Week 16

 

Dear Team... You did it!  It's Holiday Break and time for you to enjoy some well deserved rest and relaxation!  I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday break...doing all of the things you love best and spending time with those you love!  

I don't mean to be a "Debbie Downer" but please prepare for when we return on January 5th, that it's back to business.  I am encouraging each of you to establish a  "Restart Plan"  for when we return, outlining your focus for reestablishing your classroom protocols, expectations, and procedures.  This is an opportunity for a "Do Over", especially with classroom management...and this is VERY IMPORTANT!   What you do or do not do right now will establish how your classroom functions and how your students succeed throughout the remainder of the school year.  Just remember that the tighter you keep your classroom culture, the less chances are possible for behaviors to pop off.  

These are the questions you need to ask yourself, and to prepare to address upon return to school tomorrow:

• What do you want to "reset"?  What are the things that you are not happy with or feel need to be changed and why?  What is your vision for your classroom and your students?
• How will you reestablish your policies and procedures in your class? 
• What things are you going to actually cover to make sure your classroom culture is back in place for learning? 

This is a time to tighten up those things or procedures that are not in line.

HALLWAY BULLETIN BOARDS

Make sure that these are updated with the most recent student work prior to our start back on 1/5/26.

GLTs/03's

GLTs will take place this week.  03's will resume next week.  I will be in classrooms this week.

INTERIM #2 PREPARATION- Date Change!!!

Interim 2 is quickly approaching.  Interim 2 testing is going to begin  Tuesday, January 13th, as all grades, 3rd - 8th, will be taking the test in the gym similarly to MSTEP.  Students will be taking both tests on their assigned day...  Many of our cohort schools have already or are moving to this type of Interim test taking schedule and procedure.  I will be proctoring our testing grades, along with you.  

This format will be used for Interim 3 as well.  

That means we have basically one week after we return until the tests occur.  As such, we need to be working diligently to prepare our students with the necessary content (see Interim 2 Blueprints) and test taking strategies so that our Proficient students remain proficient and our 2.5 and 2.0 students attain proficiency.

NEW WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Our new weekly schedule, providing increased Intervention time daily, will begin when we return on Monday, January 5th.

Common Assessments

It is very important that you make sure any incomplete assessments from Week 14 and Week 15 are made up this week.  I do not want us falling behind in our completion rate. 

BACKWARD PLANNING

Please make sure that you are utilizing this strategy to identify the priority learing for each week's lessons.  You may not teach the exact questions that are used, but simply utilize the format during your Morning Board Work, Intervention, etc.

Also, utilizing the Assessment Banks (ELA/Math) for Exit Tickets, Morning Work, etc. is a great strategy.

Dress Down Coupons

Dress Down Coupons are not to be used for our school wide Dress Down Days.  These coupons are a reward for Attendance and are to be used on a day that is not a designated Dress Down day.  Pleas clarify this with your students a via your weekly SchoolConnect messages.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Monday, January 5 - School Resumes; MOY Benchmarking Continues; Staff Meeting 3:35

Tuesday, January 6 - Moral Focus Assemblies K-5 8:15 am, 6-8 12:45 pm; C&I ELA Visit Grades 3-8

Friday, January 9 - Dress Down $ 2.00 NO DRESS DOWN COUPONS ACCEPTED

Monday, January 12 - Committee Meeting 3:35; Vision Testing Begins Gr. 1, 3, 5, 7

Tuesday - Thursday, January 13-15 - 3rd - 5th Interim 2 Testing in the Gym

Thursday, January 15 - Vision Testing - Last Day

Monday, January 19 - NO SCHOOL Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Tuesday - Thursday, January 20-22 - 6th - 8th Interim 2 Testing in the Gym

Friday, January 23 - Dress Down $ 2.00 NO DRESS DOWN COUPONS ACCEPTED

Tuesday, January 27 - Winter Tutoring Begins

Friday, January 30 - HALF DAY Dismissal at 11:00 am;  8:30 Blue Ribbon Inductions; 10:00 am NJHS Inductions; FREE DRESS

Week 15

 

Dear Team... 

Here we are...Holiday Spirit Week is upon us and the final countdown to our holiday break has begun!🎄  This week tends to be spirited.  Everyone is excited and looking forward to the holiday break.  Kids will often make impulsive choices.  Just remember that the tighter you keep your classroom culture, the less chances are possible for behaviors to pop off.  

