Week of December 1

Before we leave for our FABULOUS week off, I want to express MANY THANKS for the blessings that each of you bring to our school.

THANK YOU for the tireless effort that you give our school and children EACH and EVERY day. I know the personal time you sacrifice to go above and beyond to make our school the most fun and exciting place for children to learn and grow.  I am honored to work with you!

THANK YOU for all you did to make Friday a day of showcase for our school.  I have no doubt these leading Superintendents will be mesmerized with what you are doing with our learners. 

THANK YOU for making my 42nd Birthday and "AMAZING" one that will forever be in my memory.  I was touched, humbled, and blown away with your creativity, generosity, and thoughtfulness.  I become overwhelmed with emotion thinking about the WEEK OF CHANTEL and how special and celebrated I feel. I love each and every one of you!

PLEASE ENJOY YOUR WEEK OFF!  I pray that you have wonderful memories with friends, family, and loved ones.  I also pray that you get some well-deserved rest and "YOU time."  I plan to avoid this building.  I hope you each will do the same- you have earned it!

DID YOU KNOW?

• that you can plant in our raised beds now?  Check out this site if you want to know what you can start as seedlings for when the spring gets here.  

• that we received the sweetest praise from a parent?  They said,  "I wanted to compliment your staff at car line. I have been observing this since the school started: they are all smiling and waving while making eye contacts with the parents all the time. They create a  happy feeling which is very contagious and gives me extra energy while I drive to work."  WHAT A GREAT EMAIL TO GET!!!
• that Shelley and Kylie moved a total of 863 pounds of cans?  That was 879 cans of food. These cans will provide access to 719 meals for hungry children, families and seniors in need in North Texas!
• we are going to take a staff Christmas picture on Monday, December 1, right after school?  Please bring a Santa hat, Christmas props, or wear a tacky sweater so we can send out holiday wishes from Lee to the other Coppell schools.
• that you need to get fun pajama bottoms SOON?  We will have a Polar Express day where you can wear them to school.  Maybe we will even have a pajama parade?
• that most shelves should be finished being installed by the end of the day?  YAY!
  
  
  

TURKEY DRIVE
I can't wait to see how many turkeys come in from RJL!  THANK YOU to those of you that succumbed to the pressure of a phone call plea for turkeys.  THANK YOU to Alicia for being our point person for the Turkey Drive and to Stacey for sharing her turkey hats with us in the car loop!  :)



TASA VISIT ON FRIDAY
I cannot wait to tour our visiting Superintendents around our school tomorrow.  Thank you to those who already shared that you will be in the flex space, the outdoor learning pavilion, and more.  If anyone is interested, the data dashboard is up and working with close to accurate information, now.  The pen is in the front office.


LUNCHROOM EXPECTATIONS
Please review the lunch expectations from our Leadership Meeting with your houses.  Some already started on Thursday- WOW!  


HOUR OF CODE
If you are planning on participating in this event, please let CK know.  


TOY DRIVE AT LEE
4th graders will be hosting a CBL toy drive from December 8 - December 19 at our school.  This is to go along with their Global Read Aloud book study of One for the Murphys.  Please post in your newsletters that they will be asking for new, unwrapped toys during these days.

BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER
Thank you for getting your estimated lunch counts in to Jean.  Also, remember that this day you will eat in your spaces.  Todd will send a schedule your way so that you know what to expect that day.  I'm sad to miss the event.  Please have your learners make Thank You cards for PTO for funding the busses for our learners and staff. 


LITERACY COACHING
Don't forget to book Roxann on this website!


LIVE MORNING BROADCAST STARTING MONDAY
We hope you have enjoyed our new LIVE morning broadcast.  We will continue to do our best to start promptly at 7:55.  We hope that this helps with getting your learning day started.  Thank you Courtney and Alli for your efforts with this!

"LEE" QUOTE OF THE WEEK:  “Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding on the 20th.” -Julie Andrews

"LEE"DERSHIP TIP OF THE WEEK:  While you are with a substitute teacher, obey the same rules that you follow when your teacher is with you.

