Week of October 14, 2024

I hope you have time on the three day weekend to disconnect from school and enjoy time for rest and relaxation.  LOVE TO YOU ALL!

DID YOU KNOW:

• we are going to host another "underground teacher spirit day?"  Come to school on Tuesday wearing PINK.  What a great time (it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month) to see if our kids notice.  
• we will host another "underground teacher spirit day" the very next day, on Wednesday?  This day is DRINK FROM ANYTHING BUT A CUP DAY.  Have FUN with this one!!!  Can't wait to see your creativity shine and learner reactions on this one!  Have an idea for and underground teacher spirit day?  Drop by and share with CK.

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP WEEK

Did you know that next week is Digital Citizenship week?  Check out these ready to use activities created by Common Sense Media and your DLCs!  Please make sure all Lee Learners have signed your digital citizenship contracts in your spaces.

NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH WEEK

October 14-18 is National School Lunch Week. This year’s theme is, “School Lunch Pirates: Find Your Treasure!” Join CISD Child Nutrition as they serve up A BOUNTY of healthy meals all week. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram and in the cafeteria to FIND THE TREASURE in food groups like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy and lean proteins that make school lunch healthy, balanced and delicious. Join in the fun and share a meal you enjoy by using #CISDNSLW24. 

WRITE A CHECK
Our RJL PTO annual fundraising campaign, Write-A-Check, is now underway. This is the main source of funding for our FamiLEE PTO, and our goal this year is $30,000.  100% of the funds raised go back into our school through enrichment programs like Red Ribbon Week, Author visits, bus transportation for field trips, and so much more! Please consider donating TODAY! bit.ly/RJLWAC

Designers, thank you for creating incentive charts in your classes.  There are incentive gift cards for YOU, too!  More info coming soon.

SWEETEN UP RJL TRUNK OR TREAT
The Annual RJL Trunk or Treat on October 24th at 5:30pm is one of our favorite community events of the year, but we can't do it without our FamiLEE!  To help support the work our designer teams put into their fabulous trunks, we will be gathering candy donations for them to hand out on the big night! Please sign up to send in a bag of 150+ pieces of candy with your learner by Wednesday, October 23rd. bit.ly/rjlcandy

FALL PICTURE DAY

We will start school pictures immediately following morning broadcast on Wednesday at 8:00 AM.  We will follow the Specials schedule so we will start with Kinder Purple, followed by 1st Purple, 2nd Purple, etc. Once Purple House is done we will go to Yellow-> Red -> and then Green and Blue in tandem due to specials and recess schedules.  (If you need to do indoor recess to keep kiddos "fresh" we understand.  

Pictures will take place on the cafe and teachers can take their pictures with their classes or before school.  Specials and support staff, please get your pictures made between 7:40 AM and 8:00 AM.  

Specials Designers, we "might" need you to wait with your classes in the cafe if they are not done by their Specials time.  Please help us by getting kids to the cafeteria, QUICKLY when the volunteers get you.  

Also, it will go FASTER if your learners have their ID badges on before they get to the photographer.  Thank you for your flexibility on this day and for excusing the interruption to your teaching and lunch/recess/specials routines.  

Reagan and Rikki, we will make sure volunteers come and get your learners as well.

FLEX LEARNING
We have two great learning opportunities this month.  Thanks to May, Gina, and Kristi for sharing their knowledge with the rest of us!

OCTOBER IS DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH
October is National Dyslexia Awareness Month. CISD will raise awareness on each campus with a variety of events and activities. On Oct. 18, all CISD students and staff are encouraged to "Light It RED for Dyslexia" by wearing red to school. Learn more about CISD Intervention Services/Dyslexia here. Additional resources include the Texas Dyslexia Handbook and the International Dyslexia Association Handbook.

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

Did you know? In Texas, schools are funded based on student attendance, not just enrollment! The state counts a child present if students are in class when attendance is taken each day: 10 a.m. for Elementary, 10:15 a.m. for Middle School, and 10:45 a.m. for High School. Help us boost our campus and district attendance rate! Ensure your child is in school or schedule appointments before or after attendance is taken.

RED RIBBON WEEK APPROACHING IN ONE WEEK

We will participate in these Spirit Days the last week in October.  Get your outfits ready! 

