Mr. Elkins' Weekly Wrap

Friday, September 16, 2022

Week of 9/12 - 9/16

Hey Panda Family,

On Tuesday afternoon, I was standing in the front foyer for dismissal. A 2nd grade student, who has been here since Kindergarten, came up to me and gave me a hug goodbye. I told her to have a good afternoon and she responded by saying, "I wish I could live here because I love it so much". She was so genuine and knowing this child's home situation, I knew this was her safe place. Don't ever underestimate the impact and love that you give each of your students. It means more than you know💚🐼

Here are the Weekly Wrap updates for this week:

New Updates

Staff Meeting (Tuesday, September 20): Our monthly staff meeting will be this upcoming Tuesday, September 20 @ 3:30. We have a full agenda and will meet until 4:45. Thank you! Here is the agenda:

Good News
Duck Winners
Flex Benefits
SEL Professional Development
Code of Conduct Booster
FCAE Updates
School Report Card Grade

Kernersville Chamber Grants: Just a reminder that the education grants deadline is NEXT Wednesday, September 21 at 4PM. Please find the link to the application below. Please share with your teachers. Thanks for all you do! https://www.kernersvillenc.com/education#Grant

Picture Day: Picture Day is this upcoming Wednesday, September 21. Pictures will be taken in the media center. Bring all picture money/envelopes with you at your scheduled time and the photographer will collect them. Ms. Owens emailed out the picture schedule.

PBIS Kick-off: Friday, September 23, 2022, during specials. Grade levels will report to the gym. This will only take 15-20 minutes then students will go to specials. Click on "PBIS Kick-off" for presentation.

Eagle Scout Projects: We have two new outdoor learning areas for you and your students to enjoy! The canopy benches in the center courtyard were done by Max Mason & the outdoor classroom area near the nature trail was done by Avery Sherrill. Thank you to both Scout Groups! We have created a sign-up for the outdoor learning area by the nature trail. Please use this sign-up to reserve your spot!

Outdoor Learning Area @ PGE

Outdoor Classroom Sign-Up

Observations: Everyone will have their first observation announced no matter what type of cycle you are on (comprehensive, abbreviated, or standard).

Dental Screening: Dental screening is Thursday, September 29. Grades PreK, K, 3rd, and 5th. Click on "dental screening" for the schedule.

Safety Patrol (from Ms. Brookshire): Hi all! Please remind your students to be on their best hallway behavior as our new safety patrol members are beginning the year. In recent years some have not realized that they are there for everyone's safety. Respecting their authority really helps our school to be the best we can. Thank you all so much!

Recess Shed: There are three new ball racks for the recess shed. The ball racks are to stay inside the shed. Recess helpers are to collect all the balls from the playground and place them on the ball racks.

Curriculum Updates: Please see the Curriculum Updates below.

mClass/ DIBELS - window closes on 9/26.

Please send any invalidation requests to Mrs. Gardner.
Sync your devices often
Gardner will look at our completion rates early next week

The i-Ready BOY Benchmark for K-3 Reading window has been extended. The new window is September 6 - 26, 2022

Media Updates (from Ms. Epperley): Here are the updates from Ms. Epperley in the Media Center.

Open check-out 7:50-8:20am: Please send "library cards" with first and second graders.
S.M.A.C. library helpers will be coming around to collect books.

FYI...We will be voting on Book Fair Pumpkins again this year

Technology needs: Please email Mrs. Epperley if you need a Ladybug document camera or an iPad charger. We are placing an order soon!

Grade level Core Standard Books will be delivered to grade level reps this week!

3-5: Bring Chromebooks to media specials.

Shout-Outs: Shout Out to Ms. Ashburn for getting a Donor's Choose project funded! Awesome work!

Important Items from Last Week

Code of Conduct Lessons (homeroom teachers): Please make sure you are finding time to complete the 6 required Code of Conduct lessons during the first three weeks of school. This is a district requirement. Please see all the important Code of Conduct documents linked below. Thanks!

Code Presentation

K-2 Lesson plans

3-5 Lesson plans

Flocabulary: Our school has a Flocabulary site license again this year. This is a wonderful resource for all subject areas! Login using your school Google account at https://www.flocabulary.com/subjects/. If you have any issues accessing your account please don't hesitate to reach out to Mr. Elkins.

i-Ready: If you have any issues during the i-Ready diagnostic, please see Mr. Elkins and he will assist you.

Positive Messages: I love seeing all the Pandagrams being sent home to celebrate the great things our students are doing (the students show them off at dismissal 😊)! Continue to fill those buckets with Pandagrams, positive Dojo messages, and positive phone calls. Please make sure to send a positive message home to each parent about their child by the end of the month. This will help build rapport with the parents when you need them most later in the year.

Fall Fire Marshal Inspection: These have started across the district. We will be in touch when they visit us.

Sub List: Here is the most up-to-date substitute list, Pam Mason's availability, and the direct link to Frontline. Please use these resources to find a sub in case you have to be out. Please reach out to Ms. Owens if you have any questions.

Substitutes

Pam Mason's Schedule

Frontline

Upcoming Dates:

~~September 20 - iReady K-3 BOY Window closes (Reading Only)~~

September 20 - Staff Meeting @ 3:30

September 21 - School Picture Day!

