AM Announcements - January 13

AM Announcements
January 13, 2009

1. Today is Day 83.

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: January 13
Student Council Officers - 1:30-2:15 - Room #3
Staff Meeting - Final vote on 2008-2011 SIP
CiCi's Pizza Night - 5:00-8:00
A's and Bees Tutoring - 6:00-8:00

Wednesday: January 14
Leadership Winston-Salem - Reichert off-campus all day

Thursday: January 15
Elementary Principals' Meeting - 7:15-12:00 - Reichert off-campus
Retirement Luncheon for David Fitzpatrick - 12:00-1:30 - Reichert and Powell off-campus

Friday: January 16
Final Copy of SIP Due at Central Office (Toni Bigham)
Second Quarter EOQ Tests
Don Phillips Presentation - CO Auditorium - 3:30-6:00 - Reichert and Powell off-campus

4. At the end of each day, please do the following:
a. CLOSE ALL BLINDS
b. TURN ALL TV's OFF
c. TURN OFF ALL MONITORS and COMPUTERS (CPU's)

5. Willette Nash would like to schedule multicultural education walk through. She would like to visit at least 5 classrooms if possible. If you would like for her to visit your classroom please send an e-mail to me. I will work with her on a date at the beginning of the 3rd quarter.

6. Upcoming dates for your calendar:
a. January 16-23 - End of Quarter Tests
b. January 19 - No School - MLK Holiday
c. January 20 - AR Benchmarks due
d. January 23 - End of Quarter
e. January 26 - No School - RS day for report cards
f. January 27 - Technology Staff Development - 2:30-5:00
g. January 27-29 - AR Celebrations - (27/K; 28/1-2; 29/ 3-5)

7. Be Healthy School Kids classroom presentations continue.

8. On Monday January 26th from 9 am – 1 pm a Winter Education Symposium will be held at Redeemer Presbyterian Church. This event has been approved by Dr. Martin as 0.3 continuing education units. The symposium is titled "Connecting with you Students, Impacting your Community" and will include the following presenters: author and educator Dr. Gary Chapman, Salem College professor Krishauna Hines-Gaither, and educator and professional dancer Shawn Bowman-Hicks. The event will focus on teahers’ value to the community and will equip teachers to connect and communicate effectively with all their students. The symposium agenda and registration material have been posted in the lounge.

9. The ladies from Clinque wanted to apologize for missing their afternoon appointments. They had car trouble and the car had to be towed. They will be back on Thursday and have another sign-up sheet.

10. We received a clarification on the law regarding the taking of personal days during testing periods. The law applies only to days set aside for "state" testing. This would mean EOG's and EOC's. Drew Davis, the school system attorney, is meeting with Dr. Martin today regarding this matter. Dave Fairall, the Director of Human Resources and Tripp Jeffers, local FCAE president, will also be involved in discussions and a ruling on the taking of personal days during local testing periods will be forthcoming. I have discussed this at length with Ms. Linhart, our local FCAE representative, and she has been copied on all e-mails regarding this matter. I would ask that you hold any questions regarding this until we have a definitive response from Dr. Martin, especially those relating to our upcoming local testing window beginning Friday and lasting through the following Friday.

11. We have been given forty (40) tickets to the Thursday, January 15 WFU v. Boston College Women's Basketball game. Each ticket is good for admitting two individuals. These are available from Ms. Rhodes on a first come first served basis.

12. Teachers, please bring copies of or information related to what you have done in your classroom regarding the two Marzano strategies:

a. similarities and differences
b. Summarizing and note-taking

I have seen some great stuff in classrooms. Come prepared to share. ALso jot down any questions you might have regarding things that haven't gone quite according to plan.

13. Every journalist has a novel in him, which is an excellent place for it.
Russel Lynes

Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.
Don Marquis (1878 - 1937)

I once said cynically of a politician, 'He'll doublecross that bridge when he comes to it.'
Oscar Levant (1906 - 1972)

You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.
Jack London (1876 - 1916)