Week of November 1, 2021

Thank you for those of you that participated in our first Trunk or Treat!  I imagine there are going to be lots of memories made during this fun event.  Special thank you to Bethany and Kristi for stepping up and leading this event.  I also appreciate all of your participation during Red Ribbon Week.  You make this such an amazing week. The pictures on Twitter are WONDERFUL!  I also appreciate your efforts to teach a Common Sense lesson to your learners.  I SEE YOU!!!  YOU all are the reason we are actualizing our campus goal and making a difference each and every day!  Have a fabulous fall weekend and enjoy things that make you happy!

A special thank you to OMI and CHANDANA for their service as our extra famiLEE members during our new momma's FMLA time in Yellow House.  They have fit right in, collaboratively worked with houses and grades, and been incredible designers for our learners.  This is their last week, so we want to make sure everyone knows.  

We will welcome back Kristina and Meghan on November 8.

DID YOU KNOW:

• there is a November Imaginarium available for you?  Thank you Susan Maynor from Epic Elementary for sharing your creativity!
• you have to go in to Power School and sign walkthrough forms?  In the past you have received an alert when a walkthrough was submitted.  With our new system you do not get an alert.  We want you to grow and celebrate from feedback, so please check Power School and electronically sign these.  
• your Vivatek boards do not turn off on their own and the still image will burn on the screen if left on repeatedly? Please remember to power these off before leaving each day. 
• we will be getting a new audio/video doorbell (similar to Ring) installed at the front door on campus this week?  This means the front door will be locked from now on.  
• you and your learners can get FREE Covid-19 testing at the CHS Visitor's Press Box?  Hours are 6:30am-4:00pm Monday through Friday.  It is a self-collected test with results in 3-4 hours.  Book an appointment here.

STORYBOOK PARADE

We will start the parade as soon as morning broadcast concludes.  Please exit out the EcoPond doors and come in through the cafeteria doors.  We will walk two laps of the track.  Parents are welcome to cheer the parade on around the track.  There is no need to check in in the office since we are outside.

DESIGN DAYS

I am super excited that we can give you designated time to work through house "work."  We will be using this Design Day Document (thank you Samira) to help us stay focused.  Please take a look at it before your day.  We will meet in the large conference room for these meetings.  As a reminder, here is the Design Day Schedule.  Please let me know if you see any issues.

COLLEGE SHIRT DAY

Can't wait to see everyone sporting their college gear on Wednesday!

WRITE A CHECK

Ladies, we could not meet this goal without your constant encouragement and cheerleading.  THANK YOU for all of your extra efforts to help us meet the PTO Goal.  Someone will be getting a gift card from Target!!! Stay tuned on Friday and Monday's announcements to see if we did it.  (I will let you in on a little secret... we already collected $2000 more since some teacher emails went out today!) 

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

We have SO MUCH TALENT on campus.  Please take time to nominate someone in our building for this incredible honor.   If you need admin to cover your class so you can observe your nominee, to help you better answer the questions, please arrange that with us.  We are happy to help.  Nominations are due by November 5th, and here is the TOY Website and Nomination Criteria and Form

In order to be nominated for Teacher of the Year, the teacher must:

• Be certified to teach in Texas public schools
• Have been employed in Coppell schools for a minimum of three years (that means he/she must have completed three years in CISD)
• Be a classroom teacher (including PE, art, music, special education, literacy, etc.)
• Plan to continue teaching in Coppell ISD through the 2021-2022 school year

CIP
The 2021-2022 Campus Improvement Plan can be found here. Each quarter this document should be reviewed and updated.  Leadership, please download the PDF into Noteability, review it, and annotate it with your house in a Thursday Meeting.  Please forward your annotated copy to Leigh Ann by November 12.

$$$$ EARNING OPPORTUNITY $$$$

CISD is experiencing an increased demand for homebound services districtwide.  Please feel free to share this information with your staff as you see appropriate.

Extra duty homebound rate of pay:

$35 per hour X 4 hours weekly

(The HB facilitator sets the schedule and should be mutually agreeable.)

