Friday Updates May 2009

Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
May 1, 2009

With EOG’s and end of year assessments just around the corner, we are all feeling the pressure to do well. We have worked hard to give our students the skills needed for this part of the year. One of the most important things that we can do for them now is to help prepare them mentally. Filling them with confidence and showering them with praise will help to make sure that they have a positive outlook going into these assessments. It will also help to make sure that they show the results of all of the hard work that has taken place in your classrooms. If they do their best, they WILL do well. Thank you for all that you do!

“Praise is like sunlight to the human spirit: we cannot flower and grow without it.” - Jess Lair
Monday 5/4 (Day 4B) – EOG proctor training (8:00), PTA ice cream

Tuesday 5/5 (Day 5B) – Quarter tests due, Principals’ meeting, Marzano training, WSFCS Transfer Fair, Utility work (no water 3:00-7:00), Noche Hispana, Southwest Night at Big Shotz

Wednesday 5/6 (Day 6B) – AR store on stage (8-2), EOG administrator training (5th 3:00) **PBS Playground Rotation

Thursday 5/7 (Day 1A) – Principal/Counselor breakfast, Staff appreciation dinner, PTA dinner K, 1, 2 – A Week – Top, B Week – Bottom

Friday 5/8 (Day 2A) – EOG-Extend 2 Science 5th grade, Southwest Night at Jimmy Mac’s golf range
3, 4, 5 – A Week – Bottom, B Week – Top

Week of 5/11 - 5/15 – (5/11 Day 3A) EOG-Extent 2 Reading (5/12 Day 4A) Interim reports, EOG-Extend 2 Math, Staff meeting, Southwest Night at Big Shotz (5/13 Day 5A) EOG-Extend 2 Math (5/14 Day 6A) Principals’ meeting, EOG-Background info, 1st grade to Patterson Farm (5/15 Day 1B) EOG-Science 5th (5/16) Treats for troops 2 packing day @ 9:00 in gym
Looking ahead
***Please refer to the End of Year calendar attached to Debbie Herrin’s email from 4/16/09 to keep up to date with events*****
**There will be work done on the football field during the next few weeks. Please keep children out of the marked work area.
-Treats for Troops donations are being taken now – The care packages will be packed on Saturday, May 16 at 9:00 in our gym
-End-of-grade tests – May 14-20

New Duty Schedule (after Spring Break)
Breakfast – Burke, Sereika, East
Bus – Allen, Burke, Freshwater, Hauhuth, Vaughn, Vest

Car riders – Morning – Coffield, Overby, Twyman
Afternoon – Caller – Sherri LeCompte
Inside – Barnes, Biggam, Tilley, Vernon
Outside – Bowser, Chadwick, Everhardt, Herko, Pennington
Hall – Everhardt (computer lab), Hauhuth (gym lobby)
Parra (Music Hall), Alexander (Blue Hall), Allen (Auditorium Lobby)

FYI/Reminders
**Welcome back Katie Chamra
**The Kindergarten Team requests your help in celebrating the upcoming arrival of the Gough Girls. We would like to shower them with gifts in our diaper drop April 27th - May 8th. Thanks in advance for your help.
**Several staff members continue to care for loved ones who are ill. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
**3rd, 4th and 5th grade – please remember you 20 day EOG countdown activities
**Keep circulating the ESL information folder throughout your grade levels. When finished, turn in to Mike

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)
Long-term subs/interims – Thank you for your help to keep us rolling during maternity leaves, surgeries, etc.
Mrs. Allen – Thank you for your creativity and hard work to prepare for the Spring musical
Volunteer and Hospitality committees – Thank you for your work in planning for our end of year activities.
After school tutors – Thank you for your time and commitment to help our children after school.
Mr. Keener/Clean and Green helpers – Thanks for all your work to prepare for the judging. Congratulations on a perfect score!
**Keep giving and earning those eggs.

Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
May 8, 2009

With EOG’s and end of year assessments just around the corner, we are all feeling the pressure to do well. We have worked hard to give our students the skills needed for this part of the year. One of the most important things that we can do for them now is to help prepare them mentally. Filling them with confidence and showering them with praise will help to make sure that they have a positive outlook going into these assessments. It will also help to make sure that they show the results of all of the hard work that has taken place in your classrooms. If they do their best, they WILL do well. Thank you for all that you do!

“Those who are lifting the world upward and onward are those who encourage more than criticize.”
Elizabeth Harrison (American Educator. 1849-1927)

Next Week
Monday 5/11 (Day 3A) – EOG-Extent 2 Reading

Tuesday 5/12 (Day 4A) – Interim reports, EOG-Extend 2 Math, Staff meeting, Southwest Night at Big Shotz

Wednesday 5/13 (Day 5A) – EOG-Extend 2 Math **PBS Playground Rotation

Thursday 5/14 (Day 6A) – Principals’ meeting, EOG-Background info, 1st grade to Patterson Farm K, 1, 2 – A Week – Top, B Week – Bottom

Friday 5/15 (Day 1B) – EOG-Science 5th 3, 4, 5 – A Week – Bottom, B Week – Top

Saturday 5/16 – Treats for Troops 2 packing day, 9:00 in the gym

Week of 5/18 - 5/22 – (5/18 Day 2B) EOG-Reading (5/19 Day 3B) EOG-Math, SIT meeting (5/20 Day 4B) EOG-Math (5/21 Day 5B) EOG make-ups, PTA Reflections reception (2:40-3:30), Southwest night at Skate Haven (5/22 Day 6B) EOG make-ups (No School Monday 5/25)
Looking ahead
***Please refer to the End of Year calendar attached to Debbie Herrin’s email from 4/16/09 to keep up to date with events*****
**There will be work done on the football field during the next few weeks. Please keep children out of the marked work area.
-Treats for Troops donations are being taken now – The care packages will be packed on Saturday, May 16 at 9:00 in our gym
-End-of-grade tests – May 14-20

New Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Burke, Sereika, East
Bus – Allen, Burke, Freshwater, Hauhuth, Vaughn, Vest

Car riders – Morning – Coffield, Overby, Twyman
Afternoon – Caller – Sherri LeCompte
Inside – Barnes, Biggam, Tilley, Vernon
Outside – Bowser, Chadwick, Everhardt, Herko, Pennington
Hall – Everhardt (computer lab), Hauhuth (gym lobby)
Parra (Music Hall), Alexander (Blue Hall), Allen (Auditorium Lobby)

FYI/Reminders
From Ms. Pennington - Thank you to everyone who has given to the UNCF campaign. If you haven’t, please give your donation to Ms. Pennington by Monday, May 11th
**The Kindergarten Team requests your help in celebrating the upcoming arrival of the Gough Girls. We would like to shower them with gifts in our diaper drop April 27th - May 8th. Thanks in advance for your help.
**Several staff members continue to care for loved ones who are ill. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
**3rd, 4th and 5th grade – please remember you 20 day EOG countdown activities
**Keep circulating the ESL information folder throughout your grade levels. When finished, turn in to Mike

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)
Southwest Staff – Happy Staff Appreciation Week. Thank you for all that you!
Morning, afternoon & lunch duty personnel – Thank you for helping to keep us as safe and orderly as possible in May!
Volunteer and Hospitality committees – Thank you for your work in planning for our end of year activities.
After school tutors – Thank you for your time and commitment to help our children after school.
Mrs. Herrin and helpers – Thanks for all your work to prepare for End-of-Grade testing.
Mrs. N. Skinner and others – Thank you to those involved in the AR recognitions
Mr. Rucker – Congratulations on your graduation from Forsyth Tech.
**Keep giving and earning those eggs.

Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
May 15, 2009

Thank you for all that you have done to prepare our students for their assessments. It takes the effort of everyone on their path from Kindergarten through the upper grades to get them prepared. While we are forced to put such an emphasis on testing, please know that our school does MUCH more than prepare children for tests. Our children are enriched in many ways through their experiences here at Southwest and we should rejoice in that fact. Thank you for all that you do!

