Thursday, March 21, 2024

Week of March 25, 2024

Thank you for a wonderful first week back from break.   We will be having our 3rd 9 Weeks Spirit Rally on Friday, March 29, at 2:00.  We will host this outside on the basketball courts since there will be Color Run color on staff members.  


DID YOU KNOW:
  • Kindergarten enrollment began last week?  If you have FamiLEEs with siblings that will be kindergarteners next year, please share this information.
  • it is a new 9 weeks so we expect you to please review and update your Digital Citizenship and your class Respect Agreements?  Remember that there should be 4-5 bullets in each quadrant of your Respect Agreement, learners should sign it, and a copy should be in the office. 
  • Mayra's beautiful baby girl named Elizabeth Francesca was born on March 5?  Here is a sweet picture of her.  Our student teacher, Meredith Bowling, is doing a FABULOUS job with Mayra's P2 kiddos. 
  • we have a new intern on campus?  Tami Harvey is an occupational therapy student at the University of St. Augustine in Dallas.  She is working on her capstone project, covering the importance of adaptive sports and physical activities and will be with us through the remainder of the school year.  She is excited to get to know the students and staff at Lee Elementary.


iPAD ROLLOUT ON WEDNESDAY

As we prepare for the iPad rollout on Wednesday, I wanted to share the iPad enrollment instructions that you can view ahead of time, if you'd like to. A team consisting of a Digital Learning Coach, librarian, and technician will come to your space at your designated time. You can view the draft of the schedule here:

While we are in your classroom, we will check in old devices, collect iPad accessories, check out new devices, and walk learners through the enrollment process using the steps included. The DLCs will take the lead in walking through the enrollment steps, but I wanted to make sure you had the steps accessible to be pulled up or view previously if you want to look at them. 

If your learners still need to back up their important files, photos, etc, you can view the back-up instructions here. This information was also sent prior to break. 

K-1st, your iPads will come at a later, TBD, date.


STAFF MEETING ON WEDNESDAY
To help you get some final flex time and cross off district end of year tasks, we will have a working Staff Meeting, in the cafeteria, on Wednesday.  There are three things you will accomplish from 3:15-4:15, so you can submit for flex.  Please bring your AirPods or headphones.
  • Complete your Laserfiche training (email from Angie Brooks)
  • Complete your Panorama Spring Staff Survey
  • Update your Bulb for your end of year Summative meeting.



PANORAMA SURVEY WINDOW OPEN FOR LEARNERS AND PARENTS
The Panorama Survey window is open from March 18- April 5.  Please make time in your schedules to guide your learners through completing this.  It is a district expectation that every learner and staff member complete the survey. 


SUMMATIVES
Summative Season is here!  Here is a link to sign up for this year's EOY summative times.  Please sign up for a time that works for you and matches when your appraiser is on campus.  All you need to have ready is your completed Bulb that is made public for Kat, Chantel, and Angel.  On your day, meet us in the large conference room with your MacBook ready to AirPlay to the tv.  We have 30 minutes with each of you and can't wait for individual time to discuss all you have accomplished this year and moving forward into 2024-2025.  


YEARBOOK
Order your 2023-24 yearbook from Lifetouch today! Type in Richard J Lee Elementary. Yearbook ID: 13015824.



FAMILEE SPIRIT NIGHT

Tonight is the night to join us at Ground Control Las Colinas trampoline park glow night!  We hope this will be a great time for the kids to hang, but also for the adults to get to know each other!  You can buy tickets for entry from 6-8pm on the hour or half hour onsite or online!  If you purchase online, when you arrive, make sure to mention our fundraiser and have them print out your receipt!




PTO BOARD FOR 2023-2024
Are you interested in joining the PTO Board for the 2024-25 school year? We have roles that will be a great fit for you, no matter how much or how little time you have to give. We’ll be launching our recruitment campaign with more details next week, but why wait?  Reach out now if you’d like to discuss sooner!  It’s a blast, and a fantastic way to give back to our awesome community!



SAVE THE DATE



RJL BIRTHAY BASH T-SHIRTS ON SALE THROUGH MARCH 31

Our 10 Year Birthday Bash is coming up on April 18th! Purchase an exclusive Birthday Bash t-shirt for the whole family and come dressed ready to celebrate!

**Please place your orders by March 31st to guarantee arrival in time for the party! Staff, please order, too!




SOLAR ECLIPSE UPDATE
There was a ton of information shared in our Leadership Notes about this special event.  Please review all of the details carefully and ask questions if you have them.  New information... we will use the schedule below for April 8.  It will still be a Day 4. 



