Week of September 29

You continue to help promote our school and blaze a trail in the field of education.  Happy Birthday to our August and September folks!  I'm looking forward to our Social Spur event today.  We appreciate all of you that contributed.  

Thank you for an INCREDIBLE week and School Dedication!  Please leave as soon as your learners are safely dismissed and enjoy your weekend!

DID YOU KNOW?

• RJL was in the news again!  We were in the Coppell Student Media Newspaper The Sidekick and in the Coppell Gazette.  
• We have a page on our campus website that tells about about our school as a tool.
• We are going to be creating a system for school tours.  They will be on Thursdays, twice a month, and we will host AM and PM sessions with a maximum of 20 participants
• There is a worm bin in the supply closet in the broadcast room.  Does anyone want to start this with your earthworms from your Science studies?
• You can have fall decorations up as long as it is not ghosts, witches, zombies.  Happy pumpkins are fine.
• That upstairs classrooms, the library, and gym were designed not to use the LED lights during the day?  See what works best for your learners and see if you can conserve.

GREEN APPLE DAY AT LEE
On Saturday, our architects will be giving tours to the community. This flier tells you all about the event.  You are welcome to attend to learn more about our building, but it is NOT REQUIRED.  I request that you LOCK UP all technology in your storage rooms and leave your spaces tidy.

SCHOOL DEDICATION

THANK YOU for all you did to make this a memorable day for everyone.  Thank you for sharing your leaders for run-throughs.  Thank you for the two practices last week.  Most of all, THANK YOU for holding high expectations for our learners and coming together as a staff to make this a day that will forever be in my heart.  We received countless compliments from our visitors and Superintendent.


4/5 iPAD ROLLOUT
We hope to roll out iPads to fifth grade on Thursday and fourth grade on Friday.  Please remember to personally call the families that do not have their Apple IDs created.  We also need to collect the Apple ID and password for your learners.  We still have a large number that have not done this.  Your roll out times are on the faculty calendar.


ATTENDANCE
Please make every effort to be accurate and timely with your attendance. We must be diligent about this!  Also, please have your learners turn in all hand written excuses to the office. Kindergarten, please advise your parents that learners can walk their excuses down to the office.  Some parents are parking and bringing excuses in.


KEEP US INFORMED
Please make sure to communicate with the office when you have special events.  Diana, Veronica, and Julie are the ones who must field questions from parents and the community, so the more details and heads up you can give them, the better.  We will also put your event on the Faculty Calendar.

Please inform the office if you have a parent coming in for a meeting. The office does their best to protect your instructional time.  The last thing you need is an impromptu conference or parent wandering the building.


CGA MEMBERSHIPS & SCHOLARSHIPS

Please sign up for a free membership to Coppell Gifted Association. CGA provides scholarships to professional learning opportunities that address the unique needs of the gifted learner. This year TAGT is in Ft. Worth. If you are interested in attending, please fill out the following scholarship application.  Your application should include $100 for the cost of a substitute for the day.

A MESSAGE FROM ESL

Renee needs to meet with you and your house to quickly give you your accommodation folders for your ELL’s.  This folder will help you with ideas on how to best support your English Language Learners.  Also, the purpose of this folder is to document all the wonderful things you are doing to help support them as well.  Last, it is a great resource to use if you are concerned about an ELL and their progress.  Renee will definitely go over all of this in more detail when I meet with you.

DON'T FORGET YOUR EDUCATION FOUNDATION GRANT SUBMISSIONS
The Coppell Education Foundation is now accepting Grant Applications for the 2014 school year. Please see the attached application detailing the Guidelines, Grant Process, Instructions, and Timeline for this year. The deadline for all Grant Applications is October 15, 2014. Please submit all applications electronically to info@coppellisd.com AFTER I SIGN OFF ON IT.  We already have people expressing an interest in 3 opportunities.  WAY TO GO LEE!!!

HOUSE PLANNING AND PLC TIME

As you are all getting in the "groove" of your planning times, Todd and I are so pleased.  Thank you for continuing to update your Google documents.  Please remember to share those with Amanda, Roxann, Ayesha, Alli, Courtney, and Renee.

WRITE A CHECK
Thank you for all of your help to make this a huge success for our school.  We are extending WAC for one more week.  We have just started gaining momentum and we need to reach that goal.  Please continue your communication about this with your fami"lee"s.  Imagine what we can do with $25,000!!!


