Special Blog Update: The First Day of School!
Dear Staff,
Today was an excellent day. I could feel the excitement and hope in the air. I am very jazzed about tomorrow and have a little news I need to share with you. Sorry I could not limit my blog to once a week but things have been changing quickly these days.
1st. Recess Before Lunch
2nd. Supervision at Recess
3rd. Staffing Changes
4th. Option Staff Meeting tomorrow about office procedures.
5th. Teachers moving rooms.
1st. Recess Before Lunch
Tomorrow we will begin this new program. Here is what is needed from staff and teachers.
A. Teachers escort students to recess. Lunches should be placed in your lunch tubs and carried to the cafeteria. There is a location for pick up inside the cafeteria near the kitchen. Some of you may have used his space before. Two students should bring lunches to this space and then go to recess.
B. A bell will ring and prompt supervisors to line up students by grade underneath the overhang which enters the cafeteria. Supervisors should have lists of lunch numbers to remind students in line. Also, Larry will place the sanitizer stations underneath the overhang on the sidewalk.
C. Students will sanitize and enter the line to get lunch as usual.
D. All lunch recesses are 15 minutes. All lunches are 20 minutes to provide for transitions.
E. When lunch is completed, supervisors will escort classes organized by teacher for pick up at the double doors at the North of the Cafeteria (by the parking lot.) The students will line up outside the doors and wait for their teacher to pick them up. Teachers: Please be prompt to pick students up since our supervisors will be getting ready for another group to enter the cafeteria.
2nd. Supervision at Recess
Last spring I was told about a possible change to am recess supervision. At this time, we need to have extra help from teachers for am recess supervision and breakfast supervision. The process for deciding this was not very clear to teachers last spring. In fact, many knew little of it. We need to have a discussion/ decision as a staff about AM recess on September 18th. In the meantime, I need volunteers to watch recess/ breakfast for the first two weeks. Please contact me by email if you are willing to keep and eye on students until an agreement is reached by staff.
3rd. Staffing Changes
As you may have read in yesterday’s blog, Kim Chinn’s kinder section has been folded into Sara Grace’s classroom. This was sad news for many today at our Welcome Hour and on our staff. We have also been very worried about Kim moving from our building. The good news is that we were able to keep Kim on in our building as the ESC (Essential Skills Coordinator .44 FTE) and a Facilitating Teacher (.1 FTE) this year. Kim, Kristen, Melissa, Andrew and myself will be working together to create a schedule that supports teachers/staff with interventions, and other instructional supports through some of Kim/ Kristen’s Work. We will share with you clearly defined roles after some working together to define this new position. I am so glad to keep Kim at Awbrey Park.
In other news, our guest interim teacher for Amy Anderson, Nicole Newlon has been recalled. She will begin teaching 5th grade at Gilham next week. We will have a licensed substitute taking her place named Kendra Brummet. If you have a chance to wish Nicole goodbye and say hello to Amy they will both be in Amy’s classroom tomorrow.
4th. Optional Staff Meeting tomorrow about office procedures.
Remember that we will have an optional staff meeting about office procedures at 3:35 in Collaboration Station. It will last less than 15 minutes. By the way, anyone have decorating ideas? I can provide supplies to further decorate this space if you have the inspiration.
5th. Teachers that will be moving rooms.
Lastly, you probably know that we currently have 3 sections of 2nd grade and 2 sections of 3rd Grade. I have requested that Terri Weston and Beth Shersun’s classrooms be moved this weekend to keep 2nds and 3rds together in the building. Terri will be moving her materials out of her room Friday afternoon and I will be helping out with this process. Beth will be moving Saturday at 1:30. I am by no means requiring or asking anyone to help with these moves but I do want you to be aware that this is extremely stressful for both teachers. If you do have any time you can spare in your workday I encourage you to connect with them to see if you can pack a box or two. Every act of caring and togetherness makes us a strong team.
Thanks and good night. Have a great first day.
Joel