Week of November 2, 2020

Thank you for talking up our fun and memorable Book Character Parade! Each year we are impressed with the number of participants and the genius costume ideas that emerge. What an amazing week on Twitter for Lee Elementary.  You all do such a fabulous job of telling our story to all and making Red Ribbon week so much FUN.  Thank you to those of you that can make the parade at 5:00 tonight.  Your kids will LOVE seeing you!  Have a fabulous fall weekend and enjoy things that make you happy!

DID YOU KNOW:

• our PTO meeting will be on MONDAY night instead of TUESDAY night due to Election Day?  Please remember not to share our meeting information on social media.  I will send an email to forward to parents on Monday morning.
• that free breakfast and lunch for face to face learners will go through the last day of school, now?  Please encourage your face to face learners to get a meal.
• some pictures on Twitter are showing learner first and last names?  Please be careful to cover those before posting.  I have accidentally done it, too, but we have to maintain learner safety.
• your Vivatek boards do not turn off on their own? Please power these off before leaving each day. 
• that CISD has opened up some self-paced learning opportunities focusing on designing in Schoology and our district provided resources?  Check out the October Professional Learning Folder, if you are interested.  Flex credit will be provided.

STORYBOOK PARADE

Please share this map with your FamiLEEs one more time.  We changed "Halloween" to Story Book Character for those that do not celebrate Halloween.  At 9:00, please line your learners up on a dot downstairs.  We will walk around the outside of the media center when the music starts, until it ends.  For the evening parade, please be lined up along the front drive (six feet apart) by 4:45.

COLLEGE SHIRT DAY

Can't wait to see everyone sporting their college gear on Wednesday!

WRITE A CHECK

OOPS- THIS WEEK is our final week for our Write a Check campaign.  Good luck, and thank you for pumping this up with your learners!  We are heading towards our goal of $10,000 with your help.  

PANORAMA SURVEY FOR THIRD -> FIFTH GRADE

3-5 Designers, please add in your plans 30 mins to walk ALL of your learners through the Panorama survey this week.  I will be asking this take place during one of your SEL ZOOMs, not a content zoom.  I have to turn in a Google doc to Angie that you and your learners have completed your surveys, so please email me once you have hosted this meeting with your class, led them through each question of the survey, and posted your recording.  We will give you time at Wednesday's staff meeting to complete the educator survey.  Learners will log in here and must enter their student ID number.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

We have SO MUCH TALENT on campus.  Please take time to nominate someone in our building for this incredible honor.   If you need admin to cover your class so you can observe your nominee, to help you better answer the questions, please arrange that with us.  We are happy to help.  Nominations are due by November 6th, and the nomination form can be found here.

In order to be nominated for Teacher of the Year, the teacher must:

• Be certified to teach in Texas public schools
• Have been employed in Coppell schools for a minimum of three years (that means he/she must have completed three years in CISD)
• Be a classroom teacher (including PE, art, music, special education, literacy, etc.)
• Plan to continue teaching in Coppell ISD through the 2020-2021 school year

CIP
The 2020-2021 Campus Improvement Plan can be found here. Each quarter this document should be reviewed and updated.  Leadership, please download the PDF into Noteability, review it, and annotate it with your grade.  Please forward your annotated copy to Leigh Ann by November 13.

COACH'S CORNER

There’s so much going on in a face to face classroom right now. Mrs. Kastrounis mentioned utilizing Apple Classroom and that is such a great use of the app. You might have explored it and realized that you cannot cluster your learners. Follow these steps and you should be able to customize your Apple Classroom. Let me know if you need support.  

