Week 1

 

Happy Weekend and Labor Day Everyone!  

Congratulations! You have completed your first week of the school year...and I am so proud of you and all of the hard work you have completed this week!  I hope you are able to take advantage of the long weekend and get some well deserved R&R!

As you prepare for for next week, I want to give you some feedback to think about over the weekend.  Please remember that not only are you here to provide learning and growth for the students you serve, but they are here to help you learn and grow, as well.  Watch for those moments...reflect on them...and see where that "learning" takes you as a teacher.

News to Know:

New Students

Please plan on getting new students until Count Day in October.

Check Emails

I need you to make sure that you check your email at least twice a day...once during the morning and again in the afternoon.  We send out important information throughout the day. 

Monthly Birthday Celebrations

We will not be celebrating students individual birthdays this year.  However, on the students birthday, should it fall on a school day, they will receive a birthday shout out at the end of the day over announcements.  If you have a student whose birthday falls on a weekend or over a break, please have them bring a note down to Ms. Rogers letting her know, on the last day of the week and/or before the break.

Also, we will hold a monthly Birthday celebration on the last Friday of each month during the last 30 minutes of school.  You can send out a sign up sheet to parents of students celebrating their birthday, for STORE BOUGHT items you'd like provided for the celebration (ie. cupcakes, candy, cookies, chips, etc.).

Water Bottles

Students MAY NOT have water bottles at their desks.  They must keep them in their cubbies/lockers.  Students with lockers will need to go out to their locker to get a drink from their water bottle.

Please inform your parents via SchoolConnect that students are not allowed to bring pop or energy drinks to school.

Uniforms

Please make sure you are checking this every morning as you greet the students.  I need you to keep an eye out throughout the day to make sure shirts are tucked in and pants are not inside socks.

Positive Behavior Input

It is an expectation that each staff member input one (1) positive student behavior in the system.  If you need help doing this, please reach out to me.

Bathroom Break Schedule

I will be resending you a Grade/Class Level Bathroom Schedule.  It will need to go into effect on Tuesday.  You must adhere to these scheduled times.  Please do the following:

• Students should accompany you to the restrooms in a single file line
• They should bring a book to read while waiting
• They must be at a Level 0 - No Talking voice level
• You should bring a timer as we need to get these breaks down to 10 minutes
• You must check the bathrooms before sending students in and following your last students exit of the bathrooms for cleanliness.  
• Remind the students that inappropriate behaviors and lack of cleanliness will result in student discipline.  This is a "Zero Tolerance" issue.

ALSO...Please make sure to keep your voice level down too.  We need you to model the expected Voice Level and in addition, we have a lot of testing going on in the hallways.

NWEA

Fall NWEA testing continues this week.    Please refer to the documents I provided to you during our training regarding setting up your test sessions about proctoring.  I have insured that each of you have Test Manager rights so that you can set up your test groups.  If you need help doing this, please reach out to your grade level team leader or me.

Please make sure students with IEP Accommodations or 504 Accommodations for testing get these accommodations from their Sped Resource Teacher (3rd/4th - Mrs. Harris; 5th- Mr. G).

Here is the testing schedule:

AIMSWeb Testing

AIMSWeb ORF Benchmark testing starts next week and goes until September 13th.  ALL students in grades K-3 will be assessed.  Students who scored on or below the 25%tile in grades 4-8 will also be ORF Benchmarked.  This testing is being owned by your Grade Level Interventionists.  Please make sure that you are ensuring that they have all the time needed to complete their job.   

Constitution Day

It is a Federal Law that the U. S. Constitution be taught on September 17th.  You can Google Constitution Lesson Plans for your specific grade level.  Each grade level is required to electronically (NOT PAPER) submit their lesson plan to Ms. Rowden by Friday, September 13th as it is mandated that they are submitted to the State of Michigan before September 17th.  7th and 8th Grade will have this lesson taught in their Social Studies 

Cell Phones

Please continue to be diligent about collecting cell phones and locking them up. This is non-negotiable.

Grade Level Team Meetings and 03's

These will begin the week of September 9th.  I will be providing my Dean Schedule which delineates your 03/GLT/Data Analysis days next week. 

Hallway Bulletin Boards

Remember, ALL hallway "Welcome" bulletin boards need to be replaced student writing pieces by Monday, September 16th.

Hall Passes

Remember to utilize your hall passes for any emergency bathroom situations.

CHAMPS

Please make sure that your CHAMPS tool is being utilized.

Grade Level Newsletters

These are to be sent out weekly to parents via your SchoolConnect.

Grade Weighting

These are the grade weights that need to be set up in Grade Book so that parents can access students grades in the Parent Portal. You can work as a Team to set these up for every Content Area so that you can start inputting grades next week.

Assessments: 25

Assignments: 40

Participation: 15

Quizzes (Exit Tickets): 15

Homework: 5

Attendance

Attendance and Lunch Count must be taken at 8:01 (following announcements) and 8:45 am.  Lunch numbers are pulled by 9:00 am, so if you have any students who come in Tardy before 9:00 am, please make sure that their lunch is recorded if they are getting School Lunch.

Afternoon Attendance must be completed by 1:00 pm.

Weekly Attendance grids must be printed out on Fridays and placed in your Attendance File located in the Dean's Office.

Upcoming Events:

Tuesday, September 3 - School Resumes; NWEA Testing Continues; AIMSWeb ORF Testing Begins; TECH CLASSES BEGIN;   STAFF Meeting 3:35 Ms. Adams Classroom - Room 23.

Wed., September 4th - BLACK OUT DAY.  Please do not ask for time off on this day.

Monday, September 9th - Moral Focus Assembly K-5 - 8:15; Middle School - 2:15.  Committee Meeting - 3:35;  Team DATA Meeting Day

Thursday, September 12 - Title 1 Parent Meeting 3:30

Friday, September 13 - PICTURE DAY; Constitution Day Lesson Plans due to Ms. Rowden

Monday, September 16 - Wing Meeting 3:35

Tuesday, September 17 - Constitution Day Observance

Wednesday, September 18 -  FIRE DRILL - PM;  6th & 7th Parent Night 4:00 pm; 8th Parent Night 5:15 pm

Wednesday, September 25 - K-2 Parent Night 3:30 pm; 3-5 Parent Night 5:00 pm

Friday, September 27 - HALF DAY - Dismissal at 11:00 am; September Birthday Celebration Day 10:00-10:30; Teacher PD Dismisses at 2:00

Week 0

 

Welcome Back!

Happy First Week of the 24-25 School Year!  I am so proud of you and all of the effort you  have been putting in to making Back to School successful for your students.  I truly hope each of your have a great first day and week!

Just wanted to send a few reminders/updates as you prepare for Monday's first day:

New Students

Please plan on getting new students until Count Day in October. 

Desks

I will be around next every day next week to check on your need for student desks.  We will be placing an order.

Student Attendance on the First Day

Please refer to the directions from Ms. Mitchell.  However, you must enter each student's attendance individually.  DO NOT click the button to mark all present as it messed up our First Day attendance as it Enrolls the students, and it is very difficult to unenroll them once they are enrolled.

SchoolConnect

It is an expectation that you provide SchoolConnect as a communication tool for communicating with your parents.  Please reach out to them to make sure that they sign up for this.  Also, please remember to add me to your SchoolConnect Account.  If you need help, please reach out to Ms. Winter.

Uniforms

Students must be in uniform.  Please refer to the Staff Handbook or my Back to School Wing Meeting Power Point.

Reminder that shirts must be tucked in at all times.

Routines, Procedures and Expectations

Just to reiterate, it is expected that you plan, for the first two weeks, to place a strong focus on a daily review of your routines, procedures, and expectations.  Please make this a priority.

Bathroom Break Schedule

You have been given your Grade Level Bathroom Break Schedule.  I need you to adhere to these scheduled times.  In addition, please do the following:

• Students should accompany you to the restrooms in a single file line
• They should bring a book to read while waiting
• They must be at a Level 0 - No Talking voice level
• You should bring a timer as we need to get these breaks down to 10 minutes
• You must check the bathrooms before sending students in and following your last students exit of the bathrooms for cleanliness.  
• Remind the students that inappropriate behaviors and lack of cleanliness will result in student discipline.  This is a "Zero Tolerance" issue.

3-5 Assembly

We will have a Wing 3-5 Assembly in the gym on Monday, August 26 beginning at 11:00 am.  Please have your students lined up and down to the gym by 10:55 so that we can begin promptly.  I will discuss seating arrangements when classes arrive to the gym.

NWEA Testing (Grades 3-8)

Testing begins on Monday.  Please refer to the testing schedule for your grades.  Mr. Kinsey will be available to assist with getting you started.

Corrective Reading Benchmarking

Next week, our Intervention Team will begin our CR Benchmarking.  This is not something that you are expected to do...  Hopefully, the benchmarking will be completed within the week, along with being graded.  Then we can determine levels and groups for your grade levels.  I am hoping to have CR rolled out the week of September 8th.  

Staff Huddle

We will have a "Brief" Staff Huddle on the first day (Monday) following Dismissal.  All are expected to attend.

Lunch

Grades 3-5 will eat in their classrooms.  Please go over your lunch expectations with your students prior to lunch so that they are aware of them.  It would be a good thing to have a Slide posted with the expectations for the students and Interventionist to review.  Some things to consider:

• 3rd Lunch begins at 12:15 pm.  4th/5th begin at 11:55
• Clean Up starts at 12:45 for 3rd grade; at 12:25 for 4th/5th
• Lunch Ends at 12:50 for 3rd grade; 12:30 for 4th/5th
• Students sit at their own desk - no moving
• No sharing of lunches
• Silent for first 15 minutes - Time for eating.  Students earn talk time.
• Only 1 at at time, out of the room, to use the rest room
• No student use of classroom refrigerator or Microwave

You must be diligent returning from your lunch.  3rd grade needs to be back at your classroom at 12:50; 4th and 5th needs to be back at 12:30.  I will not excuse teacher tardiness in picking up students from lunch.

Cell Phones

Please make sure that you have a container to collect student cell phones every morning.  Once collected, you will need to lock the container up in your cupboards.  You need to use this procedure to insure that the cell phones remain safe and undamaged:

• Collect the cell phone one at a time.
• Place in a Ziplock baggie labeled in Permanent Marker with each student's name.
• Place in the container.
• Lock them up.

Hall Passes

Each classroom needs to have a hall pass for students to use for a bathroom emergency.  There should only be one student out at a time...NOT ONE BOY AND ONE GIRL.  Also, this is not to get water.  

Water Bottles

Students can have a water bottle in the classroom and kept in their cubby.  Water bottles are not allowed at desks.

Also, water bottles are to contain water only.

Attendance

Attendance and Lunch Count must be taken immediately following Morning Announcements and again at 8:45 am.  Lunch numbers are pulled by 9:00 am, so if you have any students who come in Tardy before 9:00 am, please make sure that their lunch is recorded if they are getting School Lunch.

Afternoon Attendance must be completed by 1:00 pm.

Weekly Attendance grids must be printed out on Fridays and placed in your Attendance File located in the Dean's Office.

Specials

Specials will begin on Monday (the first day).  For the first three days, the specials teacher will follow their rotation; however, they will come to you to go over their routines and expectations.  REAL Specials, in their respective rooms, will begin on Thursday, August 29th.

Technology

Technology will not begin until Tuesday, September 3rd.

Gum 

Students are not allowed to chew gum at school.

Snack Time

There is no snack time in grades 3-5.

Laurus Creed

If you are in need of a Laurus Creed poster, please contact your Dean.

Staff Non-negotiables

• Please make sure that you are dressing as a Professional.  We do not have any casual wear days in August or September.  
• Also, please make sure your cell phone is on mute.  Instructional time is not a time for you to be on your phone.  You can do that during your prep and lunch.
• Your daily start time for work is 7:30 am. 
• You must be at your door at 7:35 am to greet your students.

Upcoming Events:

Monday, August 26 - School Begins; SPECIALS in your room; No TECHNOLOGY;                                                Corrective Reading Placement Testing begins; 3-5 Assembly at                                          11:00 am; 6-8 at 2:15 pm: Staff Huddle following Dismissal

Tuesday, August 27 - SPECIALS in your room

Wednesday, August 28 - SPEACIALS in your  room

Thursday, August 29 - SPECIALS in the SPECIALS Rooms

Friday, August 30 - NO SCHOOL Labor Day Holiday

Monday, September 2 - NO SCHOOL Labor Day Holiday

Tuesday, September 3 - School Resumes; NWEA MAP Testing Continues