Friday Focus - April 19, 2019

Harlem Wizards time is here.  Hopefully this will be a fun night for our community and a way for us to make some money for our school. Hope all of you and your families can join us.

We will be having the BurkesVegas Ballers join us at morning assembly in the morning and then one of the Wizards players will be here at 1:00 tomorrow afternoon for an assembly.  We will begin calling classes in the gym about 12:45.

If you are volunteering tomorrow night with either souvenirs or gate, please be at CCHS between 5:45 and 6:00.  

BurkesVegas Ballers - please be at the gym around 6:00!

Thank you for all your help with this event!!!!

MAP Testing

MAP testing continues this week.  When you get your data - please enter into the data tracker.  We will begin discussing this week at PLC's.  

This Week at a Glance...

Monday	Dipping Dots  Harlem Wizards Assembly at 1:00 Harlem Wizards game at 7:00 at CCHS gym
Tuesday
Wednesday	Action Team meeting at 3 pm
Thursday	2nd grade Lexia Luau
Friday	1st grade Field Trip 2nd grade Math Whizz/Reflex Celebration Deadline for 200 Vocabulary Words

Have a great week - only four more to go!

Friday Focus - April 12, 2019

Last round of MAP testing is next week.  Please go over with students their individual goals for this round of testing in each content area.  Remind them that students who score proficient/distinguished get rewarded as well as students who meet their individual goals.  Make sure students test under testing conditions - this is a great practice run for KPREP and gives us some last minute data to use in these next few weeks.  

Springtime brings plenty of pretty weather for outside recess.  Several classes are out on the playground and I know some of you want to spend some extra time out there doing outside projects and learning.  Please make sure to supervise extra well during these times.  Also, please make sure that two grade levels aren't out on the playground at the same time.  If you want to take your students outside and it is recess for another grade level, you can always use the front lawn. It seems that we have more discipline problems and students getting hurt when multiple grade levels are out there at the same time.

I have added another bookshelf to my office.  This is going to be a staff library where you can bring in books that you have at home that you are willing to share with others.  You are welcome to take books from the shelf, read them and return.  These can be professional books or books for personal reading.  Most of us have books at home that are collecting dust and this is a great way for us to share them.  You can bring them in anytime.

*Please bring a device to PLCs this week.

Next Week at a Glance...

Monday	Mid-term ends
Tuesday	-Grades need to be posted by the end of the school day at 3:00 -SRCL Team meeting at 3 pm in my office
Wednesday	-NFL Guest Speaker for grades 3-5 at 1 pm in the gym -Leadership Team meeting at 3 pm -Panther Emporium Open House from 3-5
Thursday	-Welcome to Kindergarten Headstart program at 5 -Kindergarten Field Trip -Mid-term grades go home
Friday	-House Meeting  -Easter Parties and Egg Hunts

Have a great week - not many more to go!

It's definitely the fourth quarter - what's your game plan for the last few weeks?  It is so easy this time of year to kick back and take it easy - for both students and teachers alike.  The weather is getting better and we can all but taste summer break.  Most are tired of the daily grind that school can become this time of year.  

So why finish strong?

1.  It sets a good example for our students of the race they should run in life.  Students are very in tune to us as staff members.  They know when we are tired, when we are fired up, when we are giving it our all or when we are in cruise control mode.  We should set examples of pushing through when you are tired and working hard to finish the race strong.  Your fire the last few weeks will determine their fire!

2.  You've run too strong to give up the race the last few weeks.  We have had a fantastic year so far.  Our students are in a stronger place than they have ever been before overall as a whole.  Where can you take them in the last six weeks?

So, keep on keeping on.  Run faster these last few weeks that you've run all year.  That means giving it your all and expecting the same from your students.  Push them to finish strong.  Make it fun - enjoy the last lap!  Victory awaits!

Reminders:

-Begin planning what your homeroom wants to do for the class memoribilia auction.  We plan on doing this online auction the first week in May.  We ask that each homeroom has their own piece of memoribilia.  Don't spend a bunch of money on your own!  It can be something simple.  If it is an idea that costs more - asks parents for a $1 or $2 donation.  Lots of cute ideas on pinterest!

