Week of May 20, 2019

THANK YOU for another incredible year at our school.  #rjlyear5 was filled with HAPPINESS because of each and every one of you.  Your hard work, dedication, perseverance, and genuine love of children goes unmatched and you are applauded for all that you have contributed to making our school the incredible place that it is!  I hope you will always remember that you are were hand picked to be at Lee because of the gifts and talents that you possess. Sometimes you already knew them, other times we brought them out of you.  The special and unique blessing is that we are each on our own journey, yet we can all reflect back over the last year and see that we are better because of each other.  It is exciting looking forward and dreaming about #rjlyear6!

It will be sad to see some of our famiLEE move along on different paths, however, I feel confident that the bonds and lessons made at Lee will have lasting positive effects on your new adventures. We are super excited to watch some of our Spurs become Coyotes.  Gwen, Kristen, Micha, Leslie, Meredith, Mariah, Kylie, Stephanie, Satish, Rucha, and Karli... we wish you well as you grow new traditions and beginnings in your new building.  WHAT A FUN RIDE YOU WILL HAVE!  Megan, Michelle, Hillary, Carla, and Akta... we wish you nothing less than the best.  All of you mentioned will forever be Lee Spur famiLEE members.  Please keep in touch!  

Enjoy the last couple of days of school.  We know this is the BEST school, with the AWESOMEST staff and learners.  We only get our kiddos 187 days, so make the most of these last 5 1/2 with them! THEY ADORE YOU-  AS DO I!

Want a laugh?  MAYcember Medley should help!

DID YOU KNOW?

• schedules for the last days of school are updated on the Master Schedule document and Faculty calendar?
• that only positive comments are expected on your report cards?  Please ensure this happens for the last nine weeks and that you remember to sign and mark what grade learners will be going into for the next year.  Make a second copy of the signed report card for their permanent folders.
• that lost and found is filled with clothing?  Please remind parents to check lost and found before the last day.  Anything not claimed will be added to our clothing donation bin.
• that I will continue to blog important info over the summer?  I will email you when I do, so you stay informed.
• you can still sign up for summer professional learning?  Attendance this summer counts towards your flex hours for 2019-2020.
• learning is expected to happen until the LAST day at Lee?  I am not in support of videos being watched, unless I am aware, and there is a book study connection.  For example, some appropriately watched Wonder this week, with permission from me.  Learners come home and tell their parents that they "watched videos" at school and it can create a misconception.  In addition, ANY time a video is watched, it is to be previewed in its entirety to avoid inappropriate content.

FIELD DAY
THANKS, again, to Kristi, Aparna, Julie, and Carla for your collaboration and efforts to make this a special day for the children!  Feel free to wear shorts (no workout shorts), the PTO provided t-shirts, and hats (if you like) on Friday.  Shorts should be fingertip length or longer- don't ruin it for others! Please use THIS schedule for FIELD DAY on our Master Schedule.   Here are descriptions of zone events.  We ask that you help your learners label their water bottles (provided by PTO) with their name, grade, and house, BEFORE going outside, so that all bottles get returned to their owners.  Involve the CISD student athletes and parents as much as possible to make the day tons of fun for all.   Thank you, Specials Team and Support Staff, for making sure everyone gets a 55 minute break in your assigned house.

EOY CHECKOUT

Here is a copy of the EOY Check Out Procedure page.  I am giving it to you in digital form so you have live links. Please create a digital copy that you can mark up and send to us, digitally, after we check you out.  Please have everything completed by your house check out time.  We will get the check out schedule to you by next Thursday.


FARMERS MARKET AT LEE
Our Garden Gurus have done an outstanding job this year!  They will be hosting a Farmer's Market during lunch time to sell the items they have grown.  They will also sell before Monday night's Choir performance.  There are potatoes, carrots, herbs, onions, AND MORE!  All proceeds go back to our school garden.  Please help us spread the word!

MOOVELOUS MONDAY
Don't worry about lunch on Monday.  The office will be providing you lunch from Chick-Fil-A.

TALENT SHOW
Please come down when called (7:45ish) on Monday morning.  We will have the broadcast crew live on the stage before our Talent Show begins.  We will have an alternate schedule on Monday.  Please remind parents so there are not any lunch mix ups.  THANK YOU, Yellow House and Melinda, for all of your hard work and preparations for this event for the school!

STAFF MEETING

Please join us in Red House for Michelle's 27 Years in Heaven Celebration.  We will follow her recognition by acknowledging service award recipients.

END OF YEAR TECHNOLOGY CHECK-IN
Please read the Lee End of Year Technology Checklist that explains how and when we will check in/out devices and presentation station carts.  Dates and info are also on the staff calendar.  In addition, if you need help with wiping devices (Dr. Applegate's email), please see Kasey.