PTO CONNECT/ "LATEST AT LEE"
Please add this link for your parents to sign up for PTO Connect.  This is a weekly newsletter that goes out to our school and families.  This newsletter will also inform YOU of important details for your newsletters.  Our PTO Board is worried that not everyone is connected to this important layer of information.  Designers, if you are not getting the Latest at Lee emailed to you on Sunday, you need to contact PTO to find out why you are not.


GOAL SETTING MEETINGS
Todd and I have enjoyed the beginning of our goal setting meetings.  If you are not sure what to do, please watch this video that quickly explains the process.  We will assist you with completing the document, and you do not need to submit until after our meeting.  If you have not, already, please sign up on the Google Spreadsheet shared with you. Select a time that works for you to meet with us.  We have to have these completed by October 3.  Thanks for your cooperation.

LEARNER LED CONFERENCES
We will host learner led conferences DURING SCHOOL HOURS.  October 10 will be used as a Staff Development. You will learn more at our Staff Meeting on Wednesday.

If you have already participated in learner-led conferences, please contact Chantel.  We are designing our staff meeting and want to build on the capacity of those of you that have already done these before.


"LEE" QUOTE OF THE WEEK:  "Wisdom begins with wonder." -Socrates

"LEE"DERSHIP TIP OF THE WEEK:  When you sit down for a meal, place your napkin in your lap. When you finish, clean up and push in your chair.

DATES TO REMEMBER

September 27: Green Apple Day at Lee (12pm-3pm)

Week of September 29- Book Fair Week (Room A122)
September 29- Signed Progress Reports Returned
                        SBDM Mtg. (3:30)
September 30: Sara Mason's Birthday
                        Child Abuse Training must be complete
                        Third Grade FOSS Training
October 1: Jeans with House Shirt Day
                  Diana Sircar's Birthday
                  Staff Meeting (Dr. Waldrip attends)
October 2: Fourth Grade FOSS Training
                  Stop, Collaborate, and Listen (3, 4, 5)
October 3: Dr. Denison on campus with NTRC
                  Information Literacy Course must be completed
October 6-8: Fifth Grade to Sky Ranch
October 8: Jeans and iCreate T-shirt Day
                  Curriculum Mtg. (3:30-4:30)
October 9: SBRC Training during conference time
October 9-14: Learner Led Conferences at Lee
October 10: Staff Development (Sally Ride)
October 15: CISD Education Foundation Grants Due

We Made It!

What an incredible day Monday, September 22 was!  

To say that this day was a dream come true is an understatement!!

  

Last night, as I reflected on the days events, I cannot help but be filled with emotions.  I "imagined" what I thought this day would look like, and through multiple planning sessions with the Communication Department, Dr. Denison, and Dr. Herauf, I "thought" we had a pretty good "plan." What was executed and experienced was far greater than anything I could have imagined or planned. Can you tell by my cheesy grin the entire event?

It was important to me that the learners were the center of the Dedication, and I really feel like they were.  From their speaking parts, to singing, and being right there for the ribbon cutting- it was ALL ABOUT THEM.  This school is about them, so why not make the ceremony be about them, too?

The day could not have been the success it was without everyone pitching in. Look at the paper making process that our learners went through for keepsake bookmarks. The end result was a bookmark with a piece of homemade paper on it.  The homemade paper could be planted and will grow wildflowers.  Our talented Art designer met the challenge with this request!
 

Orchestrating this Dedication was similar to planning a wedding. Help came from Todd, who helped a learner research and ran around helping wherever necessary.  Designers dealt with unforeseen schedule speed bumps and interruptions to their day. Not a single person said they were too busy (even though they were) ...they never do in this building. Then there is Central Office who made sure that every base was covered, from programs, to flowers and videographers.  Chef Helen served up breakfast and baked cookies for every Lee staff member and learner.  Maintenance hung our new RJL sign and even directed traffic.  We had partnerships with Red Jackets from CHS and our PTO got a chance to shine and show their presence in the building. 

I am more than overjoyed that my school fami"lee" could meet my personal family for this event. Having my husband there for encouragement is a blessing. I could not have persevered these last nine months without the patience and support of this incredible man. It was also an honor to have my mom in from Florida.  I will never forget the look of pride in her face and the comments she had about the amazing staff and building.  She may not ever have the opportunity to experience grandchildren from Mike and I, but she did get the chance to see me "birth a school."  Making her proud is motivation in itself, but hearing what our learners told her they enjoy about our school was inspirational, as well.