GTI UPDATE



COACH'S CORNER

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LEEDERSHIP TIP OF THE WEEK

DATES TO REMEMBER:
SCHOOL LIBRARY MONTH
NATIONAL AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH

March 25- Onboarding Meeting (3:15 Yellow House)
March 26- Reagan's Birthday
March 27- iPad Rollout (Grades 2-5)
     Staff Meeting (3:15 Cafe)
March 28- MTSS Meetings
     Purple House Music Performance (2:00 and 6:30 Gym)
     Youth Art Month (6:00 CMSW)
March 29- Spirit Rally (2:00 Basketball Court)

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Week of March 18, 2024

You made it to Spring Break!  WAHOO!  Please enjoy taking time for yourself over the week.  Travel.  Sleep in.  Read a book.  Binge watch some TV.  Do what makes YOU happy!  You have EARNED IT! Please leave when we make the announcement, tomorrow, that all learners have been picked up.  Your spaces and our school look AMAZING and I am so proud to show off our school tonight.  Our parents will be bragging about all of you to Admin- listen up tomorrow on morning broadcast.  


DID YOU KNOW:
  • the time clock at the cafeteria entrance has been repaired and you can use it to clock in/out?
  • we will clean out the lounge fridges at 11:00 on Friday?  Please make sure you get your items so they are not discarded.  
  • you will want to set your auto replies for Spring Break?  Don't forget!

OPEN HOUSE
We are excited to host Open House tonight.  Front and rear doors will be unlocked for entrance at 5:30 PM.  This is a "come and go" event, so parents can stay as long as they need to during this hour.  Don't forget to invite parents to stop by the cafeteria to see the beautiful artwork our learners have created.  FamiLEEs can purchase artwork and take it home.  All proceeds from the Art Show go back to our Art program.  Please plan to dress professionally for the Open House event.




RODEO GOAT SPIRIT NIGHT
Our next spirit night is coming up on Thursday, March 7th, at Rodeo Goat, right here in Cypress Waters.  Beginning at 4PM, if you mention you are with RJL, they will donate 20% of your order back to our PTO.  So come and grab a bite before or after Open House and the Art Show and support your Lee PTO. 



COLOR RUN
The rain should let up in time for our Color Run tomorrow.  Please feel free to wear warm ups.  Sonic drinks will be delivered from PTO (thank you Angel and Samira and PTO).  We will make an announcement when they are ready for you to pick up in the teacher's lounge.  PLEASE SHARE WITH PARENTS:  Our learners may have crossed the finish line on Friday, but there’s still time to donate!  The House Class competitions are open through Spring Break, closing on Sunday, March 17th!  Visit bit.ly/RJLColorRun to donate.  Proceeds directly fund Field Day, with all remaining funds going to our PE department!

NO SCHOOL
There will be no school March 11-15.  See you back safely on March 18.



YEARBOOK
Order your 2023-24 yearbook from Lifetouch today! Type in Richard J Lee Elementary. Yearbook ID: 13015824.



PTO MEETING MINUTES
Thank you to all who attended our latest PTO board meeting this past Tuesday. For those that missed and would like to stay up to date you can find a copy of the PTO meeting minutes here. Have a great Spring Break!


FAMILEE SPIRIT NIGHT

This sounds far away, but mark your calendars now since this is the Friday after we come back from spring break!  Please save the date to join us at Ground Control Las Colinas trampoline park the evening of March 22nd for glow night!  We hope this will be a great time for the kids to hang, but also for the adults to get to know each other!  


You can buy tickets for entry from 6-8pm on the hour or half hour onsite or online!  If you purchase online, when you arrive, make sure to mention our fundraiser and have them print out your receipt!

COACHES CORNER

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LEEDERSHIP TIP OF THE WEEK



DATES TO REMEMBER:
GREEN AND PURPLE HOUSE LOUNGE DUTY (March)
SPRING BREAK WEEK
TEXAS HISTORY MONTH
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

March 17- St. Patrick's Day
March 18- Tara's Birthday
     3-4 Yellow Design 1/2 Day
March 19- 4th Grade Field Trip to Stockyards
     Report Card Grades Due (8:00 AM)
March 20- Leadership Mtg. (3:15 Yellow House)
     International Day of Happiness
March 22- Report Card Day
     Chantel off

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Week of March 4, 2024

You made it!  One more week until Spring Break!!!  Thank you for all you are doing to get your learning spaces set up for Open House.  It is a HUGE deal to have parents in the building and there is so much learning to showcase.  Please make sure all extra furniture is moved out of your spaces and that collabs are as organized as your learning spaces.  We've GOT THIS!  Please leave once an announcement is made on Friday afternoon (once all kiddos are dismissed) and start your Spring Break off a few hours early.  LOVE YOU ALL!


