Mr. Elkins' Weekly Wrap

Hey Panda Family,

Monday will mark the 100th Day of School this year! I think the graphic below explains it all 😊 Everyday isn't going to be easy, and some will definitely be better than others, but doing it with a wonderful school/work family makes a world of a difference! This time of year is one of the hardest times - very few breaks, not always the best weather (although today was amazing), and long weeks. Through all of it, y'all are doing great! Keep smiling and take it one day at a time. Y'all are 100% the best school family I could ask for 💚🐼

Here are the Weekly Wrap updates for this week:

New Updates

PLTs Next Week: PLTs next week will focus primarily on Math. Please make sure you bring your computer and data. Thanks!

Principal Meeting @ PGE (Wednesday, February 15): This upcoming Wednesday PGE will be hosting the East Area Principals for my monthly area principal meeting. We will be meeting in the library from 9:00 - 12:00. Please make sure to give them a warm welcome when you see them :)

SEL Showcase (Friday, February 17): Next Friday, we will have some visitors because we have been selected as an SEL Showcase school! Some district staff will be coming to walk our school, see Morning Meetings, and talk to some staff and students about Second Step lessons. Please make sure to give them a warm welcome too!

Second Step Lessons: At this point in the school year your class should be at least through 10 of the Second Step lessons. If you are a little behind, that is okay. These lessons create wonderful dialogue for Morning Meetings and to help build our student's social and emotional competence. Remember, there are 20 total lessons that need to be completed by the end of the school year. Please make sure to mark the lesson complete when you finish it, so it shows completed on my end. Thanks!

PBIS Face Painting: Here is the Face Painting Schedule for next Friday, February 17 - PBIS Face Painting Schedule. Teachers, please send this message to parents of students who have paid for face painting - Your child has chosen to pay Paw Bucks to participate in our PBIS face painting event on Friday, February 17. A parent volunteer will paint a simple design on one of your child’s cheeks. If you do NOT want your child to participate, please respond to this message by Wednesday, February 15 to let me know. Thank you.

Pennies for Pandas: Next week PTA is going to promote a Pennies for Pandas campaign to help raise some funds for our families that have had some unexpected medical bills this school year. The collection jugs will be in the main lobby all next week. Please encourage your students to bring in spare change to help. See the flier below for more details :)

Drive-By Parade for Sammy: Samantha Kiger is scheduled to come home next week 🙌 Some of her friends and family have scheduled a drive-by parade for her here at the school next Saturday, February 18 @ 1:00. Everyone is welcome to attend to wave to her as she drives by that afternoon. If you would like to participate please be here by 12:45 next Saturday. Feel free to make signs or posters :)

February Drills: We only have the fire drill this month. It will be unannounced.

Fire Marshall: Our 2^nd inspection will happen any day now.

Please ensure your back door is not blocked (5-6 floor squares).
Extra desks in the hallway should be brought into a classroom until after the inspection.

Countdown to Kindergarten: This Thursday, February 16 is our Kindergarten Registration Day. Please wear staff shirts as a way to welcome our new Pandas. Registration will be in the Media Center.

The Mouse & the Motorcycle Read Aloud: Here are the first four chapters of The Mouse & the Motorcycle. Feel free to show to your students at your leisure.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle: Letter and Chapter 1

The Mouse and the Motorcycle: Chapter 2

The Mouse and the Motorcycle: Chapter 3

The Mouse and the Motorcycle: Chapter 4

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

Coming soon: Read Across America Drop Everything and Read Theme Days! Feb 27-Mar 3

Media specials will be in classrooms on Wednesday and Thursday next week due to activities in the library.

3rd-5^th bring Chromebooks to media

Shout-Outs: Shout-out to Ms. Rempe, Ms. Finley, Ms. Staley, Ms. Whicker, Ms. Postle, and Ms. Peickert for all their help with our Talent Show! We can't wait to see the show next month 😊

Important Items from Last Week

Yellow Bus Tags (PreK, K, and 1st Only): Please double check your student's bookbags that ride the bus to make sure they still have their yellow bus tag attached. If not, please let Ms. Owens know so she can get you additional ones to replace. Thanks!

