We hope you have enjoyed our Charlie Brown themed December to Remember. Have a REMARKABLE TWO WEEKS away from work, sweet staff. We wish you nothing short of the most safe, memorable, and restful break and can't wait to hear about your time away from school!
Congratulations to Emma and Rachel! These first year teachers have done an incredible job with their first classes/roles of their own. With their drive and determination and the help of their mentors, teams, our coaches, and houses they do not look or behave like beginning educators. Kudos to this year's new hires: Vanessa, Amy, Maria, and Mary. You have made it to Christmas! We are so proud of each of you and the journey you are on with us. Thank you, returning staff, for pouring into our newest FamiLEE members the first two nine weeks and helping them along the way! I am a proud principal who is blessed to have a staff that I trust and that "gets" the vision of Lee. Each of you are a huge part in actualizing our guiding purpose. THANK YOU for loving our school, loving our children, loving each other, and loving ME! Leadership Team...WOW! Thank you for being the voice for your grades and houses. Thank you for the support you have given our Admin Team and campus, this year. You continue to grow in immeasurable ways. Please have the BEST last FULL day of 2021 with our children.
- letters for CoGAT and NNAT results go home on THURSDAY? Please send these in backpacks. They will be on your design studio desks.
- we have flood money to spend on furniture for the building? If you have a passion for helping to serve on a campus furniture committee, please email CK before you leave for Winter Break.
- you can set up your automatic replies before you leave for Winter Break? Please make time to go in and set this up before leaving on Friday so you can disconnect for the two weeks.
- the Board approved calendars for the next two years? You can read more, here.
- you only have a few more weeks to get your Go Red shirt? For a link to order your Go Red t-shirt (credit card only) and show your support during the Month of Mondays in February - American Heart Month. Click here for a link to order your Go Red t-shirt (credit card only) and text DHCCOPPELL to 41444.
MOVIE TIME AND PARTY DAY
Please half your houses and start the movie at 12:15. This will make sure we conclude right at PARTY TIME! Parents can set up in enclosed classrooms for the parties until your movies end. Admin will drop off staff "movie boxes" for December to Remember this morning and then will deliver popcorn and cups by noon. Thank you to PTO for providing the REAL movie popcorn and to Leigh Ann and Shanna for picking it ALL up today.
BEFORE LEAVING ON FRIDAY - Please get any items form the fridge by 10:30. The office will be tossing anything "suspect."
- Please, also visit your mailbox before noon. Empty it of all contents. There may be many thank you notes in there. Please make sure these get in learner backpacks.
- Custodial does a deep cleaning of the campus these next two weeks. May I suggest a FRESH START? I ask that you erase as much as you can on your dry erase boards and clean off your counters of clutter so that your room gets cleaned as much as possible. PLEASE take down, send home, and store any holiday displays and decorations before leaving.
- If you have pets, please take them home with you. Pets are not permitted to stay on campus these two weeks.
- Make sure all projectors, computers, digital signage and tv's are turned off before leaving. This includes your Vivatek boards.
- Shared MacBooks should be plugged in and charging in carts.
PARENT VOLUNTEER OPPOTUNITY
Did you know that we have the second highest book circulation in all of CISD? We need parent volunteers to help shelve books in our media center so that our learners can find what they want to read. Sign up here!
504 UPDATE FROM LEIGH ANN`
Accommodations specified on a 504 services plan must be documented by the educator in some way. There is no specific rule that requires the accommodation to be documented in a certain way- rather each educator has the flexibility to set up a system that works best for them. It is reasonable for a parent, OCR and/or TEA to require proof that an accommodation, per the services plan, was in fact provided. A verbal response that the accommodation was provided will not satisfy OCR or TEA. If you have a 504 learner, please complete this Google form as a way to document the accommodations are being provided.
JANUARY 4
This day is a scheduled work day for you. Please plan to be on campus from 8:00-3:30 and work on what YOU need to work on to be ready for the next grading period. You may dress comfortably and you can leave for a one hour lunch.
REMINDERS
Don't forget that grades are due January 5th. Please go into e-school, today, to make sure you are able to enter grades, have all of your learners, etc. so that if Leigh Ann needs to correct anything, it can be done before the holiday. Also, if you enter grades on Tuesday (our work day), please remember that they must be back-dated to a date before December 17th, or they will not save.
