Sunday, September 11, 2011

Week of Sept 12 to Sept 16 - Inspiring a Supportive Community

Welcome to almost a full week of learning!  Wednesday Fair Day always messes up our families...please get the word out - school starts at 8:50 and lets out at 12:01pm on Wednesday, Sept 14.  No lunches will be served.

Word On The Street
Want it fast?  Read the Yellow Italics!

Staffing Updates
  • Amy Gray - It's official...Amy will teach the PM session of Kindergarten for the remainder of this school year.  She completes that Kinder Team!
  • Destiny Ostrander - A bit of relief for Kyle's PE load!  Destiny will be teaching two classes at Hunt on Tuesdays and Fridays!  Welcome to Hunt, Destiny!

Combination Classroom - Still hoping for some relief news on this; thank you grade 4 & 5 teachers for making it work with your class sizes!

District & Building Assessments
Thanks to you, screening assessment data gathering is well underway.  Jen Niehaus continues to be our Assessment Coordinator - please see her if you have questions.  Thanks, Jen, for being so organized again this year.  Refer to your directions for inputting the data into the assessment system.

Rachel Collins, Title I Teacher, is also collecting and sorting assessment data per District protocol.  Thanks for your patience - the goal is to start serving students ASAP.  We'll confirm the Title I service at our CSIP meeting on Wednesday, Sept 21 - but unofficially we're looking at Reading for K-3 (and 4-6 outliers), and Math for grades 3 & 4. 

Assessments by Name and Grade:
Sept 12 to Sept 16   DIBELS:  K-6
Sept   7 to Sept 14  MAZE Comprehension:  grades 2-6
Sept   7 to Sept 16  Math Computation:  grades 2-6
Sept 12 to Sept 16   WR2 (formerly WRI):  grade 2 only
Sept 12 to Sept 23  District & Building Writing:  K-6

Para Overload Hours - effective through Sept 20.  Updated and revised schedules are in your box or with Sara at the front desk in the office.

Office Communication
  1. Notes from Home - please send all notes and appropriate messages to the office first thing in the morning.  Until the Nicky Folders arrive, be sure to put everything in an envelope or folder with your name and room number on it.  This system works best for the office staff this year, but if this is a problem for you, please see Rebecca or Lisa.
  2. Youngest & Only Child Flier System - it is simply too costly to send home fliers with every child.  The Y&OC System is a reasonable alternative.  Colleen will use a different Nicky Folder specific to your class.  When a flier needs to go home to families, and the information relates to everyone, we'll send home the flier to the youngest member in the family or the only child.  Sometimes fliers are time sensitive - please take note and send them home right away.  (If we have an electronic version of the flier, we will also send it home by email through School Messenger.)
Classroom Walk-Through Rounds
Best laid plans!  I only got to half our classrooms last week...sorry if I missed you.  The West Hallway Teachers were leading through instruction and in most of the classrooms we saw the items listed below.  I'll pop in this week for a Round or two.  To keep it balanced, Lisa and I will connect with a few kids and 'eye ball' the walls for:

1. Respect Character Trait Poster
2. Hunt Staff Commitment Handout
3. Cultural Competency Poster (if you need one, please let us know)
4. Learning Targets for Reading and Math

Next Week's Rounds Focus:  Number Corner


Upcoming ProDev & Team Meetings

LIC Wed: Sept 21 - CT

Agenda: Committee Team Meetings


Staff Meeting: Sept 28
Draft Agenda
Guest:  Brianne Barrett, Behavior Specialist, Strategy Instruction for Specific Populations
Team Talk:  What's Your Team Doing To Support Student Learning
Nuts 'n Bolts




Every Monday Matters
Talk about INSPIRING a SUPPORTIVE community!  You Highlanders are amazing - I am convinced this is your natural born group gift!  Your texts, emails, cards, encouraging words, and hugs filled my 'Love Tank' (as Lauralynn would say). Thank you!  And yet, while at Cory's memorial, I couldn't help but think of you and the work you do for kids.  These words rang out over and over on Saturday:
  • He always made me feel special.
  • He picked me to...
  • He made me feel important.
  • He always had time for me.
  • He made me feel like I mattered.
The quote highlighted above is perfect for you!  Y-O-U change lives every day - the lives of grown-ups and kids!  What a way to live!

  

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