October 21, 2016 Buzzness

The Buzzness 

Calendar October 10/17-11/9 Parent Conference Window 10/22 (SATURDAY) BEE Healthy Color Run 10/25 Vaccines for staff (optional) 10/26 Teaching Assistants’ Meeting, Cafeteria 10am 10/27 Kindergarten Book Character Day 9:45am 10/27 First Grade Pumpkin Carving 12:45pm- 1:30pm 10/27 End of 1st Quarter 10/27 5th grade Field Trip to Paramount 10/27 Kindergarten Book Character Parade 9:45am (No Dress up for other students) 10/27 1st Grade Pumpkin Carving Event 12:45pm- 1:30pm 10/28 Illuminate Data Entry Deadline 10/28 Teacher Workday 10/28 PALS K Assessment Window Closes 10/31 Kindergarten (Whitlock/McCartney/Campbell) to Chiles Orchard 9:40am- 1:00pm 10/31 Late Fall BEE classes begin November 11/4   Mix It Up Day at lunch time.  Grades 2nd – 5th

Recess Stations and Learn Walks Just a reminder that part of our Learn Walk schedule will involve Walks during recess. We will be able to share the trend data during our mid-year review. I expect that it will show we are being more diligent and taking proactive steps to decrease student reports of bullying during recess. Thank You!

Making Connections Day Monday November 7th Making Connections Day this year is a bit different. No in house workshops or presentations at one place. Workshops will be all over the county this year. You will be required to register to help with setting this day up. Here is a DRAFT of the activities that you will be able to choose from. The idea is to attend workshops related to your goals, whether for school improvement, student academic progress or your personal/ professional goal. Presenter Topic Susan Craig Trauma sensitive teaching Marc Chun Assessment literacy Cathy Lassiter Visible Learning for Literacy Responsive Classroom Teacher language/school culture Developmental Design Teacher language/school culture Zaretta Hammond Culturally Responsive Teaching Jessica Ross Agency by Design (Harvard) High Tech High Project based learning Karen Janowski UDL Tish Jennings Mindfulness Check out the division Compass for more info: http://compass.k12albemarle.org/

Bus Driver Safety Week

Bus Safety week was a huge success. We were able to provide each driver with a couple of free meal gifts from community businesses to support of our fleet.

It Couldn’t Be Done Part I By Edgar Guest, 1881 - 1959 Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,     But (they) with a chuckle replied That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one     Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried. So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin     On his face. If he worried he hid it. He started to sing as he tackled the thing     That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

 

October 13, 2016

The Buzzness 
Special Late Early Edition

Calendar Fri      10/14 BEE BOP            10/14 PALS 1-3 Data Entry Deadline Mon   10/17-10/21 Bus Safety Week            10/17-11/9 Parent Conference WIndow Tues   10/25 Vaccines for staff (optional) Thurs 10/27 Kindergarten Book Character Day            10/27 First Grade Pumpkin Carving            10/27 End of 1st Quarter            10/27 5th grade Field Trip to Paramount             10/27 Parent Portal Closes at 3p.m. Fri      10/28 Illuminate Data Entry Deadline            10/28 Teacher Workday            10/28 PALS K assessment window closes

Kenny Many of you know former BEE Kenny Gibson or heard his story by now. The good news is that during tomorrow’s 3p.m. Homecoming Pep Rally at Western Albemarle High School, there is a sort of surprise homecoming planned for him (shh). Principal Bonham has invited all that would like to share this special time. I hear it is going to be incredible!

 

BEE BOP Schedule 8:10 – 8:40 All K in Specials   8:40 – 9:00 All K back in class 9:00 - 9:40 K and 1st BEE BOP 9:15 - 9:45 2nd in Non PE Specials; 2nd does not send to P.E.* 9:45 – 10:15 All 2nd in Specials 10:15 – 10:45 All 1st in Specials 10:45 – 11:15 All 1st in Non PE Specials; 1st does not send to P.E.* 11:00 – 11:40  2nd and 3rd BEE BOP 11:25 – 11:55   3rd No Specials; 3rd returns to class after BEE BOP 11:55 – 12:25  All 3rd in Specials 12:25 – 12:55  All 4th in Specials 12:55 – 1:25  No Specials 1:00 – 1:40   4th and 5th BEE BOP 1:55 – 2:25  All 5th in Specials * “does not send to P.E.”, means that during those 2 blocks there will not be 2nd or 1st grade PE in those blocks because from 9-9:40 and 11-11:40 P.E. Teachers will be in BeeBop. Teachers scheduled to have P.E. during those times keep their classes.

