Week of October 4, 2021

THANK YOU ALL FOR ANOTHER AMAZING WEEK AT LEE!  Thank you to Social Spurs for the gift cards for our custodians. Please make time to thank our custodians when you see them.  WHAT A HARD JOB!  I have LOVED hearing how some of you took care of yourselves after school on Wednesday.  Time is the best gift on the planet!  CISD is starting "Fun Fridays" and tomorrow is the first one at Lee Elementary.  To kick this off...tomorrow is our homemade cookie exchange to celebrate #NationalHomeadeCookieDay.  Don't forget to bring two dozen and trade before 11:00 AM.  YUM!

DID YOU KNOW:

• that Stephanie and Priscilla created an October Conjuring Curiosity activity for you to use with all learners?  THANK YOU, gals, for creating Keynote and PDF versions.  We are #luckyatlee to have your brains to create an activity that fosters curiosity and creativity in our kiddos. 
• I found this great site for online safety for kids and parents?  Please share with your parents!  It is part of our campus goal and you can add to your Bulb.
• starting October 12 we will be on a 7 day schedules rotation?  The staff calendar is updated with days through December 9.  Here is a copy of the 7 Day Specials rotation schedule (will be finalized by Monday). Thank you Specials for processing this with Admin and sharing directions about Day 7 with Red and Green classroom designers.
• all classroom teachers should email your new rosters a welcome back to 2nd 9weeks message at 8:00 AM on 8th?  It is a great time to use Parent Square if you aren't using it, already!

EARLY RELEASE LUNCH ORDERS

Please send learners to pick up their lunches at these times:

• Blue- 10:00
• Yellow- 10:15
• Green- 10:30
• Red- 10:45
• Purple- 11:00

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.

COLLEGE SHIRT DAY

Encourage learners to participate the first Wednesday of each month.

 

SPIRIT RALLY

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

 

STAFF MEETING WEDNESDAY

In place of Staff Meeting, please plan to enter report card grades and comments on Wednesday afternoon from 3:15-4:30.  A reminder that comments should be personalized and positive and that our struggling learners' grades should reflect their difficulties.  Remember to put your name in the comment for learners who will not be with you after this nine weeks.  Final grades/comments are due in the system by 8:00 AM on Tuesday, October 12.

EARLY RELEASE ON THURSDAY

Thursday is an early release for students.  Please remind parents!  Your duty free lunch and conference time are whatever time you need after 12:30, so you may need a snack when your children eat lunch (if you are like me and 12:30 is late for lunch).  In order to ensure all learners and teachers get their Team Times before the start of the next 9 weeks, there are the following adjustments on the Lee Calendar for next week:  

• Tuesday changes from day A3 to day A5 so 5th grade has Team Time on this day
• Wed is Day B0 (no Team Time) because we have Spirit Rally from 2:00-3:00
• Thursday is 3rd (8:15-9:15), 4th (9:20-10:20), Kinder (10:25-11:25), Specials (11:30-12:30)Team Times

FALL CONFERENCES

Make sure you document when you personally reach out to parents who do not attend a Fall Conference.  If you don't document it, it didn't happen.  Please make sure to let your face to face parents know where to meet you for your conferences on Friday.  Remember...your space is a reflection of you and the learning that happens there.  While learning can get messy, Conference Day isn't the best day to showcase that!  Please make sure all spaces are on point.

RESPECT AGREEMENTS

Please build time in your lesson design, for the week of October 11, to include time to redesign your respect agreements with your classes.  New copies should be sent to Leigh Ann for our discipline binder.

PARENT SQUARE

Please share this information letter with parents regarding Parent Square.  KUDOS to those of you that are already using this resource!!  You may have remembered Chip saying during his training that he survived a coma.  If you want a "feel good moment" and a reminder of the power of prayer, feel free to watch his story, here. (totally optional) He is a walking miracle!