Our learners articulated how they enjoy the freedom in our building. Freedom to move around, freedom to express, and freedom to be creative. They enjoy the spaces and their teachers. Hearing them share their feelings with her filled my heart, but I know that it is because EVERY PERSON in the building is pouring their heart and soul into our children. This starts at our front office every day.  We couldn't have a better first impression of our school than this smiling face.  

Each person is part of constructing the foundation of this school and building the leaders of tomorrow. We are transforming both where the curriculum is delivered and HOW the curriculum is delivered. This will impact the future of education and is a already a model for others. It is a team effort and one that I am honored to be a part of. I can't wait to look back in nine more months and see where we are.  This is only the beginning, but WE MADE IT to School Dedication Day!

Week of September 22

WHAT A BUSY WEEK IT HAS BEEN!  THANK YOU, once again, FOR BEING THE AMAZING STAFF that you are!  I cannot wait for you to meet a person near and dear to my heart- my mom.  She will be flying in Friday morning, and I know she can't wait to meet the people I have bragged so much about.   YOU!


DID YOU KNOW?

• We have some resources in the closet in the Broadcast Studio that you can check out.  There are limited quantities (not enough for every house) so please return when you are finished.  A Google checkout list is created for checking out/in items.
• There are sodas in the Coke machine AND you can use your debit card.
• Veronica is learning how to use our Cricut so we can teach you.
• That there is a way to close your white walls in the collabs?  A HOW TO video will be coming your way.
• That we will have a data dashboard that collects data from our solar panels, geo thermal heating and cooling, wind turbine, and water reservoir.  Here is the START of what that board will look like http://axcessdemo.climatec.com/ord?station:|slot:/LeeES|prophetView:index.  I bet you can think of the limitless ways to integrate this tool already!
• That Chantel ordered a personal Osmo set.  If you want to use, please see her.  We might want some more and they are an approved vendor.

EDUCATION FOUNDATION
The Coppell Education Foundation is now accepting Grant Applications for the 2014 school year. Please see the attached application detailing the Guidelines, Grant Process, Instructions, and Timeline for this year. The deadline for all Grant Applications is October 15, 2014. Please submit all applications electronically to info@coppellisd.com.

All Grants will be awarded by December 12, 2014 in the hope that funding and implementation will be complete by February, enabling recipients to provide the Coppell Education Foundation with a short video/report of the success achieved by their Grant Project and how it has impacted their School, Classroom, and Students.

HAVE YOU ORDERED YOUR RED AND BLACK ATTACK T-SHIRT???!!!

HOUSE PLANNING AND PLC TIME

THANK YOU for sharing your Google documents with me!  I was impressed with how your grade levels and houses used your collaborative time together.  Keep learning from one another and remember "there is a reason you are in the grade and family you are in."  Your strengths balance out the group!!  

SCHOOL DEDICATION DRESS REHEARSAL THIS WEEK
THANK YOU for sharing your learners with us this week.  We are so excited that they will be the stars of the Dedication ceremony on Monday.  We are hopeful that practice Friday morning will go well.  We will work out the kinks so that we represent ourselves well.  Thank you, in advance, for your help!

Please communicate to your families that if they have one, to please wear our navy blue inaugural spirit shirts on the 22nd.  If they don't have that, any Lee shirt will do.  No Lee shirt- NO problem...  they can wear a navy shirt.  Staff, please wear your inaugural shirts, too, with khaki bottoms.

There will be people touring the building from 10:00-10:30 on Monday.  Carry on with what you would normally plan that day.  Help us remind learners that when we have guests, we stay focused on the "work" and not what is going on around us.  Please be mindful that backpacks are put up and wall displays are neat with a description of the WHY posted near it. (see our many art displays for examples)

We are expecting guest numbers in the hundreds- NO AUTOGRAPHS, PLEASE!!

Learners will have a cookie treat at the end of the day.  I have requested no peanuts from Chef Helen. We will either bring them to your house at the end of the day, or have you come down somewhere with your learners.