Don't forget that grades are due January 5th. Please go into e-school, today, to make sure you are able to enter grades, have all of your learners, etc. so that if Leigh Ann needs to correct anything, it can be done before the holiday. Also, if you enter grades on Tuesday (our work day), please remember that they must be back-dated to a date before December 17th, or they will not save.
iOS15 UPDATE
Please let learners know that they need to update their devices when the red screen comes up on their device over the break. Staff, this includes you, as well.
COLLEGE SHIRT DAY
Encourage learners to participate the first Wednesday of each month.
REVISITING RESPECT AGREEMENTS
Please create new or revisit respect agreements with your classes for the 3rd 9 weeks. Remember there should be FOUR quadrants: Learner to Learner, Learner to Designer, Designer to Learner, and Learner to School. All four quadrants should have 3 to 4 bullets with short phrases (ex: be honest, hands to self, feet off furniture, etc.). Please share updated agreements with Admin so we can update our binder. We use these when learners come down with behavior reflections.
CAMPUS GOAL
Part of our campus goal is digital citizenship. Please review the CISD Learner Digital Orientation Lesson in Schoology for the third time this year. It is imperative we review responsible use for technology and digital footprint. Learners should NEVER erase their history. Learners should also not download apps from Manager without your permission. REMIND THEM OF THIS- Admin and Designers should be checking this periodically to help learners with accountability. With the new iOS15 update to iPads, learners will be able to delete apps. After teaching the review lesson, have learners sign a new Digital Citizenship agreement/poster and post it by your respect agreement. This is required and helps Admin when we visit with learners who make poor technology choices.
#ONEWORD2022
Since opening year, we, as a staff, have come back in January and had a word for the year. Just one word. My first word was INSPIRE, then LEAD, followed by GRATITUDE, KIND, LISTEN, GRACE etc. This year my word is still being decided upon. Your word can be something tangible or intangible. It can be a thought, a feeling, or an action. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This word may not make sense to anyone but you, and that is okay. This is YOUR word! This little word can have big meaning in your life if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities. Sometimes a word will pop into your brain, and it will not make any sense to your right now. Give it some time. Let it percolate a bit. Maybe this is a word you need to hear, but just aren't ready for it yet. Again, be open to the possibilities. Between now and our first
Wednesday's staff meeting, please determine what your #oneword2022 will be. We will have an activity to go along with your word, so come prepared with yours.
COACH'S CORNER
Dear Friends,
I hope that all of you have a wonderful break. Take time to relax and connect with your family and friends. I want to thank all of you for the wonderful texts and emails about my graduation. I have learnt so much from the program and I know I have learnt from so many of you as part of my research and assignments. Thank you for being part of my learning experience.
I am planning to fly out on Friday to Lahore, Pakistan. So look out for those tire marks ;) Super excited about the LONG flight (not), meeting my friends, doing touristy things and shopping. I hope all of you spend your time doing things you LOVE.
Can’t wait to catch up with y’all after the break and learn about your ONE WORD!
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year!! May 2022 bring us joy and peace.
Love,
Samira
Save the Date!
ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK
Embrace and lift up cultural differences
We all have culture. Let’s just get that out there. The thing is that when there are differences in culture we have the choice to ignore them, embrace them or ridicule them. Many people think that ignoring cultural differences is just fine. Actually, it’s not. Cultural blindness is “acting as if cultural differences do not matter” and thinking that everyone learns the same. Our job is to embrace differences and create opportunities to learn from one another. Recognizing that each student brings with him/her unique and valuable assets that can enrich the classroom and tapping into those resources will lift up students.
Dec 19- Ayesha's Birthday
Natalie gets MARRIED!
Dec 20-Jan 3- NO SCHOOL
Dec 30- Deepa’s Birthday
Jan 1- School Board Appreciation Month
Jan 4- Teacher Workday
Jan 5- College Shirt Day
Report Card Grades Due 8:00 AM
Review Digital Citizenship with learners
Staff Meeting (3:15-4:45 All Attend- Ethics Training)
Jan 7- May's Birthday
Send Report Cards Home
