Crown Point Junior Music Academy

Monday Morning Memo

11/27-12/1

Welcome back!  I hope everybody had a restful Thanksgiving Break.  I look forward to seeing our students working above and beyond our own expectations.  Remember we will never know what they actually can do unless we push our students within their zone of proximal development.  As I observe instruction, I have had discussions with staff about differentiation of instruction.  This can only be done if we also implement common assessments and we truly know where our students are.  Please be prepared to have discussions about how formative assessments have influenced your differentiation of instruction.

PBS Character Counts- November

• Please remember to teach our lessons based on the monthly focus
• Focus on Hallway and Office Expectations
• Character trait focus on gratitude
• Link to PBS folder containing expectations lessons and year-long calendar

Recess Duty-

Group A

Important Dates-

• Tuesday, 11/28 picture retakes
• Wednesday, 11/29 Schoolwide PLC in room 9 @ 1:00
• Friday, 12/1 PTO Movie Night @ 5:00 pm
• FYI- I am trying to set up an ILT release for the end of the week and release for teachers the following week to work more on common assessments aligned with the Critical Concepts

Crown Point Junior Music Academy

Monday Morning Memo

11/13/17-11/17/17

As we move forward in November, I am noticing more small group instruction to support students with a variety of needs.  I appreciate the use of data to inform your instruction with your students.  I also appreciate how you have implemented the strategies of annotating the text and note-taking.  

Instructional Focus-

This week I will continue to observe instruction with the lens of student engagement.  When you are teaching consider the opportunities for students to show overt evidence that they are engaged (talking, writing…..). Are students asked to collaborate with a strategic partner direct instruction?  Are students annotating or taking notes when they are reading?   Do you direct students to collaborate on a task you have given them?

PBS Character Counts-November

• Please remember to teach our lessons based on the monthly focus
• Focus on Hallway and Office Expectations
• Character trait focus on gratitude
• Link to PBS folder containing expectations lessons and year-long calendar

Recess Duty-

Group D

Upcoming Important Dates

11/13-11/17 Conferences and book fair all week

11/15 Certificated PREP

11/20-11/24

Thanksgiving Vacation

Crown Point Junior Music Academy

Monday Morning Memo

11/6-11/10

I appreciate staff utilizing data to support decisions in guided reading groups.  As you continue your Guided Reading Groups, it is critical to continue to utilize data to inform your instruction.

 ILT-Thank you for working so diligently during our release this week.  As you continue your planning based on the Critical Concepts, please continue to utilize the proficiency scales to calibrate your expectations, tasks, and formative assessments.

The Continuum of Literacy Learning-

When reviewing our stock in The Continuum for Learning Literacy, the Instructional Media Center shows that all staff received a copy 2-3 years ago.  Unless you are new to Crown Point this year, we will not be getting copies from the IMC.  I am asking that you take a deeper look in your professional library in your classroom or at home to see if you have a copy.  This book is critical for running your Guided Reading groups.  I appreciate your efforts, it is a very expensive book.  I will also have Jesse check our stock again.

Instructional Focus-

This week I will observe instruction with the lens of student engagement.  When you are teaching consider the opportunities for students to show overt evidence that they are engaged (talking, writing…..). Are students asked to collaborate with a strategic partner direct instruction?  Are students annotating or taking notes when they are reading?   Do you direct students to collaborate on a task you have given them? 

PE-

One final reminder.  Your schedule will need to reflect 200 minutes every two weeks or 100 minutes every week.  If you are having PLAY PE part of your minutes, you will need to be instructing with the PLAY PE staff (co-teaching).

Recess Duty-

Group C

Upcoming Important Dates

11/6-11/10-Tra-Viecia prints report cards this week

11/7 Classics for Kids Concert at Balboa Theatre (see master calendar), staff meeting 2:30-3:30 in room 9

11/8  PLC

11/9 Classics for Kids Concert at Balboa Theatre (see master calendar)

11/10 Veteran's Day- Holiday

11/13-11/17 Conferences all week

11/15 Certificated PREP

11/20-11/24

Thanksgiving Vacation

Crown Point Junior Music Academy 

Monday Morning Memo

Week of 10/30-11/3


We had a great week with Red Ribbon Week celebrations and dressing up for Trunk or Treat.  Please continue the high energy levels for the upcoming weeks. We only have three weeks to go then Thanksgiving break...then three more weeks until Winter break.  Keep up the great work!!!