In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years. ~Jacques Barzun

Next Week
Monday 5/18 (Day 2B) – EOG-Reading

Tuesday 5/19 (Day 3B) – EOG-Math, SIT meeting **PBS Playground Rotation

Wednesday 5/20 (Day 4B) – EOG-Math, 2nd grade to Heritage Theater K, 1, 2 – A Week – Top, B Week – Bottom
Thursday 5/21 (Day 5B) – EOG make-ups, Tech facilitator meeting, 2nd grade to Heritage Theater PTA, Reflections reception (2:40-3:30), Southwest night at Skate Haven

Friday 5/22 (Day 6B) – EOG make-ups (No School Monday 5/25) 3, 4, 5 – A Week – Bottom, B Week – Top


Week of 5/25 - 5/29 – (5/25 Day 0) Holiday - No School (5/26 Day 1A) EOG remediation, 4th grade to Raleigh, Extend 2 Retest – Science, PBS meeting, Progress Report (5/27 Day 2A) EOG remediation, Extend 2 Retest – Reading, K’s to Lazy 5 Ranch (5/28 Day 3A) EOG remediation, Extend 2 Retest – Math, Moss end of year party, 4th grade animal safari (5/29 Day 4A) EOG remediation, 2nd grade end of year party, 5th to Tanglewood
Looking ahead
**We have placed a calendar board outside the glass office. Please verify that all of your grade level events are there and correct.
**There will be work done on the football field during the next few weeks. Please keep children out of the marked work area.

New Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Burke, Sereika, East
Bus – Allen, Burke, Freshwater, Hauhuth, Vaughn, Vest

Car riders – Morning – Coffield, Overby, Twyman
Afternoon – Caller – Sherri LeCompte
Inside – Barnes, Biggam, Tilley, Vernon
Outside – Bowser, Chadwick, Everhardt, Herko, Pennington
Hall – Everhardt (computer lab), Hauhuth (gym lobby)
Parra (Music Hall), Alexander (Blue Hall), Allen (Auditorium Lobby)

FYI/Reminders
**Going along with the fourth grade writing curriculum, the fourth grade students worked hard to research and write a report on an animal of their choice. The students are going to present their information in an Animal Safari on Thursday, May 28 starting at 9:00. They will have their desks decorated, as well as have a drawing of their animal that they drew in art class on display. The students will be set-up around the fourth grade classrooms for others to come and learn about the animal the students researched. Visitors will go around to the different students’ desks and hear a brief presentation about the animal the fourth grade student researched.
If you and/or your class would like to come and visit a classroom, please email Brooke DiSorbo. The fourth grade teachers will schedule you for a thirty-minute time slot in one of our classrooms and let you know when and where you need to go. If your class has a preference for a time that day, please note that in the email as well. Depending on how many people schedule to come, the safari will probably last until 11:00. We hope to see you there!!!
** Please email Nicole Skinner the list of your homerun achievers. There will be a drawing next week for 50 free tickets to A Day at the Ballpark, and those who achieved homeruns will be entered in the drawing.
**Several staff members continue to care for loved ones who are ill. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
**Keep circulating the ESL information folder throughout your grade levels. When finished, turn in to Mike
**Please remember your end-of-year checklists

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)
Southwest Staff – Happy Staff Appreciation Week. Thank you for all that you!
Morning, afternoon & lunch duty personnel – Thank you for helping to keep us as safe and orderly as possible in May!
Volunteer and Hospitality committees – Thank you for your work in planning for our end of year activities.
After school tutors – Thank you for your time and commitment to help our children after school.
Mrs. Herrin and helpers – Thanks for all your work to prepare for End-of-Grade testing.
Mrs. N. Skinner and others – Thank you to those involved in the AR recognitions
Mr. Rucker – Congratulations on your graduation from Forsyth Tech.
**Keep giving and earning those eggs.

Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
May 22, 2009

Thank you for all that you have done to prepare our students for their assessments. It takes the effort of everyone on their path from Kindergarten through the upper grades to get them prepared. While we are forced to put such an emphasis on testing, please know that our school does MUCH more than prepare children for tests. Our children are enriched in many ways through their experiences here at Southwest and we should rejoice in that fact. Thank you for all that you do!

In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years. ~Jacques Barzun

Next Week
Monday 5/25 (Day 0) – Holiday - No School

Tuesday 5/26 (Day 1A) – EOG remediation, 4th grade to Raleigh, Extend 2 Retest – Science, PBS meeting, Progress Report **PBS Playground Rotation
Wednesday 5/27 (Day 2A) – EOG remediation, Extend 2 Retest – Reading, K’s to Lazy 5 Ranch K, 1, 2 – A Week – Top, B Week – Bottom
Thursday 5/28 (Day 3A) – EOG remediation, Extend 2 Retest – Math, Moss end of year party, 4th grade animal safari

Friday 5/29 (Day 4A) – EOG remediation, 2nd grade end of year party, 5th to Tanglewood 3, 4, 5 – A Week – Bottom, B Week – Top


Week of 6/1 - 6/5 – (6/1 Day 5A) EOG remediation, K end of year party (6/2 Day 6A) Principals’ meeting, 1st end of year party, EOG retest – 5th Science (6/3 Day 1B) EOG retest – 3-5 Reading, AR recognition(6/4 Day 2B) EOG retesting – Math (6/5 Day 3B) All Pro Dads breakfast, EOG retesting – Math
Looking ahead
**We have placed a calendar board outside the glass office. Please verify that all of your grade level events are there and correct.
**There will be work done on the football field during the next few weeks. Please keep children out of the marked work area.

New Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Burke, Weiss, Aikins
Bus – Allen, Burke, Freshwater, Hauhuth, Vaughn, Vest

Car riders – Morning – Coffield, Overby, Twyman
Afternoon – Caller – Sherri LeCompte
Inside – Barnes, Biggam, Tilley, Vernon
Outside – Bowser, Chadwick, Everhardt, Herko, Pennington
Hall – Everhardt (computer lab), Hauhuth (gym lobby)
Parra (Music Hall), Alexander (Blue Hall), Allen (Auditorium Lobby)

FYI/Reminders
**Going along with the fourth grade writing curriculum, the fourth grade students worked hard to research and write a report on an animal of their choice. The students are going to present their information in an Animal Safari on Thursday, May 28 starting at 9:00. They will have their desks decorated, as well as have a drawing of their animal that they drew in art class on display. The students will be set-up around the fourth grade classrooms for others to come and learn about the animal the students researched. Visitors will go around to the different students’ desks and hear a brief presentation about the animal the fourth grade student researched.
If you and/or your class would like to come and visit a classroom, please email Brooke DiSorbo. The fourth grade teachers will schedule you for a thirty-minute time slot in one of our classrooms and let you know when and where you need to go. If your class has a preference for a time that day, please note that in the email as well. Depending on how many people schedule to come, the safari will probably last until 11:00. We hope to see you there!!!
** Please email Nicole Skinner the list of your homerun achievers. There will be a drawing next week for 50 free tickets to A Day at the Ballpark, and those who achieved homeruns will be entered in the drawing.
**Several staff members continue to care for loved ones who are ill. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
**Keep circulating the ESL information folder throughout your grade levels. When finished, turn in to Mike
**Please remember your end-of-year checklists

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)
Southwest Staff – Happy Staff Appreciation Week. Thank you for all that you!
Morning, afternoon & lunch duty personnel – Thank you for helping to keep us as safe and orderly as possible in May!
Volunteer and Hospitality committees – Thank you for your work in planning for our end of year activities.
After school tutors – Thank you for your time and commitment to help our children after school.
Mrs. Herrin and helpers – Thanks for all your work to prepare for End-of-Grade testing.
Mrs. N. Skinner and others – Thank you to those involved in the AR recognitions
Mr. Rucker – Congratulations on your graduation from Forsyth Tech.
**Keep giving and earning those eggs.