Week 38: May 19, 2017

Happy Friday!

Housekeeping: 

- Our students will be taking their SOLs until June. We need continued support in keeping classrooms and hallways quiet during this important time. Remain mindful of the volume of your instruction and of your SMARTBoard. Small group testing students are being disturbed or disrupted. If there are substitutes on your grade level or next to you, remind them that there are SOLs and the expectations during testing. We inform them at the front office but your support in reminding them is much appreciated. Thank you, in advance.

-SOL Results (before retakes) are as follows:

   3^rd Grade Reading – 55.1%

   4^th Grade Reading – 76.91%

   4^th Grade VA Studies – 94.25%

   5^th Grade Reading – 76.5%

   5^th Grade Science – 76.6%

Continue cheering on and encouraging our students. We have 4^th & 5^th Grade Math next week and we have begun remediation for our SOL Retakes.

- 2017-18 Contract Day is Friday, June 2^nd. I will be obtaining contracts from HR on this day. You will receive an email stating the procedures for retrieving your contract. I have not received the information needed, so once I get it…you’ll get it.

- Regulation 503.03-1 was featured in our May 8, 2017 PWCS Communicator:

Know the Rules before Peddling Products on School Property

Have a business on the side? Reminder: Solicitation on school property is discouraged. Employees who have a product or service to sell must first secure permission before selling, and may not do so during their work hours. Be sure to check Regulation 503.03-1, “Solicitation and Selling,” to know the rules.

Upcoming Recommended Trainings:

OPD 223.3 – Fine Tuning Your Professional Practice for Elementary Teachers – Classroom Management: This full day course provides instruction on creating a safe, positive learning environment with a focus on classroom management, rather than discipline.  Participants will explore the various components that contribute to a well-run classroom, including student-teacher relationships; procedures for daily activities; various ways for students to learn classroom procedures; and the classroom environment.

6.22.17, 8.7.17 or 8.10.17

OPD 223.4 – Fine Tuning Your Professional Practice for Elementary Teachers – Mindset and Mistakes: Students with positive mindsets are better able to view their errors as occasions for growth.  Explore the impact of students' mindsets, and find out how to leverage classroom mistakes as authentic learning opportunities.   After all, mistakes and errors are every day occurrences!  Learn specific approaches for moving students through their misconceptions.

6.23.17, 8.15.17 or 11.30.17

OPD 223.3 – Fine Tuning Your Professional Practice for Elementary Teachers – Student Engagement: This full day course provides registrants with ready-to-implement strategies to increase student participation and engagement.  It also explores the various levels of classroom engagement, and encourages participants to reflect on their current students.  Participants will be exposed to examples of student-focused classrooms and lessons, and extend their own strategies for creating an environment in which students are the "doers."

6.21.17, 9.20.17 or 10.23.17

Leadership Opportunities:

-EEE Conference will be held on August 3^rd at Colgan High School. Please let me know if you’re interested in attending and I will keep you posted on when registration opens and session options.

Staffing Updates:

-To keep everyone in the loop about our staffing for 2017-18 school year, we have  had to overstaff two (2) positions by .5 and one (1) classroom teacher. Due to projected numbers, we may  need to staff two (2) classroom teacher positions.

-We will be interviewing for our Autism Teacher & Teacher Assistant, ED Teacher & Teacher Assistant and possibly two (2) additional classroom teachers. If you wish to serve on the interview committee, please share for which position(s).

Highlights of the Week: 

- We held a successful Mini-Relay for Life this morning! Students and parents (& baby siblings) participated by walking as many as 5 laps around our school. Thank you DJ Rinker for always providing the music to keep us energized and encouraged! Thank you to Mrs. Rivers for promoting the event, I think the extra movement assisted in beginning the day off on a positive step! Thank you to the ‘Relay for Life’ Team for your dedication and awesomeness in planning the event and for representing Bel Air for such a worthy cause!

-Although our student population is drastically projected to drop for next school year and some have plans for classroom changes, etc. we will increase our self-contained programs to three! We will have a K-1 ED Program, 2-3 ED Program and an Autism Program. So this means that we will not only have classes come into the building but also the increase of two additional classes.