FED EX DAY- WHAT IS IT?
If you are wondering what Fed Ex Day is, it is a day that you can have professional development of your choice.  This is one hour a month where you learn about a topic of YOUR choice related to YOUR goals.  Please post to this Today's Meet after 4:30, but by 5:00 on Wednesday.  Please share what you learned during your time to get credit for your hour.  Those who post will automatically be enrolled through Eduphoria.  Alli will be hosting "Wallcrashers" if you are interested in attending.


PICTURE DAY
Pictures are a great way to capture memories.  Have you seen these?  It also is one of the FEW fundraisers RJL will get to keep profits on.  Please communicate about picture day to our families and encourage purchasing.  Our picture day schedule will follow our Specials Schedule so learners can change before PE (if necessary).  Our staff picture will be at 7:15.


WRITE A CHECK
This event is our huge PTO fall fundraiser, so please talk it up to your learners.  This money will be used for Matching Funds (to buy more technology), for Designer Grants, for enrichment opportunities for the learners, for busses for field experiences, and MORE.  There is a competition between houses with a popsicle party going to the house that raises the most funds.


GOAL SETTING MEETINGS
Please sign up on the Google Spreadsheet shared with you for a time that works for you to meet with Chantel and Todd.  We have to have these completed by October 3.  Thanks for your cooperation.


ABSENCES
Please continue to request absences through Formspace.  NEW: Diana will enter your absence in SmartFind, now.  On days that we have more than 3 people out, I will have to decline personal days, so please, if you plan on taking personal days, get those turned in.  Approval is on a "first come/first served" basis.

BEHAVIOR PLANS
At the beginning of the year, I expressed wanting to know your classroom "behavior plan."  I have seen some house plans in your Google Docs, but I should have a plan from each of you.  Please keep in mind that group punishment and sitting out of recess is not acceptable here.  Learners should be dealt with individually and privately.  Behavior in Specials classes is to be handled in Specials, not with the designer when they pick their learners up.  We will be asking you for your plan in your goal setting meeting, so please bring it for us to discuss.

DATES TO REMEMBER

September 22: Write a Check Week

                        Grand Opening (9:00-10:30) 
                        Choir Auditions
September 23: Layne's Birthday
September 24: Red and Black Attack Shirt Day
                        BOY Data due in AWARE
                        4/5 Progress Report Grades Due
                        Fed Ex Day (3:30-4:30)
September 25: Fall Picture Day (Faculty Photo at 7:15 am)
                        Instrumental Ensemble Auditions
                        Jewelry Sale in the Lounge
September 26: Possible Spirit Rally
                        Progress Reports sent home
September 27: Green Apple Day at Lee (more info coming)
Week of September 29- Book Fair Week
September 29- SBDM Mtg. (3:30)
September 30: Sara Mason's Birthday
                        Child Abuse Training must be complete
October 1: Diana Sircar's Birthday
                  Staff Meeting
October 3: Information Literacy Course must be complete

Week of September 15

It has been another AWESOME week at Lee thanks to YOU!  Your engaging learning experiences keep our learners excited to return to school each day.  Happy learners = Happy parents.  THANK YOU!


DID YOU KNOW?

• School zone signs have been installed for our school.
• You should email your parents in a group or blind copy them.  If you don't, they can extract the emails of the other people in your classroom.
• Our Lego Build to Express kits arrived.  We have 25 kits, a teacher's guide, and a Resource CD.  See Chantel if you are interested in learning more.
• Our enrollment is 530 learners as of 9/11/14.
• The district has started working on a district wide recycling program.  I have requested a paper dumpster and plastic bottle recycling cans for our school.  Your efforts with paper, so far, are noticed!!! 
• We have had over 100 visitors in our building for tours this week.
• Lee will participate in the CHS Homecoming parade on October 15 @6:30.
• We will have a learner led bank in conjunction with the Las Colinas Credit Union.

HOUSE PLANNING AND PLC TIME

Thank you for sharing your house planning days with Todd and Chantel.  We are publishing these days so that our "Glitters" can help support your design work.  If your day or time are incorrect, please let Chantel know and she will update it in this blog.

Blue- Wednesday (8:30-9:30)
Purple- Tuesday (9:30-10:30)

Red- Tuesday (11:30-12:30)
Yellow- Tuesday (1:00-2:00)
Green- Thursday (after school)

Leadership team, please make sure your agendas for team planning and PLC's are shared with Chantel and Todd via Google Docs.  Chantel is already giving some of you feedback via the comment tool.  These agendas keep everyone focused and let's our administrative team know where you are headed and what we can help with.  