DATES TO REMEMBER:
November 24-28- NO SCHOOL

November 25- Going Bonkers w/ Dad's Club (6:00-8:00pm)
December 1- 5th Grade visits from Wilson
                      Staff Christmas Picture (3:20)
                      SBDM Mtg. (3:30)
                      Clay Night at Lee (5:00)
December 2- 5th Grade Spelling Bee in classes
December 3- Wear your House shirt day with jeans
                      Progress Report Grades Due
                      3rd Field Trip- Arboretum
                      Picture Retakes (8:15)
                      Staff Meeting (3:30-5:00)
December 4- Spur Savings (before school-cafe)
                      Chantel at TAGT Conference
                      4th Field Trip- FMSH
December 5- Chantel at TAGT Conference 
                      Progress Reports go home (under 73%)
                      School Wide Field Trip (CMSW)
December 8- Signed Progress Reports Due back to School
December 9- Lee Campus Spelling Bee (3:15 Library Flex Space)
                      NO PTO Mtg.
December 10- Red and Black Attack shirt with Jeans
                        Fed Ex Day
December 11- Todd's Birthday
                        Instrumental Ensemble Performance
                        Yellow CBL Planning Day
                        PTO Holiday Luncheon for staff
                        Channel 11 News films 2nd Grade (10:00)
                        Elisa's Bridal Shower (3:30)
December 12- CISD Holiday Open House (Conference Time)
                        Possible Drama Club Performance (8:15)
                        Lee Performs at Holiday Open House (10:15)

Week of November 17

Thank you for a super fun week as we cap it off with our school dance tonight.  We can't wait to see you there.  

DID YOU KNOW?

• that you can nominate a colleague for as a Super Teacher.  Here is a link to recognize them.  

• that we are going to have a luncheon next Wednesday?  Please sign up to bring in something on our Social Spurs document.

• that we will have TED Ed Clubs at Lee on Tuesday afternoons?  Please share this with your parents.  Thank you Elisa for spearheading this!  Our learners, parents, and Admin are VERY EXCITED!  If you didn't watch the TedEd video I tweeted out this week, please take time to watch this.

• that the fall window for observations closes next Thursday?  Todd and I will be in your classrooms within the next week to perform a 20 minute observation in your classroom.  This is a focused walkthrough based on your professional goals.  
• that we are ordering Number Talks for all designers.  Thank you Courtney for writing up this order with Library bond dollars! 

SO YOU THINK YOU "CAN" DANCE
Thank you to those of you that are able to attend our Fall dance.  Our PTO really wanted a free family event and did their best to put together a fun time for all.  We appreciate that you would take your personal time to connect with our learners and families!  This is so important the first year and it makes a difference that you were there!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!

LOCK DOWN DRILL / SAFETY AUDIT

You all did an incredible job performing all three drills on Wednesday.  We recognize that this is a disruption to the learning day, so we appreciate your cooperation.  The auditors were HIGHLY IMPRESSED with how quickly and quietly our learners respond in these drills.  THANK YOU DESIGNERS for your efforts!!!  We will share the results of their project when we learn more.

SPURS SAVINGS
We had an incredible Grand Opening to the bank.  48 learners deposited over $545.53 on our first day! Our next Spur Savings day will be December 4.

LEADERSHIP MEETING ON WEDNESDAY
Everyone is welcome, but our campus leadership team is required to attend our after school meeting on Wednesday from 3:30-5:00.  This will be in place of our Staff Meeting.  During this time we will develop school wide expectations in the cafeteria and more.  


LEARNER "LEE"DERSHIP COUNCIL

Your council member was given a home"fun" assignment.  They are to find out their t-shirt size.  Please remind them and send them to the PreK classroom from 9:00-10:00 on Wednesday, November 19.  THANK YOU for sharing your leaders with me!

TURKEY DRIVE
Friday is our turkey drive and our LEEdership council has challenged us with bringing at least 350 turkeys.  Please bring turkeys to school Friday morning.  Dads Club will help us with collecting them and Ready, Set, Teach students will tally our donations.  If you do not want to shop for a turkey, you can donate online at www.ntfb.org/turkey . Select Kid’s 4 Turkeys and choose Richard J. Lee Elementary.


TASA VISIT ON FRIDAY
Friday is a huge day on campus.  Not only do we have our turkey drive and PTO Presidents meeting here at Lee, but we have a visit by our former Superintendent, Dr. Turner.  If you don't know, he is the one that envisioned this school.  He will be bringing Superintendents from all over from 9:00-10:00 on Friday.  I know that we can count on you to showcase all that you are doing in and with our building to transform education and he will see our school in a positive way!

