"B" week schedule this week!

Teacher Shout - Outs!

This week's shout outs go to our amazing 3rd grade team!

1st shout out goes to ..... Ms. Bradley! 🎉

• Ms. Bradley has a passion for teaching and this week has been teaching her students all about the power of voting!  Her students wrote persuasive paragraphs as to reasons they would be a good president, narrowed the field to two candidates, and then those candidates went around to classes and "campaigned" for their votes!  What a powerful lesson!  Great job with the "real-world" teaching, Ms. Bradley! 

2nd shout out goes to ..... Ms. April!🎉

• Ms. April is a ROCKSTAR teacher!  This week I was impressed at the fluidity of her lesson.  Her class had just come back in from the restroom, went directly to their desks, and she swiftly started telling them to log onto their chromebook to complete an assessment.  But while they were logging on she started reviewing material that was going to be covered on the assessment.  Students were getting books to read for after the assessment, students were logging into the platform she wanted them to, students were answering her questions AND looking words up in the dictionary all at the same time!  She didn't miss a beat with the lesson & classroom structure -- and every single student was on task with what they were supposed to be doing!  It was like a beautiful waltz!  Nice teaching, Ms. April!

Everyone make sure to give Ms. Bradley and Ms. April a high-five (or fist bump) on Monday!  

Great job, ladies!  Come see me for a special treat!😁

PowerSchool Access for Parents!!!!

In the next few weeks, parents will have access to view their child's grades in PowerSchool.  This is GREAT news, as we can also teach our students to take ownership of their progress by getting them into the habit of checking their own grades weekly.  A grade in the gradebook should never be a surprise to the student, and with the students having knowledge of how to view their grades online, they can have more meaningful conversations with their parent about their progress!

What does that mean for you?  Make sure you have your grades updated WEEKLY in PowerSchool.  No more adding the grades the last week in a 6 week period. The expectation is that starting this week, you begin the habit of adding grades weekly.  Remember, you should have at least 2 grades per content area weekly so that there are enough grades to give a comprehensive picture of where the student is at academically in your class.   If you have any questions, please ask!  

Manara Teacher/Staff Survey

From Ms. Sudan, Superintendent:

Each year the board seeks your input as to how we are all doing as a team and asks for input in providing valuable feedback. We search for highlights, constructive input and opportunity for growth and change. 

Please note that you have to use a Manara email address to complete the survey, but your email is not collected. This is an anonymous survey which goes to the board as overall average ratings. 

Thank you for taking the time to complete the 2023-2024 Teacher/Staff Survey. This should be completed by all Manara Employees. 

2023-2024 Manara Teacher/Staff Survey

Thank you for taking the time to fill out the survey!  Your input is valued!

Book Fair Week This Week!

This week is our Spring Scholastic Book Fair week. See the flyer below with the themed days  (please participate on these days, too!).  On Tuesday, January 30, will be our next Family Fun Event.  Sign up here to assist during that time (4:00-5:30) and remember to sign up for your favorite Sonic drink that you will get the next day for helping that afternoon!  Start thinking of literacy/STEM themed ideas (possible Escape Rooms - reading to find the clues to solve puzzles, games - such as Pictionary or word matching games for the littles), as the Family Fun Event will be literacy themed.  At 5:15pm on Tuesday afternoon at the event, any student who attends who is dressed up as a book character will participate in a book character "fashion show" on the stage in the gym.  It will be a fun event and a fun week!  

Add the fun days to your grade level newsletters and add special "reading time" to your content areas that week (for example, on Friday for the "Campfire Reading" day, ask students to bring in flashlights and a favorite book and have "flashlight reading time")!  

And please use the link below to create an ewallet for your class. Parents may use the link to add money for you to be able to buy books for your class library from your wish list. The PTO will have a drawing during the book fair and one teacher will receive a tote with a few books from their wish list!

Ewallet 

***Please encourage your families on Dojo to sign up for an eWallet for their child's book purchases.***

Scholastic Book Fair Preview Schedule

The schedule to bring your class to room 117 for the book fair preview on Monday is below.  Scholars are allowed to purchase items if they bring money or parents put money in their Scholastic E-Wallet on this day, as the PTO will be there to assist with the sales.

