Week of October 3rd - October 5th

My family jokes that they can tell how busy I've been by how much my hair grows.  And yes, my hair has likely looked like this before...on purpose....maybe.

But, if it ever looks like this,  back away and call Anne, Toni, or Janet immediately!  They will know what to do.  :-)

Seriously, many of you have had an incredibly busy week.  Many of you even had a Saturday professional day to boot!  Thank you for all you have done to also make it a great week for kids!

Be the educator who believes in your students before they start to believe in themselves.  

 Justin Tarte

Proactive Stories

I LOVE telling proactive stories during announcements.  Please keep them coming!  Did you see the sweet one on Facebook yesterday?  Thanks Maria C. for capturing the moment.

Lisa and Nickole get a Free Recess
Thanks for Lisa and Nickole for being the first to find my 7 Habits mistake last week.  They have a free recess duty card from me.  I will be covering (with advanced notice hopefully).

Instructional Rounds
Many thanks to Janet and Liz for giving us a good head start on Instructional Rounds.  There were some great conversations going on and some important learning, reflections and reminders.  We will do another round in February.  Let me know if your Professional Goal Group would like to do one separately.  Also, after being in so many colleagues classrooms, please consider giving a Jefferson Bucket Filler Note, especially for those great ideas and reminders you gleaned.

Lesson Plan Due Date Change
Folks, I did change the due date for 3rd Grade Lesson plan uploads.  Please aim for Oct. 10th with the specialists.

Muffins for Mom
Don't forget Muffins for Mom on Tuesday morning at 7:45.  Comprehensive Literacy Plan Meetings to follow.

Progress Monitors Due Next Week
It's a short week.  Sorry! :S

Safe Schools Due Oct. 7
Your Safe School Modules are due.  The bullying review is quick and easy.  Please get those done.  Gina Cakebread will be checking from the district office.

Speech Assistant Mobility Help
Bridgett needs to stay off her feet for another week.  She will most likely be using the office in the library and using the phone to call for kids.  If the little ones are confused, have them come to the office or Miss Jenn can show them where to go.

IPAD Issues
We have a number of IPAD issues lately.  They are trying to fix them for us, but here is how we can help ourselves in the future.

• Please ensure the every IPAD is plugged in and logged ON each night.  This sound counter intuitive, but after hours are when our updates are "pushed."  We do not always know when these will come.  We need to be prepared every night.
• Some student IPADS were logged off the "volume@jeromeschools.org" client and logged in as teachers in the App store.  Please DO NOT do this in the future on student IPADs.  This is fine on your teacher machines.

Renaissance Issues
If you have Renaissance issues, please email Darlena Ohlensehlen directly for help.  Thanks!

Money
Please remember, if you collect a large amount of money (cash or checks) for a field trip, large book order, or fundraiser, DO NOT leave it in your room overnight.  Please bring it to the office each day.  That way, it is less of a liability for loss and we can keep it safe until a deposit can be made.  We try to keep VERY small amounts in the school and make deposits often.  We can also hold checks for you until you are ready to send an order.

Have a great Friday and weekend!  It's a well deserved short week next week!
Angie

Week of September 26th - September 30th

How cool is this?!!  

This is the 1st of the signs that will be installed on our Born Learning Trail, which will be an addition to our Walking Path!  All of the signs will correspond to learning activities that kids and families can participate in.  This is an amazing opportunity for Jefferson and I'm incredibly grateful to the United Way and their donors for helping make this happen!  Thought you might enjoy this update!

"Never underestimate the valuable and important difference you make in every life you touch.  For the impact you make today has a powerful rippling effect on every tomorrow."

Welcome our New Migrant Liaison
We have finally been able to hire our new Migrant Liaison, Rocio Cervantes.  Rocio has been a sub for us in the past and has done a terrific job.  We are so glad to have her help.  For those of you who have migrant students in your classes, we will have a schedule out to you in the next week or so as we are able to get Rocio training.   She is getting a late start, so please make her feel welcome and right at home.  She is going to be a valuable member of the Jefferson Team.

Lucy Calkin's Writing Training
The day (Saturday) has finally arrived.  I will be with the K-2 group, but I will be at the DO with everyone Saturday.  I'm so excited to hear what these trainers have to teach us.  Thanks to all of you who have committed to this day.  Please make sure that if you reserved a spot that you are there to take advantage of the training.

Can You Spot the Mistake
Melisa did.  Yes, I know it's hard to believe, be I mistyped the list of 7 Habits on the right of the page.  First person to email me what they noticed will be receiving a Friday morning treat.  Oops.  (I did laugh a bit when Melisa and I confirmed this.)

