Week of August 29, 2022

WOW!  You made it through the second week of school and I could not be more pleased with the stellar job you have all done.  We are so super proud of you for your creativity, collaboration and heart.  You have done an incredible job of supporting your learners, their parents, and each other.  Thank you for your weekly communication.  I am so impressed with the way some of you are using Bulb, S'more, Twitter, and podcasts to keep our FamiLEEs engaged. YOU make our school look SO GOOD in the community, and I thank you so much for that.  We have loved having class visits through the office and it is an awesome way to see each class and their individual needs.  We are here for YOU!  Have a fabulous Friday and weekend.  Please REST.  You have earned it!

DID YOU KNOW:

• Social Spurs is collecting beginning of the year funds?  Linda sent an email on Tuesday. 
• that the district is working on replacing HEPA filters in your air purifiers for all classrooms?  We were not serviced when the building was offline this summer.    
• our special education paraprofessional in Practical Academics will start on Monday?  Her name is Poonam Mittal.  Please welcome her to our FamiLEE!
• C&I would like you to put a pause on digital SEL surveys with learners at this time?  You can still check in with them and use technology, but do not collect their responses.  If you have any questions, let me know.  
• campus number days can be found on the Lee Faculty Calendar and on the CISD Lee Website (thanks Angel)?  Tomorrow is Day 1 and first grade's Team Time day.

CURRICULUM NIGHT

Thank you for working as a grade on your Curriculum Night presentations.  Here is the latest version as of 8/25.  We caught a few updates (thanks Leadership Team).  Please make sure you share your presentation with Admin and have the FAQ questions and answers approved by Chantel BEFORE sending home to parents.  It is SUPER IMPORTANT these answers are consistent.  We will open front and back doors at 5:15 on Thursday evening. You can dress casual for the school day, but please wear professional dress for Curriculum Night.  

PTO CORNER

Update (or sign up for) your PTO Membership Toolkit account

• Log in to your account on https://rjleepto.membershiptoolkit.com and update your account information (if you are already logged in to your account on this site, please click on "My Account" and then "My Forms/Paperwork”).

Click here to donate to the annual house fund (online donations only please)

Click here to sign-up as a room parent volunteer 

BOY GOAL SETTING MEETINGS

Please sign up here for your BOY meeting- they start IN TWO WEEKS.   We are excited to review your goals for the year and how we can support you.  Samira may join in, when she can, so that she can help support your goals.  If Angel is your evaluator, PLEASE try to sign up on a day she is here (on the Faculty Calendar).  Please make sure you add your goals to your Bulb and Power School. Bring your laptop to the large conference room for your meeting.  ALL campus employees must sign up for a meeting.

PARENT CONTACT
Did you get a chance to reach out and make your happy calls?  If you didn't, remember it is an expectation to pick up the phone and call EVERY family.  Thank you for depositing in their emotional bank accounts!  You may be surprised how much sunshine it brings YOU when you make these calls. 

CISD EDUCATION FOUNDATION 

CISD Ed Foundation grants are open July 25 through midnight September 12.  If you submitted an application last year, log-in credentials are still valid.  This is a SUPER avenue to get items for your classroom that cannot be purchased through approved vendors.   GOOD LUCK!

• Get Login Credentials for LivingTree (Google Form)
• LivingTree Website

You can order your 2022-2023 CISD Education Foundation t-shirt now?  If you purchase this year's shirt, Dr. Hunt has given permission to wear it with jeans EVERY TUESDAY.  Orders will only be accepted through Friday, September 9.  

COACH'S CORNER

Let’s collaborate! Sign up so we can work together.

