Month: January 2014

January 8, 2014

Snow Day and Calendar Updates:
Here are the missed days thus far for 2013-2014:
#1-12/5/13; Make Up Day 1/20/14
#2-12/6/13; Make Up Day 2/17/14
#3-12/9/13; Make Up Day 5/23/14
#4-12/10/13; Make Up Day 5/27/14
#5-12/13/13; Make Up Day 5/28/14
#6-1/6/14; Make Up Day 5/29/14
#7-1/7/14; Make Up Day 5/30/14
Also, here is the current calculator per DESE in coordination w/state law:
A qualifying district is required to make up the six scheduled make-up days, plus half of the additional days lost up to a total of 10 make-up days. The remainder of the days and hours lost may be forgiven. For example, if a qualifying district misses 20 days due to inclement weather during the current term, it would have to make up 10 of the 20 days missed (the six scheduled make-up days, plus half of the remaining fourteen days missed, up to a total of 10 days). The remaining seven days would be forgiven.
I need two 2nd and two 3rd grade classes that would be interested in hosting representative Billy Long on February 19th. We are unsure at this time about the specifics regarding the time of day to anticipate his visit. He would like to visit these classrooms and read a book to the students. Let me know if you are in…
Just kidding we will go ahead with the “Back to the Basics” PLC session for Friday, Jan. 10th. We were initially trying to work around scheduled professional development opportunities that have since been cancelled. Sorry for the confusion.
Bucket Fillers: Counselor Cody was a constant layer of support for one of our little 1st graders who was looking at a considerable transition. I appreciate his sensitivity to issues involving children and his approach with the students themselves. Thank you, Counselor Cody, for sharing gifts with CRE.
Julie Ipock deserves to put her feet up at the end of this first day back in action. She is battling a bug during pregnancy and continues to do it all with a joyful smile. I appreciate Mrs. Ipock’s thorough planning, attention to detail, and dedication to excellence. Take it easy tonight, Julie.
Hoping for a school day tomorrow! This weather?!?!
Michelle

January 8, 2014

Welcome back, AGAIN! I hope you made the most of your snow days and are ready to tackle the week ahead.

CRE Family News: We have a number of ill colleagues, some with us today and some home with the flu. It is a great time of year to reach out and offer support for friends that may not be feeling 100%.

Safe travels for Mesa Mitchell as she drives home from her Grandmother’s funeral in WI.

January Faculty Meeting is scheduled for Tues. Jan. 14th at 7:00 a.m.

Leadership Team Mtg Friday, Jan. 10th at 8:00 in Library.

Our daily attendance for the day is 83.3%. The time is now to make contact with your families and assist us with communicating the importance of school attendance while at the same time letting families know we care.

PLC Change for Friday: We will be rescheduling the Back to Basics PLC session for next Friday, Jan. 17th. This Friday, Jan. 10th we will have Kid Talk.

PBIS Lunch Schedule: Friday, Jan. 10th will be 3rd grade PBIS Lunch at McDonald’s at 11:00. Tuesday, Jan. 14th will be the 1st and 2nd grade PBIS Lunch at McDonalds at 11:00. We will do an all call for students when it is time to board the bus. Pam Grisham is preparing a note to go home with students today.

3rd Grade special events: Barb Beck with the University of Missouri Extension Family Nutrition Education Program Taney County will be starting a six week series with our 3rd graders on Nutrition. This is a great enrichment opportunity and we are proud to partner with the Extension Center to offer it to our students.

Irish Assembly: has been rescheduled for Feb. 7th.

Bucket Fillers: Ginger Conner is giving it her all today while under the weather. I appreciate her commitment and hope that her students are kind to her as she needs to refuel and gain strength to fight off the crud. Hope you feel better soon, Ginger.

Lora Molina welcomed the CRE Family back today with hot cocoa, marshmallows, and whipped cream. What a treat to work with a kitchen team committed to making our house a home. So sweet and the perfect day for it. Thank you, Lora for your thoughtfulness.

