Summer+Updates+2009

After last night's PTO meeting and giving the thought consideration over the summer, we will be utilizing a FRIDAY FOLDER system school-wide this year. Here are the details:
a. Friday folders i. The expectation is that **all** classrooms will utilize the Friday folder system. Your folders can be set up as you see wish, however it is //strongly// recommended that there are two pockets – one side for papers that need to be signed and returned to school (anything with a score or grade as well as book orders and other parent-input forms) and one side for informational forms that parents can keep. ii. Papers should be accumulated in student mailboxes throughout the week, and all papers sent home on Fridays (or the last day) of the school week. iii. Students are to return folders with enclosed signed papers on Mondays (or the next school day)


 * In the event that TIME-SENSITIVE INFORMATION needs to be sent home, it will be sent home with students on the day it arrives. For example: letters from the superintendent re: a crisis, lunch balance overdraw notices, etc..

PLEASE NOTE CHANGES TO TECH TRAINING LOCATION ON THURSDAY, 8/27

 * Due to the network inconsistencies at Brecknock, we will be having our PM tech training on the 27th at BLUE BALL ELEM.

Start time is 12:20 PM.

We will still be enjoying delicious lunch at BR at 11 AM after our faculty meeting before moving to Blue Ball. Thanks!**

Brecknock In-service, 8-11 AM, Faculty Meeting FYI
We will be reviewing schedules, procedures, 08-09 data, setting goals, the FISH! philosophy, and more!

Lunch will **be provided if you are interested in joining everyone 11-12... pizzas will be ordered and we'll have sides and drinks provided by food services!

//First Day of School// - There will be no first day assembly this year. Mrs. Horbal and Mrs.Hilt will circulate the classrooms on the first day to greet students and review some of the changes such as recess before lunch and reinforce our rules: be respectful, be responsible, and be safe.

//Monday Morning Math// - MMM will begin on Monday, September 14 for the 09-10 school year. As always, I encourage each grade level to email me with suggested topics for problems to align with your current units of study.**

Recess/Lunch Procedures, Draft, 2009-2010


11:25-11:45 Recess, 3rd and 4th grade
 * Entry into the building:**

 Every month, this schedule will rotate so the same groups aren’t always lining up first. When the group hears their whistle, they LINE UP IMMEDIATELY. 1 whistle = group A. 2 whistles in succession = group B; 3 whistles in succession = group C. The monitors will also hold up A, B, or C signs when it is time for those groups to line up. Groups will be escorted in by their monitors and enter through the cafeteria recess door. Students will line up to sanitize hands, hang up coats, wash hands in bathrooms (only if especially dirty and with monitor permission). There will be 6 hand sanitizers- one for each homeroom per lunch period. When students enter the café, their LUNCH CARDS will be at their designated class tables. The lunch monitors will place them there before the students’ arrival. They should SIT DOWN at their tables. Two-three students in each class are in charge of distributing cards to students at their tables, with school monitor assistance. School monitors will instruct quiet tables to line up in Lunch Choice lines when ready. Recess monitors will proceed to the next playground for second recess.
 * Monitor || Class || Group || Line Up Time || Enter Building Time || Enter Café Time ||
 * 1 || 3K || A || 11:44 || 11:46 || 11:48 ||
 * ^  || 4S ||^   ||^   ||^   ||^   ||
 * 2 || 3L || B || 11:46 || 11:48 || 11:50 ||
 * ^  || 4M ||^   ||^   ||^   ||^   ||
 * 3 || 3H || C || 11:48 || 11:50 || 11:52 ||
 * ^  || 4L ||^   ||^   ||^   ||^   ||

11:50-12:10 Lunch, 3rd and 4th Grade; Life Skills intermediate  
 * At the end of their lunch period, each class will line up in their designated group areas, and wait for their hallway representatives to pick them up to return to homerooms. This will clear the tables so they can be cleaned for the next group and for lunch account cards to be distributed to the tables.

Grades 5 and 6 teachers will escort students to the end of their hallway and release students to the playground when monitors are in sight and ready on the playground.** 11:55-12:15 Recess, 5th and 6th Grades
 * Monitor || Class || Group || Line Up Time || Enter Building Time || Enter Café Time ||
 * 1 || 5K || A || 12:14 || 12:16 || 12:18 ||
 * ^  || 6M ||^   ||^   ||^   ||^   ||
 * 2 || 5O || B || 12:16 || 12:18 || 12:20 ||
 * ^  || 6H ||^   ||^   ||^   ||^   ||
 * 3 || 5S || C || 12:18 || 12:20 || 12:22 ||
 * ^  || 6T ||^   ||^   ||^   ||^   ||

Every month, this schedule will rotate so the same groups aren’t always lining up first. When the group hears their whistle, they LINE UP IMMEDIATELY. 1 whistle = group A. 2 whistles in succession = group B; 3 whistles in succession = group C. The monitors will also hold up A, B, or C signs when it is time for those groups to line up. Groups will be escorted in by their monitors and enter through the cafeteria recess door. Students will line up to sanitize hands, hang up coats, wash hands in bathrooms (only if especially dirty and with monitor permission). There will be 6 hand sanitizers- one for each homeroom per lunch period. When students enter the café, their LUNCH CARDS will be at their designated class tables. The lunch monitors will place them there before the students’ arrival. They should SIT DOWN at their tables. Two-three students in each class are in charge of distributing cards to students at their tables, with school monitor assistance. School monitors will instruct quiet tables to line up in Lunch Choice lines when ready. Recess monitors will proceed to the next playground for second recess.