Black History Month: Here are some wonderful resources provided by our district to celebrate Black History Month. See the resources below.

Black History Month Resources

Mid-Year Parent Conferences: All homeroom teachers will complete Mid-Year Parent Conferences for their students. Here are the details:

Please complete by Feb 28, 2023
Review MOY data with parents
May do virtual or in-person
Will begin retention discussions at this time

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:

February 13 - 100th Day of School

February 13 - 17 - 2^nd grade CogAT testing @ 10:30

February 13 - PTA Meeting @ 6:30

February 14 - Happy Valentine's Day

February 14 - Class Picture Retakes (for staff who were absent on original class picture day)

February 14 - SIT @ 3:30

February 15 - Elkins @ Principal Meeting 9:00-12:00

February 15 - Balint off campus @ MTSS district meeting (AM)

February 15 - Gardner off campus @ IF meeting

February 16 - Countdown to K Registration Day

February 17 - PBIS Face Painting

February 17 - Video Game Truck Grades 3-5

February 17 - Letters for Talent Show go home in sealed envelope

February 20 - RC Day (Workday)

February 21 - Staff Meeting @ 3:30

February 21 - PTA Spirit Night @ Olympic

February 22 - Bus Driver Appreciation Day

February 28 - SCC & Wellness Committees meet @ 3:30

March 9 - Optional Talent Show Practice @ 3:30 in gym

March 13 - Required Talent Show Dress Rehearsal practice @ 3:30 in gym

March 17 - Talent Show at 8:45 am & 6:30 pm

Hey Panda Family,

Great job with all the MOY testing! We have one more Check-In for 5th grade next week, but other than that we are finished 🙌 Now let's celebrate their growth! Our school iReady Reading growth is at 90% & our school iReady Math growth is at 75%! This is absolutely amazing for only halfway through the year! I will be coming by each class early next week to make sure all classes know the prizes they earned and to celebrate our two classes that had the highest growth in Reading & Math. We will be looking at all data in PLTs over the next few weeks. Great job, Pandas! 🐼

Here are the Weekly Wrap updates for this week:

New Updates

Early Release Day: Next Wednesday, February 8 is an Early Release Day. Here is the lunch schedule and Specials schedule - ER Lunch Schedule & Specials

Staff Attendance Sheet: This afternoon I will place an Attendance Sheet for each individual staff member in their box. This is just to keep you in the loop so you have an accurate record of your Sick Leave, Days Without Pay, FMLA, and No Charge Time Used. Please remember, No Charge Time is for Certified Staff Only.

This record is for the past 12-months only. It is a rolling record, so if you have an absence for 2/1/22 it will roll off your total on 2/1/23.

The columns you want to pay close attention to are Sick Leave and Days Without Pay. These are the columns HR requires me to keep track of so staff doesn't go over the limit. If you have over 7 combined Sick Leave days and/or Days Without Pay (add these columns together) then I will touch base with you. When you get over 10 combined days then we have to start working on a plan to improve your attendance. Personal days or Comp Time does not factor into these totals. Sick days due to COVID don't factor in either as long as you have provided us with proper documentation.

Please know, I am going to work with each of you. Every situation is different and my goal is just to do what is best for our students - and that is having y'all in the classroom when we can 🙂 I also want you to take care of yourself and your family first and foremost. Some days it is impossible to take care of both, and I get that. This is not a "got yah", but more just to keep you in the loop because I never want it to get past the attendance improvement plan.

If you have any questions at all after looking over your sheet, please don't hesitate to reach out and I will be happy to help. Thanks for all y'all do!

Mobile HR: HR Mobile will be coming to our site on Wednesday, Feb 8, 2023 from 1:00 PM - 4:00PM. They will be set up in the Media Center.

