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 stipend. The 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.  

• agenda we will follow for hourly employees
• agenda we will follow for non-hourly employees

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

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)

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

Week of March 1, 2021

Well ladies... you have done it again.  You continue to make me so proud to serve as the leader of our campus.  Thank you for navigating today so well and for the work you will do tomorrow to prepare for Monday.  I can't wait to see what you have planned to welcome our face to face learners to the "Greatest Sleepover Ever!"  You have done an amazing job getting your spaces set up.  If there are any items you need (furniture wise) please get with Leigh Ann, she can help you with that.  If you need any instructional items, hop over to Lee and get what you need.  

I will be gone tomorrow.  I have to take care of some house things, and I get my second round of Pfizer at Texas Motor Speedway.  I'm telling you this because our campus goal is Social Emotional Wellness.  I can't expect you to take care of you unless I model taking care of myself.  Please see Leigh Ann if you need anything.  

DID YOU KNOW:

• that commitment forms should go out today for the 4th 9 weeks?  Responses will be due March 3.
• competencies for report cards have been loaded, so you can start entering 3rd 9 week grades and comments, now?
• today is Andrew's last day as our PE student teacher? Please wish him well!

DLC UPDATE

Looking to engage learners in a different way while on Zoom? Try the Remote-Control feature to make your Zoom more interactive! Available anytime you share your screen from a computer, it gives learners the opportunity to interact with your screen by tapping and typing in Zoom.  Try it during reviews, during guided practice activities and more. Learn more here: http://at.bulb.re/NYD

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.

DIGITAL LEARNING COACH

Have you ever needed your In-Class learners to quickly access a website or YouTube video you were sharing on your Vivitek board? Check out this Bulb Page for how to do this using the built-in QR generator on the board.


COACH'S CORNER

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Check comprehension frequently

Your students may learn to decode accurately but be unable to construct meaning out of the words they have read. Teach newcomers to reflect on what they have decoded and to monitor what they do or do not understand. Check student comprehension with one or more of the following activities.

• Teach students to use graphic organizers such as story maps while they read. Visual depictions of information allow ELLs to better understand the material while learning important vocabulary.

• Write individual sentences from the text on separate sheets of drawing paper; then read or have the students read each sentence and illustrate it.

• Informally test students' ability to sequence material from a story: print sentences from a section of the story on paper strips, mix the strips; have students put them in order.

• Check students' ability to order words within a sentence; write several sentences from the text on individual strips of paper; cut the strips into words; have students arrange each group of words into a sentence.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Educational Diagnostician's Week

March 1- Youth Art Month

March 2-  PTO Mtg. (Virtual 6:00pm)

March 3-  College Shirt Day

     Makenzie's Birthday

     Flex Learning Day (3:15-4:15)

March 4- Data Committee Mtg. (Virtual 3:15)

March 5- Laura's Birthday

     CMSW Counselors Visit Lee/VRE 5th Grades (Cafe 1:30)

Week of February 15, 2021

We hope you have enjoyed the treats in your boxes this week from Admin.  We love and appreciate you SO MUCH!  Also, enjoy the gift of TIME on Friday to get things off of your "to do" list.  See you after the LOOOONG weekend.  

DID YOU KNOW:

• you are still required to let me know if you are feeling symptoms that could be related to COVID.  If you feel you need to test, I should be made aware so that we can make determination if you need to isolate.
• 4th 9 weeks commitment forms go out on Feb 22 and will be due back March 3?  I expect we will have quit a few learners returning this next nine weeks.  Get ready!

Click here for Friday's game!

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
It is the time of the year when learners are needing to be reminded about digital citizenship.  Feel free to review the DLC bulb page with resources  https://www.bulbapp.com/u/continuing-conversations-digital-citizenship 

DLC UPDATE

Ready to design interactive content that displays directly in Schoology?  It's easy to embed content from interactive sites using these strategies! Embedding eliminates clicks while keeping learners in Schoology for easy navigation and workflow.  Check out this Bulb page to see how it is done. Your DLC is a great thought partner for designing interactive embedded Schoology activities.  Reach out to them for more!

WHAT DOES PTO DO?  (PLEASE SHARE BOTH OF THESE)

Parents, we need YOU!  We need volunteers to fill open PTO positions for next school year.  Check out this link to see what positions are open.  

What does our PTO do and how does PTO work as a partner with Richard J. Lee Elementary?

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.

COACH'S CORNER

10 REASONS WHY YOUR KIDS LOVE YOU

 

1. You teach your learners new things and help them discover their passions!

2. You believe in them, encourage them to reach their highest potential, and convince them that they can do anything they set their minds to. 

3. You help foster a love for reading, writing, and make learning math and science enjoyable.

4. You open a world of possibility and make learning FUN!

5. You can pretty much do it all! You are not only educators, but you are also mentors, coaches, motivators, supporters, and friends. 

6. You take pride in the little things your students accomplish and the milestones they make.

7. You have the ability to leave an everlasting impression on so many of your learners.

8. You are lifelong learners yourselves!

9. You are patient and you care!

10. You partner with families and communities to ensure every learner gets what they need to succeed! 

 

You are loved by your learners, their families and your famiLEE.

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

TEACH THE ALPHABET WHEN NECESSARY: Remember that newcomers' schooling and literacy skills may vary dramatically. Preliterate students and literate newcomers who speak a language that does not use the Roman alphabet need direct instruction in letter recognition and formation as well as beginning phonics.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Feb 15- Bethany's Birthday

     Ameira's Birthday

     NO SCHOOL

Feb 16- HB3 Cohort A Training

    Ed Foundation t-shirt day

    TELPAS Calibration Set 2

Feb 17- HB3 Cohort A Training

     Convocation t-shirt day

     Random Acts of Kindness Day

     Leadership Meeting (3:15 Virtual)

Feb 18- HB3 Cohort B Training

     LEEdership Council Mtg. (12:00)