SCHOOL DEDICATION DRESS REHEARSAL THIS WEEK
We will work on a modified schedule on Friday.  Dr. Herauf will share the schedule.  We must practice and re-practice our procedures for this day.  Our school is on display and we want to show how incredible we are!

We need help from you and your learners so that all ages of children are involved in the Grand Opening.  Dr. Herauf has asked you to share learners who will be exemplars for this day.  Please get those names in as soon as possible.

Please communicate to your families that we will wear our navy blue inaugural spirit shirts on the 22nd.  Staff, please wear your shirts, too, with khaki bottoms.

There will be people touring the building from 10:00-10:30 on September 22.  Carry on with what you would normally do that day.  Help us remind learners that when we have guests, we stay focused on the "work" and not what is going on around us.

AWARE TRAINING
For those of you that are new or returning to CISD that might need help navigating through AWARE (our online database) there are two trainings (basic and advanced) being offered on the 16th and 23rd of September.  If you choose to register for these (through Eduphoria) please feel free to wear jeans on these Tuesdays.

If you choose to self train on AWARE, please use the ?HELP button on the top right to watch tutorial videos in how AWARE functions.

I encourage attendance so that you can use this tool to inform your instruction and be prepared when we have quarterly data meetings with Campus Administration.


STUDENT SAFETY
Please pay special attention to my email this weekend regarding Accident Reports.  Please remember that we must actively monitor learners at all times.  That means during recess that designers are in separate locations of the playground.  This means during dismissal that designers are not congregating and visiting until learners are completely released.  This means at lunch that designers are not sitting and eating; they are walking around engaging with learners.  Thank you very much for your help in this matter.

DATES TO REMEMBER

September 15: International Dot Day
                        RtI Meetings

                        Parent Club 21 Information Meeting (6:00 Media Center)
September 17: College Shirt Day with Jeans
                        Staff Meeting (it will last until 5:00)
September 18: 4/5 iPad Rollout Day
                        Sky Ranch Chaperone Meeting (6:00 Media Center)
September 19: Grand Opening Dress Rehearsal (8:00 Cafe)
                        Caroline's Birthday
September 22: Write a Check Week
                        Grand Opening (9:00-10:30) 
September 23: Layne's Birthday
September 24: Red and Black Attack Shirt Day
                        BOY Data due in AWARE
                        4/5 Progress Report Grades Due
                        Fed Ex Day (3:30-4:30)
September 25: Fall Picture Day (Faculty Photo at 7:15 am)
September 26: Progress Reports sent home
September 27: Green Apple Day at Lee
September 30: Child Abuse Training must be complete
October 3: Information Literacy Course must be complete

Week of September 8-12

THANK YOU for the amazing job that you did to prepare and present for Curriculum Nights and our Sky Ranch Parent Meeting.  Your efforts do not go unnoticed.  Here is a text I got from one of our school board members: "Most awesome place EVER!!! The building's great, but your designers ROCK!!! Tears of joy here! I truly became emotional when I got to my car- overwhelmed with joy.  Our kids are so fortunate!"  This is only one compliment of MANY that were shared.  What principal doesn't want to hear something like this?  SO, SO VERY PLEASED YOU ALL ARE HERE!  Thank you for helping to establish our reputation already and making Lee look SO GOOD!


DID YOU KNOW?

• Our PE wall is being installed on Monday night? *Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
• That curriculum materials and resources are still coming in?  Shelving is going to be ordered for you to help you better organize your materials.  Think of the vertical resources you have at your fingertips.  WOW!
• Irving is doing a traffic study of Ranch Trail.  CISD will be meeting with them in the coming weeks.
• That there is insurance for your devices?  Remember to get a case for your MacBook and that technology is your responsibility.
• We have chart paper of all different shapes and sizes?  (some lined, some unlined)  Please ask Diana for what you need.  There wasn't a proper place in the workroom to put the boxes.
• Alicia put together a bag of recess equipment for you to take outside?  Please see her if you have any questions.
• That you have voicemail that connects to your computer? Here is how you set up your voicemail.
• That you can scan on our copier now?
• That your whiteboard stands are on their way?

HOUSE SCHEDULE STARTS MONDAY

As we transition to our house schedule, house leads, please share your "meeting/designing" days with Chantel, Todd, Courtney, Alli, Julie, Roxann, Ayesha, Amanda, Renee, and Angela so we can support you.