SAVE THE DATE

  

OCTOBER IS DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH
Each week, this month, Melissa will share videos and information to build our Each week, this month, Melissa will share videos and information to build our awareness of dyslexia.  You can also follow her on Twitter to see what learners do in their MLI class.  This short clip information on dyslexia.  Also, did you know...Apple has several helpful assistive technology tools for your learners with dyslexia to use on their iPad? Click here for Apple's guide to Accessibility.  Below is a list of options in accessibility that could be helpful:

• Speech- speak selections and Speak Screens
• Highlight content
• Dictation (Click microphone and enable)
• Reader view on Safari
• Color Filter / Invert colors
• Predictive Keyboard

DLC UPDATE

🙈 Stuck in a lag when airplaying on your Vivitek board?🙈 Double check to make sure you have updated your board's software.  Just like updating your phone or iPad's iOS, keeping your board updated is the first line of defense in fixing bugs, running smoothly and gaining access to new features. The newest update is rumored to help cut down on Airplay lag! ✅ Learn more about updating your board in the Coppell DLC Bulb collection! Your DLC can also provide helpful tips and ideas to get the most out of this tool, including instructional strategies like these!

COACH'S CORNER

Rehearsal and Practice

 

Learning requires rehearsal and practice. The more the teacher varies the practice, the more likely kids are to engage in learning. Rehearsal and practice that allows for collaborative work also help learners self-correct misconceptions. Each week for the month of October, I will share an instructional strategy that you can use to rehearse learning. 

Instructional Strategy | Rehearsal and Practice | Fact or Fib Showdown

Instructions:

1. ​​Assign each student a thinking partner.

2. Students create a FACT card and a FIB card and hold one in each hand.

3. Present students with a statement (fact or fib) relating to the content of the lesson.

4. Allow students 5-8 seconds to infer if the statement is a FACT or a FIB.

5. Say, “One! Two! Three! Showdown!” and students slap down their response card.

6. Students then take turns justifying their response to their thinking partner.Students pick up their FACT or FIB card and put it back in their hand.

7. Students pick up their FACT or FIB card and put it back in their hand.

8. Teacher clarifies/verifies the appropriate answer.

9. Repeat steps 3 – 8 with each statement.

Helpful Hints:

• Hand sanitize before and after participating.

• Role play how to slap answer cards down in an appropriate way.

• Provide response stem, “I slapped down fact because”; pair with a supportive peer. 

Materials:

• 4-6 FACT or FIB statements (may include visuals)

• post-its or paper for FACT/FIB cards

Let me know how it goes. Please use this link to book a time with me so we can collaborate.

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Value and encourage native language

Honoring a child’s native language has many benefits both for a child’s self-esteem and academically. Language is part of who we are. Encouraging their native language sends a message that their identity is valued and respected in our classroom and world. If a student has a language other than English that they can tap into and refer back to, we should let them! This is big. Literacy is literacy in any language. Bridging the languages helps to build the target language.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Oct 4- Wear blue with your blue jeans

Oct 5- Ed Foundation t-shirt with jeans

Oct 6- College shirt with jeans

     Spirit Rally (2:00 Gym)

     Staff Meeting (3:15-4:30 Work on Report Cards)

Oct 7- Spirit Shirt and Jeans

     CMSW Football Players greet in the morning

     Early Release (12:30)

Oct 8-  Fall Conference Day

     Professional Dress

Oct 11- NO SCHOOL

RED RIBBON WEEK IS THREE WEEKS AWAY!

Week of September 27, 2021

What great news this week as we learned that we will only have face to face options for the second nine weeks!  I know this decision has some learners returning before the end of the nine weeks and this puts a strain on you.  THANK YOU for staying positive and seeing that relief is near!  Attitude is EVERYTHING and you continue to show us what great attitudes you have.  WE'VE GOT THIS!  Thank you for your help as we work through revisiting class lists in your Team Times, this round.  Your input is valued and appreciated.