FLEXIBLE USE OF SPACES
Thank you for using ALL parts of our building ALL of the time.  This is something that each of you have pushed yourselves with, and we notice!!   Just a friendly reminder to pay attention to the library schedule.  If Mrs. George is scheduled with a class, we ask that you use the flex space or exterior areas of the library so that it does not disrupt her lesson on the carpet space by the checkout.  Please remind learners that if they go to the library and she is teaching class, that they should not walk through the middle of her lesson.


LITERACY COACH ROLE
I want to share some exciting news with the role of our Literacy Coach.  This website will help you with seeing the vision of how we are going to be utilizing this role at Lee.  This is different than you are used to, so I encourage you to visit with me if you have any questions or suggestions.  We are transforming the role of this job in the district, and (shocker) Lee is the model for what other schools will be moving toward.  I am excited to see how using Roxann in this capacity benefits YOU and our learners.


LIVE MORNING BROADCAST STARTING MONDAY
Weeks ago you got an email from Alli about signing up for a Livestream account.  If you haven't done that yet, please do that this weekend.  On Monday, we will be live (thank you James, Alli, and Courtney)!  We will begin our live broadcast at 7:55 each morning, so BE READY!  Coming soon: CK interviews learners interested in being our anchors for morning broadcast.


DISMISSAL FROM THE GYM IN THE MORNINGS
Just a reminder to be ready to greet your learners as they are automatically dismissed from the gym for you each morning at 7:45.

"LEE" QUOTE OF THE WEEK:  “Be like a postage stamp, stick to something until you get there.” -Josh Billings

"LEE"DERSHIP TIP OF THE WEEK:  Do not smack your lips, tsk, roll your eyes, or show disrespect with gestures.

DATES TO REMEMBER:
November 17- Chantel's Birthday

November 19- Red and Black Attack Shirt with Jeans
                        Leadership Meeting (3:30-5:00)
November 20- Courtney M's Birthday
                        2nd Grade Field Trip-Arboretum
                        Learn About Lee (9:00 Media Center)
November 21- Turkey Drive (7:30-9:00 Car Loop)
                        TASA Visit (IMPORTANT- 9:00)
                        PTO President's Meeting @ Lee (9:00)
November 24-28- NO SCHOOL
November 25- Going Bonkers w/ Dad's Club (6:00-8:00pm)
December 3- Wear your House shirt day with jeans
                      Progress Report Grades Due
                      3rd Field Trip- Arboretum
                      Picture Retakes (8:15)
                      Staff Meeting (3:30-5:00)
December 4- Spur Savings (before school-cafe)
                      Chantel at Conference
                      4th Field Trip- FMSH
December 5- Chantel at Conference 
                      Progress Reports go home (under 73%)
                      School Wide Field Trip (CMSW)

Week of November 10

What a week!  It was so much fun watching you run around the building looking for feathers (thanks for the idea, Rachel!)  Check out this great action pic that Angela caught:

I swear YOU are the best staff a principal could ask for!  Each of you bring spirit and fun to this place we call work!  THANK YOU!


DID YOU KNOW?

• that you still have to put in an absence request in Eduphoria for your CBL planning day so that we can book your substitute?  Sign up fast so you can get the sub you request!
• that the entire school is going to go see The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at Coppell Middle School West.  PTO will be providing us busses to attend.  Please take time to thank them for this holiday gift to our learners.
• that our plastic and paper recycling can go in the same containers?  Please check out this document that explains our new district recycling program.
• that there is a great DMN article about why families from India move to this area in droves.

LOCK DOWN DRILL / SAFETY AUDIT

At 10:00, on Monday, we will perform our first "Lockdown, Lights Out, Out of Sight" drill.  Please go over with your learners that when they hear this phrase on the intercom that you are to go to the outer co-labs or storage rooms.  In PE, Music, and Art, learners can go in your storage closets.  Designers, remember to lock your classroom doors and turn out the lights.  Learners should sit silently as Admin will go around checking doors.  Please prepare them that they should not panic when they hear us jiggle the door handle.

On Wednesday, we will perform all three drills at 9:00.  We have a team coming from UNT to watch our procedures and to give us feedback.  With your cooperation we will get through with these as quickly as possible.  Thank you for your help!  No more drills until December!

LEE "LEE"DERSHIP COUNCIL

Thank you so much for electing a representative for your class for our Leadership Council.  We will meet on Tuesday in the PreK classroom from 9:30-10:30.  Please give them some time when they return to share what we did during our meeting. 


