Hi all! I cannot thank you enough for your efforts this past week! From iDiscover with grandparents to staff development to Spirit Festival, you kept things running without a hitch while I was out sick. I still feel like I have been run over by a truck but am so looking forward to getting back into the swing of things on Monday and working among the living!
9 and 1/2 days to be exact.....not that anyone is counting! If you are looking for some fun engaging activities for the next two weeks, here are a few ideas:
Fly Up Day/Last Day of School Information: Please note the changes to fly up day on the last day of school. When planning for this, you may want to consider that student will not have art supplies and it will be a short time given travel times.
5.16 3rd Grade Field Trip-Old Court House
5.17 5th Grade Fly Up day to Sperreng and Truman
5.18
8:00 a.m. RTI meeting in PD room
4th Grade Trip to Daniel Boone
Kindergarten Trip to Grant’s Farm
5.19 5th Grade DARE Graduation
5.20
Fun Day
End of Year Staff Party
5.23 Fun Day rain day
5.24
8:00 a.m. Retirement celebration for Lindsay Marting
5th grade party
2:00 p.m. K-4th end of year party
5.25 1:45 p.m. LEAP Medieval Faire
5.27 End of Year Assembly
Fly Up Day
11:50 dismissal for all students/Last day for students
Check out this tip from Nicole S: I got a set of bed risers at bed bath and beyond- only $12 (with my 20% off coupon!) Now I have a high table for the kids to stand or use stools! :)
Please review these drill procedures with your students:
1. An announcement will be made to all students notifying them of the location of an intruder in the building. It will be stated before and after the drill that this is only a drill scenario and not a real situation.
2. Teachers will make decisions with their students based on the information they are given.
a. If teachers decide to get out, they are to take the students out of the building in a timely fashion, without putting them at risk of injury. Once outside, students should be gathered near the entrance of the building to await the all-clear sign. Students should be told that in a real situation, they are NOT to stop outside of the building and should get to a safe location away from campus. Teachers can discuss potential safe places near the school.
b. If teachers decide to lock out, they can discuss with students how to barricade the door. They can also move furniture in front of the door to secure the room. This should be done sensitively to the age of the student. It is recommended that the act should be made into a team challenge for elementary students (How many desks and tables can we stack in front of the door in 30 seconds?, e.g.)
c. If there is a second exit from the room, teachers can decide to get students out of the room after the door has been secured. In other words, teachers may choose to switch to a get out strategy after having already used a lock out strategy.
3. Principals will give the all-clear signal to return to instruction.
Please be sure to sign up for summer classes @ My Learning Plan. I am excited about all of the wonderful opportunities and encourage each of you to try one out. Where else can you get paid to learn? I am going to take #1 and #7.
1. Jennifer Serravallo The Reading Strategies Book Study Teachers will participate in a book study using Jennifer Serravallo's book The Reading Strategies Book. Discussions will be facilitated by Jana Parker and Jodi Meese and centered around grade levels. Heinemann has published a book study outline that will be followed. 2. Building the Growth MindsetBased on the groundbreaking book Mindset: the new psychology of success by Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck, this class will explore the tremendous impact that a teacher's words and actions have on our students. Participants will learn strategies for fostering a spirit of intellectual growth and perseverance in students. Changes are easy to make and will have an immediate impact. 3. Project Based Learning in Action!According to the Buck Institute: Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge. This course will help you understand the basic tenets of PBL and how you can effectively incorporate them into your middle of high school classroom. All subjects are welcome and encouraged as this is a powerful teaching tool to add to your toolbox. The course will be led by two instructors who have explored Project Based Learning in a year long adventure and will be able to share personal ups and downs of the experience as well as help troubleshoot during the unit planning process. 4. Introduction to Reading Strategies This course provides teachers with the opportunity to become familiar with Jennifer Serravallo's The Reading Strategies Book and develop an understanding of the book structure and how it can be used as a supplementary resource in reading workshop. *Please contact instructor before purchasing the book for this class. 5. Passionate Learners: How to Engage and Empower Your StudentsThis course revolves around the work of educator Pernille Ripp whose book, Passionate Learners, is an excellent guide to transforming your classroom culture and letting students take ownership of their learning. We will be examining practical tools that will help all educators create a positive and innovative learning environment for students. 6. Using Poetry to Engage Readers and Increase Comprehension Educators will have a better understanding of the effect poetry has on comprehension and ways to use poetry to engage readers at the elementary level. 7. DIY Literacy for Elementary Are the teaching tools you offer your kids really helping them to grow? This course explores how to use literacy tools (anchor charts, notebooks, micro-progressions, and bookmarks) to meet the needs of all learners. You will create tools that you can use in your classroom from day 1. *Please check with instructor before purchasing the book for this class. 8. Standards-Based Grading and Assessment for Learning Strategies In this course, we will offer an introduction to standards-based grading and the assessment for learning strategies that make it a worthwhile way of doing business in schools. The overall course will consist of six meetings during which we'll discuss How to Grade for Learning by Ken O'Connor, view and discuss video excerpts by SBG/AFL experts such as Rick Wormeli, Doug Reeves, and others, and uncover best classroom practices for implementation.
