SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2012
1. Please keep Laura Lyles in your thoughts and prayers. Her cousin in Alabama passed away on Tuesday night. In addition, please keep Tracie Eisbacher in your thoughts and prayers. She has been very, very sick and has been out of work for almost two weeks. We wish her a speedy recovery!
2. Congratulations to Gene Mabry. He has been voted as our next Teacher of the Year! We are proud of you!
3. Attention teachers: Please email or give a copy of your absorption plan to Mrs. Pitt or Mrs. Hook if you have not already done so.
All absorption plans should be turned in by today, December 13. The main office needs direct access to these copies in case we need to
absorb any classes. A copy of your plan should also be on your safety
clipboard in your classroom. Now is the time to update your safety clipboard. Please make sure it
has an updated copy of your rosters and your absorption plan.
4. Please be sure to pay your Social/Hospitality Committee dues by Friday. We'd like to have 100% participation with dues. I'd like to
thank the committee members for their service to our staff, especially
in times of need or crisis. The committee will be providing a holiday lunch for all paid staff members on December 18.
5. We will have our final SIOP training on Monday, December 17 at 2:20 in the multi-purpose room. We are working with Amanda Cannon on how staff members can make up any SIOP moodles that they did not complete from previous sessions. All certified staff and teacher assistants are to attend this training.
6. The PTSA will be selling candy grams on Thursday, Friday, and Monday during lunches outside of the cafeteria. Students and staff can stop by the table, pay $1.00, and have a candy gram sent to any individual in celebration of the holidays. All candy grams will be delivered to 6th period classes on Thursday, December 20.
7. We briefly discussed the NCI team at last week's staff meeting. The
NCI (Non-violent Crisis Intervention) Team is comprised of several SEMS
staff members who are trained in student restraint. We have two
significant cases of potential need for the NCI team, but it is
important that staff know the team's purpose in the case of any
student. If a student is trying to harm themselves or possibly another,
then it may be necessary to call in the NCI team. If you feel that
this may be necessary, then you are instructed to call the main office
and state that you are requesting the NCI team for [student's name] in
[location]. Please be specific. The main office will alert the team to
that location. Current team members include Mrs. Cole, Mrs. Lytton,
Mrs. P. Lakey, Mrs. Baxter, and Mr. Griffin. Please do NOT contact these teachers individually - the main office will be responsible for the contact.
It is important to note that this situation is not the same as a fight.
We do not advise staff members getting involved in a fight because your
safety could be compromised. Please be mindful and use your best
judgment when deciding whether or not to do this. If you do decide to
step into a fight to stop it, it is in your best interest to be the
least physical as possible. Please do not 'bear hug' a student, pin a
student against the wall, or pin a student to the floor.
8. We are still looking for any individuals to do the score clock for all basketball games in January and February. There is pay for this position. Please see me or Nick Pizzino as soon as possible if you are interested.
9. The PTSA will provide breakfast for the staff on December 20. Thanks to our PTSA board for taking care of our SEMS family!
10. All staff received an email two weeks ago regarding another teacher and
student survey. The district is requiring us to take this survey by
December 20. The teacher survey link was in the email sent. There are
multiple ways to access the student survey as indicated in the email.
This survey deals with school climate, discipline, etc. They are
comparing our survey data to the same survey data in school's with the
Rachel's Challenge program, an anti-bullying program existing in about
1/3 of our middle schools. The student survey takes approximately 10-15
minutes to complete. For the teacher survey, all certified staff are
expected to complete it. Homebase teachers, please have your homebase
surveys completed by the deadline.
11. We are highly encouraging teachers to send out an extra progress
report on Wednesday, December 19. This would be a good way to remind
students of any missing or incomplete assignments before the holidays.
Once we return from the holiday break, we only have about two weeks
before the end of the quarter!
12. For "I Know My Class" survey teachers: Thanks to all of you have
already completed your first round of surveys. This is great feedback!
Please remember that the expectation is that you complete at least one
survey each quarter.
Please be sure to check the online calendar
regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is
updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Dec. 13 - Chorus Winter Concert (Glenn HS, 6pm)
Dec. 17 - SIOP Training #4 (2:15pm)
Dec. 18 - Social/Hospitality Committee Holiday Luncheon
Dec. 18 - Orchestra Winter Concert (SEMS, 6pm)
Dec. 20 - PTSA Staff Breakfast
Dec. 21 - Jan. 1 - Holiday Break!
Jan. 2 - Back to School!
Jan. 2 - 4 - Girls Basketball Tryouts
Jan. 4 - 8th Grade Level Mtg. (7:45am)
Jan. 7 - Staff Meeting
Jan. 8 - 8th Grade Family Life Medical Presentation (7:45am)
Jan. 9 - 8th Grade Family Life Drama (7:45am)
Jan. 8 - 10 - Boys Basketball Tryouts
Jan. 11 - SEMS Spelling Bee (8:00am)
Jan. 14 - SIT Meeting (2:15pm)
Jan. 15 - UNCG OSTE Mtg.(2:15pm)
Jan. 18 - End of Quarter!
Jan. 21 - MLK Holiday!
Jan. 22 - Teacher Workday (Reserved for School Workday)
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Weekly Update 12/6/12
SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6
1. Thanks to Kathy Pierce for her service this fall with the Tsunamis team. We appreciate you stepping in, Kathy! Kathy will return soon to fill in for Mrs. Eisbacher when she goes on maternity leave. We are also very excited that Karen Thorpe will return back with us next week!
2. Attention teachers: Please email or give a copy of your absorption plan to Mrs. Pitt or Mrs. Hook by Thursday, December 13. The main office needs direct access to these copies in case we need to absorb any classes. A copy of your plan should also be on your safety clipboard in your classroom.
3. Now is the time to update your safety clipboard. Please make sure it has an updated copy of your rosters and your absorption plan.
4. Please be sure to pay your Social/Hospitality Committee dues as soon as possible. We'd like to have 100% participation with dues. I'd like to thank the committee members for their service to our staff, especially in times of need or crisis.
5. Join us for the winter music concerts starting next week! Those of you who have signed up to work a concert were sent an email confirming your concert date and time.
6. Don't forget to complete your SIOP online moodle for the Building Background session by December 10! In addition, we are working on a make-up opportunity for any staff members who did not complete the first two moodle sections.
7. We will offer make up sessions for SIOP training sessions #2 and #3 on December 11. Those affected were sent an email earlier this to sign up for their sessions. We apologize that the only available date for Amanda Cannon was on a Tuesday, which will affect several of your weekly curriculum meetings. But we needed to go ahead and get these sessions made up for you.
8. We will vote for Teacher of the Year next week. All staff will have the opportunity to vote. The nominating statements and instructions will be forwarded to you later this week.
9. We briefly discussed the NCI team at this week's staff meeting. The NCI (Non-violent Crisis Intervention) Team is comprised of several SEMS staff members who are trained in student restraint. We have two significant cases of potential need for the NCI team, but it is important that staff know the team's purpose in the case of any student. If a student is trying to harm themselves or possibly another, then it may be necessary to call in the NCI team. If you feel that this may be necessary, then you are instructed to call the main office and state that you are requesting the NCI team for [student's name] in [location]. Please be specific. The main office will alert the team to that location. Current team members include Mrs. Cole, Mrs. Lytton, Mrs. P. Lakey, Mrs. Baxter, and Mr. Griffin. Please do NOT contact these teachers individually - the main office will be responsible for the contact.
It is important to note that this situation is not the same as a fight. We do not advise staff members getting involved in a fight because your safety could be compromised. Please be mindful and use your best judgment when deciding whether or not to do this. If you do decide to step into a fight to stop it, it is in your best interest to be the least physical as possible. Please do not 'bear hug' a student, pin a student against the wall, or pin a student to the floor.
10. All staff received an email last week regarding another teacher and student survey. The district is requiring us to take this survey by December 20. The teacher survey link was in the email sent. There are multiple ways to access the student survey as indicated in the email. This survey deals with school climate, discipline, etc. They are comparing our survey data to the same survey data in school's with the Rachel's Challenge program, an anti-bullying program existing in about 1/3 of our middle schools. The student survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. For the teacher survey, all certified staff are expected to complete it. Homebase teachers, please have your homebase surveys completed by the deadline.
11. The rescheduled PTSA Board meeting will be on Monday, December 10, at 5:30pm at the Out West restaurant.
12. We are highly encouraging teachers to send out an extra progress report on Wednesday, December 19. This would be a good way to remind students of any missing or incomplete assignments before the holidays. Once we return from the holiday break, we only have about two weeks before the end of the quarter!
13. For "I Know My Class" survey teachers: Thanks to all of you have already completed your first round of surveys. This is great feedback! Please remember that the expectation is that you complete at least one survey each quarter.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Dec. 7 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Dec. 10 - Vertical Planning Mtgs. (2:15pm)
Dec. 10 - SIOP Building Background online moodle due!
Dec. 11 - SIOP Session #2 and #3 make up sessions (during grade level times)
Dec. 11 - Band Winter Concert (SEMS, 6pm)
Dec. 13 - Chorus Winter Concert (Glenn HS, 6pm)
Dec. 17 - SIOP Training #4 (2:15pm)
Dec. 18 - Orchestra Winter Concert (SEMS, 6pm)
Dec. 20 - PTSA Staff Breakfast
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6
1. Thanks to Kathy Pierce for her service this fall with the Tsunamis team. We appreciate you stepping in, Kathy! Kathy will return soon to fill in for Mrs. Eisbacher when she goes on maternity leave. We are also very excited that Karen Thorpe will return back with us next week!
2. Attention teachers: Please email or give a copy of your absorption plan to Mrs. Pitt or Mrs. Hook by Thursday, December 13. The main office needs direct access to these copies in case we need to absorb any classes. A copy of your plan should also be on your safety clipboard in your classroom.
3. Now is the time to update your safety clipboard. Please make sure it has an updated copy of your rosters and your absorption plan.
4. Please be sure to pay your Social/Hospitality Committee dues as soon as possible. We'd like to have 100% participation with dues. I'd like to thank the committee members for their service to our staff, especially in times of need or crisis.
5. Join us for the winter music concerts starting next week! Those of you who have signed up to work a concert were sent an email confirming your concert date and time.
6. Don't forget to complete your SIOP online moodle for the Building Background session by December 10! In addition, we are working on a make-up opportunity for any staff members who did not complete the first two moodle sections.
7. We will offer make up sessions for SIOP training sessions #2 and #3 on December 11. Those affected were sent an email earlier this to sign up for their sessions. We apologize that the only available date for Amanda Cannon was on a Tuesday, which will affect several of your weekly curriculum meetings. But we needed to go ahead and get these sessions made up for you.
8. We will vote for Teacher of the Year next week. All staff will have the opportunity to vote. The nominating statements and instructions will be forwarded to you later this week.
9. We briefly discussed the NCI team at this week's staff meeting. The NCI (Non-violent Crisis Intervention) Team is comprised of several SEMS staff members who are trained in student restraint. We have two significant cases of potential need for the NCI team, but it is important that staff know the team's purpose in the case of any student. If a student is trying to harm themselves or possibly another, then it may be necessary to call in the NCI team. If you feel that this may be necessary, then you are instructed to call the main office and state that you are requesting the NCI team for [student's name] in [location]. Please be specific. The main office will alert the team to that location. Current team members include Mrs. Cole, Mrs. Lytton, Mrs. P. Lakey, Mrs. Baxter, and Mr. Griffin. Please do NOT contact these teachers individually - the main office will be responsible for the contact.
It is important to note that this situation is not the same as a fight. We do not advise staff members getting involved in a fight because your safety could be compromised. Please be mindful and use your best judgment when deciding whether or not to do this. If you do decide to step into a fight to stop it, it is in your best interest to be the least physical as possible. Please do not 'bear hug' a student, pin a student against the wall, or pin a student to the floor.
10. All staff received an email last week regarding another teacher and student survey. The district is requiring us to take this survey by December 20. The teacher survey link was in the email sent. There are multiple ways to access the student survey as indicated in the email. This survey deals with school climate, discipline, etc. They are comparing our survey data to the same survey data in school's with the Rachel's Challenge program, an anti-bullying program existing in about 1/3 of our middle schools. The student survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. For the teacher survey, all certified staff are expected to complete it. Homebase teachers, please have your homebase surveys completed by the deadline.
11. The rescheduled PTSA Board meeting will be on Monday, December 10, at 5:30pm at the Out West restaurant.
12. We are highly encouraging teachers to send out an extra progress report on Wednesday, December 19. This would be a good way to remind students of any missing or incomplete assignments before the holidays. Once we return from the holiday break, we only have about two weeks before the end of the quarter!
13. For "I Know My Class" survey teachers: Thanks to all of you have already completed your first round of surveys. This is great feedback! Please remember that the expectation is that you complete at least one survey each quarter.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Dec. 7 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Dec. 10 - Vertical Planning Mtgs. (2:15pm)
Dec. 10 - SIOP Building Background online moodle due!
Dec. 11 - SIOP Session #2 and #3 make up sessions (during grade level times)
Dec. 11 - Band Winter Concert (SEMS, 6pm)
Dec. 13 - Chorus Winter Concert (Glenn HS, 6pm)
Dec. 17 - SIOP Training #4 (2:15pm)
Dec. 18 - Orchestra Winter Concert (SEMS, 6pm)
Dec. 20 - PTSA Staff Breakfast
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Weekly Update 11/29/12
SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012
1. Please be sure to pay your Social/Hospitality Committee dues as soon as possible. We'd like to have 100% participation with dues. I'd like to thank the committee members for their service to our staff, especially in times of need or crisis.
2. Don't forget to complete your SIOP online moodle for the Building Background session by December 10! In addition, we are working on a make-up opportunity for any staff members who did not complete the first two moodle sections.
3. We will offer make up sessions for SIOP training sessions #2 and #3 on December 11. Those affected were sent an email earlier this to sign up for their sessions. We apologize that the only available date for Amanda Cannon was on a Tuesday, which will affect several of your weekly curriculum meetings. But we needed to go ahead and get these sessions made up for you.
4. All staff received an email this week regarding another teacher and student survey. The district is requiring us to take this survey by December 20. The teacher survey link was in the email sent. There are multiple ways to access the student survey as indicated in the email. This survey deals with school climate, discipline, etc. They are comparing our survey data to the same survey data in school's with the Rachel's Challenge program, an anti-bullying program existing in about 1/3 of our middle schools. The student survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. For the teacher survey, all certified staff are expected to complete it. Homebase teachers, please have your homebase surveys completed by the deadline.
5. We will have a staff meeting on Monday, December 3, in the multi-purpose room. Topics include: SIT survey feedback, EVAAS, Teacher of the Year, parent referrals, etc.
6. The next PTSA Board meeting will be on Monday, December 3, at 5:30pm at the Out West restaurant. The board is inviting all school club sponsors to this event to brainstorm ways that multiple groups can work together on some fundraisers this school year. If you plan to attend, please let me know by November 29 so that we may reserve the space. We'd love for you to join us! Each individual is responsible for their own meal.
7. For "I Know My Class" survey teachers: Thanks to all of you have already completed your first round of surveys. This is great feedback! Please remember that the expectation is that you complete at least one survey each quarter.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Nov. 30 - Straight A Celebration (12:55pm in MP Room)
Dec. 3 - Staff Meeting (2:15pm)
Dec. 3 - PTSA Board Meeting @ Out West (5:30pm)
Dec. 4 - UNCG OSTE Mtg. (2:15pm)
Dec. 7 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Dec. 10 - Vertical Planning Mtgs. (2:15pm)
Dec. 10 - SIOP Building Background online moodle due!
Dec. 11 - SIOP Session #2 and #3 make up sessions (during grade level times)
Dec. 11 - Band Winter Concert (SEMS, 6pm)
Dec. 13 - Chorus Winter Concert (Glenn HS, 6pm)
Dec. 17 - SIOP Training #4 (2:15pm)
Dec. 20 - PTSA Staff Breakfast (tentative)
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012
1. Please be sure to pay your Social/Hospitality Committee dues as soon as possible. We'd like to have 100% participation with dues. I'd like to thank the committee members for their service to our staff, especially in times of need or crisis.
2. Don't forget to complete your SIOP online moodle for the Building Background session by December 10! In addition, we are working on a make-up opportunity for any staff members who did not complete the first two moodle sections.
3. We will offer make up sessions for SIOP training sessions #2 and #3 on December 11. Those affected were sent an email earlier this to sign up for their sessions. We apologize that the only available date for Amanda Cannon was on a Tuesday, which will affect several of your weekly curriculum meetings. But we needed to go ahead and get these sessions made up for you.
4. All staff received an email this week regarding another teacher and student survey. The district is requiring us to take this survey by December 20. The teacher survey link was in the email sent. There are multiple ways to access the student survey as indicated in the email. This survey deals with school climate, discipline, etc. They are comparing our survey data to the same survey data in school's with the Rachel's Challenge program, an anti-bullying program existing in about 1/3 of our middle schools. The student survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. For the teacher survey, all certified staff are expected to complete it. Homebase teachers, please have your homebase surveys completed by the deadline.
5. We will have a staff meeting on Monday, December 3, in the multi-purpose room. Topics include: SIT survey feedback, EVAAS, Teacher of the Year, parent referrals, etc.
6. The next PTSA Board meeting will be on Monday, December 3, at 5:30pm at the Out West restaurant. The board is inviting all school club sponsors to this event to brainstorm ways that multiple groups can work together on some fundraisers this school year. If you plan to attend, please let me know by November 29 so that we may reserve the space. We'd love for you to join us! Each individual is responsible for their own meal.
7. For "I Know My Class" survey teachers: Thanks to all of you have already completed your first round of surveys. This is great feedback! Please remember that the expectation is that you complete at least one survey each quarter.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Nov. 30 - Straight A Celebration (12:55pm in MP Room)
Dec. 3 - Staff Meeting (2:15pm)
Dec. 3 - PTSA Board Meeting @ Out West (5:30pm)
Dec. 4 - UNCG OSTE Mtg. (2:15pm)
Dec. 7 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Dec. 10 - Vertical Planning Mtgs. (2:15pm)
Dec. 10 - SIOP Building Background online moodle due!