5TH GRADE GRADUATION

Want to see our fifth grade graduation on Wednesday afternoon?  Tune in to watch via our YouTube Live channel from morning broadcast.  Thank you, Kasey, for setting this up for us.  Remember to eat lunches in your space this day and that there is an alternate schedule.  Please inform parents.  LEEdeership Council members who wear their shirts will help with walking our guests to the cafeteria if they wear their LEEdership shirts. 

SPIRIT RALLY

Please notify your parents if their child is getting an award at Thursday's Spirit Rally.  They may want to come and watch them be honored.  Learners will get awards from Leedership Council, Citizens of the Year, Spelling Bee, Yearbook Cover, Math Olympiad, Red and Black, Art, PE, Music, Library, STEAM, Enrichment, and more.  We will start at 8:00 and conclude about 9:30.

YEARBOOKS
We will host yearbook signing, from 10:00-11:00, after Thursday's Spirit Rally.  PLEASE ONLY SEND LEARNERS WITH YEARBOOKS around the building at this time.  Memory sheets and homemade signature books can be signed in your houses.  This prioritizes learners who have the purchased books from PTO.

LAST DAY LUNCHES
Please let the cafeteria know on this form what your learners will need for lunch on the last day. All learners should eat before we release on Thursday.

FIFTH GRADE FAREWELL PARADE
We host a FINAL WALK for 5th graders on the last day of school.  Early release is 12:15, so at 12:00 we will ask that you line a path with learners (starting in the cafeteria) around the first floor so that our fifth graders can be recognized by their school.  Bring your Kleenex! They walk the building two times followed by all of us assisting with dismissal duty on the last day.

REPORTS IN TEACHER ACCESS CENTER

Please help Kathy Creek by cleaning out your reports in Teacher Access Center as outlined in her email on Monday.

STORAGE ROOMS
Thank you for organizing and getting done with your inventory of your storage spaces.  Please create a digital copy that you can mark up and send to us, digitally, as we check your house out. Please pull your Probots, BeeBots, and Blue Bots out of your house storage closets.  Team leaders email Melinda how many you are sending down to the Media Center and have learners bring these to the Media Center before the last day of school.  They need barcoded and we will return to your house storage during the summer.

REMINDER FROM LEIGH ANN
Just a reminder that the Pearson site will wipe their records in early June.  If you need your TELPAS certificate, please go into the Pearson site and retrieve it before they clear all the information out.  The link is:  https://tx.scoring.pearsonassessments.com/scoring/signIn


REMINDER FROM THE NURSE
Please send to parents: Please pick up any medication or medical supplies your student has in the clinic on or before Thursday, May 23.  Medication must be picked up by a parent.  All medications not picked up will be thrown away.

• No medication, including EpiPens and inhalers, will automatically be sent home with students at the end of the year
• Parents must pick up medication.  If parents are not able to pick up medications, please contact Ameira Olayan at aolayan@coppellisd.com
• All medications will be discarded if not picked up by the end of the day on May 23rd.

MEMORIAL DAY CARDS
Don't forget to bring down your class cards for Memorial Day by the end of the day on Thursday.  We will deliver them to the DFW National Cemetery on Saturday, May 25 at 9:00 a.m.  This is a rewarding experience, so feel free to join in.  Please put each card in a gallon sized ziploc bag.  Don't worry, we will add the rocks for you, at the cemetery.  Designers, PLEASE resend this invitation and map home, to your class, so that their parents have information about the event.  It is open for ANY to attend.

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Humor- comical or amusing quality; ability to see or show the funny or amusing side of things.

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

Your ability to make people laugh can help others feel comfortable and relieve tense situations.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." - Victor Borge

DATES TO REMEMBER:
May 20- Satish's Birthday
     Grades Due (8:00)

     Talent Show (8:00-10:00)
     Farmer's Market (Lunchtime and 5:45pm)
     Special Delivery (11:45-12:15 Front Car Loop)
     Choir Concert (6:30 Cafe)
May 21- NRH20 Performance
     Learner Led Conferences for Howard, Greer, Patel, Khan, and Godinez (2:00-03:00)
May 22- House Shirt and Jeans
     Lunch in Houses
     5th Grade Graduation (1:00-3:00 Cafe/Gym)
     Ponytail Club Hair Cutting (3:15-3:30)
     Michelle's 27 Years of Heaven (3:30-4:00)
     Staff Meeting (4:00-5:00)
May 23- Last Day of School
     Spirit Assembly (8:00-9:30)
     Yearbook Signing (10:00-11:00)
     Lunches in Houses
     Farewell Walk (12:00-12:15)
     Early Dismissal (12:15)
May 25- Deliver Memorial Letters to DFW National Cemetery (9:00am)

Week of May 13, 2019

Have an incredible weekend, sweet ladies.  I hope you have felt kindness and appreciation from our PTO and FamiLEEs.  You are such a talented and dedicated bunch and are loved very much!

