Week of December 4, 2017

Welcome December!  It is a busy but exciting month to be an educator at Lee.  Such FUN and MAGICAL experiences take place this time of year.  Though there is much on all of our "to do" lists, please ENJOY this time with our kiddos.  You only get them so many days, and their wonder this time of year is priceless!  My hope is that our Mad Plaid December to Remember helps keep you happy these last two weeks of the year.  You can't even imagine how loved each and every one of you are!!

DID YOU KNOW:

• that CISD came up with a name for the new 9th grade center?  It will be called Coppell High School Ninth Grade Campus.  The Board will revisit the name of the new middle school at their next board meeting.
• strategic design summits are happening in order to plan the next five years in CISD?  If you are interested in giving input there will be a questionnaire that goes live in early December.
• that early dismissal time for December 15 is 12:15?  Start telling your parents NOW!
• that plans are being put in motion for our Jan 2 Staff Development Day?  I will keep you posted with an email on this.
• it is time to nominate some more Red and Black Superstars?  Please take time to recognize a colleague or learner that go above and beyond, here.
• if you did not order a Red and Black t-shirt that they will be reopening orders the beginning of January (for two weeks).  Get yours so you can wear jeans two Tuesdays a month.  Last year's shirt and other spirit shirts cannot be worn on these days, sorry!
• we have tours on Wednesday and Thursday next week?  They are looking to see personalized learning and learning environments.  Please do your best to showcase this during their visit.

DECEMBER TO REMEMBER:

Don't forget you can wear jeans the entire month of December!  Please tweet out what you enjoy with #decembertoremember and #rjlyear4 

• 12/1- We will come by and deliver a scratch off to you.  EVERYONE is a winner!
• 12/4- Wear your favorite plaids!  We have a Mad about Plaid sign if you want to take a group picture.  You can get the sign from the front office.   
• 5th grade, don't forget to leave at your Team Time (get your duty covered, if needed)

• 12/5-  Breakfast will be in the lounge (announced on intercom when ready) and we have festive craft supplies for you.  Have fun being creative!  
• Kindergarten, don't forget to leave at your Team Time (get your duty covered, if needed)
• 12/6- Chex Trail Mix will either be delivered to you or in your mailbox.
• Specials, don't forget to leave at your Team Time (get your duty covered, if needed)
• 12/7- It's a cheese and cracker snack for you.  We will have this out at your lunch time.  Please take your fair share so there is plenty for the late lunches.
• 1st grade, don't forget to leave at your Team Time (get your duty covered, if needed)
• 12/8- Enjoy a special gift from us.  It will be delivered to your mailbox by the end of the day.
• 2nd grade, don't forget to leave at your Team Time (get your duty covered, if needed)

Our Gnome is hidden and ready to be found.  

It could be up high...or down on the ground. 

Don't touch him or move him, he must stay in place. 

Capture a picture with him and your face.

Don't tell others you found him, or where he has been.

You want the most entries, so you can win!

He will be in a new location each day.

Take a picture of yourself with the Gnome and email the picture to: LeeGnomeOnTheRoam@gmail.com Each picture submitted will enter you into the drawing for a full day sub in January.  Our drawing will take place at the staff party next week. 

MAINTENANCE AND GROUNDS APPRECIATION WEEK

If you have your learners make thank you cards for these hard workers, please send them to the office by Thursday morning.  We will be putting together a basket of treats, from Lee, for them and sending it over to the Service Center.  Feel free to contribute to our treat basket however your house likes.

MADRIGAL VISIT
We will have a performance on Wednesday from 10:15-10:45.  Please join us in the gym bleachers so we can enjoy their festive performance.

CISD HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE:
Don't forget to head over for the festive FUN on Friday.  There are AWESOME door prizes and DELICIOUS snacks for all!  You are welcome to dress in "Grinchy" and festive attire.

LUNCHES ON DECEMBER 15:

We will have lunches in your spaces on December 15.  Please take time to find out what your learners plan to eat so that our cafeteria can place an order that meets our needs.  Please complete this by December 5.  THANKS for your help on this!

(please share with your FamiLEEs)

STAFF HOLIDAY PARTY:
Are you coming to our Staff Holiday Party?  Don't forget to RSVP here.  THANKS, Michelle, for organizing the event!