September 23 - PDPs must be completed by this date

September 23 - iReady 4-5 BOY Window closes (Reading & Math)

September 23 - PBIS Kickoff

September 26 - Mclass Window closes

September 26 - iReady K-3 BOY Window closes (Math & Reading)

September 27 - SCC & Wellness Committees meet @ 3:30

September 29 - Dental Screening

September 30 - Positive Communication Log due to Mr. Elkins

October 1 - PTA Pumpkin Sale @ PGE from 7:00 - 11:00am

October 3 - Start Mclass Progress Monitoring this week

October 4 - PBIS & MTAC @ 3:30

October 5 - Early Release Day

October 5 - Elkins @ Principal's Meeting

October 7 - Progress Reports due

Friday, September 9, 2022

Week of 9/5 - 9/9

Hey Panda Family,

As we round out our Color Days, I am so proud of the independence of our students at arrival and dismissal, the adult teamwork I see throughout the building to help our pandas, and the high expectations that are being set in the classroom! You are planting seeds that are going to grow and thrive🌱

Here are the Weekly Wrap updates for this week:

New Updates

PLTs: PLTs will officially begin next week - week of September 12. I can't wait to begin working with you! Please make sure you bring your laptop with you to PLTs.

Code Presentation

K-2 Lesson plans

3-5 Lesson plans

i-Ready: If you have any issues during the i-Ready diagnostic, please see Mr. Elkins and he will assist you.

Evacuation Drill: We have to have an Evacuation Drill separate from our monthly Fire Drill. Our Evacuation Drill will be on Friday, September 16 @ 9:30.

We will evacuate to the field behind the PODS, weather permitting.
If we cannot go outside due to the weather, K, 1, and 5^th will report to the cafeteria and 2nd, 3rd, and 4^th will report to the gym.

Fall Fire Marshal Inspection: These have started across the district. We will be in touch when they visit us.

Curriculum Updates: Please see the Curriculum Updates below.

A Game Changer: Using Brain Science in the Classroom Increases Engagement and Achievement.

Dates: Tue October 11th, 2022

Thu October 20^th

Time: 4:00 – 6:00

Location: Lewisville Middle School B315

NOTE: This is a two-part workshop. Participants should register for and attend both sessions.

Click on “Register for All.”

Link to register: https://pulse.kickup.co/events/collection/zrC8perfFKgT27kEJQSJyK

This workshop will guide educators to learn how the brain works and how to teach students about our brains which positively impacts student learning. Participants will learn that teaching students HOW their brain learns is research proven. We will reflect on what several neurobiologists and educators have learned about brain-based education. Participants will leave with classroom-ready resources and brain-based strategies that can shape the learning culture in their room.

Session one will teach the research behind why all educators from teachers to policymakers need to understand how the brain learns. Participants will learn how this approach is a must for building growth mindsets and making students more confident and successful. Students who understand how their brains learn have more belief that they can learn. We also will focus on some brain-based learning strategies (Kagan) that support what we know about how learning occurs.

In Session two, participants will take their knowledge about how the brain learns from session 1 and apply it to culturally responsive instruction in this follow up session. Participants will examine what culturally responsive instruction is and how we can use it to promote authentic engagement & rigor to support students' intellectual capacity. Participants will be able to take away strategies to implement culturally responsive teaching in their classroom to increase learning for all students.

Media Updates (from Ms. Epperley): Here are the updates from Ms. Epperley in the Media Center.

Open check-out 7:50-8:20am: We are making "library cards" for first and second graders to bring with them for self-check out in the morning. They will be in your mailbox.

Send Mrs. Epperley your grade level picture for the website.

Ipads: See Mrs. Epperley if your iPad needs resetting!

Chromebooks: We will make copies of the Chromebook Agreement forms and put them in your mailbox so you will know who your day users are.

Shout-Outs: From Ms. Medley -

Shout out to Deana Jones: Thanks for always being willing to share resources and ideas!

Shout out to Elizabeth Postle for sharing lots of tie-dye materials with us! Our shirts look amazing thanks to you!

Shout out to Mrs. Guffey! Thanks for coming into the classrooms and doing a fun & engaging lesson!

If anyone needs help getting their phone/voicemail set-up I am happy to help!

From Ms. Rempe -

Shouts to Alexis, Janet, and Deana for helping me remember where the change student passwords were for Home Base :)

Shouts to my class for trying their very best these first 2 weeks :)

Important Items from Last Week

School-Wide PDP Goal (Certified Staff): Please copy & paste the school-wide PDP goal that is listed below into your PDP. We discussed this goal with SIT and we will all work on this together.

Goal: To improve the overall Social & Emotional Learning experience for Piney Grove students and staff.

Activities/Actions: Complete all 20 Second Step Lessons, complete Code of Conduct Lessons, implement SEL PD during Staff Meetings, utilize Restorative Practices, daily Morning Meetings

Expected Outcomes: The School Improvement Team will create a student and staff friendly survey to monitor the progress and effectiveness of our SEL implementation. We will complete the survey at MOY and EOY. See growth in survey results from MOY to EOY.

Resources Needed: Second Step Trainings, Code of Conduct Trainings, SEL Coach Support (Todd Rich)

Timeline: 2022-2023 School Year

PDP Conferences: Please sign up for your PDP conference outside Mr. Elkins or Ms. Gardner's office. Remember, your Self-Assessment and PDP should be completed before our meeting.

Classroom Safety: Please remember to keep your door locked at all times. Your door can be left cracked open.

Curriculum Updates: Please see the Curriculum Updates below.

Math- The enVision Mathematics student consumables have started to arrive at the district warehouse. They will be delivered soon. We will make sure you get the materials as soon as they arrive at school.

BOY DIBELS/mCLASS- The window for grades K-3 and 4^th grade R2A opens Tuesday, Sept. 6. I placed a copy of the Assessment at a Glance in your mailbox. Here is the presentation from the refresher training this past week: Dibels Refresher Link If you need to invalidate a student, email Mrs. Gardner the following information:

Student Name
Reason for invalidation request. Please be specific - include explanation of situation and specific probe name (PSF, NWF, etc.).
If approved, she will notify the teacher and she will invalidate the necessary assessment measure in Amplify.