Friday Updates September 2007

Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
September 7, 2007

Our school year has officially kicked into high gear. Why did our 4 day school week feel like it was a 6 day school week? As the school year gets busier, it gets harder to stay organized. Please stay informed and keep “your calendar” up to date. The calendar beside Nellie’s desk will be coordinated with our online calendar so make sure that you know what is going on. It is also important for each individual and group to put your events on our school office calendar. Everyone has done an awesome job so far of giving your information to Nellie. Thank you and keep up the great work!!

Next week ******3rd Grade Pretest & Make-ups September 10-14*********
Monday 9/10 – PTA volunteer sign-up (6-7), PTA board mtg. (7:00)

Tuesday 9/11 – Staff mtg. (3:00-4:00)

Wednesday 9/12 – West Forsyth CC meet (5:00)

Thursday 9/13 – Fall pictures, EC process visit, Elem. Principal mtg, (7:30-4:30), Vest volunteer mtg., Skate Haven Night

Friday 9/14 – Zone 7 mtg (7:30-12:00), K-5 Assembly (1:30-2:15)

**Saturday 9/15 – No Parent Left Behind Conf.**

Week of 9/17-9/21 – (9/17) United Way kick-off, curriculum coord. Mtg, ESL principal mtg, K-2 curriculum night (9/18) Progress Reports, School center webpage training, 3-5 curriculum night/Scout night (9/19) Asst Principals’ mtg (9/20) 1st gr to Sci Museum, School Center webpage training, 4th gr writing training (9/21) TGIF

Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Twyman, Letourneau

Bus – Barr, Marceron, Crain, Sutcliffe, Hipp, Cundiff, Hancock, Larson

Car riders – Morning – Hancock, Salamanca, Chamra
Afternoon – Caller – Pat Taylor, Donna Williams
Inside – A. Brown, Crutchfield, Armbruster
Outside – Powell, Green, Tsolis, Wilheit, Baldwin, Winters

Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab), Alexander(blue)
FYI/Reminders
-Our new school center website will go live on Monday, 9/10 (The minimum expectation is for everyone to have a basic page with name, grade level, and brief welcome)
-Please remember to turn in your Wish lists if you have needs (we have about 60% so far)DUE 9/14
-If you were out of the building for any reason (8/15-8/31), please let Nellie know the reason (sick, workshop, etc.) for payroll
-Remember to bring in your cans and boxtops

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)
Specialists – Great job with Duty-free lunch so far. Thank you for your help.
Joyce Wilson – Thank you for patience and flexibility in your classroom during these first 2 weeks
Sherry Marceron – Thank you for representing your grade level well and for getting your student teacher off to a good start
Have a great weekend!


Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
September 14, 2007

Yesterday’s assembly was a really nice experience for me and our entire school. While we have to be careful about compromising “academic time”, our assembly served a few key purposes for us. When a school’s enrollment approaches 1,000 students, it is difficult to maintain the feel of a close-knit school community. To me, assemblies such as the one yesterday, help keep us a close-knit school community.

Thank you to Gloria Allen and Kellee Church for doing such a nice job with our patriotic celebration.
Please continue to reinforce the points I made with our students regarding school safety. It will take some time and training for them to make our hallways and pick-up areas more safe and orderly. Please remember to make can collection counts a regular part of your day. The money that we earn through can recycling will go directly back into our school (wish list items, technology, STAFF APPRECIATION, ect.).

The staff conference schedule sign-up will be outside my door by Monday. Thank you for all you do and keep up the great work!!