HOUR OF CODE:

Computer Science Education Week and #HourOfCode are next week! This is a great time to use the coding and robotics resources located in your houses while celebrating problem solving and deeper thinking. Please tweet out your participation in #HourOfCode during coding activities this week.  You all use coding in such creative ways, and the world should get to see your talents! Check out some of the resources curated by the DLCs in the Hour of Code Folder inside the Curriculum & Instruction Schoology group. In the folder, you will find how to get started guides, activities, and a list of curated resources. Also available this year are self-directed Hour of Code K-12 Learner Choice Boards. On these choice boards, learners will select one of the four topics. Each topic has a learn, do, and reflect portion to complete. The reflection piece will be done district-wide through FlipGrid! Learners may dive deep into one topic or explore all four. Not sure where to start? Let Alli know if you need help!

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK:

Use cooperative learning strategies.  Lecture style teaching excludes ELLs from the learning in a classroom.  We don't want to relegate ELLs to the fringes of the classroom doing a separate lesson with a classroom aide or ESL teacher.  Working in small groups is especially beneficial to ELLs who have an authentic reason to use academic vocabulary and real reasons to discuss key concepts.  ELLs benefit from cooperative learning structures.  Give students a job in a group.  Monitor that they are participating. 

This is a SMORE created by one of the CISD ESL Facilitators. It has great ELPS information to utilize when lesson planning. 

CISD CURRICULUM COURIER

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Justice- being fair, right and upholding what is right

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

Never cut in line.  If someone cuts in front of you, do not say or do anything about it.  Let it happen, but let a teacher know about it.  They will handle the situation.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"In matters of style, swim with the current.  In matters of principle, stand like a rock." -Thomas Jefferson

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Week of Dec 4-8: Hour of Code Week

Maintenance and Grounds Appreciation Week

National Handwashing Awareness Week
Dec 4- CK serving lunch to kids in the cafe
Dec 5- Education Foundation Shirt with Jeans
Stop, Collaborate and Listen (3:45-5:35)
Dad's Club Mtg. (7:00 BWW)
Dec 6- Allaso Ranch (5th Grade)
College Shirt with Jeans
Buffalo Wild Wings Night (Office)
  Madrigal Visit (10:15-10:45 Gym)
Campus Tour (12:45-2:00)
Fed Ex Day (3:30-4:30)- we will send an email with course offerings- this blog is LONG ENOUGH!

Dec 7- Allaso Ranch (5th Grade)

NO Spur Savings

Campus Tour (11:20-12:35)

Stop, Collaborate and Listen (3:45-5:35)

Dec 8- Allaso Ranch (5th Grade)

CISD Holiday Open House (Conference times)

Red & Black Superstar Nominations Due

Spirit Stick Sales (Recess Times)
Mariah's Birthday

Dec 9- Drama Club Performance (12:00 pm)

Week of Nov 13, 2017

I'm experiencing "all the feels" as I write tonight's blog.  What a beautiful performance by Red House.  Thank you to EVERYONE who helped make this happen for our kids.  The parents were overwhelmingly impressed with the evening's show.  They should have been!  In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am reflecting about they many blessings at our school.  I want to remind you that each and every one of you are a blessing to me.  You are not taken for granted and appreciated beyond measure. Please know that I NOTICE all of the heart you pour into your work!  Take time with the people you love most doing the things you love most- you have earned it!  May you come back ready to tackle the last week of November and prepare for a "December to Remember!" (New hires- ask someone what we mean by that!!)

DID YOU KNOW:

• requests for Special Pay need to be submitted before the last day of the month?  Please mark your calendars to get these in.  TRS has implemented new software and the district has to report every hour and every day worked by every person in the district- this includes extra duty.  THANK YOU for your help!
• we cannot accept any more personal day requests for December 1?  SORRY!
• you can order American Heart Association Shirts for a $20 donation? If you order before January 12, you will get a shirt delivered to Lee, and you get to wear it with jeans every Thursday the month of February.
• Hour of Code is coming up?  Please sign up to participate and mark your calendars for the week of December 4-10. Plan on joining in by beefing up the coding opportunities in your lesson design. Alli, Leigh Ann, Carla, Nikki, and May are some of our super resources for this!
• we have a new Enrichment designer starting on Monday?  Her name is Rucha Rajendra and she will be a wonderful addition to the Specials team.  Welcome, Rucha!

VISITING AUTHOR
In the spirit of gratitude, 4th and 5th grade, please have your learners write cards or notes of appreciation to PTO for funding the visiting author on Monday afternoon.  I can pass them along to PTO at Tuesday night's meeting.


