We Appreciate You

This next week is National Teacher Appreciation week.  We try to find ways throughout the year to really help you all see how much you are appreciated.  This week we'll take a little more time to recognize the tireless work that each and every one of you put into all of our kids.

I am so proud of the work this team has done this year.  I smile big thinking of the email I just received yesterday from a parent.  She stated how she's felt new life in our staff and how every time she comes on our campus it radiates love.

That is something worth being known for.  Let's continue to work hard until the very last day.

We should never be counting down the days until the year is over, but instead counting down to how many days we have left to make a difference.

Teacher Appreciation Week

Monday - "We think you're pretty sweet" - PTO will provide donuts for breakfast and the Admin team are filling the lounge with sweets for you to enjoy throughout the day.

Tuesday - "What is sweet without a little salt too" - Admin team will fill the lounge with salty snacks for you to enjoy throughout the day.

Wednesday - "Enjoy a Free Lunch!" - PTO will be providing lunch in the lounge

Thursday - "Winner! Winner!" We'll be giving out giftcards throughout the day!

Friday - "I Scream, You Scream" - Ice cream will be provided as a special treat.

***you can also enjoy jeans days all week this week!

Week At a Glance

Monday - Book Fair Begins

Staff Meeting at 3:45pm

Tuesday - Family Movie Night - 5-7pm

Wednesday - Team Leader Mtg - 7am

Tier III 6 Weeks Meeting

Thursday - Cinco De Mayo Program - 7:45am

National Day Of Prayer Event - VFW - 7pm (all staff invited to attend)

Team Planning

Monday - 5th Grade

Tuesday - 4th Grade

Wednesday - 3rd Grade

Thursday - None

Friday - Kinder

STAAR

STAAR is coming in a week (May 9-11).  We will be finalizing testing rosters, getting bins ready, and doing any last minute planning.  May 9th and 10th will definitely be all hands on deck as we'll be testing 3rd, 4th, AND 5th grade retakes.  

Birthdays

Amy (Glaab) Carpentier - Wednesday, May 4

Kids Deserve It Shirts

Kids Deserve It is selling t-shirts again.  This time there are 6 colors to choose from and the style of the shirt is like the Webb Elementary shirt fabric.  More info here: https://www.booster.com/kidsdeservecolors

Articles/Blogs

Flexible Seating and Student Centered Classroom Design

When Words Aren't Necessary

The Reese's Affect

Reading: A Predictor of Success in Life

Rockstar Educators

Lucille Glass - Lucille is one of our Life Skills 1 aides.  Lucille is such a quiet soul but one that is so genuine and passionate.  I watch her with her students and constantly amazed at her patience and love.  She always has a smile and is willing to lend a helping hand.  Our students are so lucky to have the love and support of someone like Lucille who works tirelessly every single day and is someone I have never heard complain.  I am thankful we have Lucille!

Marylee Argueta - Marylee is a 1st grade teacher.  Marylee is full of energy and spunk.  She's firm but loving on her students and is wealth of information and knowledge.  Marylee is never one to be afraid of trying something new and is a true definition of social butterfly.  Marylee connects with her kids extremely well and is always looking for new ways to meet all of their needs.  She brings so much to this team.

Kathy Leiva - Kathy is a PreK IA in Mrs. Brooks' class.  Kathy is a class act.  She is patient, kind, hard working, and is such a great support and help.  I am consistently amazed at how consistent Kathy is with her expectations and with her work ethic.  She's always busy and loves on those kids so well.  She is smart and compassionate.  I am thankful we have Kathy on our team because she is so needed.

I had an interesting conversation with a teacher this past week at Webb.  She came to me and said "my student is really acting out.  I need some help figuring out some ways to work with him.  And I know why he's acting out.  Summer is getting closer and I know he doesn't want to be at home".  I loved how that teacher had her finger on the pulse of that child.  She knew his heart.  She knew he was acting out because he was hurting.

It's important as May hits us, that we remember to have compassion and patience.  That doesn't mean we back down on our expectations and consequences.  But it means we remember we are serving KIDS and kids make mistakes, and kids need grace.

Show grace this week.  Show compassion.  Be forgiving.  Every day is a new day.

It Takes All of Us

One thing I've been impressed with about this team from day one is the ability for us all to come together and for everyone who always steps in when needed.  As we move deeper and deeper into the Spring time, things will come up again and again.  But you already have shown how flexible and willing to step into any situation and still have a smile on your face.

