December 7, 2012

Professional Development is next Wednesday. Please read your article and complete the top portion of your graphic organizer before Wednesday. Thanks!

Please update The Bench Press throughout the next week or so to reflect current reality. If you have new students to put up on the board, the sticky notes are located in Leslie's window in the blue bucket. Please update/add your child before you leave for break. All data should be entered on the Google.doc by December 19th.

Fall 2012 Current Reality

Busing Items to Note

• Construction has been the cause of Bus #18's tardiness. I called yesterday and construction should be done over the weekend. This will help with on-time arrival. :-)
• A new bus will be added starting December 17. I will have a new line-up map out so all teachers can show the students prior to the 17th.
• Speaking of new line-up maps...we will continue to lineup outside even if snow (what's snow?) is on the ground. The map will indicate where students will line up on the sidewalk to avoid the snow. Please communicate issues that arise and as we approach the cold weather, I'm open to new ideas too.

Band/Chorus Assembly will take place next Thursday (12/13). Students should be in the gym by 2:50 pm. We will call down grades from the office. Please note it will be tight seating so prep your kids ahead of time about being good listeners during a music program. We will NOT run an early out schedule and I'm requesting related arts teachers work with 2nd grade teachers and affected 1st grade  teachers to make up or adjust the class (day before, of or after is fine). The made up class may be shortened if time does not permit. Option 2 is running a third early out in a just over a week so thank you to EVERYONE for being flexible as times may have to be adjusted for others too

Printing - A message from the office Grinch :-) We went through a lot of paper within the building the past two weeks and it would be a good time to bring back my yearly reminder of "thinking before we copy/print." Copies should be based on need and using reams of paper for student coloring is not a good use of paper/resources (scrap paper is aplenty around the building). Being conservative with our paper resources and copying allows us to spend money in other areas.

Dates to note

Tues - 5th Grade PLC @ 2:45p (CHANGE)

Tues - 1st Grade Music Program @ MGE (6p and 7p)

Wed  - Hearing Screening starts

Wed  - Building PD (early out / schedule)

Thurs - Instructional Rounds @ HS (Barry/Williamson)

Thurs - ALL SCHOOL assembly for Band/Chorus (2:50p - NO EARLY out schedule)

Fri     - SPED PLC

Dec 18 - Code 411 Graduation @ 2:30pm

Dec 19 - 5th Grade PLC @ 2:45p (CHANGE)

Dec 21 - Winter Parties @ 2:30p (early out schedule)

Dec 21 - Related Arts District PLCs (2-4p)

The Holiday Season - Part II

I know I've already included my annual community-service-message (last FWR post) about being sensitive to students' needs around the holidays, but I wanted to plug it again after what has been an emotional week for a number of our students at MGE. Nicole and I were visiting yesterday after school about the noticeable up-tick in student emotional needs and I do believe there are multiple factors. I know in my own home, the stresses of the holidays can bring my patience with my boys to a bare-minimum at times...and we are doing okay (some could argue that, but relatively speaking). Throw on top of that, continued economic hardships, changing families and the recent news many of our students are just finding out...they will be going to a different school next year. Our kids have many different stories and many different home/community experiences. Over the next two weeks, please take time to give extra hugs/high fives, listen a bit more, make a few extra positive phone calls home and know that Shanlyn, Nicole, Diann and I will support you and your students anyway we can.

...and if you're looking to ease some stress yourself, nothing helps during the

holiday season like a little Clark Griswold.

If you don't have the movie at home, here is our families favorite scene.