Here are some tips for virtual teaching:

1. Virtual teaching takes time and preparation

2. Familiarize yourself with the virtual content

3. Do not try to recreate your typical classroom curriculum

4. Communicate 

5. Easy navigation is a must

6. Assignments will take longer

7. Build a strong online community

8. Always answer questions

9. Live teaching with care

10. Ask for feedback

[TIPS FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING]

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Here are 5 tips for a positive virtual learning experience.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Week of November 2 - November 9- Panorama Window Open

Week of November 2 - November 6- Last Week for WAC

Nov 1- Daylight Savings Time

Nov 2- PTO Meeting (6:00 Virtual) On Monday due to Election Day Tuesday

Nov 3- Ed Foundation t-shirt with Jeans

     Election Day

     Father of Texas Day

Nov 4- College Shirt Day

     Curbside Pick Up (11:00-1:00)

     Staff Meeting (3:15-4:45)

Nov 6- Teacher of the Year Nominations Due

     Have your learner Panorama Surveys done

Week of October 26, 2020

YOU DID IT!  YOU CRUSHED IT AGAIN THIS WEEK!  We are so incredibly in awe of what you do and how you do it being a pandemic educator.  I sincerely thank those of you that stepped up in big ways this week to attend or support our first round of HB3 training for Kinder and First grades.  I also thank you for being learners and learning through play on the new Vivitek boards.  Lastly, thank you for loving on and lifting our staff members who are going through so much outside of school.  Your kindness and sensitivity are evidence of our school living out CISD's Core Values.  I'm one lucky principal to lead with you all!

DID YOU KNOW:

• our PTO wants to make sure you have a lunch you enjoy during December to Remember? Please complete this form and share your preference by 10/23.  If you have any dietary restrictions, please send them to leeptocoppell@gmail.com,
• we had a safety audit and only 90% of our staff had their badges on?  Please remember that the expectation in CISD is to wear your badges everyday.  This is an easy area for us to improve in.  KUDOs for the great job of having all of the doors closed and asking about strangers in the building.
• Apple Classroom is a super way to monitor what your in-person learners are doing on their devices during the day?  If you need help putting this into practice, or need to refresh, reach out to Leigh Ann our a DLC.  Let's put this into practice F2F Designers!
• there is a new, single, sign on for SmartFind?  When you log into SmartFind, click the word "Microsoft" next to the icon at the bottom of the page and you should be automatically signed in.  

CIP
The 2020-2021 Campus Improvement Plan can be found here. Each quarter this document should be reviewed and updated.  Leadership, please download the PDF into Noteability, review it, and annotate it with your grade.  Please forward your annotated copy to Leigh Ann by November 13.

WRITE A CHECK

It is our final week for our Write a Check campaign.  Good luck, and thank you for pumping this up with your learners! 

RED RIBBON WEEK

Red Ribbon week is here!  Please encourage your FamiLEEs to participate and support being Drug Free!  We look forward to your participation, too.  Please share virtual and face to face photos on Twitter.

  

BOOK CHARACTER PARADE

Our Book Character parade is on Friday.  We can't wait to see our FamiLEEs driving through and our learners showing us their costumes and books.  Please share the attached invitation and parade route with your parents.   

 

OCTOBER IS DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH

For kids with dyslexia, reading can be challenging. Spelling and writing can be challenging too. What classroom accommodations help level the playing field for students with dyslexia? Here’s a look at some of the supports teachers can use to help students who struggle with reading, spelling, and writing. Don’t forget, your learner with dyslexia has a service plan already in place with accommodations that are found to be helpful for them. Please review this service plan to ensure you are familiar with their specific accommodations. If you have questions or concerns, reach out to LA or Melissa.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

It's time to nominate a new Lee Teacher of the Year.  Sorry, Sam!!  Please take time to nominate one of the MANY talented people in our building for this honor.  Nominations are due by November 6th, and the nomination form can be found here.

In order to be nominated for Teacher of the Year, the teacher must:

• Be certified to teach in Texas public schools
• Have been employed in Coppell schools for a minimum of three years (that means he/she must have completed three years in CISD)
• Be a classroom teacher (including PE, art, music, special education, literacy, etc.)
• Plan to continue teaching in Coppell ISD through the 2020-2021 school year

TTESS:
We have scheduled formal TTESS pre-conferences for half of our staff.  If you did not get a calendar invite yet, you will.  We have only scheduled with those currently teaching face to face.  We KNOW these observations are going to look and feel differently this year, so PLEASE place your worries aside.  Grace WILL be provided!