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Showcase ALL Students and Their Work. Displaying pictures of students and their families on the walls helps each learner to feel seen and validated in the learning space. This creates a sense of belonging and builds community among the class. Hanging student work on the walls, such as writing and art, can also send clear messages to learners that the classroom is for learners and learning.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

MAP and MClass Window Open

August 30- Lariettes Greet in the morning

August 31- Staff Meeting (all need to attend CRASE Training 3:15-4:45)

Sept 1- ISIP for iStation

     Curriculum Night (5:30-6:30)

Sept 2- Charlene's Birthday

     Nikki's Birthday

     Happy Calls Due

     Spirit Shirt with Jeans

Week of August 22, 2022

WOW!  You did it!  You made it through the first half week of school.  We have enjoyed getting to drive through your classes.  We will see lots of classes next week.  We have such INCREDIBLE learners and designers!! Start your weekend adventure as soon as you can on Friday, after dismissal.  You've earned it!  ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

DID YOU KNOW:

• IF a learner must be checked out from school, it should occur before 2:45?  After 2:45, we will request parents wait in the car loop to ensure learners get dismissed safely.  Learners should only leave early if there is a doctor's appointment.  (PLEASE ADD TO YOUR NEWSLETTERS)
• district compliance courses are due on Sunday, Aug. 21?  Don't forget to get these done.  
• weekly communication should be sent to your parents through Parent Square every Friday? (once TAC syncs) Include pictures of the learning/learners each week so parents see what learning looks like at Lee.

ATTENDANCE

Please make sure you are turning in your attendance by 10:00 AM.  Thank you to those who are getting attendance in and have alarms set so you don't forget. 

ID BADGES
You are required, by the district, to wear your ID Badge at school. If you see visitors or adults in our building without a badge, you must ask to see their badge.  If they do not have one, then please escort them to the office.  

DIGITAL LITERACY

As part of a district initiative regarding digital citizenship and safety, all learners in grades PreK-12 are expected to take part in an overview of digital citizenship.  

Here you will find the resources for the Elementary (PK-5) Learner Digital Orientation, located in the District Support and Alignment folder of the Curriculum and Instruction group. Included in the lesson resources is a page that will get educators started and explain the workflow of the folder. Educators can copy these resources into their Schoology courses as needed.  

 

All learners need to participate in this learning experience by September 9th, 2022.

WE DON'T TALK ABOUT COVID, NO, NO, NO

This year the COVID protocols have changed a bit.  We are not notifying close contacts or classrooms.  

If you have a learner who has tested positive for COVID please have the parents complete the form on this link https://forms.gle/8zEjRq9SoLm2M6GcA, and I will contact them with information on when they can come back to school.  If they have been exposed to a close contact and do not have symptoms we are not recommending that they stay home unless if they test positive.

FLEX LEARNING
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.  For this first flex time, we ask that you use this time to update your goals in Bulb.  Before Wednesday afternoon, I will send out a separate email with our campus goal, for those of you that want to copy and paste it into Bulb.  New hires and staff working on their goal setting, we will work in Yellow House open space. 

PHONE CALL HOME

Please, by Sept 2, 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!  Parents are used to only getting phone calls when there is something wrong.  Let's change their perception!  It is also a TTESS Domain 4 descriptor.  Specials Designers and and Specialists, please pick 25 learners to call.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
We will practice emergency drills soon.  Be READY!  If you do not know where to go ASK a housemate, or Admin, so we can give you directions.  All spaces should have a map posted at your door and a Standard Response Protocol poster posted near the door.  Please make sure you have downloaded the Raptor app to your iPad or mobile device. 

SPIRIT WEAR

PTO has spirit wear for sale if you are interested in purchasing. Here is the link. 

LET'S START THE YEAR ON A "ROLL"

Let's ROLL into #RJLYEAR9 by taking on the Toilet Paper Challenge benefiting Metrocrest services.  In 2021, the Metrocrest Services Food Pantry provided 21,740 of your neighbors with food and hygiene supplies (including toilet paper). Every year, toilet paper is one of the most expensive items for the pantry to purchase. With your help, Metrocrest can reduce this expense and use those funds for other community needs. Donation drive will begin on August 15th and will end on National Toilet Paper Day (August 26th). Each HOUSE will have a donation location and collect packaged toilet paper.  