-We are diligently working through our PALS Assessments! Great job teachers in being efficient with the assessments and entering data.

-We’ve been participants in the county’s Energy Conservation Program for the last 5 years. We have done a great job in being attentive to the need to be energy sensitive. PWCS has saved over $22 million in reduced utility costs. The county has decided to reward our commitment with a monetary rebate! Way to go Bel Air!!! Let’s county the awareness and commitment!

Important Dates: 

o    May 22^nd:

§  SOL: 5^th Grade Math I

§  Leadership Meeting (rescheduled) @ 4:00 p.m.

o    May 23^rd:

§  SOL: 5^th Grade Math II

§  McDonald on Leave - Otterblad providing coverage

§  Administration to review interims & provide feedback

§  VOICE meeting @ Penn Elementary School @ 7:00-8:30 p.m.

o    May 24^th:

§  SOL: 4^th Grade Math I

§  Administration to review interims & provide feedback

§  Kindergarten Parent Night @ 6:00 p.m.

o    May 25^th:

§  SOL: 4^th Grade Math II

§  Final Export for 3^rd Quarter Interims

§  Volunteer Night @ 6:00 p.m.

o    May 26^th:

§  McDonald on Leave – Otterblad providing coverage

§  Interims Go Home

o    May 29^th:

§  Memorial Day – NO SCHOOL

  

Have a beautiful weekend!!!  

Week 37: May 12, 2017

Happy Friday!!!

Housekeeping: 

- Leadership Meeting has been moved to Monday, May 22^nd (instead of the 23^rd). At this meeting we will discuss Placement Meetings and End of Year Check-out Procedures;

- Reading SOL results are coming in and we will begin our remediation of skills on Monday, May 15^th. Thank you to our Title I Reading, Reading Specialist and classroom teachers for your flexibility and support to assist our students in showing mastery on their SOLs;

·         Happy Mother’s Day to you! Whether we have children of our own or our Bel Air babies, enjoy your day! For those of us who have lost the matriarchs in our lives; hold on to the moments you spent together to offer some comfort on what can be an exceptionally difficult day to get through. Sending hugs and sweet thoughts to you and yours!

Important Dates: 

·         May 15^th: SOL: 5^th Grade Science

·         May 16^th: SOL: 4^th Grade Virginia Studies

              : End of Interim

·         May 17^th:

·         May 18^th: SOL: 3^rd Grade Math – Part I

·         May 19^th: SOL: 3^rd Grade Math – Part II

·                       : Mini Relay for Life

·         May 20^th: Relay for Life 

Week 36: May 5, 2017

Happy Friday Fabulous Staff!

 


Whoa, what a calorie packed week we had! We know how to celebrate a Bel Air...between the PTA Breakfast, Baked Potato Bar, 2 Dessert Tables, Breakfast provided by 2nd & 3rd grades...we are quite stuffed!


Housekeeping:

- Beginning July 1^st, every person seeking renewal of a license shall complete awareness training, provided by the Department of Education on the indicators of Dyslexia. Dyslexia Awareness Training Module is accessible at the link below. Users will need to complete the module in one session and have access to a printer to print certificate: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching/licensure/dyslexia-module/story.html


 - As we continue to plan for the remainder of May and into our June calendars, please be sure to plan for the upcoming Primary Election on June 13^th. We have our Kindergarten Promotion Exercises on this day so we need to be mindful of the traffic and parking. If we can fill up the other spaces, farther from the school and have parking available for voting, that would be much appreciated.


 - NEW Mathematics SOL Content Workshops
The 2016 Virginia Standards of Learning for mathematics will be fully implemented in SY 2018–19. These new standards come with some changes at every level. The crosswalk for the new standards will be implemented next year. To support implementation, the Office of Student Learning – Mathematics has developed workshops for every grade level and course through Algebra II. All teachers of mathematics* at the elementary and secondary level are required to attend one of these sessions about the new standards. The sessions will include discussion about what is and is not changing over the next two years with a particular focus on the new content for each grade level/course. This schedule shows all of the workshop options currently available. https://pwcps-my.sharepoint.com/personal/hickeyal_pwcs_edu/_layouts/15/WopiFrame.aspx?sourcedoc=%7Bc3760563-7fbd-4408-aeae-4dfed863e761%7D&action=view


-IMPORTANT REMINDER: SOL Testing is underway. Remain mindful of the noise level and reward your classroom for stellar hallway behavior during this important time! Please encourage students throughout the week (not on testing days…we don’t want an irregularity) and let them know that you believe in them! Our students’ success is attributed to their K-2 foundation and our 3-5 building blocks! Thank you!

