School is now solidly underway and the "teaching of the routines" is finally observable (especially during 1st grade lunch!) It always feels good when we get to this point.
Today we finished "DIBELing" the entire school. This is the process of giving each student an individual mini-assessment to ensure students are on target to being solid readers. It is only one of many tools teachers use to group and instruct students.
Backpack tags are now established for full-day kinders and all 1st and 2nd graders. This has been initially well-received by staff and parents. Our goal is to be able to spot "a stray color" among a sea of similar colors. The bus supervisors and crossing guards have been the most appreciative of this process during it's short duration. We'll evaluate this system's success later this year.
Attendance policies have changed. We will soon be moving to an "automated" attendance call if we have not heard from parents via the Attendance Line. This call will notify parents electronically of their student's absence within 45 minutes of school starting. All parents that use the attendance line to report their student's absence (due to illness or state outlined reasons) will have the absence recorded as "excused." Those that fail to make this contact will be reported as "unexcused" and district policy followed.
We opened the year with 33 kindergartners in each of our half-day programs. Due to two very generous schools who warmly accepted our students and several families who volunteered to move, our kindergartners will be 26/27 -- in line with several of the other schools in the district. We will plan for these students as 1st graders!
September 17th is Constitution Day throughout the nation -- a day where all schools teach about the Constitution. Between the talents of Jayne Preston and Aletha McKennon we have developed a really simple but effective assembly to teach students the basic of the Constitution, concluding with all singing the preamble of the Constitution via Schoolhouse Rock!
I look forward to seeing everyone this Friday on the NHS track as we enjoy our annual Lion Walk. This is the only fundraiser that students participate in during the year. The proceeds fund the Parent Group budget which funds all fieldtrips, all assemblies, classroom periodicals, technology resources in our classroom, the finest Art Lit program in the area, and teacher extras. If students meet the school goal, we get to GIVE MR. WRIGHT A MOHAWK. He's such fun.
Please know that all parents are invited to the Parent Coffee on the first Friday every month from 9:00-10:00. This is a non-agenda gathering -- I'll bring the coffee, you bring the topics. It's always a good time with fun and encouraging people.
I look forward to visiting with you at Curriculum Night next week (Tuesday for 1st /2nd and Thursday for 3rd-5th). We have found all who attend find it the most valuable way to ensure a great school year.
Shannon Stueckle
Principal