GEM NOMINATIONS

The internal employee recognition program, GEM (Great Employees Matter), seeks to recognize outstanding employees who serve the mission and core values of the Coppell Independent School District in a manner that exceeds job and salary expectations.  Nominate a GEM in our school by Friday, Oct. 25

WALKTHROUGHS IN OCTOBER

For this month, we will be giving you feedback on Domain 2.5:  Monitor and Adjust.  We will be looking for:

• How you adjusts instruction and activities to maintain student engagement (movement, music, manipulatives, small groups and individual work, conferences with learners).

• How you address learner engagement/disengagement.

• Questioning and feedback used to check for understanding.

• How you use of a variety of assessment/input from learners to gather data.

• Checks for understanding through purposeful questioning and feedback.

• The pacing of the lesson.

ESL UPDATES

LEEDERSHIP FOR THE WEEK

DATES TO REMEMBER:

• RJL WRITE A CHECK CAMPAIGN
• NATIONAL DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH
• STOMP OUT BULLYING MONTH
• BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
• NATIONAL PRINCIPAL MONTH
• HINDU HERITAGE MONTH

Oct 14- NO SCHOOL

Oct 16- Fall Picture Day

     Flex Learning (3:15-4:15)

Oct 18- FamiLEE Lunches begin

RED RIBBON WEEK IS ONE WEEK AWAY!

Week of October 7, 2024

What an incredible staff you are! Thank you for preparing and starting to host your learner-led conferences.  I know you have all spent a great deal of time preparing with your children.  What a perfect time to build connections with our famiLEEs.  I want you to know I appreciate all of your hard work to communicate the strengths and areas for growth on each child.  Enjoy the upcoming three day weekend- YOU DESERVE IT!  

DID YOU KNOW:

• front doors will be keyed down and parents should come straight to your spaces for conferences on Friday?  
• parents can sign up to attend lunches on Fridays?  Lunch with Your Lee Learner Google Form is open.  Please post in your weekly newsletters for the remainder of the year.
• we have a PTO parent that wants to help you when you need volunteers for an event or your class?  Please reach out to Julie McConnell for assistance.  Her email is: juliescottmcconnell@gmail.com  
• your staff badge gets you +1 into district varsity sport events, including football?
• the Technology Department is collaborating with a vendor to identify a cost-effective solution for providing a 10-port charger in each classroom, specifically designed to charge the Meta Pens? Thanks for your patience, but a solution is on its way.
• Chantel will be off campus Wednesday through Friday? Please let Angel and Kat know if you are going to be out sick or arriving late. 
• we will be having a 2 day a week tutor to help Kara and Zeal?  Her name is Aishwarya Krishnan and she is a Lee parent.  Please welcome her to our famiLEE.

TACO 'BOUT AN AWESOME TEAM

October 4 is typically National Taco Day.  Did you know they moved it, this year, to the first Tuesday of the October?  In celebration of our incredible people, World Teacher Day on Saturday, and National Taco Day (whenever it is- ha) we will have a taco bar in the lounge on Friday.  Thank you for all of your efforts, hard work and dedication to our children and school. We appreciate you more than words!

THANK YOU LEARNING COACHES

October 6, is National Instructional Coaches Day.  Join me in thanking D'Ann, Shayla, and DianaLyn, for leading us all so well.  We appreciate our south side squad, loads!

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.  We want you and your learners to join us to stop bullying and cyberbullying by wearing a blue shirt on Monday, October 7.

UPCOMING DRILL REMINDER

LEEDERSHIP COUNCIL MEETING

We will have a LEEdership Council meeting on Monday morning.  Please send them down with their iPad when the announcement is made. 

SCIENCE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY

Join Kara at Wilson Elementary on Tuesday from 3:30-4:30 to learn more about meeting the needs of our EB learners through the lens of Science.  Registration link is here.

VIRTUAL PTO MEETING

Our next virtual PTO Meeting is coming up this Tuesday October 8th at 6pm. We hope you can join us for some important and exciting updates from your PTO and Lee Admin Team. We will also have a Coppell ISD Board of Trustees member present to review the upcoming VATRE proposition and answer any questions you may have. Hope we see everyone there! *Link to join will be emailed home*

SPIRIT RALLY

We will host our Fall Spirit Rally on Thursday from 2:00-3:00.  Please have learners packed up in your spaces before we call you down over the intercom.  