Dec. 11 - SIOP Session #2 and #3 make up sessions (during grade level times)
Dec. 11 - Band Winter Concert (SEMS, 6pm)
Dec. 13 - Chorus Winter Concert (Glenn HS, 6pm)
Dec. 17 - SIOP Training #4 (2:15pm)
Dec. 20 - PTSA Staff Breakfast (tentative)
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Weekly Update 11/15/12
SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012
Next week's Thanksgiving break is quickly approaching. I'd like to thank all staff members for a great start to this school year. As we know, it takes everyone working together to make a successful school. I'm proud to be a part of the SEMS family. I hope that you all have a restful break with your family and friends. This is the perfect time to step back and appreciate the things we have in our lives. You all certainly deserve this break! Please be careful in your travels.
1. Thanks to everyone who donated to the United Way this past month. Our school was able to beat our goal with limited participation! Special thanks to Irma Jones and Janie Murray for their coordinated efforts.
2. Congratulations to Caroline Duncan (7th grade) and Jalen Singleton (8th grade). These two students had their holiday cards chosen by Central Office in the annual Art holiday card contest. Thanks to Mrs. Ring and Mrs. Love for encouraging your students to enter!
3. Earlier this week, all staff received a link to the SIT survey. This survey will give the team very specific feedback on how our procedures are going so far this school year. The survey only takes about five minutes to complete. We are asking all staff to complete it by Tuesday, Nov. 20. You can access the survey using this link: http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us//cms/module/selectsurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=1468
4. The PTSA will hold their Game Truck event for qualifying students on November 27 at about 12:15. We will provide all teachers with a complete list of students participating in this event. There are only 20 students who qualified, so this should not create any disruption to your day.
5. Paper progress reports are scheduled to go out on November 28. This will be at about four weeks or so into the quarter. We encourage teachers to also send out another paper progress report on December 19, right before the holiday break begins. This is not required, but it would be helpful since there will only be about 2 weeks or so of the quarter once students return in January. We certainly don't want any surprises for our students!
6. Due to numbers, we can no longer accommodate the straight A student incentive trips. Instead, we will offer a straight A celebration after each quarter. This will save money and time, yet we can still celebrate their success with them. The first Straight A Celebration will take place on November 30 at 12:55. We will send out a complete master list and instructions prior to this date.
7. We have three upcoming winter music concerts. Any certified staff members who did not work one of the October socials will be expected to sign up to work one of the concerts. Concert dates: December 11 (Band concert @ SEMS, 6pm), December 13 (Chorus concert @ Glenn, 6pm), and December 18 (Orchestra concert @ SEMS, 6pm). Sign ups for these concerts have been posted in the teacher workroom.
8. Looking at our quarter test benchmark scores, we appear to be right on target with the school system averages. We certainly have some things to celebrate! Thanks to everyone for their hard work.
9. If you are interested in being a tutor for our at-risk tutoring program in December - February, please see Deb Neal. Certified tutors can be paid $25/hour. Each tutoring session will last 1.5 hours.
10. We are looking for staff representatives for the PTSA Board. The board meets once per month, usually on a Monday night at 5:30 here at the school. If you are interested in a leadership opportunity by serving on this board, please let me know. We'd be happy to have you with us!
11. The next PTSA Board meeting will be on Monday, December 3, at 5:30pm at the Out West restaurant. The board is inviting all school club sponsors to this event to brainstorm ways that multiple groups can work together on some fundraisers this school year. If you plan to attend, please let me know by November 29 so that we may reserve the space. We'd love for you to join us! Each individual is responsible for their own meal.
12. If you are an EC staff member or support personnel, you may receive an automated email regarding a "Random Moment Time Study." If you receive this, it is legitimate and you must complete the questionnaire at the specified time. This study is linked to the funding that the school system receives from the federal government, so we must be compliant.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Nov. 15 - 7th grade eye screenings (7:30 - 9:30am)Nov. 15 - Technology grade level meetings w/J. Downs and E. Herreid
Nov. 16 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Nov. 17 - Robotics Qualifying Tournament
Nov. 19 - SIOP Training #3 (2:15pm)
Nov. 26 - EC Dept. meeting (2:15pm)
Nov. 27 - PTSA Fundraiser Game Truck Event (12:15 - 1:45pm)
Nov. 28 - Paper progress reports - Core and Encore
Nov. 28 - SIT meeting (2:15)
Nov. 30 - Straight A Celebration (12:55pm in MP Room)
Dec. 3 - Staff Meeting (2:15pm)
Dec. 7 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012
Next week's Thanksgiving break is quickly approaching. I'd like to thank all staff members for a great start to this school year. As we know, it takes everyone working together to make a successful school. I'm proud to be a part of the SEMS family. I hope that you all have a restful break with your family and friends. This is the perfect time to step back and appreciate the things we have in our lives. You all certainly deserve this break! Please be careful in your travels.
1. Thanks to everyone who donated to the United Way this past month. Our school was able to beat our goal with limited participation! Special thanks to Irma Jones and Janie Murray for their coordinated efforts.
2. Congratulations to Caroline Duncan (7th grade) and Jalen Singleton (8th grade). These two students had their holiday cards chosen by Central Office in the annual Art holiday card contest. Thanks to Mrs. Ring and Mrs. Love for encouraging your students to enter!
3. Earlier this week, all staff received a link to the SIT survey. This survey will give the team very specific feedback on how our procedures are going so far this school year. The survey only takes about five minutes to complete. We are asking all staff to complete it by Tuesday, Nov. 20. You can access the survey using this link: http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us//cms/module/selectsurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=1468
4. The PTSA will hold their Game Truck event for qualifying students on November 27 at about 12:15. We will provide all teachers with a complete list of students participating in this event. There are only 20 students who qualified, so this should not create any disruption to your day.
5. Paper progress reports are scheduled to go out on November 28. This will be at about four weeks or so into the quarter. We encourage teachers to also send out another paper progress report on December 19, right before the holiday break begins. This is not required, but it would be helpful since there will only be about 2 weeks or so of the quarter once students return in January. We certainly don't want any surprises for our students!
6. Due to numbers, we can no longer accommodate the straight A student incentive trips. Instead, we will offer a straight A celebration after each quarter. This will save money and time, yet we can still celebrate their success with them. The first Straight A Celebration will take place on November 30 at 12:55. We will send out a complete master list and instructions prior to this date.
7. We have three upcoming winter music concerts. Any certified staff members who did not work one of the October socials will be expected to sign up to work one of the concerts. Concert dates: December 11 (Band concert @ SEMS, 6pm), December 13 (Chorus concert @ Glenn, 6pm), and December 18 (Orchestra concert @ SEMS, 6pm). Sign ups for these concerts have been posted in the teacher workroom.
8. Looking at our quarter test benchmark scores, we appear to be right on target with the school system averages. We certainly have some things to celebrate! Thanks to everyone for their hard work.
9. If you are interested in being a tutor for our at-risk tutoring program in December - February, please see Deb Neal. Certified tutors can be paid $25/hour. Each tutoring session will last 1.5 hours.
10. We are looking for staff representatives for the PTSA Board. The board meets once per month, usually on a Monday night at 5:30 here at the school. If you are interested in a leadership opportunity by serving on this board, please let me know. We'd be happy to have you with us!
11. The next PTSA Board meeting will be on Monday, December 3, at 5:30pm at the Out West restaurant. The board is inviting all school club sponsors to this event to brainstorm ways that multiple groups can work together on some fundraisers this school year. If you plan to attend, please let me know by November 29 so that we may reserve the space. We'd love for you to join us! Each individual is responsible for their own meal.
12. If you are an EC staff member or support personnel, you may receive an automated email regarding a "Random Moment Time Study." If you receive this, it is legitimate and you must complete the questionnaire at the specified time. This study is linked to the funding that the school system receives from the federal government, so we must be compliant.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Nov. 15 - 7th grade eye screenings (7:30 - 9:30am)Nov. 15 - Technology grade level meetings w/J. Downs and E. Herreid
Nov. 16 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Nov. 17 - Robotics Qualifying Tournament
Nov. 19 - SIOP Training #3 (2:15pm)
Nov. 26 - EC Dept. meeting (2:15pm)
Nov. 27 - PTSA Fundraiser Game Truck Event (12:15 - 1:45pm)
Nov. 28 - Paper progress reports - Core and Encore
Nov. 28 - SIT meeting (2:15)
Nov. 30 - Straight A Celebration (12:55pm in MP Room)
Dec. 3 - Staff Meeting (2:15pm)
Dec. 7 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Weekly Update 11/8/12
SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER8, 2012
1. Please keep Jane Trace in your thoughts and prayers. She had foot surgery and will return back with us in about a week or two.
2. Many thanks to our PTSA, especially Lisa Hedgecock and Tonya Crews. They have been here at school almost every day to update our PTSA fundraiser monies and were responsible for your Halloween treats in your mailboxes. In addition, they are planning several activities for teachers and students throughout the year. Last week, you received an email regarding PTSA lunch. Staff members can pre-order lunch for $5.00. They plan to offer this service one time each month. The sign-up sheet for the first lunch is in the staff workroom - the first lunch will be held on November 14.
3. Paper progress reports are scheduled to go out on November 28. This will be at about four weeks or so into the quarter. We encourage teachers to also send out another paper progress report on December 19, right before the holiday break begins. This is not required, but it would be good since there will only be about 2 weeks or so of the quarter once students return in January. We certainly don't want any surprises for our students!
4. After submitting your final quarter grades, you may not make any changes. If you wish to alter a quarter grade after finalizing, then you must fill out a grade change form and place it in my mailbox. I will review, approve, and give to Cindy Wilkes to manually change. Grade change forms will be available in the Guidance Office and in Cindy's office.
5. Due to numbers, we can no longer accommodate the straight A student incentive trips. Instead, we will offer a straight A celebrate after each quarter. If the numbers are high, we will have a short celebration for each grade level across three separate days. If not, then we will combine the groups. This will save money and time, yet we can still celebrate their success with them. We are currently planning the dates and will forward the information to you soon.
6. We have three upcoming winter music concerts. Any certified staff members who did not work one of the October socials will be expected to sign up to work one of the concerts. Concert dates: December 11 (Band concert @ SEMS, 6pm), December 13 (Chorus concert @ Glenn, 6pm), and December 18 (Orchestra concert @ SEMS, 6pm). Sign ups for these concerts will be posted on November 14 in the teacher workroom at 2:20pm.
7. We have several students who have potentially severe medical issues. If you need to call for assistance for one of these students (the appropriate staff are fully aware of the students I am referring to), please identify who the student is, whether it's over the Bogen phone or through a walkie. By doing this, we know what medicine or kit to bring with us to respond to the emergency.
8. Teacher EVAAS reports online will soon be available. In the next week or so, you may receive an email indicating that you can access your EVAAS report (for those of you who tested an EOG last year). Please let us know if you need assistance in accessing the report. We will talk more about these reports in November and December.
9. All teachers involved with the "I Know My Class" online student engagement survey have been notified via email. These teachers will receive a short instructional session on how to set up and administer this survey. The requirement is for the teacher to give this survey at least one time each quarter.
10. On November 15, John Downs and Evan Herreid will conduct a technology training for all teachers during grade level planning. More information will be coming from John. At the conclusion of this training, John will review the "I Know My Class" survey procedures with those selected teachers.
11. If you are interested in being a tutor for our at-risk tutoring program in December - February, please see Deb Neal. Certified tutors can be paid $25/hour. Each tutoring session will last 1.5 hours.
12. We are looking for staff representatives for the PTSA Board. The board meets once per month, usually on a Monday night at 5:30 here at the school. If you are interested in a leadership opportunity by serving on this board, please let me know. We'd be happy to have you with us!
13. If you are an EC staff member or support personnel, you may receive an automated email regarding a "Random Moment Time Study." If you receive this, it is legitimate and you must complete the questionnaire at the specified time. This study is linked to the funding that the school system receives from the federal government, so we must be compliant.
14. FCAE will be here on campus after school on November 13. They will be doing some staff surveys.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Nov. 8 - Report cards distributed to students
Nov. 8 - Picture make-up day
Nov. 9 - Music Dept. Wipeout Party (during encore blocks)
Nov. 12 - Veterans Day - No School!
Nov. 13 - Staff flu shots available - see Susie if interested
Nov. 13 - FCAE onsite after school to conduct surveys
Nov. 15 - 7th grade eye screenings (7:30 - 9:30am)
Nov. 15 - Technology grade level meetings w/J. Downs and E. Herreid
Nov. 16 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Nov. 17 - Robotics Qualifying Tournament
Nov. 19 - SIOP Training #3 (2:15pm)
Nov. 26 - EC Dept. meeting (2:15pm)
Nov. 28 - Paper progress reports - Core and Encore
Nov. 28 - SIT meeting (2:15)
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER8, 2012
1. Please keep Jane Trace in your thoughts and prayers. She had foot surgery and will return back with us in about a week or two.
2. Many thanks to our PTSA, especially Lisa Hedgecock and Tonya Crews. They have been here at school almost every day to update our PTSA fundraiser monies and were responsible for your Halloween treats in your mailboxes. In addition, they are planning several activities for teachers and students throughout the year. Last week, you received an email regarding PTSA lunch. Staff members can pre-order lunch for $5.00. They plan to offer this service one time each month. The sign-up sheet for the first lunch is in the staff workroom - the first lunch will be held on November 14.
3. Paper progress reports are scheduled to go out on November 28. This will be at about four weeks or so into the quarter. We encourage teachers to also send out another paper progress report on December 19, right before the holiday break begins. This is not required, but it would be good since there will only be about 2 weeks or so of the quarter once students return in January. We certainly don't want any surprises for our students!
4. After submitting your final quarter grades, you may not make any changes. If you wish to alter a quarter grade after finalizing, then you must fill out a grade change form and place it in my mailbox. I will review, approve, and give to Cindy Wilkes to manually change. Grade change forms will be available in the Guidance Office and in Cindy's office.
5. Due to numbers, we can no longer accommodate the straight A student incentive trips. Instead, we will offer a straight A celebrate after each quarter. If the numbers are high, we will have a short celebration for each grade level across three separate days. If not, then we will combine the groups. This will save money and time, yet we can still celebrate their success with them. We are currently planning the dates and will forward the information to you soon.
6. We have three upcoming winter music concerts. Any certified staff members who did not work one of the October socials will be expected to sign up to work one of the concerts. Concert dates: December 11 (Band concert @ SEMS, 6pm), December 13 (Chorus concert @ Glenn, 6pm), and December 18 (Orchestra concert @ SEMS, 6pm). Sign ups for these concerts will be posted on November 14 in the teacher workroom at 2:20pm.
7. We have several students who have potentially severe medical issues. If you need to call for assistance for one of these students (the appropriate staff are fully aware of the students I am referring to), please identify who the student is, whether it's over the Bogen phone or through a walkie. By doing this, we know what medicine or kit to bring with us to respond to the emergency.
8. Teacher EVAAS reports online will soon be available. In the next week or so, you may receive an email indicating that you can access your EVAAS report (for those of you who tested an EOG last year). Please let us know if you need assistance in accessing the report. We will talk more about these reports in November and December.
9. All teachers involved with the "I Know My Class" online student engagement survey have been notified via email. These teachers will receive a short instructional session on how to set up and administer this survey. The requirement is for the teacher to give this survey at least one time each quarter.
10. On November 15, John Downs and Evan Herreid will conduct a technology training for all teachers during grade level planning. More information will be coming from John. At the conclusion of this training, John will review the "I Know My Class" survey procedures with those selected teachers.
11. If you are interested in being a tutor for our at-risk tutoring program in December - February, please see Deb Neal. Certified tutors can be paid $25/hour. Each tutoring session will last 1.5 hours.
12. We are looking for staff representatives for the PTSA Board. The board meets once per month, usually on a Monday night at 5:30 here at the school. If you are interested in a leadership opportunity by serving on this board, please let me know. We'd be happy to have you with us!
13. If you are an EC staff member or support personnel, you may receive an automated email regarding a "Random Moment Time Study." If you receive this, it is legitimate and you must complete the questionnaire at the specified time. This study is linked to the funding that the school system receives from the federal government, so we must be compliant.
14. FCAE will be here on campus after school on November 13. They will be doing some staff surveys.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Nov. 8 - Report cards distributed to students
Nov. 8 - Picture make-up day
Nov. 9 - Music Dept. Wipeout Party (during encore blocks)
Nov. 12 - Veterans Day - No School!
Nov. 13 - Staff flu shots available - see Susie if interested
Nov. 13 - FCAE onsite after school to conduct surveys
Nov. 15 - 7th grade eye screenings (7:30 - 9:30am)
Nov. 15 - Technology grade level meetings w/J. Downs and E. Herreid
Nov. 16 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Nov. 17 - Robotics Qualifying Tournament
Nov. 19 - SIOP Training #3 (2:15pm)
Nov. 26 - EC Dept. meeting (2:15pm)
Nov. 28 - Paper progress reports - Core and Encore
Nov. 28 - SIT meeting (2:15)
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Weekly Update 11/1/12
SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2012
1. Don't forget to "fall back" one hour this weekend for Daylight Savings Time!
2. Congratulations to Cynthia Hatch. She was granted renewal on her National Boards this week! Also, congratulations to Jennifer Wells, Rachel Holmes, and Jenny Watson. Rachel and Jennifer received a $500 Kernersville Chamber of Commerce grant for African drumming. Jenny received a $500 grant for several projects including lessons for Caleb's Creek students and for materials for a "Random Act of Kindness" week.
3. Please continue to keep Meg Speziale and Venee Robinson in your thoughts and prayers. Meg's mother passed away on Tuesday and Venee continues to recover in the hospital. In addition, please keep our students and families in your thoughts and prayers. We have a lot of students right now in crisis, almost too many to keep track of. From losing a home in a fire to deep depression, some of students really need our support right now.
