Thursday, March 25, 2021

Week of March 29, 2021

I notice the increased use of the outdoor spaces with the nicer weather.  THANK YOU for continuing to take advantage of ALL of our learning spaces.  YOU ROCK!  You have done an incredible job of managing our higher numbers and changing responsibilities.  Great job covering so teammates can get their vaccinations!  You do an incredible job of modeling what a true team looks and feels like!  I'm feeling very #luckyatlee this week!  Enjoy the four day week coming up!

 

DID YOU KNOW:
  • we are able to start interviewing for positions for the 2021-2022 school year?  If you are planning on leaving Lee next year (not that we want ANY of you to go), please let Chantel know, this week, so that we can start scheduling interviews.
  • Kindergarten enrollment began this week?  If you have FamiLEEs with siblings that will be kindergarteners next year, please share this information.

MENTOR/MENTEES
It is still the district expectation that mentors are meeting with mentees, weekly, and documenting on the Communication Log to be eligible to receive the Mentor stipendThe Communication Logs can be filled in digitally here.  Thank you for spending this meaningful time together.


SHARE IN YOUR NEWSLETTERS
Let's have a great turn out for books from our library!





SCHOOL SUPPLIES
Please review, as a grade level, and make any adjustments.  Once your adjustments are made, change the date on your tab to "Your Grade 2021-2022" so we know you are done.  The total should be as close to $50 as you can get it.  Please have this done by April 1.


YEARBOOK
Please share the graphic with your parents. The grade level that has the most sales will have the opportunity to have lunch together as a whole team. Lunch will be provided. Thank you so much for your support. I know it takes multiple communications to reach out to parents. I appreciate you.

Order your yearbook by MONDAY at ybpay.lifetouch.com, ID 13015821.  Deadline to order is April 5th, 2021.


PTO
PTO is looking for parents to fill open Board positions.  Please share this link with parents to share their interest. 


SUMMATIVES
Here is a link to this year's scheduled EOY summatives.  We have assigned your time and sent calendar invites your way.  All you need to have ready is your completed Bulb that is made public for Leigh Ann and Chantel.  Meet us in the large conference room with your MacBook ready to AirPlay to the tv.  We have 30 minutes with each of you and can't wait for individual time to discuss the year and moving forward into 2021-2022.  


DLC UPDATE
Do you get lost in too many open tabs in Chrome?  Can’t find the site you need when you need it? Taking a ton of time to open your daily sites each day? Creating tab groups might be the solution for you!  Check out this video to learn how!


COACH'S CORNER
There’s something about the fourth nine weeks that gets me excited and thinking about the possibilities of the future. I really connected with Elena Aguilar’s quote from the book Onward. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and find time to be curious.



ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Prior Knowledge

Link new information to prior knowledge. Teachers need to consider what schema ELL students bring to the classroom and to link instruction to the students’ personal, cultural, and world experiences. Teachers also need to know what their students do not know. They must understand how culture impacts learning in their classroom.





DATES TO REMEMBER:
March 30- Education Foundation t-shirt and jeans
March 31- House t-shirt and jeans
     Alli's Baby Shower (3:05-3:30 Lounge)
     Staff Meeting (3:30-4:45 STAAR Training)
April 1- School Supply lists due to PTO
     School Library Month
     National Autism Awareness Month
     Child Abuse Prevention Month
April 2- Bad Weather Day
April 5- NO SCHOOL

Thursday, March 11, 2021

Week of March 22, 2021

You made it to Spring Break!  WAHOO!  Please enjoy taking time for yourself over the week.  Sleep in.  Read a book.  Binge watch some TV.  Do what makes YOU happy!  Thank you for the creative ways you have shown appreciation to the grade levels here before we depart.  This is part of what makes our Lee Staff so special.  And...although they were welcome hosts, there is NO PLACE LIKE HOME! 

Remember, all of you will host your three virtual lessons on Monday, when we return.  Please use the remainder of Monday to set up your spaces for learners and get ahead in planning lessons for the last nine weeks.  This is a true gift of time from CISD!


