The Cornelius Chronicle

February 26, 2016

Anita Archer Gems

I love hearing and seeing all of AA active engagement strategies in your classrooms!

​*When teacher speaks motion hands toward self.  Wait and give students "think time" before motioning hands toward students for response."​

-Merry

• Don’t say student’s name and call on them to read, respond, answer (saying another student’s name is a ticket to a virtual vacation for the rest of the class)

• Give many Opportunities to Respond
• Verbal Responses:
• Choral
• Partner
• Teams
• Individual
• Show and tell responses
• Written Responses:
• Writing tasks
• Whiteboards
• Response cards
• Drawing
• Action Responses:
• Touch
• Gestures
• Facial expressions
• Hand signals
• Tap it out

Gomez and Gomez Walk-throughs
The dual language administrators were impressed during our G & G walk-throughs this week.  Most of you have all of your components up in your classroom to create a print-rich environment!  Nice job! This is what we saw:

Gomez and Gomez Walk Through - DL Classroom Environment:

• 12/12 classrooms - Items in classroom labeled in both languages - PK-6
• 12/12 classrooms - Plenty of items clearly labeled in both lang - large print & color coded
• 12/12 classrooms - Plenty of items labeled at or above grade level
• 12/12 classrooms - Some items labeled at student eye level
• 12/12 classrooms - Word walls posted in both languages
• 12/12 classrooms - Word walls are color-coded & clearly posted (large print)
• 12/12 classrooms - Word walls are robust with high frequency & student-generated words (60-90 words each)
• 12/12 classrooms - Word walls are accessible to students & interactive
• 11/12 classrooms - Student-generated alphabets posted in both languages (PK-6)
• 11/12 classrooms - SG alphabets equally posted in both languages
• 11/12 classrooms - SG alphabets are clearly posted (large print) or at student eye level
• 11/12 classrooms - SG alphabets’ vocabulary at or above grade level
• 11/12 classrooms - Clear and visible list of assigned Bilingual Pairs
• 11/12 classrooms - List of assigned bilingual pairs clearly posted
• 7/12 classrooms - Bilingual pairs posted are color-coded
• 8/12 classrooms - Pocket chart or other system used to change bilingual pairs based on content-area
• 12/12 classrooms - Desks or tables arranged to promote interactive/group lessons
• 12/12 classrooms - Desks/tables used for bilingual pairs/groups (groups of 4….2 pairs)
• 12/12 classrooms - Desks/tables arranged for face-to-face interaction
• 12/12 classrooms - Content journals observed and used per G & G model

March 2 - Dr. Seuss Reading Day

This Wednesday we will celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday with a Reading Day, in celebration for our students’ hard work in reading this year!  We will send home a flyer to let parents know.  Students can wear comfortable clothes (sweats, PJs) and do reading activities all day.  Math should still happen, but you can focus on word problems.  Literacy blocks will still happen.  Intervention groups won’t be happening, other than kinder going to Manuel.  No ELD on Wednesdays anyway.  Invite guest readers into your room!  We have invited some fire fighters, police officers, and city leaders to be guest leaders.

March 9 - MOU CIT Day

If you have ideas about how we should use our CIT time on March 9th, please email those ideas to me!  MOU means Memorandum of Understanding, which says that on MOU CIT days that staff along with the principal will set the agenda.  There are 6 MOU CIT dates this year.  The future dates are April 13th, May 11th, and June 1st.  

If you have ideas for any of those days, please let me know!  

Spirit Week - Mar. 28 - Apr. 1

Monday - Get enough sleep - PJ Day

Tuesday - Wear your thinking cap - Hat Day

Wednesday - Little Einsteins/Genius Day - Crazy hair, dress like a mad scientist, wear glasses

Thursday - Dress for Success - Dress Up Day

Friday - Think about your Future - College Pride Day - wear your college gear!

Building Alarm Reminders

I am very happy to report that we haven’t had many false alarms at CO this year!  

​Please remember the following when entering the building outside of working hours:

1. Be sure you know how to use your key card, what your code is, and what door you should be entering *hint* only the front door!

2. Always be sure to disarm the building

3. Always write your name on the sign in board or paper by the alarm

4. Do not prop doors open, this is a huge safety issue

5. Always erase or cross your name off the sign in board or paper when you leave

6. Before setting any alarms, be sure you are the last one in the building.  Custodial is typically there on weeknights past any outside user (typically until 10:30pm)

7. If you can, let the custodian know you're leaving, this alerts them that they are the last one in the building

8. Before setting any alarms, check to see if anyone has signed in on the board after you

9. Before setting any alarms, be sure you've walked the building and are sure all doors are secure

Reminders:

• All IAs and teachers MUST have a signed security form for SBAC testing.
• Teachers - please send home a parent conference letter with students who do not have a scheduled parent conference
• Parent conferences: Mar. 15 4-8 pm, Mar. 16 4-8 pm, Mar. 17 8 am - 4 pm.
• Review PBIS lessons with your class this week!
• Please let the after school program teachers take out the first buses when they are on bus duty, so that they can be to the after school program on time!  
• Teachers - don’t forget to have your TalentEd folders up-to-date by Mon!

Bus Duty: 1st & 3rd grade teachers, and the “regulars”!

Calendar:

3/1 8:00 am Referral Team Meeting

3/1 5:30 pm BSC (Cheryl H., Rosa, Manuel, Janelly, and Angella)

3/1 6:30 pm Parents in Action Parent Club meeting

3/2 All day Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s Birthday with Read-In Day!

3/2 8:00 am CIT - Data Teams: Pre-Assessment Data

3/2 10:15 am Early Learning Hour with Emma (library - ages 3-5 year olds)

3/2 Lunch - Staff Potluck - Potato Bar!

3/2 1-4 pm Elementary Principals (Angella)

3/4 8:00 am 3rd Grade Cougar Team (TRC)

3/4 4:00 pm First Friday - Equity Happy Hour at Primetime!

Looking ahead:

3/11 End of 2nd Trimester - No School!

3/15 4-8 pm Parent Conferences

3/16 4-8 pm Parent Conferences

3/17 8 am - 4 pm Parent Conferences

3/17-3/18 No School!

3/21-325 Spring Break!