TWO WEEK BLOG! February 17th-February 28th

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!!!!

CLINARD GRANTS-Thank you to all who have already applied for these grants. We are very fortunate to be one of the four schools eligible for this grant.  Tomorrow, February 15th is the last day to submit the grant.  Click on the letters NPR below to see a write-up from NPR and the words  Clinard Grant to get to the application. Good Luck Everyone!

We are on NPR  - Click the link to see a story on the Clinard Grants.  Remember they are due on the 15th of February.  

A Message from Theo Helm to clear up the question: "So when do we make these snow days up?"

It depends on whether/how much more snow we get this winter, but right now it looks like students will finish June 13, and then teachers will have eight workdays following (June 16-20 and June 23-25). Those are the four that were already scheduled, the two that get moved because Feb. 17 and April 21 will be student days now, and two that became workdays after the first two student days didn't have to be made up. (If they worked either/both of the optional teacher workdays on Jan. 30 and 31, then obviously they wouldn't work June 24/25.)

Teachers and most other 10-month employees are required to work 215 days, which includes 180 student days, 14 workdays, 11 holidays and 10 leave days. Because students are not making up the first two snow days, teachers will now work 178 student days and 16 workdays. If they count the days in the calendar, they'll see they're still working the same 194 days.

As for TAs and PRTs, those who work 208 days will now work 178 student days and 9 workdays. Those who work 202 days will now work 178 student days and 3 workdays​. We haven't slotted those workdays yet, but I would imagine they'll be the first couple after the last student day.

Please Remember to Support the Arts!  See Amanda if you have questions:) 

Planning is underway for our Black History Celebration and Assembly. We have invited many special guests. Mark your calendars-Assembly will be 1:00-2:15 on February 28th.  Thank you to our committee and their Chair-Amanda Gordon for all their hard work.  This is a big undertaking:)

 

Literacy Committee

Our Literacy Committee under the direction of its Chair-Ms. Batten have begun working on plans for our "Read Across America" Celebration. Please be sure to read her emails and be flexible in meeting as she needs all hands on deck for the planning of this and other upcoming literacy events. 

IC Meeting will be Tuesday, February 18th at 3:30 in Room 200.  Many of you are involved in this meeting.  See my email from a few days ago for details:)

Lunch Bunch for Boys will be Tuesday for all Groups except Mrs. Cannon's. My group will meet on Wednesday due to NISL Training.

Evaluation Post-Conferences will be scheduled throughout next week for those teachers assigned to Mrs. Cannon. I look forward to talking with you about your craft:)

Parent Resource Meeting on Improving Self-Esteem and Stamping Out Bullying February 19th at 9:00am presented by Ms. Studevent

Notes:

• I will have the building open next Saturday, February 22nd for a NCDPI staff development if you wish to come in. Hours will be 9:30-2:30.
• 2/25-Mid Term Reports go out and there will be a SIT Mtg. at 3:10.
• 2/27-Star 3 Teacher Leader Academy
• 2/28-Black History Assembly 1:00-2:15

It's Valentine's Week! -February 10-14th

 MATH NIGHT IS A GREAT SUCCESS!!!

Thank you so much to Melissa and her terrific committee for planning and executing such a great night. It also would not have been such a success if it weren't for all teachers, faculty and staff involved. You came up with great activities and games that reinforced the Common Core.  You all are awesome:) Thanks Ross for giving up your classroom again:)  Melissa did a lot of shopping on her own time for supplies and doorprizes. You showed great leadership in taking on this project. THANK YOU from every one of our students!!!

Am I doing this right?

Family Fun!

Lots of Smiles At Math Night!

Mrs. Blasini's Class Wanted To Show Off Their Smiles!

Thank You Barnes and Noble...We Love You!!!

These are just some of the books that we received from Barnes and Noble.  We are in the process of collecting sets to be put in the leveled book room and to be use throughout the school and classrooms. Thanks Connie, Kate and Juliette for helping me to unpack and organize so we can get them into kid's hands asap.

Another Beautiful Grandchild-Welcome Harper Belle!

Ms. Farthing is on Cloud 9 loving every minute of time spent with Harper!  She is gorgeous! Congrats!!!!!!



 

Week At A Glance:

• Observations and Post-Conferences Continue
• Cannon and Friel to Read To Achieve District Meetings this afternoon
• Lunch Bunch for Boys starts for 4th and 5th grade select students on Tuesday
• Faculty Meeting 2/11
• Clinard Grants due Friday.  Please think about applying for this easy one page grant. YOu cn do it!
• Tracy Benson-Systems Thinking will be here on the 13th
• Cannon and Stevenson to Dr. Emory's PD on Poverty and the Mind. Calvary Baptist Church
• HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO ALL OF MY FACULTY AND STAFF. IT WARMS MY HEART HOW MUCH YOU LOVE AND CARE ABOUT OUR STUDENTS AND EACH OTHER. Love you all!