***Please remember that we are scheduled for Dean Day Visits on Wednesday and Thursday of this week (12/17 & 12/18).  Four different groups of Deans...10+ people in each cohort...will be in the building for morning and afternoon visits to classrooms.  You will be notified if your classroom will be visited...however, they do like to do pop-ins too.  In our Wing, they will be observing Shared Reading and Math Stories.

Also,  Week 15 is still an Instructional Week....  You must follow the lesson plans for instruction and assessments for this week so that we stay aligned with the Year-At-A-Glance Scope and Sequence.  If you have any instructional "gaps" within your day, feel free to do holiday activities.  Just be mindful that if you have any students with religious beliefs that prevent them from participating in these activities, you need to provide them with other work/activities to do.

Finally...I am wishing each and everyone of you the best, happiest, most restful, and fun filled holiday break.  Enjoy this special time with those close to you, and do lots of self care...whatever that may be.  Happy Holidays!💝

THIS WEEK:

EBLING DEAN COHORT VISIT

On Wednesday, December 17th, and Thursday, December 18th,  from 8:00-2:30, Laurus will host all of the Ebling Dean Cohorts...3-5 and 6-8 on 12/17 and K-2 and Intervention/Sped on 12/18.  

During their time here, they will be walking and observing throughout the hallways, as well as, conducting specific classroom observations.  

We are asking that you make sure that your Hallway Bulletin Boards, Classrooms, Instruction, Student Lockers, and Student behaviors truly are placing Laurus in the best possible light for our visitors.

PROGRESS REPORT DAY

Friday, December 19th is our monthly Progress Report Day.  You need to make sure that grades are updated before then.  Also, please make sure that you inform parents to go to the Parent Portal to view students grades on December 19th.

FLOs

These will finish up this week and are UNANNOUNCED.  This means I will be referring to your grade level schedule to plan my observations.  

BLUE RIBBON/NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY 

We will be doing a special shout out on Friday, December 19th to announce the students who have been selected to join these Honor Societies.  We can't wait!

HALLWAY BULLETIN BOARDS

Your hallway Bulletin Boards need to be updated with current student work and decor.  Please make sure that this is done before you leave for break.

GLTs/03's

GLTs  and 03's will NOT take place this week.  These will resume when we return during the week of January 6th.

HOLIDAY SPIRIT WEEK/FRIDAY IS A HALF DAY (Dismissal at 11:00)

This event takes place the week of December 15th.  Students can participate by paying to dress down in the appropriate Holiday Spirit wear. The cost is $6.00 for the entire week or $2.00 per day if only participating on certain days.  The categories are as follows:

• Monday - Red or Green Day
• Tuesday - Grade Level Pick (Pick the Holiday Theme for the Day for your grade level students/staff)- PLEASE MAKE SURE PARENTS ARE AWARE OF THIS TODAY
• Wednesday - Ugly Sweater Day
• Thursday - Holiday Character or Gold/White
• Friday - Pajama Day (Must be appropriate to wear in school) FREE due to it being a Half Day

HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS (PARTIES)

Friday is a half day, and is the day that we have assigned for you to have your holiday celebrations and Birthday Celebrations. These celebrations may not occur on any other day!  Also, you should still provide structure for this day.  Finally, classroom lights need to be on...😉

INTERIM #2 PREPARATION

Interim 2 is quickly approaching.  Interim 2 testing begins Tuesday, January 20th.  That means we have 3 instructional weeks until the test occurs.  As such, we need to be working diligently to prepare our students with the necessary content (see Interim 2 Blueprints) and test taking strategies so that our Proficient students remain proficient and our 2.5 and 2.0 students attain proficiency.

GRADE LEVEL PLANS FOR 2026

This week, as we are preparing for class to resume in January, I would like for you to consider and plan for the following:

• How will you reset students reentry back into to school mode...fresh start, reconnecting, reestablishing positive relationships, etc.
• How will you reestablish your policies and procedures in your class. 
• What things are you going to actually cover to make sure your classroom culture is back in place for learning? 

This is a time to tighten up anything that is not in line with the creation of a self managed classroom.

Reminders

CLASSROOM LIGHTS - these need to be on at all times unless you are projecting for a lesson instruction.

AESOP ENTRY - Classroom Teachers, when you are absent for a half day or full day, need to go into Frontline/Aesop to input your absence and request a sub.

