Week of February 24, 2020

Happy Friday! Have an incredible weekend and STAY HEALTHY!  We need ALL staff to attend Wednesday's Staff Meeting, so please adjust your calendars.  We have STAAR Security Training embedded in this meeting so that we do not have to host it on another day after school.  If you have not turned in your two grade level character names, please get those to Chantel before you go home on Friday.  Please leave once all learners are safely dismissed!

DID YOU KNOW:

• that Specials is also putting work in Bulb for Open House, too?  Please make sure your new learners have their Bulb accounts set up so that items can be easily uploaded in their next Specials rotation.  Reach out to your DLCs for help if you need it!
• Copppell's Earthfest is scheduled for April 18 from 10:00-12:00 pm.  If you are interested in hosting a booth, the registration form is here.  
• Coppell ISD has two pop-up parties planned?  One is on Feb 27, from 6:00-7:00 at JC's Burger Bar, and April 30 is one, at the Sound, from 6:00-8:00?  Mark your calendars if you want to attend.
• Laura will be hosting a 4/5 running club after school starting March 17th?  Please share this flyer with your parents.  It is open to the first 8 runners.

FABULOUS FRIDAYS IN FEBRUARY

All items in the lounge fridge on the right have been moved to the left fridge.  The fridge on the right is stocked (and ready for you) to snack on during the day on Friday.  Don't forget to check out the freezer, too!  Happy Fabulous Friday in February from your Admin Team!  

TELPAS UPDATE

TELPAS online testing will be starting on Monday.  We will start with reading.  Claudia and Stormy will be coming to your class to get your learners.  Here is the schedule if you need a reminder of the days that your learners are testing.  We will be doing the online testing in the Design and Create rooms.  Stephanie and Priscilla will be pushing into your houses for those classes.  We will only be testing in the mornings. 

DESIGN DAYS

Thank you, in advance, for your participation during your House design time. I prioritize funds  for this time together because I value great teaching and  group collaboration.  Please participate in your morning duty (if you have one) and be in the large conference room ready to work at 7:45.  DLCs will be present, as well as your Admin Team and Specialists.  Please come prepared by reviewing your Scope and Sequence for the last 9 weeks BEFORE your Design Day.  We are looking for lesson design that utilizes CBL and vertical collaboration.    

REMINDER

When you have a learner move, please bring the iPad to the LIBRARY with a note that has the learner's name and that it is being checked in.  Natalie will put in a ticket and have the device wiped.  Then we can push the device back out to a learner who is waiting for an iPad.  Thank you for your help!

ART SHOW ART
Parents can pre-order their art before the Art Showcase at Open House.  Please share this flyer with them.

POSITIVE PHONE CALLS
Part of Domain 4.4 in TTESS is "contacting parents regarding students' academic and social/emotional growth through various methods."  The difference between Proficient and Accomplished is Proficient = "regularly contacts," Accomplished = "systemically contacts."  It is a great time to consider documenting and making a positive call home to each learner in your class.  It will pay HUGE dividends with your parents AND learners!

WORLD READ ALOUD DAY

Please share with your famiLEEs so that they can plan ahead for Monday, March 2.

CISD FOCUSED WALKTHROUGH

We will give feedback on Domain 2 Dimension 1:  Achieving Expectations.  We will be looking for evidence that your learners have mastered content and are held to high levels of accountability for their learning.  This looks like self-assessing, reflecting on menu work or assignments, posting to Schoology or SeeSaw, etc. 

ESL THIS WEEK

Allow time for free reading:  Free reading is the best way for our students to become better readers.  Read more.  Read, read, read.  When we assign students what they must read, they usually don't want to read it and many of them don't read it.  But, if we give them choice in their reading, and the time to read, it becomes less constraining.  We can't rely on letting students read at home.  That won't always happen and we can't control what happens at home.  But what we can control is creating an environment where reading is pleasurable and inviting.  We can provide daily time for our students to read. 

