Friday Updates February 2008

Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
February 1, 2008

This week, our SIT team voted unanimously to implement “Positive Behavior Support” for the 2008-09 school year. The rest of this year and this summer will be spent preparing to be ready for the start of next year. One of the first steps in this process is to assemble a PBS team which will be involved in the details of how we implement this program for Southwest. The team will receive training, set up our behavior expectation matrix as well as our reward system. If you are interested in becoming a part of this team, please let me know.

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Next week
Monday 2/4 – WS symphony for K (10:30-11:15)

Tuesday 2/5 – Principals’ meeting, PTA newsletter information DUE, Internet as an effective tool training

Wednesday 2/6 – 100th day of school (Yee Ha!) Career Day (PE in auditorium)

Thursday 2/7 – Meadowlark Middle orchestra/chorus for 5th (10:30-11:15), 1st grade to Steven’s Center

Friday 2/8 – Principals’ meeting, Puppet Bunch for 2nd grade (9:30-10:30), Backyard burger night


Week of 2/11-2/15 – (2/11) ESL principals’ mtg (3-4) (2/12) Progress reports go home, Staff mtg, Big Shotz night(2/13) Teacher Advisory Council (2/14) Elementary Principals’ mtg, Skate Haven Night (2/15) (2/16) SW miniature golf night at Jimmy Mac’s

Looking ahead
March 4 – 4th grade Writing test, Kindergarten registration
March 20 – Holiday
March 31-April 4 – Spring break
April 10 – Golf tournament
May 7 – Kindergarten screening

Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Letourneau, Twyman

Bus – Vaughn, Sunderman, Beard, Jones, Kreger, Council, Vest, Dosek

Car riders – Morning – Hancock, Salamanca, Chamra
Afternoon – Caller – Taylor, Frye, LeCompte
Inside – Skinner, Vestal, Church/Schmoyer
Outside – Moss/Lyle, Atkins, Lawrence, McGhee, Drummond, Weiss
Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab)

FYI/Reminders
**Jan Hipp continues to recover at home. Debbie Dosek and Joanne Baker continue to care for their ailing parents. Please keep these folks and their families in your thoughts and prayers.**

**This week is National School Counselors Week**

**If you participated in the CPR training on January 22nd, you may now register online to receive credit.

**It is the flu season. Please be sure that you and your students use hand sanitizer and wash hands.

**If you are running late and anticipate arriving to school after 7:30, please let the office know so that we can cover your classroom.

Staff Stars (There are too many good deeds to list them all. Over the course of the year, I would like to recognize as many as possible)
K-2 teachers – Thank you for your time with writing training and our student data sheets
3-5 teachers – Thank you for your time and attention with the math training on PTA day.
Golf committee – Thank you for your early work to make this year’s tournament a success.
Brian Vest – Great job with your math lesson during Mr. Keener’s observation.
Southwest staff – Thank you for the job you do every day!


Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
February 8, 2008

Thanks for what you all do every day. My job often requires me to look too often at the “things” in our school that are not going as well as they should. Several times a day, however, I stop to “smell the roses” and realize how fortunate that I am to be a part of Southwest. Our school is above average in more ways than I can list. It is not perfect, but those of us who have worked in other schools know how lucky we are. Thank you for all you do AND count your blessings that WE are able to be a part of making Southwest THE BEST!

“Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there!”
- Will Rogers

Next week
Monday 2/11 – ESL principals’ mtg (3-4)

Tuesday 2/12 – Progress reports go home, Staff mtg, Big Shotz night

Wednesday 2/13 – Teacher advisory council

Thursday 2/14 – Elementary Principals’ mtg, Skate Haven Night

Friday 2/15 –

Saturday 2/16 – Southwest miniature golf day at Jimmy Mac’s


Week of 2/11-2/15 – (2/18) Workday (2/19) PTA newsletter home, SIT meeting, MS Publisher training (2/20) 3rd grade to Heritage Theatre (2/21) 3rd grade to Heritage Theatre, Curriculum coordinator’s meeting (2/22) 3rd grade data sheets DUE, K to Children’s Theatre

Looking ahead
March 4 – 4th grade Writing test, Kindergarten registration, Interim reports, K field trip
March 11 – Ident-I-Kid student ID’s
March 20 – Holiday
March 28 – Spring pictures
March 31-April 4 – Spring break
April 10 – Golf tournament
April 29 – Spring Musical (9:00 & 7:00)
May 7 – Kindergarten screening

Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Vernon, Schmoyer, Trinkle, Church

Bus – Vaughn, Sunderman, Beard, Jones, Kreger, Council, Vest, Dosek

Car riders – Morning – Hancock, Salamanca, Chamra
Afternoon – Caller – Taylor, Frye, LeCompte
Inside – Skinner, Vestal, Church/Schmoyer
Outside – Moss/Lyle, Atkins, Lawrence, McGhee, Drummond, Weiss
Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab)

FYI/Reminders
**Jan Hipp continues to recover at home. Debbie Dosek and Joanne Baker continue to care for their ailing parents. Please keep these folks and their families in your thoughts and prayers.**

**If you participated in the CPR training on January 22nd, you may now register online to receive credit.

**If you are running late and anticipate arriving to school after 7:30, please let the office know so that we can cover your classroom.

