Week of August 17, 2020

Thank you for a wonderful week supporting one another and making sure we are ready to go with our virtual learning on Monday.   I am so super proud of what I am seeing in your digital planning documents and the way you continue to "roll" with the hiccups that have presented themselves along the way on these design days.  Please make an effort to come up to school some time on Monday so that we can take your "FIRST DAY" picture of you and present you with a "little something" from Leigh Ann and I. 

DID YOU KNOW:

• there is a cool resource with 33 ways to build virtual learning relationships?  There are some great ideas here!
• we have 3 Khans, 2 Howards, and 2 Hamams on staff?  Please make sure you are careful to email the correct one.
• you will be getting a bag with PPE supplies from Nurse Ameira?  Please read her attached note.  Let us know if there is anything you need that is not provided for you, so we can keep everybody safe.
• when we move to face to face on September 8, upholstered furniture will be "closed" to learners?  We cannot sanitize fabric, so we will have the office make laminated signs to attach to furniture for you.
• Julie's dad passed away this week?  Please lift her and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

MEET THE DESIGNER NIGHT

THANK YOU for making Meet the Teacher Night memorable for our FamiLEEs.  You only get one chance to make a first impression, and I am certain you all WOW'd your audiences.  Great job including me on your communication.  One suggestion would be to also blind copy yourself so that you ensure that your message went out and you can view what your parents view.  Reminder:  ALWAYS proofread what you send home!  

SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND YEARBOOKS

School staff will be delivering pre-ordered school supplies, that were not picked up by 3:00, to your spaces.  Supply packs will have names attached to them so you know who they belong to.  Please store them for the learners until they return to school.  Do you want to help?  Feel free to join our paraprofessionals in the cafe from 12:00-3:00.

SPECIALS UPDATE

Thank you to our Specials Team and Stephanie for getting everything organized and ready for communication for the first two weeks (and beyond).  Here is a screencast from Stephanie (our Design Teacher) and her presentation (you will be forced to make a copy) to help with documents and copies of the schedules to add to your Schoology courses. 

ZOOM CONSENT

Here is the Lee Spreadsheet to check and make sure your learners have completed the ZOOM permission form emailed out to them.  (I have the settings so only CISD staff can view this private information).  If you have learners who do not show permission, here is the link to resend the form out individually.  All learners need to have the form completed. 

Don't forget that YOU have to fill out the 2020-2021 CISD Staff Video Chat Consent, too.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

The first week is about building SOLID and TRUSTING relationships with the children and their famiLEEs.  My expectation for you, this first week, is to ensure that time spent together is SO FUN and EXCITING, that the learners do not want to leave leave your ZOOM rooms. 

Please, by August 28, pick up the phone and call EVERY family. Tell them/leave a message sharing something special about their child.  It will pay huge dividends to take the time to do this!  It is also a TTESS Domain 4 descriptor.  

DRESS EXPECTATIONS

We got an email this week that everyone can wear jeans and sneakers every day through December.  WOW!  We have been told that we can wear this year's CISD Ed Foundation shirt on Tuesdays and our school spirit shirts on Fridays.  In addition to what the district emailed, at Lee, we also wear certain spirit shirts on Wednesdays such as your convocation shirt, your college shirt, your house shirt, your grade shirt.  Please watch the staff calendar and weekly blog for our "Wednesday wear." I request that you be mindful and follow expectations so that we do not have to have an uncomfortable conversation.  I request that your jeans not have rips or holes in them and shirts on Mondays and Thursdays match the district email.

ADMIN  VISITS
Leigh Ann, Angela, and I like to visit with each and every learner/class in the first weeks of school. Please watch your email for a sign up for us to be the ZOOM guests during Weeks 2 and 3.


FIND YOUR MARIGOLDS
Our work is HARD work, but we are surrounded by such AWESOME people here at Lee.  Take a minute to read (or reread for some of you) this passage adapted form Cult of Pedagogy.  Find your "marigolds" at Lee, better yet...be someone's "marigold!"

COACH'S CORNER

(A weekly submission from our talented IC)

Create a Welcoming Environment

The journey through the school year is not a sprint—it's a long walk. I remember my first year of teaching clearly. I was constantly rushing, trying to plan too much, too soon. I ended up doing twice the work I needed to because for every one thing I did, I'd miss two important things and have to start again.

Don't rush into anything too complicated or challenging. Keep everything within your comfort zone. Go slowly that first week of school so you can set up the standards that will guide the rest of the year. Practice them over and over. Let kids get to know each other and, most importantly, get to know you! And find out what makes you comfortable.

(LOOK AT THE BEAUTIFUL CONNECTIONS!!)

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

(A weekly submission from our talented ESL Facilitators)

Create a Welcoming Environment

“The BEST ESL teachers know how to make their students feel safe and valued. They are able to break down the walls of anxiety and fear so students feel ready and eager to learn. These teachers do this by using verbal and nonverbal cues. The way they speak with their students tells them that they are wanted, valued, and loved. These teachers make room for all students.”

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Excellence- to stand out with valuable quality

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

Quickly learn the names of other designers and learners in the school and greet them by name.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

Excellence is never an accident.  It is always the result of High Intention, Sincere Effort, and Skillful Execution" -Aristotle

DATES TO REMEMBER:

August 17- FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

August 19- Convocation Shirt w/ Jeans