CISD EDUCATION FOUNDATION 

CISD Ed Foundation grants are open July 25 through midnight September 12.  If you submitted an application last year, log-in credentials are still valid.  This is a SUPER avenue to get items for your classroom that cannot be purchased through approved vendors.   GOOD LUCK!

• Get Login Credentials for LivingTree (Google Form)
• LivingTree Website

You can order your 2022-2023 CISD Education Foundation t-shirt now?  If you purchase this year's shirt, Dr. Hunt has given permission to wear it with jeans EVERY TUESDAY.  Orders will only be accepted through Friday, September 9.  

COACH'S CORNER

Let’s collaborate! Sign up so we can work together.

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Communicate with your learners even if you think you can't. Nonverbals go a long way and the fact that you try will show them that you care. Smile. Warm eyes. Get to know them and their passions as soon as possible so you can tap into them.

FROM YOUR DLC

Welcome back to 1:1! Check out this menu for some helpful resources to get your class back in action!  Need help from Alli?  Reach out via email or check out her schedule here!

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Respect- showing consideration for others

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

We will often have visitors in our school. When a visitor arrives, look them in the eyes, shake hands, tell them who you are, and welcome the person to our school.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“Consideration for others is the basis of a good life, a good society” -Confucius

DATES TO REMEMBER:

August 21-  Amber's Birthday

     Compliance Courses DUE

August 24- Flex Learning (3:15-4:15)

August 27- Sam's Birthday

Week of August 15, 2022

Thank you for a wonderful week supporting one another and working so well together.  Seeing your houses and your grades have so much time together to bond fills this school momma's heart.  It has been such a wonderful time of togetherness, fun, laughter and nervousness. I am so super proud of the work you have accomplished this week and hope that time on Friday, Monday, and Tuesday ease some of the worries or stress you have as you prepare for #rjlyear9.  A special shout out to our new momma, Nikki, for coming up this week to be part of Back to School.  That is some above and beyond commitment to your school and we see you!!  Kourtney we see you too and know Ruthie-Kate is in caring hands.  We are excited to have Karen here to take care of our children. You are all loved more than you will ever know!

Day 1 is NOT about RULES!

DID YOU KNOW:

• KRISTI cleaned out the ice machine so we could have Sonic ice?  THANK YOU SO MUCH, Kristi!!!  We will run a few cycles to make sure the ice is "clean."  We will put a sign on it when it is ready for use.
• there is a link to responses to our Faculty Favorites in case you want to know your famiLEE members better or surprise them with a treat?  Home addresses are hidden for your privacy.
• a Back to School Guide for parents was sent out to parents from Chantel?  Feel free to share as you communicate with parents next week.  You will want to read it, too.
• it is expensive to set up a classroom?  If you need help, CISD allows solicitation only through Donor’s Choose through your school email.  If you create an Amazon wishlist to help with your classroom, please use only your personal email account and do not share that list with school parents, only your friends and families.
• there is a resource called Imaginariums 2021-2022 where there are PDFs and Keynote Pages where your learners can express their creativity? Use or lose these great tools.
• we will use the hashtags #rjlyear9 and #rjladventures this year? Please make it a priority to tell our story. If you don't who will?

CONVOCATION AND FRIDAY

For Convocation tomorrow, please wear the red shirts that were placed in your mailbox. Doors open at 8:00 with the event beginning at 9:00. We should be done by 11:00. We are close to where we sat on Tuesday, the map is below. It is suggested to carpool, if possible. We have spirit fingers in your teacher mailboxes if you want to take one. Please get lunch on your way back. We will start with required staff training in the cafe at 12:00.

MONDAY

Please wear your grey t-shirt from your mailbox on Monday. We will take a staff picture at 8:00 on the front steps. We will follow that with un update from Holly and then time to work on preparations for Meet the Designer Night. Our entire staff will have an event (off site at from 12:00-1:15).

MEET THE DESIGNER NIGHT

I KNOW you will make Meet the Designer Night memorable for our FamiLEEs.  You only get one chance to make a first impression, and I am certain you all are planning ways to make this memorable for ALL.  I can't wait for the children and their families to see you.

