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