Weekly Update 10/30/14

SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

1. Once again, congratulations to George Crummel, PE teacher.  George will be retiring effective October 31.  George, we wish you the best of luck and hope that you will return at the end of the school year for our annual SEMS retirement party! Please welcome our new PE teacher, Steven Hazlip, on Monday, Nov. 3. Mr. Hazlip is coming to us from Guilford County. 

2. Thanks to our PTSA for our first staff luncheon. Almost 40 staff members took advantage of our first lunch. The PTSA will have another staff luncheon in December. 

3. Don't forget that Daylight Savings Time takes place this weekend! Please "fall back" one hour on Sunday morning. Enjoy the extra time!
4. We are experiencing a drastic increase in the volume of students coming to breakfast.  Many are coming with a breakfast pass, however, they are returning back to homebase without getting any breakfast. Homebase teachers, please remind your students that if they are given a pass, they are expected to come back with some sort of breakfast. If you notice that you have particular students who may be taking advantage of this system, please let us know. We will gladly help you out with that situation. 

5. The new quarter grading policy has been approved by the School Board last month.  The two changes that affect you the most:  1) After the quarter is over, the district will not go back and re-enter median grades for the letter grades (in other words, we do not have to deal with the multiple reviews of your quarter grades anymore), and 2) If any child receives an F for the quarter, all teachers must go back into the system before finalizing the grades and manually enter a 63 as the quarter score for the F (unless the F is already higher than a 63).  John Downs has sent you instructions on completing first quarter grades.  

6. First quarter grades and verification sheets will be due to Cindy Wilkes no later than Tuesday, November 4, at 8:00am.  Report cards will be distributed on November 12. 

7. Once you finalize grades, please do not go back in and make any quarter grade changes. If you finalize your grades and then need to make an update/change, please fill out the grade change form, place in my mailbox, and then I will review, approve, and give to Cindy Wilkes to make that change. Grade change forms will be available in Cindy's office. 

8. We will have a different schedule for the November 6 fundraiser kickoff day.  Typically we spread out the assemblies during encore time. This year we will condense the schedule and it will take place during core blocks of time. A fundraiser memo is being sent to all staff members. 

9. The United Way drive is still going strong and will last through November 10. All staff are highly encouraged to donate.  Please follow the instructions on the United Way link on the WSFCS website. Incentives for donating include:  Chick-Fil-a coupons and a chance to win a Target gift card or a United Way t-shirt. Our goal as a school is to raise well over $5,000. We can do this!
 
10. PLT meeting minutes - Core teachers, your weekly meeting minutes are required to be submitted to me by the end of each week. Encore teachers,  your monthly PLT meeting minutes are to be submitted to me.  The expectation for encore teachers is that you all meet monthly as a large group and then you also meet monthly as a smaller PLT.  Please use the meeting minutes format that has been distributed to all teachers. Let me know if you have any questions. Ms. Gardner will be visiting your PLT meetings over the next few weeks. 

11. We will have an RS Teacher Workday on Friday, October 31.  This day is not protected for any training, meaning that staff may take an annual leave day on this date.  Soon we will ask you to indicate your intentions for October 31 on a staff sign up sheet. To clarify - since grades are not due until November 4, you do not have to have your grades completed in order to take off on October 31.  


12. 6th grade teachers: Please be sure to distribute the Time to Tell information to your students.  It is important that this paperwork go home to parents. If any parents wish to opt their child out of the video viewing in November, they must return the form. Please give all returned forms to the Guidance Office. 

13. There are several upcoming trade out time opportunities for teachers.  More information coming soon.


14. If any teachers/teams/groups wish to use the multi-purpose room in the mornings or afternoons, please sign up on the MP room sign up sheet posted in the staff workroom above the first copier. 

15. If your team/group is planning to go on a field trip, the cafeteria asks for a one week notification of your total number of bagged lunches requested.  They order food on a weekly basis, and they need sufficient time to ensure that bagged lunches are available. Any requests that come in late will not be able to be filled by the cafeteria. Mr. Krammer, Cafeteria Manager, asks for your cooperation with this procedure.

16. According to new guidelines, students are not permitted to get ice from the cafeteria.  Only adults are allowed to go into the cafeteria to get ice from the machine. 

UPCOMING EVENTS
Please remember that this calendar does NOT include all school events, meetings, etc. The online master calendar (SEMS School Calendar, through your email) contains all of these events.  In the future, this list will be limited to reminders/highlights of significant events on the calendar. Please consult the master calendar for more detailed information.

Oct. 30 - PTSA Staff Luncheon 
Oct. 31 - Teacher Workday (RS day)
Nov. 3 - Staff Mtg (2:20pm, MP Room)
Nov. 4 - First Qtr Grades DUE by 8:00am
Nov. 6 - Fundraiser Kickoff Assemblies 
Nov. 10 - SEMS Professional Development Sessions
Nov. 11 - Veteran's Day - No School!
Nov. 12 - Report Card Distribution
Nov. 26 - 30 - Thanksgiving Break!