Happy Holidays!

DIBLES

This is a reminder that all of your red and yellow students need to be reassessed by Monday, December 7th. Please let me know if you have questions.

Science

This is just a reminder that on Wednesday, December 2nd there will be a Science Assembly for 3-5 students at 10:30 and one for K-2 students at 1:00. Each assembly should last around 45 minutes. Also the 3-5 Science Fair projects will be on display in the hallways on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Thursday afternoon K-2 students will rotate through various Science experiments and activities on their grade levels. Students will be exposed to the scientific method to better prepare them to complete Science projects in the future.

AR Doughnut Sale

The AR committee is trying to raise some "dough" to buy items for the AR store at the end of the year. We will be selling a dozen doughnuts for $5.oo and individual doughnuts for 50 cents each on Thursday, December 10th during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. If we have more we will also sell them during the holiday program that night. Please plan to support us and talk to your students about buying doughnuts. There will be a flyer going home in Wednesday folders. Thanks for your help!

Happy Thanksgiving!

DIBELS

This is just a reminder, if you did not assess your red students last week please do so before the end of the day. The week we return from Thanksgiving it will be time to reassess red and yellow students. This will be the last time yellow students are assessed before the middle of year benchmark. Red students will be assessed once more, the week of December 14th, before the middle of year benchmark screening.

Please note the following:

Kindergarten will be assessed on ISF/LNF/PSF/NWF

First Grade will be assessed on PSF/NWF/ORF

Second Grade will be assessed on ORF (3 passages). Students will not be assessed on retell.

Science Carnival

On Wednesday, December 2nd 3-5 students will attend an Energy/Science Assembly at 10:30 and K-2 students will attend at 1:00. Each assembly will last around 45 minutes. K-2 teachers please let me know how and when your students will rotate through various science experiments or activities on your grade level. You may choose to spread it out over both days or just use one day. The 3-5 Science Fair projects will be set up in the hallway so that it is convenient for you to do a walk through with your class on either December 2nd or 3rd. Let me know if you have questions.

**Have a wonderful break and enjoy time with your friends and family.**

This Week.......

"Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of right answers." --Josef Albers

Curriculum Coordinator's Meeting
Kendra and I will be out of the building all day Monday for our monthly meeting. I will share new information with you at your next grade level meetings.

Literacy Folders and Math Cards
Please turn in your folders to me as soon as possible. I will look over them and return them to you as quickly as I can. Also if you have not given me a copy of your first quarter data sheet please do so. Thanks!

Testing
Second grade will be taking ITBS Wednesday through Friday morning this week. Please try not to call or enter the pod during testing. Let me know if you have questions. Thanks to all of our proctors!

Congratulations
Mrs. Hill and Mrs. Blevins' Kindergartners won the CiCi's Pledge Challenge. Way to go!

Happy Veterans Day!

DIBELS -

This is just a reminder that all of your red students should have been progress monitored twice now and your yellow students once. Please check with me if you have questions. Here is the progress monitoring schedule:
Week of Oct. 19 - Red
Week of November 2nd - Red & Yellow
Week of November 16th- Red
Week of November 30th - Red & Yellow
Week of December 14th - Red

Middle of Year Screening for All Students - Jan 4-14

After you sync your device the results are automatically available on mclasshome.com. Let me know if you are having trouble finding your results. Remember we can not go by the results on the device. We must use information on the class summary reports from mclasshome.com.

*K-2 Literacy Folders and Math Cards are due to me by Tuesday, November 10th.*

Testing
Please remember that second graders will be taking the ITBS test next week, November 18 through 20. Encourage ALL of your students to be here everyday because we have almost no time to do make-ups. I will be providing a Popsicle party to classes with 100% attendance all three days! Thanks for your help and support.

My door is always open if you need anything and thanks for all of your hard work and dedication to our students!

Welcome November!

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.
- Margaret Mead

DIBELS -
As we continue to progress monitor, please be mindful of the goals for the various screenings. Kindergarten students must recognize 25 sounds on the ISF screening to meet benchmark expectations. First grade students must recognize 50 sounds in order to meet benchmark expectations for NWF screening in January. Second graders must be able to read 68 words per minute in order to meet the benchmark expectations. Please continue giving your high and some risk students extra remediation and let me know if you need ideas or help.

**ALL Red and Yellow students must be progress monitored by Monday, November 9th.**

Testing - Shhhh!
Nov. 4-6 - CogAt Test (Second Grade)
Nov. 18-20 - ITBS Test (Second Grade)

Good News!!!

I applied for a Donors Choose grant to help fund the Math Literacy Library that I started in the media center! It was funded! I am so excited and with these additional books we can expand and continue to add more math picture books to the collection!
If you have an idea or plan and need funds, Donors Choose is a great way to make your dream a reality. Let me know if I can help you write up a proposal because I would be more than willing to help.
Rest, relax and enjoy your fall break!

K-2 Updates

DIBELS -

• If a student arrives "after" October 18th he or she cannot be considered for the BOY (beginning of the year). New students can be entered in the MOY (middle of year).
• Use mclasshome.com class summary reports to determine which students should be progress monitored
• If a student moves to green during progress monitoring, you're not required to continue progress monitoring (you may continue if you like). Remember, the purpose of this process is to make good instructional decisions.
• Please not below the correct way to record scores on the literacy folders: Example: 31/50 raw score/goal
• Ignore all divided boxes on the literacy folders.

Math Update

• Essential standards for K-12 math was approved by State Board of Education in September 2009. This will assist us with developing "future-ready" math students!
• Please let me know if you need assistance with the new math textbooks. I'm here to help!

Vocabulary Strategies - Presented by Rosie Turner

Looking for activities to enhance vocabulary instruction? These are some ideas that Rose Turner, WSFCS SIOP Coach, presented at the CC meeting.

1. Use It or Lose it!

• Introduce new vocabulary to students
• Have students create sentences for their neighbor using new vocabulary.
• Have neighbors share their sentences.

2. Trade-Trade-Chat

• The teacher creates cards that display words, illustrations of words, or statements or questions related to content concepts.
• Students receive one card each and stand.
• Teacher gives directions for the trading and chatting (while music plays) to begin. When music stops ask your partner the question on your card or discuss what the word means.
• Then just repeat until students have traded and chatted with other students.

3. Words Around the World

• Post words along with their meanings in different locations around the school.

4. Verbal Visual Word Association

• First divide paper into four equal sections.
• Write your word in the top left box and any root words, etc.
• Illustrate the word in the top right box
• Write synonyms or phrases in the bottom left box.
• Write background experience related to the word in the bottom right box.
• Create an action to represent the meaning of the word
• Share out!

Testing Updates

• CogAt - 2nd grade - November 4-6
• ITBS - 2nd grade - November 18-20