I can't even believe I'm saying this.....ONE WEEK!  One Week folks!!!  

This one coming is sure to be fun, and busy, and probably hot and sweaty. ;)  I've included some information about the events to come below.  A few questions came up in leadership on Wednesday that I will answer here as well.

~ What time are teachers dismissed on half days?  3:15

~What do teachers wear for Field Day?  Please dress cool and comfortable.  Shorts are okay as long as they are appropriately covering your thigh.  Don't forget to wear tennis shoes and sunscreen.  

Solar Eclipse Program 

This is last minute, but the Newberry Opera House has presented our school with an exciting opportunity! They have arranged for us to have an expert, Janet Ivey (host of TV show Janet’s Planet), as well as a panel of educators (including a NASA engineer), come to our school and talk with students about the upcoming eclipse. She and her team will travel to PGE on this coming Monday to speak with our K-5th grade students.  The program will last approximately 30 minutes. I know this is last minute, but I'm excited about this opportunity for our students.  We will begin calling by classroom when she arrives.

 Faculty/5th Grade Game

Coach Long has been monitoring the weather for the game on Tuesday.  Since it is calling for rain on Monday, the field out front may be too wet.  We have decided to change the sport to volleyball instead of softball.  Please sign-up in the main office if you plan to help us beat the 5th graders.....again.  :)

CookOut

  After Field Day we will have our annual cookout for lunch.  You are more than welcome to take your students with their lunch outside or somewhere cool inside to enjoy their lunch.

Luau Challenge

Find your most colorful Hawaiian/Luau themed shirt to wear on Thursday. The most tacky shirt wins a prize.

Jeans

Blue Jeans are welcome on that half days next week, unless your class has graduation or awards day.  In that case, please dress your best for our students and guests.

District Writing Units

Reminder from Kaye Jamison. In order to support you and our students, we would like your feedback on the writing units. If you have any suggestions, concerns, or thoughts about how to enhance the units, please let Kaye know before the end of the school year. Your feedback is very valuable to us. If you feel that your grade level units are well written and a fair indicator of the standards and writing progression, that would be helpful information as well. 

 Reflection Meetings with Teachers

I would like to have about 15 minutes of your time for an end of the year meeting.  A sign-up sheet will be placed in the workroom on Monday morning.  Please sign up for a time. Bring with you your green check out form and orange end of the year reflection sheet.   

 Report Cards

Report Cards WILL NOT be issued until the last day of school.  If parents would like they can pick them up that morning. Remember, if a student owes any fees do not send a report card home with them.  It will stay in the main office over the summer until those fees are cleared. 

 Fountas & Pinnell

 In your boxes Amy is placing directions for completing end of year Fountas & Pinnell Reading Folders.  These folders are located in your permanent records.  She is also placing your end of the year labels to put on the folders.  Please make sure you include a writing sample for every student in their folder.  The sample is of your choosing, but I would let it be a sample that is pretty current.  I am also placing the colored sheet that goes on top of everything once you have it in the folder.  For those of you new to completing the folders please do not hesitate to let me know if you need help.  If anyone wants assistance in graphing the results or recording information please let me know and I will sit down with you or your grade level to help in any way I possibly can!  I know they can be time consuming!  Should you need a folder for a new out of district student there are some extras in my box, if they are in-district but you cannot find their folder let me know and I will contact the reading coach at that school.  

Related Arts

Monday is the last day for related arts classes.  Homeroom teachers can plan to leave your students in the Mulipurpose room on Thursday during their Luau time.  The special area teachers and administration will be chaperoning the dance so you can have a break in your classrooms to finalize report cards to go home the next day.   

End of the Year Lunch

Bring your appetite for a great lunch on Friday catered by Shealy's BBQ.  That's right, SHEALY'S!!  My mouth is already watering! Meet me at 12 in the Media Center for a fun faculty gathering to close the door on the 2016-2017 school year.

Have a great weekend!  See you all on Monday!

In case I rushed Wednesday, I've listed some reminders about the check-out forms.

• Fee Letters:  Complete your fee letters if you have a student who owes money for school fees, lunch money, a missing library book, a missing textbook, etc.  Make a copy of the letter before sending it home.  Send home with those students who owe money on Monday, May 15th and I'll follow up with a call to parents.
• Vertical Team Planning:  Take some time in the coming days to sit down with your team and the next grade level team to complete your vertical team planning sheet.  District Wednesday is a good opportunity to have this time.  After your discussion, make 2 copies of your documentation.  One for the next grade level team and one for me. 
• Promotion/Retention Rosters:  Bring them to your P/R meetings at your scheduled time.
• Promotion/Retention Meetings:  Bring any and all data for potential retention students to review and discuss with the group at the meeting.  If you have questions, please let me know.
• Feedback Form:  Bring this form to you end of the year meeting.  I'll get a sign up sheet out soon and will let you know to sign up for a brief time.
• Report Cards WILL NOT be issued until the last day of school.  If parents would like they can pick them up that morning. Remember, if a student owes any fees do not send a report card home with them.  They will stay in the main office over the summer until those fees are cleared.

Remember all grades are due by Friday, May 19th. 

