Our 03's and Team Meeting will continue next week.
• My weekly observation will focus on Climate and Culture

Special Education...

• Your schedule is due to me this week.  If you have concerns, let's plan to discuss them at your 03.
• Make sure to submit your Lesson Plans to me by Monday.  You can email them or print them and pass them on to me...it's your choice.
• Our 03's and Team Meeting will continue next week.
• My weekly observation will focus on Climate and Culture

Intervention...

• Progress Monitoring should be starting in grades K-3.
• Schedules and lesson plans need to be to me by Monday.
• 03s and Team Meetings continue
• I will be completing observations this week, focusing on Climate and Culture.

News To Know...

• NWEA testing will continue for Grades K-1, along with make ups.
• AIMSWeb benchmarking continues for grades 4-8. 
• We will continue our weekly 03's and team meetings next week.  I will come to your classrooms/office for these meetings.  Please be available at the designated time and prepared to show your lesson planning.
• Please note that all door curtains should be tied back. The only it should be closed/covered is during a lock down or lock down drill.
• Free Flu Shots - Tuesday, September 24.
• Bully Assemblies - Wednesday, September 25.  
• Free Dress Day for Behavior - Friday, September 27
• Clap Out - Friday, September 27

APPLE AWARDS...🍎

Just a few things that I noticed..

🍎Shout out to Ms. DeVitis and Ms. Monville for their diligence in getting to the parking lot for dismissal.

🍏Shout out for the team work being shown in Special Ed while serving our students with special needs and high hours

🍎 Shout out to the intervention team for owning the AIMSWeb benchmarking

Week 3

Hey Team!

Welcome to the 3rd Week of school!  I want you to know that I am so excited to be able to work with each of you!  In the past two weeks, you have made such valuable contributions to the lives of the students at Laurus!  Thank you for your concerted efforts. 

This week the Special Education Team will officially begin servicing students.  I will need each service provider to create and submit their weekly schedule to me by the end of the week (Friday, September 20th).

NWEA testing continues this week with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders testing.  AIMSWeb Benchmarking will begin for students in grades 6th, 7th, and 8th.

Also, this week the administration team will continue classroom observations.  Please make sure to build those relationships with your students and continue reinforcing your classroom routines, procedures and expectations...inspect what you expect and hold students accountable accordingly.  The foundation that you establish now will drive the success of your school year.

Finally, I have posted the NHA Goals for Oral Reading Fluency.  We will want to develop ways as to how we can incorporate these into our goals for our Special Education students.

News To Know...

• We will begin our weekly 03's and team meetings next week.  I will come to your classrooms/office for these meetings.  Please be available at the designated time and prepared to show your lesson planning.
• Constitution Day - Tuesday, September 17.  
• Fire Drill - Tuesday, September 17
• Wing Meeting (Specials, Sped and Intervention) - Wednesday, September 18 at 7:30 am.
• Dress Down Day - $2.00, Friday, September 20.
• Free Flu Shots - Tuesday, September 24.

APPLE AWARDS...🍎

Just a few things that I noticed..

• I want to give a HUGE shout out to Evie Burk and the Intervention team as they completed AIMSWeb benchmark testing for all students in K-3!  This was a huge undertaking and the resulting test information is going to be of great value as classroom teachers start setting goals for their students and progress monitoring.
• Also, a HUGE shout out to Angi Hopewell for all of the assistance she provided with NWEA testing in the classroom.  You definitely made the testing go much more smoothly for teachers and students.
• A HUGE shout out goes to Andre Kinsey for stepping into the interim role of Technology teacher.  You made the transition very smooth for both staff and students.  
• Finally, a HUGE shout out to Holly Hamel for effortlessly (anyway it appears so) balancing your case load with the increasing number of Speech screenings that are occurring.    

Have a great remainder of your weekend and looking forward to an awesome week together!