One thing that was really impressed upon me this weekend was just how important it is that we, as educators, put ourselves aside every single day we walk through those doors.  That no matter what we're dealing with on the inside, we come into this school standing tall and brave, with a smile on our face, ready to be there for our kiddos.  Our kids have enough baggage at home, that we can't be bringing ours too! And the same goes with our parents.  It's so imperative that we serve morning and afternoon duty with a smile and an understanding heart.

Here's to another week, full of potential!

Team Planning

Please make sure you also show up for morning duty by 7:25am on your day.

Monday - 5th Grade

Tuesday - 4th Grade

Wednesday - 3rd Grade

Thursday - Kinder

Friday - 1st Grade

Week at a Glance

Monday - TTESS Mandatory Informational Mtg (certified teachers only) 3:45pm; Cafeteria

Wednesday - STAAR Specific Trainings (during conference)

Kinder Field Trip

Thursday - Nesloney Out

Jo Anna Moreland on Campus

Friday - Nesloney Out

WWW Writing Walls Posted

***Staff meeting moved to Monday, May 2

Birthdays

Wednesday, April 27, Manuel Cavazos

Kids Deserve It

The Gridley Girls (6 teachers from California)

Articles/Blogs

Shifting our Mindset from Teaching to Learning

Responsibility Starts with Me

Two Benches

Rockstar Educators

Amanda Mershon - Amanda is one of our 4th grade ELA teachers.  She is filled with creativity and fun ideas.  I love when I see Amanda especially trying things with her students revolving around creating or acting.  Amanda has a great sense of humor and is also someone who can see potential in even in the most difficult student.  I am so thankful we've had Amanda to provide us with some fresh ideas this year!

Shelia Nelms - Sheila is a PreK Aide, and one heck of an aide at that.  Shelia always steps up wherever needed and has a huge heart for the kids and ladies she works with.  She is always smiling and hard at work on something or with kids.  I love any chance I get to chat with Shelia as I always leave feeling better.  I am thankful for the impact that Shelia has on our team and on our kiddos every single day.

Manuel Cavazos - Manuel is one of our 2nd grade teachers.  Manuel has such a huge heart, not only for kids on our campus but also for other staff members.  He notices a need and immediately goes to fill it.  He is someone I know I can count on, plus he's like the dad of his team.  I am incredibly thankful to daily learn from Manuel and that our kids get to watch a great male role model every day.

After spending a day at the Ron Clark Academy and getting to spend some quality time sitting and talking with some of the RCA teachers, I am fired up about some exciting possibilities for next year.  I can't wait to share our group experience with you and work together to truly transform our school more and more every year into a place full of love, rigor, high expectations, whimsy, and so much more!  Here's to another great week ahead!

What's Our Priority?

We've got another busy, but awesome week ahead of us!

As the year comes to a close sometimes we can begin to think that we can slow down our instructional practices.  But the sad truth is that our kiddos come from home environments that don't allow us the luxury of slacking on education.  So I started thinking, what is our priority?  What do we deem important in the classroom?

It is so imperative that we give 100% every day. Our kids deserve that from us.

I'm going to start having a couple days a week where I walk through the entire campus 3-4 times and take notes.

Last week was my first week of doing that.  I walked and I was just looking for three things.

1. Who was sitting with a small group of students and working with them?

2.  Who was sitting at their desk/table and just grading papers or on a computer while kids were in the room?

3.  Who was providing direct instruction to the whole classroom?

I wanted to get a glimpse of where our campus was.  So I walked through the campus four times a day on three different days.

Our kids are tough.  They are exhausting.  But they still need the best from us even in April and May! Let's continue to give them the best education possible.

After walking through a total of 12 times, here was the percentage breakdown...

Teachers were:

Working in small groups - 13% of the time

Sitting at Table/desk by themselves with no kids - 40% of the time

Teachers doing direct instruction - 47% of the time

As we finish out the year let's increase some of those percentages and bring down others!  As we go on I'm going to start looking for other things too like student collaboration, and behavior, and more.  

We all have to be always groing, and we're not going to grow if we don't push ourselves!  The thing I love about Webb though is that it's so evident that we're all here to help these kids. Every single child.  And though we're all exhausted I know we can pull together to continue to give our kiddos the best possible education up until the final day of school!