Safe School Reminder
A quick reminder that we have a Safe School module to complete.  For those of use who are returning, there is a Bullying Awareness Refresher Course.  There are a few modules for new folks.  Please let me know if you need help finding these.

Read to Classes
I would love to come read to your class!  A book of your choice or a book of my choice.  Please invite me in!

Proactive Examples
The examples of Jefferson kids that you are emailing me is AWESOME!  I love announcing and sharing these.  Please keep them coming.

Intervention Team Meetings Next Week
As I am meeting with teams next week, I have a few new items to share with you next week.  If you haven't made an appointment with me, please do that before you leave tomorrow.  One of the items includes what I think will be some good news about progress monitoring.  We will also share:

• Progress Monitoring and Data Team Calendars
• All class monthly spreadsheet with bells and whistles
• Comprehensive Literacy Plans
• Review Goals and Materials for Groups

Instructional Rounds This Week

Janet will be at our Staff Meeting Monday to overview the instructional rounds for next week.  Please remember that you will need to prepare for a sub on that day for a 1/2 day.  Please plan to meet in my office (yes, it will be a tight squeeze) at the following times:
Wednesday:

• Kindergarten, Liz, Nicole - 8:30AM
• 3rd Grade - 12:45PM

Thursday:

• First Grade - 8:30AM
• Second Grade - 12:45PM

Journeys Tight and Loose

You all have a copy of the Tight and Loose list from the district office that should be in your box by Monday.  Please ensure that those items have been met by the end of the month.  A few highlights:

• all sound spelling cards posted in rooms
• all Focus Wall Posters posted or projected (Please complete the survey to help me know which you are doing for walk-throughs)
• 5 Day Planning for Units (This expectation will continue throughout the year.)

If you have any questions about these expectations, please don't hesitate to ask.

Bucket Brigade

Our Bucket Brigade is in the planning stages for some staff fun.  If you have a great idea, please share it with Barb, Anne, Ashlee, Jody, or Sarah.

Have a great weekend and week!
Angie

Week of September 19th - September 23rd

It's been a busy week!  Thank you for all the work you have put into starting interventions!  Here's to starting your Friday off right!  You are more than a test score!!

Recess Duty

We are making a quick change to recess duty locations.  If you have been on the Blacktop/Bathroom Duty, this will now be a second Big Toy duty.  If you have been on the K-1 Blacktop duty, this will remain the same, but I would ask that you position yourself to see the blacktop, but be near the doors to also help monitor the numbers of kids going in an out of the restrooms.  Thanks for helping making this adjustment.

New Walking Program - The Jefferson Tiger Trekkers

It sounds like we may be able to do a bit of a jungle or safari theme with our walking program.  Thank you to all of your who got your votes in.  Chris and I will be working to get our incentives put into place soon.  We will be making the program as easy as possible, but we look forward to kids working toward Sharpening the Saw and setting new goals for their health.

Walking Path Birthday Celebration

We now have a date set for the Walking Path Celebration.  It will be Monday, October 10th. There will be an assembly at 2:00 and a Family Event at 5:30.  Unfortunately, we will not be able to have Kristen Armstrong visit us after all.  Here new celebrity and events are important for her to build resources to sustain her training at other times.  We are working hard with St. Luke's to have other fun surprises and swag for the kids and families.  It also looks like the United Way Born to Learn Path will be completed in time as well!  There are many, many things happening to celebrate!

Dot Day Resources

I'm so excited to see everything that you are planning for Dot Day!  Please plan to leave the art up until October 10th for families to see.  Please make sure the kids label their artwork with artist and title.  Here's a cool resource for other ideas.

Comprehensive Literacy Plan - Parent Event Invites

We will be getting you invites to go to the parents of your 1s and 2s Friday and Monday.  Please ensure that kids take these home the day you get them.  We will have a flyer to send as a remind in about a week.  More details to come on the plans themselves.  Here's a copy of the letter if you'd like to see the basic information going out.

Grab and Go Breakfasts

There have been a couple of concerns brought up about the Grab and Go breakfasts.  We have been trying this to get kids to the classroom more quickly and on time for interventions.  I want you to know that we are monitoring a few things:

• We do know who has been getting "2nd breakfast" and we are trying to work with these kids.
• We are trying to determine which kids are late drops by families.
• We are trying to determine which students are not being proactive about getting their breakfasts first thing  (Or is that putting first things 1st?)
• We are trying to figure out which kids may be getting a 2nd breakfast because their family is food insecure.