4. Many thanks to our PTSA, especially Lisa Hedgecock and Tonya Crews. They have been here at school almost every day to update our PTSA fundraiser monies and were responsible for your Halloween treats in your mailboxes this week. In addition, they are planning several activities for teachers and students throughout the year. Earlier this week, you received an email regarding PTSA lunch. Staff members can pre-order lunch for $5.00. They plan to offer this service one time each month. The sign-up sheet for the first lunch is in the staff workroom.
5. November 2 will be the end of the first quarter. Monday, November 5, is a Reserved-School day for teachers, which means that staff can take an annual day if they wish (as long as your grades are turned in and finalized). Tuesday, November 6, is a Reserved-Central Office day, which means that staff may not take an annual day. There are central office workshops and meetings taking place that day. We will post a staff sheet in the teacher workroom starting October 29 so that you may indicate your plans for November 5. Teachers may take this day IF their grades are completed and verified with Sandy Derrah (see next item). On November 6, you must attend any Central Office workshop that you are assigned to. If you do not have a workshop scheduled OR if you only have a half day workshop, then you are expected to be at SEMS for the remainder of that day. There have been some questions regarding the timing of some of your workshops - let me clarify.....for example, if your workshop is 11:00 - 1:00, then you have two choices. You can work a few hours before your workshop, then finish the day at the workshop. Or you may go to your workshop first and then report to work for a few hours afterwards. Regardless, please be sure to sign in when you are at school on November 5 and 6.
6. First quarter grades are DUE by 12:00pm on Monday, November 5. Your grades must be completed in NCWISE with your verification sheets turned in to Sandy Derrah in the Guidance Office by this time. Mr. Downs sent an email to all staff with helpful hints and instructions for completing grades in the system. In order to take an annual day on Monday, November 5, you must have your grades completed prior to November 5.
7. Deb Neal forwarded a revised copy of the staff development training schedule for November 6. Please be sure to register for your workshop. In addition, there are details in the email from Deb on Monday regarding Common Core Training for beginning teachers as well as teachers new to the school district. New staff, please be sure to review this information, as it affects all of you! Please see Deb or me if you have any questions.
8. Report cards will be distributed on Thursday, November 8 at the end of the school day. All students will return to homebases at 1:45 on this day to receive their report cards. We will forward you details on how dismissal will take place.
9. After submitting your final quarter grades, you may not make any changes. If you wish to alter a quarter grade after finalizing, then you must fill out a grade change form and place it in my mailbox. I will review, approve, and give to Cindy Wilkes to manually change. Grade change forms will be available in the Guidance Office and in Cindy's office.
10. Due to numbers, we can no longer accommodate the straight A student incentive trips. Instead, we will offer a straight A celebrate after each quarter. If the numbers are high, we will have a short celebration for each grade level across three separate days. If not, then we will combine the groups. This will save money and time, yet we can still celebrate their success with them.
11. We have several students who have potentially severe medical issues. If you need to call for assistance for one of these students (the appropriate staff are fully aware of the students I am referring to), please identify who the student is, whether it's over the Bogen phone or through a walkie. By doing this, we know what medicine or kit to bring with us to respond to the emergency.
12. Teacher EVAAS reports online will soon be available. In the next two weeks, you will receive an email indicating that you can access your EVAAS report (for those of you who tested an EOG last year). Please let us know if you need assistance in accessing the report. We will talk more about these reports in November.
13. If you are interested in being a tutor for our at-risk tutoring program in December - February, please see Deb Neal. Certified tutors can be paid $25/hour. Each tutoring session will last 1.5 hours.
14. We are looking for staff representatives for the PTSA Board. The board meets once per month, usually on a Monday night at 5:30 here at the school. If you are interested in a leadership opportunity by serving on this board, please let me know. We'd be happy to have you with us!
15. If you are an EC staff member or support personnel, you may receive an automated email regarding a "Random Moment Time Study." If you receive this, it is legitimate and you must complete the questionnaire at the specified time. This study is linked to the funding that the school system receives from the federal government, so we must be compliant.
16. FCAE will be here on campus after school on November 13. They will be doing some staff surveys.
17. All non-WSFCS wireless devices will no longer have access to our wireless server starting November 12 (the previous date was Nov. 1). Devices include your cell phones, laptops, iPads, etc.
18. Several staff members have asked how to contact me after hours. My school cell number is 345-7985. I use that phone during the school day as well as during the evening hours until about 9:00pm. On the weekends, I typically do not keep my school phone on, but I do periodically check my email several times throughout the weekend. If you have an absolute emergency, you may contact me on my personal cell after hours at 317-4412. Examples of emergencies include something going on in your family that impacts work (or that of another staff member) or the personal safety of yourself or students. Examples of non-emergencies include seeking permission for a video the following day, permission for a leave day, or school business that does meet the criteria for an emergency. Please know that I am always available should you truly have an emergency.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Nov. 2 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade All-Stars
Nov. 2 - End of First Quarter
Nov. 3 - Robot Run Invitational @ Forsyth Tech West Campus
Nov. 5 - Teacher workday (may take an annual leave day)
Nov. 5 - Grades DUE by 12:00pm
Nov. 6 - Teacher workday - Reserved by Central Office
Nov. 8 - Report cards distributed to students
Nov. 8 - Picture make-up day
Nov. 9 - Music Dept. Wipeout Party (during encore blocks)
Nov. 12 - Veterans Day - No School!
Nov. 13 - Staff flu shots available - see Susie if interested
Nov. 13 - FCAE onsite after school to conduct surveys
Nov. 15 - 7th grade eye screenings (7:30 - 9:30am)
Nov. 15 - Technology grade level meetings w/J. Downs and E. Herreid
Nov. 16 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Nov. 17 - Robotics Qualifying Tournament
Nov. 19 - SIOP Training #3 (2:15pm)
Nov. 26 - EC Dept. meeting (2:15pm)
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2012
1. Don't forget to "fall back" one hour this weekend for Daylight Savings Time!
2. Congratulations to Cynthia Hatch. She was granted renewal on her National Boards this week! Also, congratulations to Jennifer Wells, Rachel Holmes, and Jenny Watson. Rachel and Jennifer received a $500 Kernersville Chamber of Commerce grant for African drumming. Jenny received a $500 grant for several projects including lessons for Caleb's Creek students and for materials for a "Random Act of Kindness" week.
3. Please continue to keep Meg Speziale and Venee Robinson in your thoughts and prayers. Meg's mother passed away on Tuesday and Venee continues to recover in the hospital. In addition, please keep our students and families in your thoughts and prayers. We have a lot of students right now in crisis, almost too many to keep track of. From losing a home in a fire to deep depression, some of students really need our support right now.
4. Many thanks to our PTSA, especially Lisa Hedgecock and Tonya Crews. They have been here at school almost every day to update our PTSA fundraiser monies and were responsible for your Halloween treats in your mailboxes this week. In addition, they are planning several activities for teachers and students throughout the year. Earlier this week, you received an email regarding PTSA lunch. Staff members can pre-order lunch for $5.00. They plan to offer this service one time each month. The sign-up sheet for the first lunch is in the staff workroom.
5. November 2 will be the end of the first quarter. Monday, November 5, is a Reserved-School day for teachers, which means that staff can take an annual day if they wish (as long as your grades are turned in and finalized). Tuesday, November 6, is a Reserved-Central Office day, which means that staff may not take an annual day. There are central office workshops and meetings taking place that day. We will post a staff sheet in the teacher workroom starting October 29 so that you may indicate your plans for November 5. Teachers may take this day IF their grades are completed and verified with Sandy Derrah (see next item). On November 6, you must attend any Central Office workshop that you are assigned to. If you do not have a workshop scheduled OR if you only have a half day workshop, then you are expected to be at SEMS for the remainder of that day. There have been some questions regarding the timing of some of your workshops - let me clarify.....for example, if your workshop is 11:00 - 1:00, then you have two choices. You can work a few hours before your workshop, then finish the day at the workshop. Or you may go to your workshop first and then report to work for a few hours afterwards. Regardless, please be sure to sign in when you are at school on November 5 and 6.
6. First quarter grades are DUE by 12:00pm on Monday, November 5. Your grades must be completed in NCWISE with your verification sheets turned in to Sandy Derrah in the Guidance Office by this time. Mr. Downs sent an email to all staff with helpful hints and instructions for completing grades in the system. In order to take an annual day on Monday, November 5, you must have your grades completed prior to November 5.
7. Deb Neal forwarded a revised copy of the staff development training schedule for November 6. Please be sure to register for your workshop. In addition, there are details in the email from Deb on Monday regarding Common Core Training for beginning teachers as well as teachers new to the school district. New staff, please be sure to review this information, as it affects all of you! Please see Deb or me if you have any questions.
8. Report cards will be distributed on Thursday, November 8 at the end of the school day. All students will return to homebases at 1:45 on this day to receive their report cards. We will forward you details on how dismissal will take place.
9. After submitting your final quarter grades, you may not make any changes. If you wish to alter a quarter grade after finalizing, then you must fill out a grade change form and place it in my mailbox. I will review, approve, and give to Cindy Wilkes to manually change. Grade change forms will be available in the Guidance Office and in Cindy's office.
10. Due to numbers, we can no longer accommodate the straight A student incentive trips. Instead, we will offer a straight A celebrate after each quarter. If the numbers are high, we will have a short celebration for each grade level across three separate days. If not, then we will combine the groups. This will save money and time, yet we can still celebrate their success with them.
11. We have several students who have potentially severe medical issues. If you need to call for assistance for one of these students (the appropriate staff are fully aware of the students I am referring to), please identify who the student is, whether it's over the Bogen phone or through a walkie. By doing this, we know what medicine or kit to bring with us to respond to the emergency.
12. Teacher EVAAS reports online will soon be available. In the next two weeks, you will receive an email indicating that you can access your EVAAS report (for those of you who tested an EOG last year). Please let us know if you need assistance in accessing the report. We will talk more about these reports in November.
13. If you are interested in being a tutor for our at-risk tutoring program in December - February, please see Deb Neal. Certified tutors can be paid $25/hour. Each tutoring session will last 1.5 hours.
14. We are looking for staff representatives for the PTSA Board. The board meets once per month, usually on a Monday night at 5:30 here at the school. If you are interested in a leadership opportunity by serving on this board, please let me know. We'd be happy to have you with us!
15. If you are an EC staff member or support personnel, you may receive an automated email regarding a "Random Moment Time Study." If you receive this, it is legitimate and you must complete the questionnaire at the specified time. This study is linked to the funding that the school system receives from the federal government, so we must be compliant.
16. FCAE will be here on campus after school on November 13. They will be doing some staff surveys.
17. All non-WSFCS wireless devices will no longer have access to our wireless server starting November 12 (the previous date was Nov. 1). Devices include your cell phones, laptops, iPads, etc.
18. Several staff members have asked how to contact me after hours. My school cell number is 345-7985. I use that phone during the school day as well as during the evening hours until about 9:00pm. On the weekends, I typically do not keep my school phone on, but I do periodically check my email several times throughout the weekend. If you have an absolute emergency, you may contact me on my personal cell after hours at 317-4412. Examples of emergencies include something going on in your family that impacts work (or that of another staff member) or the personal safety of yourself or students. Examples of non-emergencies include seeking permission for a video the following day, permission for a leave day, or school business that does meet the criteria for an emergency. Please know that I am always available should you truly have an emergency.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Nov. 2 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade All-Stars
Nov. 2 - End of First Quarter
Nov. 3 - Robot Run Invitational @ Forsyth Tech West Campus
Nov. 5 - Teacher workday (may take an annual leave day)
Nov. 5 - Grades DUE by 12:00pm
Nov. 6 - Teacher workday - Reserved by Central Office
Nov. 8 - Report cards distributed to students
Nov. 8 - Picture make-up day
Nov. 9 - Music Dept. Wipeout Party (during encore blocks)
Nov. 12 - Veterans Day - No School!
Nov. 13 - Staff flu shots available - see Susie if interested
Nov. 13 - FCAE onsite after school to conduct surveys
Nov. 15 - 7th grade eye screenings (7:30 - 9:30am)
Nov. 15 - Technology grade level meetings w/J. Downs and E. Herreid
Nov. 16 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Nov. 17 - Robotics Qualifying Tournament
Nov. 19 - SIOP Training #3 (2:15pm)
Nov. 26 - EC Dept. meeting (2:15pm)
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Weekly Update 10/25/12
SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012
1. Congratulations to our girls soccer team. They finished second in the county. They lost a tough match against Jefferson on Tuesday. But let's be proud of our girls' success! In addition, congratulations to all of the All-County Band students! Quite a few students were honored. Todd Howard, 8th grader, was honored as 1st Chair.
2. At the Monday, October 29 staff meeting, teachers will be introduced to an online engagement survey. This is part of a contract with WSFCS in all middle schools for this school year. Teachers will give students a 10-15 question online survey quarterly throughout the year regarding their engagement level in your class. It can be given after a particular lesson or unit. The purpose is for the teacher to gain extremely valuable information about how students learn, what they enjoyed, and their level of engagement. Teachers can use this information to adjust their instruction. The school system will select 60% of the teaching staff to participate, but others are welcome to participate as well. We do not yet have confirmation on who those teachers will be. Starting at 2:15 on Monday in the multi-purpose room, there will be a WebEx presentation running that will give us all an introduction of what the program entails. So please get to the meeting as quickly as you can. It should last about 20 minutes and then we will continue with the rest of our meeting. In addition, after the participating teachers have been identified, we will provide additional sessions to ensure that all know how to use the program.
3. November 2 will be the end of the first quarter. Monday, November 5, is a Reserved-School day for teachers, which means that staff can take an annual day if they wish (as long as your grades are turned in and finalized). Tuesday, November 6, is a Reserved-Central Office day, which means that staff may not take an annual day. There are central office workshops and meetings taking place that day. We will post a staff sheet in the teacher workroom starting October 29 so that you may indicate your plans for November 5. Teachers may take this day IF their grades are completed and verified with Sandy Derrah (see next item). On November 6, you must attend any Central Office workshop that you are assigned to. If you do not have a workshop scheduled OR if you only have a half day workshop, then you are expected to be at SEMS for the remainder of that day. There have been some questions regarding the timing of some of your workshops - let me clarify.....for example, if your workshop is 11:00 - 1:00, then you have two choices. You can work a few hours before your workshop, then finish the day at the workshop. Or you may go to your workshop first and then report to work for a few hours afterwards. Regardless, please be sure to sign in when you are at school on November 5 and 6.
4. First quarter grades are DUE by 12:00pm on Monday, November 5. Your grades must be completed in NCWISE with your verification sheets turned in to Sandy Derrah in the Guidance Office by this time. Mr. Downs sent an email to all staff with helpful hints and instructions for completing grades in the system. In order to take an annual day on Monday, November 5, you must have your grades completed prior to November 5.
5. Report cards will be distributed on Thursday, November 8 at the end of the school day. All students will return to homebases at 1:45 on this day to receive their report cards. We will forward you details on how dismissal will take place.
6. After submitting your final quarter grades, you may not make any changes. If you wish to alter a quarter grade after finalizing, then you must fill out a grade change form and place it in my mailbox. I will review, approve, and give to Cindy Wilkes to manually change. Grade change forms will be available in the Guidance Office and in Cindy's office.
7. Due to numbers, we can no longer accommodate the straight A student incentive trips. Instead, we will offer a straight A celebrate after each quarter. If the numbers are high, we will have a short celebration for each grade level across three separate days. If not, then we will combine the groups. This will save money and time, yet we can still celebrate their success with them.
8. Halloween falls on a regular school day in October. Please remind your students that this is a normal school day and all students must follow the dress code regulations. There are no costumes nor dressing up allowed. Students who violate the code or wear something disruptive to the learning environment should still be addressed as normal. The Dress Code Check will still be available at 7:35 in room #712.
9. The SIOP online moodle is available for all staff to complete the Strategies section. Staff members should complete this moodle section by November 1. If you were absent on the day of the face-to-face training, we will schedule you for a make-up session with Amanda Cannon.
10. If you are interested in being a tutor for our at-risk tutoring program in December - February, please see Deb Neal. Certified tutors can be paid $25/hour. Each tutoring session will last 1.5 hours.
11. Thank you for your attending at Monday's EVAAS session. Hopefully, you were able to walk away with a little more knowledge of how the EVAAS system works and its purpose. We will let you know when teacher EVAAS reports are available for you to access. We will be more than happy to assist you in accessing this program.
12. Several staff members have asked how to contact me after hours. My school cell number is 345-7985. I use that phone during the school day as well as during the evening hours until about 9:00pm. On the weekends, I typically do not keep my school phone on, but I do periodically check my email several times throughout the weekend. If you have an absolute emergency, you may contact me on my personal cell after hours at 317-4412. Examples of emergencies include something going on in your family that impacts work (or that of another staff member) or the personal safety of yourself or students. Examples of non-emergencies include seeking permission for a video the following day, permission for a leave day, or school business that does meet the criteria for an emergency. Please know that I am always available should you truly have an emergency.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Oct. 26 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 26 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Oct. 29 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade Team Discovery
Oct. 29 - Staff Meeting (2:15pm)
Oct. 31 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade Super Novas
Oct. 31 - Kernersville Chamber of Commerce Grant celebration
Nov. 1 - SIOP Online Moodle - Strategies section completed
Nov. 2 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade All-Stars
Nov. 2 - End of First Quarter
Nov. 3 - Robot Run Invitational @ Forsyth Tech West Campus
Nov. 5 - Teacher workday (may take an annual leave day)
Nov. 5 - Grades DUE by 12:00pm
Nov. 6 - Teacher workday - Reserved by Central Office
Nov. 8 - Report cards distributed to students
Nov. 8 - Picture make-up day
Nov. 9 - Music Dept. Wipeout Party (during encore blocks)
Nov. 12 - Veterans Day - No School!
Nov. 13 - Staff flu shots available - see Susie if interested
Nov. 15 - 7th grade eye screenings (7:30 - 9:30am)
Nov. 15 - Technology grade level meetings w/J. Downs and E. Herreid
Nov. 16 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Nov. 17 - Robotics Qualifying Tournament
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2012
1. Congratulations to our girls soccer team. They finished second in the county. They lost a tough match against Jefferson on Tuesday. But let's be proud of our girls' success! In addition, congratulations to all of the All-County Band students! Quite a few students were honored. Todd Howard, 8th grader, was honored as 1st Chair.