Team Planning

Monday - 5th

Tuesday - 4th

Wednesday - 3rd

Thursday - 2nd

Friday - 1st

Birthdays

Lauren Cecil - Monday, April 18

Liz Griesbach - Wednesday, April 20

CHANGE in CAMP on Monday

Due to Doc Brown being on campus for 3rd-5th graders, there will be a slight change in the Camp Schedule for a few grades.

Kindergarten will now go to camp at 9:20-10:05am

First Grade will now go at 10:10-10:55am

5th Grade will now go at 1:45-2:30pm

All others will stay the same

Doc Brown

As stated above, the district has hired motivational speaker Doc Brown to talk to our 3rd-5th graders.  He will be here from 1:45-2:45pm in the Cafeteria.

Week At a Glance

Monday - Doc Brown (3rd-5th) 1:45-2:45pm

Staff Meeting 3:45-4:45pm

School Board Mtg 6:30-Forever

Tuesday - 5th Grade Field Trip (Nesloney is Admin in Attendance)

Wednesday - Becky Harrison on Campus for Final Time

Spring & Group Photos

Staff Photo at 7:30am

Garret off campus for a portion of the day

Thursday - Nesloney & Marvel off campus (Please be cognizant of discipline on this day, admin are short handed)

Friday - Nesloney & Marvel off campus (Please be cognizant of discipline on this day, admin are short handed)

Kids Deserve It

A great interview with Kid President creator Brad Montague

Articles/Blogs

Differentiating with Learning Menus

Using Fingers to Count In Math Class is NOT 'Babyish'

A Single Moment

What Does This Mean for My Students?

101 Self-Care Suggestions For When It All Feels Like Too Much

Rockstar Educators

Calli Goss - Calli is a first year teacher in 3rd grade.  I have watched Calli grow so much over the course of this year in classroom management, instructional practice, and more!  She's asked for lots of advice and is so deeply concerned about her students.  I can't wait to see what Calli will do with her second year as she begins to feel more and more secure about the skills that she has to help make her students and our school even better!

Doris Banks - If you ever need a laugh Doris will provide one.  I have been so in awe of the creativity Doris has when it comes to some of the art ideas that she is doing with her students.  Plus they are learning some great history and more.  I am so thankful we have our students getting an art education in addition to everything else they learn here at school.  Doris is a great asset to Webb!

Ashley Dietert - Ashely is one of our Kinder teachers.  Ashley has such potential and I've watched her grow so much this year!  She has pushed herself and really found a groove.  She's got a great personality and has really great conversations with her students.  She also is great at taking advice and seeking out help!  I can't wait to watch Ashely grow more and more.  She's such a force to be reckoned with.

Let's make this another amazing week not only for our kiddos but also for each other!  We're a team and a team steps up and supports each other as much as the kids!  If there's anything we can do as an admin team to provide you with more support please let me know!!

Let's inspire kids to be creative.  And let's learn alongside them!

Making a Difference

Each one of has the ability to make a profound difference on the lives around us.  Not just the students we work with, but our colleagues and parents as well.  We have choices every day to make.  We can choose to complain about the way things are or the way we wish things were, or we can choose to instead find solutions and focus on the wonderful things we've been given.

Many times I've caught myself wanting to complain or gripe.  Why?  It's easy.  

But you know what?  It doesn't help anyone around you.  Now, don't get me wrong, we all need to vent at times.  But we need to be able to vent to people who are going to keep us grounded and bring our focus back to what really matters.

As you face struggles and trials this week remember two things.  First of all remember the impact your words and actions have on little eyes who are always watching.  Watch your tone, your looks, your behavior.  Second, find something to celebrate every day.  Life is worth celebrating.  And though it may seem like at times the world is falling down around you, find the tiniest light to hold onto.  Because darkness runs in the presence of even the tiniest light.

Team Planning

Monday - 5th

Tuesday - 4th

Wednesday - 3rd

Thursday - 2nd

Friday - 1st

Week At A Glance

Monday - #LoveMySchool Day.  Please share out all day using the hashtag #LoveMySchool on reasons why you love being at Webb by showing the amazing things your students are doing.

Nesloney & Marvel Off Campus

Tuesday - #PositivePostIt Day - Make sure to be stocking up on Post Its and make sure you encourage your students to bring some too!! We'll be participating with schools from around the country.