• Please make sure any quarter average, semester average, and/or year average of 101 or greater is manually overridden to 100.  Both the grade and the percent must be changed. 
• Please remember to notify Ms. Cindy of any changes to grades for Q1, Q2, Q3, S1, and E1.  If grades are lower than originally stored please talk with your Principal before changing the grade.  Remember parents and students have already seen report cards with the original grade.

The inflatable schedule for Tuesday is below.

10:00-10:20:  First Grade

10:25-10:45:  Third Grade

10:50-11:05:  Fourth Grade

12:15-12:35:  Second Grade

12:40-1:00:  Kindergarten

1:05-1:25:  Fifth Grade

1:35-2:05:  Mega Party (Student List to come)

We are one more week closer to the end of this year.  I hope you all have felt the appreciation we have for each of you this week.  I want to be sure you know the district helped to provide lunch on Friday.  They opted out of sandwich trays this year and contributed money towards a lunch of choice.  Please mention a thank you to the PTO who provided the chair massages on Thursday and Friday.  A few quiet minutes are so rare these days, so I hope it was relaxing and enjoyable. 

Thank you for your work.  It makes no difference if you are in the classroom, keeping our building clean, feeding our children, assisting in day to day business, driving them to and from school, or helping them to feel better when they are sick.  You ALL are an important piece in the success of our school.  Nothing makes me prouder than hearing folks say "I love this school" and "I'm so glad my kids go here".  I hear it more and more.  Our  kids are surrounded by wonderful and dedicated people.  I  feel blessed to work beside you making PGE great!

Have a great weekend and Happy Mother's Day to our moms!

Visitor

Maria Crawford will be at PGE on Thursday, May 11th to visit with Mrs. Milstead.  She is one of the State Reading Coaches.  We wanted to give you a heads up, she plans to pop into a few classrooms that day.  Nothing formal, just wants to pop in and out.

Grade Changes

Please remember to notify the Power School clerk of any changes to grades for Q1, Q2, Q3, S1, and E1.  If grades are lower than originally stored please talk with me before changing the grade.  Remember parents and students have already seen report cards with the original grade.

Testing is Complete

WE WILL RETURN TO OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE ON MONDAY, MAY 8! 

Awards

Just a reminder that Mrs. Graham has the “PAW AWARDS” available again this year for use in your homeroom.  These are an excellent way to recognize individuals for unique gifts, talents, or contributions that may not fit into one of our award categories.  Also, if there are any other awards and recognitions (like star patrol, etc.) you may begin sending Mrs. Graham those lists.  All PAW awards will be given within your classroom at any time of your choosing. 

Moby Max

There is curriculum software available for our students and it is FREE!!!  Yes, FREE!!  It is called MobyMax.   MobyMax will help our students learn twice as fast with interactive personalized learning. MobyMax is the only completely integrated curriculum to cover all K-8 subjects including math, reading, language, writing, science and even state test prep.  All you need to do is go to the site, register as a teacher at PGE, and set up your class.  The directions are below.  I will be happy to help if you need it.

Here are the instructions to get started:

1. Go to www.MobyMax.com.

2. Register yourself with your correct name, and select your school. Your student data will roll up to a district and school report.

3. You will automatically be directed to MobyMax to register your students.

4. After your students are registered, have them sign in and start their placement test.

(Students start with a placement test designed to find and fix missing skills.) 

(Don't worry, I'll post about Moby Max again next year!)

 Technology Inventory

As the end of the year draws near, I want you to be prepared to turn in your IPAD's (district issued and Title One).  Leighann from technology will be updating the inventory for all mobile devices at our school. They will be inventoried on Tuesday, May 23rd.  Therefore, we will begin taking up your IPAD's from May 17-22.  You can bring them to the main office as late as the afternoon of May 22nd.  We plan to keep them locked over the summer unless you need them.  Please make sure you have labeled your IPAD's individually or on the outside of your box with your name and room number.  

Staff Appreciation

We have an exciting week ahead to thank you all for the tremendous work you do for our students.  Each day you will find treats in the main office.  Plan for lunch with your colleagues on Thursday and Friday.  We have arranged coverage for your classes in the lunchroom.  On Thursday Doza Rizen is bringing lunch and on Friday, Chick-fil-a.  

The PTO is providing chair massages on Thursday and Friday.  Emily Banach (parent of Freddie, Bethany, & Lizzie) is a certified massage therapist and will be setting up a calm and relaxing area in the main office.  There will be a sign up sheet located in the main office workroom.  Please select a time and enjoy your massage on those days.

Faculty Meeting

Remember we will have a Faculty Meeting on Wednesday.  You will be receiving your end of the year check-list (I can't believe it is time!!).

 PTO

Remember to send me your PTO project ideas by Monday, May 8th.  For obvious reason they won't be able to complete each and every one, but they would like to have some ideas to consider.  Don't forget the PTO meeting on Monday night at 6:30 p.m.  Our Musical/Theater Club is presenting Annie Jr. that night and I have to say, you are in for a treat.  

Get your Game Face On

Don't forget to sign up to play kickball on Friday.   I don't know about you, but I'm ready to show these 5th graders how its done.  :)