ESTA - It is your responsiblity to input your ESTA time when you are late (after 7:35), leave early, or for any absent time.  I have to go in and do a time inventory and need your times to match mine.  ***Also, Teachers please remember that you are only able to use 72 hours each school year, no matter how many you might have accrued.  All absences, late arrivals, early departures, etc. are a part of that time deducted.

Students Sleeping or Heads Down

I am noticing an increasing number of students who are sleeping in class or having their heads down.  Please make a point to watch out for this and correct the behavior as this is not acceptable.

    

Upcoming Events:

Friday, December 12 - BR/NJHS Applications Due

Monday - Friday, December 15-19 - Holiday Spirit Week  $ 2.00/day or $ 6.00/Week (M-Th)

• 12/15 - Red or Green Day
• 12/16 - Grade Level Team Choice (Decide this asap and let parents and your Dean know)
• 12/17 - Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
• 12/18 - Holiday Character or White/Gold Day
• 12/19 - Holiday Pajama Day (Free)

Tuesday, December 16th - Tutoring 

Wednesday, December 17th - 3-5 Wing Cohort Dean Day 8:00-11:00; 6-8 Wing Cohort Dean Day 11:30-2:30 at Laurus; Tutoring

Thursday, December 18th - K-2 Wing Cohort Dean Day 8:00-11:00; Sped/Intervention Cohort Dean Day 11:30-2:30 at Laurus;  Last Day of Tutoring

Friday, December 19th - Half Day Dismissal at 11:00 am; December Birthday Celebration Day; BR/NJHS Inductees Announced; Class Holiday Parties; Holiday Pajama Day - FREE; Last Day before Holiday Break

Monday, January 5th - School Resumes at Laurus

Week 14

 

Dear Team...I hope you all have a good weekend.  You definitely deserve it after the hustle of this past week.  

We are in to the "count down" days these two weeks.  I know that you are tired and ready for your well deserved break; however, I'm asking that you stay vigilant with behaviors and structured with instruction (scope/sequence and pacing) as the kids tend to make poor choices if you don't.  Just a reminder, for some students the upcoming break brings stress, uncertainty and disappointment.  Let's try to be cognizant of that.

This Week:

GLTs

Grade Level Team Meetings resume this week on Monday and Wednesday for all grade levels.  We will be having a training on Wednesday with Mrs. Burk regarding ideas for intervention.

03s will be on an as needed basis.  

AESOP Entry

Teachers...when you are going to be out, please make sure that you put your absence in Frontline so we can try to get a sub to cover your classroom.

Also, please remember to enter your time into ESTA.

FLOs

These continue this week and are UNANNOUNCED.  This means I will be referring to your grade level schedule to plan my observations.  You will want to make sure that you are following it with fidelity so that I am observing the lesson I am preparing to observe.

Blue Ribbon Society Applications/National Junior Honor Society Applications

The students will have until Friday, December 12 to complete and turn in the applications if they want to be considered for membership in the Blue Ribbon Society (3-5) or National Junior Honor Society (6-8).  

Door Decorating Contest

Judging will begin on December 8th.

Annotated Lesson Plans

These will be due Friday, December 12th for Week 15.

Students Sleeping or Heads Down

I am noticing an increasing number of students who are sleeping in class or having their heads down.  Please make a point to watch out for this and correct the behavior as this is not acceptable.

    

Upcoming Events:

Monday, December 8th - Holiday Door Judging Begins; Staff Meeting 3:35

Tuesday, December 9th - Tutoring Resumes

Friday, December 12 - BR/NJHS Applications Due

Monday - Friday, December 15-19 - Holiday Spirit Week  $ 2.00/day or $ 6.00/Week (M-Th)

• 12/15 - Red or Green Day
• 12/16 - Grade Level Team Choice (Decide this asap and let parents and your Dean know)
• 12/17 - Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
• 12/18 - Holiday Character or White/Gold Day
• 12/19 - Holiday Pajama Day (Free)

Wednesday, December 17th - 3-5 Wing Cohort Dean Day 8:00-11:00; 6-8 Wing Cohort Dean Day 11:30-2:30 at Laurus

Thursday, December 18th - K-2 Wing Cohort Dean Day 8:00-11:00; Sped/Intervention Cohort Dean Day 11:30-2:30 at Laurus;  Last Day of Tutoring

Friday, December 19th - Half Day Dismissal at 11:00 am; December Birthday Celebration Day; BR/NJHS Inductees Announced; Class Holiday Parties; Holiday Pajama Day - FREE; Last Day before Holiday Break

Monday, January 5th - School Resumes at Laurus