DID YOU KNOW:

• October 1st is Custodian Appreciation Day and Social Spurs will be presenting Israel, Beatriz and Jose with gift cards and notes of gratitude? Thank you for your Social Spurs donations.  These help us be able to recognize our hard-working custodians!
• October 1 is also #NationalHomemadeCookieDay?  Keep your eyes open for an invite to participate in an optional cookie exchange.
• Pay Day is around the corner and you still have a chance to donate to Socials Spurs and get your name into the upcoming prize drawings?  Venmo or donate your cash to Shanna.
• our October 6 Staff Meeting will be replaced with Report Card work time?  I hope you find this dedicated time helpful and you can plan ahead to use this time accordingly.  Remember to add a closing with your name on K-3 report card comments for those learners who are changing houses.  Also, back up your grades JUST IN CASE!
• you can join the Coppell Gifted Association for FREE through September 30? To join as an educator, visit the web store. If you want to know more about CGA, check out this site
• we got a 10/10 for staff members wearing their badges during the safety audit this month?  THANK YOU!
• Keiko needs empty water bottles for a garden project?  Please share.

WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST SPUR

Welcome to our newest Spur, Davis Ray Hardy.  He arrived on Wednesday.  He and mom are doing well.  Look how beautiful he is! 

RED AND BLACK SUPERSTAR NOMINATIONS DUE MONDAY

Each designer (including Specials) should have nominated at least one learner for the first round.  You can also nominate Lee staff members.  The deadline is Monday, September 27.  Here is the Super Star Nomination Form.

PTO SPIRIT DAY/ NIGHT

Lee PTO is hosting their first Spirit Day/Night on Tuesday, September 28, at Torchy's Tacos!  Enjoy Taco Tuesday, your way all day, dine-in or takeout (online orders do not count)!  You must show this flyer for Lee PTO to get credit.  Thank you for your support!  Special Treat:  Staff, you have permission to leave campus to pick up lunch during lunch OR your conference time (if you need the extra time) if you participate in this fundraiser. 

SEL DAY

There will be no meetings after school this Wednesday.  Please use this time to address your individual social emotional needs.  You can leave when an announcement is shared over the intercom.  

CISD DEVICE PROTECTION PLAN

Don't forget the upcoming deadline for the CISD Device Protection Plan for the 2021-2022 school year.  The enrollment deadline is September 30.  This plan will replace an accidentally damaged device or accessory at no additional cost.  Read more, here. 

SUPER TEACHER NOMINATIONS 

Super Teacher nominations are due, Friday, Oct. 1.  Please nominate a dedicated individual by visiting go.coppellisd.com/Recognitions. 

CONFERENCE DAY

Thank you for sending home parent sign ups for Fall Conferences and for allowing time in your schedules for both face to face and virtual options.  I would like to see 3rd-5th graders present in their conferences.  They need to own their data, share goals, and be part of the information you share with parents.  Remember to let our Admin Team know if you need/want us to sit in on any of your conferences.  If a parent asks if they are going to another house or who their learner's teacher will be for the second nine weeks, you can let them know and also inform them they will get communication before the first day of the 2nd 9 weeks. 

Helpful Conference Hints:

Begin the conversation on a personal note instead of starting with the formal progress report.

Create a sense of common purpose.  Avoid the use of "I" or "You."  Try words like "we" and "us."

If we approach families with this mindset, we can begin seeing conferences as opportunities for collaborative inquiry about how we can best support children’s learning.

GTI UPDATE

Fall GT Assessment Window

Dates: November 1st - November 12th

Grades: 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th

 

All learners in these grade levels will be universally screened during the window. Kindergarten will be screened next semester. Assessments will take place in homeroom classes.  More information will be coming soon-Please do not publish dates to parents yet!

ANNUAL HOUSE FUND FOR PTO

FINAL PUSH!!!!  Please consider donating directly here.  If you are interested in volunteering as a Room Parent, please contact Sweetha Sammeta at swethasammeta11@gmail.com

COACH'S CORNER

Instructional Strategy | Movement |Pair - SQUARE - Share

Instructions:

1. Organize students into pairs.

2. Student PAIRS work collaboratively to answer a question, analyze an assessment item, or summarize a vocabulary word.

3. Two pairs then form a SQUARE.

4. Student pairs SHARE their response to the question or task.

5. Students may revise their original responses based on their discussions.

6. Teacher sees and hears students’ thinking and clarifies/verifies as appropriate.

 

Helpful Hints:

• Hand sanitize before and after participating.

