The Countdown is On!

Fourteen days and these halls will be filled with over 450 kids for the first day of school.  I hope you have had a wonderful summer and ready for a fantastic school year. I wanted to give you an update about things to be thinking about and events coming up in the next couple of weeks.

-Explore.  Be Brave.  Have Courage.
I can't tell you how much I want this theme to truly impact us this year.  I feel like the events that have taken place over the past few weeks have already started doing that.  What things do you want to explore?  What have you always wanted to do in the classroom or at school that you couldn't do or were afraid to do? What do our students really need to be productive, good adults?  Start thinking outside the box!  You will be hearing more over the next couple of weeks.

-Either you will win or lose your class on the first few days of school.
How you spend the first few days will determine how the rest of the year will go.  Don't rush what happens the first few days of school feeling liking you are losing time with content.  If we spend the first few days building a good classroom culture where students feel safe, loved and connected and they have practiced procedures for how you expect them to behave - the content and skills can be covered much more quickly.

Here are some things I would suggest you spend a GREAT DEAL of time on the first seven school days:

-letting your students get to know you as a person

-letting your students get to know each other and connect as well as you learning about them

-discussing with students important concepts that you want your class to exhibit this year (collectively and individually) like kindness, honesty, teamwork, etc. 

-practicing absolutely every procedure you can think of - how to line up, come in of a morning, go to bathroom, pass out papers, pass in papers, and the list goes on.  PRACTICE, 
PRACTICE, PRACTICE. 

Facebook Videos
We want our students to be excited about coming back to school.  I would love for you guys to do a short video we could put on Facebook letting the students know how excited we are for the start of school (I know, I know but fake it til you make it!)  It can be really short - just a few words but I think they would love it.  I hope some of you are willing to do this - I am posting my video here and am uploading it to Facebook today.  And I HATE videoing myself.  Come on help me out....

Next Week July 29th - August 2nd
Monday July 29th - Aligning Academics Leader in Me PD 
8-3 in the library  for all CCES Teachers and Instructional Assistants
Tuesday July 30th  - Action Teams Work Day - for all certified staff - bring a device with you - 8 to 3 in the library
Friday August 2nd - UDL, OBOS, SLED Day PD for all CCES Teachers and Instructional Assistants - 8 to 3 in the library


August 5th - 9th
Monday August 5th - Meet Your Teacher Event 5-7 pm

Tuesday August 6th - CCES Opening Day at 8:30 at LWM
Instructions for the day:
1.  Come hungry
2.  Color War for the Houses - come dressed out in your house color from head to toe.  Points and prizes are at stake!  Be creative and think outside the box.  

Wednesday, August 7th (Wear our Wes/Kam Stronger Together shirts)
-Staff meeting (for all staff) at 8 am in the library
-District Opening Day activities at CCHS beginning at 10 am

Thursday, August 8th - First Day of School (Wear our Green Camping Shirts)

Notes from June Leadership Team Meeting - June 12, 2019

House/Pod Schedule for the Year

August - New Student/Kindergarten Reveal - Get to Know Your Pod

September - Be Brave. Explore. Have Courage - House of Courage

October - Halloween - House of Loyalty

November - Thanksgiving - lunch with pods - House of Gratitude - decorate house Christmas trees

December - Christmas activities

January - Winter activities - House of Ambition

February - Valentine's Day activities

March  - House of Integrity

April - Easter and House of Perseverance

May - House Olympic Day

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July 11th and 12th 

CCES Registration and Teacher Reveal Event

This year we are going to combine our registration event and our Teacher Reveal Event.   We will have two days  - July 11th from 7 am until noon and July 12th from 1 pm until 6 pm.  Parents are going to be in the computer labs/library completing registration and filling out paperwork.  We are going to ask public library and extension office to do activities for students in the lunchroom so that students have something to do during that time.  When all registration work is complete - parents can then take their student to the gym or CCES Campground for the teacher reveal.  We are wanting each grade level to have a campsite set up in the gym.  It doesn't have be anything elaborate - maybe a tent if you have one or a paper campfire. Bring lawn chairs-  sack chairs.  Keep it simple.  Each student will receive a candy bar and their teacher's name will be inside the wrapper!  

