September 30- October 4

MOVING, GROOVING TEACHERS!

Boosterthon Kick-Off 2013

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30- DAY 1

Happy Pay Day!

1:00- Choplin meeting on campus.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1- DAY 2

7:30- Choplin at principal's meeting

2:45-  IEP (Choplin/Mayer) 

Mid-terms Go Home!

October newsletter goes home.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2- DAY 3

10:00- Choplin meeting at CO

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3- DAY 4

2:45- PBIS team meeting in Mrs. Lea's classroom.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4- DAY 5

FUN RUN DAY!!!!!

8:15- K-1

9:25: Grades 2-4

10:35- Grades 4-5 

 (Teachers you may want to suggest student bring an extra pair of shoes)

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Monday, September 30- Mr. B.

Wednesday, October 2- Mrs. J.

Saturday, October 5- Ms. Z.

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UPCOMING EVENTS:

October 8- Skate Night (you may give homework but a lighter load if possible)

October 9- PTA Board Meeting (1:00)

October 9- Career Day- Mrs. Mathews will provide details

October 11- School Pictures and Duty Free Lunch

October 12- Bully Walk

October 16- Sweet Frog Night

October 17- K-2 Field Day

October 18- 3-5 Field Day

September 23- September 27

There is a LOT of Learning Going on Here at L.E.S!

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23- DAY 2

1:00- Choplin @ CO

2:45 SIT in Ms. Palmer's Room.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24- DAY 3

7:30- IEP (Choplin/Mayer)

8:30- Choplin/Scott meeting on campus

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25- DAY 4

Boosterthon Kick-Off

3-5 PEP Rally in Gym @ 12:45

K-2 PEP Rally in Gym @ 1:25

Boosterthon Teacher Party in Media Center @ 2:45

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26- DAY 5

2:45- Hospitality Team meeting in Media Center

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27- DAY 6

Have a wonderful weekend!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

9:00-1:00 CPR Training -- Mrs. Sams has listing of all those that signed up for this event.

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HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:

Wednesday, September 25- Ms. Wilson

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HEARD AROUND SCHOOL!

• " I really enjoyed LTM's this week.  I thought it was very beneficial!"
• "What a wonderful year so far.  I have truly been happy every morning coming to work!  I have a wonderful feeling this is going to be an AWESOME school year!"
• " So glad we were able to have a shower for the Skinner family!"
• " I can hardly get out of my car fast enough to get to school.  I love school!"
• " I love my students!"
• " It's HUMP Day!"
• " I love my co-workers!"
• " Love this school, we are so glad to be here!"
• " I love how much the teachers and staff truly care for the children here!"
• LTM- left with fun, useful, tech sites to use.

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Curriculum Tips....

Thank you for taking the time to learn with your students this week....

You have participated in LTM's,
You have looked at data and identified specific student needs,
You have "Dibeled" your students with a "smile" on your face, and most importantly,
You are building positive relationships with your students daily.


Several websites you may want to use in your class are:
       ABCYa.com
       Storybird.com
       screencastomatic.com
       extranormalmoviemaker.com
These websites offer a variety of digital tools to produce and publish students' writing.

IE time will begin on Monday, Sept. 23rd.
A schedule will be put in your box so you will know who is working with your students and when.

If you are a third through fifth grade teacher, please give a list of important vocabulary words-across content areas to the specialists when they work with your students next week.  Also, until we get some current data, we have given the specialists several strategies to use with the students that work on fluency.  Please provide the specialist with reading material you are using with your students when they work with your class. 


Several teachers asked me what to fill out on the K-5 literacy cards since we are using Dibels and TRC rather than the K-5 assessments.  At the end of the year, you will be asked again to print out the DIBELS data and the TRC data to place in the K-5 literacy folders.   This will take the place of documentation on the outside of the literacy card.

Have a good "rest" of the week.....

Curriculum Tips

Our DIBELS/TRC window opens on September 16th.  I will be coming around to each classroom within the next 2 to 3 days to make sure your assessments are going smoothly.  Remember, if you need help, please let me know too.  Do the DIBELS Next assessments first before you begin the TRC.  I will be making you a folder of "the graphic organizers" you will most likely need to conduct your TRC with your students.  I will also put the "ring" of questions in your box so you have them to give to your students.  Please "drop" me an e-mail when all your DIBELS Next assessments are done and you are beginning your TRC.

Also, I will be testing our LEP Kindergarten students this week.  I will be sending home a letter on Tuesday letting parents know I will be testing these children.

I hope you have a good week with your students!
Carolyn

September 16- September 20

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16-DAY 3
2:45- Staff Meeting

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17- DAY 4
Constitution Day
Skate Night: No homework for this one night as it is the first.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18- DAY 5
Sweet Frog Night

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19- DAY 6
2:45- PBIS meeting in Mrs. Lea's room

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20-DAY 1
Have a wonderful weekend.

Curriculum Tips....

Hi Everyone,

I have enjoyed visiting classes this past week.  I can tell you prepared ahead of time for your students. Thank you for your hard work.

Every week...I am going to give a "tip" about DIBELS and TRC....  Hopefully, these "tips" will answer some of your questions as you take "a dive" into assessing your students.

1.  Dr. Costello suggested that you should do all the DIBELS assessments at once on each student.

2.  Dr. Costello suggested that you should be able to complete 2-3 children per day on the TRC (text reading comprehension).