DID YOU KNOW:
  • you have permission to leave at 12:45 on Friday?  Please do not leave if there are any learners still on campus.  Also,  please make sure that rooms are set up to match the way you found them.  Hourly employees, make sure you have enough comp time to make up for the hours you will leave early.
  • that you still need to contact me over Spring Break if you are at risk of COVID?
  • I need to know if you are traveling internationally during Spring Break?  You must follow CDC Guidelines for quarantining when you return.  
  • that one of our learners won an Art Contest at the CISD Service Center?  Congratulations to Jessica and Anjali (Y5). Honorable mention goes to Jhanvi Pillai.
  • report cards will go home electronically on Friday?  THANK YOU for getting your grades and personalized comments submitted on Tuesday.  Thank you, Leigh Ann, for all of your behind the scenes efforts.

PAJAMA DAY
In celebration of the conclusion of our sleepover, VRE Staff and Learners invite Lee Staff and Learners to participate in pajama day on Friday, March 12.   Please let your parents know.  SORRY for the last minute notice. 


EARLY RELEASE
Please remind parents that school releases early tomorrow.   Here is the Friday schedule.  Please eat lunch in your spaces or outside.  




SCHOOL SUPPLIES
It is important that we revisit our school supply lists for PTO for next year so that PTO can secure the best pricing from EPI.  Please review, as a grade level, and make any adjustments.  Once your adjustments are made, change the date on your tab to "Your Grade 2021-2022" so we know you are done.  PLEASE do not increase items without taking other items off and also visit lists that are already completed to make sure you are not duplicating house supplies.  The total should be as close to $50 as you can get it.  Please have this done by April 1.



YEARBOOK
Order your yearbook by MONDAY at ybpay.lifetouch.com, ID 13015821.  Deadline to order is March 22, 2021.



PTO
PTO is looking for parents to fill open Board positions.  Please share this link with parents to share their interest. 


COPPELL ED FOUNDATION SUPERSTARS
The Coppell Education Foundation is pleased to announce that they are accepting nominations for Superstar CISD educators and employees. The employee must be nominated by other employees, students or parents at their school.  Nominations and information can be found in the following links:

https://tinyurl.com/CoppellSuperStar  (nomination form)
http://coppellisdef.com/super-star      (information about the program)

Nominations will be accepted through tomorrow Friday, March 12. There are many Super Stars ⭐️ waiting to be recognized!!!!  


COPPELL ED FOUNDATION RUN TO FUND

• Save the Dates: 2021 CEF Virtual Run to Fund May 1 - 8, 2021. 
• Join us for a week of fun activities, prizes, special race-courses and more; 
• All capped with a fun and socially-distant "Finish Line" experience on May 8th at CHS. 
• Registration is now open. Sign-up now http://www.coppellisdef.com/run-to-fund-2021 



DLC UPDATE
Did you know? Google has a shared whiteboard option called @Jamboard? Featuring Google collaboration, images and stickies like Padlet, it can be a great way to engage learners actively.  Check out this collection by @hollyclarkedu of templates already created - simply make a copy and share! https://wke.lt/w/s/D4Dqct



ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Visuals

Make lessons visual. Use visual representations of new vocabulary and use graphs, maps, photographs, drawings and charts to introduce new vocabulary and concepts. Tell a story about information in the textbook using visuals. Create semantic and story maps, graphic organizers to teach students how to organize information.






DATES TO REMEMBER:
March 15-19- SPRING BREAK
March 14- Maria's Birthday
March 15- Linda's Birthday
March 18- Claudia's Birthday
March 19- Hannah H's Birthday
March 22- Deadline for ordering yearbooks
     Bright Ribbons Book Study (3:15 Virtual)
March 23- Ed Foundation Shirt and Jeans
     Grades Due
March 24- Convocation Shirt and Jeans
     Leadership Mtg. (3:15 Virtual)
March 26- Last Day for formal TTESS Observations
     Send Report Cards Home
     5th Grade Growth and Development Videos (2:00)

Thursday, March 4, 2021

Week of March 8, 2021

You have done your very best this week and we are so impressed by you.  You continue to show what talented and strong ladies you are.  Some of you probably didn't know you were this strong!!!  Thank you for lifting each other and keeping your mindsets positive.  We have ONE MORE WEEK until Spring Break and we've GOT THIS!  


DID YOU KNOW:
  • that Natalie has updated her S'more?
  • you can leave school if you get a vaccine appointment and it is during the day?  We will do our best to "cover" for each other when this happens so everyone can get their shots in a timely manner.  

NATIONAL SCHOOL BREAKFAST WEEK

It’s no secret that eating a nutritious breakfast helps our learners start the school day on the right track.  Next week, March 8-12, is National School Breakfast Week!  All week long our cafeterias will be featuring new menu items and giving away special prizes to the students who join us for breakfast.  This year’s theme is “Score Big with School Breakfast.” 





VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE
Please communicate with parents how your grade will be showcasing learning on Thursday.   



EARLY RELEASE
Please remind parents that school releases early on Friday.  My plan is to send you home once all learners are dismissed, unless I hear otherwise from the district.  Please stay tuned on this one.  It is still unclear from Central Office.  I will know more after our all-day Principal's Meeting on Tuesday. 



SCHOOL SUPPLIES
It is important that we revisit our school supply lists for PTO for next year so that PTO can secure the best pricing from EPI.  Please review, as a grade level, and make any adjustments.  Once your adjustments are made, change the date on your tab to "Your Grade 2021-2022" so we know you are done.  PLEASE do not increase items without taking other items off and also visit lists that are already completed to make sure you are not duplicating house supplies.  The total should be as close to $50 as you can get it.  Please have this done by April 1.



YEARBOOK
Please share this yearbook information with your FamiLEEs so that they don't miss out on this memory book.  Order deadline is March 22.



PTO
PTO is looking for parents to fill open Board positions.  Please share this link with parents to share their interest. 


COPPELL ED FOUNDATION 

​The Coppell Education Foundation is pleased to announce that we are accepting nominations for Superstar CISD educators and employees. The employee must be nominated by other employees or parents. Students at the middle schools may also nominate. Nominations and information can be found in the following links:

 

https://tinyurl.com/CoppellSuperStar (nomination form)

 

http://coppellisdef.com/super-star    (information about the program)

 

Nominations will be accepted for two weeks from March 1 to 12.  




COACH'S CORNER

RESILIENCE


Resilience is a life skill that all teachers should focus on throughout learners' education careers. To place an emphasis on resilience in the classroom is to realize that creating people who are able to respond to challenges and setbacks is an important goal of education, if not the goal.


In classroom, conversations about resilience can consistently materialize in a number of ways:

  1. Morning meeting discussions about goal setting and perseverance, including recognizing that everyone has something they are trying to overcome.

  2. Sharing stories (through videos and picture books) about people who have experienced great amounts of adversity and who have overcome the odds by accomplishing their dreams.

  3. Lessons on the goal-setting process with weekly written reflections that address what learners did to work on their goals and what they will do moving forward.

  4. Emphasizing critical thinking in lessons that challenge learners to think about concepts at a deeper level so that learners get the opportunity to put resiliency discussions into action.

  5. Learner-led report card conferences where successes, strengths, weaknesses, and goals are discussed by the student.




ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Use audiobooks

Look for books on CD, Playaways, or podcasts of the stories you are reading in class. If the stories haven't been recorded, set up a tape recorder and record stories as you read. Newcomers will have the opportunity to listen to a story and read along as many times as they wish.






DATES TO REMEMBER:
March 8-12- National School Breakfast Week
March 9- Ed Foundation Shirt and Jeans
March 10- Staff Meeting Cancelled- enjoy the gift of time!
March 11- Virtual Open House 
March 12- Early Release 12:30
March 15-19- SPRING BREAK
March 14- Maria's Birthday
March 15- Linda's Birthday
March 18- Claudia's Birthday
March 19- Hannah H's Birthday