 

SILENT SPUR GRAPHIC

Thanks for adopting our new "silent spur" idea into your classroom routines.  Want to use this in your space?  Here is a graphic Angel designed for us.

SWEETEN UP TO RJL TRUNK OR TREAT

The Annual RJL Trunk or Treat on October 24th at 5:30pm is one of our favorite community events of the year, but we can't do it without our FamiLEE! To help support the work our designer teams put into their fabulous trunks, we will be gathering candy donations for them to hand out on the big night! Please sign up to send in a bag of 150+ pieces of candy with your learner by Wednesday, October 23rd. bit.ly/rjlcandy

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

An online absence note is required for any part of the day that a student is missing from school: an hour, a half day, a full day.  For your convenience, this is the link to the online absence note form:  School Absence Note

As you make vacation plans this year, remember that missing school can impact your child's learning and success, and it also affects attendance laws. Please schedule trips following the holidays on the CISD academic calendar to ensure compliance and support your child's education.

OCTOBER IS DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH

OCTOBER 11 CONFERENCE DAY

Please make sure you are at work during normal contract hours on Friday (7:15-3:35).  HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT THE BETA "UNCOVER INSIGHTS" BUTTON AT THE TOP OF PANORAMA?  You might find it helpful to identify trends in data as you visit with your learners and their parents.

RESPECT AGREEMENTS

October 14 starts the 2nd 9 weeks.  Please build time in your SS lesson design, for the week of October 14, to include time to revisit and update your respect agreements with your classes.  New copies should be sent to Kat and Angel for our discipline binder.

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

Speaking of a new 9 weeks, remember to review digital citizenship with your class.  Revisiting digital citizenship conversations throughout the year helps to keep a healthy digital classroom environment.  Common Sense Media is a fabulous resource for supporting children as they navigate the waters of digital learning.  Please make sure all new learners to your class have signed your digital citizenship contracts hanging in your spaces.

MORNING / CLASS MEETINGS

Class circles are going to help learners (and you) as we maintain relationships.  THEY ARE A REQUIREMENT IN CISD.  They provide social/emotional support in your space.  You should have a structure within the class meeting to foster authentic relationships, provide safety for everyone's voice to be heard and allow vulnerability to occur.  Class meetings build secure relationships in a safe and structured setting.  Remember to be completing your Second Step lessons once a week.  

REPORT CARD COMMENTS

As you work on adding comments to K-3 report cards, remember that comments can extend beyond the classroom and influence a child's self-esteem, motivation, and future learning experiences.  Meaningful comments can inspire life long love of learning and personal growth.  Need some ideas or a place to start?  Here are some.

WALKTHROUGHS IN OCTOBER

For this month, we will be giving you feedback on Domain 2.5:  Monitor and Adjust.  We will be looking for:

• How you adjusts instruction and activities to maintain student engagement (movement, music, manipulatives, small groups and individual work, conferences with learners).

• How you address learner engagement/disengagement.

• Questioning and feedback used to check for understanding.

• How you use of a variety of assessment/input from learners to gather data.

• Checks for understanding through purposeful questioning and feedback.

• The pacing of the lesson.

RED RIBBON WEEK APPROACHING IN TWO WEEKS

We will participate in these Spirit Days, the last full week in October, in celebration of Red Ribbon Week.  Here are the theme days, now, so you and your families can prepare.

PLANNING AHEAD

This information was shared in our Principal's Meeting this week.  I wanted to share with you so that you can plan accordingly.

ESL UPDATES

Reminder: I am available for PT conferences if you have any translating needs using Language Line. I am also available if you would like me to join and share any ESL information or language data.  Please send me a calendar invite or an email.  -Kara

LESSON IN LEEDERSHIP

DATES TO REMEMBER:

• GLOBAL MATH WEEK
• PURPLE HOUSE TAKES CARE OF THE LOUNGE THIS MONTH
• HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
• NATIONAL DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH
• STOMP OUT BULLYING MONTH
• BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
• HINDU HERITAGE MONTH

Oct 6- Audrey's Birthday

Oct 7-  Wear Blue for Bullying

     LEEdership Council Meeting (9:00 Cafe)

Oct 8- Write a Check campaign begins through Oct. 31

      Virtual PTO Meeting (6:00 PM)

Oct 9- Leadership Meeting (3:15 PM- Laura's Space)

Oct 10- Curtis' Birthday

     Spirit Rally (2:00)

     End of 1st Grading Period

Oct 11- Conference Day

Oct 14- NO SCHOOL

RED RIBBON WEEK IS TWO WEEKS AWAY!