Sad News-Mary Asbury, mother-in-law of our Susanne Asbury passed away late Friday afternoon.  Please keep Suzanne and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

Happy News-Ms. Faqih will be back with us at the beginning of 4th Quarter.  We want Miss Hartmann to know that we will miss her very much and have been very appreciative of her service:) She loves our students and our school!  Friday will be Miss Barefoot's last day. I do not have any news as to what will happen after Friday as of yet.  We will keep you posted.

Thank you for the great job you have done with Lesson Planning. We are proud of you!  Plans due Wednesday evening at 10:00.

 

Campaign in Full Swing. Please donate to this great cause. See Amanda Gordon for details:)

 

I  feel very fortunate to have been selected on Friday Morning as one of six 2014 Go Red For Women of the Triad.  It will be my responsibility to represent the American Heart Association and Go RED for Women.  I hope I will be able  to make them proud and spread the word about awareness of heart disease in women and children. I am proud of this honor!

 

 

Teacher Leader Needed for Valentine's Day!

On February 14th, I will be attending a special professional development planned by our Superintendent, Dr. Beverly Emory. She has retained author Eric Jensen to come to our district.  He has written a book: Teaching with Poverty in Mind:What Being Poor Does to Kids' Brains and what schools Can Do About It.  This is an incredible opportunity for a teacher. We have been informed that we can bring one teacher with us.  I would like to choose all of you but I can only bring one so.....If this topic excites you and you are willing to take on the challenge of disseminating this information to the faculty, please write your name on an index card and put it in my mailbox (outside my office door) by 3:00 tomorrow afternoon.  I will have Dr. Frazier pull out a name. I am really excited about gleaning this new information! The workshop will be held at Calvary Baptist Church.

Falling Into February....February 3rd-7th

A Very Special Happy Birthday to:

• Jacqueline Pullen-February 3
• Marilyn Gilliam-February 11
• Allison Sechrist and Allison Murray-Nikkel-February 15
• Mrs. Bracken (in case she subs for us that day:)-February 17
• Amanda Stevenson-February 21

Due to Inclement Weather on Thursday, our Math Family Night has been rescheduled for Thursday, February 6th, 2014.  Please be sure to turn all receipts in to Melissa so she can get them to Jennifer.

We are Going Red!

Diggs-Latham Goes Red on Friday, February 7th, 2014

Everyone, get into the spirit and help us raise awareness of the issues of children and heart disease, and initiate action to save lives.  Our WSFCS students will sign a pledge in Mr. McNeil's PE classes stating that they will get moving, 30 minutes a day, five days a week. They will sign a giant banner.  WE WOULD LIKE ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF TO WEAR RED ON FRIDAY.  WE will take a staff picture promptly afterschool at 3:00 to commemorate our participation.  There will also be a Zumba Heart Health Fair on that Friday at the Gateway Y at 5:00.  The top three WSFC schools with the highest attendance percentage will win a $250. prize and each individual student that attends will be entered into the Go Red prize drawing that will take place at 7:00pm.  Coach McNeil will be kicking off Jump Rope For Heart next week to raise money for the American Heart Association.  Do we have any teachers/faculty/staff who are interested in competing against themselves or each other by jumping rope?!!  See Mr. McNeil.  He will be implementing many cardio activities into his daily plan for students.  We will also be making announcements throughout the month on becoming heart healthy:)

Reminder that Lesson Plans will be do this Wednesday by 10:00. Remember to send them electronically. You will have them returned to you with comments on Friday. Please refer to the Lesson Planning Sheet if you are not sure which administrator reads yours:)

The Last Week of January (January 27-January 31)

GET READY-MATH NIGHT IS ALMOST HERE!

Math Night will be held this Thursday, January 30th beginning at 5:45.  See Mrs. Baccari if you have any questions.  Remember that this is in a "Fair" type format.

Report Cards

Thank you so much for all your patience as we have continued to navigate all the little glitches we have come across in PowerSchool.  We know you put a lot of time and effort into your progress reports and we thank you.  Be sure to schedule a conference with parents of students you are concerned about.

• Reminders:

• 1/28-Report Cards Go Home

• 1/28-SIT Meeting-All members should be present

• 1/30-Family Math Curriculum Night

• 1/31-All Peer Evaluations should be complete and signed off on by all parties.

• 1/31-Grade Level Newsletters due to administrators.

• Lesson Plans due on Wednesday February 5th for 2/10th-14th

• Bulletin Boards in Hallways should be updated and reflect Common Core Standard.

• FYI...Mr. Oates, our Elementary Superintendent will be in our bldg. next Tuesday. 

• Let me know if you have students in need of coats and hats/gloves.

• Deborah Grace, former AP at Kernersville Elementary will be filling in for us when Cheryl has her surgery. She is an excellent AP. It is very hard to fill Cheryl's shoes and we will all miss her!!

  

  We will be starting our Arts Council Drive soon. We are waiting for the website to open up.  Stay tuned for updates from Mrs. Gordon.

• 

January 20-24th

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

As we reflect, let's remember that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Pastor, activist, humanitarian and leader in the African-American Civil Rights movement.  Celebrate Dr. King's Legacy!

Week At A Glance......

