willsub

September 11, 2017

CRE Family News

Mrs. Bradford will be having surgery this coming week and will be out for at least 2 weeks, recovering. We wish her the best as she faces her health needs head on and look forward to WELCOMING Ms. Attaway to our CRE family as the substitute in Jeanna’s absence.

As many of you know several CRE staff members will be attending the funeral of one of our former students. The visitation and funeral are on Wed. The family has requested that guests wear jeans and a white shirt. Spirit days are in place for the week so jeans won’t really stand out on anyone but myself and Mrs. Thmspon… so just letting you know the “why.”

 WillSub

As we continue to learn our new system please review the following updates to our WILLSUB training.

In Willsub, there is no clear cut way to enter a 1/4 day.  However, if you only need to take a 1/4 day there is a way to let administration know.  Select the appropriate duration (leaving early / arriving late).  Next, it’ll ask you “ARRIVING AT.”
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 This is the time you need your substitute in the building by; not the time you are arriving or leaving.   We have been having some substitutes arriving at various times and we need them here for 4 hours if we are paying them for 4 hours.
If you are taking 1/4 day, you would indicate that in the “notes to admin” section.
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I misinformed in the blog last week! Please note the following changes.
Pre-arranged subs: I am only pre-arranging subs for PST meetings, All day staffing, data days & long term leave requests.  If you are involved in these, you will not need to enter anything in Willsub because I am doing it for you.   All other request will be sent through the system.
If you any questions, please don’t hesitate to call me! ~Maggie Snavely
Professional Development 
This is a great resource for new teachers but it is also a great refresher for the rest of us. I hope you find the humor in it as well as good information to cling to as you chart your own path.

Find-Your-Marigold

PTO Fundraiser

I need 3-4 CRE reps to help with fundraiser delivery at BI on Oct. 17th from 4:30-6:30. This is an informal volunteer evening, great connections with families, and teamwork in action. Let me know if you are up for it… bonus jeans day for those who can help out.

CRE Character Shirts

Please try to send reminder notes home to families who have not paid for their child’s character shirts. No need to send notes home to all families again. I will also share a SM text as a reminder.

Building Communication

Remind: I use Remind as a back up communication tool for staff. If you are not on the CRE Remind recipient list please join by texting @drcol to 816-974-0592.

School Messenger: I sent a school messenger text out to 90 staff members on Sunday evening about jeans. When i go into the system to check for delivery several staff members have the SMS text blocked. You will need to go into SM and update your preferences to receive building communications from me in the event of an emergency. If you did not receive the Sunday evening text about jeans between 7:27 and 9:00 pm please check your SM preferences to “unmark” blocked for CRE notifications.

This is the link you will need to change your preferences/settings. You will need to login with your school email and password.

School Messenger Info Center

SM will be my primary tool for staff communication. I will often include staff in a CRE families (parents) text as well. This is just an additional layer to help you be aware of information that has been shared with parents.

Organizational Excellence

Voicemail: If you have changed rooms or are new, please make sure to update your voicemail. We have had parents call and sometimes think they have the wrong room because it isn’t “you” on the voicemail. Please address this communication barrier, soon.

Bucket Fillers

Shelly Ray has such a sincere love for her students. She is always playing with them and bringing joy to their faces. You can tell that she loves what she does. ~Mrs. Arjes

Great Pic!!!

 

Kendra Scott is like a CRE Behind the Scenes Superhero!!! Her diligence, competency, and true advocacy for student needs is a WIN for our team. I appreciate the way she can offer suggestions and hope in a challenging scenario. Thank you for all you do, Mrs. Scott! CRE is stronger because of you.

Kim Gillman came through in a big way with the first session in our book study series with our sped team. She modeled prep and follow through in a way that has set the stage for professional growth within our team. Nicely done, Mrs. Gillman!

Tori Poor’s grit is a stand out quality. She knows the direction she needs to go with student services and doesn’t waste any time getting the ball rolling. He drive and action oriented interventions are a driving force for her student’s success.

Here’s to a wonderful week ahead!