A few requests to share your talents: I need a Leadership Team member to create a wall display from our last Leadership Work day. I have some ideas and pics to share if interested. We need curtains and curtain rods purchase for the cafeteria, I have the dimensions if someone is in the shopping mood. We need the conference room (608) decorated to reflect our welcoming atmosphere here at CRE. Thank you in advance for your assistance with projects that send a message to our school families.

More to come later, possibly…

Michelle

 

January 3, 2014

Calendar Update: Last day of school for the 2013-2014 school year – with three of the five snow days added onto the calendar – is May 28.  We will be in session January 20 and February 17 and use these dates as two of our make-up days.  Sounds like there could be more winter weather to come…this end date in May will change if more school days are missed.

Early Separation: For those of you eligible to consider retirement this year, the district policy reads:  the certificated employee must submit an application to participate in the Early Separation Incentive Plan to the superintendent, at least one week prior to the regular February board meeting of the last full year of contracted employment.  The deadline to submit your application for 2014 retirement is February 13.  Applications may be obtained from Kim Bryant in the District Office.  If you are a teacher who has been employed 10 or more years in the Branson School District – with eight of those years consecutive employment and you qualify to receive benefits under the Missouri Teacher Retirement guidelines – you are eligible to participate in this program.  Specific questions should be directed to the superintendent’s office (ext. 9011).

All dates to follow can be found in the CRE Calendar:

January 9                     PTO Meeting @ BI; 12:30

January 16                 Board Meeting; 6:30pm in District Offices

January 20                 Snow Make Up Day – school in session

January 24                 One-half day attendance; teacher workday in the afternoon

January 27-31              School Board Appreciation Week

February 3-7                School Counselors Week

February 14                 Happy Valentine’s Day

February 17                Snow Make Up Day – school in session

February 27-March 2   High School Musical

February 28                 Kindergarten Circus @ Cedar Ridge

Here is the link to the 3rd Grade Irish Assembly scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 7th. Irish Assembly 2013

Here is the link to the dates for Data Entry for CRE. As a reminder we discussed the need to create a data warehouse to access for the PST process as well as Reading Recovery and the Intervention Process. Please take note the first due date for data entry is January 17th and Mr. Charland will attend our PLC on Jan. 10th to provide a brief training session. This is one of those things that sounds worse than it is, once you do it the first time it is smooth sailing from there.  Data Dates-CR Elementary

Relay for Life 2014: Each year, more than 4 million people in over 20 countries raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer through the Relay For Life movement. Here at CRE we fund raise during 2nd semester not only to raise awareness for cancer but to raise funds for our Relay for Life event in June. We hope to host a few events, sell t-shirts, and of course do our annual jeans fund raiser.  Every Wednesday starting January 8th CRE faculty and staff can wear jeans by paying $2 each week.  We have at least 19 ($38) Wednesdays left in the school year. If you would like to participate, you can pay weekly or for the rest of the year. See Genna Yabusaki (Room 307) to get your jeans stickers today! We appreciate any and all funds that go to support your Branson Pirate Relay for Life Team.

Bucket Fillers:

Maggie Snavely has started adding the daily subs to the SIS bulletin. I appreciate Maggie’s cooperative nature and willingness to do what is best for CRE. Maggie is spot-on with service to others, professionalism, and work ethic that all shine through in her daily interactions with our school families. You are appreciated for all you do, Maggie.

Bonnie Cardwell was nailing phonemes and vocabulary usage in the classroom today. Mrs. Brown reported that the student’s ability to apply the information in all contexts was impressive to say the least. She bragged on Bonnie’s level of application and connectivity to the content area. Thank you for your dedication to the instructional integrity we value as a district.

Thank you for all the drop by visits, emails, and over all kindness as I returned today from a sick day at home. I hate to miss school so I was thankful to be here today. I hope you all enjoy a restful weekend after this “long” work week. I will use Remind 101 to notify you if there is a school cancellation for next week.

Michelle