ABCDE Goal-Chronic Absenteeism

For our monthly attendance goal update, I usually share data specific to our school. However, in my boss’s newsletter last week, she included chronic absenteeism rates across our region, and I wanted to share that with you to provide some perspective on the tremendous work you’ve been doing.


As you can see, we’ve achieved the largest decrease in absenteeism compared to the other six schools in our region, and we rank 2nd for the lowest chronic absenteeism rate—with only a 1% difference.

This incredible progress reflects the hard work, dedication, and care of our entire team—thank you for supporting our students and helping make regular attendance a priority!

Reminder: when you are copied on an email from Taylor regarding a student who has accumulated multiple absences and is approaching a next step, please continue to partner with her by promptly communicating if that student continues to be absent. This helps us accurately track attendance and hold parents accountable, ensuring we maintain the progress we’ve worked so hard to achieve.

P/T Conferences

As a reminder the last day for parents to sign up for conferences has past. You will need to assign a time for any student who hasn’t signed up by November 18

In addition, our wonderful PTO has selected the menu for P/T conferences (see below).



Welcome to the Team

We have two new staff members. Our new Site Coordinator, Will Wells, works M-F from 12-8 PM. In addition, we have a new Occupational Therapist, Laura Turnbull. She works Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Please give them a warm Keystone welcome when you see them.

ABCDE Goal-Attendance

 

Congratulations to Mrs. Kaminski’s class for spelling the word, ATTENDANCE. They are the first class. I look forward to them spelling our attendance phrase, Show Up Strong, All Year Long. If she is able to accomplish this, the prizes will be BIG!   

Affirmations

 

Steve for organizing such an incredible Veterans Day assembly. Your time, creativity, and attention to detail were evident in every part of the program—from the heartfelt student speeches you wrote to the meaningful videos highlighting veterans from our school community. You created a powerful and memorable experience for our students and families that truly honored those who serve.

Diane for creating our Veterans Wall to honor those who have served. I noticed the many times you spent your prep period ensuring each veteran from our school community was highlighted with care. Your work helped make our Veterans Day celebration especially meaningful.

Stacey Reed for taking the initiative to create another observation document for the leadership team. Your organization and attention to detail help keep us aligned and make our work more efficient. We truly appreciate your consistency and the support you provide behind the scenes!

Nikki and Crystal for spoiling me with my favorite type of snack.

Nikki for the care you showed me during the Veterans Day assembly.

Diane, Teri, Danielle, Monique, Amanda, Gloria, Jane, Deb, and Kim J for personally checking in on Embry.

Lisa for returning to her accounting role and assisting me with the money. Thanks for being someone that I trust and count on.

Tracy for sharing a best practice at our staff meeting.

Emily for sharing your collaborative coaching experience at our staff meeting.

Megan, Alex, Nikki, Monique, Amy, Diane, Tracy, and Jessica for helping to guide our learning during PD. I know this wasn’t something you necessarily signed up for, as the leadership team asked for your support. For many of you, presenting in front of peers isn’t easy, yet you’ve approached it with a positive attitude and professionalism. Thank you for modeling collaboration and continuous growth.

Andria for always taking time to make sure the staff have some chocolate to make it through the day.

Mandy and Sarah M for working together to plan our staff holiday party.

Kim J for sending communication to have consistent expectation for student behavior.

Robyn, Tameka, Sally, and Stacey Reed for helping bring the “12 Days Before Winter Break” to life! I know it becomes more challenging each year to find new and creative ways to bring joy to our teachers’ days, but I truly appreciate the thought, creativity, and time you invest to make it special. Your efforts go a long way in spreading cheer and reminding our staff how valued they are.

Stephanie for helping me get 12 Days organized and putting the final touches on this 2 ½ week event.

This Week

 

Monday, November 17:

     ·      School Store Reward

     ·      All Grades Entered

     ·      Payday Breakfast-1st Grade

     ·      Pie Potluck-Sign up HERE

     ·      Dress Down-Only for those who responded to the 10/31 blog

Tuesday, November 18:

     ·      PLC Meetings

Wednesday, November 19:

     ·      Report Card Printed & Sent Home

Thursday, November 20:

     ·      Morning Assembly Presentation Due (Thanksgiving)-Lowe

Friday, November 21:

     ·      Social Media Post Due to Jorvonna-2nd Grade

Important Dates

 

November 23: Steve’s Birthday

November 24: PT Conferences (4-8 PM) In-person

November 24-25: Book Fair

November 25: PT Conferences (12-4 PM) In-person

November 25: ½ Day-Dismissal at 11:20 AM

November 26-28: No School-Thanksgiving Break

*If you have an event to add or something has been forgotten, please let me know!  

