Today is my middle son, Grant's, birthday! He is 13 today! 🎂 As I think back 13 years to the day he was born, I am filled with a sense of overwhelmedness. I had no idea how I was going to go from one baby to two, or how I could love another human as much as I already loved Lewis, or how my life would ever feel "normal" again. 

I would imagine that you have had some similar thoughts as you have started a new school year with so many NEW things. Maybe you're trying to figure out how to juggle it all, or how to LOVE a new curriculum when your old stuff wasn't that bad in your opinion, or your wondering if your planning will ever feel normal again. Regardless of where you are at in this process, I want to tell you that you are doing GREAT! I am so proud of how you've jumped in and taken a risk. I appreciate you being part of this process and allowing us to walk alongside you. The outcome will be worth it! 

I am excited to have families come in for Curriculum Night on Sep. 9th. We will be sending more information to families soon. Be on the lookout! 

Beth and I enjoyed our time with each of you during your TKES pre-conferences. Now that they are complete, we are excited to get into classrooms and start walk throughs and provide feedback! 

Please be sure to welcome Mrs. Emma Van De Mark! She is our new 4th grade teacher. We are so happy to have her on board. 

As always, please let me know how I can support you! Have a great week and I hope you all have a great Labor Day weekend! 

Thank you for a great start to the 2024-25 School Year! Routines and procedures are looking strong and student expectation is high. We want our Wildcats to be Positive, Accountable, Willing, & Safe! Please remember that our number one priority is student safety, and supervising students at all times is a vital behavior for which we are all responsible.  Decisions are made in the best interests of our students and what is academically, socially, and emotionally the best for them.

Each month we will vote for the Teacher of the Month (Certified Staff) and Staff Member of the Month (Classified Staff). We are thankful to our PTO for providing treats to us for the TOTM and SMOM selected by the staff. Please vote for the September TOTM and SMOM here by this Thursday, August 29.  

The MAP Growth Assessment window for reading and math (K-5)  is now closed for the BOY. It will reopen the week of December 9 for the MOY progress check. The MAP Reading Fluency (K-3) window is still open and will remain open.  All students must complete the assessment within 10 days of enrolling in the HCSD. For the BOY we are giving the MAP Reading Fluency Assessment to all K-3 students, in January all K-3 students will be given the Dyslexia Screener, and then in May, all K-3 students will be given the MAP Reading Fluency Assessment again. After each assessment window, parents will receive a letter and letters will be generated by the teacher and administration team. We are all working hard to create this brand-new process with little guidance from the Georgia Department of Education. We will discuss this during Data Chats and on Friday, August 30, IF forms are reading in IC. As we receive guidance from the district, we will pass it along to you.  

We have our School-Wide Tailgate on Friday, August 30, please click here to sign up to bring something to share and click here to pick your meat selection. The school will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, and all the fun you can handle!

Thank you for ALL  you do, I know you are not thanked enough for what you do! Working in education is tough and requires so much of us, I am thankful for each of you!

🗓️Upcoming Dates 🗓️

August 27: Data Chats during Grade Level Planning in PL Room 

August 29: Leadership Meeting in PL Room 2:45

August 30: School-Wide Tailgate Lunch 

September 2: NO SCHOOL

September 4: TKES Conferences Kindergarten Paras 7:15 & SPED/INST Paras 2:45

September 5: Faculty Meeting - Building Staff Capacity Module 1

September 9: Curriculum Night- 6:00-7:00 All Certified Staff 

September 11: Tier 3 Meetings 

September 12: PLC After School- 2:30-3:30

September 13: GKIDS Readiness Reports go home

September 13: Picture Day 😀

September 18: Benchmark PLC 2-Hour Sessions - Schedule (more details to come)

September 19: Vertical Planning Committees (PBIS, Math, Literacy) 2:30-3:30

September 26: Bus Safety ALL Students - Bus Safety Schedule

• I provided the leadership team small group lesson plan examples. They live in our professional learning folder on the shared drive but also can be found here.

• Scholastic News orders have been placed and will be shipped SOON! While you are awaiting on your paper issues, please feel free to use the online codes below to access anything digitally.

  • • • • • Kindergarten CJWFKSQE

          • Scholastic News 1 CJWEMJHT

          • Scholastic News 2 CJWDDLVU

          • Scholastic News 3 CJV6V8KK

          • Scholastic News 4 CJV7GFWA

          • Scholastic News 5/6 CJVLW834

• GA Lit Modules & Title I Staff Capacity

  • • GA Lit Modules 4&5 needs to be completed by September 12th. This will be our PLC Kickoff and we will all be together in the Learning Commons. 

    • Building Staff Capacity Module 1 will be discussed at our September 5th Faculty Meeting. You need to read the learning slides/case studies ahead of time.