The Cornelius Chronicle
April 29, 2016
Anita Archer Gems
Explicitly teach what it looks like to be ready, to respond, to listen, etc.
SBAC Testing Schedule
We will start 4th grade SBAC on Monday! Please be aware that Wolf and Aillon’s classrooms will be testing daily from 10-11 am. Bustamante’s class will be testing daily from 10:30-11:30 am. 3rd and 4th grade teachers of ALD, please excuse all of your ALD students at 9:55 am from ALD, so that testing can begin on time. Thank you!
April 4-8 3rd Grade Reading CAT Done!✅
April 11-15 3rd Grade Reading PT Done!✅
April 18-22 3rd Grade Math CAT Done!✅
April 25-28 3rd Grade Math PT Done!✅
May 2-6 4th Grade Reading CAT
May 9-13 4th Grade Reading PT
May 16-20 4th Grade Math CAT
May 23-27 4th Grade Math PT
Staff Appreciation Week
We will celebrate the whole staff next week with staff appreciation week! I want to share with all of you that I appreciate you all so much! I have never felt more at home at a school than I feel at Cornelius. Our staff is incredible! You are all committed to our students, our parents, our community, and each other! This staff is a family! Each of you brings your passion, your strengths, and your optimism to our school every day! I want to thank you all for welcoming me here as your 5th principal in 5 years. I know that transitions can be hard, especially when you have had so many over the years, but you have made the transition feel seamless to me and I have felt accepted by each person on staff! Thank you for your dedication, enthusiasm, commitment to excellence, and perseverance! I am in awe of you all!
Equity Activity
Thank you all for your willingness to participate in our “Take a Step” equity activity and Padlet discussion afterward during Wednesday’s CIT time. I heard many positive comments afterward from staff about this being an eye-opening activity. I knew that I was going to feel uncomfortable with this activity in advance because I knew that I would be at the “head of the class” (so to speak) because of how much stepping forward I would be doing based on my privilege. It was uncomfortable for me to see several of my esteemed colleagues literally backed up against the gym wall because there was no room for them to step backward any further. Knowing how far our students have to go to overcome obstacles in their lives is also came to my mind. We want to remove as many obstacles for them as possible and I believe that education is the key to removing obstacles for them and opening doors to their future. Thanks to each of you for supporting our students and each other! A huge shout out to the Equity Team (Janelly, Lourdes, Jacob & Alondra) for pushing us all out of our comfort zones to have these critical conversations. Equity work starts with each of us as individuals and it is never done!
G & G Observations
We didn’t have time to observe every classroom when Dr. Joy Esquierdo was here, but we did see at least one classroom per grade level. This is what I observed below, school-wide:
DL Classroom Environment:
- Items in classroom labeled in both languages - PK-5
- Plenty of items clearly labeled in both lang - large print & color coded 5/6 classrooms
- Plenty of items labeled at or above grade level 6/6 classrooms
- Some items labeled at student eye level 6/6 classrooms
- Word walls posted in both languages
- Word walls are color-coded & clearly posted (large print) 6/6 classrooms
- Word walls are robust with high frequency & student-generated words (60-90 words each) 5/6 classrooms
- Word walls are accessible to students & interactive 6/6 classrooms
- Student-generated alphabets posted in both languages (PK-5)
- SG alphabets equally posted in both languages 5/6 classrooms
- SG alphabets are clearly posted (large print) or at student eye level 5/6 classrooms
- SG alphabets’ vocabulary at or above grade level 5/6 classrooms
- Students’ work prominently displayed in both languages
- Plenty of student work displayed in classroom 5/6 classrooms
- Plenty of student work is displayed in both languages 5/6 classrooms
- Plenty of student work is displayed in both languages in hall 6/6 classrooms
- Instructional materials accessible and equitable in both languages
- Plenty of materials available 5/6 classrooms
- Learning materials accessible to students in both languages 5/6 classrooms
- Learning materials equitable in both languages 5/6 classrooms
- Literature accessible and equitable in both languages
- Plenty of reading books available 5/6 classrooms
- Plenty of reading books accessible to students in both languages 4/6 classrooms
- Reading books equitable in both languages 4/6 classrooms
- Reading books are culturally relevant for children
- Clear and visible list of assigned Bilingual Pairs
- List of assigned bilingual pairs clearly posted 6/6 classrooms
- Bilingual pairs posted are color-coded 3/6 classrooms
- Pocket chart or other system used to change bilingual pairs based on content-area 3/6 classrooms
- Content-area bulletin boards & charts are in language of instruction (LOI)
- Content-area BB posted in LOI 6/6 classrooms
- Content-area BB list content vocabulary in LOI 6/6 classrooms
- Content-area charts posted are in LOI 6/6 classrooms
- Desks or tables arranged to promote interactive/group lessons
- Desks/tables used for bilingual pairs/groups (groups of 4….2 pairs) 6/6 classrooms
- Desks/tables arranged for face-to-face interaction 6/6 classrooms
- Content Journals following G & G model 6/6 classrooms
Feedback from Dr. Joy Esquierdo
The purpose of the alphabet is to improve students’ vocabulary and the words need to be rigorous (at grade-level or above word). You can use the SGA to replace your commercial alphabet. The word needs to be visible - separate from the writing - and should be visible from students’ seats. You can also put the part of speech if you want. You can have the word used in a sentence if you want. Make sure that your alphabets are clearly posted so that students can see them and the same size in both languages.
