Monday Morning Memo 4.26.21

Happy Monday!  It is our last week of school in the month of April.  We are approaching the final countdown of days for this school year.  Thank you for all of your help in getting through Friday.  I for sure wouldn't have survived without you.  It is moments like those that show how we as a staff continue to come together to support one another through challenges.  Hopefully, clear skies and rainbows are in our future!

Testing:

This is our quiet week as far as state testing goes.  We will have a few third grade SAT 10 make-up tests to complete and then we will spend the remaining days prepping testing materials for the big chunk of testing that occurs in May.  As we prep, there may be times where you will not be able to enter Mrs. Brown's office.  Thanks in advance for your understanding!

Our Kindergarten through second grade DRA testing window is open.  Please be sure you make arrangements to have the data on your possible retention students prior to the due date of our retention meeting google form.  We will be reviewing this timeline at our staff meeting on Thursday morning.

Open Positions and Interviews:

We currently have three job postings.  The first posting is for a custodial position that would start for the remainder of this school year.  If you know anyone that is interested, please encourage them to apply!

We also have a general education teaching posting and a CD teaching posting up.  James and I have been busy filling our available minutes with holding interviews and have started some hiring.  Our interviews will continue Monday afternoon.  These have been a great opportunity to screen candidates to find the right fit for DCE and to also take some time to truly brag on all of the amazing things about our school.  There are many teachers from up north that are relocating to Florida.  This is creating a "buyers market" for candidates and they are interviewing us just as much as we are interviewing them.  We can't wait to share with you who our new additions to our staff will be soon!

Staff Lounge:

The staff lounge will be closed on Friday starting at 1:30 pm so that we can begin preparations for STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK.   Please be sure that any food that you need from the fridge or any items that you may need from your mailbox are removed from this room before 1:30 pm on Friday.  Otherwise, you will not be able to enter until the morning of Monday, May 3.

This Week's Schedule:

Have a great week!

-Keli and James

Monday Morning Memo 4.19.21

 Happy Monday!  

Testing

We have made it over the first hurdle of FSA testing.  We are down to two students that are completing make-up tests on Monday.  Be on the lookout for the email about testing locations.  This week our third grade Cubs will be taking the SAT 10.  This is an alternate test that provides us with additional data on students to assist in determining if our third graders should be promoted to grade 4.  This test is just as important to our Cubs as FSA is.  Please be sure to provide them with a quiet testing experience this week!

Textbooks

We are continuing to work on surplussing our Reading Street materials.  The large Gaylord boxes are now full.  This means that anything that you have left in your rooms or planning rooms need to be boxed up or given away to students.  Our first batch of boxes have arrived from the warehouse.  Mr. Papas will be delivering them to your planning rooms on Monday morning with a roll of tape for your grade level to share.  Each teacher is only receiving two boxes each to start.  If you end up with boxes left over please email me to let me know, and I will shuffle them to grade levels that need them.   Once you have all materials boxed up and they are ready to be moved from your room, please email Steve Pappas and he will swing by and pick them up from you.  If you have your own cardboard boxes, they need to be approximately the size of a box of copy paper and should not exceed 40 pounds in weight.

Coverage

Thank you to everyone for being so flexible.  We have been down quite a few staff members on a daily basis.  This is requiring a lot of shuffling in schedules to be sure that classrooms, duties, specials, and the lunchroom are covered.  We really appreciate those of you that have had to fill in as subs or that have stepped in to cover an area.  DCE is such a family!  Thank you thank you!

Visioning

This week we will be holding an after school meeting with our Program Planners and our PPC members to talk about the 2021-2022 school year.  We will be discussing the School Improvement Plan, setting 3 year goals, outlining a professional development plan, and much much more.  We can't wait to work collaboratively to get next year started off right, and to be able to send you off for summer with a little bit of information about our focus and vision for 21-22.

Weekly Schedule

Have an amazing week!  

-Keli and James

Monday Morning Memo 4.12.21

We have made it through another week, and our down to our last 8 weeks of school!  Last week was the kick off of traditional FSA.  Our fourth and fifth graders wrote their hearts out.  This week we head into third grade reading testing.  Each morning I will send out updates of where we are testing.  Don't forget, we will be wearing our GRIT shirts on special days to rally around our Cubs.  Below is the shirt schedule.

Staff Appreciation Week:

We have some fun things planned for Staff Appreciation Week.  Mark your calendars to join us in having some fun during the week of May 3-7.  As we are preparing, we need to gather some information from you.  Please take a minute to complete the survey linked below by the end of the day Wednesday, April 14.

SURVEY - CLICK HERE

Intervention:

If you have been utilizing Do the Math with students this year as an intervention, we would love to hear from you.  We have purchased some additional materials for next year with the hopes of expanding the number of students in each grade level that are able to participate in this intervention.  Please complete the survey below so we can start narrowing down our plan for the 21-22 school year.  Thanks!

Do the Math SURVEY - CLICK HERE

This Week's Schedule:

Have an amazing week and holler if you need anything!

-Keli and James

Monday Morning Memo 4.5.21

We hope you all head a wonderful three day weekend and that you were able to spend some time relaxing or with some people that are special to you.  We were lucky to end last week with such a special day.  Despite the rain, our Cubs were able to gather together with their lunches, towels, teddy bears, and friends and spend time picnicking together.  Then, after school, James, Mrs. Defond, and I were able to attend the Do the Right Thing Award Ceremony to recognize Ford Gainvors for his kind actions during the pandemic to one of his neighbors.  The day wrapped up with Ms. Crowder and the fifth grade teachers celebrating many of our Cubs that were inducted into the National Elementary Honor Society.  Although we have had some crazy and stressful days, it is days like these that help us remember why we love what we do!

Testing:

This week we begin the first session of our FSA testing window.  Our staff and students are ready to start showing off all that they have learned since returning to school in late August.  Although we lost some face-to-face learning time at the end of last school year, we have seen our Cubs grow so much academically this year.  We may still be uncertain what the FSA results may yield for our school and our students, but we do know that with all of the challenges that we faced this year that we all showed up, put forth our best effort, and inspired our students to show grit each and every day.  It is time to breathe, and know that we have done what we could for our kiddos and now it is their time to shine.

Below is a photo of the days that we are encouraging staff to where their Mission Possible Shirts.  This will allow us to make out kiddos and staff that are testing know that we are thinking of them as they are testing.

Remember, all testing information is posted in our DEC Staff Shared Drive in the "Assessments" folder.  We are pulling quite a few staff members to assist with testing.  We also have schedule changes occurring on all 5th grade testing days.  Please be sure to frequently check this folder for updated information.

Click Here for Test Information

For those of you testing on Tuesday, please remember that you should plan to visit Mrs. Brown's office between 7:30 and 7:50.  This will allow us a few minutes to get on campus and pull out your test materials in the morning.

This Week's Schedule:

Good luck to all of you testing, and thank you to the rest of you for being so flexible!  Our Cubs will do awesome.... they have GRIT.... and they won't quit!

Have a great week!

-Keli and James