Weekly Update #16

Inspirational Quote:
“Let yourself be open and life will be easier. A spoon of salt in a glass of water makes the water undrinkable. A spoon of salt in a lake is almost unnoticed.” -Buddha Siddhartha Guatama Shakyamuni

                                                                 This Week                                                                           

Monday, December 16, 2019                          Observations

Tuesday, December 17, 2019                          IEP (Beddia) @10:00
                                                                        Observations
                                                                        Clinic Meeting - Sabourin (coverage needed)

Wednesday, December 18, 2019                    Visit from Dr. Tutwiler (Book Giveaway)
                                                                        Pajama Day
                                                                        IEP (Higgins) @10:00

Thursday, December 19, 2019                       Glenda - Admin Meeting
                                                                       Concert Dress Rehearsal 3,4, and 5 @9
                                                                       Concert Dress Rehearsal PreK, K,1, and 2 @1
                                                                        Holiday Staff Party

Friday, December 20, 2019                           Ugly Sweater Day
                                                                       Winter Concert 3,4, and 5 @9
                                                                       Winter Concert PreK, K,1, and 2 @1

                                       Things to Be Aware of and Keep in Mind                                                

• Grades - If I contact you about grades or your were out on Friday, please follow up on verifying grades.  I will not request for them to get printed until I have confirmation from these teachers.
• Report Card Follow Up - There are lots classrooms that had students that were Failing in all subject areas.  I look at this as an opportunity to check in with our support staff and school-wide services.  
• Things to Consider:
• Have these students been presented to Student Study?
• Are they ELs, and have I connected with our ESL teachers to see if I can do more to accommodate their learning?
• Are they Special Ed students, and have I connected with the Special Education teachers to see if I can do more to accommodate their learning?
• Holiday Events - As before, holiday events will be left for the last day of school prior to vacation.  If you have a special event planned, please let Liz and Glenda know.
• Remember, the learning does not stop.  However, feel free to be creative and include winter and holiday activities within your general curriculum.  
• District Handbook- From now on only a few handbooks will be printed each year.  The handbooks will now be available to families online.  Here is a communication about this.
• Handbook Letter
• Winter Concert - Please look for an email from Mr. Waldron and Mr. Hudson about the Winter Concert and Dress Rehearsal.
• LCHC - Ms. Moreno is out next week.
• ACCESS Information - 
• ACCESS testing will run from January 6th- February 7th.
•  ESL teachers will not return to regularly scheduled classes until testing ends.  
• Please plan to have an additional rotation, or include your ESL students into your rotations for small group ELA.  DO NOT expect sub plans for this. 
• Recess will not be the responsibility of the ESL teachers.  If the building sub is available, we will give students their recess at the end of the day.
• Dress Rehearsal on Thursday -   9 A.M. (3rd,4th,5^th&rm. #202, chorus)   1 P.M. (PreK/K, 1^st& rm. #100, 2^nd, chorus)
• ACCESS - ACCESS Test Coordinator Training Powerpoint Posted
• The Powerpoint used for this fall’s ACCESS Test Coordinator Training for New Test Coordinators webinar is now available on the MA State Page of the WIDA website in the Manuals, Guides, and Test Materials section. The Powerpoint is titled “ACCESS for ELLs Test Coordinator Workshop PowerPoint.” Please note that minor revisions have been made since the webinars were presented in November. WIDA AMS User Guide . For detailed instructions on Test Setup, please refer to the WIDA AMS Guide and Videos section of the WIDA Secure Portal
• Concerns to Address - This year, there has been an increase in the use of the word gay by our students in an offensive manner toward others.  I think it is extremely important that we address this issue with our students immediately.  We are a safe and welcoming school, and as such, will not tolerate the use of offensive language toward others.  Please ensure to address this immediately if you see or hear it, and feel free to use the resources below in SEL lessons as you see fit and appropriate for your age group.
• Using Gender Inclusive Language with Students
• This handout, developed by Gender Spectrum, provides helpful language for talking about gender with students.
• Diverse Book for Classrooms & Libraries 
• This list is complied by Welcome Schools, a project of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. A simple way to let students and families know that your school welcomes everyone is to integrate books into your curriculum that reflect the diversity of your classroom and the world.
• LGBTQ Definitions for Adults
• This glossary was written to give adults the words and meanings to help make conversations easier and more comfortable.
• LGBTQ Definitions for Children
• The following list can serve as a starting place for educators to respond to questions about LGBTQ words. 
• Massachusetts Guidance on Gender Identity
• This document is created by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to support schools in creating a safe and supportive school environments on the basis of gender identity. 
• Red: A Crayon’s Story - Lesson Plan
• This activity is designed for lower grade levels to provide students with an opportunity to share some of their identities with classmates and teachers. In addition, this lesson explores the concept of identity with students and embraces differences within the classroom community.
• Pajama Day and Book GiveAway - Pajama Day will be on Wednesday, December 18, 2019. We are looking for classrooms that our guest can visit and read to at 9:00 on Wednesday morning.  Ideally, we would like 1 from each grade level.  If you are interested in having a visit from a guest reader, please let Glenda and Liz know as soon as possible, and CC our CITs.
• Guided Reading - In January, these will increase to 2 lessons per week, 3 in February, and all groups should receive at least 1 Guided Reading Lesson per week in March.
• Calling out Sick - Call Glenda directly (781-686-6354). 
• Laptops - Please sign these in and out daily.
• Coaching - January will be the goal for starting 1 to 1 coaching.  
• School Improvement Plan Dates
• 12/16 - 7:30-8:00
• 1/3 - 7:30-8:00
• 1/6 -2:30-3:30
• Next Round - For observations, we are doing rounds on Criteria for Success of a task, and giving feedback on Lesson Plans.
• Coaching - January will be the goal for starting 1 to 1 coaching.  
• Recess - recess resource
• Connery School Year Calendar
• Food Pantry Flyer
• LPS CORE VALUES - Inclusiveness, Shared Responsibility, High Expectations, and Inspiring Life Long Learning.

                                                        Reminders from the Office                                                           

• Please do your attendance on time each morning.
• There are still some that are not getting completed by 9:00.
• Folders - Please check your mailboxes each day.  Some yellow folders were not picked up this week.
• All notices (including parent's notes) need to be sent to the office.

                                                     Updates from our Nurse                                                                 

• Don't forget to use your nurse passes when sending students to the office.

                                                           Looking Ahead                                                                         

December 17 - Student Study Team (SST)

December 18 Book Share and Pajama Day

December 19 - Winter Concert Dress Rehearsal, Christmas Party at RF Sullivan @4:00 (Save the Date)

December 20 - Ugly Sweater Day and Winter Concert

December 23-January 1 - School Closed for Winter Break

HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!