DID YOU KNOW:
  • that it helps the front office when you thumbs up that you see learner messages when alerted parents are here to pick up their children?  Please thumbs up.  If you don't acknowledge, we will send someone to find them, but we don't want to loose office coverage if learners are on their way down.
  • learners for morning tutoring must be dropped off in the front entrance of the building? Please remind students.  It is about their safety. 
  • learners should only get snacks from the cafeteria before school or during their lunch time? Please remind your learners.
  • that the state of Texas requires you to have 150 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours from your last issued teaching license to the next in order to renew your teaching certificate?  The state says: Completion of each CPE activity shall be maintained by each educator and should be evidenced by documentation (e.g., transcripts, certificates of completion, attendance logs). Now, the state has never asked for proof before, but given the current state of affairs in Austin, do you want to take the chance? Suggestion: any training that you do that you submit for Flex credit, please also request SBEC credit. The SBEC credit might not work for staying late to plan an event, but it does count for any data review, learning or state required training. Many people go WAY over the required 150 hours, but it would be a shame to fall short just for not checking a box.  (Thanks for the info, Kat!)
  • Super Teacher nominations are due March 6, and GEM nominations are due March 22?  Please nominate some dedicated peers 


NATIONAL SCHOOL BREAKFAST WEEK

It’s no secret that eating a nutritious breakfast helps our learners start the school day off right!  Next week, March 4-8, is National School Breakfast Week.  All week long our cafeterias will be featuring a new menu items, along with lucky tray giveaways.  This year’s theme is “Surf's Up With School Breakfast."



MARCH MADNESS AT LEE ELEMENTARY
Join in the March Madness!  Stop by the lounge each day, starting tomorrow, and sample each chip flavor to vote on your favorite one.  We will see who is the winner at Lee Elementary.  Thank you, Social Spurs for sponsoring the taste test and to Linda for designing the bracket!




SCHOOL PICTURE DAY
Tuesday is staff and class picture day.  Please plan to be here by 7:05 for our staff photograph in the cafeteria at 7:10.  Immediately after arrival, we will start calling your classes down for class and individual pictures. Purple...that means hold off on your morning broadcast until after Specials, because your pictures will start right at 7:45.  It is imperative you drop what you are doing and hustle down to the cafe, so we can try to get learners through before PE or recess. Please line your learners up from shortest to tallest before coming down.  Lastly, remember that lunch is in your spaces, this day, as the photographers will need the entire cafeteria.



NWEA MAP TRAINING ON TUESDAY
Please remember to come down to the large conference room during your conference time on Tuesday.  You will have an NWEA Map Trainer available to answer questions and help you with this district resource.  SPED team has the trainer at 2:00.  Snacks??  We will provide some!


PTO MEETING
Our next Virtual PTO Meeting is coming up on Tuesday, March 5th, at 6PM, with a special guest from the CISD School Board.  Link to join will be emailed home that day.  We are looking forward to seeing you all there. 

COLLEGE SHIRT DAY
Wednesday is College Shirt Day.  Show your school spirit by participating.



OPEN HOUSE
We are excited to host Open House on Thursday.  Front and rear doors will be unlocked for entrance at 5:30 PM.  This is a "come and go" event, so parents can stay as long as they need to during this hour.  Don't forget to invite parents to stop by the cafeteria to see the beautiful artwork our learners have created.  FamiLEEs can purchase artwork and take it home.  All proceeds from the Art Show go back to our Art program.  Please plan to dress professionally for the Open House event.




RODEO GOAT SPIRIT NIGHT
Our next spirit night is coming up on Thursday, March 7th, at Rodeo Goat, right here in Cypress Waters.  Beginning at 4PM, if you mention you are with RJL, they will donate 20% of your order back to our PTO.  So come and grab a bite before or after Open House and the Art Show and support your Lee PTO. 



LEE COLOR RUN
Only one week left before the RJL Color Run!  Visit bit.ly/RJLColorRun for more details, to donate, and to register to run or throw color at your learner's race.  The deadline for parent registration and for the fundraising, prizes that will be awarded on race day is 8PM, on Thursday, March, 7.  Proceeds directly fund Field Day, with all remaining funds going to our PE Department.  Don't forget to stop by the campus house fundraising charts, in the cafeteria during Open House, to see how close your child's class is to earning their incentives. 