DATES TO REMEMBER:
Feb 24- Go Red Shirt and Jeans
     Blue House Design Day (AM)
Feb 25- Stormi's Birthday
     Green House Day (AM)
Feb 26- House Shirt and Jeans
     Purple House Design Day (AM)
     Staff Mtg. (3:30-5:00 Green House- All Staff must attend until 5:00)
Feb 27- Red House Design Day (AM)
     Spurs Savings
     Lee Learning Walk (8:00)
     Kinder Coppell Kids Dentist Visit (8:30)
     Tour (9:00)
Feb 28- 3rd Grade Economics Fair
     Yellow House Design Day (AM)
     Tour (9:30-11:00)
March 2- Read Across America Day
     Fun Run Teacher Huddle at 3:30 (will try to move to 3:15)

Week of February 17, 2020

Thank you for a loveLEE Lunch and Learn yesterday.  I appreciate you sharing where you are with personalizing instruction and letting Rubin ask some thick questions. Enjoy feeling the love today from your learners and parents.  Don't forget we have an adjusted schedule today.  We hope you will enjoy your professional learning on Friday and  the LOOOONG weekend.  THANK YOU to the group of you that will help to present on Friday.  I'm so proud of the number of learner leaders that we have at Lee Elementary!

DID YOU KNOW:

• some of our building is STILL having issues with wireless connectivity?  Please let me know, HERE, if you are still having issues so we can get them fixed!
• that we have secured 1/2 day AM subs for House Design Days the last week of February? M- Blue, T- Green, W- Purple, TH- Red, and F- Yellow.
• that we need two names from each grade emailed to CK by next Thursday?  These learners will get to be honored as a student of character at the new ballpark on April 24.
• CISD has already planned June 24 and June 25 for summer professional learning days?  You will be able to earn flex credit for 2020-2021 by attending and content will be SEL and Technology.
• CISD has asked for a minimum of 2 artifacts per content area to included in each learner's digital portfolio for the Spring?  Art, Music, and PE also have a minimum of 2 artifacts per grade level per content area in each learner's digital portfolio. 

FABULOUS FRIDAYS IN FEBRUARY
We will Fill the Fridge on Friday with healthy and unhealthy snacks (because CK eats like a teenager) and drinks.  Please stop by and help yourself to items in the fridge that is labeled.

RED AND BLACK SUPER STARS
Please nominate learners for our 3rd 9 weeks Education Foundation Super Star Awards.  We want to have at least one representtaive for each grade level.  Nominations are due by Feb 21.  Here is the nomination form.


YEARBOOKS
It is not too early to reserve this year's yearbook!  Don't miss out on all the events happening at Richard J. Lee Elementary.  Pre-order your yearbook today at ybpay.lifetouch.com using our school's Yearbook D Code 13015820.  Not sure if you have pre-ordered?  Click here to view your order history for the 2019-2020 school year.


PONYTAIL CLUB
Are you interested in making a difference by donating your hair?  Ponytails will be donated to Locks of Love.  Their mission is to return a sense of self confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails to provide the highest quality hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children free of charge.  If you would like to make a difference, please complete this form to register.

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
It is the time of the year when learners are needing to be reminded about digital citizenship.  Feel free to get set up in the CISD Empowered Citizens Schoology course.  The course has mini lessons and resources for you that can be used in your classroom and implemented into lesson design as you create lessons.  The course code is: ZMRFK-SQ3P3 and you can find the lessons in the Discovery Library under the "Let's Get Started" folder.

CISD FOCUSED WALKTHROUGH

This week we start a new focus for our walkthroughs.  We will give feedback on Domain 2 Dimension 1:  Achieving Expectations.  We will be looking for evidence that your learners have mastered content and are held to high levels of accountability for their learning.  This looks like self-assessing, reflecting on menu work or assignments, posting to Schoology or SeeSaw, etc. 

ESL THIS WEEK

Chunk academic reading materials- No matter what subject you teach, there are probably reading materials that students must read. When text is lengthy, this can pose a comprehension problem for some ELs who are still processing and translating the English language. One way to alleviate this is to chunk the reading material. This means break it down into smaller pieces. ELs will still read the same text, but in between you might give stopping points to talk or sketch meaning.

DATES TO REMEMBER:
Feb 17- Bad Weather Day
Feb 18- Ed Foundation Shirt with Jeans
     TELPAS Calibration Retaks (3:30)
Feb 19- School Shirt and Jeans
     Leadership Meeting (3:30 Lounge)
Feb 20- Spurs Savings
Feb 21- Ed Foundation and Citizen Names Due
     LEEdership Mtg. (8:00)
     Tour (9:00)

Week of February 10, 2020

Happy Friday!  We are so grateful for each and every one of you and how you take care of one another.  Please have a lovely weekend and take time to take care of YOU!

