Month: November 2018

Howdy All,
I hope you had an amazing week off!  We’ve got a busy month ahead of us between now and our next break–lots to look forward to!

A few notes to get us going…
1) We’ll continue with our school wide “I Am Different, We Are The Same” project this week.  The photos are ready to go and this week we can take time to do the writing.  Also, I still have a large collection of great books that you are welcome to use to support this project!

2) We’ll celebrate our Sparrow Alexander’s birthday on Wednesday at Community Time.  Kinders are planning something.  We raised over $200 with our change collection efforts!

3) Reminder: Bright Bytes survey is to be done by this Friday, November 30.  This is for students in Grades 3-5 and ALL teachers.  Please reference the email I sent on November 13 for details.

4) We’ll have a Lockout and Fire Drill tomorrow (Tuesday) at 1:15pm.  We’ll start with a Lockout (business as usual in the classrooms, all exterior doors will be locked–nobody in or out) for 5 minutes, then we’ll sound the fire alarm.

5) Keeping you in the loop, I’ll be sending a note to Kinder parents later today letting them know about Lindsey’s return in January.

6) This is a great time of year to remind your classes about hallway and Community Time etiquette.  Specifically, if you could review the following with your classes today it would be greatly appreciated and helpful:
*Hallway–walking or skipping, quiet voices when moving in the hallway during class time.
*Community Time–the usual reminders about respectful listening, sitting with friends, etc
*Invitation dismissal–kids are flying out of classrooms and sprinting down the hallway.  It would be very helpful if you walked your kids into the hallway and then watched as they make their way down the hallway.  If everyone made this effort (and sent students back to their class if they are running) it would help to keep the hallways a lot safer.

7) Below is how we’ll spend our SIWs between now and Winter Break:
*Nov 28 (this week)–Planning time, no meeting
*December 5–Chapter 4, Mathematical Mindsets.  Please have this read and be ready to discuss.
*December 12–Science
*December 19–Reflection time for the first part of the school year

8) If all goes well, we will be having a projector installed in the gym/cafeteria starting today!  Fingers crossed!

9) I have an admin meeting today so will be leaving around 3:15pm.  Call or text if you need me.

10) Patti is out, but Korey will be here to cover for her (and Beth, too).

Upcoming
*December 12: EBISS
*December 12: “Song and Sing-a-Long” from 5:30-6:30pm

Good Morning All,
I hope the long weekend was good to you.  We have a 4 day week this week, and then a nice long Thanksgiving Break.  A joke to start the day (related to note number 9 below): Did you hear about the claustrophobic astronaut?  He just needed a little space.

A few notes to get you going:
1) This week we will be starting the “I am Different, We are the Same” project. We will kick it off today at Community Time, and each day this week we will read a book that supports the project.  Matt will be creating a mock up of the photo/writing project and sharing it with you this week.  I have a 15 or so books that I got from the library last week to support the project, stop by and have a look.

2) Family BINGO Night is this Wednesday 5-7pm.

3) SIW this week is set aside by the district for you to work on Science.  This would be a good time to work with your partner to set a date for rolling out the unit!

4) Kinders Host Cafe Amity this week!

5) Now that we are moving the Variety Show to March, Dale has requested that we have an opportunity for classes to perform the songs that he has been working with him on.  This week I’ll be setting a date for a little musical show some time between Thanksgiving and Winter Break and I’ll be using the calendar to set the date–please be sure the calendar reflects all events/celebrations/field trips that you have planned so I can pick a day and time that works for everyone.  Thanks!

6) BrightBites survey begins this week and closes November 30.  All teachers must take the survey, as well as all students in Grades 3-5.  I’ll be sending you an email with instructions later today.

7) Clothing Exchange is this week–Wednesday to Friday.  Autumn will be using the stage for this so it will not be available for Community Time this week.

8) Thanksgiving Lunch is this Thursday and families are invited to join.  A note has already been sent to parents and a reminder will be sent today.

9) We have the opportunity to have the Planetarium Dome here at Amity.  I have tentatively scheduled it to be here December 13 and 14.  Once I know more about scheduling classes I’ll get a schedule to you.  Please let me know if you do not want to be included.  Here’s a blurb from them: Take your students on a 20-30-minute journey through the universe from the comfort and security of your own school. Our portable, inflatable planetarium will come right to your location and dazzle your budding astronomers as they are taken on a tour of the solar system. Students will enter the dome and be introduced to a “star filled” sky. Our navigator with the use of a digital planetarium projector will guide students through the night sky. Students will learn how to identify every planet in our solar system in dramatic “flights” towards each world. They will be introduced to mythological characters and see how these heroes of the past can be found in the stars.

10) If you are planning on having Brad join your class for a field trip as an extra adult, please discuss with me at least 1 week in advance so I can be sure to cover his duties while he is away.  Thanks!

Here’s to a great week ahead!
Andy

 

Good Morning Fine People,
Hoping your weekend was wonderful and fun-filled!  We’ve got this week and next week (only a 4 day week!), and then  a much anticipated and well deserved Thanksgiving Break!  Lots of great stuff going on between now and then.

I was inspired by Grade 1’s joke telling last week so I’ll start with two jokes.  In the spirit of our math journey the first one is a math joke:  Did you hear about the mathematician who is afraid of negative numbers?  He’ll stop at nothing to avoid them.

Joke 2: Did you hear about the new restaurant in town called Karma?  There’s no menu, you get what you deserve.

A few notes to get you going:
1) We have officially launched a coin drive to support our Sparrow Alexander.  There is a large glass bottle in the hallway near the office.  Please encourage your students and families to participate.

2) Dale is out this week, Deb Mata is here in his place.  Deb has done a wonderful job covering for Dale in the past so things should be smooth.

3) Please remember that we are shifting supervision duty at Choice Time to the afternoons.  In case you forgot your day:
Mon: Amanda
Tues: Frans
Wed: Heidi
Thurs: Wendy
Fri: Matt

4) Grade 4 is off to the High Desert Museum on Tuesday

5) Grade 1 is hosting Cafe Amity.

6) I will be gone all day on Wednesday.  NO SIW this week, please use the time as you need.

7) Veteran’s Day lunch on Friday.  All vets and current servicemen and women are invited to join us for lunch for free.

8) Picture Retakes this Friday–8:30am for staff, 9:00am for students

9) Looking ahead to next week, Family Night Bingo is next Wednesday, November 14 from 5-7pm.

10) I have an admin meeting today and will be leaving campus around 3pm.

Coming soon:
*November 12: Veteran’s Day, NO SCHOOL
*November 14: Family Night Bingo, 5-7pm
*November 14-16: Clothing Exchange on the stage.  No use of the stage for these 3 days.
*November 15: Holiday Meal, families invited to join (see newsletter for more info)
*November 16: College Day, come in your favorite colors

Here’s to a great week ahead!
Andy