Mr. Elkins' Weekly Wrap: September 2023

Friday, September 29, 2023

Week of 9/25 - 9/29

Hey Panda Family,

Perspective is important. I made a visit this week to a neighboring school, and it reminded me of how thankful and blessed I am to work with such dedicated educators & wonderful people. We have a special thing going here 😊 People feel something different when they visit PGE. That is because of YOU. Let's continue to be different - love every person in the building (students & adults), lend a helping hand to a colleague in need, honor the absent (or instead, just say nice things about others), and believe that all students can grow and succeed. Thank you for another wonderful week. 💚

Here are the Weekly Wrap updates for this week:

New Updates

PGE Fall Festival: Our annual Fall Festival is tomorrow, September 30, from 10:00 - 2:00. We hope you will come have fun with us!

Custodian Appreciation Week: Next week we will celebrate our wonderful custodial staff! Please have your class join in on the celebration by doing something special for Ms. Nicole, Ms. Cathie, Mr. Rick, and Mr. RJ. Thank you!

Small Group Instruction: Now that all BOY diagnostics are complete (iReady & Mclass), we will shift into analyzing this data and beginning our skill-based centers & small group instruction for both Reading and Math. I want to give all classrooms plenty of time to review data and establish routines for small group instruction. Please have this work completed by the end of October. I would like all Reading & Math small groups to be part of your regular instruction by the beginning of 2nd Quarter. We will discuss small group instruction in more detail during PLTs.

MTSS Groups: We have completed our Tier 2 meetings and we are finishing up our Tier 3 meetings. Here are some updates:

Thank you for your hard work during PLT's this week and during Tier 3 meetings to ensure our students receiving interventions are getting what they need to be successful.

Mrs. Edwards will be off campus all week. Please do not send her students to her room.

Mrs. Pierce will not have student groups on Monday or Tuesday so we can work on adjusting her schedule and getting new resources together. We will share the updated schedules for both Pierce and Edwards.

Emergency Lesson Plans: Please make sure you have emergency lesson plans for at least 3 days worth. When an emergency comes up the last thing you want to do is scramble to get plans together. Please make sure your plans are printed and easy to locate in your room. Thanks!

Good Citizens Awards: Each month your Good Citizen will be awarded a panda key chain and a book token for the vending machine. Please make sure your Good Citizen represents the upstanding qualities we are looking for as our model students. The awards for this month will be in your box by Monday morning. Reach out to Ms. Ceglowski if you have any questions.

Second Step SEL Lessons: If you haven't already, please make sure you begin your Second Step lessons next week. These lessons provide great strategies and skills for the kids to help them process their feelings and responses through a variety of situations. These lessons are a great resource for Morning Meetings. There are 20 total lessons that your class will complete over the course of the school year. Feel free to pace them out as you see fit. We will periodically monitor your progress. Here is the link - https://www.secondstep.org/. Please reach out to Ms. Ceglowski if you have any questions or need help.

October Drills: Fire, Earthquake, and Tornado. Please practice Earthquake and Tornado drills next week with your class.

Shout-Outs: Check out who is in the WS/FCS news! Click on this link to see the district story about Hello Week - WS/FCS Article - Hello Week

Updates from Previous Week

BOY Reports: If you would like your iReady or Mclass BOY reports printed in color for your parents all you have to do now is print to the "Toshiba Follow Me" copy machine in the front office. Log in to the color copy machine (the one in the corner) and print your job in the queue. If you need any help just come see Mr. Elkins.

PTA Reimbursements (from PTA): My name is Ruby Lansdell and I am the new PTA Treasurer for the 2023-2024 school year. You may know my little one - Alexis who is in 2^nd grade. I am a Certified Public Accountant in Greensboro at Bernard Robinson & Company. I am super excited to serve you all this year!

This should be the same process as last year. I have created a Google form where you can enter the request and upload the receipts. If you are uncomfortable with uploading receipts, you are welcome to scan and email to me or place the receipts in the PTA Treasurer inbox. We will need all reimbursements in by June 1, 2024. Below is the link to the form:

Teacher Reimbursement

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd571mmbxtIQGJVU3Yd_tX6_gRVtuHnCg68ahwhoNP6vog0ww/viewform?usp=sf_link

Our budget was approved for the 2022-2023 school year. I am excited to share the following:

Grade Level Allowances - ALL teachers and support will receive $100 each. If you have questions about how to utilize this allowance, feel free to call/text/email me. We want you to use this to benefit your work so please take advantage of it.
Specialist Programs - We ended up putting this all into one budget line and I have broken out the budget below. Again, please take advantage of this and let me know if you need help with coming up with ideas on how to use it.

Art Program - $250
Music Program - $250
PE Program - $250
Science Program - $250
Media Center Program - $250

Anyone else - if you need money for a special project, please don't hesitate to ask. We have money set aside and we are happy to take special requests to the board.

We greatly appreciate you and all you do for our children. We look forward to an amazing year!

Bus Safety Video: Please make sure your class has viewed the bus safety videos. Once your class has watched them please sign off on the sheet hanging outside Ms. Gardner's office. Here is the link to the video - http://ncbussafety.org/SafetyLessons/index.html

Positive Communication Log: Make sure you are filling the buckets of your students and your parents. Please send a positive Dojo, make a positive phone call, or send a Panda Gram for each student by the end of the month. Positive Communication Logs are due to Mr. Elkins by October 1.