A HUGE thank you to Holly and Eric Stockmann and Steve Ippolito for providing lunch for teacher appreciation week. Please take a moment to send them an email or note:
During this time of year, many of us are counting down the days to summer. We have worked hard all year so be sure to enjoy this special time with your students. Most importantly, stay focused on every learning opportunity you have be it outdoors in the garden, in the lobby reading with students, or as you encourage a love of reading for your students.
Wednesday is National School Nurse Day-Be sure to show Nurse Paula some love!
In thinking about the summer slide, I would like to pilot a summer reading program for our students. Feel free to sign up for a time slot over the summer as the Concord Celebrity reader. I will explain more about this at our staff meeting but basically we have reserved Grant’s View Library for an hour each week to promote summer reading. All you need to do is read aloud a favorite book and sign autographs. :)
MAP Updates:
MAP Lunch schedule will remain in effect until Monday May 3rd.
Block Schedule will remain in effect until Tuesday, May 4th:
Week 3
5/2/2016 (Mon)
5/3/2016 (Tues)
8:55-9:45
3rd
3rd
9:45-10:35
5th
1st
11:00-11:30
K
K
11:30-12:20
4th
4th
12:50-1:40
2nd
2nd
1:40-2:30
1st
5th
2:30-3:00
K
K
JA in a Day:
Junior Achievement will be coming next week. Here is the schedule. Grades K, 1, and 2 will have their sessions in their room on Tuesday, May 3rd. Note: For 1st grade, block teachers will need to report to the rooms of their scheduled classes at the adjusted block time of 9:45-10:35.
Grades 3, 4, 5, and PEGS will have their sessions in their room on Wednesday, May 4th. Note: For Grades 3, 4, and 5, block teachers will need to report to the rooms of their scheduled classes. We will have an arrival station in the front lobby and student ambassadors will be bringing the volunteers to your class.
MAP celebration on Thursday, May 5:
9-10 a.m. Grades K, 1, and 2
2-3 p.m. Grades 3, 4, and 5
Teachers will get to celebrate with their students at this time as well. I would ask that teachers spread themselves out around the playground. Paula will be in the library and the door to go in and out of the library through the garden will be open if students want to come in to watch the movie. During this time, students will have the choice to participate in the following activities:
Kona ice snow cone-Food truck on the parking lot by the playground
Free choice on playground
hula hoop, jump ropes, chalk and bubble activities by the pavilion
Movie in the library
Class Placements:
For class placements, we will be trying a new process that will hopefully make things super smooth, easy, and stress free. Please be sure to do the following 2 things BEFORE learning labs on Thursday, May 5th:
Complete your yellow and green placement cards.
Make a copy of this template and complete it with your current class list. You can simply save this in your drive.
You will want to bring the placement cards, any notes that will help you, and your laptop.
Friday, May 6th Please be sure to park at the Farmer's Club on Friday for Kindergarten Grandparents day. Also, we will have moms joining us for DOC lunch with students. This should not affect your lunches other than students may be sitting in various places around the school to have lunch with their moms. Flyervision Shout Outs:
Any time you have a shout out, you can complete this form rather than emailing us. I will put a link on our blog so that you can always easily find it. We want to find ways to start celebrating more than just ALEKS or ExtraMath.
Lounge Clean Up
Please put dishes in dish washer after use. Also, if you have items up for grabs from your spring cleaning, you can place on table outside of lounge and this will be thrown away daily if no one claims them.
Do you ever struggle with how to confer with your higher level readers? Check out this video.
You failed. OUTSTANDING! 37 second video to reinforce that failure is an important part of learning! Terrific as a discussion starter!
A special thanks to the Ippolito and Stockmann family for providing lunch for the teachers during our staff appreciation week.
4.30 iDrive Event at High School 9-3
5.3
JA in a day-Grades K, 1, 2
PTG board meeting 9-11
LEAP Medieval Fair
5.4
National School Nurse Day
JA in a day-Grades 3, 4, 5, PEGS
1st Grade to Science Center
5th grade strings rehearsal 9:15-11:00
Super Teacher Lunch Provided in Lounge by Stockmann family
5.5
Class Placements during block
Super Teacher Viviano’s Lunch Provided in Lounge by Ippolito family