Please, also share your meeting/planning agendas with us.  In order to maximize your time and focus and for you to get the support you need...you will want to have one of these.  You can establish your own by house.  Some suggested agenda items are: 

• Meeting Norms (established your first meeting)
• Learner Needs (talk about RtI learners at Tier I, counseling concerns, GtI, MLI, and other concerns
• House Needs (talk about House business like shared space schedules, shared technology schedules, upcoming field trips, etc.)
• Design Work  

House agendas need to be shared with administration by the end of the week.

VISITORS IN THE BUILDING

As you have noticed, we have a revolving door of visitors in the building.  We cannot compliment you and your learners enough for carrying on with school business as if visitors are not even present.  Please help our learners to be comfortable sharing what they learn when our guests ask.  They should be able to articulate the learning objective or "why" behind what they are accomplishing.

Please do your best to keep your design studios and back pack areas tidy.  With all of the glass, EVERYTHING, is on display.

Dr. Denison will be here on Thursday with representatives from the North Texas Regional Consortium.  I can't wait to hear feedback from them. These are talented Asst. Superintendents from the metroplex who have helped lead the movement of transformation in education.

HANDBOOK UPDATE

The following was added to our campus handbook:

CARE OF BUILDING

We all take pride in our clean building.  Please follow these guidelines in your spaces. 

WOOD SURFACES (DOORS, CABINETS): use sticky tack putty.  No tape, labels, or hot glue.  The adhesives and glue pull the finish off.

GLASS:  use blue painter's tape to attach work on and brown paper towels to clean the surface.

WHITEBOARD STANDS and IDEA PAINT WALLS:  only use microfiber cloths, paper towels, and water to clean them.  If there is a stubborn mark, draw on top of it with dry erase marker and erase.  That should remove it.  Do not use tape, sticky tack, glue or anything adhesive on these surfaces.  Please erase weekly (at a minimum) so that the wall does not stain.

CARPET:  Use blue painter's tape only.  Do not use masking or duct tape.

PAINTED SURFACES:  You may staple, use thumb tacks, or use blue tape to hang on these.  Do not use cement, glue, or sticky tack putty on painted surfaces.

Call a custodian immediately for any spills.  Put a drop of dish soap in your paints--they will wash out easily.  Also keep on hand a box of regular table salt.  Should a spill occur, blot as dry as possible then pour the salt on the wet area.  Avoid use of this area until the salt had dried (24 hours) and can be vacuumed up.  This will remove most stains if this process is followed immediately.  

Food attracts roaches, ants, and rodents.  Keep all food in plastic containers with a sealed top. 

When learners are outside, please ask students to avoid any muddy areas.  Students should check and wipe their feet before returning to the building.

If something needs repair in your room, please e-mail the secretary, assistant principal, or principal.  Provide your room number and information concerning the nature of the repair.   For emergency repairs, contact the office immediately.

DATES TO REMEMBER

September 8-12: Celebrate Freedom Week 
September 8:  Start of House Master Schedule
                       RtI Meetings
                       4th and 5th Club 21 Meeting at Lee (3:30 Media Center)

September 9: First day for Salad Bar

                      CK at Admin Meeting

September 9: Dr. Waldrip Visits Lee (3:30 Media Center flex space)
                       Lee Tours at 4:00 (City Council, Mayor, Bond Committee)

                       PTO Meeting at 6:30 (All welcome.  We need a designer rep)

September 10: MAP Testing Window Opens until October 8

                        Superintendent Reception @ Admin Bldg. at 3:30 

                        Campus Curriculum Meetings Cancelled 

September 11: Patriot Day- Wear Jeans and Red, White, and Blue

                        Dr. Denison and team will be at Lee (8:30-11:30)

                        Lee Tours at 4:00 (Facilities, Realtors, and Math Specialists)
September 15: RtI Meetings
                        Parent Club 21 Information Meeting (6:00 Media Center)
September 17: Staff Meeting
September 18: Sky Ranch Chaperone Meeting (6:00 Media Center)
September 22: Grand Opening (9:00-10:30)

Week of September 1- September 5

WELCOME BACK
We are truly amazed at how smooth and WONDERFUL our first week with learners has been! Of course, we KNOW that YOU are the reason! Your hard work, creative ideas, positive attitudes, and HUGE smiles have been the reason! District personnel have taken notice, too.  We were the talk of Tuesday's Admin Meeting.  Sooooo many parents have stopped us to compliment us on a fabulous beginning of school! They are sharing how happy their children are with their teachers (YOU!), with their classes, and with all of the fun, engaging things the learners did this week! Thank you for making this the BEST WEEK EVER!