VETERANS DAY 
We will call you down to the cafeteria by grade level (like our School Dedication) starting at 8:05 on Tuesday.  We would like to begin our ceremony at 8:15.  We will perform our morning announcements (with the help of learners) and honor the guests in attendance.  Please send out a reminder to your parents to sign up their visitors here so that we can have ample seating for them.  At the conclusion of our ceremony we will play Taps and learners should walk back at a Level 0 to your spaces.  Please explain this to them ahead of time.

Don't forget to get Alli your digital contributions so that she can update them on the digital signage.  Thank you, Mrs. Floyd, for the beautiful flags around the campus!

You may wear your jeans on Tuesday with a red, white, or blue shirt.  Please encourage our learners to do the same.

SPURS SAVINGS
On Wednesday, we will have the grand opening of our Spurs Savings Bank before school in the cafeteria.  This will be run by our fifth graders.  Thank you for spearheading this, fifth grade designers!  Please remind your learners to bring their deposits to school on Wednesday.  If you have questions, please contact Mr. Coenraad.


SO YOU THINK YOU "CAN" DANCE
Please talk up our first school dance that is happening this Friday from 6:00 - 9:00.  Learners are encouraged to bring canned food for donations.  There will be food trucks and snacks at the event.  We hope you can be there for a little while!

"LEE" QUOTE OF THE WEEK:  “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” -Newt Gingrich

"LEE"DERSHIP TIP OF THE WEEK:  When you cough or burp, it is appropriate to turn your head away from others and cover your mouth with the full part of your hand.  Afterward, you should say, “Excuse me.”  When you sneeze, you should sneeze in your elbow. ​

DATES TO REMEMBER

November 10- Lock Down Drill (10:00)
November 11- Veteran's Day Ceremony (8:15 Cafe)
                        LEEdership Council Meeting (9:00 PreK)

                        PTO Mtg. (6:30 Cafe)
November 12- College Shirt Day with Jeans
                        Curriculum Mtg. (3:30- Specialist's Spaces)
                        4th Grade to Arboretum
                        Grand Opening of Spurs Savings
                        Safety Drills (9:00)
November 13- Samira's Birthday
                        1st Grade Field Trip-Ft Worth Museum of Science & History
                        5th Grade Music Dress Rehearsal  (8:30 AM Cafe)
                        5th Grade Music Performance (7:00 PM Cafe)
November 14- School Dance (6:00-9:00 PM)
November 17- Chantel's Birthday
November 19- Red and Black Attack Shirt with Jeans
                        Staff Meeting (3:30-5:00)
November 20- Courtney M's Birthday
                        2nd Grade Field Trip-Arboretum
                        Learn About Lee (9:00 Media Center)
November 21- Turkey Drive (7:30-9:00 Car Loop)
                        TASA Visit (IMPORTANT- 9:00)
                        PTO President's Meeting @ Lee (9:00)

Week of November 3

We had an absolute TREAT with pampering you with snacks this week.  THANK YOU for another amazing week at Lee!  Congratulations to our second "name-changer," Nicole.  We know you will be a beautiful bride on Saturday!


DID YOU KNOW?

• that we have Lego Robitic Kits?  If you (or any of your learners) are interested in learning more about these, please put in a help desk ticket to James.  He will need to add software to computers.
• that the shelving for your storage rooms is in!  Louis is scheduling his guys to come out and install them.  YAHOO!!!
• that only paper is supposed to go in your slotted recycling cans?  We are bringing a large round blue can to each house for plastic bottle and aluminum can recycling.
• that there are microphones for presentations on the stage or flex area of the library.  See CK or TH if you want to utilize these microphones.

SITE VISITS ON TUESDAY

We will have MANY visitors from the North Texas Regional Consortium visiting RJL on Tuesday.  Please represent your best during these visits.  We are considered an exemplar campus BECAUSE OF YOU!  Our LEEdership team reviewed what makes our building an exemplar campus.  Please reflect on the photograph of our work and ensure that you showcase these everyday, but especially on Tuesday.  You can expect visitors from 9:00-11:00 and 12:45-2:00.  THANK YOU!