• Pairs work at their desks, but squares form around the perimeter of the room.

• Pair with a supportive peer and allow them to use thinking stems.

 

Materials:

• Questions or tasks prepared

Let me know how it goes. Please use this link to book a time with me so we can collaborate.

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Offer sentence frames or sentence stems

Some students will need adapted texts. These are texts that differ slightly from the text the native English speakers may be reading. The text is less strenuous on students who are learning English yet provide them with the same content. You can find great, FREE adapted text from websites like NEWSELA.com. What I love about adapted texts is that they look very similar to the regular text so students can’t see that anyone is getting a different form of the text. ELs don’t feel singled out and no one notices that ELs are receiving text that is different.

DLC UPDATE

"Apple Classroom turns iPads into a powerful teaching assistant, helping you guide learners through experiences, see their progress, and keep them on track." Our Technology Engineers were able to batch enroll our learners using data from eSchool Plus/Pentamation. This means that when you open the Classroom app on your CISD educator iPad, you should have classes ready for you from which to select. (Note: Learners do not need to download an app! The app is only for you as an educator to use.) Click here to learn more about the amazing ways Apple Classroom can streamline your classroom management.  Reach out to your DLCs for strategies, ideas and design! 

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Sept 28- Ed Foundation t-shirt and jeans

Sept 29- Jeans and ANY shirt of your choice

     SEL DAY- NO MEETINGS AFTER SCHOOL!

Sept 30- Last day for Device Protection Plan

Oct 1- National Principal's Month

     School Custodian Appreciation Day

Oct 2- ALL CISD Compliance Courses must be completed

Week of September 20, 2021

Thank you for all of the flexibility this week.  I know it was a challenge being short on subs and changing duties.  We could not have done it without the help of so many of your stepping in.  THANK YOU!  Two different times this week, visitors stopped me to say that they were on our campus and the positive vibe they get from you all.  One was a substitute and one was a DLC.  That says a LOT with all that is going on.  Thank you for being the amazing staff that you are and for staying positive through the ongoing changes.  You all continue to make me SO PROUD to be your principal!  CHEERS TO YOU!

DID YOU KNOW:

• if you did not receive an air purifier for your space, I need to know, immediately?  We still have one that should be in a space.  Please say something to CK before leaving on Friday.
• that you can share YouTube videos with your learners and eliminate pop up ads?  All you do is go to the web address, type in _popup right before the question mark in the web address. VOILA!  Thanks for showing us this trick last year, Layne!
• you can help our school garden by brining your kitchen scraps to school?  Keiko will have a container under the growing table that you can put kitchen scraps in.  She will pick up the scraps before 10AM on Friday and add them to the compost pile. 
• our outdoor FamiLEE Movie Night was moved to October 15 and now is moved to the Spring?  PTO has cancelled the Fall Dance for this year that was scheduled for October 22, too.  
• your LEEdership names are due on this Google Form, tomorrow, Friday?

BOOK FAIR

Book Fair opens on Monday. Did you know that when you shop at the Book Fair that 25% is shared back with our RJL Library?  These funds help us buy more books and items for our library.  No need to send your child to school with cash, set up your e-wallet. This video will show you how and this link will take you to the online RJL book fair.

 

REMINDER FOR PARENTS

Please remind parents to let you know if their learner has food allergies or medical concerns.  We have had a few cases of "finding out" and we don't have the information in our clinic.  If you learn of any learners, please share the information with Annah so we can double check that parents have turned in information to the clinic.  THANK YOU!

PTO SPIRIT NIGHT

Lee PTO is hosting their first Spirit Night on Tuesday, September 28, at Torchy's Tacos!  Enjoy Taco Tuesday, your way all day, dine-in or takeout (online orders do not count)!  You must show this flyer for Lee PTO to get credit.  Thank you for your support!  Special Treat:  You have permission to leave campus to pick up lunch on Tuesday if you participate in this fundraiser. 