TUESDAY

Tuesday is a telecommute day.  That means you can work electronically, from home, if you choose. The building is accessible, too, for those of you that want to work here.  ENJOY flexibility from CISD on this day.  

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 our school. 

All learners will be permitted to be walked to class by their parents on the first day.  We open the school doors at 7:20.

Please, by September 2, 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!  Parents are used to only getting phone calls when there is something wrong.  Let's change their perception!  It is also a TTESS Domain 4 descriptor.  Specials, please call 25 learners. 

THANK YOU PTO

Please make time to share a thank you on social media to @FamiLEEPTO for their generous start up funds for you.  We want to make sure these continue each year by sharing our gratitude.  

SPIRIT WEAR

PTO has spirit wear for sale if you are interested in purchasing. Here is the link. 

LET'S START THE YEAR ON A "ROLL"

Let's ROLL into #RJLYEAR9 by taking on the Toilet Paper Challenge benefiting Metrocrest services.  In 2021, the Metrocrest Services Food Pantry provided 21,740 of your neighbors with food and hygiene supplies (including toilet paper). Every year, toilet paper is one of the most expensive items for the pantry to purchase. With your help, Metrocrest can reduce this expense and use those funds for other community needs. Donation drive will begin on August 15th and will end on National Toilet Paper Day (August 26th). Each HOUSE will have a donation location and collect packaged toilet paper.  

CISD EDUCATION FOUNDATION 

CISD Ed Foundation grants are open July 25 through midnight September 12.  If you submitted an application last year, log-in credentials are still valid.  This is a SUPER avenue to get items for your classroom that cannot be purchased through approved vendors.   GOOD LUCK!

• Get Login Credentials for LivingTree (Google Form)
• LivingTree Website

You can order your 2022-2023 CISD Education Foundation t-shirt now?  If you purchase this year's shirt, Dr. Hunt has given permission to wear it with jeans EVERY TUESDAY.  Orders will only be accepted through Friday, September 9.  

ADMIN  VISITS
Your Admin Team likes to visit with each and every learner/class in the first couple weeks of school. Please sign up for an office visit with each of us here (tabs for each of us).  


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

Let’s collaborate! Sign up so we can work together.

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Welcome all Lee educators! We wish you a  wonderful school year.  Begin by building relationships with your learners. Where are your Emergent Bilinguals from? What is their primary language? How many languages do they speak? Learn one thing about their interests, their culture and their background to make a welcoming environment where everyone feels appreciated and safe being who they are.

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 15- Campus Day

     Meet the Designer Night (5:30-6:30 PM)

August 16- Work Day for Teachers

August 17- First Day of School

    Kona Ice for staff from PTO @ 3:15 (front of school)

August 19- Announce Kinder Connect Changes\

August 21- CISD Compliance Courses DUE

Week of August 8, 2022

Being the Principal of this school is a dream come true.  If you ever wonder what my story is and why Richard J. Lee Elementary is so special to me, read the first blog post on Elementary Done DifferentLEE.  It is the story of me finding out when I got "THE JOB," the BEST JOB in the world at the most incredible school on the planet.  I have no children of my own, so birthing this school is one of my hugest accomplishments. WHY am I here?  I'm here because of our beautiful children, I'm here because I want to make a difference, I'm here because of each and every one of  YOU.  You are FamiLEE to me, and I would have it no other way.  Cheers to #rjlyear9, team.  We are here to bring our "A" game because our Spurs deserve it.  It is going to be an adventuresome year and there is nowhere else I would rather be!

DID YOU KNOW:

• Adrian Martinez will be our campus technician this year?  He is FABULOUS and we will share him with New Tech.  We will introduce you to him when he is on campus.  Remember the fastest way to get results with trouble on devices is a help desk ticket. 
• Alli Pryor is coming home to Lee Elementary?  Alli is a talented Digital Learning Coach who helped us open Lee.  We will share Alli with Austin Elementary.
• we will have an additional half time speech teacher to support our caseload? Welcome to Emily Harrison.  You will see her joyful smile around the building our first week back.  Emily is working here, at CMSW, and CHS9.
• communication from CK was sent out to parents about "all things beginning of the year?"  Here is a link if you are interested or choose to share out in your communications. 
• these are the CISD Grading Practices for 2022-2023?