2. At the Monday, October 29 staff meeting, teachers will be introduced to an online engagement survey. This is part of a contract with WSFCS in all middle schools for this school year. Teachers will give students a 10-15 question online survey quarterly throughout the year regarding their engagement level in your class. It can be given after a particular lesson or unit. The purpose is for the teacher to gain extremely valuable information about how students learn, what they enjoyed, and their level of engagement. Teachers can use this information to adjust their instruction. The school system will select 60% of the teaching staff to participate, but others are welcome to participate as well. We do not yet have confirmation on who those teachers will be. Starting at 2:15 on Monday in the multi-purpose room, there will be a WebEx presentation running that will give us all an introduction of what the program entails. So please get to the meeting as quickly as you can. It should last about 20 minutes and then we will continue with the rest of our meeting. In addition, after the participating teachers have been identified, we will provide additional sessions to ensure that all know how to use the program.
3. November 2 will be the end of the first quarter. Monday, November 5, is a Reserved-School day for teachers, which means that staff can take an annual day if they wish (as long as your grades are turned in and finalized). Tuesday, November 6, is a Reserved-Central Office day, which means that staff may not take an annual day. There are central office workshops and meetings taking place that day. We will post a staff sheet in the teacher workroom starting October 29 so that you may indicate your plans for November 5. Teachers may take this day IF their grades are completed and verified with Sandy Derrah (see next item). On November 6, you must attend any Central Office workshop that you are assigned to. If you do not have a workshop scheduled OR if you only have a half day workshop, then you are expected to be at SEMS for the remainder of that day. There have been some questions regarding the timing of some of your workshops - let me clarify.....for example, if your workshop is 11:00 - 1:00, then you have two choices. You can work a few hours before your workshop, then finish the day at the workshop. Or you may go to your workshop first and then report to work for a few hours afterwards. Regardless, please be sure to sign in when you are at school on November 5 and 6.
4. First quarter grades are DUE by 12:00pm on Monday, November 5. Your grades must be completed in NCWISE with your verification sheets turned in to Sandy Derrah in the Guidance Office by this time. Mr. Downs sent an email to all staff with helpful hints and instructions for completing grades in the system. In order to take an annual day on Monday, November 5, you must have your grades completed prior to November 5.
5. Report cards will be distributed on Thursday, November 8 at the end of the school day. All students will return to homebases at 1:45 on this day to receive their report cards. We will forward you details on how dismissal will take place.
6. After submitting your final quarter grades, you may not make any changes. If you wish to alter a quarter grade after finalizing, then you must fill out a grade change form and place it in my mailbox. I will review, approve, and give to Cindy Wilkes to manually change. Grade change forms will be available in the Guidance Office and in Cindy's office.
7. Due to numbers, we can no longer accommodate the straight A student incentive trips. Instead, we will offer a straight A celebrate after each quarter. If the numbers are high, we will have a short celebration for each grade level across three separate days. If not, then we will combine the groups. This will save money and time, yet we can still celebrate their success with them.
8. Halloween falls on a regular school day in October. Please remind your students that this is a normal school day and all students must follow the dress code regulations. There are no costumes nor dressing up allowed. Students who violate the code or wear something disruptive to the learning environment should still be addressed as normal. The Dress Code Check will still be available at 7:35 in room #712.
9. The SIOP online moodle is available for all staff to complete the Strategies section. Staff members should complete this moodle section by November 1. If you were absent on the day of the face-to-face training, we will schedule you for a make-up session with Amanda Cannon.
10. If you are interested in being a tutor for our at-risk tutoring program in December - February, please see Deb Neal. Certified tutors can be paid $25/hour. Each tutoring session will last 1.5 hours.
11. Thank you for your attending at Monday's EVAAS session. Hopefully, you were able to walk away with a little more knowledge of how the EVAAS system works and its purpose. We will let you know when teacher EVAAS reports are available for you to access. We will be more than happy to assist you in accessing this program.
12. Several staff members have asked how to contact me after hours. My school cell number is 345-7985. I use that phone during the school day as well as during the evening hours until about 9:00pm. On the weekends, I typically do not keep my school phone on, but I do periodically check my email several times throughout the weekend. If you have an absolute emergency, you may contact me on my personal cell after hours at 317-4412. Examples of emergencies include something going on in your family that impacts work (or that of another staff member) or the personal safety of yourself or students. Examples of non-emergencies include seeking permission for a video the following day, permission for a leave day, or school business that does meet the criteria for an emergency. Please know that I am always available should you truly have an emergency.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Oct. 26 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 26 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Oct. 29 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade Team Discovery
Oct. 29 - Staff Meeting (2:15pm)
Oct. 31 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade Super Novas
Oct. 31 - Kernersville Chamber of Commerce Grant celebration
Nov. 1 - SIOP Online Moodle - Strategies section completed
Nov. 2 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade All-Stars
Nov. 2 - End of First Quarter
Nov. 3 - Robot Run Invitational @ Forsyth Tech West Campus
Nov. 5 - Teacher workday (may take an annual leave day)
Nov. 5 - Grades DUE by 12:00pm
Nov. 6 - Teacher workday - Reserved by Central Office
Nov. 8 - Report cards distributed to students
Nov. 8 - Picture make-up day
Nov. 9 - Music Dept. Wipeout Party (during encore blocks)
Nov. 12 - Veterans Day - No School!
Nov. 13 - Staff flu shots available - see Susie if interested
Nov. 15 - 7th grade eye screenings (7:30 - 9:30am)
Nov. 15 - Technology grade level meetings w/J. Downs and E. Herreid
Nov. 16 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Nov. 17 - Robotics Qualifying Tournament
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Weekly Update 10/18/12
SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18
1. We will have an EVAAS meeting on Monday, Oct. 22. Dr. Marty Ward from WSFCS Accountability and Research will be here to discuss EVAAS and how it can be helpful for teachers. Only certified teachers are required to attend this meeting. The meeting will take place in the Media Center.
2. The Kernersville Chamber of Commerce will be here next week to award our grant winners. We have two winners on campus! The winners will be revealed when they arrive.
3. Please pay your Hospitality/Social Committee dues if you have not done so already. The committee has some fun activities planned for the year. Don't forget to wear pink on Friday!
4. The PTSA Fundraiser kicked off last week. Please encourage all students to participate in this fundraiser. As of Wednesday, we have already sold 300 cards! Our goal is to sell at least 2,000 cards. Be sure to take advantage of the fundraiser - Jaguar cards are only $10 and are valid for one year. Get great discounts at some area restaurants and businesses!
5. At the October 29 staff meeting, teachers will be introduced to an online engagement survey. This is part of a contract with WSFCS in all middle schools for this school year. Teachers will give students a 10-15 question online survey periodically throughout the year regarding their engagement level in your class. It can be given after a particular lesson or unit. The purpose is for the teacher to gain extremely valuable information about how students learn, what they enjoyed, and their level of engagement. Teachers can use this information to adjust their instruction. We will provide teachers with instructions on how to log in, how to administer the survey, and how to analyze the results. The school system will select 60% of the teaching staff to participate, but others are welcome to participate as well. I have not yet received our list of teachers. But all will receive instructions in order to access.
6. Halloween falls on a regular school day in October. Please remind your students that this is a normal school day and all students must follow the dress code regulations. There are no costumes nor dressing up allowed. Students who violate the code or wear something disruptive to the learning environment should still be addressed as normal. The Dress Code Check will still be available at 7:35 in room #712.
7. The SIOP online moodle is available for all staff to complete the Strategies section. Staff members should complete this moodle section by November 1. If you were absent on the day of the face-to-face training, we will schedule you for a make-up session with Amanda Cannon.
8. November 2 will be the end of the first quarter. Monday, November 5, is a Reserved-School day for teachers, which means that staff can take an annual day if they wish. Tuesday, November 6, is a Reserved-Central Office day, which means that staff may not take an annual day. There are central office workshops and meetings taking place that day. We will post a staff sheet in the teacher workroom sometime next week so that you may indicate your plans for November 5. Teachers may take this day IF their grades are completed and verified with Sandy Derrah (see next item). On November 6, you must attend any Central Office workshop that you are assigned to. If you do not have a workshop scheduled OR if you only have a half day workshop, then you are expected to be at SEMS for the remainder of that day.
9. Teachers: We are in the process of determining when first quarter grades are due. We have not received confirmation yet. John Downs and I will be emailing some helpful information for all teachers with full sets of instructions on how to complete your grades and turn in verification forms to Sandy in the Guidance Office. Stay tuned for more details.....
10. The United Way campaign is underway. We encourage all staff to participate. The United Way does some great things for our community. Our school goal for this year is $5,363. Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Jones have sent out information soon regarding how to donate. The deadline for donating is October 31.
11. The Student Council Blow Pop sale will take place on Friday, October 19, during 6th period. They will visit all hallways during that period. All proceeds will be donated to United Way.
12. During the first week of November, the WSFCS Technology Department will be shutting down the "guest" wireless servers in all schools. This will affect you and your students. If you have a non-school device (i.e. Smartphone, iPad, Macbook, etc), then you will not have access to the wireless server in our building.
13. We now have an AED CPR unit on campus. It is housed in the main office right outside Susie's door. This unit is used in cases of cardiac arrest emergencies.
14. The school system is in the process of determining what our testing schedule will be at the end of this school year. We do know that we will still have our regular EOG's (Reading, Math, 8th Science), EOC's (advanced 8th grade Math), and now Common Exams (CE's) in Social Studies 6-8 and Science 6 & 7. Questions that still need to be answered are: What are the testing windows? What order will we go in? Will all listed tests be included in the student's grades? Who will score the constructed responses on some of the tests? We will continue to keep you up to date in this discussion.
15. Sometime this month, all teachers will receive information about how to access your individual teacher EVAAS reports. We will make sure that you know how to access these. In the past, I have given them to you from Central Office. In addition, you will have and EVAAS growth number posted in Standard 6 of last year's summary rating form in McRel. This is the "practice" year, where the numbers get entered and a standard rating is assigned, but there is no official status for each teacher (meaning that you are not truly subjected to the EVAAS number yet). As a reminder, if you have three years of EVAAS data, then your number will be a combination of your growth number and the school number. Everyone else will be assigned the school growth number. It is also important to note that the EVAAS color scheme has changed - it used to be green, yellow, and red. The new colors are blue (exceeded growth), green (met growth), and red (did not meet growth). If you are new to the school system, please be assured that we will help you to understand what EVAAS is and how it can be used. Dr. Marty Ward from WSFCS will be with us on October 22 to discuss EVAAS and show staff how to access helpful reports for you to use.
16. Thanks to Mr. Downs, we now have an SEMS Student Activities blog, which includes all afterschool activity schedules. If you sponsor any afterschool activity, please email John any and all meeting and event dates. Some of you have already sent him your dates for the year. If you change a date or event, please forward that to him as well. The blog will be updated every two weeks. Parents and students can visit the blog at any time by clicking on the Student Activities blog on the SEMS website.
17. SIOP Snapshot: Scaffolding: Do you use scaffolding in your classroom? Chances are good that you practice this skill without even knowing it. Remember that scaffolding can be as simple as restating a student's answer, using "think-alouds," or collaborative group work. We all know that our students, regardless of their background or "label," all come to us with varying skill and ability levels. So one of our toughest jobs is to ensure that all of them get to that same goal or objective, and it's usually never at the same rate. So by scaffolding, all of our students can experience success......even with our smallest efforts.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Oct. 18 - 8th grade EXPLORE test (Altered school schedule)
Oct. 18 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Outbacks
Oct. 19 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 19 - Town Hall Field Trip - 6th grade Apollos
Oct. 19 - FCCLA Field Trip - FACS teachers + several students
Oct. 19 - Student Council Blow Pop Sale (1-2pm)
Oct. 22 - EVAAS Workshop (2:15pm) - for all certified staff in the MP room
Oct. 23 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 23 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Tsunamis
Oct. 23 - Flexible Benefits appointments available from 7am - 12:00
Oct. 24 - 6th Grade Social (2-4pm)
Oct. 24 - Music Dept. fundraiser pick-up (2-6pm)
Oct. 24 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Dragons
Oct. 25 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Pharoahs
Oct. 26 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 26 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Oct. 29 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade Team Discovery
Oct. 29 - Staff Meeting (2:15pm)
Oct. 31 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade Super Novas
Oct. 31 - Kernersville Chamber of Commerce Grant celebration
Nov. 1 - SIOP Online Moodle - Strategies section completed
Nov. 2 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade All-Stars
Nov. 2 - End of First Quarter
Nov. 3 - Robot Run Invitational @ Forsyth Tech West Campus
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18
1. We will have an EVAAS meeting on Monday, Oct. 22. Dr. Marty Ward from WSFCS Accountability and Research will be here to discuss EVAAS and how it can be helpful for teachers. Only certified teachers are required to attend this meeting. The meeting will take place in the Media Center.
2. The Kernersville Chamber of Commerce will be here next week to award our grant winners. We have two winners on campus! The winners will be revealed when they arrive.
3. Please pay your Hospitality/Social Committee dues if you have not done so already. The committee has some fun activities planned for the year. Don't forget to wear pink on Friday!
4. The PTSA Fundraiser kicked off last week. Please encourage all students to participate in this fundraiser. As of Wednesday, we have already sold 300 cards! Our goal is to sell at least 2,000 cards. Be sure to take advantage of the fundraiser - Jaguar cards are only $10 and are valid for one year. Get great discounts at some area restaurants and businesses!
5. At the October 29 staff meeting, teachers will be introduced to an online engagement survey. This is part of a contract with WSFCS in all middle schools for this school year. Teachers will give students a 10-15 question online survey periodically throughout the year regarding their engagement level in your class. It can be given after a particular lesson or unit. The purpose is for the teacher to gain extremely valuable information about how students learn, what they enjoyed, and their level of engagement. Teachers can use this information to adjust their instruction. We will provide teachers with instructions on how to log in, how to administer the survey, and how to analyze the results. The school system will select 60% of the teaching staff to participate, but others are welcome to participate as well. I have not yet received our list of teachers. But all will receive instructions in order to access.
6. Halloween falls on a regular school day in October. Please remind your students that this is a normal school day and all students must follow the dress code regulations. There are no costumes nor dressing up allowed. Students who violate the code or wear something disruptive to the learning environment should still be addressed as normal. The Dress Code Check will still be available at 7:35 in room #712.
7. The SIOP online moodle is available for all staff to complete the Strategies section. Staff members should complete this moodle section by November 1. If you were absent on the day of the face-to-face training, we will schedule you for a make-up session with Amanda Cannon.
8. November 2 will be the end of the first quarter. Monday, November 5, is a Reserved-School day for teachers, which means that staff can take an annual day if they wish. Tuesday, November 6, is a Reserved-Central Office day, which means that staff may not take an annual day. There are central office workshops and meetings taking place that day. We will post a staff sheet in the teacher workroom sometime next week so that you may indicate your plans for November 5. Teachers may take this day IF their grades are completed and verified with Sandy Derrah (see next item). On November 6, you must attend any Central Office workshop that you are assigned to. If you do not have a workshop scheduled OR if you only have a half day workshop, then you are expected to be at SEMS for the remainder of that day.
9. Teachers: We are in the process of determining when first quarter grades are due. We have not received confirmation yet. John Downs and I will be emailing some helpful information for all teachers with full sets of instructions on how to complete your grades and turn in verification forms to Sandy in the Guidance Office. Stay tuned for more details.....
10. The United Way campaign is underway. We encourage all staff to participate. The United Way does some great things for our community. Our school goal for this year is $5,363. Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Jones have sent out information soon regarding how to donate. The deadline for donating is October 31.
11. The Student Council Blow Pop sale will take place on Friday, October 19, during 6th period. They will visit all hallways during that period. All proceeds will be donated to United Way.
12. During the first week of November, the WSFCS Technology Department will be shutting down the "guest" wireless servers in all schools. This will affect you and your students. If you have a non-school device (i.e. Smartphone, iPad, Macbook, etc), then you will not have access to the wireless server in our building.
13. We now have an AED CPR unit on campus. It is housed in the main office right outside Susie's door. This unit is used in cases of cardiac arrest emergencies.
14. The school system is in the process of determining what our testing schedule will be at the end of this school year. We do know that we will still have our regular EOG's (Reading, Math, 8th Science), EOC's (advanced 8th grade Math), and now Common Exams (CE's) in Social Studies 6-8 and Science 6 & 7. Questions that still need to be answered are: What are the testing windows? What order will we go in? Will all listed tests be included in the student's grades? Who will score the constructed responses on some of the tests? We will continue to keep you up to date in this discussion.
15. Sometime this month, all teachers will receive information about how to access your individual teacher EVAAS reports. We will make sure that you know how to access these. In the past, I have given them to you from Central Office. In addition, you will have and EVAAS growth number posted in Standard 6 of last year's summary rating form in McRel. This is the "practice" year, where the numbers get entered and a standard rating is assigned, but there is no official status for each teacher (meaning that you are not truly subjected to the EVAAS number yet). As a reminder, if you have three years of EVAAS data, then your number will be a combination of your growth number and the school number. Everyone else will be assigned the school growth number. It is also important to note that the EVAAS color scheme has changed - it used to be green, yellow, and red. The new colors are blue (exceeded growth), green (met growth), and red (did not meet growth). If you are new to the school system, please be assured that we will help you to understand what EVAAS is and how it can be used. Dr. Marty Ward from WSFCS will be with us on October 22 to discuss EVAAS and show staff how to access helpful reports for you to use.
16. Thanks to Mr. Downs, we now have an SEMS Student Activities blog, which includes all afterschool activity schedules. If you sponsor any afterschool activity, please email John any and all meeting and event dates. Some of you have already sent him your dates for the year. If you change a date or event, please forward that to him as well. The blog will be updated every two weeks. Parents and students can visit the blog at any time by clicking on the Student Activities blog on the SEMS website.