$25 each week for 1 hour of planning and organization per HB learner

Educators interested should reach out to dgaunnt@coppellisd.com for additional information.  All services are in-person in the home environment. Services are short-term, approximately 4 weeks or less. 

PANORAMA SURVEY

Please promote that FamiLEEs complete the CISD Family Survey by Nov. 5

The Fall 2021 CISD Family Survey is open now through Friday, Nov. 5. To participate in the survey, parents and guardians can visit go.coppellisd.com/FamilySurveyFall21, then select your child(ren)’s school.  If you have multiple children in CISD, we ask that you take the survey for each school your child attends. Please email input@coppellisd.com, if you would like to share any additional feedback or insight not covered in the survey or have any additional comments to share with the district. 

3-5 Designers, must complete the Panorama survey with your learners by November 12. Learner surveys can be access by navigating here and entering their student ID (which is their access code). 

I will build time into Wednesday's staff meeting for staff to complete the staff survey so that you don't have to worry about this task.

DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH

Thank you for helping to spread dyslexia awareness this month! Below is a link to the Fall MLI newsletter that was sent to parents. It is filled with information and resources to learn more about dyslexia. I hope you have found this information helpful. Please reach out to Melissa if you have any questions! 😊

MLI Newsletter

DLC UPDATE

Did you know? The Khan Academy Kids app (already in Manager) now features a teacher account that enables you to pick and choose activities for different learners. It gives you the ability to customize your learners' ability levels differently and pinpoint specific needs. Khan Academy Kids can be a great option to help learners with gaps build skills in phonics and more! Learn more about creating assignments and setting up classes either manually or through SSO here. https://www.bulbapp.com/u/differentiating-with-khan-academy-kids Reach out to a DLC to learn more!

COACH'S CORNER

Learning Space Environment | Organized Learning Environment

Don’t you love the feeling of an organized space? I love knowing that each and every thing has a purpose and a specific place. It is the best feeling as an educator! An organized learning space is not only beneficial for educators though. Your learners benefit from this organization as well! It promotes a relaxed environment where they can focus on the learning. 

ESL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK

Chunk academic reading materials

No matter what subject you teach, there are probably reading materials that students must read. When text is lengthy, this can pose a comprehension problem for some ELs who are still processing and translating the English language. One way to alleviate this is to chunk the reading material. This means break it down into smaller pieces. ELs will still read the same text, but in between you might give stopping points to talk or sketch meaning.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Nov 1-5- GT Assessment Window for 3rd and 5th

Nov 1- Green Design Day (AM)

     Red Design Day (PM)

     Day 1- NO LEARNER TEAM TIME

     Honor Choir Auditions after school

Nov 2- Ed Foundation t-shirt and jeans

     Blue Design Day (AM)

     Yellow Design Day (PM)

     Day 2- NO LEARNER TEAM TIME

Nov 3- College Shirt Day with warm ups

     Purple Design Day (PM)

     3rd and 5th Grade GT Testing

     Day 3- NO LEARNER TEAM TIME

     Staff Meeting (3:15-4:45)

Nov 4- Diwali

     3rd and 5th Grade GT Testing

     RTI Meetings During Team Time

Nov 5- Fall Picture Day

     3rd and 5th Grade GT Testing

     TOY Nominations DUE

Week of October 25, 2021

What a week, friends!  THANK YOU to all of you who stepped up in BIG ways.  Whether it was being a learner at Reading Academy, helping in a different capacity this week as we had sub shortages, or being there for a teammate or colleague that needed you.  YOU DID IT!  YOU CRUSHED IT AGAIN THIS WEEK!  Do you know what is a month away?  DECEMBER TO REMEMBER!!!  

DID YOU KNOW:

• as a result of the steady decline in the number of test-confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, CISD schools may begin holding assemblies and other events on campus?  We will still follow CISD COVID Protocols and wear masks, distance as much as possible, and wipe and clean surfaces. 
• you still have time to nominate this year's Teacher of the Year?  Here is the TOY Website and Nomination Criteria and Form. Nominations are due November 5.  Please turn them in to CK.