3.  Please give these assessments during "workshop" or guided reading time.

4.  I have put up a schedule outside of my office if you would like help from me during the testing window.

5.  To access your students' histories.... go to http://www.mclasshome.com
  Type in your username and password.
Click on mClass Dibels Next.
Under "class/group" pull down and click on your name.
Next, you should see your class list.
When you click on a child's name, his or her historical data will appear.

Science News.....
STC Refurbishment Kits have arrived!  Plant and Growth Development and Land and Water kits are on back order.

When you are ready to order your live animals/plants, please let me know at least 12 days in advance.  NOTE:  Butterflies need to be ordered 16 days in advance.  Please keep in mind that Carolina only delivers on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
***Fourth Grade:  All living materials for your Animal STC unit does come at one time.

I will put STC Correlations and a Living Materials' order form in your boxes.  Please fill out the order form and give it to me when you are ready to order your live materials.  Thanks!

*HAVE A FUN and FULFILLING WEEK!

September 9-September 13

THANKS FOR ANOTHER WONDERFUL WEEK AT LES!

This week we would like to recognize Mrs. Joanne Brown for making our first week of learning teams SUCCESSFUL!  Your hard work and preparation did not go unnoticed.  

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9- DAY 4
7:30- 5th Grade LTM
2:45- PDP MEETING WITH MRS. CHOPLIN CANCELLED.
2:45-TRC Training for 2nd and 3rd Grade Teachers-Media Center

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10- DAY 5
Progress Reports Go Home
7:30- First Grade LTM
8:15- Third Grade Beginning of Year Testing
9:00- Kindergarten LTM
6:30- PTA- Curriculum Night


NOTE: SKATE NIGHT IS NEXT TUESDAY, 
SEPTEMBER 17- Please make your students aware of this change. 

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11- DAY 6
8:15- Completing of 3rd Grade Beginning of Year Testing
10:30- 3rd Grade LTM
1:00- PTA Board Meeting
1:30- 4th Grade Wake Forest Reading Kick-off
2:45- PDP in Media Center with Mrs. Choplin:   Check emails/blogs for possible cancellation.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12- DAY 1
7:30- 2nd Grade LTM
Mrs. Jakobowski has a CC meeting in the afternoon
2:45- PDP with Mrs. Choplin in Media Center:  Check email/blog for possible cancellation.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13- DAY 2
7:30- 4th Grade LTM
8:30:  Mrs. Jakobowski has NC Testing Handbook Training  (all day)
Have a great weekend.

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TO.........................

September 10: Mrs. L. Brown

September 11: Ms. Hopkins

September 13: Ms. Miller

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Next week Mrs. Stewart and I will randomly review lesson plans.  Reviewing plans is part of our (administrators) daily essentials.  We will send you an email requesting a copy of your plans for the week.  Don't worry!!!!!!   This is just a way for us to see what is going on and if there are any areas of need that we can assist you with during the week.

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LES Staff the 3rd Friday Focus was emailed to you today (Friday, September 6th).  If you would ever like to be a GUEST Writer for the Friday Focus contact Mrs. Choplin.

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Field Day will be here before you know it. Mr. Ploof will be sending out requests for parent volunteers next week.  K-2 will be held on October 17 from 9:00-11:30 and 3-5 will be held on October 18 from 9:00-11:30.

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STC TRAINING for NEW TEACHERS on a grade level....
Where :  Northhills ES
When:  November 7th from 4:00-6:30
What:  will teachers be trained in....
Kindergarten:  Weather and Soils
First Grade:  Soils
Second Grade:  Weather
Fourth Grade:  Rocks and Minerals
Fifth Grade:  Motion and Design
At this point...there isn't any training planned for third grade.


 

Curriculum Tips....

"Cool Cat" Curriculum Tips













The Week of September 3-7

"Success comes to those who hang in, who get back up after being knocked down again and again, and who try harder and longer."
Thomas R. Hoerr

How are you developing resilience and tenacity....what I call grit... in your students?  According to Hoerr,grit is a common trait among people who are successful in life.  Teach your students the value of grit this year as you push them out of their comfort zones, and teach them not to give up in the face of failure but to enthusiastically try again .  


Teaching Academic Vocabulary
The Common Core uses many cognitive verbs that signal the type of mental operations students are asked to perform.  There are five steps to teaching these verbs....
1.  Provide an explanation and an example of how the term is used and what it means in the context of the subject area.  For instance, the term, analyze, means different things in different subject areas.  In language arts, when you analyze the development of a theme, you find parts of the text where the author builds the theme and examine how these parts work together to communicate the theme.  In math, when you analyze a shape, you look at its sides, angles, size, dimensions, etc.

2.  Have students record their own explanations and examples of the term. Have the students keep a vocabulary notebook.

3.  Have the students record a picture, symbol, or graphic representation that reminds the student(s)the meaning of the term.

4.  Once students have recorded one term in their notebook, teach other terms in that category...  For example, if the term is "evaluate,", other related terms are  assess, check, critique, evaluate, judge.

5.  Finally, as students use the academic vocabulary, have them update their vocabulary notebooks with definitions and examples that are "sharper".

Please pick up a list of "cognitive verbs" from my mailbox outside of my office.

Have a great week!!!!