FWR+ (Oct 1, 2010)

FWR +

Please help us with the following items...

Paper 

• If you place a ream of paper in the copier or a printer and notice our supply in the office is low, please see Paula to let her know.  We have no additional reams of paper today and we were not aware we were low on paper.
• Reams of paper and copy/printer paper is not for classroom scratch paper or art/writing/drawing.  Please do not take a ream of paper for this purpose.  

Printers 

• Two very large print jobs came through on our printers today.  Both from Florida Center for Reading Research (Phonics) and at least one full ream of paper.  If these print jobs were yours, please see me as they are in my office - do not print again.   If you feel the need to print a large file from your computer, please check with Lyndsay, Leslie or I prior to clicking print.  In this instance, Leslie has master copies of the materials or could provide you with similar resources.   It is not cost effective to print to our printers if copying is an option.
• Please pick up your print jobs.  We continue to see a lot of paper left in the printers.
• ONLY print what you need.  Do this by print-previewing the document before you print - maybe you don't need that 3rd page with only 2 words on it?  Only print the first two pages.  

I'm looking to spend some money adding pdf-scanning capabilities to our copier.  This will allow teachers to scan files to their computer versus printing or copying them.  I do know that the pdf-scanning will be more effective if we get projectors in the rooms so you can project a worksheet, file or information onto your whiteboard versus running 25 student copies.  My thought is the more we save in copying, the more we can invest in technology.

I know it may sound like micro-managing, but all print, paper and copy costs come out of our Maple Grove building instructional budget.  What we don't use in copying, we are able to use for classroom resources, classroom books, technology and other needed supplies.  If we all pitch in, we can create huge cost-savings in this area!  

October 1, 2010 (Thursday edition)

   NO STAFF MEETING ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1ST   

A couple additional posts can be found below this week's FWR.

SMART Goals/ITPDPs are to be signed and in my box before you leave on Friday.  Please see previous FWRs for the details.


Problem Solving Packets have been ordered and we will let you know when they arrive.  We do have the digital copies teams/teachers can use but we wanted to wait until our next PS Core meeting so we could 'train' your core members.  Since we are out of packets, if teachers are interested in using it now to get a kid started in the process, please see me and I can walk you through how to use it. 


PBIS Data - Please get your tracking sheets to Erin Peek's mailbox each Friday before 4 pm.  Erin has generously volunteered to enter all data into H.E.A.R.T. but the data is only as good as what is entered/given.  :-)  We appreciate your timeliness!


Parent Teacher Conference - If you have not turned your conference template (available times) in to Paula, do so before you leave today.  Special education teachers need to write their scheduled meetings on your sheet prior to us posting them.  Paula will be getting that information ready on Friday so I can post them in the hallway Sunday night.  Parent sign-ups will be in the hallway and ready to go next Monday.


Fire Drill - AWESOME job on Wednesday!!  The kids I observed did a wonderful job and should be commended!  Let me know if you have questions about the procedure and how it went with your classroom.  Warning...we will have a tornado drill in the near future.


Professional Development - On October 6, we will be meeting in across-grade level teams for early dismissal. Instructional coaches and Sharon Ingebrand will be facilitating these meetings throughout the district. Locations are listed below. The focus of this professional development will be to: 1) Learn more about the Common Core and the alignment process 2) Review the fundamentals of standards-based reporting 3) Examine the finalized Progress Report (report card) standards.

K - WE

1st - MG

2nd - SE

3rd - BV

4th - EE

5th – WH

PTO Fundraiser - A letter will be going with students this Friday or next Monday.  Please take time to read the letter yourself and follow-up with parents through your classroom newsletter.  We went the route of a building incentive versus individual incentives and I hope to have more information for you about that next week.  I will be visiting each classroom for 5-10 minutes next week to share the goal, the incentives and talk about why we do the fundraising.


Yearly Hearing Screens start on Monday Oct 11-14. An audiologist through AEA will be conducting them. We will also have a parent volunteer to help with the process. They will pull a few kids out of the classroom at a time for testing. I have posted sign up sheets on the bulletin board near the mailboxes. Please sign up for a time that works best for your classroom. If possible I would like K-2 to sign up on the first 2 days and 3-5 on the last 2 days. Please fill up the earlier slots first so we do not have gaps in the day. This way we can finish up as early as possible. Hopefully this will go smoothly and not cause too many interruptions. Thanks for being so cooperative. - Kara Hedrick RN, BSN


TV's and VCR/DVDs - Eleven television are being kept in storage and we are looking at getting additional carts so these extra TVs can be placed in grade level locations.  We also have multiple DVD/VCR combo machines that are available for these carts.  I will keep you posted.


Kudos go to... (Thanks for sending me some this week!  Keep them coming)
...Our associates are awesome!  Wow...do they bust their bums or what?  Thanks gang for always going the extra mile.
...I am so THANKFUL to Lindsey Millsap for all of her help this year. Whenever I have a question or am in need of a strategy she is always willing to share her knowledge base with me!
...Paula makes me laugh.  Thanks Paula.
...Amy Adamson, Tara Broich, Sara Swyter, and Kelli Van Meter for taking care of the Book Room this month.


Dates to Note (Always look at the calendar below for the full weekly/monthly schedule)
Monday
- Parent Teacher Conferences sheets posted
Tuesday
- K-2 PLC (8am)
- District Science Curriculum Mtg
Wednesday
- 3-5 PLC (8am)
- Early dismissal (District Wide PD)
Thursday
- Kindergarten Field Trip
- Jone's 5th Clsrm Field Trip
- Barry @ Instructional Rounds (WMS)
Friday
- Problem Solving Core Mtg (8am)
- PICTURE RETAKES! - more info to come!
- Grimm's 5th Clsrm Field Trip

From HR & Fran Reel

A message from Fran Reel - HR Specialist
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have had several questions in regards to how the sick leave is set up in AESOP.
This only affects the new hires or those who have very few sick days.  You may
want to pass this information on to those employees.

Sick leave is a little complicated now that it has been entered into AESOP this year.
AESOP is set up with 3 categories - "Employee Sick Leave", "Family Illness", and "Sick
Leave (category balance)."

Anyone who does not have more than the alloted number of days that are allowed
for family leave will show a zero balance for their own sick leave.  That does not
mean the employee can't take sick leave.  When employees enter an absence for
themselves, they will get a message stating "Saving this absence would exceed the allotted
balance for the following absence reasons."  They need to click on "Save Anyway" (located
directly underneath this message. The absence will be subtracted from the Family Illness day
and the Total Sick Leave.  This allows us to keep track of the family illness days so that
an employee does not take more than the allotted amount.

Each employee needs to go into AESOP and click on Absence Reasons and they will see
how it is set up.  The only category that they really need to care about is the Total Sick
Leave.  It should be self-explanatory.

If you have questions, feel free to contact me.  

-- 
Fran Reel
Human Resource Specialist
Waukee School District
560 SE University
Waukee, IA 50263
515-987-5161 x4529

Lions, Tigers, and...Spiders?? Oh my!!

There have been a number of wolf
spiders spotted in the building over
the past couple weeks.  I did turn a
request in to maintenance to spray
the building (hallways and class-
rooms).  Please "hang" in there
until we get the problem "wrapped
up."  I haven't seen any mice
lately so maybe spiders aren't too
bad to have hanging around!

September 24, 2010

PS Survey - For those of you who attended the Wednesday problem solving PD, we need your feedback and burning questions you may still have to help our core team drive future learning.  As this 'went to print,' I only had 19 responses.  Thank you!

Items Due - There are several items due in the upcoming week or so...
1.  DIBELS data should be entered onto the DIBELS website by the end of Friday (9/24).
2.  SMART Goals should be signed and dated in my box by next Friday (10/1).
3.  Parent-Teacher Conference Availability sheet to Paula by next Thursday (9/30)


Attendance - When you get back in from lunch recess, YOU MUST MARK PM ATTENDANCE even if it the same as the morning.  This is extremely important for many reasons - from Paula spending hours attempting to determine previous days/weeks attendance to safety concerns to reporting accuracy (report cards & end of year state reports).  This is not an optional task so please begin making it part of your daily routines. 


SMART Goals - everyone turns signed copies in to my mailbox and the BLT member can email me SMART goals.  Those staff members who have adapted their team goals some or have done a goal on their own should email me a copy individually.  


Hearing Screens on Oct. 11, 12, 13, 14 and will retest on Oct. 25th.   This is done by an audiologist from AEA. Kara will be putting a sign up schedule near our mailboxes so hopefully we can find a convenient time for each class. It will take about 30 minutes per class and we will pull students out 3 or 4 at a time. 

Flu Vaccine Clinic will be on Tues. October 19th from 7:30 to 8:30 am in the 'extra' kindergarten room across from Latcham's room.  Information sheets and consents in the the teacher's lounge to fill out prior to the clinic day. These vaccines will have protection against H1N1 this year. The shots are $20 and the mist is $30.

Copier Reminder - The building copiers ARE NOT to be used for classroom sets.  It is too expensive (at least double the cost) to run classroom sets at the building level so please plan ahead.  


To Jeans-or-Not-to-Jeans - That seems to be the question.  Some clarifications on when to wear and and when not to wear jeans...
* 2nd & 4th Fridays - YES!  Anyone may wear jeans with MGE or Waukee attire.
* Opposite Fridays - YES...if you paid the fundraiser and with MGE or Waukee attire.
* Work days - MAYBE...provided you do not have meetings with parents/students/community.
* PLC+, curriculum work or committee meetings at district office - NO


Recycling - I found out we can use our classroom recycle containers for more than just paper!  Eric Rose explained to us at our district administration meeting that we can use the containers for the same items you recycle in your home container (if you live in Waukee at least).  The items do not need to be separated and will be thrown together in our outside bin.  See the list below and let your students know!

Dates to Note (Always look at the calendar below for the full weekly/monthly schedule)
Monday
- BLT Mtg @ 8am (Office Conference)
Tuesday
- 1st & 2nd grade PLC (8am)
- PLC + in room 407 (K & 3)
Wednesday
- 3-5 PLC (8am)
Thursday
- PLC + in room 407 (4 &5)
Friday
- NO Staff Meeting

September 17, 2010

PLC+   Dates and times have been set for this year's first PLC+ meetings (formerly known at Pause and Polish).  All meetings will be in the instructional room (407).  Times are a bit different for each team to allow our subs adequate time to switch grade levels and/or eat their own lunch!  Thanks for being flexible!!

September 21		September 28		September 30
1st	8:00-11:30 am	K *	8:00-11:30 am	4th	8:00-11:50 am
2nd	12:00-4:00 pm	3rd **	12:15-4:00 pm	5th **	12:10-4:00 pm

* Kindergarten teachers will each lunch from 11:30-11:55 am

** "Working lunch" since regular lunch is during PLC+ time.

DIBELS and Benchmarking Updates

• Some of the DIBELS graphs and reports you've been accustomed to using in the past on the DIBELS website are not available.  The AEA is our "middle man" as they provide the service to our district.  The AEA has been made aware of this concern from our district and Kara hopes at some point we will be able to view those reports and graphs. 
• The Excel data sheet for classroom teachers Leslie sent out is what you should be using to record all assessment data.  After completion of assessments, Leslie and/or I will be showing teams how to combine the data forms from each grade level to create useful grade level data and/or charts to help drive PLC decisions.  This form is the one you email Leslie and I - we do want you to include notes, ideas and plans in those last two columns so we are able to summarize grade level & building needs!!  
• It is extremely important that the data you are recording is objective (based on data) and not subjective (based on your heart).  We realize initial data may be frustrating but this is not a time to blame or make excuses - its a time to collect current reality and create the necessary steps for grade level, classroom and individual students to reach our targets/SMART goals.  Our BLT will look at the overall data to help us drive building decisions and professional development to raise student achievement.  

Conferences - The memo and template came to you this week via email.  Please remember the required conference times are Wednesday, November 17th from 2:00-4:00 PM and Monday, November 22nd from 4:00-8:00 PM.  The template did not reflect those times so teachers will need to adjust it.  The question arose regarding dinner and blocking out time on the schedule - 20-30 minutes is appropriate.  All teacher schedules need to be sent to Paula no later than September 30th! Other questions - let me know.  

Student Advisory - I'll be starting my Student Advisory Lunch groups with grades 2nd-5th next week and will be emailing the teams more details and times.  During Student Advisory Lunches, I will eat with 6-10 students and just listen to them talk about how things are going.  I will try to repeat this with several groups of students at each grade level throughout the year. 

Problem Solving Professional Development will be next Wednesday, September 22nd.  A finalized agenda will be emailed out next Monday.  Please bring a student data folder with you that contains a Problem Solving Packet.  Kindergarten teachers may bring one child's student data with them but we will have sample Problem Solving Packets available for you.

MAP - Begins next Monday!  Please refer to Carrie's email about times.  Associates and other staff members who use the lab during the day will need to respect the times kids are in the lab.  Thank you in advance.

Staff Meeting is scheduled for next Friday, September 24th.  The 5th grade is responsible for the team builder/celebration/new learning piece and the 2nd grade will provide snacks.  If you have agenda items for me, please get those to me no later than Wednesday. 

PTO Meeting will be held in our library next Monday, September 20th at 7pm.  If you're available, we'd love to have you there! They will kick off their 2010-11 fundraising campaign and are looking to raise $10-12 thousand dollars to assist us with the process of getting projectors mounted in the classrooms. 

Parent Contacts - Have you had a positive in person or phone conversation with each parent yet?  Please make that a goal prior to conferences.

GoodSearch - Did you know you can raise money for Maple Grove by doing something you likely already do on a daily/weekly basis?  Use http://www.goodsearch.com/ as your search engine and identify Maple Grove Elementary as your charity. We receive 1 penny for each search from the main page.  The holiday season is coming up so if you shop online, start with GoodSearch and a percentage of your purchase is donated directly to Maple Grove!  Many of the popular online vendors/stores are a part of the program!  Keep track of how much we earn by clicking on the "Amount Raised" button. 

Dates to Note (Always look at the calendar below for the full weekly/monthly schedule)

Monday
- MAP Begins
- PTO Meeting in library (7 pm)
Tuesday
- K and 2 PLC (8am)
- PLC + in room 407 (1st grade 8 AM)
Wednesday
- 3-5 PLC (8am)
- Early Out/Problem Solving PD (2-4pm)
Thursday
- Student Advisory Lunch (2nd Grade)
- Kindergarten Picnic (5-7pm)
Friday
- Staff Meeting (8am)
- Elem Admin Mtg @ Eason (PM)

September 10, 2010

  Go  Panthers & Warriors!!!!  

  Go  Cyclones!!! 

 and to be fair...Go Hawkeyes!...after this week. 

(-:  Tailgate potluck!!  :-)

Data Folders - Teachers, please do the two items below to help Paula and I out in the office.  As a district elementary principal team, we will try to track down folders that may be floating out in the district.  

1. Check your data folders to see if you have extra student folders in your possession. Return extra data folders to the office.
2. If you're missing data folders of students who were in the district last year, please compile that list as a grade level and email to Paula & I by next Friday (9/17).

Evaluation Process - Did you realize the formal and walk-through observation season is upon us already?  Not quite the excitement and intensity of the college football season, but equally important!  Don't quite understand the evaluation process? Lyndsay and Doug will meet with teachers after school (starting at 4pm) this coming Monday in the library to cover the basics of what to expect this year! You will receive a packet of useful information and the Danielson book, Enhancing Professional Practice - A Framework for Teaching. New teachers to Waukee who cannot attend are strongly encouraged to find time to meet with Lyndsay or Doug before your formal observation week! Returning staff members are welcome to join us Monday too! 

Promote Maple Grove - One great way to engage our parents and community members to be partners in a meaningful way (from Waukee's Theory of Action) is to have information posted in our newsletter and local newspaper(s).  If you have an upcoming event you'd like to highlight or want to share a neat learning activity your students have been involved in, please get those articles (with pictures if possible) to Paula.  We will include the information in our building newsletter and/or submit it for the "Every School - Every Thursday" article on the Des Moines Register.  If you're posted that type of information on your blog and would like to push it out to more people, just copy and paste the link/information in an email to Paula!!  

DIBELS & Benchmarking - is in full swing next week!  FIRST - look for the email I forwarded regarding passwords.  Secondly, Lyndsay emailed a schedule to all BLT members earlier this week.  To help with communication, please keep everyone informed if you move testing locations.  As I know it right now....K-2 teachers will be testing outside their rooms (2nd grade may be in the storage closet across from Adamson) while the intermediate testing locations are as follows:  3rd - conference room across from 408; 4th - rm 408; 5th - rm 406.  Also, please help our many substitutes next week by...

- making them feel welcome in the hallways and office!

- having comprehensive & detailed lesson plans ready to go!

- prepping your students if needed!!

Speaking of benchmarking, we ordered three additional benchmarking kits for Maple Grove.   Two K-2 kits and one 3-8 kit will be here for our next go around in the winter!  This fall, thank you in advance for making adjustments, communicating and doing exactly what we ask of our kindergarten students...share nicely.  

As a reminder...

Students should be returning the inclement weather transportation form and the field trip permission form. Both of these forms stay in your classroom, and it is your responsibility to track who has/has not returned them.  If you need additional copies, let Paula know.

Please include the curriculum night schedule in your email home to parents this week!  We will have it in the ESET edition next week, but a reminder on Friday would be very helpful!

Theory of Action Focus

We engage in job-embedded, collaborative, and results-focused professional development. 

Thank you for your full attention and hard work last Wednesday during PD and on Tuesday during Data Day.  I appreciate the conversation and focus you all had as a whole group and the work many of you did within the teams.  It is a great start and I know your PLC teams will continue to learn, grow, adjust, share and celebrate as the year progresses.  Sharon Ingebrand summed up your hard work in an email she sent to district principals yesterday:  

"The professional development, teacher conversations, analysis of data, 

new learning about differentiation & benchmarking, etc. that I 

observed as I roved the district this past week was just plain phenomenal!!!"  

That is what makes Waukee THE place to learn and grow.  Thank you & enjoy your weekend.

Kudos - Received one "kudos-email" to pass along this week. Thanks! Please send "kudos" to me throughout the week so I can share!!  Kudos to the 4th grade team for coming in "all-new" to Maple Grove 4th grade and making your wing a great place for kids to be this fall!  The activities going on are awesome!  ...but with this picture...I may beg to differ.  :)

Dates to Note (Always look at the calendar below for the full weekly/monthly schedule)
Saturday

- Iowa State beats Iowa 34-27

Monday
- Emergency Response Team meet with Kara (8am in Office Conference Rm)

- Evaluation Q & A with Lyndsay & Doug (4pm in library)

- DIBELS Begins!

- Mrs. Topp's Curriculum Night (6pm)

Tuesday
- K-2 PLC (8am)
Wednesday
- 3-5 PLC (8am)

- Barry @ Mandt Training (Lyndsay here)
Thursday

- Barry @ Mandt Training (Nicole go to person)

- Curriculum Night (6-8pm)

Friday

- Rdg Incentive Team Mtg (8am)

September 3, 2010

SAY CHEESE!!  

Friday is Picture Day!


Staff Meeting at 8:00 am!
8:00-8:15 - Colonial Insurance 8:15-8:25 - book room procedures

Locked Doors - The double doors to the classroom wings are locked each morning.  If you are unlocking those doors to enter that area, please lock them again.  Associates or other staff without keys may enter through the office and the back hallway.  We locked those doors in the AM to prevent students from wandering down the hallways.

