"B" week schedule this week!

2nd Annual Countdown to Winter Break!

You know how I love a good celebration (and I know how much each of you love a good celebration, too)!  Each day within the next two weeks we'll focus on some fun and festive activities as a staff.  See within the "Countdown to Winter Break" presentation all the items to celebrate you before our Winter Break!

Penguin Patch!

Class times for Penguin Patch shopping will only be in 15 minute slots.  On the first day the entire class can come and view the items.  Please only send those with money the remainder of the week (during the scheduled grade level time only):

• KA & 7th grade:  1:15pm

• KB & 8th grade:  1:30pm

• 1A & 6th grade:  1:45pm

• 1B & PK4:  2:00pm

• 2nd grade:  2:15pm

• 3A:  2:30pm

• 3B:  2:45pm

• 4th grade:  3:00pm

• 5th grade:  3:15pm

The older students will be going with Kindergarten and one 1st grade class on Monday.  Discuss with the older students the opportunity to "mentor" and help the littles with their shopping.  The remainder of the week, you can send down the older students during this time (only a few at a time and ONLY if they brought money) and the younger students, we can get one of their "mentors" to help assist them during the time so you do not have to bring your entire class.  Happy shopping!

Lesson Plans and Weekly Newsletters

Where to put them:  2023-2024 Teacher Resources drive within the STEM folder.  

Please make sure to upload your lesson plans & newsletters to the correct folder and on time.  If you need help, please let me know!

*Make sure to add Common Sense Media lessons to your lesson plans each week, Paper lessons/expectations, and NewsELA Social Studies lessons!

**Also, remember to include morning work for each day as scholars are arriving/finishing breakfast each morning.  Routines are key, and strong morning routines set powerful learning tones for the day!

Family Fun Event - Dec 7

Our Winter Wonderland themed Family Fun Event will be this Thursday, Dec 7 from 4:00-5:30pm.  Below are the events that families will get to participate in:

• Winter Skittles Science Fun

• Snowy Glitter Bottle Creations

• Winter Wonderland House Creations

• Penguin Slide 

• Design a Snowflake

• The Penguin Patch

Please sign up on this form if you can come be a part of our Winter Wonderland Extravaganza!  Thank you in advance for helping and having some fun with our families!

**We are in need of clean, empty plastic water or soda bottles for the event.  A box will be stationed in the front office for any donations!  Thank you for saving those bottles!  🥰

Reminders...

A few friendly reminders as we head towards another break...

• Student in grades 4-8 should only be going to the restrooms one at a time throughout the day with filling out the bathroom logs in your classroom each time they leave AND the time they return.  

• Students in grades K-3 can have a buddy, but still log on a restroom log when they leave and when they return (students can do this as well!)

• Students in grades 3-8 should only be going on "approved" apps through Clever ONLY.  I've seen several student chromebook history lately students going onto google sites and playing non-academic games.  Students must be monitored while on their chromebooks, so do not allow them to have "free time" on their chromebooks without knowing what they are going on.

• On rainy / weather days for indoor recess, chromebooks should not be used as their recess activity.  Students are using the chromebooks in inappropriate ways with "chatting" with each other on google chat during class time, and providing them with times to "free-play" on their chromebook is not helping to manage their appropriate usage.  

• Please remind students that ALL information, from what they google to what they chat to what they delete to what they record can and WILL be seen at any time.  Even something deleted years ago can be recovered.

• Make sure to have designated morning work routines and procedures at all times!  A structured morning routine sets a great tone for the day!

Let me know if you have any questions or need help or suggestions with any of the items listed above.  Thank you for the help each day that you give to all our scholars!

Staff Hours

Staff hours are 7:15am (or if prepared for the day arrival by 7:30am) until 4:15pm (unless otherwise designated within your contracted hours).  Fill out the "Request to Leave" forms if needing to leave early/arrive late any day so I can make sure adequate coverage is available (available in the front office drawer).  Please refer to the master schedule as to morning and afternoon duties as well, as we all play a crutial role in making sure our scholars arrive and dismiss safely.  I know we all want to leave in a timely manner, but leaving earlier than 4:15pm each day without prior permission is not meeting district expectations.  Thank you to your attention to this process!

To-Do Items

Things to do this week:

• Place your lesson plans & newsletters in the correct google drive folder 

• Sign up to help with the Family Fun Event on Dec 7

• View the "Countdown to Winter Break" presentation!

• Send me an email by Monday, Dec 4, if planning on having a class party on Dec 15 (indicate if you will be having lunch provided for your class or "sweets" only - which means your class will need a school lunch for that day if indicating "sweets" only)

• Start planning ahead with focusing on reviewing classroom rules and procedures the week of Jan 2

• Continue with weekly digital citizenship lessons - IMPORTANT!!  We're having a lot of issues with students not being good digital citizens, and in order for them to understand what this means, we need to teach them what it means! 😀

Dec 4 Staff "Countdown to Winter Break" Festivities Begin

Dec 4-8 Penguin Patch

Dec 7 Winter Wonderland Family Fun Event

Dec 11-15 Arabic Benchmark Window 

Dec 14 Birthday Thursday for the month of December

Dec 15 3rd 6 week period ends/Semester 1 ends

Dec 15 Class Parties (remember to send Mrs. Vinten an email by 12/4 if you are having one)

Dec 15 Wellness Friday

Dec 18-Jan 1 Winter Break

Jan 2 PD - Location TBD - staff blackout day (no absences approved)

Jan 3 School Resumes for scholars

Jan 3 Start of the 4th week grading period

Jan 12 Staff blackout day (no absences approved)

Jan 15 MLK Jr. Holiday - No school for staff & scholars

Jan 16 Staff blackout day (no absences approved)

Month of Dec Student-Led Conferences Continue