AM Announcements

September 02, 2008

1. Today is Day 6.

2. It is the mission of Speas elementary School to provide its students with the tools necessary to successfully meet the challenges they will face in a diverse world.

3. Calendar items for this week:

Tuesday: September 02

School-wide Job applications go out
Principal's Challenge Determined and Announced
APT Testing begins
PTA Fundraiser Assembly - 1:30-2:15SIT - 2:45

Wednesday: September 03

Initial APT for Language
Grades 3-5 Teachers and Title-1 staff meet in media center 2:45 PM

Thursday: September 04

Initial APT for Language
Gateway Meeting - Grades 3 and 5 - 6:00-8:00 PM Media Center

Friday: September 05

Initial APT for Language

4. All grade levels, specialists and classified staff should have selected a SIT representative who will attend the meetings on your behalf. If you have not as of yet, please gather immediately after bus dismissal and select one. The meeting will begin at 2:45 and last until approximately 4:00. On the agenda is the revision of the SIP/Title-1 plan. We will also discuss budget allotments, grade level planning sessions and walk-through's. All staff members are welcome to attend and express their opinions. Please join us.

5. There will be a Gateway meeting this Thursday evening from 6:00-8:00 PM to review the gateway procedure for non-proficient students in grades 3 and 5. Teachers of these grades should get PEP's signed at this time as well.

6. Please remember to review all CUM folders and determine which children have PEP's. These PEP's must be signed by the end of September. Please contact parents to come in for a conference during the month so the PEP can be reviewed and parents can sign off. These PEP's are to be reviewed quarterly. Parents are to sign-off on any changes during the year. If you have trouble getting a parent in,please let Ms. Summey know. As our Home/School Coordinator she can help with this task.

7. There will be a brief meeting on Wednesday afternoon of teachers in grades 3-5 and Title-1 staff members to discuss the Title-1 teaching assignments for this school year.

8. When you print your weekly newsletters for parents, please place a copy in Ms. Powell's box for Title-1 documentation. Any communication you send home to all parents should be copied and placed in Ms. Powell's box.

9. All teachers should keep a log of all parent communications. Every time you send a note home, call home, or have a conference should be documented in the log. The log should list the date, time and reason for communication. A spiral bound notebook is the easiest way to do this. If you need a notebook, please let me know. I'll be happy to provide it. These become invaluable when parents say they were never informed about a given problem.

10. Please place a hard copy of your classroom newsletter in Ms. Powell's box on the first school day of each week.

11. I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.
Groucho Marx (1890 - 1977)

Why is this thus? What is the reason for this thusness?
Artemus Ward (1834 - 1867)

Men have become the tools of their tools.
Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

Philosophy is a battle against the bewitchment of our intelligence by means of language.
Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889 - 1951)