DESIGN DAYS
We are excited to be able to work in Design 1/2 Days this week.  Please start on time, be ready to observe in some classrooms, and prepared with ideas for your next CBL Big Idea and Guiding Activities.  Support Staff, please plan to join each house design time and share your expertise during these planning sessions, too!

• AM Planning (7:30-11:30)
• PM Planning (11:30-3:30)

PTO MEETING
Don't forget to have your sweet kiddos ready to share house updates in regards to CBL and house business on Tuesday.


FAMILEE FEAST @ LEE
All families are invited to join their learner for a traditional Thanksgiving Lunch on Thursday during their child’s lunch time.  Lunch will consist of yogurt meal or roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, garlic green beans, orange smiles, apple cobbler, and milk.  The cost of a school lunch is $3.50 and will be easiest if guests use their learner's lunch account when purchasing.

FAMILEE LITERACY NIGHT
Please link in any resources so that our parents can access them in our course catalog by Tuesday.   Also, if there is anything you need to office or support staff to copy/cut/laminate for Thursday, we need it no later than Tuesday morning.  Feel free to use this blurb to share with your parents: 

Did you know that Thursday is National Parent Involvement Day?  Please join us on Thursday Night from 6:00-7:30 pm for our first FamiLEE Literacy Night.  Reading is more than just calling words, and we want to share ways that you can support reading, literacy, and comprehension at home. We will host three 15 minute mini-lessons for parents, therefore, please arrive at 5:45 so you can attend all sessions.  The last 15 minutes of the event is time reading with your child.  Learners are encouraged to come with you, and while parents are in sessions, learners can attend student sessions in the cafeteria.   The parent course catalog is here.  We look forward to seeing you! 

CISD FAMILY FEAST DRIVE
Please share with your parents: For 14 years, CISD has collected food for families in need around Thanksgiving. Mark your calendars to donate canned foods or non-perishable foods on Friday, Nov. 17, for the CISD Family Feast Drive! You also may make an online donation HERE. When you make your donation, make sure you choose Richard J Lee Elementary. Last year, CISD collected 12,397 pounds of food and $13,708 for a total of 51,454 nutritious meals for those in need in North Texas.

WEEKLY WALKTHROUGH FOCUS:

This week is the last week we will focus on Domain 2 Dimension 4: Differentiation.  We will look at your lessons to see if they include a wide variety of instructional strategies to meet the diverse needs in your space.  Are all learners completing the same tasks with the same expectations? Is there evidence of content, product, and process in your lesson design?  We will observe you, too.  Are you monitoring the quality of learner participation and performance?   Are you recognizing and minimizing confusion or disengagement?  THANK YOU for reviewing each walkthrough form and using them for the praise and growth they are intended to provide.  Please use the comment tool to keep the conversation open when needed!  

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK:

Modify vocabulary instruction for ELLs.  English language learners require direct instruction of new vocabulary.  Teachers should also provide practice in pronouncing new words.  ELLs need much more exposure to new terms, words, idioms, and phrases than do English fluent peers.  Teachers need to tie new vocabulary to prior learning and use visuals to reinforce meaning.  Content area teachers should teach new vocabulary words that occur in the text as well as those related to the subject matter.  Word walls should be used at all grade levels. 

CISD CURRICULUM COURIER

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Gratitude- the act of being grateful; thankfulness

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

Always say thank you when given something.  When given an assignment, there is no moaning or complaining.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"The ones you should try to get even with are the ones who have helped you." -Unknown

DATES TO REMEMBER:
Nov 10- GTI Student Interviews Due
Nov 13- Samira's Birthday
     Visiting Author 4/5 (1:00 Cafe)
Nov 14- Design 1/2 Day
     Progress Report Grades Due (8:00)
     PTO Meeting (7:00 Cafe)
Nov 15- Design 1/2 Day
     Educational Support Personnel Day
     School Shirt w/ Jeans
     Leadership Mtg (3:30 Enrichment Room)
Nov 16- Design 1/2 Day
     National Parent Involvement Day
     Send Progress Reports Home
     Thanksgiving Feast for FamiLEEs (lunch times)
     FamiLEE Literacy Night (6:00-7:30)
Nov 17- GTI Needs Assessment Forms Due
     Chantel's Birthday
     CISD Family Feast Drive
     Field Trips (1, 3, 4, 5)
Week of Nov 20- 24- NO SCHOOL- HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Nov 20- Courtney's Birthday
Nov 22- Jacque's Birthday

Week of Nov 6, 2017

Thank you, houses, for reviewing our new CIP and noting what we have already accomplished this school year.  We have already done SO MUCH!  Our tour today was super impressed with what they saw in your spaces with authentic experiences for our learners.  There were hands-on science experiences, technology integration, small group instruction, goal setting, questioning, and MORE.  Thank you for doing such a great job with our learners!  THANK YOU for your persistence with our Write a Check campaign.  Your help is the reason it is a success.  Get ready to write some PTO grant requests!

