Weekly Message 3.30.2020

I'm going to brag about DCES.  What you all got done in less than a week was incredible.  We are ready for almost 800 students to start a brand new way of learning and it was completed in about 4 days, since we had our faculty meeting Tuesday.  Families have been reached out to and checked on, cafeteria staff has been serving almost 200 families per day, ESE has spent hours determining ways to offer accommodations virtually, specials team has set up an amazing activities hub, office staff has answered hundreds of phone calls patiently, 400 Chromebooks have been allocated to families, custodial staff continue to make sure our building functions and got areas sanitized during spring break, and our para team continues to email asking for ways to assist and have already in many ways.

Keli and I presented the mindset of understanding that we can not control this crazy situation, but we can control how we respond to it.  I am so proud of the way you responded.  You all have done so much and want to do more, we are actually holding some of you back to make it simpler for our families in the beginning.  You all are truly amazing, thank you, thank you!

Here is a copy of our team meetings dates and times for this week. 

We will use the first 30 minutes to answer questions, finalize our monitoring sheets and going through the new Memo of Understanding (MOU) that was sent out at the end of last week.  The rest of the time will be for your team.

I know there will be some technology glitches along the way, but remember to stay patient and we will get through them.

Thank you all again,

James & Keli 

Weekly Message 3.23.20

Hello to all,

I will start with the quote that didn't come through on the email that we sent Saturday evening.

We can not control any of this.  However, we all can control how we respond to all of this.  We promise to lead through all of this with a positive and patient attitude and we need you to do the same for your families and students.  We know this situation could be much worse, as I have personally already seen people lose their jobs.  There will be obstacles for us and times of frustration with our students and families.  But let's make a pact to again remember Nothing Less Than Our Success.  Which means we do not have to be perfect, but we have to keep doing our best and improving each day.

School Hours:
The school will be open from 7:20 am to 3:20 pm daily for staff. Parents and visitors will not be permitted inside the school building. Please do not attempt to enter the building outside of this time frame as the building will be alarmed.

Monday:
Staff does not need to report to work on Monday. The only staff members that will be on campus are Mr. Vernon, Mrs. Sare, Mrs. Pirches, Mrs. Allen, and Mr. Brockman. All other staff members may choose to be on campus to work or to stop by to collect needed materials and technology from their classroom. If you plan to be on campus please click on this link each day that you visit no later than 10:00 am. This will allow our working custodial crew to know which school areas will need to be cleaned and sanitized during the second half of the day.

We will be holding a staff meeting on Tuesday morning. In order to be prepared we would love to know some of your burning questions ahead of time so we can do our best to answer them in the meeting. If you have a question, please take a minute to click on this link to submit your question to us no later than Monday at 4:00 pm.

Finally, report cards for quarter three are due by 2:20 pm. Scarlett will be available via email to answer any questions that you may have.

We need to find out the office hours that you will be making yourself available for communication with parents.  We have created a google doc for you to complete for us.  This needs to be completed by Wednesday at 4:00 pm.  Please click here to complete this document.

Virtual Meetings:
The district technology department has arranged for us to all have access to DCE Meets. This can be found on our staff Classlink page. To join a meeting, simply click on the icon. Then, determine if you would like to have your microphone and/or camera on for the meeting. You will see a list of staff members that are currently online at this particular time within DCE Meets. You may then choose to join the meeting. A schedule of reserved meeting times within this program has been created so that we can be sure that each team gets an equal amount of time to meet if needed without interruptions from other staff. Your teams may choose to hold additional meetings in programs such as ZOOM that you arrange on your own. At this time, the district is asking that we do not use digital platforms such as ZOOM with our students and families. A document with our DCE Meets meeting times can be found by clicking here.  Also, pictured below are directions for DCE Meets and a picture of the icon.

Professional Development:
The district has arranged for teachers to participate in professional development on how to effectively monitor online learning and progress. There are two different trainings that are scheduled to take place. The first training that is offered on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon is for all new teachers and any teachers that feel that they could use this training as well. Marie will be sending out a link to allow you to register in MyPLC so that you are able to receive credit for attending. On Friday, you will see that there is a follow-up training that is being offered. ALL teachers should plan to attend this session and will need to sign up in MyPLC using Marie’s link as well. Additional information about how to log in to attend these sessions will be coming out to you all shortly.

