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)

Week of February 8, 2021

Happy Thursday!  We are so grateful for each and every one of you and how you take care of one another.  We hope you enjoyed your nachos today and can't wait to show you some love tomorrow.  Watch your boxes!!  We have a FUN note and challenge for you.  Please have a lovely weekend and take time to take care of YOU!  Thank you, Linda and Social Spurs for the Valentine craft in the lounge this week.  What a GREAT activity!

DID YOU KNOW:

• we need you to avoid the front office area for the time being? The blue microfiber cloths and return area are under the white board by teacher mailboxes, now.  We pulled the clean ones that were in the office and rewashed them so you can feel confident you are getting clean cloths. 
• Natalie has an updated Library S'more?  
• We need pictures of our married staff members in their wedding dresses?  Please email them to CK so we can use them for a game on Feb. 26.  There will be a "surprise" for the first five pictures that come in!

TO DO

• Please check in Strive and make sure that you have viewed all of your walkthroughs and electronically signed your 3 T-TESS documents.
• Please get your yearbook photos to Samira.  The deadline is past!  2020-2021 YEARBOOK PICTURES FOLDER

BOOK FAIR

Did you know that all profits earned through the Book Fair go back to our campus library fund?  Please talk up this event to learners and parents so we can have the most successful Spring Virtual Book Fair!  

VALENTINES DAY

Thank you for your patience for directions for Valentine's Day Parties.  A message was sent in teams this morning.  We can't wait to see what your houses design.  If you create virtual media albums for your learners to get valentines, here is a valentine from their Principal that I would love for you to share with learners.

FEBRUARY 12

This day is another scheduled work day for you!!!  Please be on campus from 7:10-3:35 and work on what YOU need to work on.  Remember to be socially distanced on this day and wear your masks.  You may dress comfortably and you may leave for a one hour lunch since there is no lunch or recess duty for students.

DLC UPDATE

Would you like to add a special connection to your Valentine's Day Party? Virtual Valentines may be just the thing for you! We have created a set of Digital Valentine's Day cards this year in lieu of handing out paper cards. Our workflow includes students using card templates in Keynote and then "delivering" the cards to individual student "mailboxes" (media albums) in Schoology. If you are interested, you can find the file (in both English and Spanish) as well as an educator overview video on this Bulb page.

If  Keynote is not your thing, your DLCs would be happy to partner with you to think of another workflow using these cards in Google slides.

  

Want to break down the walls even further? Join this Global Virtual Valentine's Project. You can participate on one of two levels. Level 1 will give your students the ability to create a Virtual Valentine, share with others, and see work from students around the world. Level 2 is for teachers who want to give a more in-depth cultural connection to their students and will involve a Skype call with a partner class where students will get to meet friends in a different part of the world.

TELPAS 

To complete the TELPAS online basic course please go to the following site:

TELPAS Online Training Center

Here are the Security training modules:

Module 1: Active Monitoring

Module 2: Distribution of Materials

Module 3: Proper Handling of Secure Test Materials

If you are new to the district you must complete all 3.  If you were in CISD last year you only have to complete Module 1. ALL are due February 12 in order to be able to calibrate that afternoon.  

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

GIVE YOURSELF A LITTLE GRACE

Making a commitment to teaching is not an easy task. You are already a hero for doing that. If you think about it, teachers actually have two jobs: teaching and everything else that goes with the job. This year has been exceptionally hard with F2F and virtual teaching. Please know you are appreciated by kids, their parents, your peers and your administrative team. 

Girls, give yourself some GRACE:

• Sometimes you don’t have time for yourself. But make a plan to take time for yourself. Work can wait. And don’t feel guilty about it.  Your self care is vital to your success.

• Surround yourself with people that lift you up, rather than bring you down.

• When a parent or volunteer or IC :) asks you if you need something, tell them what you need.

• Don’t reinvent the wheel.  Take ideas from your team.

• Turn the lights off and lock the door while you are on your prep.  And don’t feel guilty about it.

• Skip the dishes every once in a while, and spend time with those that you love.

• Don’t feel like you need to have a Pinterest-worthy classroom.  Your kids won’t remember that part.

• Get to know your tough students on a level you never thought you could.

• Remember why you became a teacher in the first place.

• What you are doing is making a bigger difference than you think.  And you are enough.

• Take a mental health day.

• Take your work email off your phone.

• And always remember “No,” is a complete sentence.

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

When you read to newcomers, look for ways to help support their comprehension of new vocabulary and the story.

• Read sentences at a slow-to-normal speed, using an expressive tone.

• Allow time after each sentence or paragraph for students to assimilate the material.

• Point to the corresponding pictures as you read the text.

• Act out the story as you read, and ask students to act along with you.

• Use visuals and manipulatives such as flannel board pieces, props, puppets, and "realia." ELL learners especially benefit from any three dimensional objects you bring in to enhance the reading experience.

• Verify comprehension of the story by asking students to point to items in the illustrations.

Check comprehension with yes/no and either/or questions at first, and then move to fill-in-the-blank

or who/what/when/where/why questions when students are more comfortable.

• Read the same story on successive days. Pause at strategic points and invite students to supply the words or phrases they know.

DATES TO REMEMBER:
February 8-12- Virtual Book Fair Week
Feb 8- AHA T-shirt Day
Feb 9- Education Foundation T-shirt Day
     4-5 Progress Report Grades Due (8:00)
Feb 10- Grade T-shirt Day
     TELPAS Calibration during Staff Meeting (3:15 Yellow House)
Feb 11- Progress Reports Go Home
     House Valentine Parties (2:00)

Feb 12- WORK Day (NO LEARNERS)

Feb 15- NO SCHOOL (Bad Weather Day)

Week of February 1, 2021

Happy Thursday, sweet ladies.  What a GREAT week spreading and celebrating kindness throughout our lives.  I am reminded, daily, what a blessing it is to be at Lee Elementary with each of YOU!  Hearing you champion each other and your learners, as well as support and love one another communicates what a special group we have.  THANK YOU for being YOU!  THANK YOU for showcasing kindness in your spaces and on Twitter.  Please leave when learners are safely dismissed, tomorrow, and enjoy your weekend.  You are loved!

DID YOU KNOW:

• we can order amplification systems to assist in your virtual lessons?  Please vote here to let me know if you are or are not interested in having one.
• I NEED you to get POs in so that we can order for you before our budget deadline?  
• we will be sending home paper copies of MAP and mClass data to parents in February?  We are #luckyatlee because Samira and the front office are organizing and DOING THIS FOR YOU!  From mailing labels, to running the reports, to stuffing envelopes and getting them sent out on time.  WOW!  We will give you more information in your Team Time this week.

CTE SPIRIT DAYS THIS WEEK

Please encourage learners to participate in our district CTE Spirit Days this week.  This is a new initiative from CISD so have fun with it!  I can't wait to see some full on 80's neon on Monday!!

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR

Please talk up our Spring Book Fair.  Face to Face learners have received catalogs and this link will take our FamiLEEs to our personalized site.  Thanks for your support!

PTO MEETING

I will send an email to you Tuesday morning to send on to parents including our Zoom link for the meeting.  Thank you for sending it on!

COLLEGE SHIRT DAY

Encourage your learners to "dress for success" or wear their college shirts on Wednesday. 

FLEX LEARNING

Wednesday is a time to earn an hour of flex time, if you need it.  Remember you need to accrue 18 hours by April.  This might be a great time to work on your TELPAS Modules during built-in time, visit the #CISDLearns course listing, or to update your Bulb (Samira will be in Y5 if you need support).  Please submit to Strive for approval of your hour before leaving.  All campus submissions have been approved (with the exception of GT-those are approved by the district) up until this point, so you should have an accurate account of your total hours.  

FABULOUS FRIDAYS IN FEBRARY

Your Admin Team wants to communicate how loved you are! We are hosting Fabulous Fridays the whole month of February to show you and can't wait for everyone to join in. 

YEARBOOK PICTURES NEEDED

Designers,

I have given each of you a class portrait page for the yearbook.

1. Please contact parents that do not have pictures.
2. Request them to send a picture.
3. Add the picture to your class folder.
4. If there are kids that need to be added, please write that down on the page.
5. Once you have them all turn in the page to me. That way I will know I can work on your page.

 

6. Email or write your little letter to your learners and email them to me. You can also write it on your portrait page. I think it will be a cute note to your kids.

 

7. Also if you have any pictures please add them to the other folders. I need designer pictures as house and as grade as well.

 

2020-2021 YEARBOOK PICTURES FOLDER

 

Note: We want parents to turn in pictures by Wednesday, February 3^rd. But all of you can turn in your pages by February 7^th

 

Please let me know how I can help.

DLC UPDATE

Your Elementary DLCs are excited to be offering Vivitek Pop Up Parties, on February 10th and 23rd during your grade level planning time, designed to help you learn, implement, and deliver instruction using your Vivitek board this spring! Click on the link below to access the Zoom information for your grade level's party! Virtual Zoom not your thing?  Keep an eye out for more opportunities to come! Elementary Vivitek Pop up Parties.

YEARBOOK

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

COACH'S CORNER

Students who do not master learning objectives early on often struggle later with instruction. Effective remediation and intervention strategies are essential. Remediation involves reteaching, while intervention is appropriate for students with learning difficulties or special needs.

 

Remediation

Remediation is the effective reteaching of material not previously mastered when it was originally taught. A successful remediation strategy covers any prerequisite concepts or skills needed to understand the current learning objective. Remediation is appropriate for any student that lacks mastery of a given concept. Students who did not learn the material the first time it was taught may simply need reteaching or a fresh approach.

 

Intervention

Many students have difficulty learning because of memory problems, learning difficulties or other challenges. Intervention is used to teach basic skills and problem-solving strategies for students with special needs. Intervention is the proper response to target specific learning disabilities for students with higher needs. Students with problems learning may also need modifications to the lessons and assessments, more time to complete assignments or shortened assignments.

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Look for reading material for English Learners (ELs) that contains some of these characteristics:

• Numerous illustrations that help clarify the text

• Story plots that are action-based

• Limited text on each page

• Text that contains repetitive, predictable phrases

• Text that employs simple sentence structure

• High-frequency vocabulary and useful words

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Month of February- African American History Month

     National Children Dental Health Month

Week of February 1-5- VIRTUAL BOOK FAIR

     National School Counselor Appreciation Week

February 1- iStation ISIP administered- set goals and review data with learners

     Bright Ribbon's Book Study (3:15)

February 2- Education Foundation t-shirt day

     PTO Meeting (6:00 Virtual)

February 3- College Shirt Day

     World Read Aloud Day

     Flex Learning (3:15-4:15)

February 4- Data Committee Meeting (3:15)