OUR VISION

• Lilburn Middle School will become a Professional Learning Community committed to working collaboratively to engage students in learning in order to actualize student potential.

OUR MISSION

• Lilburn Middle School is committed to engaging all students in learning the Academic Knowledge and Skills through research-based best practices with mastery being measured by local, state, national, and world-class standards and re-teaching/reassessing students as needed to actualize their potential.

OUR VALUES

• We use research-based best practices to engage students in learning.

• We build healthy relationships with our students, parents, and community members.

• We provide appropriate interventions to support students in actualizing their potential.

• We collaborate with our colleagues toward building a Professional Learning Community.

Collective Efficacy Statement- The Key to the Power of One

• We know that the greatest enemy of greatness is variance. We will be consistent in our implementation of effective instruction, assessment, and response to student learning. This consistency will be driven by careful understanding of the curriculum (AKS). At Lilburn Middle School, we put students first in all that we do. We ensure that we are developing the whole child by incorporating SEL, developing appropriately aligned and engaging lessons, and embracing collaborative planning. We will ensure that the LMS instructional framework is upheld. At LMS, all adults speak positively of our school, our students, our community, and our colleagues. We practice a growth mindset. We leverage high expectations, high-quality lessons, and belonging to support the success of each and every child.

LSPI GOAL

• Our LSPI is ready to roll! Please keep in mind that it is still a living document. as we continue to refine this document, we will update you with any revisions that are made.

• You may review the lspi: HERE

• LSPI ONE PAGER (RBES RESOURCE): HERE

If you would like to share an instructional strategy (credit will be given to all contributors), please complete this PD Share sign-up.

Previous Bite Size PD Contributors

Blueprint Focus for the Week: EFFECTIVENESS

This is reminder to check in on your RBES goal and your Professional Learning Goal. We will be checking these items off in January (Mid Year). It is always helpful if you go ahead and start to pull the data together for this task. Start to review your progress toward meeting these goals. It is OK to discuss with colleagues/admin to calibrate your thinking about your goal.

NEW:

12 Days of Winter Fun:

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Get ready for 12 days of Winter Fun! See the details HERE.

***We are still hosting our annual JLC Sponsored food drive. Please talk these activities up with your students and ask that they bring in these items. Students will need to make their cards at home (last year, some teachers provided materials for students to complete this service activity). The food will go to a local co-op. These activities are student-led and more information is to come.

• Trivia participants- check for an email from Mr. Howe for a list of the winners. Prizes will be delivered. Congratulations!

End of Semester Expectations

• Class Parties- are NOT permitted

• The last day of school should be a structured/organized day. Supervision is key to the prevention of issues.

• Any day that is not a testing day should be a make-up and mastery opportunity for students this week. You should plan structured activities (literacy task or NTI completion). Extension/incentive opportunities should be discussed with your grade or content AP.

• No guests/visitors during the last week of school

• Incentives? If you are planning an incentive for your class (ie. an academic achievement celebration) make sure that your admin is aware and approves of the activity before hosting it.

• No deliveries to the front office during the last week

• Be mindful of inclusive practices and students’ rights (no religious discussion that is not AKS related)

• Follow the grading/grade book timeline that was shared in the training with Mrs. Brown, Ms. Girard, and Mrs. Washington.

• Any movie that is shown must be shown in a lighted room and pre-approved by the grade-level administrator.

• Take all food items home before the break (from classrooms and out of the refrigerators in the grade-level break rooms)

• Remind students to take home personal belongings that are needed over the break.

• Stack student chairs and move them to the sides of the room so that custodians can complete cleaning tasks.

Holiday Guidelines

As the December holidays approach, the Anti-Defamation League -- one of the nation's premier organizations defending religious liberty -- knows that many school districts are faced with difficult questions about how to appropriately acknowledge the December holidays. In an effort to help you comply with the United States Constitution and create a school environment that celebrates diversity by respecting differing points of view concerning religion, they offer the following suggestions.

General Rule: When a school does choose to acknowledge the December holidays, it is essential that the school must never appear to endorse religion over non-religion or one particular religious faith over another. Any religious activities must be through the lens of the AKS

Religious symbols are not appropriate seasonal decorations in public schools. Students should not be put on the spot to explain their religious (or cultural) traditions. The student may feel uncomfortable and may not have enough information to be accurate.

New Newsletter Added

Please see below for a newly added newsletter link from our Parent Center. This is a great way to keep up with what messages are going out to our families. Mr. Doyne will update this newsletter weekly and the link will change. Make sure to grab the new link each week if you plan to post the link to your eCLASS page.

Grades and Milestones Benchmark

Grades for GCPS Milestones Benchmark Assessments, Semester 1 Final Exams, and Midyear Assessments will be finalized in January upon return from Winter break. When scores for these assessments are available, teachers will enter them, and the grades will be visible in ParentVUE and StudentVUE. Grades are due to be finalized by January 13th.