Michelle

September 6th, 2017

CRE Family News

Wow, our CRE Family is showing up in a big way and we are just getting started! Digging in, grit, pealing back the layers, brutal facts, celebrations, connections, and investment these are just a few of the keywords that are running through my mind as I reflect on the start of another great school year.

This team has and will continue to leave an imprint and effect a student’s future story…

Headline: Whatever It Takes!

This is the message shared loud and clear from the heart of our school family. Academic adjustments, family support, encouragement, and empathy are at work in many scenarios that have been highlighted in the just the first two weeks.

It is inspiring to work alongside each of you!

You are welcome to share by email or comment on this post and share your Whatever It Takes story. This is a great opportunity to recognize a team member, encourage and support, or share a story others can use to learn and grow.

Image result for whatever it takes students

Leadership Team Meeting Notes

17-18 CRE Leadership Team Agenda 090117

PGP Meetings

Please be sure to have your personal goal (Goal #1) and our building goal (Goal #2 that I emailed last week) ready to go for our meeting. The meetings have been purposeful and certainly set the stage for purposeful, instructional dialogue throughout the school year. Thank you for your efforts to remain focused on rich, academic goal setting. The PGP meetings are taking significant chunks out of the day so if you have a need please let Evelyn know and she will pull us as needed. Your flexibility is appreciated as we power through this week.

Gamma Zeta 
The Missouri Gamma Zeta chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa (honor society for female edcators) is hosting a product drive for the Taney County Women’s Shelter. We are collecting personal care and personal hygiene products. This includes shampoo, conditioner, soap, oral health supplies, feminine hygiene products, deodorant, etc. There is a basket in the teacher’s lounge for anything you are able to donate. This is going to be a year-long service project, and items will be collected once a month for delivery. If you have any questions about our product drive, or the ADK organization feel free
to check with Kim Ayres if you have questions or interest in participating.

Branson Education Foundation Tailgate

Friday, September 15th, the Branson Education Foundation will be hosting a fundraiser tailgate before the Friday, Sept. 15th home football game in the Freshman Center cafeteria from 4:30-6:30. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children (6 and under). You can purchase tickets prior to the event by calling Sonja Myer (337-3977) or Tann Gattis (239-4020). The meal will consist of a pulled pork sandwich, chips, drink, and a dessert. There are only 200 tickets to be sold so be sure to call early. Also, each person in
attendance will receive a special gift and will be placed in a drawing for some Pirate merchandise!

I plan on bringing my crew, hope to see you there! MC

WillSub

Please remember there is not an option in the program to take a quarter day (1/4). You will need to indicate that request in the notes to administrator section. Also, when you are out of the classroom for the following: PST, Sped Staffings, Kid Talks, peer observations, curriculum work…please put this in WillSub as “PD” and click “No Sub Needed.” Maggie will have these pre-arranged. Thanks so much team!

Spirit Days

The Wizard of Oz – September 11th – 15th
We will be celebrating Homecoming Spirit Week as a District this year – “There’s No Place Like Homecoming”.
MONDAY – Oz the Great (Wear Green)
TUESDAY – Lions, Tigers & Bears, Oh My (Wear your favorite animal print)
WEDNESDAY – Ruby Slipper Day (Wear crazy socks or shoes)
THURSDAY – We’re Not in Kansa Anymore (Dress like a tourist)
FRIDAY – There’s No Place Like Home (Wear your favorite Pirate gear)

Please be sure you are intentionally promoting and communicating this week of fun with students and families. What a great week to engage and enjoy the fun that comes with SCHOOL day memories. Take pics and send my way to shar our story.

PTO Cookie Dough Kickoff Assembly

Thursday, Sept. 7th, we will have our annual PTO fundraiser assembly in the gym at 2:00 pm. Please be seated and ready for the assembly to begin, promptly at 2:00.

Attendance Intervention

This document was a summary of our journey with attendance intervention. We will be sharing data sheets and our tracking system at lit team meetings next week. This document has all the talking points and language shared from when we began in October of 2016. No action necessary just a second reference as we move forward.

