"B" week schedule

Arabic Storytelling Competition

This Monday and Tuesday, May 6th & 7th, is the STEM campus Arabic Storytelling Competition!  I have had the pleasure to watch the scholars practicing for this event, and I am so impressed at their storytelling skills!  Great work, Ms. Gigi, on the preparation of this event!

Please see the schedule below.  Ms. Gigi will reach out to you if you have students attending/classes involved and class schedule changes (if necessary).

Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week - May 6-10

You all deserve a fun-filled "sweet" week!  Enjoy your week!

2nd Annual Family Fun Cultural Event - May 14

Tuesday, May 14 from 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm will be our last family fun event for the year.  Each grade level/team will need to sign up on this link for a country to feature for the event.  Throughout the next few weeks, have students create projects regarding information about that country and culture, find a simple craft or game relating to that country for families to participate in on May 14, and have students help decorate your room in your country's colors and items.  

Families will be able to travel around the world and learn about the many cultures that make up Manara STEM Academy. They will be able to enjoy performances (such as Arabic Storytelling), a cultural fashion show, arts and crafts, and henna. Like last year, students will get a passport at check-in and collect stamps to receive a prize (PTO is assisting with this).  There will also be a potluck dinner event to enjoy some cultural foods and Arlington Charities will also be there for you to get free groceries! It will be a very fun event, full of celebrating all countries and cultures!

Field Day - May 23, 2024

Coach Smith is working hard on planning a fun field day event for May 23, along with the PTO getting "sweet treat" vendors and putting together a fun lunch for the students.  Please continue to fill out the field day t-shirt sign up link as students are bringing in their money.  As you are collecting money from scholars ($10 per scholar), please indicate on the t-shirt order form that they have paid and turn in money daily to Mrs. Vinten or Mrs. Tabatha.  More event details to come!  

End of Year Grade Level Ceremonies

For end of the year grade level ceremonies, please place student awards in this folder for the following:

• Top Grade Level Scholar

• Top Reader

• Top Scientist

• Top Mathematician

• Top Social Studies Scholar

• Top STEM Scholar

You can choose any award format, just place the completed awards in the folder so that I can print them in color on card stock prior to the ceremony day.  Canva has great certificate templates, as well as you can find fun academic templates online as well.  I will create grade level completion certificates, A/B Honor Roll and Perfect Attendance certificates for each student and place within those folders as well.

Within the "Upcoming Events" section are the ceremony dates and times.  Kindergarten and 8th grade photos (Kinder in cap & gowns, 8th grade in formal dress attire) will be taken on Thursday, May 9.  Scheduled times will be sent soon, but will take place between 8:30-12:00 that day.

Ms. Corey, Coach Smith, Ms. Gigi & Ms. Fadoua, please place your grade level certificates (Top Artist, Top Language Students, Top PE Student) per grade level in grade level folders as well.

Please have certificates complete in folders by Monday, May 20.  Let me know if you need any assistance!

Yearbooks - SELL, SELL, SELL!

Please send out communication via your Class Dojo site to families about yearbook sales.  The yearbooks have arrived on campus (YAY) and can no longer be paid for on the LifeTouch link.  If scholars would like to purchase a yearbook, they are available in the front office for purchase.  Thank you, Ms. Corey, for all the hard work you put into creating such a beautiful yearbook!  🎉

Grades and PowerSchool Parent Access

Please make sure you are updating your grades EACH WEEK, as parents now have access to view their child's grades/progress in PowerSchool.  As a reminder, you should have a minimum of 2 grades per content area each week uploaded into PowerSchool, and you should have at least 3 summative assessments per 6 weeks included within those grades.  Zeros can be placeholders within the gradebook while you are waiting for students to complete work if necessary, but make sure you are in communication with the parents if students are not completing work.  There should never be failing grades that stay in a gradebook without communication to families.  Reach out if you have any questions or need help!

Manara 5K

Sunday, May 5, is the Manara 5K event!  Remember, the class with the most participation receives a popsicle party AND that teacher gets a week's worth of no afternoon duty!!!  Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Maverick Store Hours

We are excited that the school store is up and running!  Scholars are extremely excited to earn Maverick Bucks and spend them, so continue to focus on the positive behaviors with them so that they can earn their "shopping" money!

Here is the schedule for classes to attend the store.  Our shopping day will be Friday each week. Please make sure to attend the time assigned, as there may not be other times throughout the week to open the store due to coverage (if you would like to take your class another day as well, just reach out to Ms. Vinten to see if there is an opportunity to attend).  Thank you for also reiterating that only 4 scholars at a time should be in the store area as to prevent overcrowding.  Teachers of grades PK - 2, please bring your class down at one time and allow 4 scholars at a time to shop (taking turns).  Scholars in grades 3-8 can be sent down 4 at a time to the store to shop.  Let Ms. Vinten or Ms. Tabatha know if you have any questions!  A hard copy of the schedule was given to each teacher to hang up in classrooms.

Maverick Store Schedule

KA:  8:10-8:30

KB:  8:30-8:50

PK:  8:50-9:10

1A:  9:10-9:30

1B:  9:30-9:50

6th:  9:50-10:10

8th:  10:10-10:30

7th:  10:30-10:50

3A:  10:50-11:10

3B:  11:10-11:30

4th:  11:30-11:50

5th:  11:50-12:10

2nd:  12:10-12:30

TFAR Naming Conventions

For teachers in grades 3-8, please make sure to update your TFAR naming conventions with the following:

 Teacher last name.grade.subject.TEK focus.date

The last TFAR is due the week of May 20.  (for the LAST 6 week period).  However, you can still use the platform for practicing STAAR type questions.  Practice makes perfect...or at least it helps with learning the platform better! 

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

I will begin setting up Summative conferences for the week of May 20, so please have your SLO data collection complete by your Summative conference date!

To-Do Items

Things to do this week:

• Pass out Maverick Bucks for great behaviors and expectations!!!!!!

• Work on your class cultural/country projects, presentations, and displays for our May 14 Cultural Event

• Fill out the t-shirt order form for payment received and give payment to Ms. Tabatha daily

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

• SLO data collection - EOY Skill Level (and making sure all SLO data collection has been completed in the drive folder)

May 6-10 Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week!

May 6-31 mCLASS EOY Assessments K-5

May 6-31 TX-KEA & TPRI EOY Assessments K-1

May 6 Arabic Storytelling Competition (grades 4th-8th)

May 7 Arabic Storytelling Competition (grades 1st-3rd)

May 8 Teacher Appreciation Potluck Luncheon

May 9 Kindergarten and 8th grade formal picture day 8:30-12:00pm (Kinder in collared uniform shirts, 8th grade in formal dress wear)

May 10 Six Flags Over Texas Field Study for grades 6th - 8th 

May 13 Arabic Benchmark Final Exam

May 14 Last Family Fun Event 4-6pm

May 20-24 Last TFAR completion due (grades 3-8)

May 20 EOY grade level certificates due in grade level folder

May 23 Field Day 

May 24 8th grade end of year celebration 9:00am - 12:00pm (more information will be sent home with 8th grade families)

May 24 Manara High School Graduation (Irving location)

May 27 No school - Memorial Day holiday

May 28 4th & 5th grade end of year ceremony 8:30-9:30am

May 28 6th & 7th grade end of year ceremony 10:00-11:00am

May 29 1st & 2nd grade end of year ceremony 8:30-9:30am

May 29 3rd grade end of year ceremony 10:00-11:00am

May 30 Pre-K 3, Pre-K 4 & Kindergarten end of year ceremony 8:30-10:00am

May 31 Last day of school for students