If the bell rings at 8:20 and a student is already eating, we will let them finish until 8:30.  If the 8:25 bell rings, they will be sent to the office for a Grab and Go.  If a child comes to you with a breakfast, please give them a time limit for completion of their meal, but encourage them to eat all of it.  BLT will be revisiting this again in a few weeks and office staff will be contacting parents to problem solve issues that are identified.  Hopefully, we can work the bugs out and minimize the instruction kids are missing.  Thanks for giving this a bit of time so we can analyze the benefits and problems.

Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 

I'm possible!  Audrey Hepburn

Week of September 12th - September 16th

Yeah!  It's Homecoming! 
Go Tigers!!

"The real winners in life are the people who look at every situation with an expectation that they can make it work or make it better." Barbara Fletcher

Homecoming Details

• Wear your school colors...and your blue jeans!
• Lunches and recesses have been moved up 45 minutes.
• Thank you to our lunchroom staff for preparing sack lunches to ensure we are headed to the parade on time!
• Kindergarten will leave first a little before 12:30.  We will call for the rest of the school.
• We will leave out the front doors and take the sidewalk down Fillmore.  We will turn right at 6th and then go down to the park.  We will cut across and sit in the part across from Horizon.
• The parade should be done in plenty of time to be back for the buses.
• Please ask office staff or your mentors if you have any questions.

Star Testing
Star and Star Early Literacy are part of our district screeners.  The window to complete these assessments in the computer lab is open until September 21st.  Please let me know if you have any questions about getting this done.

Staff Meeting Monday
Speaking of Star and Star Early Literacy....at Monday's staff meeting, Liz Schroeder and Darlena Ohlensalen will be here to review the reports from these assessment and how to read them for good information.  K-1 will be in the library.  2-3 please plan to be in the Computer Lab.  Others join at locations that fit your refresher needs.

Recess
I will spend a bit of time with 2-3 at morning recess on the blacktop discussing recess responsibilities.  I will make an announcement about this tomorrow morning.  Please come get some Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs) in the office for your recess binders.  We really need to be tracking kids who are chronically having trouble keeping themselves and others safe on the playground.  Also, please reteach the recess behavior expectations with your class sometime next week.  BLT is making some considerations to help the energy during this time.

Recess Games
Thank you to Deb and the playground crew for painting the fun games!  We are thinking there are a number of our kids who do not know how to play them.  We are asking for teacher volunteers, who are not on duty, but may have been a playground game expert back in the day, to teach a game to the kids.  We would ask that you pick a game and a day and time.  I will make an announcement so that kids can find you and learn a new and fun way to play.  Here are a few of the suggestions:

Blacktop Activities:
Hopscotch
Mirror Me (Deb can help explain this one.)
Bean Bag Toss (Deb has the bags.)
Number Maze (Deb has offered to teach this one.)
4 Square
Tether Ball

Idaho School Board Association Art Contest

• Theme: What we like about our schools"
• This is optional for classes
• Entries are due to the office by Oct. 8th if you participate
• The form you need for the art will be on the bulletin board between the staff bathrooms.

Habit 1 Bulletin Board Help

I am in need of a class or two who would share some of their work about Habit 1 on the main bulletin board.  If you are willing, please let me know!

BLT Meeting Minutes
The BLT Meeting Minutes are caught up.  Your BLT members will try to share with you as soon as possible, but you can also check the minutes and ask them questions...or me too.  You have been invited to view the minutes in Google Drive under "Jefferson BLT."

Resources

• A Great Resource for Ideas about Dealing with Tough Kids.  Very easy to use.  PBISWorld
• Ideas for gathering more things from parents online and limiting the paper shuffle.
• Google Forms!  There are so many classroom uses.

Week of September 6th - September 9th

"I hope they feel our smiles before they come in the door."

I read this post on a blog by a fellow Montana administrator recently and it struck a cord.  I loved the idea that we love what we do, that we love our kids, so much that students and families can feel the love before they every enter the doors.  Thank you for all you do to make this happen for Jefferson.  It takes a lot of positive energy, focus and determination, but it matters.  It makes things possible for kids and they deserve it!

Sorry for the long blog post!  Lots of details to share for next week!

Thank you!
Angie

Toni Receives Award
Did you see on Facebook that Toni was awarded the Clarissa Hug Idaho Council of Exceptional Children Teacher of the Year Award for the State of Idaho?  This is a huge honor for Toni who has done a lot of work and leadership on behalf of children with special needs.  Congratulations Toni!  We are so glad you've joined the Jefferson Team!