[PROVIDE VISUAL SUPPORTS]

COACH'S CORNER

When you are trying to learn something new, do you prefer a video or text? A majority will learn better with the first option. Visuals appeal more to curious and intuitive minds. Here are six advantages of visual aids:

1. They help store information longer.

2. They make communication quicker and simpler. 

3. They aid with better comprehension.

4. They act as stimulators for emotions. 

5. They drive motivation.

6. Suitable Visuals equal happy learners.

[WHAT ARE ELPs?]

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

The English Language Proficiency Standards outline the PLDs and expectations for ELs. Click here to learn more.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Week of October 26- Red Ribbon Week

Oct 26- Wear red and sunglasses

Oct 27- Ed Foundation t-shirt w/exercise clothes or your favorite jersey

Oct 28- House t-shirt w/Jeans or pajamas

     Curbside Pick Up (11:00-1:00)

Oct 29- Wear a hat

     Elementary iPad Exchange (1:00 Media Center- look at calendar notes to see if it applies to your K-2 learner)

Oct 30- Wear clothes backwards or your StoryBook costume

     Jessica's Birthday

     Story Book Parade (5:00)

Week of October 19, 2020

Boy this shortened week has sped by!  Thank you for the beautiful week you gave our newest face to face learners and virtual learners.   We see your intentionality and hard work and are so grateful for you.  Great job with your report cards and personalized comments.  Customizing this feedback takes extra effort and is why you are the incredible group you are! We are grateful for your flexibility with the Vivatek installs this week and can't wait to get you support for using them.  Please disconnect from school and enjoy the fall weather this weekend.  LOVE YOU ALL!

DID YOU KNOW:

• that now is the time early voting and exercising your voice?  I am happy to cover your class if you need to leave campus to vote (locally).  Please coordinate with me if you need help.
• our PTO wants to make sure you have a lunch you enjoy during December to Remember? Please complete this form and share your preference by 10/23.
• that the Specials Team has created a Mealtrain organizer for Julie?  Here is the link if you feel inclined to participate.
• there are archived videos to help you with your house Vivitek Boards?  If you want to learn more check them out here. Keep in mind these were created with earlier versions of the boards so there may be some new/different features.
• Deepa will be returning to Practical Academics on Monday?  SO EXCITED!

REPORT CARDS

Please include a friendly reminder in your weekly newsletters to make sure your parents know how to access their report cards.  An email will also go out from Leigh Ann, mid-day, with directions for accessing Home Access Center.  Remember, if you have learners below a 70, or who have IPS's, that you are required to offer tutoring.  We will pay you $25 an hour for tutoring your learners before or after contract hours.

CONGRATULATIONS

Join us before Wednesday's staff meeting to celebrate Hannah's marriage.  Thank you Social Spurs for organizing this event!  We will meet virtually, afterwards, for some updates from Natalie.

WRITE A CHECK
Write a Check continues this week.  This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, so it is imperative that you talk up this three week event with our learners so their parents will participate.  Thank you, May, for being our PTO WAC rep!

RED RIBBON WEEK

Red Ribbon week is in two weeks, so please share this communication starting this week so parents can be prepared for our spirit days.  Thank you, Angela, for organizing. 

  

SAVE THE DATE

We are excited to host our Book Character parade in a new way this year.  Thank you to our third grader, Charlotte, for helping to bring virtual and face to face learners together for some fun at the end of the month.

 

OCTOBER IS DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH

Does the brain of a child with dyslexia work differently than other kids’ brains? See how the brain function of a child with dyslexia can actually change when they learn to read using a multi-sensory approach. 

 

• Dyslexia involves trouble connecting the sounds that make up words with the letters that represent those sounds.
• Reading is complicated! Reading uses different parts of the brain to sound out unfamiliar words, recognize familiar words by sight and to think about how to pronounce the words. 
• When we learn, our brains change! Even adults with dyslexia can change their brains to become better readers!