Week of September 30, 2024

THANK YOU ALL FOR ANOTHER AMAZING WEEK AT LEE!  What a great week of design time.  Digging into Discovery Ed Science and Stemscopes were highlights for me, I hope for you, as well.  You are doing a wonderful job preparing for your learner led conferences.  I loved the idea that came from one grade of adding an attendance goal to their learner goal setting.  Use or lose that idea. Angel is going to share a tracker with you if you want to use it.

DID YOU KNOW:

• meta pens will be delivered to your spaces on Friday?  Please make sure that you tape and number off your pens as they are your class responsibility.  Much like your headphones, please have a system in place where the same learner uses the same pen so that there is responsibility for the tool. These should be stored in your classroom and not sent home. 
• you must turn your Vivatek Boards and televisions off each afternoon?  Please remember to do this to save the life of these learning tools.
• parents can start joining their learners for lunch on Fridays after conferences?  Please share this Friday Lunch sign up in your weekly newsletter for the remainder of the year.  October 18 is our first lunch date.
• you are REQUIRED to call CPS (1-800-252-5400) if a learner shares information that is concerning?  Just a friendly reminder.
• walkthroughs need to be signed?  Please go into Power School Perform to see if you have any that need your attention.  Thank you!

FINAL DAY TO PURCHASE YOUR HOUSE COLOR SHIRTS FOR THE YEAR

Our brand new House Color shirts will only be on sale through next Friday Don’t miss the chance to grab yours TODAY ONLY before it’s too late!  Unlike previous years, these shirts will not be available all year for purchase!  

Order now or miss out!: bit.ly/rjlspirit

OCTOBER SELF CARE BINGO

We put a bingo card in each mailbox.  Fill it out and turn it in by the last day of October to be in a drawing for a prize.  Thanks to Ashley Minton for sharing this with me.

COLLEGE SHIRT DAY

Encourage learners to participate by wearing a college shirt on the first Wednesday of each month.

FAIR DAY TICKETS

Learner fair day tickets are ready for pick up in the office.  Please make sure you send these home with each learner before next Friday.  

REMINDERS FROM OUR COUNSELOR

It is imperative that you share important information with your school counselor as soon as you become aware.  This helps ensure that necessary support can be provided to learners in a timely manner.  If you have specific concerns or questions about learners, please call or Teams Angela immediately.

  

OCTOBER IS DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH

Did you know that 15-20% of the population have some of the symptoms of dyslexia?

WALKTHROUGHS IN OCTOBER

We enjoyed giving you feedback on your learning environment in September.  For this month, we will be giving you feedback on Domain 2.5:  Monitor and Adjust.  We will be looking for:

• How you adjusts instruction and activities to maintain student engagement (movement, music, manipulatives, small groups and individual work, conferences with learners).

• How you address learner engagement/disengagement.

• Questioning and feedback used to check for understanding.

• How you use of a variety of assessment/input from learners to gather data.

• Checks for understanding through purposeful questioning and feedback.

• The pacing of the lesson.

ATTENDNACE MATTERS

Did you know, if your child has an appointment with a healthcare professional and returns to school on the same day, they are not considered absent if you provide a note from the doctor's office. Please ensure make-up work is completed within the teacher's specified timeframe.

Thank you for helping us prioritize attendance and academic success!

According to Education Code Sec. 25.093, unexcused absences on 10 or more days (or part of days) is considered a Class C misdemeanor.

LESSONS IN LEEDERSHIP

DATES TO REMEMBER:

• PURPLE HOUSE TAKES CARE OF THE LOUNGE THIS MONTH (this includes plastic silverware.  Admin will provide coffee.)
• NATIONAL DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH
• STOMP OUT BULLYING MONTH
• NATIONAL PRINCIPAL MONTH
• HINDU HERITAGE MONTH
• GT SCREENING WINDOW GRADES 1, 3, 5

Oct 2- College Shirt Day

     School Custodian Appreciation Day

Oct 5- World Teacher's Day

RED RIBBON WEEK IS THREE WEEKS AWAY!