ANNUAL HOUSE FUND FOR PTO

Please consider donating directly here.  If you are interested in volunteering as a Room Parent, please contact Sweetha Sammeta at swethasammeta11@gmail.com

SUPER TEACHER NOMINATIONS 

Each grading period, CISD recognizes Super Teachers, who design engaging and innovative learning experiences that ignite the interests of learners. Know someone who should be recognized as a Super Teacher?  If so, please nominate these dedicated individuals by visiting go.coppellisd.com/Recognitions. Super Teacher nominations are due Oct. 1. 

GTI CONNECTION

What do you do when your learners already know it? This question is one that is often asked and sometimes overlooked.  I have designed an extension course in Schoology for you to access and use as you see fit. This course is not complete and will be a “living course” with frequent additions.  All classroom teachers have been added to the course and should appear in Schoology. The math extensions align with your scope and sequence and are divided into each of the 4 quarters.  Please reach out if you would like me to roll out an extension to a small group or need any support!

CONFERENCE DAY

As you start to plan your fall conferences, keep in mind that October 7 is an early release day.  The half day afternoon can be used to complete your grades and comments for the first nine weeks report cards and for and any extra planning you need to do for the October 8 Conference Day.  Please send home parent sign ups, now, for Fall Conferences and set up time in your schedules for both face to face and virtual options.  I would keep face to face conferences to 15 minutes and have your air purifier next to you.   Please let our Admin Team, Angela, or Samira know if you need us to sit in on any of your conferences.

FROM THE GARDEN

Please share with parents.  Our garden needs milk jugs (or 1-gallon water jugs) to make a plant guard from animals and tofu containers to make plant labels. If you could bring them to the school, that would be great. Please put them in the box at the front or the back entrance shown in the flyer.  If you have any questions, please email Keiko at rjleegarden@gmail.com.

COACH'S CORNER

Instructional Strategy | Movement |Learning Loops

Instructions:

1. One-half of the class forms a loop facing out; the other half forms a loop facing in.

2. Inside-loop students each have a different question card, important word, or interesting visual for their partner to answer, describe, or explain.

3. Inside-loop presents their card, outside-loop partner responds, then inside praises or prompts.

4. At the teacher’s signal, the outside circle rotates one person to the left.

5. Repeat steps 2-3 for as many rounds as the teacher determines appropriate.

6. Inside-loop gives outside-loop their question cards, and the process repeats with the inside-loop rotating this time.

7. Teacher sees and hears the students’ thinking and clarifies/verifies as appropriate.

 

Helpful Hints:

• Hand sanitize before and after participating.

• Move desks to the perimeter of the room or consider doing the strategy outside.

• Before the activity, students write the correct response on the back of their assigned card, and answers are verified by peer or teacher.

 

Materials:

• terms, questions, or visual cards for the inside-circle students

Let me know how it goes. Please use this link to book a time with me so we can collaborate.

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Use Adapted Text

Some students will need adapted texts. These are texts that differ slightly from the text the native English speakers may be reading. The text is less strenuous on students who are learning English yet provide them with the same content. You can find great, FREE adapted text from websites like NEWSELA.com. What I love about adapted texts is that they look very similar to the regular text so students can’t see that anyone is getting a different form of the text. ELs don’t feel singled out and no one notices that ELs are receiving text that is different.

DLC UPDATE

Want to gamify your vocabulary instruction? Check out Pear Deck Flashcard Factory!  The best part, It's easy and fun! Simply create a list of vocabulary words with definitions. Once you get the set you are ready to play! Students will be paired up; one will create a visual image and the other a description of the word. Once done, the cards will go to Quality Control (you) where you can approve or decline their submission. Once you have enough cards, you can print the cards off for review or play Gimkit with the set. Want to learn more? Click here to watch the video or contact your DLC!

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Sept 21- Ed Foundation Shirt and Jeans

Sept 22- House Shirt and Jeans

     Staff Meeting (3:15-4:45)

Sept 23- Layne's Birthday

     BEAM Meet Up