AM Announcements - June 12

AM Announcements
June 12, 2009

1. Today is Day 180.

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:

Friday: June 12
Dollar Dress Down Day
Last Day of School
Brief staff meeting - 2:45

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. Well we made it to the last day! Thanks to everyone who helped to make the Honor Roll, Fifth Grade Celebration and Fifth Grade Social so successful. Thanks to Ms. Rhodes for creating and printing all those many certificates. We say it over and over that it takes all of us to make this place run and a day like yesterday is proof positive.

6. Upcoming dates for your calendar:
a. June 16 - Retirement Breakfast - WS Children's Museum
b. June 16 - Staff Luncheon - Golden Corral
c. June 17 - Staff members leave 2 hours early
d. June 17 - Review Committees - 7:30-12:00 - using rooms 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 39
e. June 18 - Furlough Day - Only staff working - Cokley, Higgins, Ireland and Reichert

7. We will meet briefly this afternoon in the media center at 2:45.

8. We need everyone on duty at the end of the day in either the gym or outside with the buses. We want it all to go very smoothly.

9. Exercise patience today. Remember what the last day of school was like when you were in elementary school. Don't overlook misbehavior but understand excitement and anticipation.

10. Several individuals have expressed concerns related to the WS/FCS Student Supply lists. As a matter of explanation, the list was compiled by a group of teachers at each grade level representing different types of schools. The process took several months to complete. It was determined that in this tight financial environment we needed to consider carefully what we ask parents for and then speak with a single voice as a system. Many schools had lengthy supply lists that called for a significant monetary commitment on the part of parents. With the development of these grade level specific lists, parents can plan accordingly. Copies are being sent to major retailers around the community and every school is expected to post this on their web site. Providing it for parents now means that they will have an opportunity to purchase items that may go on sale throughout the summer and prepare their children for the start of school in the fall. I know we all have preferences, however, we only have the ability to delete things from the list. We cannot make changes, substitutions or additions.

11. Yesterday's refreshments were courtesy of the good folks at College Park Baptist Church. I'm sure they would love to receive a card from you showing your appreciation for their gift. Their address is 1701 W. Polo Rd., Winston-Salem, NC 27106.

12. This is the last scheduled post on the blog. Thanks for working with us as we implemented this new form of communication. There will be periodic posts throughout the summer. We will not send out letters to all staff at the beginning of next year welcoming everyone back and informing folks of the days we will return in August. We'll use the blog for that task so check it once a week or so. Everything you need to know will be posted there. New staff members will receive a welcoming letter and directions on how to access the blog.

13. With the implementation of LLI (Leveled Literacy Intervention) in the fall, we have scheduled training for July 9-10. I will be making a decision about the individual I would like to handle this program in the next few days. I would like as many K-2 teachers as possible to consider attending the training as well, so that they can continue the interventions in the classroom and everyone will be on the same page. We will pay a stipend to all attendees of $75 per day for the two day workshop. A location has not been set at this time but will most likely be at Ibraham Elementary. Ibraham, Middle Fork and Speas will all have representatives at the session. K-2 teachers who are interested in attending can simply submit and e-mail indicating that and I will take care of the registration.

14. A comment was posted on yesterday's blog asking about the purchase of SmartBoards for classrooms that do not have them. Several weeks ago Ms. Powell, Ms. Smith, Ms. Higgins and I determined to use the overage in our fund balance, approximately $25,000 to purchase the equipment for the remaining classrooms that don't have it. New restrictions on how Title-1 funds could be spent eliminated Title-1 as a funding source for this initiative. Using our fund balance overage will accomplish the task of giving each classroom SmartBoard technology and prevent us from having to return this money to the state should they ask for a reversion of funds as they did this year. This $25,000 was originally slated to be returned to the school system. We were fortunate when the stimulus money was made available and the district determined not to take the overage in each school's fund balance after all.

15. No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up.
Lily Tomlin (1939 - )

A nation is a society united by delusions about its ancestry and by common hatred of its neighbors.
William Ralph Inge (1860 - 1954)

How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.
Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

How my achievements mock me!
William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), Troilus and Cressida, Act IV