Upcoming Important Dates

• December 13- LMS Milestones Benchmark and Final Exams- MA and SS- Block Schedule

• December 14- LMS Milestones Benchmark and Final Exams- ELA and SC- Block Schedule

• HS Selection should have been completed by all 8th grade and Gear Up students

• ES to MS articulation is coming up soon in January

• Semester close out (last day of the term is January 13, but the last instructional day is December 16th)

• AAP begins in January (more details coming soon)

End of Term Feedback Opportunities

Our next SWAT Team meeting is set for December 13 at 4:45 in the TRS

Make sure to complete the Newsletter surveys (links embedded)

You may also schedule an appointment with me or any AP at any time to share ideas, concerns, or questions

End of Semester Feedback:

In addition to the survey that is included below. We would like to obtain specific feedback from our staff about different aspects of our "school life" at LMS. Please take a moment to respond. Your feedback is appreciated: https://forms.gle/pUApyAwDEkKsKWYn9

Literacy Block and Advisement Reminder

As a reminder, we are engaged in Literacy Block each month on the 2nd and 3rd Fridays. Advisement is scheduled for 1st and 4th Fridays. This is school wide and should be taking place in all classrooms during ELT on Fridays.

Champion Circles are still expected the 1st 10 minutes of ELT each day.

LMS SWAT Meeting:

Thank you to all of our teachers who attended our first SWAT meeting. We had a really open and productive discussion about what we love, wish to lose, and suggest that we tweak at Lilburn. This discussion was the first of many. Some themes that emerged were around stress, new teacher support, and student discipline. There were some great ideas that were shared with the administrative team. We will review the major points of this discussion in our faculty meeting as we look ahead and plan for a great second semester. The next SWAT Meeting is on December 13th right after the final bus call in the TRS.

Before Issuing a Failing Grade

There are about 3 more weeks (including breaks) until the semester ends. That means that we are continuing to have conversations with students about their progress this semester. Make sure to incorporate the guidance outlined below as you determine if students are on track for promotion:

What To Do Before Issuing a Failing Grade

GCPS Promotion Criteria

MTSS Update

Thank you to all teachers for your attention during the MTSS training. Please reference the link for a reminder of the discussion. The next phase in our LMS MTSS implementation plan is the movement of students into Tier III groups. We will be sending out passes for this purpose in January when students return. Students will be attending Tier III groups during ELT. If students are already attending an ELT group (Special Ed or ESOL) they will continue to attend that group. Please be on the lookout for additional information.

Remind Sign Up (we still need a few staff members to sign up. Please take care of it this week.):

Thank you to everyone who has signed up for Remind. This will serve as our emergency phone tree (along with Messenger) in the event of an emergency.

Communication is a priority for our school team. Remind is a major part of our emergency communication strategy. Please go ahead and sign up to receive our school's Remind messages.

REMIND:

Sign up to receive messages through Remind. This will be used in case of emergency, or if there is a need for urgent/time-sensitive communication. Text @f637g3 to 81010 Wanted:

Please complete this brief survey to let me know how the year is going. Thank you to all of those who have already provided feedback.

https://forms.gle/D1WtA9h51koEXbQQ9

Please navigate to the link for ongoing reminders

ONGOING REMINDERS

GET FIT CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

Here are some ways to stay healthy during the holiday break:

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/10-healthy-holiday-nutrition-tips/

The LMS Faculty Handbook is located here: LMS Training Page

GCPS Personnel Handbook is Located Here: GCP Personnel Handbook

1) Monday, December 12

• ELT (1st Period)

• PTSA Holiday Grams Sales

• 12 Days of Winter Fun- Guess the correct number of peppermints (grade level office)

2) Tuesday, December 13

• ELT (2nd Period)

• PTSA Holiday Grams Sales

• Connections Tutoring

• LMS Milestones Benchmark and Final Exams- MA and SS- Block Schedule

• 12 Days of Winter Fun- Socks and Sweets Day (PTSA Treats)

3) Wednesday, December 14

• ELT (3rd Period)

• Math and Social Studies Tutoring

• LMS Milestones Benchmark and Final Exams- ELA and SC- Block Schedule

• CFA Slider Sales

• PTSA Holiday Grams Sales

• 12 Days of Winter Fun- Scavenger Hunt

4) Thursday, December 15

• ELT (4th Period)

• Language Arts and Science Tutoring

• PTSA Holiday Grams

• 12 Days of Winter Fun: Admin Gift

• Basketball Lilburn vs. Dacula

5) Friday, December 17

• Literacy Block

• CFA Slider sales

• PTSA Holiday Grams

• 12 Days of Winter Fun:Ugly Sweater Day

• Basketball/Soccer Pep Rally

6) Saturday, December 19

• Rest and Relax

7) Sunday, December 20

• Rest and Relax

Coming up next week:

Winter Break!!!

Have a Supercharged and Laser-Focused Week!

Additional School-Wide Newsletters: