Week of April 18th - April 22nd

Grateful!

I am incredibly grateful for Anne and Emily.  I'm not sure how many folks realize the incredible number of things they do each day to help keep Jefferson running.  They have to be specialized in a lot of different information about kids to keep them safe (medications, custody, allergies, attendance, food shortages, discipline, etc.)  I count on them for so much, as I know many of you do too.  This week is Secretaries Week.  It is a week to thank them for all that they sacrifice and give (especially lunch breaks) on our behalf.  On Tuesday, the district will be celebrating all of the secretaries with a special breakfast.  Emily Merritt will be helping in the office.  Please be aware so that you can help with some of the discipline during AM recess.  Please also take a minute to recognize them for the many ways they help all of us keep our school an organized, safe, and joyful place for kids.

Exciting News for Kids Last Week
Last week I got a very exciting call from the United Way.  They will be including us in a 3 year grant that will send each student home with 2 brand new books each summer!!  We think there is a strong chance we will get to offer this to our kids this May.  Stay tuned for more details.

IRI This Week
This is a big week for our kids.  Please remind your kids to do their best, but not to stress out.  Please encourage them to get a good nights sleep and eat a healthy breakfast.  Please also help us keep track of kids who may miss and need make-ups.

MCOMP Next Week/Star Testing to Follow
Please plan for the Spring MCOMP next week with your class and score recorded by the following Monday.  You can hold off on Star Testing until we have completed ISATs so that it can be done in the lab.

Evaluations
There are just final touches for evaluations.  I will be bringing you student achievement data to you review and make sure it's correct.  Please let me know a good day and time between Monday the 18th and Wednesday the 27th to meet and go over your evaluation.  Please plan for about 20 min.   FYI - after school is very busy Tuesday, Wednesday, and this Thursday.

New Computer Cart
Please remember to work with your team to flexibly use the new cart during your scheduled computer times.  I know it can take a bit of practise getting the kids to turn the machines off and on and get them back in the cart.  It may be more beneficial to have the cart once a week for an hour instead of 30 mins.  Please just help me ensure they get to the next classroom  however your team has agreed to organize their use.

A Fun Summer Opportunity with the Boise Art Museum
I have heard these are really fun, engaging and educational classes.

What do Do with Old Reading Curriculum
The new reading curriculum will soon be arriving!  In coordination with the DO, we will be marking all of the old books with a discard stamp.  At the end of the year, kids will be allowed to buy the books for a quarter to take home and keep.  We will soon have stamps for the grade levels to share.  If there are leveled readers that your team has found beneficial, we can keep these as an intervention resources.

School Beautification Groups
Please plan to meet as a group as soon as possible.  Please also remember all ideas are good ones when you are brainstorming.  Try to be open to new possibilities.  Eventually we'd like the group to present two different ideas to the whole staff at an upcoming faculty meeting.

Here are the groups.  Please let me know if I've missed someone and please have the group facilitator let me know when you plan to get together.

Entrance Group
Kayleigh -Facilitator
Shawn
Anne
Barbara
Ashlee
Daphne
Emily Merritt
Lisa

Blacktop
Deb-Facilitator
Alan
Mary
Barb
Crystal

Commons/Gathering Place
Aleasa - Facilitator
Mary
Patti
Chris
Rhett
Anne

Hallways A: Grade Level Signage and Paint
???? - Facilitator
Tawna
Peggy
Rhett
Chris
Barbara

Hallways B: Teacher Room Designation and Directionality
Chris - Facilitator
Terra
Crystal
Sindy
GayLyn

ASCD Articles on Classroom Management
I thought this was timely as you begin to think about your professional goals for next year.