Attendance Intervention

Artisan Themes

As a review we are all working toward a deeper understanding and application of the Top 6 Technical Teaching Themes through  professional growth goal setting.

All good teachers should be utilizing the six fundamental Artisan Teaching themes (Clear Learning Goals, Congruency, Task Analysis, Diagnosis, Overt Responses, and Mid-Course Corrections). These are all necessary strengths teachers must possess or be able to promote high levels of student understanding. These themes are the “essence” of what quality instruction should include.

We will strive to recognize your talents in these areas as well as embed professional reading to further extend our learning as a collaborative team.

Clear Learning Goals – The ability of the teacher to identify and precisely express what students will know and be able to do as a result of a lesson.

Artisan Teacher…Clear Learning Goals

I am sharing more in depth learning opportunities with regard to Clear Learning Goals being visibly posted in classrooms. This is a topic we are discussing in PGP’s as one component of the our collaborative goal covering the top 6 artisan themes. I will be in classrooms to check on our status as a building with this goal.

This visual helps in formulating goals with the use of verbs to describe student application of skills.  Verbs describe performance and nouns describe content.  We need a verb to tell what the students will do and the noun to say what the content is.  Also, having students verbalize the goal in their own words and ending the lesson with review of the goal will help with the learning process start to finish.

 

Bucket Fillers

Dian Burge is a stellar professional. Her reflective practices and forward thinking are talents we are lucky to have among our staff here at CRE. If ever you have the opportunity to observe her in action, please do. She is phenomenal!

Jacki Lee is digging in with differentiated instruction at a rapid pace. I love that she embraces a challenge to extend the learning opportunities for her learners with passion and perseverance. Ms. Lee is skillful at overt responses and adapting the learning journey for her students based on their feedback. Way to go, Ms. Lee!

Nicole Hopper’s experience and skill set shine through each day here at CRE. I appreciate that she knows it may get ugly before we see the rainbow in student behavior. She values the process, strategies, and research behind our efforts. Way to be a team player and keeping your eye on the prize in challenging moments (hours).

Brandi Gifford has been digging in and a step ahead of her learner needs. Proactive action will reap dividends for learner outcomes. She has listened, absorbed, and taken appropriate action. So proud to have her on our CRE team. You are doing great, Ms. Gifford!

Nancy Brashers is skillful in delivery direct communication regarding eliminating barriers to educating kids. She uses the same “it is what it is” language with students who have circumstances that “could” hold them back. She is teaching GRIT and embedding an overcoming spirit in her students.

Michelle

 

August 22, 2017

Image result for back to school quotes

CRE has pulled together with all hands on deck to get us off to a strong start. Retraining students, parents, and ourselves is quite the challenge in the beginning. Thank you all for digging in and getting the job done.

PLC

CR Elementary MVV

Please review the attached document and let Mrs. Brown or myself know if you would like to suggest changes.

Instructional Spotlight 

Mrs. Hughes (1st) had clear learning goals posted to guide her young learners. Her intentional efforts to prep for the day will reap great rewards in maintaining a learning focus throughout the year.

Having a point of reference for students and an opportunity for the teacher to, explicitly share the learning goals for the day is a fundamental expectations for all classrooms.

Mrs. Poor had an anchor chart detailing the expectations of the teacher and students. This activity with students sure reinforced their sense of belonging, worth, and role as a student. This is an invaluable way to infuse student voice into daily teaching and learning behaviors.

The 1st grade walk through was a great opportunity to observe classroom learning in motion. Classes were well underway as instruction had begun, promptly. (Lekar) Additional takeaways were:

  • manipulatives were out and in student’s hands for use in learning (Engel/Ball)
  • 1st graders were learning and practicing greetings (Poor/Arjes)
  • Pirate High 5’s were used as positive reinforcers (Lee)
  • reading groups were underway (Lee)
  • students were practicing read to self and writer’s workshop and teacher was circulating to reinforce quality learning experiences(Oxenreider/Scroggins)

Artisan Themes

Building Update

Call Pam Grisham when the plastic is low on the laminator. If the laminator runs out of film it will be out of use for a while. This can cause permanent damage to the machine. Help us keep equipment working by reporting needs to the appropriate person

willSub

Reminders and clarifications as we learn this new system:
Please be sure to log absences into willSub when you know you are going to be absent from work. This helps us ensurethe system will immediately send out for subs to cover. Remember, if the need for a long term sub arises (maternity,
illness, etc.), please do not put into the system. Instead come see me and we will work with Maggie to input this as a prearranged absence(s).