Facebook
Please like and follow Jefferson on Facebook!  Also, I'd love to have pictures of the great every-day learning happening in your rooms to share with families.  Please send them my way!

Homecoming THIS WEEK!
Yes, it is here fast!  We are working with the lunchroom to see if we can get sack lunches.  For those of you new to Jerome, Jefferson always does a little walking field trip to see the Homecoming Parade.  This year we are going to have to leave the school by 12:20 to be at the route by 12:45.  We plan to take a different route to the park across from Horizon this year.  Stay turned for a few more details from your BLT member about lunch times and route for next Friday.

Journeys Tight and Loose
Please make sure that you review the list Janet sent out as a team and let me know if you have any questions.  Please make sure that you have your alphabet/sound cards posted by next week.  I think we are getting close to everyone having the things we need.  Please let your BLT member know if you haven't already listed something.

Lunch Times
We are working hard to tighten up lunch times.  First grade, please have your last teacher notify 3rd grade and 3rd grade, have your last teacher notify 2nd.  We need to close the gaps.  Also, if you get your kids to line, please go ahead and let the paras supervise so you can make sure to get your lunch.  With new software and new kids, we are trying to adjust the system a bit.

T-Shirt Orders
Please plan on $14 for the t-shirts and get your orders in as soon as possible.  Anne has a sign up sheet in the office and a sample shirt.

CORE Packets
Teachers, please make sure to hold on to these when you get them.  We may need to reference these for Data Teams next week.

Data Teams
Liz, Nicole, and the paras have been working really hard to get IRI and CORE Packet testing done and in the system to make it easier for all of us.  We are firming up a schedule and will get it sent out to you tomorrow for Data Teams on Thursday and Friday.  At your given time, a para will come to sub in for you.  In some cases this will also mean they cover your duty.  Please ensure that the para know this before you leave the classroom.

Recess Radios and Clipboards
Would each grade level please make sure that their orange clipboards and radios go out to each recess.  It might be easiest to pick a person or "location" that will always have these on hand.

Lesson Plans
As part of Domain 1 evidence, and for collaboration, I will be asking that certified teachers on a rotation basis, not every week.  I will ask you to share them electronically on Google Drive.  If you do not do your lesson plans electronically, we'll be glad to scan them in the office, or you can take a picture and load that.  The rotation will begin on September 12th.  Kindergarten, please plan to turn in your lesson plans this week and watch for the Google Drive share folder. You can also reference the list to the right to help you remember your week.

Special Education
A quick reminder....if a student in your classroom has a IEP with reading goals, then the SPED teachers will be doing the progress monitoring for reading and providing the grade.  If they have goals in both reading and math, then Brittany and Christine will manage the PM and grade for both subjects.  Please let Toni or I know if you have questions.

BoxTops
Mrs. Cooley will be here on Thursday to share about BoxTops.

Classroom Management Plans
Please don't forget to email your classroom management plans.  I prefer that you send them electronically for reference.  Please have these in no later than September 12th.

Teacher Wish List
Denise, in coordination with PTO, will be helping put together the teacher wish lists using her super mad technology skills  Please be on the look out for a Google Form coming your way.  PTO would like this information compiles so they can communicate this to families and have it posted for our first conferences.

Laptop Carts
Anne will be putting together a calendar for checking out the laptop carts.  Please ensure that they are in the library and plugged in at the end of the day if you are the last one to use them.

Grab and Go Breakfast
Beginning Monday we will have Grab and Go breakfasts in the office for students who need a meal after the tardy bell.  This is to help get us keep a little better track of kids who are not being proactive about getting to the cafeteria (choosing to play) and of those who are spending too much time in the cafeteria and missing intervention and instruction.  If a child is hungry, please send them to the office.

International Dot Day at Jefferson
If you go to the International Dot Day website, you will see that they say that the "day" is September 15th...ish.  Our day will be Friday, September 23rd.  Please see the ideas in the teacher manual attached for ideas.  Please also make sure to have each artist sign their name and title their art work.  Your BLT member will help put together an art supply list as soon as possible.  Have fun with this!  Develop lots of rich vocabulary and creativity!  This will still be an intervention day.  Please work around this time.  I'm sure Nicole, Liz and the rest of you can find some very creative ways to bring art to this time.

New Walking Program Name
Our new walking program will be up and running in the next couple of weeks.  We are in need of a fun name.  At Ponderosa Elementary they are the Pacers.  If we were Oregon Trail we might be the Blazers.  What ideas do you have for the Jefferson Tigers.  (Jefferson Joggers was one thought.)  We'd love to hear your ideas.