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