Friday, 2nd Dec 2016

Dear all,

• Thank you Jet for organizing Mini-NESA last week. Thanks, too, to our ES presenters: Marianne, Carl, Lorna, Lauren, Meg and Kristie.
• Thank you to Ken, Priya, Clinton and other helpers who have put together the Grade 3-5 Art Exhibition
• Thank you to everyone adding festivity to our section by taking part in the Secret Santa

Announcement regarding HODs and Grade Team Leaders

As you may know, Heads of Department/Grade Team Leaders serve for two year terms.  A number of HODs and all Grade Team Leaders will fulfill their two year service this spring.

In preparation for the handover, we want to alert you to the upcoming opportunity to serve as a teacher leader. Applications will open in January followed shortly by interviews. Appointments will be announced early February.  You can access the job description for HOD here and GTL here  

All interested applicants should send a cover letter and their resume to their respective Associate Principal by January 20th.  In turn, they will coordinate all interviews.  Please note that HODs and GTLs are expected to return to school two days before returning staff (31st July 2017) so kindly factor that into your vacation planning as you buy tickets home.  

Open HOD positions for 17/18:  ( would be great to see some ES representation here! )

PK-12 PE

PK - 12 Visual Art

PK - 12 Performing Arts

PK - 12 Library

PK - 12 World Languages

MS Science

Secondary LA

Secondary Mathematics

Open GTL

PK

KG
Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Tree Lighting Ceremony - Monday 5 Dec
Looking forward to hearing our ES choir sing as part of the tree lighting ceremony.  Teachers are encouraged to join this community event at the Hyatt Regency from 5.45pm.

Art Exhibition MOnday 5 - Friday 9th Dec
Please take your class to view the ES Art Exhibition sometime during next week - over in the FAC Atrium.  Some fabulous creations there!

Running Record Data

Congratulations to Grade 1 - first grade to get all of their data shared with Cheryl!
Remember - we would like to enter the Running Record assessment data you have into our Learning Analytics programme.  Please make sure all current data collected this year is up to date for all of your learners by Monday, December 12 on your spreadsheet.  Please then share these with Cheryl.

Rainy Days (repeat announcement from an email earlier this week)

Morning Recess for K-2:

Most students go to the cafeteria for a snack. If you are a teacher or TA normally on duty today, please go the cafeteria to help with supervision. Teachers, if you'd prefer to keep students in your classroom to play (or it they return to the classroom to play after eating), that's fine as well.

Morning Recess for 3-5:

Most students stay in their classrooms to eat their snack and play. If you have students who have a snack (and want to eat in the cafeteria) or who need to buy a snack, you can send them down. Could we ask TAs who are normally on duty for morning recess (Padma, Esther, Chandra, Monicka) to go to the cafeteria to supervise. Could teachers who are normally on duty remain in classrooms to supervise the children who are playing. It's fine to send students to the cafeteria for a snack, but please don't send them down if they don't have anything to do.

Lunch recesses:

Lunch will be in the cafeterias, as is normal. We will send students back to class at 12:20 and 1:05 for indoor recess. Please work with your grade level colleagues to make sure everyone has time to eat (particularly those who have just completed their regular cafeteria duty); it's fine for one person to wander between a couple of classrooms supervising the children, particularly at the older grades.

Movie watching in class
Whilst teaching and learning should continue right up to the end of the day Friday 16th, if  you would like to show a Christmas/Winter related movie in the last week of school, please make sure this is

• Part of the class winter party celebration (not in addition to)
• Limited to one afternoon
• Rated G (PG must have parental permission obtained in advance)

Early Release Next Wednesday 7th

We have a couple of items from Dan for each team to complete during the next ER.

• HR - All course descriptions for LA completed
• HR - All Unit Descriptions for Reading/Writing to be completed
• HR - all Science unit descriptions finished
• Specialists - as above, unit and course descriptions be completed

Many grade levels are close or have completed the above - therefore time can be used for a literal and physical unpack of the new Readers Workshop Units of Study boxes.  These will be delivered to team leaders to distribute one per triad.  Teams can physically unpack these and take a look through what the new units of study are.  We suggest a cross walk between what is similar/changed between new and old units. For the remainder of this year, as with F&P, whole grade levels, triads and individual classes can pilot these units in an exploration sense.  The expectation is that next year these will replace old units as the year unfolds.

PK - Grade 2 Field Day - Change of Date

Our PK - Grade 2 Field day which is on the calendar for January 19th has been changed to Friday 27 January.  This is also a HS Discover Day which allows us the opportunity to work together with HS students to host this great event for our youngest students.

Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the Staff Holiday Party!  7pm at the Westin.  

We are nearly there - two weeks to go and time to remember to assume positive intentions!  Everyone, including our students, are getting a little tired, and so let’s all work together to be mindful and supportive of one another.

Warmly,

Keryn and Lori

Upcoming Dates For Your Calendar
Dec 3 Strategic Plans Futures Summit 9:00-12:30
Staff Holiday Party @7:00pm
Dec 5 Christmas Tree Lighting at the Hyatt Regency
Dec 5-9 Grades 3-5 Art Exhibition

Dec 7 Early Release

Dec 9 Grades 3-5 Celebration of Learning 8:45 Auditorium
Dec 14 Grades PreK - 2 Winter Concert 2:00 - 3:00

Dec 15 Grades 3 - 5 Winter Concert 2:00 - 3:00

Dec 16 Holiday Assembly 8:45-9:30 Auditorium

Dec 16        Last day of School before the Winter Break (regular school hours)