LEEDERSHIP COUNCIL

Please send your learner down to the cafeteria at 8:00 on Friday morning.  Future LEEdership Dates are on the staff calendar.  Please permit a few minutes for your LEEder to share updates after each meeting. 

RED RIBBON WEEK

Red Ribbon week is HERE!  Please join in on the fun and share pictures of learner participation.  You should have picked up your sunglasses from the front Angela for Monday.

WRITE A CHECK

This is our last week to hype up this event.  The designer with the highest contributions will win a gift card from PTO.  I will be sharing an email for you to copy and paste to your parents (outside of your newsletter) next week.  Thank you for helping to get every dollar donated.  We can do this! 

(updated flyer- please don't use prior versions)

FLEX LEARNING

Join us for one of two sessions on Wednesday to earn an hour of flex credit.  Please remember to submit your request into Power School at the conclusion of your session.   

• Make and Take: Schoology Assessment Workshop

  Please join us In Blue House (Layne’s Space)

   

  Building Schoology Assessments can take time, especially when you are just getting familiar with the different question types.  What many people miss is the treasure trove of different ways to build interactive content within an assessment.  In this workshop style session, DLCs will be available to help share resources, unpack the different question types and support you as you build.

• Challenge Based Learning presented by Megan Schlossstein in Green House

TRUNK OR TREAT

Join us for our first Trunk or Treat on Thursday night.  Staff will be parked in the back parking lot in every other spot.  We will have games, decorations, candy, and FUN.  We can't wait to see you there!

PTO SPIRIT NIGHT

Don't worry about cooking dinner on Thursday night.  Call an order in to Papa Johns and tell them you are with Lee Elementary.  Our PTO will get 20% donated back.  

BOOK CHARACTER PARADE

Want a reason to wear a costume on Friday? Pick a costume and find a book to go along with it.  Our entire school will parade at 8:00 on Friday.  Parents are invited and welcome to surround the track. 

DLC UPDATES

Digital Learning doesn't have to be scary!  Check out these ideas for Halloween! 

ESL UPDATES

Assess understanding

Check to see if students understand the lesson or directions before it’s too late. Setting students up for success is key. If we want them to do well, we have to prepare them and check along the way to see if they are on track. Some call this incremental evaluation. There are many ways to do this. It can be asking students to retell directions to a partner or having partners hold an academic conversation as you walk around and listen in. When there is a written product, check in with ELs midway to see their progress. This will help to catch problems or errors in advance or the product being turned in for a grade. If done correctly, these meetings can also be wonderful ways to build relationships with ELs.

COACHES CORNER

Learning Space Environment | Walls That Teach

For the rest of the second quarter, we will focus on learning spaces and how we can make them inviting, engaging and organized for our learning community. Let’s talk about what’s on your walls. 

Does it...

• consist mostly of learner’s work (vs. commercial products or your creations)?

• include learners’ names and/or portraits (photos or drawings)?

• include a short description of what is displayed (maybe the I can statements)?

• reflect learner’s choice and current work (keep them fresh and relevant)?

• hang at learners' eye levels?

• include work from all learners?

• focus on process (consist of both drafts and polished work)?

• show class as well as individual work (classwork might include rules, learning goals, and favorite songs, activities, or greetings)?

Please use this link to book a time with me so we can collaborate.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Week of Oct 25- Red Ribbon Week

Oct 26- Ed Foundation Shirt and Jeans

     LEEdership Council Training for 5th Graders

Oct 27- House Shirt and Jeans

     Flex Learning (3:15-4:15)

Oct 28- PTO Spirit Night at Papa Johns

     Trunk or Treat (5:30-6:30)

Oct 29- GEMS due

Oct 30- Jessica's Birthday

Week of October 18, 2021

Boy this shortened week has sped by!  Thank you for the beautiful week you gave our newest face to face learners.  We see your intentionality and hard work and are so grateful for you.  Great job with your report cards and personalized comments.  Customizing this feedback takes extra effort and is why you are the incredible group you are! We are grateful for your flexibility with all the changes that this new nine weeks has brought upon you.  Please disconnect from school and enjoy the fall weather this weekend.  LOVE YOU ALL!

