This and That:
Volunteers: Last year, when we began letting volunteers back into schools, we were limited to one volunteer per class per day. This was because of the lingering concerns over COVID and because of the number of volunteers we could process per week under the new background check system. These two limitations are no longer a concern, so as of today, we can now have more than one volunteer per classroom per day. There are no limitations other than having people complete the new volunteer background check process. Please still list your expected volunteers in the spreadsheet provided in the newsletter each week.
UKG Pushed Back: You all probably read the email from Steve Herron earlier this week, but as a reminder: “In order to ensure the smoothest implementation possible, we’ve decided to push Go Live of UKG Time & Leave Management out from Monday, December 5th to Monday, February 13th.”
December Generosity: As usual, during December, Elk Meadow will be hosting a couple of different giving campaigns:
- Snack Drive: Because the snack drive is new to Elk Meadow this year, I have received several great questions. I’m hoping this info will help:
- Just as grade 4 has been the lead on our canned food drive in the past, grade 4 is leading the snack drive.
- The goal of the snack drive is to help provide snacks to those students that don’t have them. We have several staff that spend a lot of money providing students with daily snacks – this is often for our students who are navigating poverty or dysregulated.
- Nothing should change for what you do in your class around snacks. Kids who bring a snack every day should continue to bring their snacks. If you ask families to bring snacks for the class, continue to do that. We are just trying to collect snacks for those that need them. To be clear: we are not trying to provide snacks for your whole class through this drive as we would be out of the snacks collected in a week.
- Like the canned drive in the past, you can bring the snacks to A wing or put them in a box in your wing for the fourth grade to collect.
- There is not a competition this year – we are just collecting.
- Giving Tree: The tree will show up in the lobby on Monday, and we hope to have the snowflakes with needed items (mostly gift cards, snow boots, snow pants, etc…) on the tree by Tuesday. Information about the giving tree is in the 12.2.2022 family newsletter from the office in English and Spanish.
- Adopt a Student: We have a couple of students at EME that have had a particularly rough couple of weeks and we want to ensure they are able to have a positive holiday. Here is a link to a google sign-up to support these kiddos. Please sign up if it works for you.
Link to EME 12.2.2022 Family Newsletter: Click Here
SIW: This Wednesday will be a “B” week for our specialist schedule. Our SIW this week will be “school discretion” so it will be team time.
Monday Staff Meeting Agenda: Amy Yillik from Culture of Care will be at our staff meeting on Monday to learn about the cycle of burnout and what we can do about it.
Focus on Excellence and Equity:
TLC Update: Here is a link to the 11/30 TLC Update. The update for this week includes lots of information, including:
- A January 11th Educator Network Day survey
- Countdown lines of practice for Units 6-12
- Information about report card changes for the 22-23 school year
- Movement moment activities
- Discovery Education’s December newsletter
- And more!
Please reach out to your elementary support staff for any needs or supports.
Safety Related Information:
Locked Doors: Just a reminder that ALL interior doors should be locked at all times. We have been finding unlocked custodial closet doors and the FAN door (that were not left unlocked by the custodian or the FAN coordinator). If you are the one to unlock a door, you need to relock it immediately. Your best bet is to unlock the door, keep your key in the door and open it, lock the door again, and then remove your key. Thank you for your help.
EME Safety Concern Form: Link here. You can use this form to report any safety concerns – big or small. Please use this form or talk directly with Frank or Kelle.
To Do:
Parent Volunteers: Before a volunteer can begin, you will need to get official confirmation from Cindy or Chris that the parent has passed the background check. Once they say yes, you will need to add them to this weekly google document letting us know who to expect each day.
Important Dates:
- Monday: Staff meeting = Burnout cycle
- Wednesday: Grades 1 & K EBISS, SIW= Team Time
SIW Schedule:
- 12/7 Grade-level team time
- 12/14 Teacher prep
- 12/21 Winter Break
- 12/28 Winter Break
- 1/4 Grade-level team time
- 1/11 Educator Network Day
- 1/18 Teacher Prep
- 1/25 Grade-level team time