 
-STRESSED???? https://youtu.be/fAjdI7J4Gvo


Important Dates:

- May 8^th: SOL: 4^th Grade Reading I


- May 9^th: SOL: 4^th Grade Reading II


- May 10^th: SOL: 3^rd Grade Reading I
                   : National School Nurse Day 


- May 11^th: SOL: 3^rd Grade Reading II


- May 12^th: Awards Assembly: K-2 @ 9:30 a.m.


                 : Awards Assembly: 3-5 @ 2:00 p.m.

Week 35: April 28, 2017

Happy Friday Fabulous Staff!

Housekeeping:

- Calendars were sent, via email, for the last two months of school. The dates were confirmed at our April 25^th Leadership Meeting. If there are additions to the calendar, please let me know, I will review and then update the staff.

- Happy ‘soon-to-be’ Staff Appreciation Week! There are some surprises and gifts being provided by Administration…we hope you enjoy and know that we appreciate you! Monday you will receive a Coupon Book, $200 VIP Club Card and Breakfast by PTA.

- 3^rd Grade exhibited a great deal of flexibility on Wednesday when they moved up their lunches to accommodate the request from Ms. Carter! Thank you 3^rd Grade Team! 

-OH YEAH!!! Phenomenal job Ms. Kozlak and Ms. Krisko on the completion of our VGLA Binders! Truly impressive! Thank you so much for precise attention to detail!

- Leadership. Commitment. Dedication. are just a couple of words to describe Ms. Jones! Thank you for reviewing the FABULOUS VGLA Binders submitted by Ms. Krisko and Ms. Kozlak! This is something I have always completed and I appreciate the opportunity to complete my ever-growing task lists! Ms. Jones…you are such an asset! Thank you!! 

-I saw a couple of students here for “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day”. I hope they have a stronger appreciation for what you do on a daily basis for our students, school and community!

- The End-of-School Procedures Checklist will be released soon! I am diligently working on tightening the systems for staff not returning next year, data documentation and streamlining the process.

-2017-18 Class Placement Meeting dates will be released in mid-May. I am working on streamlining that process, as well.

-REMINDER: The Transfer Process remains open and if you are interested, please contact HR for directions.

- REMINDER: 2018–19. There are REQUIRED math workshops for every grade level and course through Algebra II. These schedules show all session options currently available.

-IMPORTANT REMINDER: SOL Testing begins next week. Remain mindful of the noise level and reward your classroom for stellar hallway behavior during this important time! Please encourage students throughout the week (not on testing days…we don’t want an irregularity) and let them know that you believe in them! Our students’ success is attributed to their K-2 foundation and our 3-5 building blocks! Thank you!

Important Dates:

STAFF APPRECIATION DAY

- May 1^st: Breakfast Provided by PTA

           : YOJO SOL Assembly

- May 2^nd: National Teacher Appreciation Day

               : Potato Bar Lunch Provided by Administration @ 11:30 – Data Room – 

                                                 WE THANK YOU!!!

            : SMASH PEP RALLY @ 2:30 p.m.

- May 3^rd: Drawing #1
            : Breakfast provided by PNC Bank
            : Summative PGP Meetings – Continuing Contract H-N

            : Advisory Council @ 5:00 p.m.

            : PTA Meeting @ 6:00 p.m.

- May 4^th: Drawing #2

            SOLs BEGIN

             : 5^th Grade Math I

- May 5^th : Drawing #3

              : 5^th Grade Math II

- May 6^th : PTA Color Run

Continued Reading:

Week 34: April 21, 2017

Happy Friday Fabulous Staff!