DID YOU KNOW:

• the 2017-2018 Clarity survey window opens next week?  Here is a link with resources for the survey in our Lee Schoology course.  (thanks Alli!)
• CISD added a science training in Eduphoria for Building Academic Vocabulary in the K-8 Science Classroom on November 16 at 4:00?  It is being held at CMSW.  Register in Eduphoria if you are interested.
• that our MAT Team (Medical Assistance Team) met after school yesterday to practice emergency situations?  If you hear an announcement over the intercom that says "MAT TEAM ----location---"please know we are practicing or having an actual emergency in that area.
• STRIVE is ALIVE and making everyone crazy?  PLEASE DO NOT WORRY if your SLO attachment will not upload and you get a nasty raccoon image.  There are issues with Stive and you can try at your next grade level team time.  In the meantime, please fill in the initial Skills Profile and the Targeted Skills Profile and hit save and submit.
• Friday is Jean Guidry's last day?  We thank her for being part of our fami"LEE" the beginning of this year.  We also welcome back, Jess on Monday!
• Friday, November 3, is National Sandwich Day?  Please do not pack your lunch, we have it taken care of for you!!  There will be a sandwich (we have gluten-free ones for five of you), chips or popcorn, and drinks.  We even have ice cream "sandwiches" for dessert!  ENJOY- we LOVE our staff at Lee!

STAFF MEETING

Wednesday's Staff Meeting time will be used to go over Databases and information literacy.  We will also use this time to meet and design for Literacy Night that is coming up on November 16th.  We are giving you this job embedded time to collaborate, create the catalog description, and any other preparations for our event.  We will meet in Layne's space.

VETERAN'S DAY CEREMONY

Please make sure you share this link with your famiLEEs so that they can RSVP to Thursday's Veteran's Day Ceremony.  They should plan to arrive at 8:00 and expect to stay until approximately 8:45.  We will be called down by grade to the cafe at 8:00.  Please remember to wear red, white, and blue jeans on this day!  THANK YOU to Stephanie and Becky for pulling this program together.  Thank you, Red House designers, for practicing the songs for the performance.  Thank you, Jessica, for the artwork.  Thank you, Specials, for giving up time to prepare the performance.  Thank you, Purple House, for switching Specials time this week so that Red House has extra practice time!

WEEKLY WALKTHROUGH FOCUS:

This week, we will continue to focus on Domain 2 Dimension 4: Differentiation.  We will look at your lessons to see if they include a wide variety of instructional strategies to meet the diverse needs in your space.  Are all learners completing the same tasks with the same expectations? Is there evidence of content, product, and process in your lesson design?  We will observe you, too.  Are you monitoring the quality of learner participation and performance?   Are you recognizing and minimizing confusion or disengagement?  THANK YOU for reviewing each walkthrough form and using them for the praise and growth they are intended to provide.   

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK:

Determine key concepts for the unit and define language and content objectives for each lesson.  Teachers write the key concept for a unit of study in student-friendly language and post it in the room.  New learning should be tied to this concept.  Additionally, teachers should begin each lesson by writing a content objective on the board.  At the end of the lesson, students should be asked if the objective was met.  Classroom teachers also need to set language objectives for the ELLs in their class.  A language objective might be to learn new vocabulary, find the nouns in a lesson, or apply a grammar rule. 

CISD CURRICULUM COURIER

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Effort- doing  your best in an endeavor.

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

It is rude to ask if you are getting something for good behavior.  You should be good and try your best because you are trying to better yourself, not because you are anticipating a reward.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"Don't be content with being average.  It is as close to the bottom as it is to the top." -Anonymous

DATES TO REMEMBER

Nov 5- Daylight Savings
Nov 7- Education Foundation Shirt and Jeans
     Dad's Club Meeting (7:00 pm @ BWW)
Nov 8- Convocation Shirt and Jeans
     Fall Picture Retakes
     Staff Meeting (Layne's Space 3:35-5:00)
Nov 9- Spur Savings (7:20-7:40)
     Red House Veteran's Day Performance (8:15 and 6:30)
Nov 10- Green House Field Trip
*be getting your learners ready to present for PTO Mtg next week