DID YOU KNOW:

• if you sign the It's Time Texas teacher pledge and follow one of the three *'s, you can wear warm ups on Wednesday?
• that our sinks in the lounge do not have disposals?  Please be courteous and and leave a clean sink for those that come after you.
• we have recommended Deepa Devaiah to CISD as a permanent member of our FamiLEE?  She will be the new special education paraprofessional in Practical Academics!  YAY! 
• we will have house design days the last week in February?  Stay tuned as we secure subs for your assigned morning to design together!

TO DO

Please check in Strive and make sure that you have viewed all of your walkthroughs and electronically signed your 3 T-TESS documents.


SOUPER BOWL
We are excited to have a warm lunch tomorrow.  Please bring a soup ladle because we will not have enough for each crock pot.  There will be a place to label your soup is and slips to vote on.  HAVE FUN!

LEEDERSHIP COUNCIL SALE TOMORROW

BOOK FAIR

Did you know that all profits earned through the Book Fair go back to our campus library fund?  Please talk up this event to learners and parents so we can have the most successful fair YET!  I am requesting that you do not send more than two learners at a time (from each classroom) to shop.  We want to make sure it is manageable for our volunteers.  Sending all of your shoppers at the beginning/end of the day or all house shoppers at recess is not recommended.  Please create a sign up in your space and send them throughout the day.  Please let parents know that the Book Fair will be open from 6:00-8:00 on Tuesday evening for late shopping.  Dads Club will sponsor Breakfast with Books from 7:10-7:40 on Wednesday morning.  

LUNCH AND LEARN

We will be hosting a Lunch and Learn on Wednesday with some special guests from Apple in our Teacher's Lounge during your lunch time.  We will provide pizza and salad from iFratelli as our guests review the Personalized Learning Chapter from the Elements of Learning Book.  Please download the book on your iPad and bring it to the lounge for Lunch and Learn time.  

VALENTINES DAY

Please look at the Winter/Valentine Party tab for the Thursday's schedule and communicate any changes to your lunch time to your parents. Purple House- THANK YOU for eating lunch in your house so that the floor can be swept and ready for the campus to view the PTO program, in the cafe.  We will start calling you down at 1:00.  Also, please communicate to your parents that our busses and cars need to be able to pick up learners safely at dismissal, therefore, they should only park in parking spaces and along Chaparral Waters Way and Stampede.  

TELPAS 

To complete the TELPAS online basic course please go to the following site:

TELPAS Online Training Center

Security training modules:

Module 1: Active Monitoring

Module 2: Distribution of Materials

Module 3: Proper Handling of Secure Test Materials

If you are new to the district you must complete all 3.  If you were in CISD last year you only have to complete Module 1. ALL are due February 12 in order to be able to calibrate that afternoon.  

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAY

ENJOY your social emotional professional learning day on Friday.  Thank you to Leigh Ann, Julie, April, Stormi, and Megan S for hosting learning sessions!

PONYTAIL CLUB

Are you interested in making a difference by donating your hair?  Ponytails will be donated to Locks of Love. Their mission is to return a sense of self confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails to provide the highest quality hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children free of charge.  If you'd like to make a difference, please complete this form to register: tinyurl.com/RJLponytail

CISD FOCUSED WALKTHROUGH

This week we start a new focus for our walkthroughs.  We will give feedback on Domain 2 Dimension 1:  Achieving Expectations.  We will be looking for evidence that your learners have mastered content and are held to high levels of accountability for their learning.  This looks like self-assessing, reflecting on menu work or assignments, posting to Schoology or SeeSaw, etc. 

ESL THIS WEEK

Assess Understanding- Check to see if students understand the lesson or directions before it is too late.  Setting students up for success is key.  If we want them to do well, we have to prepare them and check along the way to see if they are on track.  Some call this incremental evaluation.  There are so many ways to do this.  It can be asking students to retell directions to a partner or having partners hold an academic conversation as you walk around and listen in.  When there is a written product, check in with ELs midway to see their progress.  This will help to catch problems or errors in advance or the product being turned in for a grade.  If done correctly, these meetings can also be wonderful ways to build relationships with ELs.