Upcoming Dates:

September 29 - Progress Reports Due

September 29 - PDPs due by this date

September 30 - PGE Fall Festival from 10:00 - 2:00

October 1 - Positive Communication Log due

October 2-6 - Custodian Appreciation week- Show Nicole, Cathie, RJ, and Mr. Rick some love

October 3 - PBIS & MTAC meet @ 3:30

October 4 - Elkins off campus (Principal's meeting)

October 9 - PTA Meeting @ 6:30

October 10 - SIT @ 3:30

October 10 - PTA Spirit Night @ Jersey Mike's

October 17 - Staff Meeting @ 3:30

Friday, September 22, 2023

Week of 9/18 - 9/22

Hey Panda Family,

There are many things in life that require different types of talents in order to be successful. However, the things that require no talent are normally the best qualities. We may not be able to dunk a basketball, sing like Taylor Swift, or create a magnificent sculpture; but we can all be kind, inclusive, and loving towards each other. Thank you for celebrating Hello Week with us this past week as we taught our students the importance of making new friends, kindness, and welcoming everyone. Let's stay above the line and continue to love and support one another. Thanks for all you do!

Here are the Weekly Wrap updates for this week:

New Updates

Morning Arrival Adjustments: As discussed in our staff meeting this past week, beginning Monday, September 25 we will begin morning arrival for car riders only beginning at 7:45. If you have a morning duty, please make sure you arrive to your post at 7:45. Thank you!

MTSS/Tier 2 Planning: With Mrs. Balint out on leave, Mrs. Ceglowski and Mrs. Gardner are taking over MTSS. Next week during PLT's we will review students that had a Tier 2 plan last year, compare previous data to the new data we have collected, and decide if a plan is still needed.

Please bring data to PLTs. See examples below.

work samples relating to specific concern
exit tickets relating to specific concern
weekly assessments relating to specific concern
DIBELS report
i-Ready reports
PAST
Core Phonics Survey
Number knowledge

Make sure to communicate with parents about the academic concern before presenting the concern to the MTSS team.

Teachers will need to send home the parent letter after the meeting.

Students who are currently receiving Tier 3 interventions have a separate meeting already scheduled.

Book Fair (from Ms. Lloyd): Our Bedford Falls book fair is next week! This year again we will be doing Pumpkins decorated as Book Characters. Pumpkins will be provided by the PTA and will be here on Wednesday 9/20. Voting will take place during Fall Festival on Saturday September 30^th 10 am - 2 pm. Bring your pumpkins to the media center any time before Saturday!

Homeroom Teachers - in the next couple of days, flyers will be put in your mailbox for Friday Folders. Also, here is the QR code if you want to share digitally for parents to sign up for Kid Credit :

or : https://kidcredit.bedfordfallsusa.com/kidCredit.php?fairID=15705

Thank you for your help in promoting the Book Fair!!

Flu Shots (Optional): Kernersville Pharmacy will be here Wednesday, 9/27/23 from 7:00 - 9:00 am to give flu shots for any staff members that want them. We have put the paperwork in your boxes. Please complete the first 2 pages and make a copy of your insurance card and bring all with you to get your shot.

Teacher Reimbursement

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd571mmbxtIQGJVU3Yd_tX6_gRVtuHnCg68ahwhoNP6vog0ww/viewform?usp=sf_link

Our budget was approved for the 2022-2023 school year. I am excited to share the following:

Grade Level Allowances - ALL teachers and support will receive $100 each. If you have questions about how to utilize this allowance, feel free to call/text/email me. We want you to use this to benefit your work so please take advantage of it.
Specialist Programs - We ended up putting this all into one budget line and I have broken out the budget below. Again, please take advantage of this and let me know if you need help with coming up with ideas on how to use it.

Art Program - $250
Music Program - $250
PE Program - $250
Science Program - $250
Media Center Program - $250

Anyone else - if you need money for a special project, please don't hesitate to ask. We have money set aside and we are happy to take special requests to the board.

We greatly appreciate you and all you do for our children. We look forward to an amazing year!

PBIS Reminders/ Updates: Please have all Paw Forms submitted to Educator's Handbook by Friday, September 29. This goes under "minor". Reach out to Gardner if you have questions.

Suicide Prevention: If you have time, please read this blog post shared by Ms. Schendstok on suicide prevention. You can find the post here - http://schoolpsychws.blogspot.com/

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

Bedford Falls Book Fair Sept 25-29 from 7:50-2:50. September 30 is the Fall Festival

Pumpkin Palooza: Each class can bring a pumpkin decorated as a book character before Friday, Sept 29. We will vote for our favorite pumpkin at the Fall Festival! If you need a free pumpkin, please help yourself to one of the pumpkins at the front entrance.

Shout-Outs: We had NO violations on our Fire Marshall inspection! Way to go, Pandas!

Updates from Previous Week

SCC Hospitality Dues: Friendly reminder to pay Ms. Mabe $25 for your SCC Hospitality dues. Thank you!

Buddy Walk (from Ms. Lindley): This year is the 25^th Annual Greater Winston-Salem Buddy Walk and Family Fun Day Hosted by the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Winston Salem.

As many of you know, I have a student near and dear to my heart with Down Syndrome. I would love for our entire staff to show her, her family and this entire organization support by registering for the Buddy Walk on October 21 at West Forsyth High School. You can use the code wsfcs to get $10 off your registration. If you are unable to walk but would like to make a donation that would be greatly appreciated also! Here is the link: https://charity.pledgeit.org/t/ZJZ13lX9gf

Second Step SEL Lessons: This year we will be completing the Second Step SEL lessons again. These lessons provide great strategies and skills for the kids to help them process their feelings and responses through a variety of situations. These lessons are a great resource for Morning Meetings. There are 20 total lessons that your class will complete over the course of the school year. Feel free to pace them out as you see fit. We will periodically monitor your progress. Here is the link - https://www.secondstep.org/. Please reach out to Ms. Ceglowski if you have any questions or need help.