[20 CREATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS]

COACH'S CORNER
You can find 30 creative activities for kids on this Activity Board. The whole board might be much for younger learners. Maybe you would be interested in sharing a card or two. This folder has 30 individual cards that you could share out with learners based on your needs. Can’t wait to see the creativity.

[WHAT ARE PLDs?]

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

The English Language Proficiency Standards outline the PLDs and expectations for ELs.  Click here to learn more. 

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Week of October 19- National School Bus Safety Week

Oct 19- L'Oreal's Birthday

Oct 20- Cohort A HB3 Training

     Ed Foundation t-shirt with Jeans

Oct 21- Cohort A HB3 Training

     Convocation t-shirt with Jeans

     Curbside Pick-Up 11:00-1:00

     Hannah's Bridal Shower (3:15)

     Staff Meeting (3:30-4:45)

Oct 22- Cohort B HB3 Training

Oct 23- Cohort B HB3 Training      

RED RIBBON WEEK IS ONE WEEK AWAY! 

Week of October 12, 2020

YOU DID IT!  It is already the end of our first 9 weeks and I couldn't be prouder of the jobs you have done.  To celebrate, Admin will be providing a boxed lunch from MacAlisters, for each of you, on Tuesday.  Please complete this Google Form before noon on Friday so that we are prepared for your lunch times on Tuesday.  Enjoy the looooong weekend!  

I will be on campus, by 10:00 tomorrow, with a special announcement- so be READY!!!!

DID YOU KNOW:

• Vivatek boards will be delivered on Monday and install will start on Tuesday?  If you have fabric or paper on the wall where your board is being installed, please take it down, immediately, so it is ready for Tuesday.
• MAP reports will go to parents the week of October 19?  The district will be providing a video to share with parents on how to read the reports.

SCAVENGER "HUNT"

THANK YOU for the punny ways you participated in the Hunt for Hunt!  FUN at work is imperative!

TO DOS FOR TUESDAY

• review the campus Zoom schedule (not attached for security) and make sure it is updated before Tuesday morning
• make contact with new face to face families, learn how they are going home and update our document (2nd tab)
• pick up supply bags for Specials, name badges, and car tags (if needed) from the front office
• Specials, please help greet in the morning to make sure our new learners know where to go for class

REPORT CARDS

A friendly reminder to make sure that comments are positive and personalized on your report cards.  Don't write a paragraph, but a couple/few sentences that show you know the learner should be sufficient. Report cards grades will be uploaded at 8:00 on TUESDAY.  If you have any learners with >5 tardies or >5 absences, it is a best practice to touch base with the parent and Leigh Ann to express your concern.

WRITE A CHECK
Write a Check starts this week.  This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, so it is imperative that you talk up this three week event with our learners so their parents will participate.  

LEEDERSHIP COUNCIL

Please make time for your learners to present their speeches and be sure to complete this Google Form to communicate who your members are by Friday. 

ZOOM ENGAGEMENT

Looking for a way to amp up individual engagement while on Zoom?  Check out how Layne used eSchool pictures in Keynote to create a class whiteboard where learners can annotate to show what they know while with her on Zoom.  Pretty cool!

  

SAVE THE DATE

We are excited to host our Book Character parade in a new way this year.  Thank you to our third grader, Charlotte, for helping to bring virtual and face to face learners together for some fun at the end of the month.

 

THANKSGIVING BASKETS

Every year St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Coppell provides Thanksgiving baskets with supplies to cook a turkey a dinner to those in need. If you could benefit from this assistance, please click on the link below and fill out the Google form as accurately as possible. By completing this form you understand this information will be shared with St. Ann’s Catholic Church for distribution of your basket. Please fill out this form no later than October 20th. Thank you!