There is not a 1/4 day option so you will have to note that in the administrator note area when submitting a leave request. The adjustment will be made for payroll purposes when processed.  Feedback is encouraged as we want the system to work well.  Twenty additional subs have been trained. Yahoo! The following list will help you know who’s role it is to request a sub and when.

All day SPED staffing sub-Maggie

PST’s-Maggie

Data Days-Maggie

NWEA proctor- Maggie

Sick, Personal, PD/Professional, Field trip (para sub)-Teacher/Para submits leave request

Half Day Schedule 

2017-2018 Half Day Schedule

The spreadsheet with times, at the bottom, is an easy visual for special areas to use when sliding in the classes they will have on those days. Just fyi…

Drills 

All dates are also on the CRE calendar.

September
19th @ 9:30–Tornado drill
21st @ 2–Intruder dirll
22nd @ 9:30–FIre drill
Apil
10th @ 2 PM– Fire
11th @ 9:30 AM– Intruder
13th @ 1:30 PM– Tornado
PBIS Update 
All classes have now been introduced to the Pirate High 5. Please be actively recognizing student behaviors with use of pirate high 5’s and the class High 5, when applicable. Let’s double down on our building PBIS and Pirate High 5 language as we get into full swing here at CRE. Students are responding, beautifully to the Pirate High 5 expectations already. Greetings are evident in all settings and students are gaining confidence with the support from the classroom lessons, class meetings, and positive reinforcements.
Office Updates
As we get closer to reaching our start time goal with all students in class by 8:45, please be diligent in taking attendance by 9:30. The automated calls go out at 10:00 and it is difficult to host conversations with parents when their child is in attendance but they may have received a call. This task is tedious and takes your focused attention, I realize this is hard to manage with the business of the morning. Thank you for your help in accounting for all students, accurately.
NWEA
As announced at our faculty meeting, we will not be NWEA testing this fall. Instead, we will utilize and focus upon last spring’s NWEA scores to create intervention groups. This is a pilot year as we will analyze how this practice goes. This also provides additional classroom teaching minutes which goes right with our goal to preserve this most valuable time.
We started NWEA Language testing for 2nd and 3rd today. As a reminder NWEA scores are available the next day. You are encouraged to run your class report and use for instructional planning.
Mr. Beasley is calling classrooms for new 2nd and 3rd graders and going to retrieve 1st graders. Thank you for your flexibility as we work to get all students tested in a timely manner.
Class Schedules
As a reminder class schedules are due to Mrs. Brown on Friday, Aug. 25th. Please have schedules posted outside your classroom by this date as well.

Bucket Fillers

I want you to know Amy Beaver, Amy Johnson, Cara Rittman, Mrs. Dianne, and Ms.Unger happily loaded kids into cars with warm smiles on their faces while being completely drenched. Ms. Beaver, Ms. Unger, and Ms. Rittman were completely soaked (head to toe) when they entered the building after car duty.~ Tori Poor

Ms. Helms did a nice job hosting an impromptu parent meeting. She was shoulders down, student focused, and helped us arrive at a positive outcome. Thank you for your efforts to communicate with all parties before, during and after the meeting. Go team!

Mrs. Harris did a great job facilitating the PBIS team meeting today. This dynamic team is action oriented and has taken charge with leading our building in the Pirate High 5.

Ms. Pardeck is fostering a safe environment for students to share new learning from their read to self time. She is a master in building community and capacity in her classroom. Her language regarding strong speaking and listening skills was spot on.

Michelle

CRE Family News

WHOA!!! Today was a smooth start for CRE. Thank you for the prep, planning and follow through to make it happen for kids today. What a treat it was to welcome back our students and meet the new ones that will forever be apart of our CRE Family.