DATES TO REMEMBER:
Feb 10-  GO RED Shirt and Jeans
     RtI Meetings
     Spring Book Fair
     Progress Report Grades Due
Feb 11- Green House Music Performance (8:10 and 6:30 Cafe)
     Mentor/Mentee Meeting (3:30)
     Book Fair Open Late (6:00-8:00)
Feb 12- Convocation Shirt and Jeans
     Breakfast and Books (7:10-7:40 Media Center)
     Apple Research Team visits Lee all day
     Lunch and Learn (10:00-1:00)
     Staff Meeting (3:30-Yellow Space) TELPAS CALIBRATION
Feb 13- Send home Progress Reports
     Spurs Savings (7:20-7:40 Cafe)
     PTO Performance (1:00 Cafe)
     Valentine Parties (2:00 Spaces)
Feb 14- Professional Learning
Feb 15- Ameira's Birthday
     Bethany's Birthday
Feb 17- NO SCHOOL

Week of February 3, 2020

Happy Friday, sweet ladies.  What a great week spreading and celebrating kindness throughout our lives.  I am reminded, daily, what a blessing it is to be at Lee Elementary with each of YOU!  Hearing you champion each other and your learners, as well as support and love one another communicates what a special group we have.  THANK YOU for being YOU!  Please leave when learners are safely dismissed, tomorrow, and enjoy your weekend.  You are loved!

DID YOU KNOW:

• CISD participates in the It's Time Texas Community Challenge through March 1st?  If you sign up or re-register (because you are already a member) to participate in the 2020 challenge, you can wear warm ups with your college shirt this Wednesday.   
• the Kosakar Family (Green House) will be providing a THANK YOU breakfast for our staff on Friday morning?  Stop by the lounge before school as you drop off your crock pots of soup!
• PTO needs your contribution of photos for the yearbook?  Please at AT LEAST ONE high quality photo in the folder for your house, please.  LINK HERE

COLLEGE SHIRT DAY

FED EX

Enjoy your one hour, on Wednesday, where you learn about a topic of YOUR choice related to YOUR goals, and earn flex credit for it.  This is a time for learning.  DLCs will not be on campus this Fed Ex since they are at TCEA.  Please complete this form at the conclusion of your learning session on Wednesday.  The form will open at 4:30. 

SPRING BOOK FAIR

Parents can still sign up to volunteer at our Spring Book Fair here.  Don't forget to fill out your wishlists and take your learners for your preview time.

FABULOUS FRIDAYS IN FEBRUARY
Your admin team wants to communicate how loved you are! We are hosting Fabulous Fridays in February to show you and can't wait for everyone to join in. 

SOUPER BOWL
We hope you will participate in our first Friday event during Fabulous Fridays in February.  In honor of this Sunday's game, we will host our second annual SOUPer bowl in the lounge.  We ask that you bring a crock pot of your favorite soup.  The office will provide bowls and spoons. There will be sampling, voting, and a "trophy" for the top three favorites.

NATIONAL GO RED DAY

Wear something RED with your jeans on Friday, Feb 7.  Please tweet out pictures of you, your learners, and teammates to #lifeiswhy and #coppellgored

PONYTAIL CLUB

Are you interested in making a difference by donating your hair?  Ponytails will be donated to Locks of Love. Their mission is to return a sense of self confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails to provide the highest quality hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children free of charge.  If you'd like to make a difference, please complete this form to register: tinyurl.com/RJLponytail

WEEKLY WALKTHROUGH FOCUS
For our focused walkthroughs we will be focusing on Domain 2 Dimension 2 Content Knowledge and Expertise.  We will be looking for things like cross curricular connections, strategies to avoid learning pitfalls, learners analyzing, creating and evaluating, and learner-directed learning.

ESL TIP THIS WEEK

REPEAT OR REPHRASE INSTRUCTIONS: be careful not to assume that everyone understands your directions.  Many students (including ELs) will be reluctant to say in front of their peers that they don't understand.  Avoid asking, "Does everyone understand?"  It's not typical for anyone to respond, "No, I don't understand."  Instead try gauging understanding by asking questions or having student retell the directions to a partner.  Then listen in so you can clear up misconceptions by rephrasing the directions.  Sometimes repeating is not enough.  If they don't understand, then repeating will not work, but perhaps rephrasing will.  Try it a different way. 

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

DATES TO REMEMBER:
iStation ISIP needs to be administered- review data with learners
Feb 3-Go Red Shirt with Jeans
Feb 4- Education Foundation Shirt with Jeans
     PTO Mtg. (6:30 Cafe)
Feb 5- College Shirt with Jeans
     World Read Aloud Day
     Fed Ex Day (3:30 -4:30)
Feb 6- Book Fair Preview
Feb 7- National Go Red Day
     LEEdership Council Mtg. (am)
     Book Fair Preview
     LEEdership Council Smelly Pencil Sale (recess)
     Souper Bowl at Lunchtime