I am asking everyone that can to work a couple of hours those two days - you will get planning time for it.  We will need at least seven people at all times to man the grade level campsites and supervise the cafeteria.  Here is the sign up sheet!

Keep enjoying your summer break!

Summer Plans 2019

We made it!  Thanks for all your work last week to make sure our kids had a great last week.  
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Here is some info for plans for this summer as well as for next year:

                                                

Our theme for next year is:  Explore, Be Brave, Have Courage.  We will use camping decor for this theme.  Please remember - this is a school theme. You do not have to redecorate your room each year to go with the theme.  

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Summer According to Humphrey is the book we have selected for One School One Book.  We will have a 2 hour PD day on August 2nd to plan.  Get the ideas rolling of things we can do with this book. 

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-We are needing academic coaches for next school year.  If you are interested - please let me know.

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2019-2020 Professional Development Plan

This link contains all the PD/Planning events that are scheduled at this time.  Please make sure to refer to this doc so you don't miss anything.  

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Upcoming Important Dates:

May 24th - Read 180/System 44 training for Angela, Melanie and Kassie

June 3rd and 4th - Artful Reading - Cohort 2 Training

June 3rd and 4th - Special Education meeting

June 7th - Artful Reading PD for all staff (MANDATORY)

June 10th - Leadership Team Planning Day - 9 am

June 24th- Kindergarten Camp 9-3

Enjoy your summer!!!

Friday Focus - May 10, 2019

Only five days less but they will be a super busy five days.  Hang on and hang in there!

As we approach the last day of school here are some reminders:

-Mrs. Sonya is going to be getting file folders for everyone next week.  Please get enough folders for everyone in your homeroom and place all their intervention data for the year (Core, SNAP, STAR, etc) in those folders. You will box them alphabetically by grade level and store in one of your rooms.  At the beginning of next year - you can pass along to the next grade level.  We are going to keep these cumulative folders on students for intervention progress monitoring over time. 

-We are not going to purchase school supplies for every student this year.  So - we will need each grade level to turn in a supply list by next Friday before you leave.  We will make those available to parents in a few weeks.  Please be very conscientious about what students need and the amount it costs.  

-Please make sure your rooms are prepared for summer cleaning when you leave next Friday.  Unplug refrigerators or any other appliances that you have.  Second and third floor people - please have your students stack chairs and desks out in the hall.  First floor people - leave your chairs and desks in the room as we will be using those for 21st Century Summer Camp and BAFA camp.  

-All staff members are invited and encouraged to attend both kindergarten graduation and 5th grade graduation on Tuesday evening at CCHS.

-Remember to supervise, supervise, supervise these last few days.  We are giving students a lot of free time and that is sometimes when we have problems.  Don't let your guard down!

-Special class every day this week except on Thursday.  

Next Week at a Glance...

Check the Living Calendar for more details - it is one busy week!

Monday	Panther Lab Trip Dippin Dots *Please have 4th nine weeks grades and final grades posted before you leave.   3:00 Leadership Team meeting 4:00 SBDM meeting
Tuesday	200 Vocabulary Word party Kindergarten graduation at 5 pm 5th grade graduation at 6:30
Wednesday	Redneck Waterslide and Glow Party & Kona Ice 3:00 Tammy's retirement party and a short teacher's meeting following
Thursday	House Olympics  Kona Ice Secret Sailor Reveal in the library
Friday	8:00 Senior Walk 5th grade Picnic at BBC Report cards go home

Make this last week a great one!

Friday Focus - May 3rd, 2019

I cannot believe that KPREP time and the last 10 days of school is here.  It has flew by and been a great year.  

Next week is an important week for our students.  Not only because those scores reflect on us as a school but it is an opportunity for our students to shine individually.  Now shining can be different things for different students.  For one student it may mean being distinguished across the board and for another student it can be moving from novice to apprentice.  Whatever the case, they have worked hard this year and we want the results of that test to show their hard work and yours.  Let's do everything we can to support our kids next week. That means being positive and letting them know we believe in them.  Push them to persevere and keep trying next week even when the test is long and difficult.  That is a life lesson in and of itself.