VALLEY RANCH BAPTIST CHRISTMAS STORE

This program provides families with the opportunity to pick out 2 toys/gifts for each child plus socks, underwear and a t-shirt.  Each family will also receive a Walmart gift card to help purchase groceries for the holidays.  Please contact bdorn@coppellisd.com for registration on October 11 and 14.  

OCTOBER IS DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH
Want to learn more about Dyslexia?  Have learners identified with Dyslexia and need more information? Want to earn Flex hours credit?  Schoology has 2 courses about dyslexia specifically for the classroom educator.  

Name of Course:  Dyslexia Training & Resources: For the Classroom Educator

Access Code: JBSVB-5D89J

1 Flex hour

 

Name of Course: Texas Identification Dyslexia Academy: Dyslexia Foundations

Access Code: JBSVB-5D89J

3 Flex hours

(wear red on Thursday to show support)

COACH'S CORNER
I absolutely LOVE this Ted Talks Education Video.  The message is so true that every child needs an advocate.  This year for the first time, I looked at it from an adult point of view.  EVERY ADULT needs a champion too.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  While you watch it, think about the kids you have impacted.

[PROVIDE VISUAL SUPPORTS]

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK
Visual supports can be sketches that you create yourself on the fly or they can be google images that you pull up on a device when you realize that student needs to see what you are discussing.  Visuals also include real objects (realia) that you or students bring in to support vocabulary and concept development.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Oct 11- Aisha's Birthday

     Kristina's Birthday

NATIONAL SCHOOL LUCH WEEK

PTO WRITE A CHECK BEGINS

Oct 12- NO SCHOOL

     Shanna's Birthday

Oct 13- 5th grade iPad Swap

     Report Card grades and comments due

Oct 14- 5th grade iPad Swap

     House shirt and Jeans 

     HR Appreciation Day

     HB3 Meetings during Kinder & 1st Conference Time

     Library Curbside Pick Up (11:00-1:00)

     Lee Flu Clinic (1:00)

     Leadership Mtg. (3:15)

Oct 15- 5th grade iPad Swap

     Wear Red for Dyslexia Day

Oct 16-  Report Card Day

     Alex's Birthday

     National Educational Bosses Day

Oct 17- Hannah J's Birthday

RED RIBBON WEEK IS TWO WEEKS AWAY! 

Week of October 5, 2020

Think about physical training...it leads to better physical health.  Even in small doses it leads to better physical health.  The same goes with mental challenges.  When you overcome a small mental puzzle, it increases your mental health.  So think about all you have overcome these first few weeks of school.  It may not feel like it, but YOU ARE GETTING BETTER.  It is getting better and you have figured out things you never thought were possible which will lead to continued improvement of your brain and how you feel about life.  Things are going to get better because you are stronger.  Please know you are not alone in your feelings and thoughts and I SEE all that you are doing on a daily basis.  

DID YOU KNOW:

• that today, October 1, is the first day that all learners have access to free breakfast and lunch when they are on campus?  Please be mindful that this is an option and encourage them to join the lunch line and try the food.
• that our fifth graders will be getting new iPads with keyboards and pencils?  Elementary campuses will swap iPads October 13-15.  Technology will start with in-person 5th graders on October 13th and 14th.  Drive-thru appointments for remote learners will start on October 14 and will take place at the CISD Service Center. 
• it is almost report card time? Please remember that parents should not be surprised with learner performance. You should already have had a conversation, on the phone, by now.
• Vivatek board were scheduled to install starting Monday, October 5? There is at least a one week delay due to some white boards needing replaced before install.  Stay tuned, but know they are coming.  
• Kindergarten, First Grade, ESL, and Samira will participate in HB3 Reading Academies this year?  Please make sure to read your email from Angie Applegate and mark your calendars.
• Natalie has updated her S'more, Ayesha has updated her S'more, Specials has updated their S'more, and Angela has update her S'more?  S'MORE S'MORE S'MORE!
• Mary Kemper has Math universal screeners, progress monitoring, and MORE for Math on her bulb?  

WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION

October is National Bullying Prevention Month and the first Monday of every October is World Day of Bullying Prevention.  On this day students, schools, and communities all over the world go BLUE together against bullying.  Join us to stop bullying and cyberbullying by wearing a blue shirt on Monday.

COLLEGE SHIRT DAY

Encourage learners at home and in school to participate the first Wednesday of each month.

 

COMMITMENT FORMS FOR 2ND 9 WEEKS

Please check out the second tab of our In Person Learners document (previously shared with you.)  This document will update you on the learners who will join us for the 2nd 9 weeks.  We will be up to 104 learners, at this time.  As we cycle through this round of Team Time, we will be working as a grade to make any changes or adjustments for the next grading period.

LEEDERSHIP COUNCIL

It is time that we determine who your LEEdership Council member will be and that our learners participate in the deomocratic process.  A K-5 learner, from each classroom, should be nominated and elected into this position.  Candidates will need to prepare a short speech and may not spend more than $5 on their campaign.  This is an excellent way to practice the voting process, public speaking, and risk-taking.  Participation is also perfect for an election year!  Please remember that those who have already served on LEEdership Council before are tasked with seeing the leadership capacity in others and should not rerun for a position.  (They may need reminding.)  Please complete this Google Form to communicate who your members are by October 16. 

ZOOM

Did you know that 6,000 CISD learners have not consolidated their online Zoom accounts?  How can you tell?  It shows (guest) after their name when you look at your participants.  If you find learners who have not done this, please share these directions with them.  Soon, they will not be permitted in the waiting room. 

UPDATE CAMPUS AND LEARNER IPADS

An update is available for your iPad for iOS14.  If the software is not updated on district iPads, some of the apps that we have purchased may not continue to work properly.  The update is available for if you go to SETTINGS, go to GENERAL, touch SOFTWARE UPDATE, touch DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL.  It will take about 10-20 minutes.  

Your learners need to complete this update, too, because if these updates are not made by Monday, October 19, the device will be locked down until the update is downloaded and installed.  CISD would prefer this update happen, with students, before October 13.

SCAVENGER "HUNT"

Have you seen the huge sign of Dr. Hunt around the building?   If you find him, tweet where he was and find a clever spot for another to find.  Let's have some FUN being on the HUNT for HUNT for one more week! 

  

OCTOBER IS DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH
Each week, this month, Melissa will share videos and information to build our awareness of dyslexia.  You can also follow her on Twitter to see what learners do in their MLI class.  This short clip information on dyslexia.  Also, did you know...Apple has several helpful assistive technology tools for your learners with dyslexia to use on their iPad? Click here for Apple's guide to Accessibility.  Below is a list of options in accessibility that could be helpful:

• Speech- speak selections and Speak Screens
• Highlight content
• Dictation (Click microphone and enable)
• Reader view on Safari
• Color Filter / Invert colors
• Predictive Keyboard

COACH'S CORNER
There are so many ways to assess formatively: entry or exit tickets, low stake quizzes and polls (even on Zoom now), quick checks, interviews (casual chats), or self-assessments.  Have you thought about ART as a formative assessment?  Consider using visual art, photography, or videography as an assessment tool.  Whether learners draw, create a collage, or sculpt, you may find that the assessment helps them synthesize their learning.  You could even think beyond the visual and have kids act out their understanding of the content.

[ASSESSES FORMATIVELY]

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK
GREAT ESL teachers are always assessing their students.  They are listening to their conversations both in social settings and in academic contexts.  These teachers use multiple forms of assessment throughout the day to gauge their instruction and student learning.  They are gathering data to help inform their next steps with their learners. 

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Oct 5- Wear BLUE to support bullying prevention

Oct 6- Harvest in the Garden (9:00)

     PTO Mtg. (6:00)

Oct 7- College Shirt Day

     Curbside PickUp (11:00-1:00)

     Staff Mtg (3:15-4:45)

Oct 9- SCHOOL DAY

Oct 12- NO SCHOOL

RED RIBBON WEEK IS THREE WEEKS AWAY!