Housekeeping:

- The school year is rolling by quickly and I want us to be able to breath during the stressful season that we are approaching. Please enjoy and may this help bring a smile to your face: 

- Thank you all for your patience, during these past few weeks. It is quite difficult being here by myself and handling my day-to-day functions, held 36 formal conference/observations during the probationary cycle, wrote and submitted 12 summative evaluations, produced quick turn-around of discipline referrals, etc. but you all have shown yourself to be a helper in my times of need! The collaboration and interdependency are to be commended!!!I appreciate you all! 

- Almost 2,000 pages of report cards have been reviewed for the 3rd quarter...be on the lookout for my email this weekend! 

- The formal evaluation schedule of our Continuing Contract Staff H-N has begun, on Tuesday (thanks Mrs. Kozlak for braving out my observation on the day we returned). I have 9 teachers to go through this formal process and then I move onto our Classified Staff. Whew!!! 

-Thursday, April 27 is National Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. While the School Division does not make special plans to observe this holiday Divisionwide, the day offers an excellent opportunity to strengthen the connection between public education and career opportunities. Schools are asked to treat student absences for this cause as any other excused absence. In addition, accommodations should be made for staff members who wish to bring their children to work with them on this day.

“Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” always falls on the fourth Thursday in April and is recommended for children aged 8–18 years of age.

-The Office of Special Education received a State Complaint, filed from a parent, regarding incompliance of special education services. The student had just enrolled in Bel Air so we were listed in the complaint (although it originated at the previous school) and we were contacted to provide a slew of information. In expedited form, Mrs. Rivers provided detailed anecdotals, lesson plans and data to support the implementation of IEP services at Bel Air E.S. Wednesday I received a call from our county's Administrative Coordinator for Complaince and she praised Bel Air for our attention to detail and the accusations were unfounded and Bel Air proved compliance to this student's IEP implementation. I thank Mrs. Rivers for her diligence, attention to detail and professional response to the information requested!  

-Mandatory/Required Training: 

New Mathematics Virginia Standards Learning Workshops —What It Means for You & Your Students

All teachers of mathematics* at the elementary and secondary level must attend one of the sessions scheduled to prepare for implementation of the 2016 Virginia Standards of Learning for mathematics, set for full roll out in SY 2018–19. There are workshops for every grade level and course through Algebra II. These schedules show all session options currently available.

• NEW Mathematics SOL Content Workshops for Elementary Teachers
• NEW Mathematics SOL Content Workshops for Secondary Teachers

The crosswalk on the new standards will be implemented next year. Find out what is and is not changing over the next two years, with a particular focus on the new content for each grade level/course.

Please register for one of these sessions through the online Professional Learning Catalog.

* includes teachers of students with disabilities and ESOL teachers whose students are accessing the general curriculum and who are on track to take the Virginia mathematics SOL test.

-CRISIS MANAGEMENT: There is to be no propping of doors leading to outside. This is a strict violation to our school security and if you see a door propped, please remove barrier and report to front office, immediately.

- We have a lot of celebrations that are quickly approaching and I will send out a schedule of events next week. One that needs to be placed on your calendars is the Awards Ceremony: May 3^rd – 3-5 @ 9:30-10:30 and K-2 @ 2:00–3:00 p.m.

Important Dates:

SMASH THE TEST WEEK (refer to email for daily activities)

- April 24^th: Reading Specialist Meeting – McDonald will attend with Mrs. Hulse – Otterblad will be present

- April 25^th: Reports Go Home

              : SOL Remediation @ 4:00 p.m.

              : Leadership Team Meeting @ 4:00 p.m. in Art Room

- April 26^th: 4^th Grade to Jamestown

              : Retention Meetings

              : SOL Remediation @ 4:00 p.m.

              : Title I STEAM Night

- April 27^th: Mrs. Quattrone Returns

             : Book Fair Family Night

- April 28^th: Gifted IDP @ KLC @ 8-12:30 – McDonald out

              : Administrative Assemblies in Aux Gym

              : PAWS Store in the Art Room 


Continued Reading:

Week 33: April 14, 2017

Greetings,


I hope you all are relaxing and enjoying your Spring Break!