I am currently ordering the Continuum of Literacy Learning for all teachers to use.  This resource directly impacts your responsive teaching during Guided Reading.  This book is also a critical resource that you need at your fingertips supporting your planning for Guided Reading.  In the next few weeks, I will be asking for you to clearly show on your schedule when you teach your Guided Reading Groups so I can observe and give feedback.

Instructional focus-

I will continue to give observational feedback throughout the week as I visit classrooms.  Please be prepared to have discussions about the formative assessments you use in the classroom and the data you analyzed to make decisions about the differentiation of your instruction.

Schedule Updates- 
Please be prepared to have your finalized weekly schedule showing 100 minutes of PE in one week or 200 minutes of PE over the course of two weeks.  It will need to be electronic and It will need to be uploaded before Friday 11/3.  As I know more information about uploading, I will let you know.

***PLEASE NOTE***
Unless you are actively teaching during PLAY PE, it does not count towards your minutes.  I will review weekly schedules and work with ILT to inform my decision-making on if it will be necessary for teachers to participate in PLAY PE and if it makes sense for our school to retain the services of PLAY PE.  

Release-

I almost finished planning for ILT/all staff release to focus on backward mapping the Critical Concepts.  It is likely that ILT may be released Thursday and half the school on Friday, 11/3 and the other half on Tuesday, 11/7.  More information to come to confirm those dates.

Federal Survey Cards- 
All survey cards were due last week.  If you have any laying around, please send them to the office ASAP.   Mrs. Tra-Viecia will be pulling students a few minutes before school is out to talk to parents in the office.  

Universal Forms- 
We do not have all forms turned in.  Please review the highlighted names on the roster that you were given and help us collect all forms ASAP.

Lunch Applications- 
We are funded by the number of these applications that are completely filled out (whether or not the students receive free and reduced lunch).  They are due October 31st.  Mrs. Tra-Viecia will be pulling students a few minutes before school is out to talk to parents in the office.

Recess Duty- 
Group B

Upcoming Dates in relation to PLC and Report Period

10/30-11/3        

• 10/30 Haloween
• 11/1 Prep after school
• 11/2 Classics for Kids assemblies (see master calendar)
• 11/3 All $$$$ for Classic for Kids due today,  All data for report cards due Friday

11/6-11/10 

• Tra-Viecia prints report cards this week 
• 11/7 Classics for Kids Concert at Balboa Theatre (see master calendar)
• 11/8  PLC
• 11/9 Classics for Kids Concert at Balboa Theatre (see master calendar)
• 11/10 Veteran's Day- Holiday

11/13-11/17 

• Conferences all week 
• 11/15 Certificated PREP

11/20-11/24

• Thanksgiving Vacation

Crown Point Junior Music Academy

Monday Morning Memo

10/23-10/27

As I continue to visit classrooms, I appreciate the posting of anchor charts to support student learning.  Anchor charts are critical to learning and should be posted in all classrooms and current to the instruction you have recently been planning for.  Please take some time to visit your colleague's classrooms to view the anchor charts they have posted.  There are many great ideas out there.

Instructional Focus-

• I will continue to give observational feedback throughout the week as I visit classrooms.  Please be prepared to have discussions about the formative assessments you use in the classroom and the data you analyzed to make decisions about the differentiation of your instruction.  

Visitation- We will be having principals doing observations within the next two weeks at Crown Point.  I look forward to showing them all the good work that you are doing in your classrooms.

Heat/Minimum Days- We have communicated that we will be having a minimum day tomorrow due to the heat index.  We will most likely be having a minimum day Tuesday as well ( I am waiting for the district to confirm).  As always please make sure that you give students ample opportunities for drinks and encourage them to rest/eat/drink in the lunch area during recess.  Just like any minimum day, please be out to the lunch area promptly at your designated time for lunchtime supervision. 

Upcoming Dates in relation to PLC and Report Period

Date	Reporting Period Notes	PLC or Prep
10/9-10/13		PLC
10/16-10/20		PLC
10/23-10/27	DRA due by Friday, 10/27	PREP
10/30-11/3	All data for report cards due Friday, 11/3	PREP
11/6-11/10	Tra-Viecia prints report cards this week	PLC
11/13-11/17	Conferences all week	PREP

Recess Duty- Week A-PLEASE BE 2-3 MINUTES EARLY TO YOUR RECESS DUTY!!!!!

Recess Bonus- First teacher to email me paying a compliment about another staff member will have their recess duty covered by me.

Field Trips-  In the past, PTO was able to fund two field trips busses per teacher.  Due to financial challenges, PTO can only offer one field trip bus per teacher.  Please see Mrs. Cathy for more information.

Health-  As a reminder, please administer basic first aid within your classroom before sending up students to the office. 