17. SIOP Snapshot: Scaffolding: Do you use scaffolding in your classroom? Chances are good that you practice this skill without even knowing it. Remember that scaffolding can be as simple as restating a student's answer, using "think-alouds," or collaborative group work. We all know that our students, regardless of their background or "label," all come to us with varying skill and ability levels. So one of our toughest jobs is to ensure that all of them get to that same goal or objective, and it's usually never at the same rate. So by scaffolding, all of our students can experience success......even with our smallest efforts.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Oct. 18 - 8th grade EXPLORE test (Altered school schedule)
Oct. 18 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Outbacks
Oct. 19 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 19 - Town Hall Field Trip - 6th grade Apollos
Oct. 19 - FCCLA Field Trip - FACS teachers + several students
Oct. 19 - Student Council Blow Pop Sale (1-2pm)
Oct. 22 - EVAAS Workshop (2:15pm) - for all certified staff in the MP room
Oct. 23 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 23 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Tsunamis
Oct. 23 - Flexible Benefits appointments available from 7am - 12:00
Oct. 24 - 6th Grade Social (2-4pm)
Oct. 24 - Music Dept. fundraiser pick-up (2-6pm)
Oct. 24 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Dragons
Oct. 25 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Pharoahs
Oct. 26 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 26 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Oct. 29 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade Team Discovery
Oct. 29 - Staff Meeting (2:15pm)
Oct. 31 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade Super Novas
Oct. 31 - Kernersville Chamber of Commerce Grant celebration
Nov. 1 - SIOP Online Moodle - Strategies section completed
Nov. 2 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade All-Stars
Nov. 2 - End of First Quarter
Nov. 3 - Robot Run Invitational @ Forsyth Tech West Campus
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Weekly Update 10/11/12
SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012
1. This past Monday night, Sherri Worrell was honored at a WSFCS function as our current Teacher of the Year. Please join me in congratulating her once again!
2. A big thanks to our Safety & Discipline Committee, FCCLA club (Hatch and Je. Watson), and all of our staff for a successful Unity Day on Wednesday! It was wonderful to see everyone sporting their orange for the day! Thank you to all who helped in making it happen. I think we were really able to get the students' attention.
3. Please pay your Hospitality Committee dues if you have done so already.
4. If you are AED device trained (the device used for cardiac arrest situations), please let me know. I must supply a complete list of staff who are trained (I know that several of you trained last school year). We now have an AED unit on campus. It is housed in the main office right outside Susie's door.
5. We will have a School Improvement Team meeting on Monday at 2:15 in Mr. Elkins room. In addition, the Safety & Discipline Committee will meet at 2:15 in Room #810 (Mrs. Wallace-Smith's room).
6. The PTSA Fundraiser kicks off on Friday. Please refer to the forwarded information from earlier this week. All students should receive their fundraiser packets at the end of the school day on Friday. Be sure to take advantage of the fundraiser - Jaguar cards are only $10 and are valid for one year. Get great discounts at some area restaurants and businesses!
7. Several teachers have been asking about any Halloween plans that our staff has. There are staff members who wish to get together with other staff and their children for a safe and fun Halloween. If you have any ideas or would like to participate in something like that, please let me know.
8. Halloween falls on a regular school day in October. Please remind your students that this is a normal school day and all students must follow the dress code regulations. There are no costumes nor dressing up allowed. Students who violate the code or wear something disruptive to the learning environment should still be addressed as normal. The Dress Code Check will still be available at 7:35 in room #712.
9. We have received confirmation that we will receive four mobile laptop carts for our 8th grade Science department. There will be some training for those teachers in November. Other teachers will also have access to the laptop carts as well. This is great news!
10. The United Way campaign is underway. We encourage all staff to participate. The United Way does some great things for our community. Our school goal for this year is $5,363. Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Jones have sent out information soon regarding how to donate.
11. The Student Council Blow Pop sale will take place on Friday, October 19, during 6th period. They will visit all hallways during that period. All proceeds will be donated to United Way.
12. During the first week of November, the WSFCS Technology Department will be shutting down the "guest" wireless servers in all schools. This will affect you and your students. If you have a non-school device (i.e. Smartphone, iPad, Macbook, etc), then you will not have access to the wireless server in our building.
13. Thanks to all staff who have signed up for the fall socials. The sign ups are complete. I will confirm the social date with each staff member who has signed up. Those who did not sign up will be expected to work one of the winter concerts in December: Band winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 11, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Chorus winter concert @ Glenn HS (Thursday, Dec. 13, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Orchestra winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 18, 5:30 - 7:30pm).
14. Any students wishing to stay for the socials must turn in their permission slips and $5.00 to Mr. Pizzino when they have P.E. class. If they need a form, they must see the P.E. Department during their P.E. period. Mr. Pizzino will supply teachers with a master list of all students who have signed up to stay for the socials. A detailed email will be sent out with directions so that you are aware of the procedures.
15. The school system is in the process of determining what our testing schedule will be at the end of this school year. We do know that we will still have our regular EOG's (Reading, Math, 8th Science), EOC's (advanced 8th grade Math), and now Common Exams (CE's) in Social Studies 6-8 and Science 6 & 7. Questions that still need to be answered are: What are the testing windows? What order will we go in? Will all listed tests be included in the student's grades? Who will score the constructed responses on some of the tests? We will continue to keep you up to date in this discussion.
16. If you are interested in working the ticket door for volleyball season and/or basketball season, please see me as soon as possible. In addition, we are looking for interested folks to work during basketball season - one to keep the scoreclock and one to keep the scorebook.
17. Sometime this month, all teachers will receive information about how to access your individual teacher EVAAS reports. We will make sure that you know how to access these. In the past, I have given them to you from Central Office. In addition, you will have and EVAAS growth number posted in Standard 6 of last year's summary rating form in McRel. This is the "practice" year, where the numbers get entered and a standard rating is assigned, but there is no official status for each teacher (meaning that you are not truly subjected to the EVAAS number yet). As a reminder, if you have three years of EVAAS data, then your number will be a combination of your growth number and the school number. Everyone else will be assigned the school growth number. It is also important to note that the EVAAS color scheme has changed - it used to be green, yellow, and red. The new colors are blue (exceeded growth), green (met growth), and red (did not meet growth). If you are new to the school system, please be assured that we will help you to understand what EVAAS is and how it can be used. Dr. Marty Ward from WSFCS will be with us on October 22 to discuss EVAAS and show staff how to access helpful reports for you to use.
18. Thank you for all of your work taking place in your weekly curriculum meetings. As we, and others, have visited, it is evident that you are doing what you need to do for our students. Keep pushing on! Please know that it is likely that visitors will come and go regularly in your classrooms and in your curriculum meetings. My evaluator, Mrs. Brooks, may visit throughout the year. In addition, a team of SSC coaches may visit your meetings: Caroline Beam, SSC in LA, Sarah Huddleston in SS, Lisa Jensen in Math, and Judith White in Science. They are here to support your efforts in mastering and implementing your new curriculum.
19. Thanks to Mr. Downs, we now have an SEMS Student Activities blog, which includes all afterschool activity schedules. If you sponsor any afterschool activity, please email John any and all meeting and event dates. Some of you have already sent him your dates for the year. If you change a date or event, please forward that to him as well. The blog will be updated every two weeks. Parents and students can visit the blog at any time by clicking on the Student Activities blog on the SEMS website.
20. All 8th graders are required to take the EXPLORE test, which is a modified version of the ACT that students will take in 11th grade. On October 15, 8th grade students will take the EXPLORE Inventory Survey, so their 8th grade encore classes will be shortened on this day by about 10 minutes each. Other than that, we will follow a normal school schedule on this day. Then on October 18, 8th graders will take the EXPLORE test. Due to the requirements of the test, the number of EC/504 pull-out sessions required, and the need to have encore staff assist with the testing structure, we must go on an altered school schedule on this day. We will forward you a copy of the altered schedule well before this date so that you may plan appropriately. More information on the test and the training involved will come from Deb Neal this week.
21. Later in the fall, teachers will be introduced to an online engagement survey. This is a contract with WSFCS in all middle schools for this school year. Teachers will give students a 10-15 question online survey periodically throughout the year regardless their engagement in your class. It can be given after a particular lesson or unit. The purpose is for the teacher to gain extremely valuable information about how students learn, what they enjoyed, and their level of engagement. Teachers can use this information to adjust their instruction. We will receive a short training session from the company sometime this fall.
22. SIOP Snapshot: Lesson Planning: Lesson planning is key to ensuring quality activities for our students. What template do you use for your lesson planning? We currently do not require teachers to turn in lesson plans nor do we require a specific plan template. Some of the most important components in your lesson planning should include your objective(s), formative assessment, and strategies used to implement the new curriculum. Take a look at your planning process - do you include these essentials in your daily planning? As we continue to work on our SIOP training module, we will have more conversations about the importance of quality lesson planning. Please remember that the expectation from administration is that your lesson plans are available/visible to us as we complete our walkthroughs.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Oct. 11 - SIOP Training #2 - during grade level planning
Oct. 12 - PTSA Fundraiser Kickoff - all staff have copy of schedule
Oct. 13 - GYRLS Community Yard Sale @ SEMS (7:00am - 12:00pm)
Oct. 14 - Anti-Bully Rally/Walk (8:30am at Lawrence Joel)
Oct. 15 - 8th grade EXPLORE Inventory Survey
Oct. 15 - SIT meeting, Safety & Discipline Committee mtg. (2:15)
Oct. 16 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 16 - UNCG OSTE Mtg. (2:15pm)
Oct. 17 - 7th Grade Social (2-4pm)
Oct. 18 - 8th grade EXPLORE test (Altered school schedule)
Oct. 18 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Outbacks
Oct. 19 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 19 - Town Hall Field Trip - 6th grade Apollos
Oct. 19 - FCCLA Field Trip - FACS teachers + several students
Oct. 19 - Student Council Blow Pop Sale (1-2pm)
Oct. 22 - EVAAS Workshop (2:15pm) - for all certified staff in the MP room
Oct. 23 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 23 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Tsunamis
Oct. 24 - 6th Grade Social (2-4pm)
Oct. 24 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Dragons
Oct. 25 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Pharoahs
Oct. 26 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 26 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Oct. 29 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade Team Discovery
Oct. 29 - Staff Meeting (2:15pm)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012
1. This past Monday night, Sherri Worrell was honored at a WSFCS function as our current Teacher of the Year. Please join me in congratulating her once again!
2. A big thanks to our Safety & Discipline Committee, FCCLA club (Hatch and Je. Watson), and all of our staff for a successful Unity Day on Wednesday! It was wonderful to see everyone sporting their orange for the day! Thank you to all who helped in making it happen. I think we were really able to get the students' attention.
3. Please pay your Hospitality Committee dues if you have done so already.
4. If you are AED device trained (the device used for cardiac arrest situations), please let me know. I must supply a complete list of staff who are trained (I know that several of you trained last school year). We now have an AED unit on campus. It is housed in the main office right outside Susie's door.
5. We will have a School Improvement Team meeting on Monday at 2:15 in Mr. Elkins room. In addition, the Safety & Discipline Committee will meet at 2:15 in Room #810 (Mrs. Wallace-Smith's room).
6. The PTSA Fundraiser kicks off on Friday. Please refer to the forwarded information from earlier this week. All students should receive their fundraiser packets at the end of the school day on Friday. Be sure to take advantage of the fundraiser - Jaguar cards are only $10 and are valid for one year. Get great discounts at some area restaurants and businesses!
7. Several teachers have been asking about any Halloween plans that our staff has. There are staff members who wish to get together with other staff and their children for a safe and fun Halloween. If you have any ideas or would like to participate in something like that, please let me know.
8. Halloween falls on a regular school day in October. Please remind your students that this is a normal school day and all students must follow the dress code regulations. There are no costumes nor dressing up allowed. Students who violate the code or wear something disruptive to the learning environment should still be addressed as normal. The Dress Code Check will still be available at 7:35 in room #712.
9. We have received confirmation that we will receive four mobile laptop carts for our 8th grade Science department. There will be some training for those teachers in November. Other teachers will also have access to the laptop carts as well. This is great news!
10. The United Way campaign is underway. We encourage all staff to participate. The United Way does some great things for our community. Our school goal for this year is $5,363. Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Jones have sent out information soon regarding how to donate.
11. The Student Council Blow Pop sale will take place on Friday, October 19, during 6th period. They will visit all hallways during that period. All proceeds will be donated to United Way.
12. During the first week of November, the WSFCS Technology Department will be shutting down the "guest" wireless servers in all schools. This will affect you and your students. If you have a non-school device (i.e. Smartphone, iPad, Macbook, etc), then you will not have access to the wireless server in our building.
13. Thanks to all staff who have signed up for the fall socials. The sign ups are complete. I will confirm the social date with each staff member who has signed up. Those who did not sign up will be expected to work one of the winter concerts in December: Band winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 11, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Chorus winter concert @ Glenn HS (Thursday, Dec. 13, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Orchestra winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 18, 5:30 - 7:30pm).
14. Any students wishing to stay for the socials must turn in their permission slips and $5.00 to Mr. Pizzino when they have P.E. class. If they need a form, they must see the P.E. Department during their P.E. period. Mr. Pizzino will supply teachers with a master list of all students who have signed up to stay for the socials. A detailed email will be sent out with directions so that you are aware of the procedures.
15. The school system is in the process of determining what our testing schedule will be at the end of this school year. We do know that we will still have our regular EOG's (Reading, Math, 8th Science), EOC's (advanced 8th grade Math), and now Common Exams (CE's) in Social Studies 6-8 and Science 6 & 7. Questions that still need to be answered are: What are the testing windows? What order will we go in? Will all listed tests be included in the student's grades? Who will score the constructed responses on some of the tests? We will continue to keep you up to date in this discussion.
16. If you are interested in working the ticket door for volleyball season and/or basketball season, please see me as soon as possible. In addition, we are looking for interested folks to work during basketball season - one to keep the scoreclock and one to keep the scorebook.
17. Sometime this month, all teachers will receive information about how to access your individual teacher EVAAS reports. We will make sure that you know how to access these. In the past, I have given them to you from Central Office. In addition, you will have and EVAAS growth number posted in Standard 6 of last year's summary rating form in McRel. This is the "practice" year, where the numbers get entered and a standard rating is assigned, but there is no official status for each teacher (meaning that you are not truly subjected to the EVAAS number yet). As a reminder, if you have three years of EVAAS data, then your number will be a combination of your growth number and the school number. Everyone else will be assigned the school growth number. It is also important to note that the EVAAS color scheme has changed - it used to be green, yellow, and red. The new colors are blue (exceeded growth), green (met growth), and red (did not meet growth). If you are new to the school system, please be assured that we will help you to understand what EVAAS is and how it can be used. Dr. Marty Ward from WSFCS will be with us on October 22 to discuss EVAAS and show staff how to access helpful reports for you to use.
18. Thank you for all of your work taking place in your weekly curriculum meetings. As we, and others, have visited, it is evident that you are doing what you need to do for our students. Keep pushing on! Please know that it is likely that visitors will come and go regularly in your classrooms and in your curriculum meetings. My evaluator, Mrs. Brooks, may visit throughout the year. In addition, a team of SSC coaches may visit your meetings: Caroline Beam, SSC in LA, Sarah Huddleston in SS, Lisa Jensen in Math, and Judith White in Science. They are here to support your efforts in mastering and implementing your new curriculum.
19. Thanks to Mr. Downs, we now have an SEMS Student Activities blog, which includes all afterschool activity schedules. If you sponsor any afterschool activity, please email John any and all meeting and event dates. Some of you have already sent him your dates for the year. If you change a date or event, please forward that to him as well. The blog will be updated every two weeks. Parents and students can visit the blog at any time by clicking on the Student Activities blog on the SEMS website.
20. All 8th graders are required to take the EXPLORE test, which is a modified version of the ACT that students will take in 11th grade. On October 15, 8th grade students will take the EXPLORE Inventory Survey, so their 8th grade encore classes will be shortened on this day by about 10 minutes each. Other than that, we will follow a normal school schedule on this day. Then on October 18, 8th graders will take the EXPLORE test. Due to the requirements of the test, the number of EC/504 pull-out sessions required, and the need to have encore staff assist with the testing structure, we must go on an altered school schedule on this day. We will forward you a copy of the altered schedule well before this date so that you may plan appropriately. More information on the test and the training involved will come from Deb Neal this week.
21. Later in the fall, teachers will be introduced to an online engagement survey. This is a contract with WSFCS in all middle schools for this school year. Teachers will give students a 10-15 question online survey periodically throughout the year regardless their engagement in your class. It can be given after a particular lesson or unit. The purpose is for the teacher to gain extremely valuable information about how students learn, what they enjoyed, and their level of engagement. Teachers can use this information to adjust their instruction. We will receive a short training session from the company sometime this fall.
22. SIOP Snapshot: Lesson Planning: Lesson planning is key to ensuring quality activities for our students. What template do you use for your lesson planning? We currently do not require teachers to turn in lesson plans nor do we require a specific plan template. Some of the most important components in your lesson planning should include your objective(s), formative assessment, and strategies used to implement the new curriculum. Take a look at your planning process - do you include these essentials in your daily planning? As we continue to work on our SIOP training module, we will have more conversations about the importance of quality lesson planning. Please remember that the expectation from administration is that your lesson plans are available/visible to us as we complete our walkthroughs.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
UPCOMING DATES
Oct. 11 - SIOP Training #2 - during grade level planning
Oct. 12 - PTSA Fundraiser Kickoff - all staff have copy of schedule
Oct. 13 - GYRLS Community Yard Sale @ SEMS (7:00am - 12:00pm)
Oct. 14 - Anti-Bully Rally/Walk (8:30am at Lawrence Joel)
Oct. 15 - 8th grade EXPLORE Inventory Survey
Oct. 15 - SIT meeting, Safety & Discipline Committee mtg. (2:15)
Oct. 16 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 16 - UNCG OSTE Mtg. (2:15pm)
Oct. 17 - 7th Grade Social (2-4pm)
Oct. 18 - 8th grade EXPLORE test (Altered school schedule)
Oct. 18 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Outbacks
Oct. 19 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 19 - Town Hall Field Trip - 6th grade Apollos
Oct. 19 - FCCLA Field Trip - FACS teachers + several students
Oct. 19 - Student Council Blow Pop Sale (1-2pm)
Oct. 22 - EVAAS Workshop (2:15pm) - for all certified staff in the MP room
Oct. 23 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 23 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Tsunamis
Oct. 24 - 6th Grade Social (2-4pm)
Oct. 24 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Dragons
Oct. 25 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Pharoahs
Oct. 26 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 26 - 8th grade level meeting (7:45am)
Oct. 29 - Heritage Theater Field Trip - 6th grade Team Discovery
Oct. 29 - Staff Meeting (2:15pm)
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Weekly Update 10/4/12
SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2012
1. Congratulations to the following students for advancing to the NC Honors Chorus: Vivian Le, Kenedi Chrisp, and Alexis Jessup. Please congratulate these girls if you get an opportunity. Thanks to Mrs. Wells for her hard work as well.