Next week
Monday 9/17 – United Way kick-off (Training Dawn & Sarah 3:30-4:45), ESL Principal mtg. (3:30-5:00), K-2 Curriculum Night (6-7:30)

Tuesday 9/18 – Progress reports, School Center document training (3-4, 4-5), Flex Benefits mtg. (3-4), 3-5 Curriculum Night (6-7:30), Scout Night

Wednesday 9/19 – PTA Newsletter information DUE, Assistant Principals’ meeting (9:30-11:30)

Thursday 9/20 – SIT meeting (7:15-7:45), 1st grade to Science Museum (Gough, Baldwin, Keeney, Wilson), School Center documents training (3-4), 4th grade Writing training (3:15-4:45 @ CO)

Friday 9/21 – TGIF(No tornado, please)

Week of 9/24-9/28 – (9/24) W-S Symphony (4th & 5th), 1st grade to Sci Museum (Baker, Jones, Kreger, Atkins), Principal Evaluation training (9/25) Staff meeting (EC training) (9/26) Brick Oven Night (9/27) Technology Facilitator’s meeting (9/28) Box Top contest ends

Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Vernon, Schmoyer, Trinkle, Church

Bus – Barr, Marceron, Crain, Sutcliffe, Hipp, Cundiff, Hancock, Larson

Car riders – Morning – Hancock, Salamanca, Chamra
Afternoon – Caller – Pat Taylor, Donna Williams
Inside – A. Brown, Crutchfield, Armbruster
Outside – Powell, Green, Tsolis, Wilheit, Baldwin, Winters
Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab), Alexander(blue)

FYI/Reminders
-Please remember to turn in your Wish lists if you have needs (we have about 80% so far)DUE TODAY
-If car riders have have notes, please send them to Mrs. Herrin in the office so that those on car rider duty are aware
-Remember to bring in your cans and boxtops (**turn in their Boxtops envelopes to the box on the table beside the couches outside the cafeteria**)

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)
Debbie Herrin, proctors, administrators, helpers & 3rd grade – Great job with 3rd grade testing. Thank you for keeping us organized.
Kindergarten – Thank you for doing an excellent job of grooming our new students. They are doing well!
Kathryn Dice & Marilyn Barr – Great job with your detailed writing activity encouraging “4th grade words” and discouraging “dead” words. Have a great weekend!



Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
September 21, 2007

I have to say that I am enjoying our quick, “10 minute” conferences so far. There are many issues to discuss (some heavy, some light), but it also gives me the chance to get to know you all better. The more comfortable you feel sharing concerns and praises, the better our school will be. I appreciate the thoughtful and professional conversations as well as the more informal chats. They all serve us well.

You should begin to hear about the “Classroom Walkthrough” training that I received last week. The district is giving us another coaching tool to help us learn how to improve our use of “Best Practices.” You will be hearing more about “Classroom Walkthroughs” in your grade level meetings in the next few weeks.

Next week
Monday 9/24 – ***The W-S Symphony (4th & 5th) has cancelled due to illness***, 1st grade to Sci. Museum (Atkins, Baker, Jones, Kreger), Principal Evaluation training (2-4)

Tuesday 9/25 – Principal LEA rep training (9-10), Staff meeting (EC training, United Way) (3-4)

Wednesday 9/26 – Brick Oven Night

Thursday 9/27 – Noche Hispana Planning Mtg (7:15), Technology facilitator’s meeting (9-12), NC Wise training (3-4, 4:15-5:15)

Friday 9/28 – Box top contest ends

Week of 9/24-9/28 – (10/1) (10/2) Principals’ Mtg, PTA Newsletter home, Teacher of the Year Banquet (10/3) (10/4) Principals’ Mtg (10/5) Backyard Burger Night

Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Salamanca, Biggam, Womble

Bus – Barr, Marceron, Crain, Sutcliffe, Hipp, Cundiff, Hancock, Larson

Car riders – Morning – Hancock, Salamanca, Chamra
Afternoon – Caller – Pat Taylor, Donna Williams
Inside – A. Brown, Crutchfield, Armbruster
Outside – Powell, Green, Tsolis, Wilheit, Baldwin, Winters
Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab), Alexander(blue)

FYI/Reminders
-Mary Jane Everhardt’s mother is back in the hospital and is critically ill. Please keep her in your thoughts.
-Remember to bring in your cans and boxtops (**turn in your Boxtops envelopes to the box on the table beside the couches outside the cafeteria**) We will get your class can totals next week.
-So that our school can function as smoothly as possible, please do your best to be on time for pick ups/drop offs for lunch, specials and dismissals. Please offer opportunities for your students to visit the restroom prior to going to specials.