It is going to be a great school year!

Image result for first day of school

Currently, Fabiola Litchey is serving as our ESL liasion. We are interviewing for the ESL position next week. Once the hiring process has been completed we will share staffing changes as they occur. Continue to reach out to Fabiola as she serves to communicate with families and begin to push in to classes. We will not move forward with pull out services until hiring is complete. Please continue to send small document translation needs to Fabiola but larger documents need to go to Angi White.

Elizabeth Newport will be working with Darla Denny as an intern this first semester. She will be spending part of her time with us here at CRE. Welcome Elizabeth!

Student Teacher

additional student teacher joining us in October; Melissa Sullivan and she will be with Mrs. Blackerby…Woot Woot!

Building Update

 Image result for legal documents

I want to draw your attention to two layers regarding student safety in SIS. The red “court order” icon will show on the Student Contact Summary page. Additionally, the Student Release Alert icon will be visible for your review. These two layers will help in day to day management of student release. We have scanned several updated court documents today. Please review SIS info if you see these notifications on your students.

CRE Day 

Typical School Day Schedule:
 8:10 Kids go to gym
 8:10 – 8:35 Breakfast
 8:50 Pledge of Allegiance/Announcements
 8:45 Instruction Begins
 3:35 car kid dismissal, 3:37 1st grade bus dismissal, 3:38 2nd grade bus dismissal, 3:39 3rd grade bus dismissal (these minutea are all in flux and dependent on buses being in the loop and the ripple effect from there) This is just a rough estimate until we find our rhythm.
Contract time for Employees: 8:00 – 4:00
Bell Schedule: First Bell @ 8:30a.m. Second Bell @ 8:45a.m.

WILLSUB 

Thank you for being prepped and ready to begin training on time. WILLSUB is going to be an easy transition for all of us. I have been in the system learning my way around and I can see that it is taking 1 minute to acquire subs… I know this will not always be the case but for right now I am ecstatic!

A few reminders/clarification: days of absence need to be put in on or before the day of leave. In the event that you are unable to put in your absence Maggie will have to put that in as a prearranged date. Please be proactive in this process as we learn the in’s and out’s. If you notice you are not getting a verification of sub email, please be in communication with Maggie.

Additionally, most questions you will have we can address at the building level so don’t hesitate to see Maggie for help. We will all learn together!

Instructional Spotlight

Solar Eclipse Day – Monday, August 21:The district will be celebrating this very rare scientific occurrence. We have purchased specialized viewing glasses for all
students and staff. In addition, our wonderful kitchen crew will be doing sack lunches this day with moon pies to celebrate the eclipse. We will have a more concrete schedule soon, but CRE has designated areas for our students to view the eclipse which is supposed to happen around 1:15p.m. that day. Stay tuned for more information…

PLC

We will be adding PDC Kickup Training to our PLC agenda for our first Technology PD session on Sept. 1st.

Bucket Fillers

Mr. Beasley did not miss a beat upon returning to school. He took the intiative to create this year’s lunch seating signs for the cafeteria. I appreciate that he can identify a need and takes immediate action to fulfill it. This guy is at the core of our CRE Family! He is everywhere when we need him without fail.

Michael Gones has gone above and beyond to take care of last minute needs for our building. He is not only responding to requests, repairs, and basic start up tasks but he has managed to provide several updates and communication to help me manage the pulse of where we are with tech here at CRE. His competence, quick response, and layer of communication has really been helpful as we gear up for the start of the school year. Thank you, Mr. Gones!

Kim Gillman has stepped up to put layers of communication, follow through, proactive measures, and vision into place as our SPED lead. I appreciate her talents as a communicator and organizer in that she can identify a need and take action to get us there. Our sped team is blessed to have her as a go to as we ease into serving kids.

Michelle Brown has done it again. She leads by example and set a goal for herself to work outside of her comfort zone. She created a mentor text intro video for you to view at your leisure. Her goal as an educator, coach, etc. is to get books in front of kids. This tool and her efforts to “create” are doing just that…Impressive, Mrs. Brown!

Michelle