AM Announcements - February 05

AM Announcements
February 05, 2009

1. Today is Day 96.

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:

Thursday: February 05
Review Conferences - Larson -8:50, Johnson 10:50
Group Pictures only

Friday: February 06
Review Conferences
Honor Roll Assembly - 1:15

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. Classroom teachers should sign-up for a review conference taking place from February 3-13. The sign-up sheet is in the mail room.

6. Upcoming dates for your calendar:
a. February 09 - Interim Reports go home
b. February 13 - Pastries for Parents
c. February 13 - Dollar Dress Down Day
d. February 17 - Marzano Staff Development
e. February 24 - Technology Staff development

7. This month we will honor Rose Rusch as we participate in the 2009 Winston-SalemArts Council Campaign! Let's work together to achieve 100% participation in her honor! No donation or pledge is too small. Participation is what counts! Your pledge/donation slips along with brochures listing the Campaign's recipients will be put in your boxes this week. Please turn them in February 16 at "Rose's Tea". If you have questions ask:Chris, Kim, Billie, or Gretchen.

8. If anyone asks you about registering for Kindergarten, remind them that beginning this year, children must turn five (5) on or before August 31.

9. The field trip to the Stevens Center for the African American Dance Ensemble has been cancelled for today and rescheduled for March 11.

10. The following took place last night at the neighborhood meeting with Dr. Martin regarding Speas renovation:

Dr. Martin and Bill Powell went over the construction projects for the 2006 bond referendum and then focused on Speas. They fielded a series of questions prepared by the neighborhood group. These are posted in the mail room. They discussed the difference in cost between the proposed renovation and the construction of a new school and why renovation was selected. They listened to the concerns of the neighbors as to why they thought a new school was needed. Dr. Martin invited them to a school board planning session that will make the decisions regarding what is eventually done. They also shared a new proposal from the one I presented to you. This proposal would build a new media center/kitchen/cafeteria on the space between the gym and the playground. The offices would move into the kitchen/cafeteria space and the entrance to the school would be moved to the center of the cafeteria so that it would line up with the corridor to the back building. All other renovations would remain the same as originally proposed. I have seen a hand drawing of this proposal and the architect is doing the schematics right now. If this is chosen it will necessitate a delay in the start of about 2-6 months while the plans are approved by the city/county planning board. I'll share the information with you as I receive it. You can be very proud of Cathy Smith and Leah Adkins. They spoke very passionately and eloquently in support of our students and our school.

11. Now is the time for all good men to come to.
Walt Kelly (1913 - 1973), "Pogo" (comic strip)

Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow.
Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)

When love is gone, there's always justice.And when justice is gone, there's always force. And when force is gone, there's always Mom.Hi, Mom!
Laurie Anderson

The great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something stupid.
Art Spander