12:20-12:40 Lunch, 5th and 6th grades; Autistic Class
 * At the end of their lunch period, each class will line up in their designated group areas, and wait for their hallway representatives to pick them up to return to homerooms. This will clear the tables so they can be cleaned for the next group and for lunch account cards to be distributed to the tables.

Grades 1 and 2 teachers will escort students to the end of their hallway and release students to the playground when monitors are in sight and ready on the playground.** 12:25-12:45 Recess, 1st and 2nd Grades
 * Monitor || Class || Group || Line Up Time || Enter Building Time || Enter Café Time ||
 * 1 || 1F || A || 12:44 || 12:46 || 12:48 ||
 * ^  || 2D ||^   ||^   ||^   ||^   ||
 * 2 || 1B || B || 12:46 || 12:48 || 12:50 ||
 * ^  || 2M ||^   ||^   ||^   ||^   ||
 * 3 || 1M || C || 12:48 || 12:50 || 12:52 ||
 * ^  || 2S ||^   ||^   ||^   ||^   ||

Every month, this schedule will rotate so the same groups aren’t always lining up first. When the group hears their whistle, they LINE UP IMMEDIATELY. 1 whistle = group A. 2 whistles in succession = group B; 3 whistles in succession = group C. The monitors will also hold up A, B, or C signs when it is time for those groups to line up. Groups will be escorted in by their monitors and enter through the cafeteria recess door. Students will line up to sanitize hands, hang up coats, wash hands in bathrooms (only if especially dirty and with monitor permission). There will be 6 hand sanitizers- one for each homeroom per lunch period. When students enter the café, their LUNCH CARDS will be at their designated class tables. They should SIT DOWN at their tables. Two-three students in each class are in charge of distributing cards to students at their tables, with school monitor assistance. School monitors will instruct quiet tables to line up in Lunch Choice lines when ready. Recess monitors will proceed to the next playground for second recess. 12:50-1:10 Lunch, 1st and 2nd Grades; Life Skills Primary
 * At the end of their lunch period, each class will line up in their designated group areas, and wait for their hallway representatives to pick them up to return to homerooms.

***NOTES · There are no longer going to be any mid-day bells. This will eliminate lining up confusions. When the groups are whistled and they see their card held up, it’s time to line up //immediately//. · This is not going to run smoothly the first week or two. We need to be patient and encouraging when helping our students, monitors, and staff adjust. A positive attitude will go a long way with this! CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK is encouraged throughout the implementation process. · Incentives for students include: quietest tables get to enter the lunch lines first; If the entire group as a whole (1/2, 3/4, 5/6) has excellent behavior, they can choose their seats with peers from the same grade level on Fridays.

Things I've Stumbled Upon...
[|Rethinking Homework] [|"Must-Haves for the First Day of School" - ideas!] [|Top 25 Best Websites for Teaching and Learning] [|Science Readers' Theater Scripts!] [|Games, Stories, and Fun for Kiddos] [|Eight Habits of Highly Effective 21st Century Teachers] [|Practice, Practice, Practice (Or Homework, Homework, Homework?)] Read Alouds for the first week of school! http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/

Learning Focused Schools Training

It is not too late to register for this training- there are a few slots left! Email me ASAP if you're interested, and follow the registration instructions below.
1. Please, please don't forget to register for LEARNING FOCUSED SCHOOLS training through [|My Learning Plan] for the August 24 and 25 sessions. You will earn 12 Act 48 credits and PIT hours for 09-10. Most importantly, you will be trained with the latest, in-depth methodologies and strategies behind this framework that has been proven successful in EXEMPLARY schools. Our district has embraced LFS and will be holding its teachers and administrators accountable for implementing its strategies in the classroom to help enhance student learning.

Tentative Summer Waxing Schedule
 5th/6th grade hallway – Thur, July 17 – Mon, July 20

Kindergarten hallway – Mon, July 20 – Wed, July 23

1st/2nd grade hallway – Fri, July 17 – Thur, July 23

Office lobby hallway – Fri, July 17 – Tues, July 21

3rd/4th grade hallway – Fri, July 17 – Tues, July 21

Gym and Library hallway – Tues, July 17 – Fri, July 24

Life skills hallway – Fri July 24 – Tues, July 28  

**Class Lists & Letters**
Letters to students were mailed the week of July 13. Teacher lists were also mailed via USPS.

Ch-ch-ch-chaaanges
If you drop into the main offices of Brecknock to say hello to the principal, you will find her office has moved! Due to renovations underway at the high school, Brecknock will now be home to the Title 1 Coordinator, Sue Elliott, and her assistant. They will be moving into the two offices in the main office area. The principal's office has been relocated to the small conference room in the 3/4 hallway, next to the guidance office. We will be transforming the ESL room back into a large conference room (or two small conference rooms, since it has a divider), and Lei will be instructing in Room 110.

Misc.
The outdoor locks have all been changed. Your external hard keys will no longer work.

Vocabulary Series
The vocab books that you worked with the second half of last year will not be available in full class sets this year. We are also not likely to purchase small class sets with Title 1 funds, due to the fact that the district's language arts curriculum will be under revision next year, and different vocab programs will be evaluated in the process. Please keep this in mind when planning for small group instruction in language arts.