IT'S HERE

EEEEK!  Our bus tour is HERE!  This is a FUN but optional event, and flex will be provided for those who attend.  Dress is casual as we will be hopping on and off of the charted bus driving through our neighborhoods.  Please bring signs, balloons, and your school spirit- it will be loads of fun!  Please be here by 8:00 so we can leave on time.  Bring something to drink, too!  

WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK?

You got an email from Nancy Garvey with all the details for next week.  We also have a campus day by day glance to help our visual learners (like me).  We can't WAIT for us to all be together on Monday!  If you are not sure where to be and when, please ask.  We are here to help!  Bring your charged iPad and Apple Pencil on Monday.  Please download this incredible Pages document created by our talented IC, Samira Khan.  

DOWNLOAD THE UNIFIED TALENT APP

This year we will continue to use PowerSchool PL to log and track flex credit.  We are now able to scan a QR code via the Unified Talent app to do this for campus and district events.  Please follow these steps to get the app on your phone or school iPad.  We will be using this app next week in staff developments and at district-level events.

1. Use this link to download Unified Talent on your phone or school ipad
2. Enter the district code: Z3A8c9 
3. Once you have added the district code, you will log into the app with your district username and password

CLASS LISTS

Next week class lists will start to be populated in eSchool Plus. Remember these are constantly changing, so please do not make class labels or send emails, yet.  All grade level designers will email a welcome to their learners and parents through Parent Square to be scheduled to send out at 8:00 AM on Monday, August 15.  Time will be provided this week to work together, as a grade so you can comprise your welcome email.  

MEET THE DESIGNER NIGHT

Please share on your social media.  We will wear our #rjlyear9 shirts on this day and night.

TO DO FOR ALL:

• Download Unified Talent App on your phone or school iPad.  This is so you can scan a qr code for flex and not have to submit.
• Sign up for your health care with our benefits department.
• Fill out this form so we can learn all about your favorites.  It also helps us with ordering your school shirts for the school year.  We will share this with all of you so you can treat teammates.  FINAL CALL!
• Read the RJL Campus Handbook. We request you read this by August 31.  New/changed items are highlighted in yellow, but you are responsible for reading all of it.

SPIRIT WEAR

PTO has spirit wear for sale if you are interested in purchasing. Here is the link. 

LET'S START THE YEAR ON A "ROLL"

Let's ROLL into #RJLYEAR9 by taking on the Toilet Paper Challenge benefiting Metrocrest services.  In 2021, the Metrocrest Services Food Pantry provided 21,740 of your neighbors with food and hygiene supplies (including toilet paper). Every year, toilet paper is one of the most expensive items for the pantry to purchase. With your help, Metrocrest can reduce this expense and use those funds for other community needs. Donation drive will begin on August 15th and will end on National Toilet Paper Day (August 26th). Each HOUSE will have a donation location and collect packaged toilet paper.  

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Aug 8- CAMPUS DAY TOGETHER

Aug 9- District Day

Aug 10- District Day

Aug 11- District Day

Aug 12- Convocation and Campus/District Day

Week of August 1, 2022

It has been a wonderful first week back for your Admin Team.  I even have an Admin Intern this year so welcome to Samira Khan!!  We have been working behind the scenes to set up the 2022-2023 school year.  We are super excited for the upcoming school year with all of you being part of our FamiLEE!  We had our Administrator's Academy last week, so I am sharing information as I get it from CISD.  Construction continues at our front entrance and under the building.  That means, use your badges to access the building through the cafeteria.  Please do not prop open the first set of doors.  If you see exterior doors propped open, please close them for the safety of everyone.  If your badge is not working, please text one of us to let you in.