We would love to give a warm welcome to Diana Elguea.  She will help us finish the year in Blue 2.  Thank you Diana, for jumping in during a hectic time of the year!

Lastly, Happy Mother's Day to all of you.  Whether you have children of your own, or not, you mother the children in our school.  Thank you for all you do for them and the love you provide them each and every day they are at school.

Here are some ADORABLE pictures of Akta's sweet baby girl to share with you.  She texted them to me yesterday.   It is amazing how much our FamiLEE has grown (and continues to grow) these first five years!

Speaking of growing.  We have recommended a few more staff members for hire this week.  To begin with we will be adding a second ESL position on campus.  Claudia and Dee will be joined by Julia Pena after she is approved by the board.  We also recommended Meredith Blaney for a classroom vacancy (read below).  Laura Jennings will also be joining our staff.   Laura and Meredith will be stopping by on Friday, at 12:30, to see learning in action.  At this time, all of our known vacancies have been filled.  This means we can begin finalizing our staff assignments for next school year.  My goal is to be able to share this information with you in my next blog.


DID YOU KNOW:

• that this short video that Kasey shared about a month ago gives you some AWESOME ideas of ways to use Apple Classroom?  Thanks, Kasey!
• our Lee Compost Crew video shared during an Apple Distinguished Schools Twitter chat has over 4000 views? Keep using the ADS hashtag when you tweet, Designers, and THANKS, Keiko!
• there is a schedule for the K-2 Author Visit for today?  It is on the second tab in our Master Schedule.  Thanks, Megan, for creating it. 

CREATION STATION

Thank you to those of you that shared your ideas for our added Specials position.  Please cheer on Stephanie Shannon as she embarks on a new journey, at Lee, as a Specials Designer.  She has some very clever ideas that she will implement in her new role next school year!  Stay tuned!

PONYTAIL CLUB

Are you interested in making a difference by donating your hair? If so, please sign up here, before Monday, to join the club! Hair must be 8” or longer. Your ponytail will be donated to Hair we Share to create a wig for someone with medical hair loss.

STAAR TESTING

Please view the master schedule for scheduling on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Let parents know about adjusted times for our grade level schedules on these days.  (we are still adding names in the schedule so it may change before Monday morning).  We will visit testing environments at 9:00, on Friday, to check for Reading, Math, and Science items that need covered or taken down.

Please put this information in your weekly newsletter: 

All 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students across the state of Texas will be participating in the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.   Please see the testing schedule below:

• Monday, May 13th:  3rd Grade Math; 4th Grade Math
• Tuesday, May 14th:  3rd Grade Reading; 4th Grade Reading
• Wednesday, May 15th:  5th Grade Science

Please make note of these important dates!  Due to the need for a secure test environment, visitors  may not go beyond the office on these days.  There will be no volunteers for recess duty, helping teachers, helping in the library, helping in the office or tutoring students.  In addition, there will be no visitors allowed during lunch.  Please keep in mind that there are alternate lunch times on testing days.

FIELD DAY

Feel free to wear shorts (no workout shorts), the PTO provided t-shirts, and hats (if you like) on Friday.  Shorts should be fingertip length or longer- don't ruin it for others!  Please use the following schedule provided by PTO.   They have also provided these descriptions of zone events.  We ask that you help your learners label their water bottles (provided by PTO) with their name, grade, and house BEFORE going outside so that all bottles get returned to their owners.  Involve the CISD student athletes and parents as much as possible to make the day tons of fun for ALL.   Thank you to Kristi, Aparna, Julie, and Carla for your collaboration and efforts to make this a special day for the children!  Please re-share the sign up genius links emailed to you on Wednesday.

NOTE FROM LEIGH ANN
Thank you for all your hard work with your learners this year in RTI.  We have seen lots of growth from all of our learners.  As we wrap up the end of the year, please write up a summary for each of your learners who are in RTI.  Please state their EOY data, strategies that you have found to work well with them, and any other useful information for next year's designer.  After you have written this up, please make sure to put in the Google doc on the RTI Quick Glance and paste an additional copy in Aware.  If you need help with where to put this in Aware, please let Leigh Ann know.  Once, this has been completed, please complete this Google Form.