• 1/20-School Holiday-Dr. MLK Day
• 1/21-Teacher Work Day-Be sure you submitted appropriate annual leave form-NISL Training
• 1/22-Arts Council Drive Begins-Cannon and Frazier to NISL Training
• 1/23-Report Cards due to Administrators by 3:00/Be sure to schedule conferences with parents you need to communicate with.  Record documentation of conferences.

Magnet Tours will continue this week:)  We are having great success with our recruitment.  

Family Math Curriculum Night 1/30th at 5:45

Peer Observations should be completed and signed off on by 1/31.

Amanda Gordon will kick-Off the Arts Council Fund Drive this week.  There will be great prizes including park passes to Disney World.  Look for more information to follow.

Congratulations to Ms. Crookshank. She will be teaching 3rd Grade at Walkertown Elementary School. We wish her the best in her new position:)

Brrrrrrr it's cold! January 13-17th 2014

Welcome to a Brand New Year: 2014.  May your year be filled with happiness, good health, and success!  Remember to build RELATIONSHIPS, Take RISKS and Get RESULTS!!!

Welcome to Allison Murray-Nikkel who starts her career in Kindergarten today!

We wish you the best of luck! 

MAGNET FAIR ON SATURDAY  WAS A GREAT SUCCESS!  Thank you to everyone who participated. Our students made us very proud.  Thank you Mr. Powelson, Miss Stevenson, Mrs. Gordon and Ms. Farthing, Ms. Pullen for helping to mann the table after the performance.  Thanks to Dr. Frazier, Ms. Batten (tiger) and the whole team for meeting the students at school at 8:00 and helping them practice and then get to the Convention Center. You all are the BEST!!!!  We had many positive compliments on our student's performance.

IMPORTANT:

WFMY Channel 2 will be showcasing us and Parkland High School in a live feed Monday Morning. They will be here shooting live before 6:30. Parkland Students will go first and then we will be shot live around 7:45. Our 5th grade honors students will be live at 7:45.  They should be back in their classrooms before announcements for testing.  This is just one of many great opportunities that has come our way and we are grateful for the positive exposure. WFMY wants to highlight Magnet Schools!  Hooray for Diggs-Latham students and staff. You are the best!

    

 

Diggs-Latham-A Great Place To Be..............

We will begin giving tours on Monday and they will be running for two weeks. We have scheduled them for early in the day. Please keep in mind, we want our best foot forward so please remember to all have a level zero in the hallways, including adults.  A visitor to our school can quickly ascertain the climate in the building by the way we interact with our students and each other.  We do a pretty good job with this:)

• End of Quarter Testing this week M-W for 4th and 5th Graders (Make-ups for 3rd graders)

• Dr. Frazier will be out on Monday and I will be a Test Administrator for EOQ.

• Faculty Meeting Tuesday-Same Agenda as for 1/7.

• Cannon to present Homework without Tears in Parent Resource Room at 10:00am on Wednesday

• Friday is the end of quarter 2, and CWT Action Sheets are due to Cannon and Frazier.

• 1/20 NO SHOOL MLK Day

• 1/21 Teacher Workday

• 1/23 Report cards due to administrators by 3:00 (Frazier K-2) and Cannon (3-5)Please be on time as this is a short turn around time for us.

• 1/28 Report cards sent home

• 1/28 SIT Meeting (Begin looking at CNA)

• 1/30 Math Curriculum Fair 5:45

• 1/31 Grade Level Newsletters Due, Translations should be complete.

• 1/31 All Peer Observations should be completed.

STAR 3 Incentive Pay Information

STAR 3- I have already met with all teachers in 4th and 5th grades to go over their Star 3 Bonus Information and have started meeting individually with k-3. I am hoping to have that complete by mid-week.  I could just put the letters in your boxes but feel it is important to give them to you in person.

Unfortunately, no schools in the district will receive the whole school bonus based on 2012-13 data. This is disheartening but as we knew, we expected the scores to drop due to the increased rigor.  However, the following grade levels will receive grade-level bonuses, as indicated in the pay plan available at http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/Page/41704

Ashley Elementary: 4th Grade
Diggs-Latham ES: 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Grade-CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Gibson: 2nd Grade
Griffith: K, 3rd and Fifth
Hall-Woodward: K,1st and 3rd
Middle Fork: 3rd and 4th


Diggs-Latham did have several teachers who will receive individual bonuses. Grade level bonuses combined with any individual bonuses will be awarded in the January paycheck.  After you get your letters and  you have questions, you can direct them to Jon Brasfield.

Diggs-Latham Angels....Thank you so much to Barbie, Connie and Kate for the incredible Guided Reading Training. These trainings took a lot of preparation and time and we couldn't have any better trainers. We appreciate you so much!!!Thank you ladies. NOW, we are all on the same page, can use the same language and strategies.  We will talk more about this at our Faculty Meeting on Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

Who Said you couldn't be Creative in Disseminating the Common Core?! Mrs. Sapp incorporated Math and Measurement into a fun activity for students!

We have given away close to 30 coats, hats, gloves, etc... thanks to the generosity of our business partners and friends!  We thank them so much!