A "To-Do" for Teachers:  Please do this now - it takes 1 minute.  We need teachers to update their Name, Preferred Name (Mr. Mrs. Ms.) email address and work extension.  Here's how: 

- Log into PowerTeacher.  http://ps.waukee.k12.ia.us/

- On the left navigation frame click on Personalize

- Click on Personal Information

- The screen below appears

- Update the data and click submit

 

Curriculum Night is set for Thursday, September 16th.  Each grade level should have a consistent presentation, approximately 20 minutes in length and hosted in each classroom.  Please make sure your communication home to parents next Friday includes specific times and the date.  Times are as follows:
•  6:00-6:30 (K-1)
•  6:30-7:00 (Related Arts in Library)
•  7:00-7:30 (2-3)
•  7:30-8:00 (4-5)

Cumulative Folders are organized (or will be by Friday)!  Please take time over the next week to review your students' folders.  We have had a lot of new students this year so if you note any information that needs to be shared (504, IEP, speech, counseling, etc.), please let the office know immediately.  This would apply to new students who move in during the year.  From this point on, Paula will always email the classroom teacher, principals and related arts staff when new kids start at Maple Grove. 

Classroom Newsletter - Thank you to staff members who have been including me on your e-communication home to parents. If you want to include me on your e-newsletter to parents, that would be great!  The building newsletter, The Branch, will be emailed to teachers Friday.  Please forward it on to your parent email list.  IF YOU NEED PAPER COPIES FOR FAMILIES who do not have access to email, you should have already notified Paula as to how many.

Papers In Your Box - Field trip permission form & Inclement Weather forms will be in your box at the end of today.  Please send those home with students in their folders and keep those on file in your room.  You need to have ALL field trip permission forms returned prior to taking students on a field trip!


Foundation grants were awarded this past summer by the grants committee of the Waukee Community Foundation and Dr. Wilkerson emailed the names and amounts of those grant winners.   The next round of applications are due to Jody Hufford by September 15.  You can find the grant application forms on the Foundation link on the district website.  Email the apps to Jody at  bjthufford@msn.com.  I would love to see multiple applications from Maple Grove!!  Let me know how I can help support your efforts.


AEA Course - An email came out to staff on Thursday regarding signing up for the AEA course.  Although it stated "Eason," the Activity number listed was the Maple Grove course.  I've included them below for your reference.   
Activity Name: Differentiated Instruction in Elementary Reading and Writing
Activity # CA010868221103
Dates: September 7 - December 15, 2010
Location: Maple Grove Elementary


Activity Name: Enhancing Reading and Writing Instructional Practice
Activity # CA010968221104
Dates: January 7 - May 25, 2011
Location: Maple Grove Elementary

Kudos - If you have staff members you'd like to recognize for soaring above and beyond or for helping you survive the day, please email me and I'll include it in the FWR.  This week's Kudos goes to...JoAnna for taking the time to separate and untie the jump ropes in the ball cart!  Ingrid for stepping into the nurses office during the first week or school and helping us in the office this week. Our associates for being flexible and willing to cover each other and assist with students when needed.


Go To People - Over the next few weeks, I am involved in several meetings and a two-day training.  When Lyndsay and I are both out of the building, Nicole Baugh is your go-to person with student 'emergencies' or issues.  If Nicole is unavailable, Leslie Perrigo would be your go-to person!  Thank you!

Theory of Action Focus

Providing high quality customer service throughout the organization. 

Many staff have been going the extra mile to make our students and parents feel special and welcomed at Maple Grove.  Talking to parents this week, I've heard a ton of positive comments about staff, teachers, the way the building looks and the how their child has responded when they come home each night. I appreciate everything that each of you have done this first week of school to make every child feel safe at school and every parent feel good about their child being a part of our Maple Grove family. 

Part of true success is understanding that there's

something bigger and more important than ourselves.

- Marcia Ann Gillespie

Dates to Note (Always look at the calendar below for the full weekly/monthly schedule)
Monday
- NO SCHOOL (enjoy!)
Tuesday
- Data Day (agenda on the Wiki)
Wednesday
- 3-5 PLC (8am)
Thursday

- Barry at District Admin Mtg (AM)

Saturday

- Iowa State beats Iowa 34-27
Monday, Sept 13
- DIBELS begins (information & sub schedule coming!!)