MEMORIAL DAY CARDS
Don't forget to have your class start their work on creating cards for Memorial Day by Thursday, May 23.  We will take them to the DFW National Cemetery on Saturday, May 25 at 9:00 a.m.  Please put each card in a gallon sized ziploc bag.  Don't worry, we will add the rocks for you, at the cemetery.  Designers, PLEASE send this invitation and map home so that parents have information about the event.  If any of you want to join us, you are more than welcome to attend.  It is a HEART-WARMING experience!

APEX FUNDS
We have your Apex Fun Run teacher 10% totals.  Please save receipts for all purchases and turn them in to Shanna for reimbursement once you have spent the total amount.  You will want to use a tax exempt form, as we will not reimburse for tax incurred.  You may use any vendor of your choice for these purchases and items purchased must be used for Lee learners on items that will remain at Lee. If you are purchasing a piece of furniture, it must be approved by Chantel, first.  Please make sure you thank PTO for giving over $3000 back to our staff!

TAKE CARE OF YOU

What are some ways to combat stress during the hectic end of the year?  Jon Gordon, author of The Energy Bus, suggests these strategies:

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Responsibility- making the right choice to be reliable and dependable

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

After we eat, we will clean up after ourselves. This includes cleaning off the tables and making sure we haven't left any trash on the floor or around the eating area.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you.  Never excuse yourself." -Henry Ward Beecher

DATES TO REMEMBER:
May 10- K-2 Author Visit
May 13- 3/4 STAAR Test (Math)
     5th STAAR Retest
     Kinder Zoo Field Trip
May 14- 3/4 STAAR Test (Reading)
     5th STAAR Retest
May 15- School Shirt with Jeans
     5th STAAR Test (Science)
     Leadership Meeting (3:30-5:00 Art Room)
May 16- Talent Show Rehearsal
     Kindergarten Zoo (2:00 Cafe)
     Stephanie's Shower (3:30)
May 17- Field Day
May 18- Micha's Birthday (8:00-10:00 Cafe)

Week of May 6, 2019

What another terrific week at Lee.  We had a super Yellow House music performance and a bridal shower for Karli.  Our 4th graders had a safe and memorable trip to Austin.  We also got a chance to meet our incoming Kindergartners. Thank you to those of you that stayed and helped with Round Up.  It was a packed house!  Please leave as soon as the children are safely dismissed today.  There have been so many late nights and it is time to start your weekend.  ENOY Cinco de Mayo on Sunday!

DID YOU KNOW:

• for the next year, Texas second graders will learn how to write cursive letters and third graders will learn how to write complete words and answers in cursive writing.  The new learning standards reflect the growing science that backs the benefits of handwriting.
• that an IC shared this timely post (I know it is May, but it still applies) with Jacque?  Please take time to reflect with it. It is such a GREAT reminder during this busy season of the school year.

TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week.  Our fabulous PTO has planned a wonderful week of celebration for you!  Their theme is GRATITUDE- be thankful, appreciate, and return kindness.

• Monday- "Thankful"- tell your designer how thankful you are by writing a sweet note or making a special card
• Tuesday- "Designer Survival Kit"- Bring in highlighters, pens, pencils, notepads, or stationary for your designer
• Wednesday- Thank you for making my learning day sweet"- bring in something sweet for your designer
• Thursday- "You make us BLOOM all Day"- bring your designer's favorite flower  
• Friday- "Pamper your designer day" - Bring in a special surprise gift of your choice

PTO MEETING

Our final PTO Meeting for the year is on Tuesday, so please make sure you have children ready to give a final share out with our Board.  There will be a dessert potluck, so feel free to bring a dessert and enjoy some sweet treats.  You will get to meet our new Board President at this event.

HAPPY CALLS

I know you are in full swing of end of year conferences, but it is the perfect time to end the year on a good note.  Take some time and make a happy call to each of your learners.  It will pay off for you as much as it will them, trust me!

(this means learners will need a book from home or your class library for STAAR)

COPPELL EDUCATION FOUNDATION FUN RUN

We really need your encouragement to spread the word to our parents about the Run to Fund that is on Saturday, May 11, at Andy Brown East Park.  We only have 4 famiLEEs registered to participate.  Thanks for helping to spread the word.

CISD SUMMER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

Dates: Thursday, May 30, and Friday, May 31
Focus: Digital Learning
Location: Coppell Middle School West
Click Here to view schedule and sign up

Dates: Wednesday, July 17, and Thursday, July 18
Focus: Social Emotional Learning
Location: Coppell Middle School West
Click Here to view schedule and sign up

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Humility- being humble, not proud or haughty, not arrogant or assertive

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

If you win or excel at something, do not brag.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"The reward of a thing well done is to have done it." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

DATES TO REMEMBER:
May 5- Leigh Ann's Birthday
Week of May 6-10- Teacher Appreciation Week
May 6- RTI Meetings
     Talent Show Auditions (after school)
     MiCocina Spirit Night
     Keeping Kids Safe, Happy and Healthy in the Digital World (5:00 pm A120)
May 7- Education Foundation Shirt and Jeans
     Teacher Appreciation Breakfast from Dad's Club (Cafe-7:00am)
     PTO Meeting (Cafe 7:00)
May 8- Convocation Shirt and Jeans
     IBC Luncheon for Staff (Lunch)
     Allen and Greer Fiesta (3:30-4:00)
     Staff Meeting (4:00-5:00)
May 9- Last Spurs Savings
     Samosas and Sweets from a Lee family
     Talent Show Auditions (after school)
May 10- Books Due to Library
     LEEdership Meeting (Cafe- 8:00)
     LEEdership Lemonade Sale (Recess Time)
     Teacher Appreciation Lunch from PTO (Texas Roadhouse)
     K/1/2 Author Visit (2:00)
May 11- CISD Ed Foundation Run to Fund (Starts 7:00 am)

Week of April 29, 2019

Thank you, ALL, for a loveLEE volunteer breakfast for our volunteers.   We absoluteLEE appreciate Kristen for heading up this event this year.  I think most of us enjoyed a little breakfast ourselves, as well!  Also, thank you to each of you for celebrating our front office gals.  We can all agree they are AMAZING!  There have been so many incredible tweets this week showcasing our learners, the way you have designed lessons using our school as a tool, examples of learner creativity on their iPads, and MORE.  Thank you for taking the time to tell Lee's CISD STORY!  If you don't tell it, who will?

DID YOU KNOW:

• today is the last day to submit your Red and Black Superstars?  Please make time to nominate at least one learner and peer.  Even if they don't win, your submission will be acknowledged and helps make Lee OUR HAPPY PLACE.
• we still have some 3-5 classes that have not taken the Clarity Survey yet?  Please do this on Friday.
• most houses and grades have scheduled their learner led conferences for the Spring by now?  If you are doing your conferences at one time, please make sure you have communicated this with Chantel so that it is on the staff calendar.  A reminder that these conferences include the learner, their goal setting/data, and their Bulb digital portfolio this year. 
• we have recommended Brooklyn for hire for next year and she has signed her contract?  It will be official after Monday night's Board meeting.  CONGRATULATIONS Brooklyn!  We have recommended some other hires as well: Ruby Bryant, Corrine Sheffield, Stormi Lamb, Madison Smith, and Hannah Hardy.  Once we know what grade and house everyone will be in, I will share their contact information so that you can welcome them.  Thank you, again, to all of you for helping to interview and find such great candidates!  We have a few more positions to fill so we will keep you informed as we fill those.
• our Lee Speedstacking Team won the trophy for the second year in a row?  Congratulations Coach Behr and Lopez and thank you to the staff members who stayed and helped!

SPRING MOVIE NIGHT

Join us on Friday night for Movie on the Lawn Night.  Bring a blanket or chair and cuddle up for Mary Poppins.  PTO will be serving refreshments and snacks as well as our Garden Gurus.  Set up begins at 7:00 and the movie starts at sundown.  We hope you can be there!

MI COCINA NIGHT

Come one, come all to MiCocina on Monday night!  

LET'S CELEBRATE KARLI
Please join Red House as they celebrate Karli on Tuesday afternoon.  Karli and Roger are registered at Crate and Barrel and Bed Bath and Beyond.

COLLEGE SHIRT DAY

Don't forget to wear your favorite college shirt on Wednesday.

KINDERGARTEN ROUND UP

We are looking forward to having our new learners and FamiLEEs on campus on Thursday night from 6:00-7:00.  Thank you to our Kindergarten team for staying after to meet our learners.  Anyone that wants to earn flex can stay after and help during this event.  See Kindergarten for details.


SCHOOL LUNCH HERO DAY
Please wear (and encourage your learners to wear) a super hero shirt on Friday.  We will be celebrating School Lunch Hero Day in the cafeteria.  I think we can all agree, Charlene and her team are super heroes!  Please creatively show them how much we care!


SAVE THE DATE

SUMMER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN CISD

As a conference attendee, you will...
have an opportunity to attend sessions of your choice that vary in length.
receive Flex credit for the 2019-2020 academic year based on the sessions you attend.

• Example, attend (1) 90-minute session and (1) 45-minute session and receive 2.25 hours of Flex.

create your personalized schedule using Sched, beginning Friday, May 3rd.

• Digital Learning Conference SCHED Link.  Sign up will close Friday, May 17th.   
• Social-Emotional Conference SCHED Link.  Sign up will close Friday, July 5th.