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 staff – Great job with our Curriculum Night on Monday. Your parent meetings were informative and should help to set the stage for a successful year.
3-5 staff – Thank you for doing such a great job with your Curriculum Night on Tuesday. Our parents should feel more informed about your grade level activities and information.
Kathy Wilheit, Nancy Frye, Rosario Salamanca – Thank you for what you are doing to help us improve the ways in which we reach out to our Hispanic parents.


Have a great weekend!



Southwest Elementary School
Friday Update
September 28, 2007

Thank you for the great response with our boxtop and can collections. While the collections can seem burdensome and tedious, those projects will help us earn resources to put back into your classrooms. I have your wishlists put into a spreadsheet (thanks Mrs. Petree) and will begin to look at meeting some of your requests. Our boxtop collections went well (thanks Mrs. Tilley) and our can trailer continues to fill up for the first of many times this year.
Our Can-Do Recycling recognition will take place as follows: We will recognize the top class for the week with a popcorn party. The top class for the month will receive a pizza party. You can track your class’ progress on the charts outside the cafeteria (thanks Mrs. Hancock & Mr. Keener). Congratulations to our top 3 classes this week: 1) Mrs. Beard’s class (587 cans), 2) Mrs. Vance’s class (506 cans), 3) Ms. Pennington’s class (500 cans)
Great job!

Next week
Monday 10/1 – Golf tournament meeting (3-4),

Tuesday 10/2 – Principals’ Meeting (7:30 -12:00), Interim Reports home, PTA Newsletter home, Teacher of the Year Banquet (4–6), School Center webpage training, Excell Basics training

Wednesday 10/3 – Doughnuts with Dad (7:15), Core I & II classes to Dixie Classic Fair

Thursday 10/4 – Principals’ meeting (7:30-10:00), Leadership meeting (1-2), School Center training, Publisher training

Friday 10/5 – Backyard Burger Night, Core I & II classes go bowling

Week of 9/24-9/28 – (10/8) (10/9) Staff Mtg, 4th grade to Hiddenite, Big Shotz Night, School Board ABC’s recognition (10/10) Teacher Advisory Council Mtg., 4th grade to Hiddenite, New principal training(10/11) Picture Make-ups, 5th grade to Dinosaurs, Skate Haven Night (10/12) (10/13) Campus Beautification

Duty Schedule
Breakfast – Weiss, Parra, East

Bus – Barr, Marceron, Crain, Sutcliffe, Hipp, Cundiff, Hancock, Larson

Car riders – Morning – Hancock, Salamanca, Chamra
Afternoon – Caller – Pat Taylor, Donna Williams
Inside – A. Brown, Crutchfield, Armbruster
Outside – Powell, Green, Tsolis, Wilheit, Baldwin, Winters
Hall – Bowser(lounge), Everhardt(computer lab)

FYI/Reminders
-If you have not met with me for your mini-conference, please sign up ASAP. A new sign-up sheet for the week of October 8th is outside my door.
-With duty-free lunch it will extremely helpful to make sure that you have trained your classes as to the proper way to clean table, sweep the floor, eat quietly, etc..

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 Merritt – Congratulations 2007-08 Southwest Teacher of the Year (enjoy the banquet on Tuesday!)
Tiffany Larson – Great job with your “Early readers.”
Bonnie Alexander – Nice use of a “Double Bubble Map” to compare and contrast your Wordly Wise books.
Amy Hancock – Thank you for effort to prepare our student art display for the Dixie Classic Fair (& can charts).

Have a great weekend!