DID YOU KNOW:

• that learners should not call home or go to the office for their iPad, lunches, or water bottles?  Please remind parents that we want to raise responsible learners.  They should come to school prepared each morning with all of their belongings.  
• there is a GT Assessment plan Plan for 2021-2022?  Please share this voice over link and presentation link with your parents. 
• it is Math Olympiad time for fourth and fifth graders?  Designers, remember to share Ayesha's email with your parents.
• it is the time of the year to nominate this year's Teacher of the Year?  Here is the TOY Website and Nomination Criteria and Form. Nominations are due November 5.
• it is Digital Citizenship Week?  Please check out this Bulb resource from our DLCs.  If you use any of these resources, document it as part of our campus goal and use #DigCitWeek.
• we need your help for Veteran's Day?  If you or your learners have a US Veteran in the family, will you please send an electronic picture to Linda?  She is making a short video for Veteran's Day.  THANKS for your help!

RED OUT

Wear RED tomorrow!  Want to learn more about Dyslexia?  Have learners identified with Dyslexia and need more information? Want to earn Flex hours credit? CISD has created a Schoology course about dyslexia specifically for the classroom educator.  

 

Name of Course:  Dyslexia Training & Resources: For the Classroom Educator

Access Code: JBSVB-5D89J

3 Flex hours

REPORT CARDS

Please include a friendly reminder in your weekly newsletters to make sure your parents know how to access their report cards.  An email will also go out from Leigh Ann, mid-day, with directions for accessing Home Access Center.  Remember, if you have learners below a 70, that you are required to offer tutoring.  We will pay you $25 an hour for tutoring your learners before or after contract hours.

TRUNK OR TREAT

Join us for our first Trunk or Treat on Thursday October 28.  Our staff will be parked in the back parking lot in every other spot.  We will have games, decorations, candy, and FUN.  

PTO SPIRIT NIGHT

Don't worry about cooking dinner next Thursday night.  Call an order in to Papa Johns and tell them you are with Lee Elementary.  Our PTO will get 20% donated back.  

WRITE A CHECK
Write a Check concludes this week.  This is our BIGGEST fundraiser of the year, so it is imperative that you talk up this two week event with our learners so their parents will participate.

RED RIBBON WEEK

Red Ribbon week is in one week, so please share this communication so parents can be prepared for our spirit days.  Thank you, Angela, for organizing. 

 

FROM THE NURSE  PLEASE SHARE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER

Every year, St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Coppell provides Thanksgiving baskets with supplies to cook a turkey dinner to those in need. If you could benefit from this assistance, please click on the link below and fill out the Google form as accurately as possible. By completing this form you understand this information will be shared with St. Ann’s Catholic Church for distribution of your basket. Please fill out this form no later than October 19th, 2021.

ESL UPDATES

Repeat or Rephrase Instructions

Be careful not to assume that everyone understands your directions. Many students (including ELs) will be reluctant to say in front of their peers that they don’t understand. Avoid asking, “Does everyone understand?” It’s not typical for anyone to respond, “No, I don’t understand.” Instead try gauging understanding by asking questions or having students retell the directions to a partner. Then listen in so you can clear up misconceptions by rephrasing the directions. I heard a colleague once say, “I repeated the directions at least five times and they still did it wrong.” Sometimes repeating is not enough. If they don’t understand, then repeating will not work, but perhaps rephrasing will. Try it a different way.

COACHES CORNER

Outside the Box Formative Assessments: 

There are SO many ways to assess formatively: entry or exit tickets, low stake quizzes and polls, quick checks, interviews (casual chats), or self assessments. But have you thought about ART as a formative assessment? Consider using visual art or photography or videography as an assessment tool. Whether students draw, create a collage, or sculpt, you may find that the assessment helps them synthesize their learning. Or think beyond the visual and have kids act out their understanding of the content. 