Staff Stars (There are too many good deeds to list them all. Over the course of the year, I would like to recognize as many as possible)
Golf committee – Thank you for your early work to make this year’s tournament a success.
Southwest staff – Thank you for the job you do every day!


Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
February 15, 2008

Our ten minute conferences begin this Monday, February 18th. If you have not done so already, please sign up outside my door. I look forward to hearing your views on how our school is doing and how we can make it better. There is no way for us to do EVERYTHING that everyone thinks is best, but the more feedback we get, the better chance we have to improve our way of doing things.
I would like for you to frame our conversations in the follow way. Please be prepared to answer the following questions:
· What has gone well with your part of our school this year?
· What could you improve about your part of our school?
· School-wide, what has gone well this year?
· School-wide, what would you like to improve in our school?

Thank you for all you do AND count your blessings that WE are able to be a part of making Southwest THE BEST!

”A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge.” Thomas Carlyle

Next week
Monday 2/18 – Workday, Social studies text adoption preview

Tuesday 2/19 – PTA newsletter home, SIT meeting, MS Publisher training

Wednesday 2/20 – 3rd grade to Heritage Theatre

Thursday 2/21 – 3rd grade to Heritage Theatre, Curriculum coordinator’s meeting

Friday 2/22 – 3rd grade data sheets DUE, K to Children’s Theatre

Week of 2/25 - 2/29 – (2/25) (2/26) (2/27)Principals’ meeting (1-4) (2/28)Tech facilitators’ meeting (2/29)

Looking ahead
March 4 – 4th grade Writing test, Kindergarten registration, Interim reports, K field trip
March 11 – Ident-I-Kid student ID’s
March 20 – Holiday
March 28 – Spring pictures
March 31-April 4 – Spring break
April 10 – Golf tournament
April 29 – Spring Musical (9:00 & 7:00)
May 7 – Kindergarten screening

Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Weiss, Parra, East

Bus – Vaughn, Sunderman, Beard, Jones, Kreger, Council, Vest, Dosek

Car riders – Morning – Hancock, Salamanca, Chamra
Afternoon – Caller – Taylor, Frye, LeCompte
Inside – Skinner, Vestal, Church/Schmoyer
Outside – Moss/Lyle, Atkins, Lawrence, McGhee, Drummond, Weiss
Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab)

FYI/Reminders

** Welcome back to Jan Hipp this Monday, February 18th **

Sign up for a conference on the schedule outside Mike’s office

Staff Stars (There are too many good deeds to list them all. Over the course of the year, I would like to recognize as many as possible)
Kelly Cranfill – Thank you for your work during Jan Hipp’s recovery.
Southwest staff – Thank you for the job you do every day!


Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
February 22, 2008

Thank you to those of you who have already come in for your 10 minute conference. It is good to hear your views on Southwest (even if we talk about something that needs to be improved). The only way to improve our school is to discuss the parts that are not working as well as possible. There is no way for us to do EVERYTHING that everyone thinks is best, but the more feedback we get, the better chance we have to improve our way of doing things.
I would like for you to continue to frame our conversations in the following way. Please be prepared to answer the following questions:
· What has gone well with your part of our school this year?
· What could you improve about your part of our school?
· School-wide, what has gone well this year?
· School-wide, what would you like to improve in our school?

Thank you for all you do AND count your blessings that WE are able to be a part of making Southwest THE BEST!