Please be ON TIME for the preview and monitor them during the preview.  Please also fill out your teacher wish-list so families can purchase books for your classrooms as well!

• 9:35-10:00 5th Grade*

• 10:05-10:30 4th Grade*

• 11:05-11:30 8th Grade

• 11:35-12:00 7th Grade

• 12:10 -12:35 6th Grade

• 12:35-1:00 Kindergarten

• 1:00-1:25 1st Grade (Waseem)

• 1:25-1:50 1st Grade (Johnson)

• 1:55-2:20 2nd Grade

• 2:25-2:50 3rd Grade (Bradley)

• 2:55-3:20 3rd Grade (Ray)

*4th & 5th grade classes - during your scheduled preview time there will not be a PTO representative in the book fair to check out books if scholars are ready to purchase on Monday.  If they bring money, have them pick their books out and return back to the book fair after 12:00pm to purchase them.

*Pre-K 3 & 4, come see me on Monday and we can discuss a possible preview time for you. 

Tuesday through Thursday, if scholars bring money/have money in their E-Wallet to spend, please send scholars down no more than 3 at a time during the following times ONLY:

2nd grade: 11:05 - 11:20

7th grade:  11:25 - 11:40

4th grade:  11:45 - 12:00

5th grade:  12:00 - 12:10

Kindergarten (Dormier): 1:30 - 1:45

Kindergarten (Goodson): 1:45 - 2:00

1st grade:  2:00 - 2:15

3rd grade :  2:15 - 2:30

3rd grade:  2:30 - 2:45

6th grade:  2:45 - 3:00

8th grade:  3:15 - 3:30

On Friday the PTO will come around to classrooms to ask if anyone else has money to spend.  

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 by Sunday evening.  If you need help, please let me or Ms. Wilson know!  They are being checked, so thank you for having them uploaded on time!

*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!

SLO data collection

Within your individual SLO folders I have added a data tracker where you will input data collected from your TFAR or mCLASS assessments.  The following dates are when the following data should be input:

Using the Initial Skill Profile Rubric:  

BOY assessments (Data acceptable:  1st TFAR given, mCLASS, Circle)

Using the Targeted Skill Profile Rubric:

December (week of Dec 11) End of 3rd six weeks - Evidence of student progress #1 Done!

January (week of Jan 3) Start of 4th six weeks -  Evidence of student progress #2 

February (week of Feb 12) End of 4th six weeks -  Evidence of student progress #3

February (week of Feb 21) Start of 5th six weeks -  Evidence of student progress #4

March (week of Apr 1) End of 5th six weeks -  Evidence of student progress # 5

May (week of May 20) End of 6th six weeks - EOY Student Skill Level

Remember to utilize the same TFAR for the the start and end of each 6 weeks so that the data is an accurate comparison.

Reminder:  Naming conventions for TFAR assessments:  last name.grade.subject.date

LPAC Meetings with Ms. Chamri

This Tuesday, January 30, during your planning time, please meet in Mrs. Vinten's office for LPAC review meetings with Ms. Chamri.  Please bring your computer (not sure if you will need it or not, so bring it just in case).  Calendar invites were sent out as reminders.

• Kindergarten - 2nd grade = 2:30pm

• 3rd - 5th grade = 2:00pm

• 6th - 8th grade = 10:00am

• PK team (TBD...I will let you all know on Monday regarding your time)

To-Do Items

Things to do this week:

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

• Sign up for the Family Fun Event on January 30

• Fill out your Book Fair wish list!

• Work on Choice Board activities.  Have a great one - show me!  

• Continue with weekly digital citizenship lessons - IMPORTANT!! 😀

Jan 28 Weekly Lesson Plans Due (by PM)

Jan 29 102nd Day of School!!! 

Jan 29 - Feb 2 Scholastic Book Fair Week (see themed days within the newsletter)

Jan 30 Family Fun Event - Sign Up Link above

Jan 30 LPAC meetings with Ms. Chamri (calendar invites sent last week)

Feb 12-16 SLO Student Growth Tracker Input Due - Evidence #3

Feb 16 End of the 4th Six Week Period

Feb 16 Wellness Friday!

Feb 20 Start of the 5th Six Week Period

May 10 Six Flags Over Texas Field Trip for grades 4th - 8th