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