Annotating Lessons and Common Assessment Data

One of our schoolwide goals is for “50% of teachers to increase at least one performance measure in the Prepare for Each Lesson competency under Planning from their FLO fall to spring.”

To reach this goal, deans and teachers have been intentional and thoughtful in co-planning and annotating lesson plans to strengthen daily instruction.

We know that annotating takes extra time and effort, but the results show it’s worth it. Our common assessment scores are stronger than last year’s during the first 7 weeks of instruction. Math outperformed in all weeks except Week 7, while ELA outperformed in four of the seven weeks. It worth noting that ELA is gaining steady momentum this year, whereas last year’s data showed a downward trend after Week 3.

Your hard work, consistency, and commitment to intentional planning are making a real impact on student learning!



Staff Meeting

 

Starting at 3:45 on Tuesday, please go to the staff lounge to sign in, pick up documents, and grab some snacks. Our staff meeting will begin promptly at 4:00 pm in the technology room.

You may click HERE for the agenda.

Friday's Regional PD

 

This year, NHA has determined that all Regional PD sessions will be held at each individual school. We look forward to spending the day with you discussing the assessing competency and active participation (including SEL engagement strategies).

You can click HERE to view the full agenda. Everyone needs to bring an ELA lesson planned for the week of November 17–21 (or a lesson from another content area if you do not teach ELA).

Lunch will be provided from Stacks featuring broasted chicken, potato wedges, salad, and breadsticks.

Please note that only salaried staff are required to attend.

Affirmations

 

Tracy for the creative way you’ve used the Moral Focus stuffed animals to recognize our middle school students who exemplify our virtues. Your idea not only highlights positive behavior but also makes the recognition fun and meaningful for the students. What a thoughtful and engaging way to celebrate their achievements!

Judy for a fun and creative recess activity for our 3rd graders! Having them hunt for ducks around the playground was such a clever way to get students moving, engaged, and excited.

Stacey Ramirez for all you did to support our schoolwide game! From creating all the graphics, setting up teacher challenges each night, running the challenges in my absence, and so much more — you were my anchor in the storm. There aren't enough words to say that I could NOT do this without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  

Steve for not only making my morning “sweeter” with an unexpected treat but providing me with technical support.

Kim J, Gloria, Danielle D, Sally, Robyn M, Judy, Mackenzie, and Rachel for stepping in when we didn’t have a custodian and taking the time to collect all the trash. Your willingness to help out shows such thoughtfulness and care.

Lynne, Diane, and Mark for your patience and positive attitude when assemblies ran long, and you missed your prep time—twice! Your grace and positivity didn’t go unnoticed, and I’m so grateful for your understanding.

Robyn M for being proactive and ensuring that communication was sent out Thursday’s assembly and breakfast.  

Sally for making sure I had everything ready for both trivia days. You have no idea how much your support contributed to the success!

Kim J for sending BST meeting notes to all parties involved. This ensures we stay consistent with expectations and follow up as needed.

This Week

 

Monday, November 10:

    ·      Sorry Assembly @ 2:30 PM 

Tuesday, November 11:

    ·      Veterans Day Assembly

    ·      Veterans Day Spirit Day $1.00

    ·      Staff Meeting

    ·      Staff Meeting Snacks-2nd Grade

Thursday, November 13:

    ·      Dress Down & Hat $1.00 each

    ·      School Store

    ·      Morning Assembly Presentation Due (American Indian Heritage-Who and How?)-Joye

Friday, November 14:

    ·      End of Tri 1

    ·      No School-Regional PD

    ·      Snow Day Predictions Due

Important Dates

 

November 17: School Store Reward

November 17: All Grades Entered

November 17: Payday Breakfast-1st Grade

November 17: Pie Potluck-Sign up HERE

November 18: PLC Meetings

November 19: Report Card Printed & Sent Home

November 20: Morning Assembly Presentation Due (Thanksgiving)-Lowe

November 21: Social Media Post Due to Jorvonna-2nd Grade

November 23: Steve’s Birthday

November 24: PT Conferences (4-8 PM) In-person

November 24-25: Book Fair

November 25: PT Conferences (12-4 PM) In-person

November 25: ½ Day-Dismissal at 11:20 AM

November 26-28: No School-Thanksgiving Break

*If you have an event to add or something has been forgotten, please let me know!  