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” William Butler Yeats

Next week
Monday 2/25 – Staff conferences

Tuesday 2/26 – Staff conferences, Leadership team meeting (9:00), 4th grade writing test administrator training (3-4)

Wednesday 2/27 – Staff conferences, 4th grade writing test proctor training (8-9), Principals’ meeting (12-4)

Thursday 2/28 – Staff conferences, Tech facilitator’s meeting

Friday 2/29 –

Week of 3/3 - 3/7 – (3/3) (3/4) 4th grade writing test, Kindergarten registration, 1st grade field trip (3/5)Principals’ meeting, 1st grade field trip (3/6) 1st grade field trip (3/7) Principals’ meeting, 1st grade field trip, Backyard Burger night

Looking ahead
**March 4 – 4th grade Writing test, Kindergarten registration, K field trip**
March 11 – Ident-I-Kid student ID’s, 4th grade writing make-ups
March 21 – Holiday
March 24-28 – Multiplication tournament
March 28 – Spring pictures
March 31-April 4 – Spring break
April 10 – Golf tournament
April 29 – Spring Musical (9:00 & 7:00)
May 7 – Kindergarten screening

Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Weiss, Parra, East
Bus – Vaughn, Sunderman, Beard, Jones, Kreger, Council, Vest, Dosek
Car riders – Morning – Hancock, Salamanca, Chamra
Afternoon – Caller – Taylor, Frye, LeCompte
Inside – Skinner, Vestal, Church/Schmoyer
Outside – Moss/Lyle, Atkins, Lawrence, McGhee, Drummond, Weiss
Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab)

FYI/Reminders
***Several staff members continue to help care for their parents who have been ill. Tonya Grisette’s grandmother passed away this week. Gloria Allen has not felt well this week. Please keep these folks in your thoughts and prayers.
** Welcome and thank you to Kiki Hutcheson who will join our 3rd grade team for the rest of the year**
-Welcome back Jan Hipp
-Welcome to Fontaine Gervasi and Peggy Norris who will help in the library for the rest of the year.
-Sign up for a conference on the schedule outside Mike’s office
Staff Stars (There are too many good deeds to list them all. Over the course of the year, I would like to recognize as many as possible)
After-school tutors, Ms. Moore & Mr. Keener – Thank you for your efforts with tutoring this year
Mrs. Vaughn – Great job with the golf ball kick-off (31 this week).
Can Winners – 2/15 (Atkins & K Jones), 2/22 (Powell & Garlow)
Year to date cans – Council(4,286), Gough(3,946), Vest(3,884), Herko(6,322), Beard(5,625)
Southwest staff – Thank you for the job you do every day!


Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
February 29, 2008

Have a great weekend!!

“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. “Bill Cosby

Next week
Monday 3/3 – Staff conferences

Tuesday 3/4 – 4th grade writing test, Kindergarten registration, 1st grade field trip

Wednesday 3/5 – Principals’ meeting, 1st grade field trip, 2nd grade assembly with Austin Caviness (10:00), Kindergarten assembly with “Cat in the Hat” (11:00)

Thursday 3/6 – 1st grade field trip

Friday 3/7 – Principals’ meeting, 1st grade field trip, Backyard Burger night

Week of 3/10 - 3/15 – (3/10) PBS team training (8:30-3:30) (3/11) Identi-Kid student ID’s, Staff meeting, Big Shotz Night (3/12) Little Symphony, Principals’ meeting (3/13) Principals’ meeting, All County chorus, Skate Haven night (3/14) All County chorus (3/15) SW miniature golf day at Jimmy Mac’s

Looking ahead
March 11 – Ident-I-Kid student ID’s, 4th grade writing make-ups
March 21 – Holiday
March 24-28 – Multiplication tournament
March 28 – Spring pictures
March 31-April 4 – Spring break
April 10 – Golf tournament
April 29 – Spring Musical (9:00 & 7:00)
May 7 – Kindergarten screening

Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Twyman, Letourneau
Bus – Vaughn, Sunderman, Beard, Jones, Kreger, Council, Vest, Dosek
Car riders – Morning – Hancock, Salamanca, Chamra
Afternoon – Caller – Taylor, Frye, LeCompte
Inside – Skinner, Vestal, Church/Schmoyer
Outside – Moss/Lyle, Atkins, Lawrence, McGhee, Drummond, Weiss
Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab)

FYI/Reminders
-We are still looking for more players, sponsors, and contributors for the golf tournament on April 10 (We have had a great start, though!)
-Please turn golf ball $$ in to Nellie
-Sign up for a conference on the schedule outside Mike’s office (I will reschedule the conferences that I missed)

Staff Stars (There are too many good deeds to list them all. Over the course of the year, I would like to recognize as many as possible)
Mrs. Herrin, Ms. Moore, Mr. Keener, office staff & others – Thank you for your help to make today’s dismissal go smoothly
Mrs. K. Jones – Great job with the golf ball sales (62 this week).
Ms. Pennington & Mrs. Green – Thank you for your patience with a challenging group of students
4th grade teachers – Thank you for all of the time, training and hard work to get your student ready for Tuesday’s writing test
Year to date cans – Council(4,286), Gough(3,946), Vest(3,884), Herko(6,322), Beard(5,625)
Southwest staff – Thank you for the job you do every day!