2. Yesterday, SEMS was honored at the joint principals' meeting for participating in the American Red Cross Heroes campaign last year. We were one of six schools who raised money. Thanks to Irma Jones and the Builders Club for their hard work!
3. If you sponsor any club, sport, or afterschool activity, please let me well in advance of your scheduled meeting or event. There are lots of parents and students asking about clubs, etc., so we want to help promote your activity. In addition, we are planning to add a section to our website so that parents and students can see what activities are available to them and when.
4. The deadline for students to turn in their free/reduced lunch applications is October 8. Please remind your students that they if they need to turn in their application, they must do so by Monday. If they need an application, the cafeteria has them.
5. The PTSA Fundraiser Kickoff assemblies will take place on Friday, October 12. The schedule is being distributed this week for all staff members. The assemblies will take place during encore blocks of time. Instructions and details are all included in the memo.
6. If you are AED device trained (the device used for cardiac arrest situations), please let me know. I must supply a complete list of staff who are trained (I know that several of you trained last school year).
7. Please remember to complete your SIOP online moodle by October 10. The next SIOP training will be October 11 during grade level planning blocks. In addition, there will be a 2:15 session for those who could not attend during the planning blocks. I will send a detailed SIOP email to all staff with reminders and how to sign up for your professional development credit.
8. Several teachers have been asking about any Halloween plans that our staff has. There are staff members who wish to get together with other staff and their children for a safe and fun Halloween. If you have any ideas or would like to participate in something like that, please let me know.
9. Halloween falls on a regular school day in October. Please remind your students that this is a normal school day and all students must follow the dress code regulations. There are no costumes nor dressing up allowed. Students who violate the code or wear something disruptive to the learning environment should still be addressed as normal. The Dress Code Check will still be available at 7:35 in room #712.
10. The United Way campaign is underway. We encourage all staff to participate. The United Way does some great things for our community. Our school goal for this year is $5,363. Mrs. Murray will be sending out information soon regarding how to donate.
11. Thanks to all staff who have signed up for the fall socials. The sign ups are now complete. I will confirm the social date with each staff member who has signed up. Those who did not sign up will be expected to work one of the winter concerts in December: Band winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 11, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Chorus winter concert @ Glenn HS (Thursday, Dec. 13, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Orchestra winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 18, 5:30 - 7:30pm).
12. Any students wishing to stay for the socials must turn in their permission slips and $5.00 to Mr. Pizzino when they have P.E. class. If they need a form, they must see the P.E. Department during their P.E. period. Mr. Pizzino will supply teachers with a master list of all students who have signed up to stay for the socials. A detailed email will be sent out with directions so that you are aware of the procedures.
13. If you are interested in working the ticket door for volleyball season and/or basketball season, please see me as soon as possible. In addition, we are looking for interested folks to work during basketball season - one to keep the scoreclock and one to keep the scorebook.
14. October is Bully Prevention Month. Thanks to the Safety and Discipline committee for planning some activities for our students this month. We will be forwarding lesson ideas and information that we receive from WSFCS. In addition, students will receive information in their Wednesday folders and will participate in several activities throughout the month of October. October 10 is Unity Day - we are asking all students and staff to wear orange on this day to promote bully prevention. In addition, all homebase teachers will be given an envelope with orange bracelets to distribute to students. Feel free to wear one as well. Please join us in standing up! The WSFCS Anti-Bullying Event/Walk will take place on Saturday, October 13. We will have a team of students and staff attending this event. It is open to anyone interested.
15. Sometime this month, all teachers will receive information about how to access your individual teacher EVAAS reports. We will make sure that you know how to access these. In the past, I have given them to you from Central Office. In addition, you will have and EVAAS growth number posted in Standard 6 of last year's summary rating form in McRel. This is the "practice" year, where the numbers get entered and a standard rating is assigned, but there is no official status for each teacher (meaning that you are not truly subjected to the EVAAS number yet). As a reminder, if you have three years of EVAAS data, then your number will be a combination of your growth number and the school number. Everyone else will be assigned the school growth number. It is also important to note that the EVAAS color scheme has changed - it used to be green, yellow, and red. The new colors are blue (exceeded growth), green (met growth), and red (did not meet growth). If you are new to the school system, please be assured that we will help you to understand what EVAAS is and how it can be used. Dr. Marty Ward from WSFCS will be with us on October 22 to discuss EVAAS and show staff how to access helpful reports for you to use.
16. Thank you for all of your work taking place in your weekly curriculum meetings. As we, and others, have visited, it is evident that you are doing what you need to do for our students. Keep pushing on! Please know that it is likely that visitors will come and go regularly in your classrooms and in your curriculum meetings. My evaluator, Mrs. Brooks, may visit throughout the year. In addition, a team of SSC coaches may visit your meetings: Caroline Beam, SSC in LA, Sarah Huddleston in SS, Lisa Jensen in Math, and Judith White in Science. They are here to support your efforts in mastering and implementing your new curriculum.
17. All 8th graders are required to take the EXPLORE test, which is a modified version of the ACT that students will take in 11th grade. On October 15, 8th grade students will take the EXPLORE Inventory Survey, so their 8th grade encore classes will be shortened on this day by about 10 minutes each. Other than that, we will follow a normal school schedule on this day. Then on October 18, 8th graders will take the EXPLORE test. Due to the requirements of the test, the number of EC/504 pull-out sessions required, and the need to have encore staff assist with the testing structure, we must go on an altered school schedule on this day. We will forward you a copy of the altered schedule well before this date so that you may plan appropriately. More information on the test and the training involved will come from Deb Neal this week.
18. Later in the fall, teachers will be introduced to an online engagement survey. This is a contract with WSFCS in all middle schools for this school year. Teachers will give students a 10-15 question online survey periodically throughout the year regardless their engagement in your class. It can be given after a particular lesson or unit. The purpose is for the teacher to gain extremely valuable information about how students learn, what they enjoyed, and their level of engagement. Teachers can use this information to adjust their instruction. I will be receiving much more information this month at my principals meetings - I will forward the details to you as soon as I have them.
19. Staff Handbook Focus of the Week: Collecting Funds (p.11)
Remember to turn in funds daily to Susie Hook with the proper documentation. She makes a daily deposit to the bank. In addition, please remember that all staff must have prior written approval from the principal for all purchases, no matter the source of the funds. Please take the time to review this section of the staff handbook, as it contains legal requirements related to money in schools. We must follow the required protocols in order to handle all of our funds.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
DUE DATES
Oct. 10 - SIOP Moodle - Section #1 completed
UPCOMING DATES
Oct. 5 - 8th grade level meeting
Oct. 8 - Vertical curriculum meetings (2:15, locations TBD)
Oct. 10 - Unity Day - Wear orange and take a stand against bullying!
Oct. 10 - 8th grade social (2-4pm)
Oct. 11 - SIOP Training #2 - during grade level planning
Oct. 12 - PTSA Fundraiser Kickoff - schedule is TBD
Oct. 13 - GYRLS Community Yard Sale @ SEMS (7:00am - 12:00pm)
Oct. 15 - 8th grade EXPLORE Inventory Survey
Oct. 16 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 16 - UNCG OSTE Mtg. (2:15pm)
Oct. 17 - 7th Grade Social (2-4pm)
Oct. 18 - 8th grade EXPLORE test (Altered school schedule)
Oct. 18 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Outbacks
Oct. 19 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 19 - Town Hall Field Trip - 6th grade Apollos
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2012
1. Congratulations to the following students for advancing to the NC Honors Chorus: Vivian Le, Kenedi Chrisp, and Alexis Jessup. Please congratulate these girls if you get an opportunity. Thanks to Mrs. Wells for her hard work as well.
2. Yesterday, SEMS was honored at the joint principals' meeting for participating in the American Red Cross Heroes campaign last year. We were one of six schools who raised money. Thanks to Irma Jones and the Builders Club for their hard work!
3. If you sponsor any club, sport, or afterschool activity, please let me well in advance of your scheduled meeting or event. There are lots of parents and students asking about clubs, etc., so we want to help promote your activity. In addition, we are planning to add a section to our website so that parents and students can see what activities are available to them and when.
4. The deadline for students to turn in their free/reduced lunch applications is October 8. Please remind your students that they if they need to turn in their application, they must do so by Monday. If they need an application, the cafeteria has them.
5. The PTSA Fundraiser Kickoff assemblies will take place on Friday, October 12. The schedule is being distributed this week for all staff members. The assemblies will take place during encore blocks of time. Instructions and details are all included in the memo.
6. If you are AED device trained (the device used for cardiac arrest situations), please let me know. I must supply a complete list of staff who are trained (I know that several of you trained last school year).
7. Please remember to complete your SIOP online moodle by October 10. The next SIOP training will be October 11 during grade level planning blocks. In addition, there will be a 2:15 session for those who could not attend during the planning blocks. I will send a detailed SIOP email to all staff with reminders and how to sign up for your professional development credit.
8. Several teachers have been asking about any Halloween plans that our staff has. There are staff members who wish to get together with other staff and their children for a safe and fun Halloween. If you have any ideas or would like to participate in something like that, please let me know.
9. Halloween falls on a regular school day in October. Please remind your students that this is a normal school day and all students must follow the dress code regulations. There are no costumes nor dressing up allowed. Students who violate the code or wear something disruptive to the learning environment should still be addressed as normal. The Dress Code Check will still be available at 7:35 in room #712.
10. The United Way campaign is underway. We encourage all staff to participate. The United Way does some great things for our community. Our school goal for this year is $5,363. Mrs. Murray will be sending out information soon regarding how to donate.
11. Thanks to all staff who have signed up for the fall socials. The sign ups are now complete. I will confirm the social date with each staff member who has signed up. Those who did not sign up will be expected to work one of the winter concerts in December: Band winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 11, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Chorus winter concert @ Glenn HS (Thursday, Dec. 13, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Orchestra winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 18, 5:30 - 7:30pm).
12. Any students wishing to stay for the socials must turn in their permission slips and $5.00 to Mr. Pizzino when they have P.E. class. If they need a form, they must see the P.E. Department during their P.E. period. Mr. Pizzino will supply teachers with a master list of all students who have signed up to stay for the socials. A detailed email will be sent out with directions so that you are aware of the procedures.
13. If you are interested in working the ticket door for volleyball season and/or basketball season, please see me as soon as possible. In addition, we are looking for interested folks to work during basketball season - one to keep the scoreclock and one to keep the scorebook.
14. October is Bully Prevention Month. Thanks to the Safety and Discipline committee for planning some activities for our students this month. We will be forwarding lesson ideas and information that we receive from WSFCS. In addition, students will receive information in their Wednesday folders and will participate in several activities throughout the month of October. October 10 is Unity Day - we are asking all students and staff to wear orange on this day to promote bully prevention. In addition, all homebase teachers will be given an envelope with orange bracelets to distribute to students. Feel free to wear one as well. Please join us in standing up! The WSFCS Anti-Bullying Event/Walk will take place on Saturday, October 13. We will have a team of students and staff attending this event. It is open to anyone interested.
15. Sometime this month, all teachers will receive information about how to access your individual teacher EVAAS reports. We will make sure that you know how to access these. In the past, I have given them to you from Central Office. In addition, you will have and EVAAS growth number posted in Standard 6 of last year's summary rating form in McRel. This is the "practice" year, where the numbers get entered and a standard rating is assigned, but there is no official status for each teacher (meaning that you are not truly subjected to the EVAAS number yet). As a reminder, if you have three years of EVAAS data, then your number will be a combination of your growth number and the school number. Everyone else will be assigned the school growth number. It is also important to note that the EVAAS color scheme has changed - it used to be green, yellow, and red. The new colors are blue (exceeded growth), green (met growth), and red (did not meet growth). If you are new to the school system, please be assured that we will help you to understand what EVAAS is and how it can be used. Dr. Marty Ward from WSFCS will be with us on October 22 to discuss EVAAS and show staff how to access helpful reports for you to use.
16. Thank you for all of your work taking place in your weekly curriculum meetings. As we, and others, have visited, it is evident that you are doing what you need to do for our students. Keep pushing on! Please know that it is likely that visitors will come and go regularly in your classrooms and in your curriculum meetings. My evaluator, Mrs. Brooks, may visit throughout the year. In addition, a team of SSC coaches may visit your meetings: Caroline Beam, SSC in LA, Sarah Huddleston in SS, Lisa Jensen in Math, and Judith White in Science. They are here to support your efforts in mastering and implementing your new curriculum.
17. All 8th graders are required to take the EXPLORE test, which is a modified version of the ACT that students will take in 11th grade. On October 15, 8th grade students will take the EXPLORE Inventory Survey, so their 8th grade encore classes will be shortened on this day by about 10 minutes each. Other than that, we will follow a normal school schedule on this day. Then on October 18, 8th graders will take the EXPLORE test. Due to the requirements of the test, the number of EC/504 pull-out sessions required, and the need to have encore staff assist with the testing structure, we must go on an altered school schedule on this day. We will forward you a copy of the altered schedule well before this date so that you may plan appropriately. More information on the test and the training involved will come from Deb Neal this week.
18. Later in the fall, teachers will be introduced to an online engagement survey. This is a contract with WSFCS in all middle schools for this school year. Teachers will give students a 10-15 question online survey periodically throughout the year regardless their engagement in your class. It can be given after a particular lesson or unit. The purpose is for the teacher to gain extremely valuable information about how students learn, what they enjoyed, and their level of engagement. Teachers can use this information to adjust their instruction. I will be receiving much more information this month at my principals meetings - I will forward the details to you as soon as I have them.
19. Staff Handbook Focus of the Week: Collecting Funds (p.11)
Remember to turn in funds daily to Susie Hook with the proper documentation. She makes a daily deposit to the bank. In addition, please remember that all staff must have prior written approval from the principal for all purchases, no matter the source of the funds. Please take the time to review this section of the staff handbook, as it contains legal requirements related to money in schools. We must follow the required protocols in order to handle all of our funds.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
DUE DATES
Oct. 10 - SIOP Moodle - Section #1 completed
UPCOMING DATES
Oct. 5 - 8th grade level meeting
Oct. 8 - Vertical curriculum meetings (2:15, locations TBD)
Oct. 10 - Unity Day - Wear orange and take a stand against bullying!
Oct. 10 - 8th grade social (2-4pm)
Oct. 11 - SIOP Training #2 - during grade level planning
Oct. 12 - PTSA Fundraiser Kickoff - schedule is TBD
Oct. 13 - GYRLS Community Yard Sale @ SEMS (7:00am - 12:00pm)
Oct. 15 - 8th grade EXPLORE Inventory Survey
Oct. 16 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 16 - UNCG OSTE Mtg. (2:15pm)
Oct. 17 - 7th Grade Social (2-4pm)
Oct. 18 - 8th grade EXPLORE test (Altered school schedule)
Oct. 18 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Outbacks
Oct. 19 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 19 - Town Hall Field Trip - 6th grade Apollos
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Weekly Update 9/27/12
SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012
1. Can you believe that it's the end of September already! Thanks again to all of you for a very smooth start to the year. I know that things are very overwhelming from time to time and that we don't have enough time in the day to get everything done, but this staff always pulls through together for the sake of our children! So please keep your head up and keep pushing forward. Let's continue our unified effort to help our students be successful!
2. Thanks to all of you who participated in the SIOP training on Monday afternoon. I hope that you found the session helpful and that you are able to bring back some ideas to your classrooms. Again, these strategies can be utilized to assist you in delivering your new curriculum to your students. Earlier this week you were sent directions on how to register for the online moodle session. Please complete the Lesson Preparation (#1 section) online by October 10. We have previewed the moodle - it is very easy to go through the questions. If you need any assistance, we are all here to help. Our next SIOP training session will be on Thursday, October 11, during grade level planning blocks. More information to come.
3. Student Council voting: The Student Council campaign video will be shown at the following times on Friday, September 28: 6th and 7th grade at 7:45am and 8th grade at 9:30am. All students should view the video and then vote on the voting sheets that will be supplied for you. Please see Mrs. Murray or Mrs. Frauenhoffer if you have any questions.
4. The deadline for students to turn in their free/reduced lunch applications is the second week of October. Please remind your students that they if they need to turn in their application, they must do so next week. If they need an application, the cafeteria has them.
5. School pictures will take place on Tuesday, October 2. We are forwarding the schedule to you. Please be sure that you are on time for your picture appointment with your class. [For 8th grade, you will do pictures with your 4th period class. There is a possibility that we will need to delay the end of 4th period by a couple of minutes. As soon as the last groups finish, we will switch to 5th period and maintain a normal schedule. We will alert you when to switch.]
6. Core and encore paper progress reports must go out on Wednesday, October 3. Encore teachers, please plan to give your A-day students their progress reports on Thursday.
7. Staff meeting on Monday. Topics of discussion include: Flexible benefits presentation, United Way kickoff, PTSA fundraiser kickoff, Bully Prevention Month kickoff, and School Improvement Plan approval.
8. Thanks to all staff who have signed up for the fall socials. The sign ups are now complete. I will confirm the social date with each staff member who has signed up. Those who did not sign up will be expected to work one of the winter concerts in December: Band winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 11, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Chorus winter concert @ Glenn HS (Thursday, Dec. 13, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Orchestra winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 18, 5:30 - 7:30pm).
