Sunday, February 27, 2022

Week of 2/21 - 2/25

Hey Panda Family,


We are halfway through 3rd Quarter! Because of the limited breaks, 3rd Quarter always feels like a marathon. Pace yourself, and enjoy the teacher workday this Friday to catch your breath. Have fun with the Boosterthon kickoff this week 😊 Starting on Tuesday, March 1 you will take your class to the gym for their huddles at the beginning of Specials. Please make sure you stay for the duration of the huddle. Be silly, be a cheerleader, and let your guard down - your kids will love it! Hope you have a wonderful week! 

Here are the Weekly Wrap updates for this week:


No Staff PD on March 3rd: I have had several staff members reach out asking about the scheduled PD for March 3 afterschool. We cancelled all of our in-house PD sessions this year to give you time to work on LETRS and other required trainings. Please use the time on March 3 to work on LETRS, Mental Health trainings, etc. 



3rd Quarter Progress Reports: Progress reports for 3rd quarter should go home this week. Please make sure grades are updated in PowerSchool. 


K-2, you will print off progress reports from PowerSchool like we did for 2nd Quarter. 

Here are the how-to videos: K-2 SBG Progress ReportAdding Grade Scale Descriptors


3-5, please let parents know that grades are updated in Parent Portal. 



MTSS Grade Level Meetings: We will not have scheduled PLTs the week of March 7th - 11th (you will still have PLT coverage). Instead, all grade levels will have a scheduled time to meet with Ms. Balint, our MTSS Coordinator, to update and review plans. These MTSS grade level meetings will occur on Tuesday, March 8th during your Specials time. Here is the schedule:


March 8th MTSS Meetings

8:30 - 4th grade (Tall's room)

9:20 - 2nd grade (Howell's room)

10:10 - 1st grade (Harman's room)

11:00 - Kindergarten (Sloan's room)

12:00 - 5th grade (Medley's room)

1:30 - 3rd grade (Gant's room) 


Boosterthon Kickoff Video: Please make sure your students watch the Boosterthon kickoff video tomorrow before dismissal. The link to the video is below. 

  • Have students watch this video on 2/28 (we will watch as a school at 2:40 on 2/28)

Boosterthon T-Shirt: Please wear your Boosterthon t-shirt on Tuesday, March 1 to celebrate our kick-off.



Boosterthon Presentation (from PTA): Please see the message below from PTA. 


https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1WmUjFwC9n0pPYBlBIqbPOHF-aevLdWUD/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102036158558736897566&rtpof=true&sd=true

From Ms. Hurley:

I took the time to add in the benefit of each tier to help the teachers understand the "why" behind our thought process.  I do want to invite anyone who has questions/comments/concerns to bring them to us.  Feedback only makes these initiatives better!  
I also wanted to take the opportunity to say that I think some things are being spoken into existence that aren't true about the Calm Down room (previously called the Sensory room).  I have heard multiple individuals state that it is a room for kids who are having a hard time/meltdown/etc.  This is absolutely not the intention of the space.  We envision this room to be an extension of the library, allowing for any student to be able to use the room as needed.  This room should be available to all students as a safe place to deescalate, and destress.  Hope that helps!



Mid-Year Parent Conferences: Even if you haven't completed all of your Mid-Year conferences please complete this Google form to let us know where you stand - Mid-Year Parent Conferences Completed. Thanks!



March Drills: We have 3 drills this month: fire, lockdown, and tornado (district)

3rd Quarter Check-ins: Testing will take place March 16th, 17th, and 18th.  Please see preliminary plans linked below.   
ELA                 


We Care Cereal Drive (from Ms. Ceglowski): Please see the info below from Ms. Ceglowski and Student Council.
  • Student Council is holding a cereal drive to benefit a local organization, Crisis Control.  Our school participated last year and it was really successful! 
  •  I am going to assign K-2 classrooms a Student Rep to collect boxes in the mornings. 
  • This Rep will have a blurb to say to the class very briefly on Tuesday - the start of the collection drive.  Please allow them this opportunity to show leadership.  
  • 3-5 Classes will get this information from their own class rep.  
  • We will not be counting class totals as there is a LOT going on over the next few weeks. This should be very easy and low maintenance for classroom teachers.

Good Citizen: Please add your class good citizen for February here if you have not done so already.  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1g-RYCjQWmGzmqD1cF3-q0LDDBxjdtYB2Dbi65p8WvQA/edit?usp=sharing


Media Center Updates (from Ms. Epperley): Please see the Media Center updates below.

Read Across America Week: This week we will celebrate Read Across America! Please join in on the fun-filled theme days listed below:


Monday: Red-y to Read Wear Red

Tuesday: Hats off to Reading - Wear your favorite hat to school

Wednesday: Wacky Wednesday - Wear wacky socks!

Thursday: Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Wear your favorite college/school shirt

Friday: No School (Teacher Workday)

3-5 students need Chromebooks for media this week.
 

Morning Announcements: Ms. Ceglowski will email out the student video announcement links. 



Shoutout: Shoutout to all the individuals that helped chaperone and pull off our Putt-Putt field trips over the last two weeks! 



Technology Updates


⌨️ Resources for Developing Keyboarding Skills with Primary Students: Do your students tend to hunt and peck while trying to enter their username and password,  or better yet, do you want your students to develop keyboarding skills that will assist them in creating a typewritten project or report? If so, then there are online resources that you can utilize in your classroom to achieve this goal. 
The following resources have been highly recommended to me and are gamified which will appeal to younger children. The best part is that they are FREE!!! 
As always, if you would like for me to come in during your small group time and work with students as they work through some of the activities, please let me know!
📆 Out of the Office: I will be away this Thursday, March 3rd, and Friday, March 4th to attend NCTIES in Raleigh. This is a conference focused on instructional technology and where I get most of my PD. I will be attending sessions which will be beneficial to you the teachers and students. In addition, I am presenting a session on Hidden Treasures: Tech Tools Off the Beaten Path. 



IF Updates

Need assistance while I am out?  Contact one of these wonderful folks: 

ELA- Kathryn Kear kakear@wsfcs.k12.nc.us

Math- Adrienne Egerton abegerton@wsfcs.k12.nc.us

Early Learning- Anna Crisp amcrisp@wsfcs.k12.nc.us 

MTSS- Robyn Varga rmvarga@wsfcs.k12.nc.us 

PLT- Mollie Jenkins mbjenkins@wsfcs.k12.nc.us 

AIG/CogAt/ITBS school-based questions- Teresa Sweeney tsweeney@wsfcs.k12.nc.us



Upcoming Dates:

February 28 - Boosterthon Video @ 2:40 (link in the WW)
March 1 - Boosterthon Begins
March 1 - Go Far Registration Deadline
March 1 - PBIS & MTAC Committees meet @ 3:30
March 2 - Elkins @ Principal's Meeting
March 2 - 1st & 2nd Grade Sound Wall Training @ 3:30
March 3 - Gardner @ IF Meeting
March 3 - No Staff PD (Work on LETRS)
March 3 - Progress Reports go home
March 4 - No School (Teacher Workday)
March 7 - 3rd Grade RTA Virtual Meeting for Parents @ 5:30
March 8 - SIT @ 3:30
March 8 - PTA Spirit Night @ Elizabeth's Pizza in Walkertown
March 10 - Boosterthon Fun-Run (times TBD)




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