AM Announcements - May 19

AM Announcements
May 19, 2009

1. Today is Day 163.

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: May 19
EOG testing - Math - Calculator Active
Wednesday: May 20EOG testing - Math Calculator Inactive

Thursday: May 21
EOG - Make-up sessions

Friday: May 22
EOG - Make-up sessions
NCCLAS on-line completed
FORE Book Distribution - 9:00-10:00 - Dan Arial - Polo Park Recreation Center
Dollar Dress Down Day

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

5. I will be off-campus this afternoon beginning at 3:15 for final interviews for WS/FCS Teacher of the Year.

6. The EOG continues. Today is Math-Calculator Active for grades 3-5. Please do all you can to support our students by restricting movement and keeping students quiet in the hallways and outside these classrooms while the testing is going on. This includes carts and other wheeled apparatus that can disrupt our classes testing. We had some classes walking through the testing areas to get outside yesterday. Please exit from the building at your first opportunity when going outside and stay out of testing areas. Your cooperation is very much appreciated.

7. Upcoming dates for your calendar:
a. May 25 - No School - Memorial Day Holiday
b. May 26 - Interim Reports go home
c. May 26-29 - EOG Remediation Sessions
d. May 27-29 - Student Council Elections

8. SIT members: Yesterday I met with K-2 teachers and Title-1 staff. We reviewed the proposal from Joyce Kohfedt regarding the Fountas and Pinell program. They are in favor of reallocating one individual from the Title-1 staff in order to implement this program. Please send me an e-mail by 3:00 PM indicating if you support this reallocation or personnel. It will mean a little less help on the 3-5 level and help for the most at-risk K-2 students. I only need an e-mail from SIT members.

9. I received the following e-mail yesterday afternoon:

"We will meet Wednesday, May 20, at 4:00 to discuss the Title I allotments, what this actually means for your school and what must be done to revise your School Improvement Plan to reflect the allotment. Please bring your SIP with you. If you are an existing school, please bring the Title I components check-list also."

I also received a call from Toni Bigham regarding this and she said that the system is in a position to do "some backfill." This means that we may see positive changes to our allotment. I will let you know as soon as I am able. Keep your fingers crossed.

10. Is there life before death?
Graffito, in Belfast

Just once, I wish we would encounter an alien menace that wasn't immune to bullets.
Unknown, Brigader Lethbridge-Stewart in "Dr. Who"

We are inclined to believe those whom we do not know because they have never deceived us.
Samuel Johnson (1709 - 1784)

The easiest way for your children to learn about money is for you not to have any.
Katharine Whitehorn