Weekly Update 1/24/13

SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

1. Friday's snow make-up day will be Monday, February 18.  This date was originally scheduled as a Reserved-Central Office day but is now listed as a regular school day. 

2. The Winston-Salem Foundation is sponsoring education grants for any certified staff members, including teachers, counselors, coordinators, etc.  Staff can apply for a grant up to $1500 for professional development opportunities, conferences, or even guest speakers.  We highly recommend this opportunity for all of you.  To apply, please visit their website:  www.wsfoundation.org and click on the grants tab.  The deadline to apply is February 15.  
  
3. There is an existing School Board policy requiring teachers to do a moment of silence each school day.  They have asked all schools to ensure that there is an opportunity to do this every day.  The easiest solution is to do the moment of silence right before you recite the Pledge of Allegiance in your homebases.  The expectation is for all homebase teachers to do both of these each morning at 7:28am.  There are several 8th grade homebases who have their locker break at this time - those homebases are to do this at approximately 7:25am.  

4. Once you finalize and verify your grades, you cannot make changes to student quarter grades.  If you wish to change a grade after completing them, please fill out a grade change form (available in Mrs. Wilkes' office) and drop off to me for approval.  Once approved, I will sign off and give to Mrs. Wilkes to make the appropriate changes for you.  Report cards will go home on Wednesday, January 30.  We will email instructions to staff for distribution. 

5. We are required by the district and state to review bus safety rules with all students.  The administration is planning to record a brief presentation for teachers to show students toward the beginning of the third quarter.  More details coming soon. 

6. We would like to encourage staff members to continue to use the Print Shop.  This option is actually cheaper overall than using our copiers for an extended period of time.  Please be conscientious of what you send off to Print Shop - there are some documents that are copyright protected and may not be duplicated. All Print Shops orders are reviewed before submittal to ensure that we follow this.  In addition, we get charged by the page, so be sure to organize your documents to maximize the amount of space on each page. Thanks to all staff members for using Print Shop...it's a great resource for us!
7. Spirit Week will take place from January 28 - February 1.  Monday = Twin Day, Tuesday = Jaguar Pride Day, Wednesday = Future Careers Day, Thursday = Patriotic Day, Friday = Sports Team Day.  We encourage all staff and students to participate in Spirit Week.  Staff will be allowed to dress casual for this week.  Details about dress code, etc. for the days has been emailed to all staff earlier this week to share with students. 

8. The PTSA is having another staff luncheon on January 31.  The cost is $5.00.  The menu consists of baked chicken, rice, salad, and a dessert.  If you wish to participate, please sign your name on the sheet in the teacher workroom and plan to pay your $5.00 on the day of the luncheon. Thanks to the PTSA for taking care of us!

9. We will hold our Rising 6th Grade Open House on January 29 from 6-7:30pm.  We will begin the evening with all parents and students in the gym.  I will speak to them for 10 minutes and then allow them to visit 6th and encore classrooms.  You are encouraged to set up any student projects or even have current students to do demonstrations in your classrooms.  The purpose of this event is for rising 6th grade parents to make informed choices for their child's middle school selection.  

10. Grade level meetings will take place on Thursday, January 31 during planning block time.  I will forward the schedule to staff later this week.  Topics include:  supervision duty spots, achievement gaps, scheduling/registration updates, etc.

11. On Monday, February 4, we will have technology staff development.  All teachers are required to complete a session.  All assistants have the option to attend a session as well.  There are four sessions available.  John Downs sent an email earlier this week to all staff to register.  You may choose which session to attend.  There is the opportunity to receive credit, so please follow the instructions from John for registering and signing up for your session. Thanks to John for his hard work in organizing this staff development!

12. In February, teachers will receive an email from DPI regarding an addition to your EVAAS teacher reports online. They are adding a snapshot document with your evaluation and EVAAS information together.  I will review the instructions for this at our next staff meeting and show how to access this report.   

13.  Core and encore progress reports are to go home with all students on February 20. 

14. WSFCS is offering CPR certification training to interested employees.  If you are interested in getting CPR certified, please let me know and I will organize the training with Central Office so that they can come here to train you.  This is an easy opportunity to take care of that!

15. The Spring Book Fair will take place April 15-19.  We will set it up similar to the schedule used last year, which minimally disrupted class time.  In addition, our third annual Spring Arts Festival will take place on the evening of Thursday, April 18.  More details coming soon.

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
Jan. 24 - NAL Match vs. Clemmons (@SEMS, 3:00pm)
Jan. 24 - Basketball vs. Clemmons (8th Away, 7th Home, 3pm)
Jan. 28 - Feb. 1 - Spirit Week!
Jan. 29 - Basketball vs. Meadowlark (8th Home, 7th Away, 3pm)
Jan. 29 - Rising 6th Grade Open House (6:00 - 7:30pm)
Jan. 30 - Report Cards go home!
Jan. 31 - Grade Level Meetings (during planning blocks)
Jan. 31 - NAL Match @ East Forsyth Middle (3pm)
Jan. 31 - Basketball vs. East Forsyth (8th Away, 7th Home, 3pm)
Feb. 4 - Technology Training (Certified staff, 2:15pm)
Feb. 5 - Basketball vs. Mineral Springs (8th Home, 7th Away, 4pm)
Feb. 7 - Basketball vs. Hanes (8th Away, 7th Home, 3:15pm)
Feb. 7,8,11,12 - PTSA Valentine's Candy Sale (during lunches)
Feb. 11 - Staff Meeting (2:20pm)
Feb. 14 - PTSA Valentine's Candy Grams delivery (during 6th period)
Feb. 15 - Fundraiser Kickoff Assemblies (during encore blocks)
Feb. 20 - Core and Encore Progress Reports go home

Future Dates for your Calendar:
April 10 - MS/HS Teacher Transfer Fair
April 12 - Fundraiser BMX Bike Show
April 15 - 19 - Spring Book Fair
April 18 - Spring Arts Festival