THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014
1. The signups for the spring music concerts are still posted in the staff workroom. Any certified staff members who did not work the Rising 6th Grade Open House in February are required to sign up for a concert time.
2. Homebase teachers: Last week, you gave your HB students a parent proctor letter to go home in Wednesday folders. Please stress the importance of these letters to your students. It is the expectation that all HB teachers work to secure at least one proctor for testing. I encourage all of you to get your students to turn them in – you can even offer an incentive to get those letters returned.
3. If you have any proctor letters filled out and returned for those who wish to help, please turn those in to Sheree Raya as you get them. She will confirm with each individual and put them on the schedule for Mrs. Gardner. Remember, the more proctors we have, the more classrooms that will have a 1-on-1 proctor. Thanks so much for your assistance.
4. The signups for certified staff trade-out time are posted outside my door on a clipboard on the table. Please feel free to sign up for any of these events to earn trade-out time for the end of the school year. If you sign up, I will confirm with you via email to make sure you still wish to work. You have quite a few options to earn several days to trade out at the end of the school year.
5. We have a staff meeting scheduled for Monday, May 5. The two major topics are testing (schedules, training, etc.) and allotment for next year. At the meeting, you will all receive an updated calendar of testing dates, schedules, trainings, and details for your planning purposes.
6. Please remember that we will have EVAAS help sessions available for all teachers who need assistance with the online roster verification. Help sessions will be all day on May 8 during your planning times and after school. You have been sent some help documents to assist you in completing this process.
7. Soon all 8th grade and Encore teachers will receive an 8th grade awards packet. We are asking all 8th and Encore to go ahead and begin their selection of their students to be honored at awards ceremonies at the end of May. In addition, all staff will vote on our 8th grade Jaguar Pride Award before the end of May. Once the nominations are in, we will send out the list and ask you to vote for the most deserving 8th grade students. More details will be included in the awards packet coming your way!
8. If you are planning a field trip between now and May 30, please submit your paperwork as soon as possible. Dates are filling up fast on the calendar, meaning that bus availability is becoming more limited. All field trips must take place by May 30.
9. In preparation for the test window, it is important to realize that you may have students in your classroom for long stretches of time and who are not testing. We must all be prepared for these cases. I strongly encourage you to begin planning hands-on, engaging activities that you can use at any time during the test window. This time is not considered free time in any way. You must have your lesson plans prepared before the test window begins (June 2-13).
10. All video requests must be submitted to me by May 29. This means if you are planning to show any educational videos during the test window, I need that paperwork submitted to me by May 29 for approval. I will not accept any requests after this date. Please be sure that your lesson plan/activity is attached to your request. I will not approve more than two videos per teacher/team for the duration of the test window.
11. It important to note that during the 10-day testing window at the end of the school year, all EC staff will be testing for the duration of the window and will not be in core classrooms. In addition, any EC students not testing on a particular day will be absorbed into the team that day for supervision purposes (i.e. EC Resource students).
12. With the recent office phone update, our school's phone number has changed. Our understanding is that our fax number will remain the same.
New school number: 703-4219
New Guidance number: 703-4220
New Cafeteria number: 703-4221
13. May will be quite a busy time of year for us! Priorities include: Test trainings, EVAAS verification process, final evaluations, and awards day preparation (not to mention you all are preparing your students for testing!). My message to all of you: Hang in there! You work very hard and always come through for our students. I know that you will do everything you can to prepare our students to perform their best. Let's push forward together and make it work!
14. The NJHS Induction Ceremony has been moved to Thursday, May 15.
15. For the last week of school, the A-B day rotation will be B-A-B-A-B. The first revised calendar stated otherwise, but central office has switched it back to this rotation for our convenience.
UPCOMING DATES
May 3 - GYRLS Community Yard Sale
May 5 - Staff Meeting
May 5- Spring Chorus Concert (6pm, Atkins HS)
May 6 - Hospitality Breakfast!
May 7 - 8th Grade Field Trip to Natural Bridge
May 8 - EVAAS Verification Help Sessions (during planning blocks)
May 12 - SIT Meeting
May 12 - Spring Orchestra Concert (6pm, Atkins HS)
May 15 - NJHS Induction Ceremony (8:00am, MP Room)
May 15 - Spring Band Concert (6pm, Atkins HS)
May 19 - Diff. Instruction PLC (2:15, MC)
May 26 - Memorial Day - No School!
May 28-30 - 8th Grade Ceremonies (8:00am, SEMS Gym)
May 29 - Deadline for all video approvals!
May 30 - 6th Grade All-Stars Field Trip
June 3 - Athletic Awards Ceremony (Time TBD - either afternoon/evening)
June 6 - 8th Grade Yearbook Distribution
June 6 - 8th Grade PTSA Celebration (details coming soon)
June 11 - 6th/7th Yearbook Distribution
June 12 - 8th Grade PTSA Pizza Party (11:30am)
June 13 - Last Day of School!
No comments:
Post a Comment