Please use this link to book a time with me so we can collaborate. Specifically if you want to start working on RTI for your learners.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Oct 17- Hannah J's Birthday

Week of October 18- Digital Citizenship Week

Oct 18- Admin Reading Academy

Oct 19- Cohort B Reading Academy Day

     Ed Foundation t-shirt and jeans

     L'Oreal's Birthday!!

     School Board Visit at Lee (12:30-2:30)

     Flu Clinic (1:00-1:45) Let us know if you need coverage for your class

Oct 20- Cohort B Reading Academy Day

     Grade Shirt and Jeans

     Staff Meeting (3:15 Cafeteria)

Oct 21- Cohort A Reading Academy Day

Oct 22- Cohort A Reading Academy Day

RED RIBBON WEEK IS ONE WEEK AWAY!  

Week of October 11, 2021

Thank you for hosting parent/learner conferences tomorrow and Friday.  What a great time to build connections with your familLEEs.  I want you to know I appreciate all of your hard work to communicate the strengths and areas for growth on each child.  If a parent did not attend the conference on the designated days, please do your best to set up an alternative time/method to review data with them.  As we have data to document potential learning loss, we must keep parents informed.  

Tuesday is another first day of school for all of us.  Parents do have permission to walk their learners to your classrooms on Tuesday.  We are still not permitting guests at lunch.  I request that you please email all parents on your 2nd 9 weeks roster, on the 8th, to make sure they know who their classroom designer is and so that you know how their learner will be going home on Tuesday.  

High praise to all of you.  You make such an impact with our learners and families.  ENJOY these words from a departing famiLEE member:  

The journey that our family had with Lee was an affectionate one, an exciting one, and will be one full with sweet memories!  We honestly can't thank you and everyone enough for taking such amazing care of our two little men.  All they talk about is their teachers, friends and the school routines and facilities when they get home daily. They always discuss how kind their teachers are and how teachers share their knowledge and experiences, how polite and sweet the school staff is, and how charming and smart their Sheriff is!  Everyone is so so so awesome at Richard J Lee Elementary.  Thank you a million times over for loving both our little men and embracing them for their short journey with all of you!!!

DID YOU KNOW

• we have finalized our new arrival and dismissal plan?  Here is the link.  Thank you Hannah for taking this on and for houses working out responsibilities.
• the 2nd 9 weeks Specials schedule is attached to the RJL Master Schedule (2nd tab) now?  Please do your best to drop learners off and pick them up on time.  Our Specials ladies have to have time to sanitize between each class.  If you get to Specials early, please wait until your scheduled time.  If a class is still there when you go to leave, will you please deliver them to their next destination?
• a second lunch line will be opening up on Tuesday?  Can we get an OH YEAH!  Please help by having learners in line by classes.  Charlene has requested a line of K, 2, 4 and a line of 1, 3, 5.  If learners have a temporary badge (until the official ones arrive) this will help with learner IDs and a speedier checkout.
• for lunch for the 2nd 9 weeks, learners should sit at tables of 7, by grade, in the cafeteria?  Please make a seating chart to assist with contact tracing.  Once we no longer have to contact trace, we will go back to learner choice of seating.
• Priscilla submitted a Coppell Education Foundation Grant for Strawbees?  Please share this link with your FamiLEEs in case they would like to support her.  

SECOND FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

With it being the second first day of this year, we will give permission for parents to walk their learners to your spaces on Tuesday, only.  We will request they leave the building by the time morning broadcast begins.

Please revisit procedures and practice, practice, practice this week.  There are some learners who have not been in school in two years.  Let's keep in mind these learners have been through trauma, so you may see some behaviors that are not typical of your age of student.  Please reach out to Angela or Chantel or Leigh Ann for any help.  

REVISITING RESPECT AGREEMENTS

Please create new respect agreements with your classes for the 2nd 9 weeks.  Remember there should be FOUR quadrants: Learner to Learner, Learner to Designer, Designer to Learner, and Learner to School.  All four quadrants should have 3 to 4 bullets with short phrases (ex: be honest, hands to self, feet off furniture, etc.).  