LEE "LEE"DERSHIP COUNCIL

Tuesday, November 4, is Election Day.  One of my professional goals is communication and I would like to start with the creation of our first learner leadership council.  Some time next week, I KNOW this is short notice, please vote on, as a class, one leader to represent your space.  This person must be a strong communicator, respected by their peers, and be voted on.  Please let me know who your LEEder is by the end of the day on Tuesday.  Please ensure that the democratic process is practiced; it aligns beautifully with your curriculum.  As your candidates "run" for this position the stipulations are:

1. They can spend no more than $5 on their campaign
2. They must present a brief presentation in front of the class and be dressed professionally (age approp)
3. They may pass out marketing, but it cannot be food (ex: self created buttons on construction paper, little notes: Vote for Diana, etc.)

TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS EXTENDED UNTIL TUESDAY 4PM

Every fall in CISD, educators are nominated by their peers to be the campus Teacher of the Year.  SO MANY OF YOU exemplify the characteristics of a Teacher of the Year.  Please look at the following documents and timelines and nominate a peer.

• CISD TOY Presentation
• TOY Timeline
• TOY Nomination Form
• TOY Campus Nomination Rubric

LUNCH AND RECESS UPDATE
In addition, I cannot stress enough, that you MUST walk around and spread out during recess time.  Some parents live right across the street and our playgrounds are visible from the street.  We cannot afford for people to assume we are visiting and not watching learners while out there.  Spreading apart will help squash any misconceptions.  THANK YOU!

Please talk with your house leader about a plan for lunch and recess.  I shared with the leadership team that a consistent person on lunch/recess duty is helpful in maintaining consistency with the learners.  Some houses already have the same designers on lunch duty and the same on recess.  Please work on considering this if your house is not doing so.


UPDATE ON BALANCED LITERACY (from Curriculum Courier)

more on this will be shared at our Staff Meeting on Wednesday

• Vocabulary- A vocabulary committee met last year to work on identifying and aligning vocabulary at each grade. The district is in the process of completing the vocabulary lists for each grade and will begin the process of K-12 alignment of vocabulary this fall. More information will come!

• Spelling- This year educators have been given the flexibility to use Words Their Way as a spelling program or the program that came with the Reading Street adoption.  If educators choose to use the spelling program that came with the adoption, they must remember to include some kind of word work in their balanced literacy block.

• Write From the Beginning and Beyond- WFBB is a mandatory district program. Campuses should be working on refining their expository writing process and training new educators in expository writing.  All campuses should be training their staff on narrative writing this year.

• Standards Based Report Cards- The district has been researching a solution to eliminate educators taking letter grades and filling out the standards-based grading portion of the fourth grade report card. Communication on a possible solution will be going out in October to fourth grade educators followed up by an optional round-table discussion after school in November. 

THANKFUL FOR BOOKS

Our Storybook Parade will be on Friday!  Here is the form Lauren created to share with your parents. We cannot wait to see what our staff favorites are, too!

SO YOU THINK YOU "CAN" DANCE
Shine up your dancing shoes, our PTO will be hosting a school dance next Friday.  More info will be coming out but the event, but so far, it will include: a DJ, dancing, food trucks, popcorn, laughter and fun.  We hope you can come for a good time.  Watching Chantel and Todd dance will be a highlight, for sure!

"LEE" QUOTE OF THE WEEK:  “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” – Babe Ruth

"LEE"DERSHIP TIP OF THE WEEK:  If you approach a door and someone is following you, hold the door and allow the other person to pass through it first, then you can walk through.

DATES TO REMEMBER

November 2: Daylight Savings Time
November 3: Signed Report Cards Due Back 

November 4: Transformation in Action Site Visits
                      TOY Nominations Due
                      LEEder Names Due to CK
November 5: iCreate Shirt with Jeans
                      FOSS Kits Due (stage steps by end of day)
                      Staff Meeting (3:30-5:00)
November 6: Baby Barron Shower (3:30)
November 7: ELPS Training Due
                      Book Character Day
                      Dad's Campout @ Lee (7:00 PM - 8:00 AM)
November 11- Veteran's Day Ceremony (Cafe)
                        PTO Mtg. (6:30)
November 12- College Shirt Day with Jeans
                        Curriculum Mtg. (3:30- Specialist's Spaces)
                        4th Grade to Arboretum
November 13- Samira's Birthday
                        1st Grade Field Trip-Ft Worth Museum of Science & History
                        5th Grade Music Dress Rehearsal  (8:30 AM Cafe)
                        5th Grade Music Performance (7:00 PM Cafe)
November 14- School Dance (6:00-9:00 PM)

Week of October 27

THANK YOU for another fantastic week!  It is going to be exciting to host our first ever Spirit Rally in the gym tomorrow.  Details will be below.


DID YOU KNOW?

• that you will have at least one Design Day to work on CBL planning DURING THE SCHOOL DAY?  Once your house determines the day you would like to take: check the faculty calendar and then send the date to Chantel.  If the date is approved, we will have you complete an absence form in Formspace.  As much advanced notice as possible will help b/c we will try to get curricular support from Central Office.
• that if you get something on your idea paint wall (like regular marker) that it will come off if you write over it with a dry erase pen and erase.  This doesn't mean you have to try it, but it works!

SPIRIT RALLY
Please join us promptly at 8:00 in the gym.  This map (thank you, Todd) shows you where to sit.  We will sit by grade level during Spirit Rally.  This will give our grade levels a chance to spend some extra time together.

Today, Veronica (thank you) gave you a list of your learners with Perfect Attendance for the 1st 9 Weeks.  Please let them know who they are BEFORE they go to the gym.  They will be asked to stand so that we can recognize them.

Designers (who aren't absent) be prepared to have some fun after our Music performances.  As I mentioned on our morning broadcast, PLEASE wear your sneakers tomorrow.  10 of you will be asked to "participate" in the fun.  Hmmmmmm......

Don't forget your cameras, iPads, or phones to capture lots of pictures!

RED RIBBON WEEK
Please feel free to wear jeans if you participate in the Red Ribbon Week spirit days.  That is right; a full week of jeans ahead... Thank you, Mrs. Garvin for all of the efforts to organize this important week!

• Monday: "Band together against drugs"- wear red
• Tuesday: "Lee Learners are TOO Bright to use drugs"- wear bright colors and crazy socks
• Wednesday: "Team up against drugs"- wear team shirts/sports jerseys
• Thursday: "Living drug-free is NO seat"- wear sweatpants and sweatshirts
• Friday: "Put a cap on drugs"- wear a hat (DO NOT SHARE- LICE IS NOT NICE)

STAFF MEETING ON WEDNESDAY
This week's Staff Meeting will be replaced with a Leadership Meeting.  ANYone is welcome to come, but our Leadership team is required to attend.  We will meet in the PreK classroom set up for training.  Please bring ideas regarding our mission/guiding purpose.  Also, please bring your house tv remote control so that we can barcode it and scan it out to you.


LEARNING WALKS
On Thursday morning, I will have a parent meeting at 9:00.  At the conclusion of the meeting (9:30 or 9:45), we will be walking the building.  Please ignore us and continue the amazing work that you do!  We will try our best not to interrupt learning, but it will be a great opportunity to show our parents how we use all parts of the building.

REPORT CARDS
Please make sure that you cut off the flap to your report card envelopes when you send report cards home on Friday.  Parents, will lick them and return them to you...ewww and we want to reuse these envelopes each nine weeks.  Dr. Herauf will print report cards for you and place them in your mailboxes.  Please request that parents sign them and return them on Monday, November 3. 

LEE NIGHT AT SIMMER

Thank you to those of you that attended Simmer Night.  Your extra efforts to attend outside of school hour functions does not go unnoticed.  Next time we will pull the tables together!!


THANKFUL FOR BOOKS

Please communicate to your families that we will have a storybook parade for learners and designers on Friday, November 7.  Here is a form you can use to send home to parents.  Thank you, Mrs. Gaspard for creating this!

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Every fall in CISD, educators are nominated by their peers to be the campus Teacher of the Year.  SO MANY OF YOU exemplify the characteristics of a Teacher of the Year.  Please look at the following documents and timelines and nominate a peer.

• CISD TOY Presentation
• TOY Timeline
• TOY Nomination Form
• TOY Campus Nomination Rubric

"LEE" QUOTE OF THE WEEK:  “Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intentions, sincere effort, and skillful execution” MJ Orricho

"LEE"DERSHIP TIP OF THE WEEK:  If you are asked a question in conversation, you should ask a question in return.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Week of October 27: Red Ribbon Week
October 27: Nicole's Bridal Shower (3:30 Yellow House)

October 28: Report Card Grades Due in Pentamation (8:00)

October 29: House or Team Shirt Day with Jeans

                    Leadership Meeting (3:30-5:00)

                    Orange Leaf Yogurt Night (details from PTO coming)

October 30: Jessica's Birthday

                    Learn about Lee and Learning Walks (9:00)

October 31: Report Cards go Home
                    TOY Nominations Due

November 1: Parent University 2.0 @CMSN (8:00-12:00)
November 2: Daylight Savings Time
November 4: Transformation in Action Site Visits
November 5: iCreate Shirt with Jeans
                      Staff Meeting (3:30-5:00)
November 6: Baby Barron Shower (3:30)
November 7: ELPS Training Due
                      Book Character Day
                      Dads Day at Lee
                      Dad's Campout @ Lee (7:00pm)

Week of October 20

What a great week!  THANK YOU for helping to get our LEEders' permission to go on the Homecoming float- what an incredible experience.  THANK YOU for a heartwarming Boss's Day- WOW- Todd and I are blessed to be surrounded by such a thoughtful and generous famiLEE.


DID YOU KNOW?

• there is a Cricut in the workroom instead of a die cut machine.  I have paid for unlimited access for a year.  Veronica is going to help us learn how to use it, so stay tuned.
• that we have a tool that helps you to close your co-lab walls?  Todd and I will get a video to you demonstrating how this works.  Stay tuned for this...too. :)

PLEASE HELP
Please do not have learners place lunch boxes or backpacks on our stage.  These leak and are damaging the wood.

Please train our learners not to lean on the wall to the gym when they are in line for lunch.

LATEST AT LEE 

If you are interested in an announcement running in the Latest at Lee electronic PTO Newsletter, Please get it in to me by Wednesday morning.  I know last week we said Thursday, but at our PTO Meeting this week, they requested by Wednesday so that they can send Latest at Lee out to all of us on Fridays.  

LEARNER LED CONFERENCES 

I have received multiple emails about the outstanding experience our families have had at their LLC's.  THANK YOU for your efforts- this is because of YOU!  If for some reason, you had a parent comment that they were not satisfied with their conference, please let me know.  I want to visit with them and get their feedback.  We will conduct these at school in the Spring, again.  

In the meantime... I want you to think about the possibility of having learners conduct a LLC at home at the end of the second nine weeks and the last nine weeks.  I am open to your thoughts on this.  This is not a requirement at this time, just a thought.

EDUCATION FOUNDATION GRANT SUBMISSIONS

Shout out to Stacey, Roxann, and Lauren for submitting Ed Foundation Grants.  We will keep our fingers crossed that these ideas get funded- your extra efforts are noticed.  We will watch for the prize patrol to come out to Lee!

I have also seen more Donor's Choose grants out there-  way to go Ashley, Priscilla, and Lauren for seeking alternate funding for materials you need.  We have already had Layne, Nicole, and Sam's grants fulfilled!  If I forgot to mention you, or your grant, please let me know!

LEE NIGHT AT SIMMER

Please join us at Simmer on Monday night.  Lee Elementary will get 10% back during this fundraising night .

GEMS

Please take time to submit a GEM.  You all are great educators that matter, so why not take a moment and brag about a colleague.  Since there is trouble with the form, if you email yours to Todd and I this weekend, the district will still take them.

THANKFUL FOR BOOKS

For those of you who enjoy dressing up...you will be excited to hear we will have a storybook parade for learners and designers on Friday, November 7.  Here is a form you can use to send home to parents.  Thank you, Mrs. Gaspard for creating this!

FIELD TRIPS

Grade levels are starting to schedule field trips.  Keep in mind that busses can pick up as early at 8:30 and must be back to the district by 2:30.  You must send a trip description and a Field Study permission slip home for each trip.  The permission slip gets turned into the office once you return from the trip.  Lastly, let the cafeteria know when your trip is confirmed, so that they can order the correct amount of food for the cafeteria that week.

"LEE" QUOTE OF THE WEEK:  “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”  

- Steve Jobs

"LEE"DERSHIP TIP OF THE WEEK:  Chew with your mouth closed and without smacking your lips.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Week of October 20: Transportation Appreciation Week
                                  CoGAT testing

October 20: Club 21 Meeting at VRE (3:30-4:30)
                    Lee Night at Simmer (5:00-Close)
October 22: Red and Black Attack Day
                    Fed Ex Day
October 24: Last Day of the 1st 9 Weeks
                    Box Top Collection Day
                    Spirit Assembly (8:00- Gym)
                    Dad's Campout

Week of October 27: Red Ribbon Week

October 28: Report Card Grades Due in Pentamation (8:00)

October 29: House Shirt Day with Jeans

                    Staff Meeting (3:30-5:00)

                    Orange Leaf Yogurt Night

October 30: Jessica's Birthday

                    Learn about Lee and Learning Walks (9:00)

October 31: Report Cards go Home

November 1: Parent University 2.0 @CMSN (8:00AM)

Week of October 13

Thank you for holding down the fort while we were at Sky Ranch.  ENJOY the LONG weekend- it is well deserved!