DID YOU KNOW?

• Both playgrounds are ready for playing on?
• That the brown paper towels in the labs work wonders on cleaning the dry erase off of glass?
• We can put flash drives into the digital displays in your houses and slideshow pictures while we wait for the digital signage players to be installed?
• Dr. Waldrip visited our campus THREE TIMES last week?
• FOSS Kits are in the PreK classroom ready for you to pick up?
• You can print to the copier from your MacAir?  The printer is F-WKRM-COPIER

CURRICULUM NIGHTS

THANK YOU for all of your preparations for this week's Curriculum Nights.  Due to the limited number or Apple TV's, it is understandable if you need to meet with parents as a grade level.  I have a "dongle" if you want to use a projector that does not have Apple TV.  Please see me if you are interested in borrowing it.

In addition to the ppt I sent out last week, please make sure to address the following during your presentations.  I expect that there will be many questions on these topics, so it helps to be proactive.  

• School Safety- we will post Standard Response Protocol Posters once the front office laminates them.  Let parents know that we had in depth training from Officer Williams in relation to our specific building and needs.  Please inform them that our school is built for use as a disaster evacuation site for this part of town.  Also inform them of the bullet resistant glass in the cafeteria.  Safety drills will begin this week.
• Use of flexible spaces in our building- parents are going to want to know how you teach in the open spaces in your house.  Please help teach them about the benefits of movement in connection to learning.  It helps the learning "stick."  We also should not be in the same "space" all day, therefore, there are opportunities to move to quiet places when learners and activities require it.  If our learning design is engaging, it will not matter where we teach!
• Specialist Services- please inform parents that our special program services will begin this week.  They will want to know that their learners will be getting the same level of service that they had at previous schools. 
• Checking Emails During the Day- please let parents know that you will not always be able to check emails throughout the day due to meetings and planning.  If you are checking emails, then you are not teaching their children.  Their learners should know how they are getting home when they arrive to school each day.  If a change happens during the day, THEN they are to contact the front office and we will communicate to you and the learner.  Our rule is that we will respond to email within 24 hours.
• Background Checks- we want to take advantage of the volunteer base in our community.  Please remind them to get their criminal background checks in.  A parent may not volunteer until they have been cleared by the district.
• Stress the importance of teaching their children foundational skills.  These are the basis for EVERYTHING we do.  Our parents are VERY sensitive to this.  Also stress that when we do use technology that it is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, and designers will closely monitor learners and teach digital literacy and citizenship.
• Share the link explaining what CBL is- https://www.challengebasedlearning.org/pages/welcome

Please post your presentation in a PDF on your campus website for parents who were unable to attend.  It is also a good idea to email out your presentation to those who were unable to attend.

*If you are a "Glitter" you do not need to attend Curriculum Night.  

DATES TO REMEMBER

September 1: NO SCHOOL,

                      Ashley's Birthday

                      Patriotism is the citizenship word of the month

September 2: Handbook Signature pages due to Dr. Herauf

                      Owner Training from 3:30-5:00 (Wendy, Alicia, Ashley, Jessica)

                      K, 2, 4 Curriculum Night from 6:30-7:30

September 3: Deadline to submit GT Nominations (please tell parents)

                      Staff Meeting from 3:30-5:00

September 4: 1, 3, 5 Curriculum Night from 6:30-7:30

September 8-12: Celebrate Freedom Week (Katie sent info out)

                           4th and 5th Club 21 Meeting at Lee (3:30 Media Center)

September 9: First day for Salad Bar

                      CK at Admin Meeting

September 9: Lee Tours at 4:00 (City Council, Mayor, Bond Committee)

                       PTO Meeting at 6:30

September 10: MAP Testing Window Opens

                        Superintendent Reception @ Admin Bldg. at 3:30 

                        Campus Curriculum Meetings Cancelled 

September 11: Patriot Day- Wear Jeans and Red, White, and Blue

                        Dr. Denison and team will be at Lee (8:30-11:30)

                        Lee Tours at 4:00 (Facilities and Realtors)