Week of July 19, 2021

What a great couple of weeks off.  I have been back on contract this week and getting LOTS done.  I'm super excited for #rjlyear8 and that YOU are part of our FamiLEE.  Our Leadership Team met for three days and so much great work was done to prepare for the upcoming year.  These gals are super committed to brining our guiding purpose to life, and we value this group of leaders!  I spent a week in Florida with my family.  It was so nice to see everyone after a year and nine months of not being home.  There was lots of visiting, cooking, and laughter.  Our house is moving along...still not done.  My #oneword2021 should have been PATIENCE instead of GRACE.  I am learning to have lots of patience, but that is a GOOD thing!

DID YOU KNOW:

• you can order your 2021-2022 CISD Education Foundation t-shirt now?  If you purchase this year's shirt, Dr. Hunt has given permission to wear it with jeans EVERY TUESDAY.  Orders received by July 25 will be delivered for the first week of school.  

WELCOME TO OUR FAMILEE

We want to make sure your recognize some of our new faces hired this summer before our first day back together.  We cannot wait to see the impact they make with our learners and each of you!

My name is Vanessa Tan and I am so excited to be joining Lee Elementary as an Elementary Paraprofessional!  I was a Preschool Teacher in Coppell for almost 11 years but started my career as an Analyst in a consulting firm and later moved to Product Management in a Telecommunications company.  I am originally from Manila, Philippines.  I have been married to my wonderful husband and best friend, Francis for 22 years. We moved to the U.S. in 1999 and Coppell, TX has been our home for the past 18 years.  We have two boys, Ethan (19) an incoming sophomore at Texas A&M and James (15) an incoming sophomore at CHS.  We also have a crazy yet adorable dog, named Phoebe (3).  I enjoy cooking, traveling, watching movies and reading books and I have been on a health journey for about a year now.  Getting fit has been my silver lining during the pandemic.  I look forward to meeting you all. 

Hi!  I'm Amy Searight, I will be the Special Education paraprofessional, and I’ve been married for 23 years to my high school sweetheart. We have 2 boys, 10 & 16.  They attend Austin Elementary & CHS.  I worked at Children’s Medical Center for 13 years as a Child Life Specialists.  For the past 10+ years I taught at Butterfly School here in Coppell.  Now I feel a calling to work with school age children.  I love to swim and spend my vacations on the beach.  I also love to shop, go to the movies, and craft.  I’m not a good cook and if my career was not working with kids I’d be a Radio City Rockette!    

Annah Rose is really excited to join you as your school nurse this year!!! She has been a nurse for ten years, almost nine of those as a Pediatric nurse at Medical City Children’s Hospital. Before that she taught English for four years on the secondary level. Between these two careers she spent a few life changing months in South Africa (living with the orphans and helping the nurse there inspired the change in career). She is married to Chris Rose and has an eight year old daughter Katherine, a five year old daughter Leila, a four legged daughter Scout (Australian shepherd), and a female beta fish Rose. She loves books, crafts, and all things Harry Potter.

Hello everyone! I'm Rachel Tate, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to be joining the Lee family this year as a Special Education Designer! I spent last year as a SPED para at CMS North and prior to that I was a permanent substitute at Lakeland Elementary School in LISD. My high school sweetheart and husband of 25 years is a history teacher and coach at West, so we’re both part of the CISD family. We’re also both proud US Army veterans! I have three sons and a daughter who are all out in the world doing amazing things and making their mama proud every single day. I’m looking forward to working with each of you to help our learners reach their maximum potential! 

NEW HIRES

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

1. Check out our Faculty Website.  You will want to bookmark this site as it is a one stop shop that has all you need to know about Lee Elementary and MORE!
2. Connect with your House and Grade leads.  You can find their name on this staffing list and email them.  I know they will want to get your phone number to share with teammates.

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

TO DO FOR ALL:

• Fill out this form so we can learn all about your favorites.  It also helps us with ordering your school shirts for the school year.  We still have about 15 of you we need to hear from.
• Read the RJL Campus Handbook, NOW, so you don't have to worry about it when school is in session.  We request you read this by August 31.  New/changed items are highlighted in yellow.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

You will be required to earn 24 hours of Flex Time for the 2021-2022 school year and you can start accumulating your time over the summer.  Paraprofessionals, you will need 32 hours.  Here are two separate AWESOME and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED opportunities from Apple.  If you participate, please document in Bulb and we will grant flex credit.