DID YOU KNOW?

• Scaffolding is different than differentiation.  Check out this Edutopia article I found last week. 
• This is some excellent information from the designers from our Green Apple Day @ Lee.
• Teaching reading in a digital age takes some additional tools in your toolbox. Check out this article Jillian shared with me.

THANK YOU
Thank you for handling school business while we were at Sky Ranch.  The office staff handled the many questions, medicine and organized our departure.  Todd and Angela helped with sticky student and parent concerns.  Designers, you kept learners engaged, carried on "as usual" and took care of our friends who stayed home.  (Even when there is a flood and the Superintendent visits TWICE!) 

A special thank you goes out to Nick, Samira, Rachel, and Ayesha for the planning, preparation, long hours and extra supervision of students.  It was an incredible experience and one we all will remember!



SALLY RIDE TRAINING
Thank you for scheduling your learner-led conferences around Friday so that we could have Sally Ride Training.  The day starts promptly at 8:30 and will end around 3:30.  We will have an hour for lunch on your own.  We will provide breakfast muffins and snacks, so bring your favorite beverage.  Dress comfortably.


PLEASE HELP
A friendly reminder: please help turn off tv's and projectors in your spaces before leaving for the day.  We are still having trouble with this.  Don't forget your colabs.  Please take shoes off to sit in the window seats.  THANK YOU!


SPUR SAVINGS
We will have a fifth grade learner-led bank at Lee.  You received information for your learners to start up their own savings account.  Please turn forms in when they are returned.  Our first day will be the week of November 10.

LATEST AT LEE 
If you are interested in an announcement running in the Latest at Lee electronic PTO Newsletter, Please get it in to me by Thursday morning.  Please put a reminder in your weekly communication for parents to sign up to receive this newsletter.


HOMECOMING PARADE
Would you like to participate in the Homecoming Parade?  This is on a voluntary basis, but all of you are welcome to join in the fun and walk behind the float from Canyon Rd to Coppell High School.  Please send this letter home to your FIRST LEEder of the Week you nominated.  If they cannot come, please go to the next LEEder of the Week.  There is a fast turn around for this information, I apologize.


DON'T FORGET YOUR EDUCATION FOUNDATION GRANT SUBMISSIONS
The Coppell Education Foundation is now accepting Grant Applications for the 2014 school year. Please see the attached application detailing the Guidelines, Grant Process, Instructions, and Timeline for this year. The deadline for all Grant Applications is October 15, 2014. Please submit all applications electronically to info@coppellisd.com AFTER I SIGN OFF ON IT.  We already have people expressing an interest in 3 opportunities.  WAY TO GO LEE!!!each house was at the end.  WAY TO GO!!! 


LEE NIGHT AT SIMMER
Don't think about cooking dinner next Monday.  Lee Elementary will have a fundraising night at Simmer in downtown Coppell.  All checks turned in give 10% back to our school.


GEMS
Please take time to submit a GEM.  You all are great educators that matter, so why not take a moment and brag about a colleague.  Let's represent at the award ceremony!


"LEE" QUOTE OF THE WEEK:  "Every great dream begins with a dreamer.  Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and change the world."  -Harriet Tubman


"LEE"DERSHIP TIP OF THE WEEK:  Quickly learn the name of other learners and educators in the school and greet them by name.

DATES TO REMEMBER

October 13: NO SCHOOL

October 14: GEMS Due
                    Crisis Team Meeting (3:30)
                    PTO Meeting (6:30)
October 15: College Shirt Day
                    MAP Scores Due in AWARE
                    Staff Meeting (3:30)
                    CISD Education Foundation Grants Due (4:30)
                    Homecoming Parade (6:30)
October 16: Back to School Lunch from PTO
Week of October 20: Transportation Appreciation Week
October 20: Club 21 Meeting at VRE (3:30-4:30)
                    Lee Night at Simmer (5:00-Close)
October 22: Red and Black Attack Day
                     Fed Ex Day
October 24: Last Day of the 1st 9 Weeks
                    Spirit Assembly (8:00- Gym)
                    Dad's Campout