"B" week schedule this week!

End of the 2nd 6 week period

I know....I can't believe it either!  Next Friday, October 27, is the end of the 2nd 6 week period.  Make sure to continue to update grades these last two weeks so that the parents can get an accurate picture as to where their scholar is in your class(es).  Also remember there should never be "blanket 100's" given to the entire class.  A grade is "earned", not "given".  There should also not be any failing grades on the report card without parents already knowing.  Now is a great time to reach out to families to let them know of struggling areas and what they can help their child with in their academic process.  

If you have any questions or need support with grades/grading, please reach out!  I'm happy to help you navigate the process.  

Common Sense Media for STEM Fridays

Digital citizenship is extremely important with all our scholars, especially the scholars in grades 3 - 8 who can now take them everywhere!   Please also make sure to be diligent with their usage within your class time.  

To help you prepare students for their first devices, we will start digital citizenship lessons through Common Sense Education (bookmark this site and sign up to utilize it as a teacher).  They've created a collection of lessons with videos and fun activities to introduce (and remind them of) great responsibility. 

The Device Advice Collection contains these lessons for grades K–5:

• Caring for Our Devices

• Why We Pause for People

• Managing Device Distractions

• Our Device Charter 

And if you teach older students, check out our new Digital Well-Being collections for middle school and high school!

This week on STEM Friday, all homeroom classrooms K-8 please do the Our Device Charter lesson, as this lesson goes over norms and expectations and is a great lesson to start with.  These lessons are PERFECT for our STEM Friday time, as you can take a "technology" grade once a week for the STEM block utilizing these lessons.  The lesson plans are scripted, there are slides or videos and sometimes worksheets that coincide with the lesson, and it gives the pacing time for each lesson so you know how to plan!  Please make sure to include which digital citizenship lesson within your lesson plan you will be implementing each Friday.  Start hanging up student work in the hallways you may be completing (if paper copies) of some of their digital citizenship work! You can implement more than one lesson a week, as there are many lessons to choose from! Also sign up on their website to send you emails to your school email, as they weekly send me tips and lessons that can help guide your lesson plan focus in which you won't have to "dig" for what to teach!

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!

Family Fun Event - October 26

Our next Family Fun Event will be on October 26.  The PTO has helped plan the theme for this month's event:  Family Game Night - SuperHero Theme!  Please sign up on this form if you will be attending this event.  If possible, I'd like as many teachers who can to attend this one, as one of the "games" that scholars will have the opportunity to do is pay to "Pie A Teacher" for $5.00.  That will take place in the gym at a designated time, but games will be in your classrooms.  I know it will be a fun Family Fun Event time!  You'll also earn a Sonic drink the next day if attending!!!!

Thank you, Ms. Dormier, for signing up already! 😁  Come see me for a prize on Monday for being the first to sign up to attend!

Morning Procedures

Continue to revisit all procedures, especially morning procedures.  Please also continue to be visible in the hallway outside of your door in the morning.  Shout out to Ms. Gigi for helping walk kiddos to class in a fun, upbeat way and starting their day off in a positive manner!  I love the music and dancing first thing in the morning (and so do the scholars!)!  😀

Red Ribbon Week - Oct 23-27

Red Ribbon Week is the last full week in October.  More information to come regarding Career Day on Tuesday, Oct 24.  It will be a fun-filled themed week!

To-Do Items

Things to do this week:

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

• Sign up for Oct. 26 Family Fun Game Night in the link above

• Continue to focus on beginning of day routines with your scholars (greeting scholars in the hall outside your room and morning work procedures)

• Plan your digital citizenship lesson for Friday through the Common Sense Education website

• Paper bulletin board creations (one for both 3rd grade classes, one for 4th & 5th grade classes, and one for 6th - 8th grade classes)

Oct 20 Dress Down Day - $1.00

Oct 20 Staff Meeting 2pm-3pm (staff lounge)

Oct 23-27 Red Ribbon Week

Oct 24 Career Day - more info to come

Oct 25 Vinten off campus - Strategic Planning at the District Office

Oct 26 Birthday Thursday for October Birthdays

Oct 26 Family Fun Event - Game Night!

Oct 27 End of 2nd 6 week period

Oct 30 Vinten off campus - Region 10

Nov 3 Report Cards Sent Home

Nov 6-10 Student-Led Conference Week

Nov 20-24 No school for staff and scholars - Thanksgiving Break

Nov 27 No school for scholars - staff professional development day