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Resiliency- recovering from or adjusting easily to misfortune or change

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

Accept that you are going to make mistakes.  Learn from them and move on.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit." -Napoleon

DATES TO REMEMBER:
April 29- RTI Meetings
     MiCocina Night
     TOY Recognized at School Board Meeting (6:00)
April 30- Kathy's Birthday
     Yellow Music Program (8:00 and 6:30)
     Karli's Shower (On the Border)
     #TxEdTues (Thank Your Community)
May 1- College Shirt Day
     Hannah's Birthday
     Linda Cook's Retirement Reception (3:30-5:00 Admin)
     NO LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETING
     Dad's Club Meeting (7:00 pm)
May 2- 4th Grade Austin Field Trip
     Spurs Savings (7:20-7:40 Cafe)
     1st and Kinder Animal Visit (1:15)
     Kindergarten Round Up (6:00 Cafe)
May 3- Kinder Dyslexia Screener Due
     School Lunch Hero Day
     3rd Grade Field Trip
May 4- Drama Club Performance (12:30 Lightbox Theater)

Week of April 22, 2019

WOW!  It is hard to believe we are halfway through the last nine weeks of the school year.  Thank you for playing along with our PEEP War.  We hope ALL houses will get super involved tomorrow.  Each peep you find is worth DOUBLE POINTS, so be observant and keep those tallies coming!  We have enjoyed our Summative meetings this week and having the chance to have dedicated time with each and every staff member.  We  enjoy the opportunity to brag on you and celebrate the growth we have seen in ALL.  A huge thank you to the team of designers who have helped with screening and interviewing this hiring season.  It has been an absolute joy to share in the decision making with all of you.  We have found some excellent famiLEE members to bring on board for the next school year, and it wouldn't be possible with the help of each of you!

DID YOU KNOW:

• Charlene needs your field trip orders?  Please get these to her as soon as possible.
• that paraprofessionals can use comp time for April 22?   Unfortunately, you cannot use a personal day.  Please get with Leigh Ann to let her know if you will be here on Monday, or not.
• Melinda is always seeking input for books she can collect for you in the Media Center?  Here is her form.
• that the Garden Gurus will be selling smoothies and harvest items at Friday's Movie Night?  Please tell your famiLEEs.
• the Elementary DLC team has put together a Life Science GridPals Community through Flipgrid to connect classrooms around the district as they learn about the life cycles, needs and characteristics of different animals?  You can use this Flipgrid to share your learning about the animal(s) you have studied or to ask questions about other animals around the district.  You can access the GridPals Community on a computer here: https://flipgrid.com/cisdlife or use the code cisdlife in the app on an iPad.

RED AND BLACK SUPERSTARS
Please make sure you have nominated at least one learner from your class by Friday.  The nomination form is here.


SPRING MOVIE NIGHT
Join us on Friday night for Movie on the Lawn Night.  Bring a blanket or chair and cuddle up for Mary Poppins.  PTO will be serving refreshments and snacks as well as our Garden Gurus.  Set up begins at 7:00 and the movie starts at sundown.  We hope you can stay for a little bit!

ALLERGY TABLE AT LUNCH

Please remember that two of the cafeteria booths are to remain open for learners with allergies.  Learners who eat peanut butter or have nut products should NEVER sit at these tables. Thanks for helping to monitor this when you are on lunch duty.  Let's also work on picking up after ourselves on the floor and tables.  This goes along beautifully with many of your Respect Agreements.

PONYTAIL CLUB

Please share with your parents.  Thank you, Layne, for heading up this endeavor.  Are you interested in making a difference by donating your hair?  If so, please sign up here to have your ponytail and hair cut during our spirit rally on May 23rd!  Hair must be 8 inches or longer.  Your ponytail will be donated to Hair we Share to create a wig for someone with medical hair loss.

SAVE THE DATE

CISD SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES
If you are interested in participating in one or all of these, please see Chantel.  I have to sign you up on a district document by April 29.

OUR GUIDING PURPOSE: We empower learners to positively impact the world by designing learning experiences that promote relationships, risk taking, and collaboration in a flexible environment.

What YOU are doing to do to LIVE out this VISION at Lee?