EARLY RELEASE


NO SCHOOL
There will be no school next week, March 11-15.  See you back safely on March 18.



YEARBOOK
Order your 2023-24 yearbook from Lifetouch today! Type in Richard J Lee Elementary. Yearbook ID: 13015824.



PLAYGROUND UPDATE
Guess what?  I learned on Tuesday, that playground construction is set to begin at Lee Elementary on MONDAY!  Yes, next week they will begin prepping the site.  Below is an image of where the new playground will be constructed.  You will notice that this playground will be located where the fenced in gaga pit area is.  This location was decided by CISD and surveyors, and the new one will align with ADA guidelines.  All new CISD playgrounds will have K-5 next to each other in one area. This is new for us all.  We will work through what recess on the new playground looks like with our campus leadership team, but for now construction work and workers should pose minimum disruption at Lee.  The gaga pit will be moved by CISD to the other side of the garden, and for the remainder of this school year, CISD is leaving both of our current playgrounds to play on.  During the summer, CISD will demolish the 3-5 playground and sod over that area.  CISD is leaving the K-2 playground as an additional play structure due to having higher numbers of learners at Lee.  I will keep you informed as I learn more.  Any other questions?  Come ask me.



CISD JOB FAIR
Thank you to those that communicated they want to serve on our campus interview team this year!  It is a wonderful time to get to know new people and share about our school with future candidates.  If you are joining us, you need to attend annual training (about 15 mins) on April 1- this is not a joke! Babes lunch will be provided by CISD on the 6th.



RED AND BLACK SUPERSTARS
Help the Coppell ISD Education Foundation spotlight the dedicated and hardworking students, administrators and support staff in CISD by nominating them for a Super Star award. The deadline for Super Star nominations is April. Teachers, Staff, and parents, nominate a staff member today! www.coppellisdef.org/superstar/.



SAVE THE DATE
CEF run to fund

Mark your calendars and lace up your running shoes! The Coppell ISD Education Foundation will be hosting its Annual Run to Fund at Andy Brown East Park on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

This year’s Run will include a one-mile Fun Run perfect for adults and children of all ages followed by a 5K, timed and untimed. Be on the lookout for more information to come. CEF can't wait to see you and the CISD community at this fun event that benefits the teachers and students of CISD. If you are interested in hosting a vendor booth at this event, please email edfoundation@coppellisd.com.



COACH'S CORNER

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DLC UPDATES

  • NEW: Digital Content Connections! 

What is it? Content connections is a new way the elementary DLC’s are getting resources and digital integration ideas into your hands! We will send these with our weekly updates. When we get back from spring break, our goal is to send it two weeks prior to your units so you can use them when planning.

How to Use: Click on your grade level to find a digital learning lesson idea that directly ties to a student learning objective you a currently teaching, or explore all the ideas to get inspiration. Go to the “Try Something New” to find a new idea or creativity challenge to try out for yourself or with your learners!

👉View the Content Connections for next week here!👈


  • Learner iPad Backup

Communication on backing up iPads will be sent to learner families. Here are the steps for the back-up process, if you would like to check on learners backing up their important files or help them with the process: 

  • Upcoming Schedule Disruptions

In the next few weeks, I will be off campus several days for iPad roll-out.  You can always view my calendar here!


LESSON IN LEEDERSHIP




DATES TO REMEMBER:
GREEN AND PURPLE HOUSE LOUNGE DUTY (March)
COLOR RUN FUNDRAISING THROUGH MARCH 8
NATIONAL SCHOOL BREAKFAST WEEK
EDUCATIONAL DIAGNOSTICIAN WEEK

March 5- Laura's Birthday
     Staff Picture (7:05 AM)
     Spring Picture Day (cafeteria)
     Eat in Houses for lunch
     CISD NWEA Training during conference times
     SPED NWEA Training (2:00 PM)
     Day 2 Team Time NOT DAY 7
     Virtual PTO Meeting (6:00 PM)
March 6- 5th Grade Girl's Spinal Screening
     Day 1 Team Time
March 7- Keiko's Birthday
     Day 7 Team Time  NOT DAY 2
     Open House and Art Show (5:30-6:30)
     Rodeo Goat PTO Spirit Day (4PM-10PM)
March 8- Color Run Day (During Specials) Staff park in the back
     Early Release (12:30)
March 11-March 15- SPRING BREAK
March 13- Andrea's Birthday
     Ellison's Birthday
March 14- Brian's Birthday
      Maria's Birthday
March 15- Linda's Birthday