Achievement Boards

 

It’s time to change your bulletin boards. All bulletin boards are required to be changed to Achievement Boards by this Friday. 

Make sure to include the following when posting your Achievement Board:

      ·       Title

      ·       Objective written as an I Can Statement

      ·       Standard (Common Core, NGSS, etc.)

      ·       Student work

      ·       Specific feedback for each student. Please write more than “Good job!”

Please note: if the student work has a score on it, take off the student's name before displaying it. If the student’s work does not have a score on it, it is acceptable to post the student's name.

PT Conference Reminders

As a reminder, all parent-teacher conferences communication must be sent this Wednesday at 8 AM. It’s imperative that you schedule it to avoid not sending this on time. Please click here for directions. 

ABCDE Goal-Behavior

We set a goal of entering one positive behavior per student every trimester. With only two weeks left in the trimester, I hope that you have majority entered.

This ongoing recognition not only reinforces positive behaviors, but also helps build trust and partnership with families, showing them that we notice and value their children’s efforts every day.

This goal can only have an impact if the positive behaviors are genuine and timely. Entering them all at the last minute takes away from the authenticity and meaning behind the recognition. If you haven’t started yet, I strongly encourage you to begin on Monday.

ABCDE Goals-Attendance

Congratulations to Mrs. Mason’s class for spelling the word, HERE. Ms. Good-Lang’s class for spelling the word, PRESENT.


Affirmations

Mark, Flo, John, Ellen, Robyn M, Tracy, Yasmeen, Amanda, and Ja’Rayl for staying after school to spike, serve, and show our students your commitment to building relationships beyond the classroom. You truly embody what makes our school special.

Ellen for taking the initiative to select and gather all the items for our colleague’s gift basket. You volunteered without being asked, and that kind of thoughtfulness and teamwork helped me out tremendously.

Kathleen for my wonderful surprises this week! Walking into my office each morning and finding them truly brightened my day.

Tameka for sharing the new data report with the rest of the deans. Your willingness to share and think beyond your own role demonstrates your commitment to the success of the entire team.

Robyn M, Ja’Rayl, Kim J, Steve, Yasmeen, Emily, Amanda, Diane, Lynne, and Mark for being so transparent and supportive during our discussions about student behavior. Your willingness to reflect honestly and collaborate on strategies shows true professionalism and care. Engaging thoughtfully in the Behavior Support Team process demonstrates your commitment to helping students grow and succeed.

Andria for stepping in and sending communication to the auxiliary staff on my behalf. Your quick thinking and willingness to provide a clear solution to my scheduling error will help things run smoothly.

Sarah M and Mandy for getting planning done for our holiday party. I am excited for what’s to come. 

Cayla and Courtney for gifting me with homemade pickles and a card from the Garden Club. It made me feel special that you thought of me.

This Week

 

Monday, November 3:

     ·      Schoolwide Fun-Sorry!

Tuesday, November 4:

     ·      Sorry Color Interpretation Dress Down Competition

     ·      SLT Meeting 3:50-4:20

Wednesday, November 5:

     ·      Perfect Attendance Reward

Thursday, November 6:

     ·      Purple Club

Friday, November 7:

     ·      Change Bulletin Board

Saturday, November 8:

     ·      Crystal’s Birthday

Happy Birthday



There is a special gift in the mailboxes of all the people who celebrate their birthdays in


 

Important Dates

 

November 11: Veterans Day Assembly

November 11: Veterans Day Spirit Day $1.00

November 11: Staff Meeting

November 11: Staff Meeting Snacks-2nd Grade

November 13: Dress Down & Hat $1.00 each

November 13: School Store

November 13: Morning Assembly Presentation Due (American Indian Heritage-Who and How?)-Joye

November 14: End of Tri 1

November 14: No School

November 17: School Store Reward

November 17: All Grades Entered

November 17: Payday Breakfast-1st Grade

November 18: PLC Meetings

November 19: Report Card Printed & Sent Home

November 20: Morning Assembly Presentation Due (Thanksgiving)-Lowe

November 21: Social Media Post Due to Jorvonna-2nd Grade

November 23: Steve’s Birthday

November 24: PT Conferences (4-8 PM) In-person

November 24-25: Book Fair

November 25: PT Conferences (12-4 PM) In-person

November 25: ½ Day-Dismissal at 11:20 AM

November 26-28: No School-Thanksgiving Break

*If you have an event to add or something has been forgotten, please let me know!