-3rd, 4th and 5th grade teachers - just a reminder to keep working on volunteers for the Amazing Race and add them here!  Some staff people may have to be moved around to make it work for all three grade levels.  We will discuss next week at PLC's. 

-MAP testing coming up the week of April 15th and STAR testing the week of the 29th.

Next Week at a Glance...

Monday	2nd grade Field Trip
Tuesday	Kona Ice truck - schedule as usual
Wednesday	-Spring Pics and Cap and Gown pics for    kindergarten and 5th grade -Meeting for all certified staff afterschool at 3 pm
Thursday	-Candi's class to Nashville Zoo
Friday	-Deadline for Bluegrass Books -4th grade field trip -Jr. Beta Spring Fling 5-7 pm

Sunday Shoutout - March 24th, 2019

It's almost here- only five more days!  Hang in there this week!

Don't forget to complete your #observeme if you have not already done so for this month.

Fourth and fifth grader teachers - please remember to have your students complete the Measurable Results Assessment sometime this week.  You will find the link in an email that I sent a couple of weeks ago.  Remind students to answer honestly and students who need accommodations for the survey may receive them.

Please finish up last round of CPA testing if you have not already done so.  

PLC's WILL NOT be meeting this week but we will still have Panther Time.  Use your extra 45 minutes of planning to grade CPA's and get that data into the data tracker. Please have all data up-to-date by the end of the week.  

Please remember to print out your Google Certification certificate and hang outside your door if you have not already done so.  

***Science Through Course Tasks are due this Friday.  

This Week at a Glance...

Monday	Dipping Dots - we will use schedule as below: 12:00 2nd grade 12:20 - Kindergarten 12:40 - 1st grade 1:00 - 3rd grade 1:20 - 4th grade 1:30 - 5th grade 2:00 - Little Panthers *They will be located in the back of the cafeteria
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday	No 21st Century 5th grade visits CCMS at 1:00
Friday	Light It Up Blue Day for Autism Awareness  6th grade Band performs at Morning Assembly

Have a great week!

Friday Focus - March 15, 2019

Only 10 more days to Spring Break!!!! 

If you are attending the Leadership Retreat this evening - please be at the park and signed in by 3:30.  Valerie and I will be at the gym to relieve teachers as soon as bus 62 leaves.  That way everyone should be able to leave the building by 3:00.  If you are not going and would be able to stay and help us with student pick-up - that would be appreciated.

3rd Nine Weeks Awards

Next week we will be doing our 3rd nine weeks awards at morning assembly.  Please share the schedule with parents through remind.

Tuesday - K-2 Perfect Attendance

Wednesday - 3-5 Perfect Attendance

Thursday - 4th grade Honor Roll

Friday - 5th grade Honor Roll

Panther Time and PLC

We will be having Panther Time and PLC's next week.  Please come prepared to PLC to discuss end of the year activities like Amazing Race, KPREP kick-off, I Survived the KPREP Party and our House Olympics day, as well as any other end of the year events that your grade does.  The calendar is going to get extremely busy after spring break.

Cookies for 4th round WIG goal

Please get me a count by the end of the day today about how many cookies each grade level needs for the 4th round of STAR testing.  Students who should get this reward are those who are at or above grade level (1.6, 2.6 etc) or those who have made .9 years growth since August.  If you have questions about who that is - see me.  We plan on doing this on Tuesday afternoon. Cookies will be ready in the lunchroom for pickup. 

CPA's Beginning Next Week!!!!

NEXT WEEK AT A GLANCE....

Monday
Tuesday	Reading WIG celebration
Wednesday	-Mobile Dairy Unit -SRCL grant Fidelity Monitoring Visit - classroom observations -3:00  Leadership Team meeting
Thursday
Friday	-Fire Drill -Panther Pals - around 1:45

Friday Focus - March 8, 2019

Above you will see the tentative assessment schedule released by the state.  Take special note of the following:
-this spring testing will be exactly the same as last year
-2019-20 will have the exact same testing for accountability. In addition students will take field tests over new standards that will be administered online.
-The goal is that by 2020-21 all tests will be administered online.