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Resiliency- recovering from or adjusting easily to misfortune or change

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

Accept that you are going to make mistakes.  Learn from them and move on.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit." -Napoleon

DATES TO REMEMBER:
Week of April 21-April 30- Clarity Survey Window Open
Week of April 22-26- Admin Professionals Appreciation Week
Week of April 22-26- National School Volunteer Week
April 22- NO SCHOOL (for learners)
     Earth Day
April 23- Shelby's Birthday
     Progress Reports Due (8:00)
     TOY Recognition Banquet
     4/5 Shelley Brown Author Visit (2:00 Cafe)
April 24- House shirt with jeans
     EOY Summatives
     Staff Meeting (3:30-5:00 Blue House)
April 25- Anthony Hill IBM Visits @ Lee
     Volunteer Breakfast (7:00-8:00 Media Center)
     Spurs Savings (7:20 Cafe)
     Lee Learning Walk (8:00)
     Tour (9:00 and 1:00)
     Speed Stacking Tournament (3:05-8:00 Gym)
     Austin Parent Chaperone Meeting (6:00 Media Center)
April 26- Red and Black SuperStars Due
     Send home Progress Reports
     EOY Summatives
     FamiLEE Movie Night (7:15 Field)

Week of April 15, 2019

We have had another awesome week at Lee!  We tackled Spring pictures, testing, and Family Engineering Night all in one week!  We were tickled pink to see all of the awesome tweets on #LoveMySchoolDay.  Thank you for sharing your classroom with others and loving our school so much! Lee truly is Our Happy Place!!! If you didn't see this video on Twitter, take a look.  It shows reflections from one of our latest tours in the building.  You should see what our guests said they saw, heard, and felt at Lee.  You all ROCK!

Thank you for all of the efforts during STAAR testing this week.  We know that it is a challenge to keep everyone quiet- you all amaze us!  Great job test administrators, we had no issues this round!

What a FABULOUS Family Engineering Night.  Thank you Priscilla for organizing and for all of our staff for hosting the sessions.  We saw smiles, excitement, designing and redesigning happening.  If you attended the event, sign in here and we will add flex credit to your Strive portfolio.

We are looking forward to continuing our summatives.  This is our time to visit with each of you and brag on you some more!

Speaking of bragging...look who got to go home yesterday!!  Please continue to lift the Khan family and sweet Asiya in your thoughts and prayers!

DID YOU KNOW:

• Priscilla would like feedback on Family Engineering Night?  Please share this link with your parents to provide her this information. 
• Spring Movie Night is on Friday, April 26?  Mark your calendars so you can attend.
• Kasey got this Numbers workflow today for Earth Week and thought it would be great to share out?  ENJOY!  Thanks, Kasey!

more info coming in an email on Friday!

LUNCH AND LEARN

Thank you for learning more about Schoology AMP this week with Jacque and Kasey!

FED EX DAY

Wednesday is our last Fed Ex Day for this school year.  Please complete this form at the conclusion of your learning session on Wednesday.  The form will open at 4:30.

PTO MEMBERSHIP TOOLKIT
Please ask parents to go HERE to register to get weekly updates from our PTO.  We have a new system, so they must go in and request the information.  It will take only a couple of minutes.  THANK YOU!

VOLUNTEER BREAKFAST

THANK YOU for helping to celebrate our volunteers.  Please send all parents the invitation below.  Don't forget to review the sign up for what you are bringing for the Volunteer Breakfast.

TALENT SHOW
Please share this flyer with your parents.

SAVE THE DATE

SUMMER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

Mark your calendars! This year, CISD will host a two-day summer conference in May and another two-day conference in July for you to continue learning, growing and being inspired. Please see below for more details! If you are interested in serving as a facilitator during one or both of the conferences, complete this Google form to indicate your interest and availability. Be on the lookout for an email from CoppellPL@coppellisd.com with more information for potential facilitators and attendees.

Two-Day Summer Conference

Dates: Thursday, May 30, and Friday, May 31
Focus: Digital Learning
Location: Coppell Middle School West
Click Here to view schedule and sign up

Dates: Wednesday, July 17, and Thursday, July 18
Focus: Social Emotional Learning
Location: Coppell Middle School West
Click Here to view schedule and sign up

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Optimism- to anticipate the best possible outcome

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

Be positive and enjoy life.  Keep everything in perspective and focus on the good.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"Everyday may not be good, but there is something good in every day." -Anonymous

DATES TO REMEMBER:
April 13- Coppell EcoFest (9:00-12:00 Downtown Coppell)
April 14- Suzanne's Birthday
April 15- Clarity Survey Window Opens
     EOY Assessment Window Opens
     EOY  Summatives
April 16- Education Foundation Shirt and Jeans
     Lunch and Learn
April 17- School Shirt with Jeans
     EOY Summatives
     Fed Ex (3:30-4:30) and Lucy Cohort
April 18- Akta's Birthday
     Spurs Savings (7:15 Cafe)
     Yellow House Field Trip
     EOY Summatives
     Tour (9:00-10:00)
April 19- NO SCHOOL
     Melinda's Birthday

Week of April 8, 2019

Thank you for another wonderful week at Lee! We appreciate everyone accommodating our large tour groups today.  We are excited to share that our tour dates are wrapping up the end of April. 