9. October is Bully Prevention Month. Thanks to the Safety and Discipline committee for planning some activities for our students this month. We will be forwarding lesson ideas and information that we receive from WSFCS. In addition, students will receive information in their Wednesday folders and will participate in several activities throughout the month of October. October 10 is Unity Day - we are asking all students and staff to wear orange on this day to promote bully prevention. Please join us!
10. All 8th graders are required to take the EXPLORE test, which is a modified version of the ACT that students will take in 11th grade. On October 15, 8th grade students will take the EXPLORE Inventory Survey, so their 8th grade encore classes will be shortened on this day by about 10 minutes each. Other than that, we will follow a normal school schedule on this day. Then on October 18, 8th graders will take the EXPLORE test. Due to the requirements of the test, the number of EC/504 pull-out sessions required, and the need to have encore staff assist with the testing structure, we must go on an altered schedule on this day. We will forward you a copy of the altered schedule well before this date so that you may plan appropriately. More information on the test and the training involved will come from Deb Neal this week.
11. When updating grades in NCWISE, please be sure to click the 'Post to Parent' option on each assignment listed. This will make it visible to your parents. If you don't click this option, your parents cannot view how their student received their updated quarter grade.
12. Later in the fall, teachers will be introduced to an online engagement survey. This is a contract with WSFCS in all middle schools for this school year. Teachers will give students a 10-15 question online survey periodically throughout the year regardless their engagement in your class. It can be given after a particular lesson or unit. The purpose is for the teacher to gain extremely valuable information about how students learn, what they enjoyed, and their level of engagement. Teachers can use this information to adjust their instruction. I will be receiving much more information this month at my principals meetings - I will forward the details to you as soon as I have them.
13. If you are interested in working the ticket door for volleyball season and/or basketball season, please see me as soon as possible. In addition, we are looking for interested folks to work during basketball season - one to keep the scoreclock and one to keep the book.
14. If you are interested in ordering staff polos, please do so by October 1. Susie will be happy to hold your checks until payday if necessary. Ordering sheets are in Susie's office.
15. We will be visiting the LA and Math curriculum meetings over the next few weeks to share individual teacher ABC growth with you. Please note that this is not the teacher EVAAS report - those reports will come out later. ABC growth is the raw growth looking at just the scores, and this is done by the state. EVAAS teacher growth uses a formula to determine your growth. The two are similar, but not the same. The ABC growth for each of you will be a rough indicator of what your EVAAS growth may look like.
16. Staff Handbook Focus of the Week: Field Trips (p. 10-11)
Field trips are a great way to enhance student learning. You can do an educational field trip or an incentive field trip. Staff are reminded that they must get a field trip approved by the principal in order to send out information or collect money. The field trip approval form is available online. You must see Sandy Derrah and Susie Hook to ensure that buses are available and that the fees, etc. are correct. Then the form comes to me for approval. Once approved, it will go on the master calendar and you will receive a copy of the approval. More details are available in the Staff Handbook. Please be sure to follow the guidelines to ensure a smooth field trip planning process.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
DUE DATES
Sept. 28 - Parent contact log turned in, Safety Clipboard complete (including absorption plan), teacher webpage completed, sub folder complete and in mailbox.
UPCOMING DATES
Sept. 28 - Student Council video and voting
Oct.1 - Staff meeting
Oct. 2 - School pictures
Oct. 3 - Paper progress reports go out - core and encore
Oct. 5 - 8th grade level meeting
Oct. 8 - Vertical curriculum meetings
Oct. 8-9 - Flexible Benefits appointments (will present info at Oct. 1 staff meeting)
Oct. 10 - Unity Day - Wear orange and take a stand against bullying!
Oct. 10 - 8th grade social (2-4pm)
Oct. 11 - SIOP Training #2 - during grade level planning
Oct. 12 - PTSA Fundraiser Kickoff - schedule is TBD
Oct. 13 - GYRLS Community Yard Sale @ SEMS (7:00am - 12:00pm)
Oct. 15 - 8th grade EXPLORE Inventory Survey
Oct. 16 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 16 - UNCG OSTE Mtg. (2:15pm)
Oct. 17 - 7th Grade Social (2-4pm)
Oct. 18 - 8th grade EXPLORE test (Altered school schedule)
Oct. 18 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Outbacks
Oct. 19 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 19 - Town Hall Field Trip - 6th grade Apollos
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012
1. Can you believe that it's the end of September already! Thanks again to all of you for a very smooth start to the year. I know that things are very overwhelming from time to time and that we don't have enough time in the day to get everything done, but this staff always pulls through together for the sake of our children! So please keep your head up and keep pushing forward. Let's continue our unified effort to help our students be successful!
2. Thanks to all of you who participated in the SIOP training on Monday afternoon. I hope that you found the session helpful and that you are able to bring back some ideas to your classrooms. Again, these strategies can be utilized to assist you in delivering your new curriculum to your students. Earlier this week you were sent directions on how to register for the online moodle session. Please complete the Lesson Preparation (#1 section) online by October 10. We have previewed the moodle - it is very easy to go through the questions. If you need any assistance, we are all here to help. Our next SIOP training session will be on Thursday, October 11, during grade level planning blocks. More information to come.
3. Student Council voting: The Student Council campaign video will be shown at the following times on Friday, September 28: 6th and 7th grade at 7:45am and 8th grade at 9:30am. All students should view the video and then vote on the voting sheets that will be supplied for you. Please see Mrs. Murray or Mrs. Frauenhoffer if you have any questions.
4. The deadline for students to turn in their free/reduced lunch applications is the second week of October. Please remind your students that they if they need to turn in their application, they must do so next week. If they need an application, the cafeteria has them.
5. School pictures will take place on Tuesday, October 2. We are forwarding the schedule to you. Please be sure that you are on time for your picture appointment with your class. [For 8th grade, you will do pictures with your 4th period class. There is a possibility that we will need to delay the end of 4th period by a couple of minutes. As soon as the last groups finish, we will switch to 5th period and maintain a normal schedule. We will alert you when to switch.]
6. Core and encore paper progress reports must go out on Wednesday, October 3. Encore teachers, please plan to give your A-day students their progress reports on Thursday.
7. Staff meeting on Monday. Topics of discussion include: Flexible benefits presentation, United Way kickoff, PTSA fundraiser kickoff, Bully Prevention Month kickoff, and School Improvement Plan approval.
8. Thanks to all staff who have signed up for the fall socials. The sign ups are now complete. I will confirm the social date with each staff member who has signed up. Those who did not sign up will be expected to work one of the winter concerts in December: Band winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 11, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Chorus winter concert @ Glenn HS (Thursday, Dec. 13, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Orchestra winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 18, 5:30 - 7:30pm).
9. October is Bully Prevention Month. Thanks to the Safety and Discipline committee for planning some activities for our students this month. We will be forwarding lesson ideas and information that we receive from WSFCS. In addition, students will receive information in their Wednesday folders and will participate in several activities throughout the month of October. October 10 is Unity Day - we are asking all students and staff to wear orange on this day to promote bully prevention. Please join us!
10. All 8th graders are required to take the EXPLORE test, which is a modified version of the ACT that students will take in 11th grade. On October 15, 8th grade students will take the EXPLORE Inventory Survey, so their 8th grade encore classes will be shortened on this day by about 10 minutes each. Other than that, we will follow a normal school schedule on this day. Then on October 18, 8th graders will take the EXPLORE test. Due to the requirements of the test, the number of EC/504 pull-out sessions required, and the need to have encore staff assist with the testing structure, we must go on an altered schedule on this day. We will forward you a copy of the altered schedule well before this date so that you may plan appropriately. More information on the test and the training involved will come from Deb Neal this week.
11. When updating grades in NCWISE, please be sure to click the 'Post to Parent' option on each assignment listed. This will make it visible to your parents. If you don't click this option, your parents cannot view how their student received their updated quarter grade.
12. Later in the fall, teachers will be introduced to an online engagement survey. This is a contract with WSFCS in all middle schools for this school year. Teachers will give students a 10-15 question online survey periodically throughout the year regardless their engagement in your class. It can be given after a particular lesson or unit. The purpose is for the teacher to gain extremely valuable information about how students learn, what they enjoyed, and their level of engagement. Teachers can use this information to adjust their instruction. I will be receiving much more information this month at my principals meetings - I will forward the details to you as soon as I have them.
13. If you are interested in working the ticket door for volleyball season and/or basketball season, please see me as soon as possible. In addition, we are looking for interested folks to work during basketball season - one to keep the scoreclock and one to keep the book.
14. If you are interested in ordering staff polos, please do so by October 1. Susie will be happy to hold your checks until payday if necessary. Ordering sheets are in Susie's office.
15. We will be visiting the LA and Math curriculum meetings over the next few weeks to share individual teacher ABC growth with you. Please note that this is not the teacher EVAAS report - those reports will come out later. ABC growth is the raw growth looking at just the scores, and this is done by the state. EVAAS teacher growth uses a formula to determine your growth. The two are similar, but not the same. The ABC growth for each of you will be a rough indicator of what your EVAAS growth may look like.
16. Staff Handbook Focus of the Week: Field Trips (p. 10-11)
Field trips are a great way to enhance student learning. You can do an educational field trip or an incentive field trip. Staff are reminded that they must get a field trip approved by the principal in order to send out information or collect money. The field trip approval form is available online. You must see Sandy Derrah and Susie Hook to ensure that buses are available and that the fees, etc. are correct. Then the form comes to me for approval. Once approved, it will go on the master calendar and you will receive a copy of the approval. More details are available in the Staff Handbook. Please be sure to follow the guidelines to ensure a smooth field trip planning process.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
DUE DATES
Sept. 28 - Parent contact log turned in, Safety Clipboard complete (including absorption plan), teacher webpage completed, sub folder complete and in mailbox.
UPCOMING DATES
Sept. 28 - Student Council video and voting
Oct.1 - Staff meeting
Oct. 2 - School pictures
Oct. 3 - Paper progress reports go out - core and encore
Oct. 5 - 8th grade level meeting
Oct. 8 - Vertical curriculum meetings
Oct. 8-9 - Flexible Benefits appointments (will present info at Oct. 1 staff meeting)
Oct. 10 - Unity Day - Wear orange and take a stand against bullying!
Oct. 10 - 8th grade social (2-4pm)
Oct. 11 - SIOP Training #2 - during grade level planning
Oct. 12 - PTSA Fundraiser Kickoff - schedule is TBD
Oct. 13 - GYRLS Community Yard Sale @ SEMS (7:00am - 12:00pm)
Oct. 15 - 8th grade EXPLORE Inventory Survey
Oct. 16 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 16 - UNCG OSTE Mtg. (2:15pm)
Oct. 17 - 7th Grade Social (2-4pm)
Oct. 18 - 8th grade EXPLORE test (Altered school schedule)
Oct. 18 - Raven Knob Field Trip - 7th grade Outbacks
Oct. 19 - Fundraiser Turn-In Day
Oct. 19 - Town Hall Field Trip - 6th grade Apollos
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Weekly Update 9/20/12
SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2012
1. Thanks to everyone for a wonderful first month of school. Your hard work is paying off! I know that we are overwhelmed, and we will probably continue to be overwhelmed during the school year, but the payoffs are definitely worth it. I appreciate everything that you all do.
2. We will conduct our required lock down drill on Monday at 12:45pm. We will make an announcement. In addition, we will have a fire drill by the end of September.
3. SIOP training will kickoff on Monday, September 24, at 2:15. All certified staff are to complete the training. In addition, all teacher assistants are expected to complete the training as well. All materials will be provided for you. In addition, all of us will complete an online module after each training. All staff will receive ESL and reading credit for completion of training and online follow up after each session.
4. Student Council voting: The Student Council campaign video will be shown at the following times on Friday, September 28: 6th and 7th grade at 7:45am and 8th grade at 9:30am. All students should view the video and then vote on the voting sheets that will be supplied for you. Please see Mrs. Murray or Mrs. Frauenhoffer if you have any questions.
5. In regards to students being tardy to class: Please remember that the ultimate goal is to quickly get the students in class and not wasting instructional time. The expectation for all staff is that if they hold a student for any reason making them tardy for their next class, then they must carry a signed agenda or signed note from the teacher in order to get into class. If everyone follows this, then students who show up to class late with no note should signal a "red flag." If any student comes to you late, please admit them to class and at that point you have several options: 1) You can call the teacher who they claim sent them to you late, 2) Follow up with that teacher later, or 3) Record tardies in your classroom (very similar to what our 8th grade tardy system is) and have consequences for those students coming in late for no excused reason. With our new supervision system in place, we shouldn't have hardly any students late to their classes. If you have a student come in more than 10 minutes late with no note and a staff member did not hold them, then that is considered skipping. The student should remain in class and a discipline referral should be turned in to an administrator later that day.
6. The expectation for certified staff is that you work one evening event per semester. This fall, you will have multiple events to choose from to satisfy this expectation: 8th grade social (Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2:15 - 4:15), 7th grade social (Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2:15 - 4:15), 6th grade social (Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2:15 - 4:15), Band winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 11, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Chorus winter concert @ Glenn HS (Thursday, Dec. 13, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Orchestra winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 18, 5:30 - 7:30pm). All certified staff are expected to sign up for one event this fall. The sign-ups for the socials will be posted on Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 2:20pm in the teacher workroom.
7. When updating grades in NCWISE, please be sure to click the 'Post to Parent' option on each assignment listed. This will make it visible to your parents. If you don't click this option, your parents cannot view how their student received their updated quarter grade.
8. If you are interested in ordering staff polos, please do so by October 1. Susie will be happy to hold your checks until payday if necessary. Ordering sheets are in Susie's office.
9. We will offer staff flu shots on November 13. If you plan to sign up for the shot, please see Susie to fill out the appropriate form.
10. Committees vs. Afterschool activities: To clarify, serving on a committee versus sponsoring an afterschool activity are two completely different things. Teachers are required to serve on a committee, whether it's SIT, Hospitality, NJHS Hearing Panel, etc. Sponsoring an afterschool activity is optional. If you sponsor an activity, that means I have approved and confirmed with you that you are sponsoring a student activity and how you are getting compensated for that.
11. I will be visiting the LA and Math curriculum meetings over the next two weeks to share individual teacher ABC growth with you. Please note that this is not the teacher EVAAS report - those reports will come out later. ABC growth is the raw growth looking at just the scores, and this is done by the state. EVAAS teacher growth uses a formula to determine your growth. The two are similar, but not the same. The ABC growth for each of you will be a rough indicator of what your EVAAS growth may look like.
12. November is just around the corner and presidential voting will be taking place. Please remember that there is a policy regarding staff conduct with political activity in schools (Policy 1311). The policy states that teachers are free "to study the political campaigns and the analysis of ALL sides of political issues. Employees are directed to use good judgment and discretion when discussing political views and beliefs with students." It is also important to note that certain employee conduct is prohibited. Employees are may not activity campaign or solicit the support of others while on duty, may not coerce or compel others to make contributions or support one particular candidate, and employees may not prepare, display, wear, or distribute campaign literature, materials, or signs against or for a particular candidate. This includes wearing stickers, buttons, or clothing. You can, however, have a bumper sticker on your personal vehicle. More details are listed in School Board Policy 1311.
13. Staff Handbook Focus of the Week: New School Board Policy AR 1111
This policy is in reference to use of school mail and communication with students. School mail should be strictly used for school business. This is the best way to stay in contact with your parents and students in writing. Students should not be contacting you via a personal email account - this is for your protection. In addition, teachers are not allowed to communicate with students using their cell phones (even if you are using the school phone). If a student has a question about their assignment over the weekend or evening, then they should email the teacher. A complete description of this policy is in your Staff Handbook.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
DUE DATES
Sept. 21 - Evaluation self-assessment and PDP goals completed and signed online in McRel system
Sept. 28 - Parent contact log turned in, Safety Clipboard complete (including absorption plan), teacher webpage completed, sub folder complete and in mailbox.
UPCOMING DATES
Sept. 24 - SIOP Training Kickoff (2:15pm) - certified staff and teacher assistants
Sept. 27 - OPTIONAL technology training during grade level planning - Learning Village resources
Sept. 28 - Student Council video and voting
Oct.1 - Staff meeting
Oct. 2 - School pictures
Oct. 3 - Paper progress reports go out - core and encore
Oct. 5 - 8th grade level meeting
Oct. 8 - Vertical curriculum meetings
Oct. 8-9 - Flexible Benefits appointments (will present info at Oct. 1 meeting)
Oct. 10 - Unity Day - Wear orange and take a stand against bullying!
Oct. 10 - 8th grade social (2-4pm)
Oct. 11 - SIOP Training #2 - during grade level planning
Oct. 12 - PTSA Fundraiser Kickoff - schedule is TBD
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2012
1. Thanks to everyone for a wonderful first month of school. Your hard work is paying off! I know that we are overwhelmed, and we will probably continue to be overwhelmed during the school year, but the payoffs are definitely worth it. I appreciate everything that you all do.
2. We will conduct our required lock down drill on Monday at 12:45pm. We will make an announcement. In addition, we will have a fire drill by the end of September.
3. SIOP training will kickoff on Monday, September 24, at 2:15. All certified staff are to complete the training. In addition, all teacher assistants are expected to complete the training as well. All materials will be provided for you. In addition, all of us will complete an online module after each training. All staff will receive ESL and reading credit for completion of training and online follow up after each session.
4. Student Council voting: The Student Council campaign video will be shown at the following times on Friday, September 28: 6th and 7th grade at 7:45am and 8th grade at 9:30am. All students should view the video and then vote on the voting sheets that will be supplied for you. Please see Mrs. Murray or Mrs. Frauenhoffer if you have any questions.