- April 10^th – April 17^th: PWCS Spring Break

- April 18^th: Return to Work

                  : Special Election: Library Closed

                  : Staff Meeting @ 4:00 p.m. in cafeteria

                  : SOL Remediation

- April 19^th: Report Cards due to M^cDonald

                  : PTA Coldstone Creamery Fundraiser @ 4:00 p.m.

-April 20^th: Book Fair begins

                 : Mandatory SOL Training @ 4:00 p.m.   

                 : Kindergarten Registration @ 9:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Week 32: April 7, 2017

SPRING BREAK 2017!!!

Housekeeping

-I thank you for all that you have done and will do for our school community! You’ve earned this time off to relax and rest! I’ve observed and supported great Tier I instruction, teachers strengthening relationships with students and admirable strides in reading in math! Happy Spring Break! If you are traveling...safe travels!

 

- I want to acknowledge staff who have shown support & patience as I tend to the needs of our building, staff, students and parents as a sole administrator! I appreciate the “check-ins”…it is good to receive the reciprocity!

- Congratulations to Miss Chung for such a phenomenal job on her first PWCS Art Showcase! Student art work were on display and it was nice to hear the positive “buzz” from the observers and to see the illuminated smile on Miss Chung’s face as she proudly displayed the results of her instruction! Well Done!

      

- A special “shout out” to the most OUTSTANDING Front Office Staff! Words cannot express the appreciation and blessing that they are to the flow of our school! Rebecca S., Rebeca R., Jenny P., Roseann C. and Nurse Ruth.

- The best feeling is when you receive an email stating that a deadline has been met and when a reminder is sent, your school is listed as “received”. Thank you Caden, for attending to the email request sent by the Supervisor of Mathematics!

- On Wednesday we responded amazingly to our unannounced fire drill and lockdown drill! Our callers during fire drills were efficient and thank you so very much for always accounting for students! During our lockdown drill staff were attentive, doors were locked, kids & staff were out of view and it was completely quiet. It was kind of eerie…that’s the point!!! It does appear that we are more in tuned with our procedures and protocols to keep all safe and respond to emergencies. I look forward to tapping into other parts of the Crisis Management Plan for implementation in the 2017-18 school year!

- 2016-17 Bel Air Elementary School Divisionwide Survey Results are in! One of our continued motivations will be on Instructional Practices (how we rated our own instruction) and how to build confidence and consistency to earn back our ranks as a ‘School of Excellence’. I’m also looking forward to releasing a ‘State of Bel Air Address’ in response to the results and comments to remind us all of the implementation, progress, expectations and alignment to PWCS’ Strategic Plan for student achievement.

- Reminder: The transfer process is still open, everyone can update, prior to May 1^st. If you need any guidance on this please let me know, I’m here to support! I’m excited to share some of the instructional staffing for 2017-18 school year! Be on the lookout for the updates!

-Reminder: The Open Enrollment Period is quickly approaching, April 14-May 15^th. This is the time for benefit-eligible employees to make changes to their benefit elections for the upcoming fiscal year. Any Questions? Check out the poster in the copy room.

Students as Learners: 

-      Ms. Fernandez’s students were so engrossed in their science lesson on Animal Coverings. Once joining the fun of making predictions, I had a better understanding as to why the students were so connected to the objective. It is great to see the students use their anchor charts, make predictions and celebrate them as their predictions are confirmed. Great Job!

     -   An introduction to fractions was observed in Ms. Jackson’s class! Students worked collaboratively in Guided Math centers and were highly engaged in their time with Ms. Jackson! Differentiated activities were in full swing as students found success working independently, with a partner and in small group! Well done!

 

Important Dates: 

- April 10^th – April 17^th: PWCS Spring Break

- April 18^th: Return to Work

                  : Special Election: Library Closed

                  : Staff Meeting @ 4:00 p.m. in cafeteria

                  : SOL Remediation

- April 19^th: Report Cards due to M^cDonald

                  : PTA Coldstone Creamery Fundraiser @ 4:00 p.m.

-April 20^th: Book Fair begins

                 : Mandatory SOL Training @ 4:00 p.m.   

                 : Kindergarten Registration @ 9:00 – 3:00 p.m.

My Current Re-Reading: