November 25-December 6

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25- DAY 3

• 9:30-11:30 ( Choplin, Stewart, Joyce, Walek, J. Brown) meeting in LTM room.
• 11:30 IEP (Choplin, Hall, Newbauer)
• 1:40 ( Choplin, Stewart meeting on campus)
• 2:45: Staff meeting- brief to review SIP for quarterly update.2

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26- DAY 4

• 7:30: IEP (Vidal, Choplin)
• 2:45: IEP (Choplin, Hall, Brown)
• 3:00: All spelling bee class winners are due to Mrs. J       (Grades 3-5)

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 1- DAY 5

• 2:45 IEP (Choplin, Ward, Mayer, Walek)

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2- DAY 6

• 2:45 IEP (Vidal, Choplin)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3- DAY 1

• 2:45 IEP (Hall, Choplin)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4- DAY 2

• 7:30 IEP (Vidal, Choplin)
• 2:45 PBIS team meeting in Mrs. Lea's classroom.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5- DAY 3

9:00 in Auditorium

• 2:45: IEP (Choplin/Vidal)

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Mrs. York: November 30th

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THANKS MR. PLOOF FOR BEING A GREAT SPORT & AGREEING TO BE SLIMMED!!!!

News about the Upcoming Science Fair.....

This week, I hope that the K-3 Teachers are working on your students' science experiment by writing down the procedure and finishing the abstract of the experiment telling what the children learned about the topic.  This should be a class writing activity.

By November 26th:  Your students should be finished writing their results and conclusion.  Also, have them write "future directions" as to what they want to study next.  It may be an extension of their science project.

Please keep in mind, first and second grade teachers, that the writing can be the informative/explanatory piece of writing for their K-5 literacy portfolio for second quarter.

December 10th is our Science Fair.  Please be prepared to hand in your class project between 12:00-2:00 on December 9th.  That way I will have more time to set up for our judges who are coming on December 10th.

Please note:  Any child who hands in an individual project will need to "register" their project with me in the gym between 7:30-9:00 on December 10th.

There will be a chance for your students to view the projects on December 11th.  I will put out a sign-up sheet in the work room for this event.

If you need a science fair board for your class project, please see me.   Thank you for all your support and instruction!  We couldn't have this event without your expertise!

November 18-November 22

 WELCOME  GRANDPARENTS!

Monday, November 18- Day 4

Book fair begins today.

LTM room will be in use all day today.

2:45: SIT meeting in Ms. Palmer's classroom.  Please bring dates, times and locations of end of year picnics. 

Tuesday, November 19- Day 5

Progress reports go home today.

9:00- Choplin @ meeting at CO

1:00- Choplin @ meeting at CO
1:00-Mrs. J will check kindergarten documentation on K-5 literacy folders.  She will come to your rooms.  

Wednesday, November 20- Day 6

7:20- IEP (Choplin/Vidal)
7:30- Mrs. J will check first and second grade documentation on K-5 literacy folders.  She will come to your rooms.

2:45- IEP (Choplin/Hall)

Grandparents' Day: Grades K-2.  Please refer to schedules provided for lunch times.  Grades 3-5 will eat in classrooms and will eat at normal times.

All students must have a note to leave with a grandparent. 

The gym will be closed for PE today.  Check with Mr. Ploof for plans.

Today is WSFCS "Walk-In" Day.  Please read email sent to you by Mrs. Choplin on Friday, November 15th for more information.

Thursday, November 21- Day 1

2:45- IEP (Choplin/Hall/Burchette)
8:30-1:30:  Mrs. Jakobowski at ITBS training

Grandparents' Day: Grades 3-5.  

Please refer to schedules provided for lunch times.  Grades K-2 will eat in classrooms and will eat at normal times.

All students must have a note to leave with a grandparent. 

The gym will be closed for PE today.  Check with Mr. Ploof for plans.


Friday, November 22- Day 2
7:20 IEP (Choplin, Mayer, Ward, Burchette)
8:00:  Mrs. Jakobowski at a Curriculum Coordinators' meeting
9:00-12:30- Conference room will be closed for a meeting.
1:30ish:  Mr. Ploof will be slimmed in the gym.  Classes will be called for over the intercom.


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Class winners for grades 3-5 are due to Mrs. J. no later than November 26.

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Please Read Your EMAIL Daily!

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   25th & 26th!!!!!!!

Mrs. Jakobowski will be checking 3rd-5th grade K-5 literacy folders on Monday, Nov. 26th.  She will come to your room.  

ALSO:

Staff members may leave 30 minutes early on Monday, November 25 and Tuesday, November 26.