**VERY IMPORTANT**

Due to the security features in the ORBIT system, we can now only provide you with very rough estimates of your retirement amount. If you want us to assist you with a closer estimate and specific years of service, you will need to do some preparation ahead of time:

a. Go to myncretirement.com using your own laptop

b. You will need to create an account or login if you already have an account

c. You will then have to register your laptop – you will be sent a security code by email, and this could take minutes or hours to get it back

d. You will need to make sure you use the security code before it expires, or you will be required to register your device again and wait for another security code

e. You will then bring your registered laptop to the meeting (make sure you know your user id and password or have it with you)

Crossing Guard Stipend: Our crossing guard is out indefinitely. If any classified staff members are interested in filling in, please see Mr. Elkins. The pay is $15/hour. There is a short training.

The Mouse & the Motorcycle Read Aloud: Here are the first four chapters of The Mouse & the Motorcycle. Feel free to show to your students at your leisure.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle: Letter and Chapter 1

The Mouse and the Motorcycle: Chapter 2

The Mouse and the Motorcycle: Chapter 3

The Mouse and the Motorcycle: Chapter 4

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

Sip'n Sora Book Tasting! Come by the library on February 8; 1:30-3:00pm (early release day) for a cozy warm drink and browse the newest publications available in our library, both physical and electronic.

3rd-5^th bring Chromebooks to media

Shout-Outs: From Ms. True - Shout out to Lois Ballou for catching the misspelling of the word nurturing (it was in as neutering 😂) on our school pamphlet.

From Ms. Corlett - Shout out to Ms. Ceglowski - thanks for going above and beyond supporting me, and one of our Panda family Students with emotional support. WE got this. Thanks Mrs. Ceglowski

Important Items from Last Week

Black History Month: Here are some wonderful resources provided by our district to celebrate Black History Month. See the resources below.

Black History Month Resources

Talent Show (from Ms. Rempe): Auditions will be February 6, 7, and 9th from 3:30-6:30 each day.

We have over 60 entry forms!

We are working in practice days and times and will get you all the information after auditions have been completed.

February 8th Early Release Day: We have decided to not schedule any PD for the ER day afternoon of February 8th so you can schedule some of your mid-year parent conferences. We hope this will help!

MOY Data Color Copies: If you would like any of your MOY data printed in color please email me the PDF and I will print it for you.

PBIS Face Painting: Our next big event is face painting on February 17. PTA volunteers will come to rooms that day. Numbers will be due on February 3 to the spreadsheet.

We have decided to make these dress-up days free of charge: Farmer or Fancy (2/3), Decades Day (3/3), and Animal/Animal Print (4/14).

Mid-Year Parent Conferences: All homeroom teachers will complete Mid-Year Parent Conferences for their students. Here are the details:

Please complete by Feb 28, 2023
Review MOY data with parents
May do virtual or in-person
Will begin retention discussions at this time

More info to come on retentions

MOY & Check-In Dates: Please refer to the list of MOY and NC Check-In dates below. Please mark your calendar.

Mclass/Dibels MOY (K-4): January 11 - February 2
iReady Reading MOY (K-5): Complete the week of January 23 - 27
iReady Math MOY (K-5): Complete the week of January 30 - February 3
K-2 Math Assessment: January 17 - 26
ELA Check-In (3-5): January 18
Math Check-In (3-5): January 20
Science Check-In (5th only): February 7 (new date)

Check-In Information (from Ms. Lloyd): We have the NC Check Ins #2 coming up. Here are the dates that we have scheduled:

DATE	TEST	GRADE
Jan. 18th	ELA /Reading	3rd, 4th, 5th
Jan. 20th	Math	3rd, 4th, 5th
Feb. 7th	Science	5th

Specials and lunch will continue as normal. Please make sure students are quiet as they move around the building.

For our Kindergarten teachers and assistants: If the TAs are not done by the time your PLT starts at 10:15, we will move your PLT to 11 AM.

This link is a quick glance at who is testing on what day, so you don't have to scroll through all the pages. If your name is checked, you are testing that day. Who is Testing When

The following is the schedule of the grade level, the rooms used for testing, and the small groups.

ELA - NC Check Ins 2

MATH NC Check Ins 2

Science NC Check Ins 2

Substitutes

Pam Mason's Schedule

Frontline