News for December 18, 2017- January 12, 2018

It's hard to believe, but the holiday season is upon us! This blog will give you the information you need for this week and the first week back of the 2018. I wish you a joyous holiday season with your loved ones! Rest and relax with your family and friends- you deserve every minute of it!

Thank you for collectively developing and living our shared Brown School Mission: 

Inspire. Innovate. Achieve. 

Thank you for helping us to ring in the holiday season, Sheli, Ben, and the third grade teachers and students! It was an amazing performance due to all of your hard work and dedication! 

This Week at Brown School

Monday 12/18 A day 

Feliz Navidad staff birthday celebration luncheon in the teacher's lounge

Tuesday 12/19 B day 

Wear red and green today!

Staff holiday breakfast 7:15 a.m. in the Media Center

Wednesday 12/20 C day

Ugly sweater day!

PTO providing lunch to show their appreciation for all that you do (teacher's lounge)

*Smodic to go to music on 12/20 (C day) from 8:40-9:10 instead of D day due to concert

*McCool to go to music on 12/20 (C day) from 9:10-9:40 instead of D day due to concert

Thursday 12/21 D day 

Wear your favorite holiday headwear!

Holiday Concert @ SJHS for grades 2-5: 8:45 (load buses) -10:45 a.m. (return to school)

Friday 12/22 E Day

Wear silly holiday socks!
Principal's Breakfast 8:30 in the Media Center (student #4)

1/2 Day Winter Break Begins @ 12:05 p.m.

Classroom Holiday Parties - 10- 11am

All-school recess 11:00-11:15 a.m.

Movie party 11:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (alternate movie time at 9:00 a.m. for those that have conflicts)

Remember that Friday will operate on a p.m. schedule. The hours of specials have been adjusted as necessary.The schedule will be as follows:

Music

9:12-9:42 Grimm
9:44-10:14 Zelenock
10:48-11:18 LoPresti
11:20-11:50 Lignell *adjusted for passing time

P.E.
9:12-9:42 Barron
9:44-10:14 Lokey
10:16-10:46 Rank
10:48-11:18 Lignell
11:20-11:50 LoPresti *adjusted for passing time

Coming Up after the Break

Monday 1/8 F day

School resumes- be sure to revisit procedures and routines this week

Tuesday 1/9 A day

Wednesday 1/10 B day

Principal's Breakfast 8:30 a.m. in the Media Center (student #5)

DLC 4:15 @ Central 

Thursday 1/11 C day

9:00-10:30 Title One meeting- no students picked up during this time 

Friday 1/12 D day

Brown Bear Credit Union 8:00 a.m.

Kristen @ Central in the a.m.

Perceptual Data Survey for Staff and Students

Please help us with our continued school improvement work by completing this quick, fifteen question survey by January 8th. Click here to access our Brown School Staff Survey 2017-18.

We would also love to have all 2-5 grade students complete the student perceptual data survey by January 12th.  It is linked on the main Brown School itsLearning page for quick access. See Kristen or Sarah for assistance with this. 

Individualized Daily 5 schedule in the back of a student's folder

Here are a few great ideas that I saw in classrooms this week!

List of ideas generated at a class meeting to solve a class problem 

Growth Mindset support!

I had many "ah-has" from my recent conference that I can't wait to share with all of you, but I promise not to bombard you with them all at once. Here are a couple of important take-ways that could help to encourage more family engagement:

Family Partnerships  

When we say "Dear Parent" or "Dear Mom and Dad" we can immediately discount or alienate up to 50% of of our families nationally. Even with "Dear Parent or Guardian" we aren't sending the intended welcoming message. If "all means all" at our school, let's work to change our verbiage on all communications to "Dear Families" (or Dear Room ___ Family Members or Dear Second Grade families...etc).  This a little thing that can have a big impact at our school and an EASY one to fix!

Welcome to the World Gift

One way to foster our love of reading and share the gift of literacy with our school families is to give the gift of a book to our families that welcome a new life into the world.  As our students have siblings born, Brown School will give them the gift of a book, signed by our staff members, telling them how excited we are to welcome them to our school family, and eventually to Brown School as a student.  Please let myself and/or Kathy know when/if you have a student in your class with a sibling on the way. I will be purchasing the books from my activity account- more details to come. 

Winter Recess Supervision

With winter upon us, it will be even more important that we spread out and circulate while on recess duty. Staff on duty together is expected to establish "zones" on the playground to ensure we're all spread out and covering the fields, structures, courts, and swings to the best of our ability. Simply having an adult present is one of the best ways to inspire good choices.


Snow Play
Students are not allowed to throw snow balls for any reason and should not be playing any game that involves pushing or tackling (i.e. King of the Hill). Students may build and add to others' snow forts, but should not destroy anyone's forts. While the snow belongs to everyone at Brown School, destroying other people's hard work is not respectful and is therefore not allowed. If you should see snow throwing, rough play, destruction of forts, etc., please ask the student to spend the rest of the recess on the wall.

Midyear NWEA Assessments

All K-5 students will take midyear reading and math NWEA tests beginning the week of January 16th. More details and a lab schedule will be coming your way soon.

Don't forget to read the first two chapters of Learning by Doing and have your take-aways ready for our processing protocol by our staff meeting on January 16th.

Thank you for filling our Bear Cave with amazing writing, Kindergarten team! Fifth grade is next up for January. We're also looking for a great idea to fill the bulletin board in the hallway near Linda's room.  Please share your ideas with Kristen.