DID YOU KNOW:

• we found a teacher for our fourth grade opening?  Welcome to Preeti Malhotra.  We met her at the CISD Job Fair and she is going to be a valuable part of our team!

SAVE THE DATE

What a great way to hang out with your FamiLEE and earn 3 hours of flex time on Friday, August 5.  This is an optional event, and flex will be provided for those who attend.  Dress is casual as we will be hopping on and off of the charted bus driving through our neighborhoods.  Please bring signs, balloons, and your school spirit- it will be loads of fun!  Please be here by 8:00 so we can leave on time.

AIR PURIFIERS

All HEPA filters have been replaced in the air filter systems in your learning spaces.  Remember, these are to be on 8 hours a day.  They should be turned on when you arrive and tuned off when you leave.  Following this timeline will make sure your filter makes it until the next replacement date.  The time on your system can help with this. 

NEW NEWS FOR CISD STAFF

Did you know there will be options to "telecommute" to work on certain days this year?  You will learn more about this during the week of August 8th.

Did you see the email that there is going to be assistance to staff members who have learners that need to get to CHS9 and CHS in the mornings?  We, unfortunately, will not have transportation to CMSW.  CISD encourages them to walk using the pathway.

KEYS AND BADGES

Each staff member should have keys to their Design Studio and Storage Room for their House. If you are in a classroom, you should also have a key to the classroom. If you are in need of these keys (or any others), please indicate that in this form or reach out to Leigh Ann or Angel.

FURNITURE AT LEE
We do our best to ensure that there is equitable distribution of furniture in houses. Please do not "borrow" furniture from the media center or other places in the building.  Let Leigh Ann or Angel know if you have extra, or are short, and they can help you problem solve.   Here is the breakdown of furniture.  Please cross check it with what is in your house in case it got moved while cleaning this summer. We also added 4 rectangular tables and some chairs to every house this summer.  If you are a special program designer and need additional/different furniture, please fill out a furniture request form.

HOUSE STORAGE

Want to know what resources you have available to you?  Check out this comprehensive list that documents what is available in each house.  If you want to know what something is, or how to use a resource, PLEASE reach out to someone in your house/grade, campus administration, or our Instructional Coach.

NEW HIRES

As a new hire, I am sure you are thinking about what you can do to start getting ready for your new adventure at Lee.  Each blog I pepper out some suggestions so that you are not too overwhelmed during Back to School.  This blog I would encourage you to:

1. Please make sure you have sent a bitmoji headshot of yourself to Leigh Ann to add to our FamiLEE tree wall.
2. Check out our Faculty Website.  You will want to bookmark this site as it is a one stop shop that has all you need to know about Lee Elementary and MORE!
3. Connect with your House and Grade leads.  You can find their name on this staffing list and email them.  I know they will want to get your phone number to share with teammates.
4. Set up a school Twitter account, if you don't already have one.  Our school account is @NetZeroLee.  Please follow us as we will follow you back.

It is OKAY if you are taking this time for YOU- please do not feel guilt if you wait until you are on contract. 

TO DO FOR ALL:

• Sign up for your health care with our benefits department.
• Fill out this form so we can learn all about your favorites.  It also helps us with ordering the proper size for your school shirt for the school year.  
• Review the RJL Campus Handbook so you don't have to worry about it when school is in session.  We request you read this by August 31.  New/changed items are highlighted in yellow.  Any new district policies that are in the 2022-2023 CISD Employee Handbook supersede our campus handbook.  We do not have access to the new handbook yet, so they are not reflected in our campus one.  

BACK TO SCHOOL SAVE THE DATE

DATES TO REMEMBER

Aug 1- Diags, LAS, Counselors, Librarians back on campus

Aug 3- Leadership Retreat (8:00-4:00 Lee)

Aug 4- New Hires TTESS Training (8:30-11:30)

     New Hire Digital Learning Overview (12:30-3:30)

Aug 5- RJL Bust Tour (8:00-11:00)

     New Hire Alive and Thrive Training on Campus (12:30-3:30)