Thursday, April 4, 2013

Some things are just better when doubled!  Double Bubble.  Double Scoop of Ice-cream.  Buy One Get One. Double coupon days. Two for the price of one!  Babies!  Congratulations Yvonne!

Next Wednesday, April 10th we will meet together for collaboration.  We will start with a meet and greet Kim, your leader for next year - our new principal.  She will then stay and work with us.  Classified staff can continue with their work and collaborative conversations if that fits best.  The rest of us will share our CCSS unit reflections and do some content alignment discussions.  You need to come to an agreement on required minimum coverage for Core Knowledge topics specifically.  Some grade levels are only covering the annual fair content which leaves holes for instruction for future years.  Please bring your Core Knowledge Sequence or Grade Level Teacher Guides.

Darcy and Yvonne have developed a template for Volunteer Appreciation gifts.  When you receive them next week, you may have your students autograph each.Please plan to send them home on Monday, April 15th.  I believe it is important for them to go home on a closely similar date so that someone doesn't wonder if they got forgotten.  Some parents volunteer in two classrooms.  I think you could have students from both classes sign on the back side.  It will still be saved but not consistently visible.  You decide.  Please plan to send them home on Monday, April 15th.  I believe it is important for them to go home on a closely similar date so that someone doesn't wonder if they got forgotten.

We continue to have student vandalism in the bathrooms - most often the boys.  Please review the bathroom expectations with your entire class.  Monitor who is leaving the room to avoid class work.  Encourage students to use the restroom as you walk them in or out from recess and when you are monitoring from the hall.  Encourage students to immediately report any misuse so that it can be cleaned (and culprit identified).  Seems weird that I really have to say this, but I have had five office referrals for improper urination - either peeing on the floor, down the drain or on the playground.  We need to address and teach directly.

Next Friday is Pirate Day - earned by achieving the Hawks Ticket challenge for the month of March.  Students should dress in black, white an red.  If they have other pirate attire it is allowed (not weapons).  We will put together a treasure hunt.  Each class can complete the hunt when it fits with their schedule and then share out the booty.  After you find the treasure, encourage students to keep the secret so all can play throughout the day.

With the addition of the emergency day at the end of the year, the all District staff meeting is scheduled for Friday morning, May 17th at 8:00 a.m.  No breakfast will be served beforehand (you can't take it in the auditorium), but retirement celebration will follow.  In preparation, I need you to notify me if you have been a grant recipient this year.  I've turned names and $ in as we went but would like to double check so that we don't forget anyone.   The Heights will also have an end of year celebration that evening.  I hope you are planning to join us so we can personally celebrate retirements and changes together.