Paper-  I would like everybody to know that the copy paper use has been astronomical.  We have gone through 15 cases of copy paper since August.  At the rate we are going, we will run out of paper by January.  Please be mindful of your paper consumption.  If this continues I may need to implement a plan to limit excessive paper usage. 

PE Schedules- This is the week that I will need you to update your weekly schedules reflecting your PE minutes based on the 200 minutes every 2 weeks.  I will communicate with you and send you the link to upload your schedule once I get it.

Library- The schedule has been updated and in effect as of last week.  Here is the library schedule link for you to view.

Crown Point Junior Music Academy

Monday Morning Memo

10/16/17-10/20/17

I appreciate all the great work done at our first PLC!

Some staff have taken pictures to add to my upcoming discipline assembly

Pictures for line up expectations

Pictures for Running Club Expectations

Instructional Focus-

• I will continue to give observational feedback throughout the week as I visit classrooms.  Please be prepared to have discussions about the formative assessments you use in the classroom and the data you analyzed to make decisions about the differentiation of your instruction.  

Upcoming Events-

• Wednesday, 10/11 PLC
• Wednesday, 10/18 PLC
• Week of 10/23-10/27 Red Ribbon Week
• Friday, 10/27 Trunk or Treat
• Tuesday, 10/31 Halloween
• Wednesday, 10/25 Certificated Prep
• Wednesday, 11/1 Certificated Prep
• Tuesday, 11/7 Staff Meeting in room 9 @ 2:30
• Wednesday, 11/8 Attendance Assemblies
• Wednesday, 11/8 PLC
• Week of 11/13-11/17 Conferences-Minimum Days
• Wednesday, 11/15 Certificated Prep
• Week of 11/20-11/24 Thanksgiving Vacation

PLC this week-

• Due to contract, I can't have PLCs 2 weeks before report cards are due.  We will have back to back PLCs (last week and this week to accommodate for this).
• Always bring laptops
• Please be prompt to the meeting starting at 1:00 pm

Schoolwide Expectations (PBIS)/Character Trait Building (6 Pillars)

• Please continue to pass out the Caught Being Good tickets and as you give specific feedback for your students academically, please give students specific feedback on what expectation/character trait they are meeting or exhibiting for their behaviors as well.
• Month Focus 
• PBIS-Arrival/Dismissal and Restrooms
• Character Trait-Safe, Responsible, Respectful
• As a reminder, I am asking that you not only teach the lessons for expectations but continually have discussions that revolve around our current monthly focus.  
• I have given you access to the public PBIS folder. If you can't access any of the files, please let me know. Link to PBS Public Shared Folder

Recess Duty- Week D

Crown Point Junior Music Academy 

Monday Morning Memo

10/9/17-10/13/17

 I appreciate staff working hard on keeping all students engaged in lessons!!

Anchor charts are being used for not only teaching reference points but as formative assessments as well!

If you have not pulled this book out, please look for it.  My understanding is that every teacher received it a few years ago.  We will be using the Continuum very soon in PLCs as well as for guided reading.

Instructional Coaching Focus-  As I continue to observe and give feedback, the conversations will revolve around student engagement, alignment to standards, and the rigor of the tasks and lessons. 

****PLEASE NOTE******
As we move into PLCs, be prepared to have discussions on how you collect data based on common grade level assessments and how you use the data to inform your instruction.


PLC-  Our first whole school PLC will be this Wednesday, 10/10/17 in room 9 from 1:00-3:00.  Please bring any common assessments or data you have to share with the group.  We will also revisit what the best practices are in a PLC.


Staff Meeting- Tuesday, 10/10 in room 9 at 2:30.  Please bring your laptop.  We will review SST process, update on schoolwide discipline plan and other business items.



Recess Duty-  GROUP C
Updated Recess Schedule 9.21.17

Report Cards

• End of 1st quarter Friday, 10/27
• Report cards-due to Tra-Viecia due the week of 10/30-11/3 (you have prep that Wednesday)
• Tra-Viecia will print up the week of 11/6-11/10 (You have PLC that week)
• The week of 11/13-11/17 will be minimum days/conferences (You have prep that week)

Nuts and Bolts

• K-2 Attendance Assembly in the auditorium Wednesday (tomorrow) 8:00-8:30
• 3rd-5th Attendance Assembly Wednesday (tomorrow) 8:30-9:00
• STORM-will be out at recess Wednesday (tomorrow) then they will have an assembly that same day from 10:30-11:15
• Veteran’s Day (holiday) Friday, 11/10
• Western BBQ Tuesday, 11/14