March 27, 2009

ITBS Week is April 6th-9th!! As always, this week sneaks up on us! Below is some useful information about the week. If I am missing something, please let me know.

* Scheduling * - After working with the special education teachers, please email your grade level's schedule to all staff (wa@roschools.com). With no school on Friday that week, please begin testing on Monday. Even if it is one of the tests. We will need to use Thursday and the following Monday as make-up dates as we have to get all tests to the middle school by April 15th.

* Incentives * - I will be meeting with the March student advisory students next week to brainstorm incentives for reaching their individual goals and the goals set by the state for reading and math. If your team has ideas they want on the list of possibilities, get those to me soon. Also, spending time this Friday to brainstorm as a class would be great!!

* Goal Setting * - Next Thursday, I will spend 30 minutes with every class going over the data (both grade level and individual students). We will talk about goal setting and if time does not permit during the session, students will take their scores back to the room to set the goals. We will collect those goals from the teachers so they can be entered.

AEA Survey - If you have not done so already (or do not remember doing it), please fill out the AEA online survey right now by clicking on the link below. They have received only 1/2 the responses as last year. It only takes 5 minutes to complete! http://survey.aea267.k12.ia.us/survey/5520/1706/

Spring Carnival - The PTO will be meeting on the following dates for the school carnival planning purposes:
Monday, March 30, 5:30 P.M.
Monday, April 13, 5:30 P.M.
Monday, April 27, 5:30 P.M.
Your support and involvement with the carnival is critical to its’ success.

Reading on the Square - A tentative date has been set for Friday, April 17th, for our 2nd annual Reading on the Square. We plan on doing this in conjunction with National Library week and as a fundraiser for our local public library. We'd love to purchase a brick for Washington Intermediate to help the library reach their goal! Jan is working on the details so stay tuned...

My Absence - A reminder that I will be at the TESOL conference tomorrow through Sunday. Mike Eldridge will be here all day tomorrow to cover me. As always, Jeannie will be the go-to person in my absence. You may reach me by email, voicemail or text at 621.6630. On Monday, March 30th, I will be traveling with Mr. Sherman and a community member to visit a Virtual Technology program at East Marshall (article link found here).

Remaining PLC Dates - Below are the dates and content focus for our remaining early out dates. Questions, let me know.

March 25 - Building PLC
April 1 - Building PLC
April 15 - Curriculum & Instruction
April 24 - Individual Professional Development
April 29 - Curriculum & Instruction
May 6 - Building PLC
May 13 - Building PLC
May 20 - Building PLC; End of Year Assessment Analysis & Building & District Action Plan Development
May 27 - Individual Professional Development (Last day of school)
May 28 - Teachers’ Work Day & Check Out

Important 5th Grade Dates to Note (Thanks Sue!)

April 1 - 1:30-3:00 Team meet with Deb Karwal at Conservation Center to plan field trip
April 15 - Young Writers
April 21 - PM Deb Karwal to speak to classes about Oregon Trail Day
April 27 - Music program (7pm @ MS)
April 30 - Tentative- Mrs. Mann and some 5th graders to Senior Center over noon hour
May 1 - Oregon Trail Day (all day)
May 11 - Field Trip to Conservation Center (all day)

May 15 - Track & Field day