• Apple Professional Learning Summer Learning Series 2021 
• Become and Apple Teacher 

If you were unable to attend the live webinars on June 15, you can still earn Flex and SBEC credit all summer! Follow the steps outlined below.

To earn credit after June 15th for watching a recorded webinar from 6.15.21:

• View a recorded webinar found in this folder, then follow these steps to submit for credit. 

To earn credit after June 15th for completing a self-paced course in Schoology:

• Complete a self-paced course from this spreadsheet in our CISD PL Schoology course, then follow these steps to submit for credit. 

If you’d like to watch me demonstrate the steps to successfully participate in self-paced learning this summer, you may choose to watch this video.

An additional virtual session of Unconscious Bias training is being offered on Tuesday, July 27. If you would like to attend Unconscious Bias training you must sign up now so that we may secure your training materials. Click here to enroll in the course in Eduphoria.

*We usually have information by now, but once Chantel gets information from the district on required compliance training, that information will be shared with you.  

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

This year, PTO is handling school supplies in a different manner. Parents order the packs to be shipped to their door and the learners will bring the supply packs to school on Meet the Designer Night or the first day of school. We have two more reminders going out through Parent Square to help you get the supplies you WANT for the school year. Link to order: http://educationalproducts.com/shoppacks  Code: LEE008

#RJLYEAR8 SELFIE CHALLENGE

Don't forget to participate and share what you are doing this summer!  

BACK TO SCHOOL SAVE THE DATE

DATES TO REMEMBER

July 19- Kim's Birthday

July 21- Natalie's Birthday

July 31- Wendy's Birthday

Week of June 21, 2021

Hi team!  Just a few things to update you and keep you posted on all things Lee Elementary.  I hope you have been enjoying your Summer Break so far.  Leigh Ann and I have been excitedly working on ideas and visioning for 2021-2022 and our Leadership Team will be heading out for our retreat next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  If you have any thoughts or contributions you want to make sure that we address for next year, please share them with your grade or content area leadership member.  We are excited to add Ayesha Khan to our Leadership Team as she will represent Specials and Specialists.  YAY Ayesha.  This will ensure every department on campus has a voice and representation.  Remember.... our Leadership Meetings and agenda are open to ALL employees so you can be involved at your comfort level.

Today is my "official" first day off.  I will be back on contract on July 13.  PLEASE reach out if you need ANYthing.  In the meantime, I plan to work in our flowerbeds, head home to FL for a few days, and deal with continued house construction.  

CONGRATULATIONS to Kristina and Meghan as their new little babies have safely arrived!

NEW HIRES

As a new hire, I am sure you are thinking about what you can do to start getting ready for your new adventure at Lee.  This blog I would encourage you to:

1. Update or create a Twitter account.  Follow @NetZeroLee and other staff members.  Post to the #rjlsummerselfie challenge.

TO DO FOR ALL:

• Fill out this form so we can learn all about your favorites.  The first one to complete it will be getting a surprise in the mail!

STAFFING UPDATES

Here is the link to our employee assignments for 2021-2022.  Remember how we say these are always subject to change?  Well you will see one change.  Karen will be heading to GCISD to be closer to home and on the same work calendar as her husband and daughter.  Rikki will be transitioning back to Practical Academics- SO COOL- that is where she started.  Full circle, right?  So we are interviewing for a full time Special Education Designer.  We will keep you posted once we make a recommendation for hire.  

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

You will be required to earn 24 hours of Flex Time for the 2021-2022 school year and you can start accumulating your time over the summer.  Here are two separate AWESOME and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED opportunities from Apple.  If you participate, please document in Bulb and we will grant flex credit.

• Apple Professional Learning Summer Learning Series 2021 
• Become and Apple Teacher 

If you were unable to attend the live webinars on June 15, you can still earn Flex and SBEC credit all summer! Follow the steps outlined below.

To earn credit after June 15th for watching a recorded webinar from 6.15.21:

• View a recorded webinar found in this folder, then follow these steps to submit for credit. 

To earn credit after June 15th for completing a self-paced course in Schoology:

• Complete a self-paced course from this spreadsheet in our CISD PL Schoology course, then follow these steps to submit for credit. 

If you’d like to watch me demonstrate the steps to successfully participate in self-paced learning this summer, you may choose to watch this video.

Finally, an additional virtual session of Unconscious Bias training is being offered on Tuesday, July 27. If you would like to attend Unconscious Bias training you must sign up now so that we may secure your training materials. Click here to enroll in the course in Eduphoria.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

This year, PTO is handling school supplies in a different manner. Parents order the packs to be shipped to their door and the learners will bring the supply packs to school on Meet the Designer Night or the first day of school. We have two more reminders going out through Parent Square to help you get the supplies you WANT for the school year. Link to order: http://educationalproducts.com/shoppacks  Code: LEE008

#RJLYEAR8 SELFIE CHALLENGE

Don't forget to participate and share what you are doing this summer!

BACK TO SCHOOL SAVE THE DATE

DATES TO REMEMBER

July 2- Suzi's Birthday

July 3- Kristi's Birthday

July 12- Melissa's Birthday

July 13- Cassie's Birthday

July 19- Kim's Birthday

July 21- Natalie's Birthday

July 31- Wendy's Birthday

Week of May 24, 2021

We thank you for the outstanding job you all are doing with ALL that comes at you during the end of the year.  THANK YOU for being thorough with your furniture and supply inventories.  We know you are READY to start your first week of summer vacation on Thursday.  YOU ARE ALMOST THERE!  Enjoy these last few days with each other and the learners.  It is because of each and every one of you that we are BETTER TOGETHER!  Please enjoy your summer break.  Relax.  Make memories.  Learn something new.  I will miss you.  Please know I am feeling blessed to have served as your Principal this year and can't wait to see what #rjlyear8 brings us.  YEAR 8 YA'LL!!!!!  Nothing but sunny days ahead! 

TO DO:

• EOY Checklist
• Furniture Inventory
• ENJOY the last 3 1/2 days!!!

FIELD DAY

THANKS for your flexibility as we moved Field Day to Monday!  Please use this schedule for FIELD DAY.  Here is a list of the Field Day Stations and helpful hints for educators and learners.  PTO will have Andy's yogurt for our staff on this day.  How awesome is that?!

YEARBOOKS

Please share this information with your parents in this week's newsletter.  Thanks again, Samira and the yearbook crew,  for all of your hard work on this year's book.

LUNCH PROVIDED ON TUESDAY

You all deserve so much for all you do  To say thanks, our Admin Team will be providing lunch for you again this week.  There will be Babe's boxed lunches with chicken fingers and sides for the entire staff on Tuesday.  Vegetarians, we have salads for you and gluten free folks, we have roasted chicken for you.  We hope this meal also keeps you energized as you bring your spirit to our fifth grade drive through graduation.  There will not be a CHS/Spur reunion....the first class actually graduates NEXT year!  🤦

SPIRIT RALLY

We have not been able to host a Spirit Rally all year.  We are going to do something about that!  Please have learners bring a beach towel to school for the last day of school.  We will all head out to the track for an outdoor Spirit Rally and towels will keep them apart and safe from ants (hopefully).  We will start calling you down at 8:15 and try to start our Spirit Rally at 8:30.  Be ready for some FUN as a FAMILEE and BRING YOUR SPIRIT!

LAST DAY SCHEDULE

Please plan to be here until 3:30 on Wednesday.  At 3:30, please get in your cars, drive BYE the cafeteria loop so that Leigh Ann and Chantel can send each of you off for summer break!

• 8:30 Spirit Rally
• 11:00 Lunches (Please eat in your spaces)
• Kinder 10:30
• First 10:40
• Second 10:50
• Third 11:00
• Fourth 11:10
• Fifth 11:20
• 12:00 K-4 Pack up and sit 3-6 ft apart around the downstairs circle with backpacks
• 12:15 5th Grade Parade through one time
• 12:30 Dismissal (all hands on deck!)
• 12:45 -1:30 Lunch time for Staff (you are free to leave campus)
• 1:30 Start checking out Staff members
• 3:30 Good bye Drive by

EOY TECHNOLOGY RESPONSIBILITIES

Please select the appropriate link and follow for End of Year technology instructions.

• Returning to the same campus or department in CISD
• Not returning to CISD (and turn in to Leigh Ann)

If you have F2F learners who are not returning to CISD next year, please collect their iPad on the last day of school.  Shanna will email you the names of students that need to turn their device in to you.  

COACHES CORNER

SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Remember you will need to earn 24 hours of flex learning for the 2021-2022 school year.  Some of you may choose to get started during the summer. 

SUMMER HANDWRITING COURSE AVAILABLE

This course will be ready by June 7.  It will be asynchronous, optional, and available to all learners.  Please share with your parents. 

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Don’t forget to order your school supplies before June 1 to get in with the early orders! Get exactly what your child needs for their class while saving time & money! Link to order: http://educationalproducts.com/shoppacks

WELCOME TO OUR FAMILEE

We are excited to welcome these two educators on campus.  Some of you got to meet Annah when she visited the clinic last week.  We have recommended someone in district for our Special Education opening and will still be looking for a paraprofessional. 

Hi! My name is Maria Anderson and I've been teaching English Language Learners at a middle school for 3 years in the Chicagoland area. I am thrilled to be joining the team at Richard J. Lee Elementary. Before obtaining my Master of Arts in Teaching, I tutored ESL and French at a local college, and learned to be creative and engaging while working at a preschool. 

I believe every student comes with their own funds of knowledge that we as educators must build upon in constructive and engaging ways.  I am committed to forming relationships with students and meeting them at their level. You will see student collaboration and multicultural representations in my classroom.

Travel has brought me joy in life, as has dance, reading, and trying new foods. I am looking forward to bringing an enthusiastic and dedicated approach to Coppell with me.

My name is Emma McCornack and I am so excited to be joining the famiLEE! I am from Austin, TX and the oldest of 7 kids (the youngest just started kindergarten this year!). I graduated from TCU with my Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education in May 2020 and graduate again May 2021 with my Master's in Curriculum and Instruction: Language and Literacy, also at TCU. Go frogs! My favorite thing to do is read, my favorite movie is Grease, I cannot live without cheese, and my favorite place in the world is Martha's Vineyard. I am also probably the biggest Taylor Swift fan you will ever meet. I started subbing for Coppell ISD this spring semester because I had heard so many wonderful things about the district and absolutely fell in love with Lee the second I stepped foot on campus. I am so excited for next fall!

#RJLYEAR8 SELFIE CHALLENGE

Last year, we had our fifth summer selfie challenge and we will be back for a sixth round.  This challenge is our way to see what you are doing this summer and to stay connected- we are ALL ABOUT authentic relationships in CISD.  It is also a great way for our school community to see our new hires and for us all to get to know each other outside of school.  We hope everyone will be interested in joining the FUN.  Please tweet it out to your followers and encourage your learners and their famiLEEs to join in, too. Use the hashtags #rjlyear8 and #rjlsummerselfie. We will coordinate some outings this summer that can help you fill in a square or two.  If you plan something...spread the word!

I WILL SEND THE NEW BOARD ON THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL.  IT IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION.  🚧

DATES TO REMEMBER:

May 24- Grades Due (8:00)

     Campus TOY recognized at Board Mtg. (5:45)

May 25- Lunch provided by Admin Team

     House Storage Closet and Furniture Inventory Check In (1:30-3:30)

     5th Grade Graduation Drive Thru (4:00-6:00)

May 26- Spirit Rally (8:30)

     Specials Check Out (10:00-12:00)

     Early Release (12:30)

     Staff Lunch Time (12:45 - 1:30)

     Classroom Check Out (1:30-3:30)

     Summer "Break" begins (3:30)

Week of May 17, 2021

Don't forget that we will have Dicky's boxed lunches and another surprise for you in the Teacher's Lounge tomorrow.  We are so grateful for everything that all of you have done to finish out STAAR testing.  We  It takes the whole school to make this happen and we KNOW you are tired, yet you persevere.  Special thanks to Leigh Ann for being a superSTAAR and surviving her first year as our testing coordinator.  Thank you for the grace you all provided her.

DID YOU KNOW:

• that only positive comments are expected on report cards?  Please ensure this happens for the last nine weeks.  Make a second copy of the report card for learners' permanent folders.  Peg will file these in the office for you.
• that Schoology will have an enhanced elementary experience for younger learners in the fall?  You can check it out here.  

STAFF MEETING

Please join us in the cafeteria for Wednesday's staff meeting.  This is the final staff meeting for the year and we will recognize staff members for their years of service and say farewell to those journeying on.  Please wear your Better Together t-shirt this day.  We will be taking a "staff photo" to hang by the teacher's lounge.

FIELD DAY
THANKS to Aparna and Julie for their collaboration and efforts to make Field Day a special day for the children!  Feel free to wear shorts and hats (if you like) on Friday.  Shorts should be at least fingertip length- don't ruin it for others!  Please use this schedule for FIELD DAY.  Here is a list of the Field Day Stations and helpful hints for educators and learners.  We ask that you group your grade so that they match what is on the schedule (see highlight on slide 2).  In case it rains on Friday, we will reschedule for Monday, so please have lesson plans created JUST IN CASE you have to use them.  

END OF YEAR LUNCHES
Please let the cafeteria know on this form what your learners will need for lunch on Field Day.  Please complete this before you leave on Friday.

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

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Please talk to your learners and parents about ordering school supplies for next year.  This is a new process and we want you to get the packs that are specifically made for you.

PARENT REMINDER

TO DO

• Panorama Surveys.  Thank you to the 83% of our staff that have done this and the 55% of our learners in 3-5. Please help get us to 100% participation!  
• EOY Checklist- we are TRUSTing you to execute what is expected on the lists.  Please read them carefully and complete all tasks before school, after school, during your conference time, or during Team Time.
• Furniture Inventory- remember extra furniture in your house goes to the flex space.  It is wise to complete this the LAST day of school.

DLC UPDATE

Notability just got even better with the newest updates to version 10.4. 🎉

Check out this bulb page to learn more!

COACHES CORNER

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 19- Staff Meeting (3:15 Cafeteria)  Wear your Better Together shirt.

May 21- Field Day (Day 0)

Week of May 10, 2021

Have an incredible weekend, sweet ladies.  I hope you have felt love and appreciation from our PTO and FamiLEEs.  You are such a talented and dedicated bunch and are cared for so very much!  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. Please leave when your learners are safely dismissed. 

DID YOU KNOW:

• your Admin Team is treating you to lunch this week?  Please take time to complete this form so we can have your customized lunch ready for you, on Friday.
• we are ready for you to inventory your house storage rooms?  Please make a copy and mark up in Noteability to report what your house does/does not have in your house storage room.

REMINDER FOR PARENTS

Please remind parents to make sure to let us know if their learner is returning to Lee next school year.  This is important information to help us prepare and ensure we have the appropriate staffing for our enrollment.

Please remind parents of K-2 learners that we have waiver days on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday next week.  Please let parents know that you will not host live Zooms on these days.  You may, if you wish, prerecord lessons and load them in Schoology.

PANORAMA LEARNER SURVEY

3-5 Designers, please have learners complete the Panorama survey by May 14th.  You do not need to email me when all of your learners have completed the survey.  I will run a report with this information.  We need 100% participation.

END OF YEAR UPDATES AND TASKS

We will suspend meeting as PLC groups from 2:00-3:00 for the last two cycles of Team Time starting today (conveniently Day 1).  Please use this time to watch Talent Shows, get done with assessments, host parent conferences, work on report card comments, or other end of year tasks.  Thank you to our wonderful Specials Team for continuing to take learners during this time.  

Here is the  EOY Checklist.  Please make a copy on your iPad and check off items when you complete them.  We will ask you to email your completed checklists on the last week of school.  The link is live for your Furniture Inventory and you may want to wait until the last week of school to complete that portion as a House.  Please do not work on EOY tasks during teaching time.  It is important to me that we "teach until the last day at Lee." You can use before school, conference time, after school and your Team Time to wrap up these tasks.  

TAKE CARE OF YOU

With our campus SEL goal, here is a color sheet and a self-care bingo board to have some FUN with as we start nearing the end of the year.

DLC UPDATE

The elementary DLC team curated a collection of ready-to-use End of the Year journals and templates. We hope these resources will help your learners reflect on their year and look towards the future! Reach out to your DLCs if you have any questions.

COACHES CORNER

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 F2F Library Books Due

May 11-  3, 4, 5 Math STAAR

     K-2 Waiver Day

May 12-  School Nurse Appreciation Day

     3, 4, 5 Reading STAAR

     K-2 Waiver Day

     Leadership Mtg. (Off-site.  Info will be sent to you)

May 13- 5th Grade STAAR

May 14- 3-5 F2F Library Books Due

     Panorama Student Survey Results Due