DID YOU KNOW:

• that this is what an Apple guest had to say about you all?  "Richard J. Lee is an amazing building, a beautifully designed structure. But the true power lies not in the building, but in the connection between leadership, educators, learners, community, and that space. It was so clear that when the people and structures are in harmony, amazing things can happen."
• you can customize profile pictures in your blog posts in Bulb?  Thanks Kasey!

SPRING PICTURE DAY

Please remind parents, in this week's email, about Monday being Picture Day.  If they want a class picture, they need to bring the envelope, that was sent home with them, on Monday.  The cost is $13.  They also need to fill out the Picture Day Selection Form.  Proofs will be sent home for individual portrait orders.  Also, remind parents that the class picture is from head to toe, so learners need to be in their best outfits, including shoes.  They can change clothes before going to recess or PE.  Our schedule will be:  Purple ->Blue -> Yellow -> Red -> Green.  Purple, we will get started promptly at 8:00 and start with 5th grade, working our way down.  After the group picture, your class will head to the flex space for individual pictures.   Our staff picture is at 7:00, in the cafeteria, and we will make an announcement when they are ready for the group so that you do not waste your morning time.  

WALL WALKS

We will be doing our final wall walk-through for STAAR on Monday, April 8 at 12:00pm.  Please ensure that you work together as a house to take down or cover up all Writing, Math, and Reading materials in the testing rooms and designated walkways to the restrooms.  If you are in a a space that will be used for small group testing, please work together with the small group administrator assigned to your space to ensure it is prepped and ready to go.  THANKS!

STAAR

Everyone has worked hard growing our learners and having them ready to test.  We don't want you to sweat STAAR (they are READY) so, please feel free to wear your sweats and sneakers on Tuesday.  Please remind parents that there are no guests on STAAR testing days.  Good luck learners and designers and thank you to Angela for being our Campus Testing Coordinator!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

On Tuesday, and Wednesday morning broadcast will be pre-recorded for you.  Please watch broadcast in your individual spaces at your convenience each day.  I request that even testing classes watch broadcast before they start testing.  Admin will have a message for testers each day. Thanks Sam, Taylor, and the Broadcast Crew for pre-recording announcements for us!

#LOVEMYSCHOOLDAY
This initiative was designed to encourage teachers, principals and staff to use the power of social media to share with the world the positive and wonderful things that exist in their school.  On this day, please take time to tell the world what you love about Lee!


FAMILY ENGINEERING NIGHT
We look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday night.  Please read the challenge catalog to see what is being offered in your space.  Priscilla has worked super hard to have everything prepared and organized for you.  Please see her if you have questions about what to do this night.

Some reminders for our guests (please put in your newsletters):

• Please bring a device with a stopwatch and a QR Code reading (camera app).  Certain challenges will require the stopwatch and the catalog and event poll can be easily accessed by scanning a QR code
• Please tweet while you are here #RJLFamilyEngineeringNight
• The catalog of challenges is here
• Mrs. Shaner could still use pennies and empty paper towel rolls until the day for the event.

LEEDERSHIP COUNCIL 
Our learners will be selling plastic eggs filled with treats at recess time, on Friday.  Please spread the word to your parents.

SPRING CONFERENCES
A friendly reminder that as you schedule your Spring Conferences that these are LEARNER-LED.  All learners should be present and reviewing data and their goal sheets during this time.  Yellow House, thank you for scheduling, as a house, on May 20.  If other houses are doing this, please let me know so that I can put it on the Lee Calendar and our office staff can be prepared for guests.


SAVE THE DATE
Thank you, Kristen, for making these!

Sign up here to bring something for the breakfast.

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Curiosity- the eager desire to learn, to explore, to investigate

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

Learn and inquire about things that interest you.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"The future belongs to the curious. The ones who are not afraid to try it, explore it, poke at it, question it, and turn it inside out." -Anonymous

DATES TO REMEMBER:
April 8- Megan's Birthday
     RtI Meetings
     Staff Picture (7:00 Cafe)
     Spring Pictures
     STAAR Wall Walks (start at 12:00)
April 9- STAAR Testing (4th/5th Grades)
     Warm Up to STAAR
April 10- STAAR Testing (5th Grade)
     Convocation t-shirt and jeans
April 11- #LoveMySchoolDay
     Spur Savings (7:20-7:40)
     Family Engineering Night (5:00-7:00pm)
April 12- LEEdership Council Egg Sale
     #YouMatterHR
April 13- EarthFest  (9:00-12:00 Old Coppell)