-If you are currently Google certified, please print out your certificate, laminate it and hang outside your classroom door.
-If you are not Google certified, the district will reimburse you for the registration fee.  Our goal is for all teachers to be Level 1 certified.
-If you would like to become Level 2 certified - let me know.  

 LEADERSHIP RETREAT

-Shirts for those attending the Leadership Retreat on Thursday are in your mailbox.

-Dr. Biggerstaff requests that everyone be at the park and signed in by 330 on Thursday afternoon.  Valerie and I will be coming to the gym to relieve those in there so they can leave here by 300.

-Don't forget your homework for the retreat!!!!

No Panther Time or PLC's next week

Next Week at a Glance...

Monday - SBDM meeting at 4 pm

Tuesday - 3rd grade Math Live Scoring

              -Artful Reading Module Day 4

Wednesday - House Meeting - please preview before            Wednesday morning - there are a few things to            prepare for in advance.  This will be a breakfast                    pod meeting as usual. 

-3 pm - Staff meeting - Kristi Willen will be here 

 to discuss retirement

Thursday - No 21st Century or Panther Labs

 -Leadership Retreat at DHLSP at 330

Friday - NO SCHOOL - Jr. Beta Taco Lunch Fundraiser at      First Christian Church

Have a great week!  Only 14 more days until Spring Break!!!!

Friday Focus - March 1, 2019

4th Round of STAR Scores

	Dec 2018 Scores	Feb 2019 scores	Round 4 Last Year
Kindergarten	81%	84%	89
1st grade	61%	72%	66
2nd grade	81%	86%	89
3rd grade	82%	75%	68
4th grade	56%	66%	68
5th grade	82%	71%	69
Avg	74%	76%	75

There is a lot to celebrate - overall our average is up slightly from both December and our 4th round of STAR testing last year.  We are doing some things right and moving in the right direction.  I know it is frustrating for us not to see more growth in every grade level - but don't give up.  Keep working and brainstorming about how we can improve our students' grade level reading.  We know that as students improve their reading skills, they will improve in every area.

Leadership Time Next Week

Several teachers have mentioned that they are hearing students talk about the momo challenge.  If you are not familiar with what this is - please read this article.

Next week during leadership time one day, please address this with your students.  I wouldn't get wrapped up in the specifics of what they challenge is.  Just remind students about appropriate technology use and what to do if they see something alarming on a video or game (stop watching it immediately and report to a parent or teacher.) I also would address that this is not a topic that we talk about at school with other students - if they have worries or concerns, please talk to a teacher about those.  Let me know if you have questions.    

Students were prepared for our conferences back last month before the cold weather hit.  Please refresh your students so they will be prepared for next Thursday night.  Also remember to send out reminds and encourage students and parents both to come to our event.  

Live Scoring

Just a reminder -if any 3rd, 4th or 5th grade teacher would like to schedule live scoring before KPREP testing - get it on the calendar soon.  The days are filling up quickly.

Other Reminders

-Please turn in your SLED documents for this week as well as three students' SLED work from EACH day per grade level.  

-Please remember to sign in each morning in Sonya's office.

-House meeting will be on the morning of March 13th  - slides will be uploaded soon with the agenda for that meeting.

-Four weeks until Spring Break - hang in there!
-No Leader of the Week for this week or Captains Crew.  Going to change up Captain's Crew for the next few weeks.  Also on Monday morning - I am going to keep 3rd-5th grade in the gym after assembly to discuss KPREP testing and the Wilderness reward.  

Next Week at a Glance...

Monday  - 3rd nine weeks grade should be posted today.  Please double check and make sure your grades are posted and in a good shape.  

Tuesday- Kona Ice Truck - same schedule as normal - I have requested for it to be inside this time since it is supposed to be cold

-Report cards go home

-3rd grade ELA Live Scoring

-District Literacy Team meeting at 3:15 at CCHS

Wednesday - Statewide Tornado Drill at 9:07 am

Thursday - FLN/Student Led Conferences 4-6 - No 21st Century

Friday- Panther Pals

Have a great week!