  

Book Room Check-Out and Returns            I am so glad the book room is working well. It has been a long process, but I think very worth it. I have a few things to request as it continues to evolve.            1. Please use the checkout system if you are borrowing books. It is VERY confusing for the Henley helpers to return the books when they have not been properly checked out.            2. When you return books, I have placed sticky notes for you to use. Please write your name on the stack or stacks you have returned. That way, the correct teacher is credited with the return. Kris

Next Week we recognize Bus Safety!

Here are some highlights from our division bus fleet that are pretty impressive.

Some Transportation highlights year-to-date:

·         Thanks to the help we received from the schools,  there were zero misplaced students the first week of school

·         Our drivers have driven 4.5 million safe miles

·         Bus Discipline Referrals are down 14% versus last year (our Responsive School Bus training may be paying off)

·         Our Routing Department has processed 735 “Alternate Bus Stop Requests” and 96% of them were approved

·         There have been 722 activity trips and 99.5% of them have been on time

·         There have been zero lost time accidents (i.e. an employee is injured at work and needs to miss a day of work)

·         12 new drivers have been hired and trained since the end of last school year

Ideas from Denver! No new initiatives or other things for us to do, just some ideas and concepts that I thought were inspirational. What resonates with you?!?! Many of our students are still discovering what their strengths and interests are. What would they consider as the “Perfect School”?  Dinosaurs couldn’t read. They are extinct. No worksheets for a week I am 5 years old and I can change the world! Failing Forward Is a typical Starbucks, a model for an optimal learning environment? Who are we going to move today? Reflecting on our Instructional Tolerance

Report Card Timeline 3p.m. Thursday October 27 -  Portal closes down 7a.m. Monday November 7 -   Report cards completed. Notify both Nancy and Jason by email. Weekends only if you need them! 3p.m. Thursday November 10 - Corrections due. Email Marianne, Jason and Nancy

 

October 7, 2016

The Buzzness 

Calendar 10/10 Kdg (Davis/Spradlin) to Chiles Orchard 10/11-10/25 PreK PALS Assessment Window 10/11 PTO Meeting to include State of the School 6p.m. 10/13 Picture Day 10/13 Faculty Meeting 10/13 5th grade Field Trip to Symphony 10/14 Bee Bop - School Spirit Day - (Schedule TBD) 10/14 PALS 1-3 Data Entry Deadline 10/17-10/21 Bus Safety Week 10/17-11/9 Parent Conference WIndow

 
 

Reminder for Picture Day! The picture day schedule is posted by the teacher mailboxes. Thanks to our wonderful music teacher Rachel pictures will be taken in the music/community room, and her classes will be held in room 406 at the end of the kindergarten hall.

 

What will you do at this Thursday’s Faculty Meeting? 2:45 - 3:15 Round 1 3:20 - 3:50 Round 2 3:50 - 4:00 Closing (Library) Please choose from the following for Round 1 and Round 2: 1. Rigor: The Power of Cognitive Engagement (2:45-3:50 Participants commit to staying for both rounds.)     Division Lead Coaches Michael Craddock and Doug Granger will take participants through some activities     that use sense-making and higher level thinking to motivate students to learn skills and content. 2. ALPS -  Share the current state of the Accelerated Learning Plan for your Mountain Climber.      Brainstorm with and get ideas from others. Continue to work on your plan. 3. P-Based Learning: Dial It Up - This is a repeat of the session Jason facilitated during pre-school week.      Participants will explore the dimensions of p-based learning and consider ways to use the continua to       maximize the impact of planned activities. 4. Reading Philosophy - Our school's reading philosophy statement will be revealed. Participants will examine     instructional practices practices that align with the philosophy in order to assess current practice and identify     next steps for themselves and our school. Participants will take what they have learned back to their teams. Use this google form to sign up before the end of the day Tuesday. https://docs.google.com/a/k12albemarle.org/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdMlpoOZpHjznRCeowr3VHxEzXdilwuOuVk5BXsJdUl4SybtA/viewform

 

Have a great weekend everyone!