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DIBELS Next and TRC news....

According to Janie Costello, if a child is red or yellow on a measure in DIBELS Next and red or yellow on TRC, progress monitor the student both on DIBELS Next and TRC.   This means that some students will be progress monitored on a DIBELS measure and TRC on red and/or yellow weeks on your calendar.  If you haven't progress monitored the child on TRC (because you were waiting for this answer) please progress monitor those students who are in red or yellow on TRC no later than November 26th.

During the "green week", you will progress monitor the children who are in green on the probe that the device prompts you to use in DIBELS Next.  The device will prompt you as to which probe you PM.  You will only do one probe.  For TRC, you may use the grade level default or if necessary move up a level when progress monitoring a student.

As always, please ask questions if you are unclear about anything.


I have found some helpful websites you may want to use as you write your unit plans....

www.learnzillion.org

http://www.infoplease.com

http://www.readtennessee.org  (Its not just reading, go to their math toolbox...it is AMAZING)

http://www.secretary.state.nc.us  (This website is great for 4th grade NC History)

channelone.com  (go to daily show)  I would use this website with fourth and fifth grade students.  Each daily show touches on science and social studies content.

For additional helpful blogs.... go to

www.burkinsandyaris.com

and....

www.literacyhead.com

Have fun...planning.....

November 11-November 15

THANK YOU VETERAN'S FOR KEEPING US SAFE AND PROTECTING OUR FREEDOMS!  WE APPRECIATE YOU!

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11
Veteran's Day Holiday- No School

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12- DAY 6

• 7:20 IEP (Choplin, Austin, Mayer)
• Please make sure the Grandparent's Day Schedule is sent home in the Tuesday packets.
• Report Cards go home today.
• Skate night.  Please limit homework.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13- DAY 1

• 7:20 IEP (Hall/Choplin)
• 8:00: J. Brown/Choplin meeting with Marty Ward on campus
• 1:00- PTA board meeting in Lego Mobile
• 3:00- K-2 Book Club meet at Coffee House on Shallowford Road.  Questions have been posted to Edmodo.  
• Sweet Frog Day for LES

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14- DAY 2
Author's Visit: Mrs. Rich will provide you  with a schedule for the day. 
2:45 RTI meeting (Choplin, Mathews, Youngman, Fought, Brown)

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15- DAY 3


UPCOMING EVENTS:

• CLASSROOM TEACHERS:  If you have not submitted your grade analysis form please do so ASAP.  They were due Friday, November 8th.
• November 18- SIT @ 2:45 in Ms. Palmer's classroom.
• November 20-21: Grandparents Day.  Specific teacher directions will be sent out ASAP.  

• November 22 at 1:30 Mr. Ploof will be slimmed in the gym.  We will begin calling classes at 1:25
• Parent Conference should be held the week of November 18th.4

TO:

Mrs. Sherrill: November 11

Mrs. Wrights: November 17

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FYI:  In case you have forgotten the Media Center has Kindle's that can be checked out and used in your classroom.  Great way to encourage reading and motivate the students.   There are also a couple of sets of "Clickers" that can be used for classroom assessment.  For more information check with Mrs. Mac. or Mrs. Rich.   

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In the teacher workroom we have created a "I Am Thankful For" board.  Please feel free to post as many thankful notes as you like.  Hopefully, these notes will fill our hearts with joy and lead us into the holiday season.

Rigor in Reading Instruction....

I recently read an article entitled, "Unlocking the Secrets of Complex Text".  What is complex text?

This article suggests that complex text:

*conveys multiple ideas/multiple perspectives,
*moves from narrative to expository text,
*changes in tone throughout the text,
*supports points with details in different places in the text.

Ask children ...

1.  What does this text teach?
Now, based on a child's answer to question #1, ask
"What in the text makes you say that?" and
"What details in the text support those ideas?"

Model answering the question above in a minilesson in which you do shared reading and actually "flip" through the book under a document camera looking for things that the text teaches you.  Don't just look at the content, look also at the illustrations, charts, lists, etc.  Invite students to give it a try in their small group and in a literacy centers after repeated modeling on the teacher's part.

Hopefully, this strategy will help our younger students get used to "finding information in the book" to support their answers.

Also, according to research, one more structure that will "aid transference of a skill or strategy is having the opportunity to practice it over and over.    Hattie (2011) found that feedback in the midst of work, followed by a chance to put that feedback into action or play, dramatically improves student achievement.

So as you are planning with your team, ask yourselves....where in the curriculum will my students get another chance to keep on working with this skill/strategy.

More to come......