Friday Updates November 2007

Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
November 2, 2007

Kim, Tom and I have spent much of this week reviewing your report cards. As part of our leadership meeting today along with Debbie, we discussed how well you all have done. Your comments are balanced with some positive comments about each child as well as feedback that is aligned with areas of concern. Again, you have shown me that, as a group, you are working “Above grade level.” Thank you for a job well done!

**** Report cards will go home Tuesday, November 13th ****

Next week
Monday 11/5 – Music program practice

Tuesday 11/6 – Election day (PE in auditorium), Principals’ meeting, Music program practice, Staff meeting

Wednesday 11/7 – Jr. League Puppet show, Music program practice

Thursday 11/8 – Staff appreciation dinner (4:00), Skate Haven Night

Friday 11/9 – EMD bowling, Music program practice, 1st quarter AR celebration (Please send your students to the cafeteria from 1:45 until 2:15, when they will rejoin their class. This is an AR recognition)


Week of 11/12-11/16 – (11/12) Holiday (11/13) K-1 Jump rope for heart, Big Shotz Night (11/14) 2-3 Jump rope for heart (11/15) 4-5 Jump rope for heart (11/16) 1st grade celebration, PTA newsletter info due, Honor Roll & Principal Pals celebration (11/17) Miniature golf day at Jimmy Mac’s

Duty Schedule
**Thank you for a smooth change to a new duty list**
Breakfast – Burke, Twyman, Letourneau

Bus – Baker, Freshwater, Dease, Gough, Merritt, Vance, Zimmerman

Car riders – Morning – Coffield, Overby, Trinkle, Twyman
Afternoon – Caller – Taylor, Frye
Inside – Roberts, Womble, East
Outside – Jones, Barnes, Merrill, Currie, Wilson, DiSorbo
Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab)

FYI/Reminders
-Jan Womble's son, Jonah, is back in the hospital after a second surgery on his broken leg.
-Robin King’s father is ill and in the hospital.
-Sandra Sellers’ (cafeteria) husband suffered a heart attack.
Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers

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)
1st grade – Great job with your Fall Festival rotation activities.
Loren Burke – Thank you for helping in so many different areas of our school.
Becky Drummond – Great job with pushing your students to be their best.
Kathy Lawrence – Thank you for your grade level leadership.
Carolyn Beard/Laurie Steadman – Nice job with the cans this week.
Mary Jane Everhardt – Thank you for keeping us on track with report cards, training, etc..
Office staff – Thank you for helping to make our sign-out procedures safer.

Have a great weekend!

Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
November 9, 2007

After just dealing with an “out of control” 4th grader and then his father, it helped remind me how easy it is to “become frustrated” with a student. Many times it is difficult to keep the situation in perspective when a child is “pushing your buttons.” If you feel that a situation is beginning to escalate or feel that your patience is waning, it is OK to ask for help. If it is a relatively minor situation or minor class disruption, ask a neighboring teacher to watch the child for a time out. The time out can serve to let the child refocus while also allowing you to refocus. If it is a major disruption to your classroom, please do not hesitate to ask for help from the office. We are here to help you maintain a good learning environment.

Next week
Monday 11/12 – Holiday

Tuesday 11/13 – Report Cards go home, K-1 Jump rope for heart, Musical practice (12-1, 2:30-3:30), Computer training, Big Shotz Night

Wednesday 11/14 – 2-3 Jump rope for heart, Musical practice (12-1)

Thursday 11/15 – Elementary Principals meeting (7:30-4:00), 4-5 Jump rope for heart, Blue Diamond training 3rd, 4th, 5th (3-4), PTA Fall Banquet (6:30-9:00)

Friday 11/16 – Curriculum coordinators mtg (8-3), Musical practice (11-1), 1st grade celebration, PTA newsletter info due, Honor Roll & Principal Pals celebration

Saturday 11/17 – Miniature golf day at Jimmy Mac’s

Week of 11/19-11/23 – (11/19) Musical practice, EC process visit, ESL principals meeting (11/20) Fall/Winter newsletter information due, Dr. Martin school visit (classrooms, lunch, staff meeting at 3:00), Musical practice(11/21) Required/requested Leave day (11/22) Holiday (11/23) Holiday

Duty Schedule
**Thank you for a smooth change to a new duty list**
Breakfast – Vernon, Schmoyer, Church

Bus – Baker, Freshwater, Dease, Gough, Merritt, Vance, Zimmerman

Car riders – Morning – Coffield, Overby, Trinkle, Twyman
Afternoon – Caller – Taylor, Frye
Inside – Roberts, Womble, East
Outside – Jones, Barnes, Merrill, Currie, Wilson, DiSorbo
Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab)

FYI/Reminders
-Jerri Smith had surgery on her wrist. She is home and recovering.
-Robin King’s father is still ill and in the hospital.
-Sandra Sellers’ (cafeteria) husband suffered a heart attack.
Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers
*Please remember that if you check materials out of the bookroom, you must now use the electronic check-out

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)
Tonya Grisette - Great job with your use of a “hook” in your writing activity.
Glinda Hayes – Thank you for helping in so many different areas of our school – especially fixed assets.
Robin Vance – Great job of bringing out the emotions of your students with the class novel.
Krystle Jones – Great job of keeping your lessons on pace despite some interesting classroom personalities.
Monique Jones – Great job with your enthusiastic math lesson this week.
Janice Council/Jan Hipp – Thank you for keeping us on our toes with some different kinds of “kids”
Have a great weekend!

Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
November 16, 2007

Dr. Martin will visit our school this Tuesday, November 20th. He will visit classrooms, eat lunch in the cafeteria and then speak with all of us at a “brief” staff meeting at 3:00. Do not do anything different than you normally would. Our walkthroughs are confirming that most all of you do a wonderful job most of the time. The best part of my day is the time that is spent in your classrooms. I am sure that Dr. Martin will feel the same way and will share that with you on Tuesday. Keep up the great work!

Next week
Monday 11/19 – Musical practice, EC process visit (3:00), ESL principals meeting (3:30-5:00)

Tuesday 11/20 – Fall/Winter newsletter information due, Dr. Martin school visit (10:00-11:30 classrooms, lunch, staff meeting at 3:00), Musical practice, **Energy reminders**Close and secure all windows and doors.,close all blinds for insulation and security, turn off all TV’s, computer monitors, non-essential CPU’s and Copiers.

Wednesday 11/21 – Leave day (stay home or travel)

Thursday 11/22 – Thanksgiving holiday

Friday 11/23 – Holiday

Week of 11/26-11/30 – (11/26) Music practice (11/27) Progress reports, music practice (11/28) music practice (11/29) Tech. facilitator’s meeting, music practice (11/30) 4th grade to Heritage Museum, 4th & 5th assembly 12:30-1:00 in auditorium (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)

Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Salamanca, Biggam, Womble

Bus – Baker, Freshwater, Dease, Gough, Merritt, Vance, Zimmerman

Car riders – Morning – Overby, Trinkle, Twyman
Afternoon – Caller – Taylor, Frye
Inside – Roberts, Womble, East
Outside – Jones, Barnes, Merrill, Currie, Wilson, DiSorbo
Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab)

FYI/Reminders
-One of our cafeteria workers, Jessica Brown, passed away unexpectedly early this morning.
-Jerri Smith had surgery on her wrist. She is home and recovering.
Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers

-NC Wise will be down for maintenance after 5:00 today. Please see Janet Jones’ memo for attendance instructions
-It is time to complete your 07-08 IGP’s. Either Debbie, Kim, Tom or I will conference with you to complete the form.
-If you are out of school for staff development, please give Nellie a copy of the registration for our financial records
-Teachers: If you had a student who was absent last friday and did reach their AR goal, please send that name to Mrs. Nicole Skinner so that she can get the student the award (pencil, bookmark, suckers) Thanks!
-Flu shots are available at the W-S/FCS Administrative Center on November 28th & 29th
-Student pictures for the cumulative folders have arrived. They will be in your mailboxes to place in/on folders.

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)
Rosario Salamanca – Congratulations on your Donors Choose grant.
Wende Powell – Great use of a fun activity to review your word wall list. Congratulations on your Donors Choose grant.
Tiffany Larson – Great job with your learning centers and letter sound lessons.
Jennifer Crain – Fantastic use of graphic organizers to help your students classify.
Kathy Wilheit – Congratulations on passing your National Board Certification requirements.
PE ladies – Thank you for leading us to a successful Jump Rope for Heart campaign.
4th grade – Nice job with your writer’s bootcamp folders.
Anne Parra – Thank you for facilitating our efforts to support our needy families.

Have a great weekend!


Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update on Monday
November 26, 2007

I hope you all enjoyed the Thanksgiving break. The stretch between now and the Christmas break is a busy one so please do your best to stay informed. Keep up the great work!

Next week
Monday 11/26 – Musical practice, PTA board meeting (7:00)

Tuesday 11/27 – Musical practice, Progress reports home

Wednesday 11/28 – Musical practice, Flu shot available at CO

Thursday 11/29 – Musical practice, Tech. facilitator’s meeting, Flu shot available at CO

Friday 11/30 – 4th grade to Heritage Museum, 4th & 5th assembly 12:30-1:00 in auditorium (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)

Week of 12/3-12/7 – (12/3) (12/4) Winter musical (9:00-10:00, 7:00-8:00), Principals’ Mtg, PTA Newsletter home (12/5) (12/6) 3rd grade to Dana Auditorium, K to Candle Tea (12/7) Principal’s Mtg, K to Candle Tea, Backyard Burger Night

Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Weiss, Para, East

Bus – Baker, Freshwater, Dease, Gough, Merritt, Vance, Zimmerman

Car riders – Morning – Overby, Trinkle, Twyman
Afternoon – Caller – Taylor, Frye
Inside – Roberts, Womble, East
Outside – Jones, Barnes, Merrill, Currie, Wilson, DiSorbo
Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab)

FYI/Reminders
**Congratulations to two new grandparents:
Mr. Keener’s family welcomed Abigail Morgan Page and Ms. Dosek’s family welcomed Caroline Alexandra Dosek

-It is time to complete your 07-08 IGP’s. Either Debbie, Kim, Tom or I will conference with you to complete the form.
-If you are out of school for staff development, please give Nellie a copy of the registration for our financial records
-Flu shots are available at the W-S/FCS Administrative Center on November 28th & 29th

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)
Jan Hipp – Thank you for your work with Mrs. Cranfill
Sherry Marceron – Thank you for your work with Mrs. Jensen
PRT’s – Thank you for your continued work with classes and small groups.
Amy Hancock – Great job with our holiday cards.
Brian Schmoyer – Excellent turkey lesson with our first graders and thank you for helping with holiday cards.
Gloria Allen/Kellee Church – Thank you for work leading up to the Winter Musical.
Robin King/Betsy McGhee/Sharon Gheen – Thank you for providing fun learning experiences for your students

Have a great weekend!