5. In regards to students being tardy to class: Please remember that the ultimate goal is to quickly get the students in class and not wasting instructional time. The expectation for all staff is that if they hold a student for any reason making them tardy for their next class, then they must carry a signed agenda or signed note from the teacher in order to get into class. If everyone follows this, then students who show up to class late with no note should signal a "red flag." If any student comes to you late, please admit them to class and at that point you have several options: 1) You can call the teacher who they claim sent them to you late, 2) Follow up with that teacher later, or 3) Record tardies in your classroom (very similar to what our 8th grade tardy system is) and have consequences for those students coming in late for no excused reason. With our new supervision system in place, we shouldn't have hardly any students late to their classes. If you have a student come in more than 10 minutes late with no note and a staff member did not hold them, then that is considered skipping. The student should remain in class and a discipline referral should be turned in to an administrator later that day.
6. The expectation for certified staff is that you work one evening event per semester. This fall, you will have multiple events to choose from to satisfy this expectation: 8th grade social (Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2:15 - 4:15), 7th grade social (Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2:15 - 4:15), 6th grade social (Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2:15 - 4:15), Band winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 11, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Chorus winter concert @ Glenn HS (Thursday, Dec. 13, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Orchestra winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 18, 5:30 - 7:30pm). All certified staff are expected to sign up for one event this fall. The sign-ups for the socials will be posted on Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 2:20pm in the teacher workroom.
7. When updating grades in NCWISE, please be sure to click the 'Post to Parent' option on each assignment listed. This will make it visible to your parents. If you don't click this option, your parents cannot view how their student received their updated quarter grade.
8. If you are interested in ordering staff polos, please do so by October 1. Susie will be happy to hold your checks until payday if necessary. Ordering sheets are in Susie's office.
9. We will offer staff flu shots on November 13. If you plan to sign up for the shot, please see Susie to fill out the appropriate form.
10. Committees vs. Afterschool activities: To clarify, serving on a committee versus sponsoring an afterschool activity are two completely different things. Teachers are required to serve on a committee, whether it's SIT, Hospitality, NJHS Hearing Panel, etc. Sponsoring an afterschool activity is optional. If you sponsor an activity, that means I have approved and confirmed with you that you are sponsoring a student activity and how you are getting compensated for that.
11. I will be visiting the LA and Math curriculum meetings over the next two weeks to share individual teacher ABC growth with you. Please note that this is not the teacher EVAAS report - those reports will come out later. ABC growth is the raw growth looking at just the scores, and this is done by the state. EVAAS teacher growth uses a formula to determine your growth. The two are similar, but not the same. The ABC growth for each of you will be a rough indicator of what your EVAAS growth may look like.
12. November is just around the corner and presidential voting will be taking place. Please remember that there is a policy regarding staff conduct with political activity in schools (Policy 1311). The policy states that teachers are free "to study the political campaigns and the analysis of ALL sides of political issues. Employees are directed to use good judgment and discretion when discussing political views and beliefs with students." It is also important to note that certain employee conduct is prohibited. Employees are may not activity campaign or solicit the support of others while on duty, may not coerce or compel others to make contributions or support one particular candidate, and employees may not prepare, display, wear, or distribute campaign literature, materials, or signs against or for a particular candidate. This includes wearing stickers, buttons, or clothing. You can, however, have a bumper sticker on your personal vehicle. More details are listed in School Board Policy 1311.
13. Staff Handbook Focus of the Week: New School Board Policy AR 1111
This policy is in reference to use of school mail and communication with students. School mail should be strictly used for school business. This is the best way to stay in contact with your parents and students in writing. Students should not be contacting you via a personal email account - this is for your protection. In addition, teachers are not allowed to communicate with students using their cell phones (even if you are using the school phone). If a student has a question about their assignment over the weekend or evening, then they should email the teacher. A complete description of this policy is in your Staff Handbook.
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.
DUE DATES
Sept. 21 - Evaluation self-assessment and PDP goals completed and signed online in McRel system
Sept. 28 - Parent contact log turned in, Safety Clipboard complete (including absorption plan), teacher webpage completed, sub folder complete and in mailbox.
UPCOMING DATES
Sept. 24 - SIOP Training Kickoff (2:15pm) - certified staff and teacher assistants
Sept. 27 - OPTIONAL technology training during grade level planning - Learning Village resources
Sept. 28 - Student Council video and voting
Oct.1 - Staff meeting
Oct. 2 - School pictures
Oct. 3 - Paper progress reports go out - core and encore
Oct. 5 - 8th grade level meeting
Oct. 8 - Vertical curriculum meetings
Oct. 8-9 - Flexible Benefits appointments (will present info at Oct. 1 meeting)
Oct. 10 - Unity Day - Wear orange and take a stand against bullying!
Oct. 10 - 8th grade social (2-4pm)
Oct. 11 - SIOP Training #2 - during grade level planning
Oct. 12 - PTSA Fundraiser Kickoff - schedule is TBD
Friday, September 14, 2012
Weekly Update 9/13/12
SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2012
1. Please continue to keep our staff members in your thoughts and prayers...Kathy Hayes - her son is being transferred to a facility in Texas in hopes of a better recovery. Sandra Denson has asked for us to pass along a huge thank you to all of the SEMS family. She sincerely appreciates your support!
2. Staff Meeting - Monday, Sept. 17. Topics include: Presentation from SECU, evaluation refresher, reporting child abuse, etc.
3. SIOP training will kickoff on Monday, September 24, at 2:15. All certified staff are to complete the training. In addition, all teacher assistants are expected to complete the training as well. All materials will be provided for you. In addition, all of us will complete an online module after each training. All staff will receive ESL and reading credit for completion of training.
4. Homebase teachers received military status letters to distribute to students this week. Please ask the students to return this letter by next Wednesday. They do not have to put their name on the sheet. We just need confirmation of whether or not they have an immediate family member who has served in the military.
5. In regards to students being tardy to class: Please remember that the ultimate goal is to quickly get the students in class and not wasting instructional time. The expectation for all staff is that if they hold a student for any reason making them tardy for their next class, then they must carry a signed agenda or signed note from the teacher in order to get into class. If everyone follows this, then students who show up to class late with no note should signal a "red flag." If any student comes to you late, please admit them to class and at that point you have several options: 1) You can call the teacher who they claim sent them to you late, 2) Follow up with that teacher later, or 3) Record tardies in your classroom (very similar to what our 8th grade tardy system is) and have consequences for those students coming in late for no excused reason. With our new supervision system in place, we shouldn't have hardly any students late to their classes. If you have a student come in more than 10 minutes late with no note and a staff member did not hold them, then that is considered skipping. The student should remain in class and a discipline referral should be turned in to an administrator later that day.
6. Homework Guidelines: We know that parents sometimes question homework that is assigned. There is a School Board policy regarding homework for students. This is a broad policy with suggestions for quality homework. Those suggestions include: clear directions, relevant and appropriate homework, and ample/reasonable time to complete the assignment. In this policy, there is a recommended time for homework for middle school students. Recommended time for homework for our students is 45-90 minutes total each night. Please note that is a total amount, not per class. Teams and teachers, please work together to ensure that you are not assigning more homework than would fall in this range of time. Yes, some students work faster and some slower, but please continue to keep all students in mind when assigning homework.
7. The expectation for certified staff is that you work one evening event per semester. This fall, you will have multiple events to choose from to satisfy this expectation: 8th grade social (Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2:15 - 4:15), 7th grade social (Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2:15 - 4:15), 6th grade social (Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2:15 - 4:15), Band winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 11, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Chorus winter concert @ Glenn HS (Thursday, Dec. 13, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Orchestra winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 18, 5:30 - 7:30pm). All certified staff are expected to sign up for one event this fall. The sign-ups for the socials will be posted on Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 2:20pm in the teacher workroom.
8. Thanks to all of you for sending in your weekly curriculum minutes. Deb and I have enjoyed reading them. Just to clarify on the last question - what are your next steps and what will each member do for next week - please make sure that you are specific on this one. Your goal is for each team member to be able to bring something back to the table for the group, whether that be part of a common assessment or some ideas for an upcoming unit/project.
9. The Kernersville Chamber of Commerce is offering their annual teacher grants again this school year. Information was placed in your mailboxes. The grant deadline is October 1. If you plan to submit a grant, you are required to submit a copy to Gentry before turning it in.
10. Core teachers, please be sure to notify all encore staff when planning a field trip. All encore and main office staff must have a list of your field trip students at least 48 hours in advance so that they can plan accordingly.
11. We will offer staff flu shots on November 13. If you plan to sign up for the shot, please see Susie to fill out the appropriate form.
12. If any staff members are interested in coaching the dance team this school year, please see Nick Pizzino or me. You will be compensated for coaching this team.
13. Cafeteria update: We inquired about the back-up of the cafeteria line. At this time, Child Nutrition is not letting us serve pizza on both lines, which is the primary cause of the back-up. We'd like to thank our new cafeteria manager, Mrs. McMillan, for her hard work so far this year!
14. November is just around the corner and presidential voting will be taking place. Please remember that there is a policy regarding staff conduct with political activity in schools (Policy 1311). The policy states that teachers are free "to study the political campaigns and the analysis of ALL sides of political issues. Employees are directed to use good judgment and discretion when discussing political views and beliefs with students." It is also important to note that certain employee conduct is prohibited. Employees are may not activity campaign or solicit the support of others while on duty, may not coerce or compel others to make contributions or support one particular candidate, and employees may not prepare, display, wear, or distribute campaign literature, materials, or signs against or for a particular candidate. This includes wearing stickers, buttons, or clothing. You can, however, have a bumper sticker on your personal vehicle. More details are listed in School Board Policy 1311.
15. If you have any students who need to make up a test or classwork, then please work out a plan with your teammates or neighbors to do so. Sometimes ISS is available if it is not full. But please do not send students to the Media Center, Guidance Office, or Main Office for this purpose. These are functioning offices who do not offer that service.
16. Staff Handbook Focus of the Week: Role of the School Improvement Team (p. 5)
SIT is represented by all areas of the school. Its purpose is to work with school leadership to make schoolwide decisions in the best interest of our students. There are some issues that are appropriate for SIT to address and other that need to be addressed specifically by administration (i.e. personnel). Feel free to take potential issues to your SIT representative. Please understand that the SIT rep will review your concern and take one of three actions on the matter: 1) Hold the issue and wait to see if any similar issues are occurring across the grade level/area, 2) Add the issue to the agenda for the next meeting, or 3) Do not take any action on the matter because it is not appropriate for SIT to address. Please know that you are well represented at our meetings and that your voices are being heard. SIT is a huge responsibility. So far this school year, SIT has taken action on the dress code procedures, hallway behavior procedures, and the School Improvement Plan - and it's only September! Thanks to all SIT members for a job well done (so far)!
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily. Birthdays will soon be posted. We need to get all new staff birthdays added to our list.
DUE DATES
Sept. 21 - Evaluation self-assessment and PDP goals completed and signed online in McRel system
(We will conduct training prior to this date to assist you - please see info in your mailbox)
Sept. 28 - Parent contact log turned in, Safety Clipboard complete (including absorption plan), teacher webpage completed, sub folder complete and in mailbox.
UPCOMING DATES
Sept. 14 - Grade Level mtgs. - Evaluation refresher, McRel online
Sept. 17 - Staff meeting
Sept. 18 - SECU onsite visit for interested staff members
Sept. 20 - Open technology lab
Sept. 24 - SIOP Training Kickoff (2:15pm) - certified staff and teacher assistants
Sept. 27 - OPTIONAL technology training during grade level planning - Learning Village resources
Sept. 28 - Student Council video and voting
Oct.1 - Staff meeting
Oct. 2 - School pictures
Oct. 3 - Paper progress reports go out - core and encore
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2012
1. Please continue to keep our staff members in your thoughts and prayers...Kathy Hayes - her son is being transferred to a facility in Texas in hopes of a better recovery. Sandra Denson has asked for us to pass along a huge thank you to all of the SEMS family. She sincerely appreciates your support!
2. Staff Meeting - Monday, Sept. 17. Topics include: Presentation from SECU, evaluation refresher, reporting child abuse, etc.
3. SIOP training will kickoff on Monday, September 24, at 2:15. All certified staff are to complete the training. In addition, all teacher assistants are expected to complete the training as well. All materials will be provided for you. In addition, all of us will complete an online module after each training. All staff will receive ESL and reading credit for completion of training.
4. Homebase teachers received military status letters to distribute to students this week. Please ask the students to return this letter by next Wednesday. They do not have to put their name on the sheet. We just need confirmation of whether or not they have an immediate family member who has served in the military.
5. In regards to students being tardy to class: Please remember that the ultimate goal is to quickly get the students in class and not wasting instructional time. The expectation for all staff is that if they hold a student for any reason making them tardy for their next class, then they must carry a signed agenda or signed note from the teacher in order to get into class. If everyone follows this, then students who show up to class late with no note should signal a "red flag." If any student comes to you late, please admit them to class and at that point you have several options: 1) You can call the teacher who they claim sent them to you late, 2) Follow up with that teacher later, or 3) Record tardies in your classroom (very similar to what our 8th grade tardy system is) and have consequences for those students coming in late for no excused reason. With our new supervision system in place, we shouldn't have hardly any students late to their classes. If you have a student come in more than 10 minutes late with no note and a staff member did not hold them, then that is considered skipping. The student should remain in class and a discipline referral should be turned in to an administrator later that day.
6. Homework Guidelines: We know that parents sometimes question homework that is assigned. There is a School Board policy regarding homework for students. This is a broad policy with suggestions for quality homework. Those suggestions include: clear directions, relevant and appropriate homework, and ample/reasonable time to complete the assignment. In this policy, there is a recommended time for homework for middle school students. Recommended time for homework for our students is 45-90 minutes total each night. Please note that is a total amount, not per class. Teams and teachers, please work together to ensure that you are not assigning more homework than would fall in this range of time. Yes, some students work faster and some slower, but please continue to keep all students in mind when assigning homework.
7. The expectation for certified staff is that you work one evening event per semester. This fall, you will have multiple events to choose from to satisfy this expectation: 8th grade social (Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2:15 - 4:15), 7th grade social (Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2:15 - 4:15), 6th grade social (Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2:15 - 4:15), Band winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 11, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Chorus winter concert @ Glenn HS (Thursday, Dec. 13, 5:30 - 7:30pm), Orchestra winter concert @ SEMS (Tuesday, Dec. 18, 5:30 - 7:30pm). All certified staff are expected to sign up for one event this fall. The sign-ups for the socials will be posted on Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 2:20pm in the teacher workroom.
8. Thanks to all of you for sending in your weekly curriculum minutes. Deb and I have enjoyed reading them. Just to clarify on the last question - what are your next steps and what will each member do for next week - please make sure that you are specific on this one. Your goal is for each team member to be able to bring something back to the table for the group, whether that be part of a common assessment or some ideas for an upcoming unit/project.
9. The Kernersville Chamber of Commerce is offering their annual teacher grants again this school year. Information was placed in your mailboxes. The grant deadline is October 1. If you plan to submit a grant, you are required to submit a copy to Gentry before turning it in.
10. Core teachers, please be sure to notify all encore staff when planning a field trip. All encore and main office staff must have a list of your field trip students at least 48 hours in advance so that they can plan accordingly.
11. We will offer staff flu shots on November 13. If you plan to sign up for the shot, please see Susie to fill out the appropriate form.
12. If any staff members are interested in coaching the dance team this school year, please see Nick Pizzino or me. You will be compensated for coaching this team.
13. Cafeteria update: We inquired about the back-up of the cafeteria line. At this time, Child Nutrition is not letting us serve pizza on both lines, which is the primary cause of the back-up. We'd like to thank our new cafeteria manager, Mrs. McMillan, for her hard work so far this year!
14. November is just around the corner and presidential voting will be taking place. Please remember that there is a policy regarding staff conduct with political activity in schools (Policy 1311). The policy states that teachers are free "to study the political campaigns and the analysis of ALL sides of political issues. Employees are directed to use good judgment and discretion when discussing political views and beliefs with students." It is also important to note that certain employee conduct is prohibited. Employees are may not activity campaign or solicit the support of others while on duty, may not coerce or compel others to make contributions or support one particular candidate, and employees may not prepare, display, wear, or distribute campaign literature, materials, or signs against or for a particular candidate. This includes wearing stickers, buttons, or clothing. You can, however, have a bumper sticker on your personal vehicle. More details are listed in School Board Policy 1311.
15. If you have any students who need to make up a test or classwork, then please work out a plan with your teammates or neighbors to do so. Sometimes ISS is available if it is not full. But please do not send students to the Media Center, Guidance Office, or Main Office for this purpose. These are functioning offices who do not offer that service.
16. Staff Handbook Focus of the Week: Role of the School Improvement Team (p. 5)
SIT is represented by all areas of the school. Its purpose is to work with school leadership to make schoolwide decisions in the best interest of our students. There are some issues that are appropriate for SIT to address and other that need to be addressed specifically by administration (i.e. personnel). Feel free to take potential issues to your SIT representative. Please understand that the SIT rep will review your concern and take one of three actions on the matter: 1) Hold the issue and wait to see if any similar issues are occurring across the grade level/area, 2) Add the issue to the agenda for the next meeting, or 3) Do not take any action on the matter because it is not appropriate for SIT to address. Please know that you are well represented at our meetings and that your voices are being heard. SIT is a huge responsibility. So far this school year, SIT has taken action on the dress code procedures, hallway behavior procedures, and the School Improvement Plan - and it's only September! Thanks to all SIT members for a job well done (so far)!
Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily. Birthdays will soon be posted. We need to get all new staff birthdays added to our list.
DUE DATES
Sept. 21 - Evaluation self-assessment and PDP goals completed and signed online in McRel system
(We will conduct training prior to this date to assist you - please see info in your mailbox)
Sept. 28 - Parent contact log turned in, Safety Clipboard complete (including absorption plan), teacher webpage completed, sub folder complete and in mailbox.
UPCOMING DATES
Sept. 14 - Grade Level mtgs. - Evaluation refresher, McRel online
Sept. 17 - Staff meeting
Sept. 18 - SECU onsite visit for interested staff members
Sept. 20 - Open technology lab
Sept. 24 - SIOP Training Kickoff (2:15pm) - certified staff and teacher assistants
Sept. 27 - OPTIONAL technology training during grade level planning - Learning Village resources
Sept. 28 - Student Council video and voting
Oct.1 - Staff meeting
Oct. 2 - School pictures
Oct. 3 - Paper progress reports go out - core and encore
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