I also know that it is a long week for staff as well - especially days in a row without a planning.  We will work to send people around to give you breaks.  If you need one - please call the office and we will get someone there.  Every instructional person in this building is working on testing next week in some way - so just hang in there.  

We will have special class and planning on next Friday, May 10th.  

This afternoon 3rd thru 5th grade will return to gym by 1:00 so we can recognize Amazing Race teams and give out prizes.  We will begin calling Kindergarten through 2nd grade students about 1:45. When you get your students seated - you can go get dressed.  We will try to get started with the skit about 2:00. 

K, 1, 2 classes - don't forget your surprise boxes for testing homerooms each day.  Please have them delivered and to the room by the time they arrive back from morning assembly.  

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Congrats to the 2019-20 SBDM Council

Hannah Hopper

Erika Murphy

Kassie Sewell

Candi Graves - minority representative 

Other Items
*I need to hear from each teacher about your wishes for Simple Solutions. Please respond by letting me know if you want it for your content area and if you have to have one for every student or would be okay with a class set.  They are very expensive but valuable at the same time.  I want us to be able to use them to help our students and we will try to make that happen.

*Next Thursday - we are going to do our Reading WIG celebration for the last round of STAR testing.  We are purchasing popsicles and as a grade level you can decide some type of fun time for them - this may be chromebook time, extra recess, games on front lawn, etc.  Just please make sure that grade levels aren't mixing as that can lead to discipline problems.  Please get me the number of popsicles that you need by Monday morning - by grade level.  Remember those students getting popsicles are those who are at a 1.9, 2.9, or have grown 1.2 since the August test.  

*Also please fill out the following form regarding programs for next year - Programs Survey.  

Next Week at a Glance:

Monday	KPREP Parade on Monday morning - K-2 students will leave gym at 7:25 to go get ready for the parade
Tuesday
Wednesday	Multiplication Masters Party in gym at 12:00 -Wedding Shower for Candi and Erika in the library afterschool
Thursday	-Kindergarten Fun Day at Veterans Park -3rd grade Lexia Bash at 8:30 in the gym -1st grade FRY word Party in the gym at 11:30 -Reading WIG celebration (popsicles) in afternoon
Friday	-I Survived the KPREP celebration for 3rd thru 5th - rotations in gym, front lawn and big playground from 11:00-2:30

Have a great week!

Friday Focus - April 26, 2019

SURVEY TIME

It's that time of your year when I need your feedback to use for planning for next year. Please take a few minutes to do the following surveys:

PD Survey

Theme Suggestions

Also - please check your email to see a message about our One School One Book for next fall.  We need suggestions!

MAP testing/STAR testing

Please complete all MAP testing early in the week.  I need numbers of students that either are proficient or distinguished or met their individual RIT goal from the winter in each content area by Tuesday.  We will do drinks for math and cookies for reading.  

Planning/PD Hours

Don't forget to check with me or Ms. Valerie and planning and PD hours if you aren't sure.  Also - if you are classified staff and didn't do the book study - make sure you have enough planning hours in to cover your SLED days.  

Panther Time/PLC's

We will be having Panther Time and PLC's next week - Monday thru Thursday.  This will be our last week of Panther Time and PLC's for the year.  

Next Week at a Glance...

Monday	2nd grade Lexia Luau 5th grade Field Trip 3:00  KPREP Dance Practice
Tuesday	11 am Parent Advisory Council meeting Last Day of 21st Century 2 pm Academic Team celebration
Wednesday	Hat Day $1 supporting Build-A-Build 3:00 KPREP Dance Practice - EVERYONE try to attend if they can
Thursday	MAP WIG Celebration - after lunch Pick up cookies in the cafeteria 1:30 Panther Pals
Friday	Amazing Race - 3rd-5th grade  2:00 KPREP skit  *Memorabilia items due

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!