Aa Apple
An apple is a delicious fruit.
Word walls - there should be 60-90 words up on the word walls and the words should be rigorous (at grade level or above). They need to be interactive which means that you should use clips or magnets to keep the words up and let the kids have access to the words. The words should come from the students organically and then put up in the moment when students bring them up.
Streamline your use of print! Only keep print up if you are currently using it. Some classrooms had so much print up that it was overwhelming. If your students don’t need to access the information, then it becomes wallpaper and it’s not functional. It must be purposeful.
Bilingual pairs need to be color coded not by subject but by which student is stronger in each language. For example, the stronger partner in English should be written in purple and the stronger partner in Spanish should be written in green. Also, the bilingual pairs need to use a system so that they can change easily for each subject (e.g. a pocket chart or on clips).
Add a reflection piece to your journals. Go beyond note taking and problems of the day. At the end of the lesson, ask students what did students learn today? “I learned….” or “Now I know….” Vary your sentence starters. Use key words from the lesson in your journal reflection.
May 6 - Let’s Celebrate our Lunch Ladies!
Our lunch ladies are super heroes! They will be wearing special tee shirts on Friday in honor of this! Please help celebrate our super heroes!
End of Year Planning
Field Day - May 27, 2016
Free-flowing, inside/outside, teachers are helping manage students, IAs + specialists + volunteers are manning stations
9:15 am Opening assembly - National Anthem & explain the procedures
9:30 - 10:30
Inside: 3rd & 4th
Outside: K-2
10:30 - 11:30
Inside: K-2
Outside: 3rd & 4th
Whole School BBQ Lunch - staggered lunches:
Kinder 11:30
1st 11:45
2nd 12:05
3rd 12:25
4th 12:40
Volunteer Appreciation
June 8th
2:00 - 3:15 pm
Preparation:
*Invitations to go out to teachers - teachers distribute to volunteers - Angella
*Pot luck sign up for desserts, beverages - Angella
*Communicate to teachers letting them know their responsibilities - Angella (teachers need to have their class decorate one of the tables in the library, prepare a skit/song/chant/art work/etc. to present)
*Each class decorates a table (table cloth, decorations, flowers, etc.)
*Each practice or prepare something to share with the volunteers (song, skit, chant, art work, something they have learned, etc)
*Gifts for outstanding volunteers
Schedule:
1:45 Intro & Refreshments
2:00 Kinder
2:05 Kinder
2:10 1st
2:15 1st
2:20 2nd
2:25 2nd
2:30 3rd
2:35 3rd
2:40 4th
2:45 4th
2:50 4th
3:00 Closing & Gifts
3:15 Adjourn
Reminders:
The 5K is May 14th! Don't forget to sign up for the 5K race that benefits W.L. Henry Elementary this year! http://www.teamupforstudents.org/
- Mother’s Day Special Performance by 3rd and 4th grades on May 9th - Ballet and Music! We will have a daytime dress rehearsal performance for students from 2-3 pm and then a big performance in the evening for parents from 6-7 pm.
- Día de Los Niños Event is this Saturday at the Centro Cultural from 11 am - 3 pm. I will be bringing Gloria! I hope that I will see many of our families and some of you there!
- Don’t forget to give me feedback about the master schedule on that Google forms survey that I sent out! I’ve only heard from 10 people so far.
- This Friday, May 6th is our Staff Equity Happy Hour around 4 pm at Prime Time in the upstairs private room! This is our last staff Happy Hour of the year - please join us!!
Bus Duty: 1st & 3rd grade teachers, and the “regulars”!
Calendar:
5/2 4th Grade SBAC Starts!
5/2 P.O. Cut Off Date - no more ordering from our building funds!
5/3 8:00 am Referral Team
5/3 5:30 pm BSC (Janelly, Rosa, Manuel, Cheryl H., Angella)
5/3 6:30 pm Padres en Acción Parent Night
5/4 8:00 am CIT: Data Team Collaboration
5/4 10:00 am Early Learning Hour for ages 3-5 (library)
5/4 1-4 pm Elementary Principals Meeting (Angella)
5/5 Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
5/6 8:00 am 4th Grade Cougar Team Meeting (Lawson’s room)
5/6 4:00 pm First Friday Equity Happy Hour (Prime Time)
Looking ahead:
5/8 Alondra’s Birthday!
5/8 Mother’s Day (observed in U.S.)
5/9 2-3 pm Mother’s Day Performance at Cornelius (6-7 pm in the evening also)
5/10 Mother’s Day (observed in Mexico)
5/10 Last day for library check out!
5/14 9-11 am 5K Fund Run Team Up for Kids!
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