Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Break and were able to get some good R & R!  Here is the news to know for this upcoming week.

Interims

So this week, grade 3-8 will be administering the math and the social studies interim. 

• Math :  Nov. 29th- Dec. 3rd
• Social Studies: Nov. 29th- 10th

Remember to chunk the test. Math can be given in the first week and Social studies can take place the following week. 

School Visit

Please remember that we will have a school visit on Dec. 1st. They will be walking throughout the school. Please be sure that...

1. the hallways are free of debris and clutter (restrooms too!)
2. achievement boards are up to date
3. anchor charts are up and in use
4. student work is on display in classrooms
5. your students are well-behaved

Admin will walk through to check to be sure things are in order. Thank you for your help in this matter. 

New Teacher Meeting Rescheduled

The new teacher meeting has been rescheduled. It will take place on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021 from 4:00-4:45. Please adjust your schedules accordingly to be in attendance. 

News to Know

Wed: School dentist will be visiting.

Friday: Report cards go home. (Please print your class report card by Friday), Tornado Drill

 

Hello Team and Happy Monday! Thankfully, this is a short week due to the Thanksgiving Day holiday.  At this time, I'd like to express my gratitude for each one of you. I am thankful for all of your efforts, and I appreciate each one of you. 

Here are the updates for the upcoming week. 

Laurus Teacher Task List

Here is a helpful lists of tasks that each classroom teacher must complete on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Hopefully this will help us complete tasks in a more organized way.

New Teacher Meeting

The new teacher meeting has been rescheduled. It will take place on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021 from 4:00-4:45. Please adjust your schedules accordingly to be in attendance. 

Thanksgiving Week     

On Monday and Tuesday, there will be free dress for students and teachers. It is Laurus Tradition. Teachers eat with students on Tuesday. 

Mask Wearing

Teachers we need your help. Please send a message home on your Remind or Class Dojo. Remind parent to send students to school with masks. It also a good idea for them to put extra masks in their bags. Too many students are coming to school without masks. 

Preparation for Upcoming School Visit

On Wednesday, Dec. 1st,  our DSQ, Amy will be visiting along with Matt Carleton and Nick Sheltron. They will be walking throughout the school. Please be sure that...

1. the hallways are free of debris and clutter (restrooms too!)
2. achievement boards are up to date
3. anchor charts are up and in use
4. student work is on display in classrooms
5. your students are well-behaved

Let's work together to be sure these things are in order. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences

By now, everyone should have sent out invitations for parents to schedule their parent-teacher conferences. Sped Resource Room Teachers...please coordinate with your grade level teachers so that you can be available for the conferences of the students that you serve.

Christmas Door Decorating Contest

It's that time of year again!!! We are super excited to see the Christmas Door Decorations that you have planned. This is sure to add some cheer throughout our building. Let the transformation begin!!! There will be prizes for the best door decorations.

Week 11

Happy Monday Team! I hope you all have had a restful weekend and enjoyed the beauty of the first snow. I want to extend a warm Laurus "Welcome" to our new School Social Worker, Joi White.  We are very excited to have you join our Laurus Team.  

Here are the updates for the week. 

House Keeping 

There are certain professional expectations that need to be re-established. Please discuss these bulleted items as a team to ensure that everyone is in compliance. 

• Teachers must be in the building no later than 7:45 AM, unless given prior permission from their dean.  Intervention staff, you will follow your designated arrival and dismissal times.
• Students must never be left unattended. You must have someone to cover your class if you need to use the restroom, make copies, leave for any reason.
• Personal phone calls are not allowed during instructional time except in cases of emergency.
• All teachers must adhere to code of conduct when speaking with their students or within earshot of children (including personal cell phone use on speaker in the building during hours that children are present) 
• Teachers must walk the students who have hot lunch down to the lunch line. 
• Please return from lunch on time. 
• During dismissal, all students must be in their assigned classrooms until their numbers are posted on driveline. Students must be quiet so the walkie can be heard. 
• All teachers must attend weekly planning meetings at designated times per agreement of their teams. This is a Laurus expectation. 

Interims

Please make sure all students have completed the interims from last week. This upcoming week, 5th grade teachers will administer the Science Interim 1. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Beginning this week, classroom teachers will start scheduling Parent-Teacher Conferences. Many teachers use sign-up genius to schedule. Sped Resource Room Teachers, please collaborate with your grade level teachers so that you can sit in on the PTC's.  Conferences will be virtual this year. Please look for an email this week that will explain parent-teacher conferences in greater detail. 