Weekly Schedule:
We are hoping to keep this schedule as consistent as possible, but as you know we are receiving information and changes on a daily basis. Please take a peek at this week’s schedule below. We are looking forward to meeting with you virtually!

We are so thankful to be a part of the DCE family!  You have all been amazing about reaching out to ask questions, just touch base, or offer help.  As we head back to school into these uncharted waters we would not want to be doing it with any other staff.  Remember, attitude reflects leadership.  Our day to day interactions (virtually) with our kiddos, parents, and one another will be what helps us get through these unique times.  We can't wait to see you all on the DCE Meets icon soon!

-Keli and James

Weekly Message 3.9.20

Happy Almost Spring Break!

We have made it to the last week before Spring Break!  Of course the universe has decided to throw a full moon, Friday the 13th, Spirit Week, and Teddy Bear Picnic at us all at once... but if there is one thing we have done this year it is prove that we have grit to get through even the craziest weeks!  We will all be excited to pull off into the sunset Friday night for a week of rest and relaxation!

Teddy Bear Picnic:

Teddy Bear Picnic is finally here.  This week you should be having your students tidy up their leadership notebooks so that they are ready to present to their families.  Consider creating a checklist of "to do" tasks that students can do with their families while they are in your room for conferences.  Items on this list could include things such as looking through a writing notebook, checking out a data wall, signing in to iReady to see how many lessons they have passed, setting a goal with their child for the last quarter, etc. 

Family members that will be visiting DCE for Teddy Bear picnic should have completed an RSVP form.  It is important that you look through these slips to be sure that you have received one back for every student.  Mrs. Alvarez has had her leadership students create a little something special for students that will not have visitors.  You also need to give your lunch count to the cafeteria if you have students that are getting a school lunch (talk with your program planner). 

We will be discussing more about Teddy Bear picnic at our staff meeting on Thursday morning.  Below is a link to the message James previously sent with the specifics on Teddy Bear Picnic.

https://dcesmmm1516.blogspot.com/2020/02/weekly-message-2172020.html

Spring Break Preparations:

The CCPS Energy Manager, Mathew Guimond, has asked all staff at each school site to do their part in conserving energy while we are closed for Spring Break.  Please take a minute before you head out on Friday to do the following:

1. Close all window blinds.

2. Unplug all coffee pots and microwaves.

3. Clean out mini fridges and unplug them (open door and be sure they will not defrost onto the floor).

4. Turn off all computers and monitors.

Week at a Glance:

Have a great week... the five day countdown is on!

-Keli and James

Weekly Message 3.2.20

I hope you all had a restful weekend!  It is March already and we only have ten work days left until spring break!

Week at a Glance:

Live School Challenge:

Our students smashed the February LiveSchool Challenge!  We will be making an announcement soon to our Cubs letting them know that they have earned their Spirit Week and that Mr. Vernon will be shaving his head into a mohawk on WCUB on March 13th. Thank you for celebrating the successes of our students behaviorally and academically to help them accomplish this goal!  Don't let them know that they won yet... be on the look out for the news video.

Final Push:

We are heading into our last few academic weeks before our FSA testing windows open.  A few of our kiddos in Mrs. Nuwer's and Ms. Belous' classes will be taking the FSAA, the state's alternate assessment, just before Spring Break.  I will send out a reminder a few days before they test so you know which areas will need to be designated as quiet zones.

Below are dates for the rest of our testing that begins on April 1.  Be on the lookout for emails containing training dates, buddy class visit suggestions, and staff members that will be pulled on testing days.  

We know that our staff is working hard to cover standards, remediate and enrich when necessary, and keep students feeling positive and energized as they head into testing season.  This can be a tricky time for both students and staff as we all feel the pressure.  Hoping that we can all take a giant deep breath together and support one another through this final push.

Teddy Bear Picnic:

Teddy Bear Picnic is Friday, March 13th.  Please be sure that your students have returned their RSVP slips and that you are getting their leadership notebooks updated and ready to be shared. Remember, staff will need to park in the back field when they arrive to work that morning to make room for parents to park.  

Have and awesome week! 
-Keli and James