Getting Into School Shape

I don't know about you, but I realize I have to get back into 'school shape.'  Building stamina to work all day and navigate the hundreds of interactions you have each week with students, staff, parents, and your own friends and family has to be a concerted effort.  What plans have you made or will you make for self-care?

I appreciate how we all are starting the school year in a positive and collaborative manner.  As we continue to plan and work with all students, staff and families, remember we get what we give.  The partnerships we nurture are the ones that grow and have impact in the lives of students.

This week, please continue to implement universal screeners-- BRIGANCE and DRAs.  I will check in with each of you to assess your progress and find out if you need additional assistance.

Digital Backpack and Google

To be inclusive of our new staff, I will begin to include two of the backpack videos weekly so we all understand how the student digital backpack impacts teaching and learning.  Feel free to watch ahead, but I will include two per week on the blog.

There is also a JCPS Digital Backpack Training Channel.  The link is below...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJGe3MS7UcJr2GvkuIWthw/featured

Information on Google Level 1 Certification Cohorts

Student Movement

We will move students to balance classes and ensure students are in appropriate peer groups as outlined in our Total School Cluster Grouping model.  The plan is to start students in their new groups by Wednesday of this week.  Teachers will be provided letters to go home to parents regarding the class changes.

School Data

Based on walk throughs last week, 73% of classrooms had posted learning targets and aligned activities. Twenty percent of classrooms had learning targets consistently written in student agendas and 33% of classrooms had inconsistent implementation of learning targets written in agendas.  This is a school wide goal of 100%.  This allows all to know what's going on in classrooms, reinforces learning targets for students, and practices handwriting.  This week, let's strive for 100% implementation.

Faculty Meeting

Culture/Climate

Jr. Beta Club

Restraint and Seclusion

Reminders

• Please remember to check the living calendar and daily updates.  
• Dr. Parks added a link to a sub plan template to the blog, please be sure you have 3 days of meaningful sub plan lessons available in your classroom in the event of an unexpected absence.

Setting a Trajectory for Success

Thank you for a great start to the school year.  Our students have entered ready to learn and our mission is ...to provide rigorous instruction and remove barriers to learning so students believe in their own ability to achieve success. We will ground our work in this mission and ensure our students are learning each day.

There are some day-to-day consistencies that we must guarantee to ensure strong communication among staff, across classrooms, and with families.

• Positive Contact Log -- all homeroom teachers much reach out to parents and turn in a parent contact log to me demonstrating your attempts to reach out to parents, introduce yourself, and establish a positive rapport with families.  Shout out to Mr. Wilkerson for completing his positive contact log.  These are due to Dr. White by Friday, August 24th.  You can click on the link and print the log sheet.

• Class schedules -- All homeroom teachers and special area teachers should have posted class schedules outside their doors and all teaching staff should provide White with a copy of their schedule.  There was talk of creating a folder on Google to house and share schedules, we will work to get this up and working, but in the meantime, please comply with the above schedule requests.

• Agenda use -- Each student has been provided with an agenda for their use.  The expectation is for all students to write the daily learning targets in their agendas per subjects (K can use printed labels for parents) and for this to be used as a communication tool between school and home.  Nightly signatures are expected from parents.

• Daily attendance emails from Courtney Edmerson -- each day Ms. Edmerson sends the daily absence summary.  All are asked to review the list for discrepancies and if any are found to report that to her so that we have accurate daily attendance.  

From Sheldon Nance (plant operator) -- We all must break down boxes before placing them in the outside recycling bin.  Our school received a fine for not doing so in the last pickup.

Faculty Meeting Agenda (Tuesday)

• School culture/celebrations
• Learning discussion  (article is linked)
• Strategy
• The Evaluation Process (E2 signature)

Double check the duty schedule, it will fully begin Tuesday, feel free to make changes or add yourself to an area.

Please be sure to check the daily updates and living calendar each day.  Have a great week!

Welcome Back Team King!

I'm so excited for our new school year and new team members.  Please join me in welcoming the following new teachers:

Brenda Adamson       3rd grade
Jennifer Moore          4th grade
Hayley Miller            4th grade
Jessalyn Stivers         4th grade
Courtney Green         5th grade

I want to give a huge shout out to our custodial team for ensuring the building is ready for all to return:  Sheldon Nance, Angie Hopkins, and Michael Jenkins.  Thank you for making our building beautiful, we accept the shared responsibility for keeping it that way.

Thank you to all teachers and instructional assistants for teaching during the YMCA Summer Learning Loss Program:  Elizabeth Buckley, Felicia Duncan, Rachel Fields, Carolyn Flener, Amber Williams, Tara Johnson, Lonnetta Martin, Edward Newton, Jessica Schmidt, and Stacy McClain.

Last, thank you all for participating with professional development over the summer to improve your knowledge and skills in preparation for our students.  The most effective tool for student learning is an effective teacher.

We had an awesome turn out for Kindergarten Kickoff and Back to School Orientation.  Thank you for your participation.  Ms. Jones created a slide show to show the highlights for Kindergarten Kickoff.


Please keep Teri Nichols (cafeteria manager) in your thoughts and prayers, her grandmother passed away last week.

Tomorrow, we will start in the cafeteria at 9:05 AM, breakfast will be available beginning at 8:45.  The agenda is available here.  Please bring your laptops.

Duty Schedule