New Teacher Meeting

Next Thursday, November 18th from 4p.m.-4:45p.m., we will have our first new teacher training. If you received the email from Ms. Boyer, you need to attend. The mandatory trainings will focus on gradebook, teacher standards, behavior management, Edcite, parent communication, attendance, Driveline, and Laurus culture.

Dress Code

Teachers, please remember to check and make sure that your students are abiding by the Laurus Academy dress code. This should be done as you take attendance. 

 

Hello Team! Here are the updates for the upcoming week. 

AimsWeb

This year has been an challenge to say the least. We needed to prioritize what's most important. But there are some things that cannot be put on the back burner. We MUST progress monitor all students who fall below the 25% on NWEA. This is not being done consistently. Take a look at our current data. 

This clearly shows that the majority of us are not progress monitoring our students weekly. Please make it a part of your weekly schedule to consistently progress monitor these students EVERY WEEK. This is the expectation that we are being held accountable for. 

Assessments

In addition to your weekly assessments, this week you must administer Science Interim 1 (3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th) and ELA Interim 1 (3rd-8th). Chunk the assessments and be sure that they read the instructions carefully. 

Accommodation Logs

Please remember to complete the 504 Accommodation Logs and Sped Accommodation Logs each week.  The 504 Accommodation Logs are to be completed and emailed to your grade level Dean and cc'd to Ms. Rowden by end of day on Fridays.  The Special Education Accommodation Logs are to be emailed to your Grade Level Resource Room provider by end of day on Fridays.  Remember these are a legal document and you must complete them on a weekly basis to show evidence that you are providing these accommodations. If you have questions, please reach out to Ms. Rowden.

Child Study

Our next Child Study meeting will occur on Tuesday, November 16.  Completed student paperwork is due to Ms. Rowden by Friday, November 12.

News to Know

Monday 11/17: Flu shot onsite, Fire Drill (during lunch)

Thursday 11/11: Board meeting at 6:00pm

Friday 11/12: Dress down for $2.00, Progress Reports (Send parents a message to inform them that progress reports are available for viewing) 

Week 9

 

Good Morning Team! I hope you all had a great weekend and a "Spooktacular Halloween" . Here are the updates for the week.

Aimsweb

It is imperative that we progress monitor our students. The expectation is that we progress monitor all students who test at or below the 25 percentile. That means all A and B classes, and students receiving Sped services,  have students that need to be progress monitored on a weekly bases. In order to progress monitor the students, you must do the initial benchmark, which should have been done at the very beginning of the school year. When I checked Aimsweb, I noticed some have not been progress monitoring students. This is non-negotiable. If you have any questions about AimsWeb, please ask Ms. Burk. She shared plenty of resources at the beginning of the year that you can refer to as well. 

Interim Assessments

November is a HUGE month for Interim assessments!  These assessments will start next week. Review as needed this week. When administering the interims, it is a good idea to help the students with pacing. Chunk the assessment so it's not so overwhelming for the kids. As stated in a previous blog, be sure to follow the schedule. 

• Nov. 7-12: Interim 1 Science (Grades 3, 4, 6, 7, 8)
• Nov. 7-12: Interim 1 ELA (Grades 3-8)
• Nov. 15-19: Interim 1 Science (Grade 5)
• Nov. 29-Dec. 3: Interim 1 Math (Grades 3-8)
• Nov. 29-Dec. 17: Interim 1 Soc. Studies (Grades 3-8)

Parent-Teacher Conferences

This year, parent-teacher conferences will be virtual. Conferences will be held Dec. 6th -10th. Classroom teachers will begin scheduling them next week. Sped Teachers, please check in with the teachers you support to see about sitting in on your students conferences. More details will come at a later date. 

Holiday Door Decorating Contest

At the end of the month, we will begin our Holiday Door Decorating Contest. So start thinking of creative ways to decorate your classroom door. If a fun way to transform our school and the kids love it! The most creative door decorations will receive a prize. 

News to Know

• I will be out of the building on Wednesday (Dean Day at Oakside).
• A Big Welcome to the Laurus Family to Camille Davis!  She is joining the Sped team as a part time Resource Room teacher.