CAMPUS GOAL

Part of our campus goal is digital citizenship.  Please review the CISD Learner Digital Orientation Lesson in Schoology.  It is imperative we review responsible use for technology and digital footprint.  Learners should NEVER erase their history.  REMIND THEM OF THIS- Admin and Designers should be checking this periodically to help learners with accountability. After teaching the lesson, have learners sign a new Digital Citizenship agreement/poster and post it by your respect agreement.

MORNING MEETINGS

Morning circles are going to help learners (and you) as we transition.  THEY ARE A REQUIREMENT IN CISD.  They provide social/emotional support in your space.  You should have a structure within the class meeting to foster authentic relationships, provide safety for everyone's voice to be heard and allow vulnerability to occur.  Class meetings build secure relationships in a safe and structured setting.  If you need "talking pieces" please see Angela or ask your learners what they want to use.  We are happy to purchase for you.  (We have plenty of rubber chickens left over from the first Spirit Rally 😊)  Don't forget you have the CISD SEL Morning Meeting curriculum document as a resource.  We reviewed at Back to School an it should be used in your lesson design.  Thank you to Nikki Hunt and her famous learners for sharing their morning meeting with me this morning.  Check it out here! (it is safe to download to watch- I also emailed it out)

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL PRACTICES

With 350 families returning to Lee for the first time, please review the arrival and dismissal practices at Lee.   Resend this document and these images in your weekly newsletters.

VIRTUAL PTO MEETING

We have our second VIRTUAL PTO Meeting on Tuesday night at 6:00 pm.  A Zoom link will be emailed to staff to share with parents, at 8:00 AM on Tuesday.

WRITE A CHECK
Write a Check starts this week.  This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, so it is imperative that you talk up this three week event with our learners so their parents will participate.  

CMSW FEEDER NIGHT

All of us are invited to attend this event at CMSW.  

DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH

Dyslexia is a reading disability characterized by the inability to read at a level that is consistent with the child's grade. Learner might know letter sounds but have a difficult time putting the sounds together to read words.  Click here to hear dyslexia experts explain and share their experiences with dyslexia, being dyslexic, and working with people with dyslexia.

RED RIBBON WEEK APPROACHING

Speaking of RED...we will participate in these Spirit Days the last week in October.   Please let our FamiLEEs know now so that they may prepare.

DLC UPDATES

As we welcome back all learners face-to-face in CISD, now is a great time to ensure that all student iPads are ready for instructional use. Here are a few steps  you can do with your learners, or have families complete at home, to clean-up learner devices.

COACHES CORNER

Happy Second Quarter!!

As we begin our journey into the second nine weeks, find time to reflect on your craft. Ask yourself probing questions and jot down your thoughts. It is also important that we give our learners time to be in solitude and reflect on their learning. Use that sacred time for yourself too. Consider reflecting on your goal or on your teaching practices. Jot down your thoughts on a journal or on your bulb. 

I bet you just said, “When do I find time to do that?” 

The answer: How about when the learners are reflecting? 

Model uninterrupted time for complete solitude and reflection. 

Please use this link to book a time with me so we can collaborate.


ESL UPDATES

Provide opportunities for collaborative work

Learning is social. ELs especially benefit from collaborating with other students and not just other ELs. They need to discuss, communicate, listen to, read with, negotiate, problem solve with students of all types. Groups should be fluid and flexible. Sometimes partners and other times groups. This type of setting also lowers the affective filter for ELs while allowing everyone an opportunity to participate.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Oct 11- NO SCHOOL

     Kristina's Birthday

Oct 12- Welcome back to all learners

     Education Foundation shirt and jeans

     Shanna's Birthday

     Grades Due (8:00 AM)

     CMSW Feeder Night (5:00 PM)

     Virtual PTO Meeting (6:00 PM)

     Write a Check Fundraising Begins

Oct 13- Pink RJL Cares Cancer t-shirt and jeans (Here is the link if you want to order one to participate)

     Leadership Team Meeting (3:15 Laura's Space)

Oct 15- Wear a RED shirt with your jeans to Light it Up for Dyslexia

     1st 9 Weeks Grades go home (electronically)

Oct 16- Alex's Birthday

RED RIBBON WEEK IS A FEW WEEKS AWAY