Bilingual Vertical Meeting - 3:15pm

Wednesday - Team Leader Mtg - 7:00am

1/2 Day

Afternoon District Grade Planning - 1:30-3:30

- Prek-2 go to Webb

- 3-5 ELA go to HP

- 3-5 Math go to Brule

- SPED stay on campus

- CAMP teachers go to Brule

- IAs stay on Campus

Thursday - Fire Drill

Friday - 1st Grade Field Trip

Kinder Graduation Photos

Articles/Blogs

A Deep Dive into Creativity

How Many Days Left Do You Have to Make A Difference

The Effects of Homework on Elementary Students

Homework

BLUE Kids Deserve It Shirts (ON SALE THROUGH WEDNESDAY)

Rockstar Educators

Kathy French - Where do we even begin with Kathy?  Kathy was my partner teacher my first two years of teaching.  Kathy brings such creativity and passion to everything she does.  She so deeply cares for our kids and isn't afraid of stepping outside the box.  Her work with the Secret Society of Readers and the Book Prom are nationally known events now.  She is helping shape the education of not only our students but others around the country.  She is such a light and positive force.

Sandra Smith - Sandra is one of our PreK IAs.  What I love about Sandra is she will step up wherever I need her.  She always has a smile on her face and has one of the funniest personalities here at school.  She is so good with kids as well and has such a huge heart.  I am so thankful that we have someone like Sandra working with us!

Sharon Ganske - Sharon is our Life Skills 2 teacher.  Sharon is absolutely phenomenal. The patience she has the incredible work she does with her students is mind blowing.  I don't think any of us know how truly lucky we are to have Sharon working here on our campus.  She is kind and compassionate and is a voice for her students who many times cannot speak for themselves.  Sharon is a blessing that we are so fortunate to be able to have with us.

This week let's find ways to celebrate others.  To take the spotlight off of ourselves and instead shine it brightly on those who aren't recognized quite enough.

Flexibility and Patience

Flexibility and Patience. That's our two words I want us to focus on this week.  Every week, as educators, we're required to be flexible.  We never know what kind of moods our kids will be in, if the wifi will be working, is there an extra program, or what if there's a storm and the electricity goes out.  It's always about flexibility.

And patience is even more important as we near the end of the year. Sometimes as educators we begin to lose patience more as the year comes to a close because we think "they should know this by now!".  Let's find ways to continually be patience, nurturing, and encouraging to not only our kiddos but to their parents, and to our colleagues!

This week will also require patience and flexibility because we are benchmarking and it truly is ALL hands on deck.  This is our firs time to benchmark/practice STAAR with 3rd-5th grade all on the same week.  AND just after we did STAAR last week.  This is a week of true flexibility and patience.  But TOGETHER we can do this!

Benchmarking

With all the hubbub of STAAR last week, it has been quite the ordeal to pull this benchmarking off this week.  As of now, we only have a finalized schedule for Monday done.  I know there are 3 tabs on this document, but I will be updating them as we still finalize a few things for Tuesday and Wednesday.  In the end, Tuesday's schedule will be VERY similar to Mondays.

Please refer to the document to see where you're needed and when. We will be using every IA (yes all of them, even PreK) on Monday and Tuesday.  We are so short handed this week.  PreK IAs can check in with their respective teachers throughout the day to check up on them.

PLEASE make sure you check your lunch times each day.

Click HERE for the document.

Team Planning

No team planning this week

Important Dates this Week

Monday - 3rd/4th Grade Math Benchmark (Shut Down Day)

Tuesday - 3rd/4th Grade Reading Benchmark (Shut Down Day)

Social Studies Vertical Meeting - 3:15pm

Wednesday - 5th Grade Science Benchmark (NOT a Shut Down Day)

Special Olympics - 9am-12pm NHS

Friday - Nesloney Off Campus

Absences

Please remember if you're going to be out for more than 3 consecutive days, you must get approval from me and Dr. Morgan.

Also, we will NOT be approving any absences on Friday April 8th or Thursday/Friday April 21/22.  We already have up to 9 people out all of those days, and there are no more subs.

Kids Deserve It

Didn't get a Blue KDI shirt?  Want one?  You can get one HERE.

This week's interview with teenager Jack Andraka

Articles/Blogs

ADHD In the Classroom

Aliens Love Underpants (Activity)

I'm Not Angry

Be Kind to Yourself

Rockstar Educators

Annie Walker - Annie, where do we even begin?  Annie has a great personality and is more and more funny the more you get to know her.  Annie is great at connecting with others and helping out where needed.  She knows exactly when to make others laugh and to lighten the mood.  I am so thankful we have Annie helping us out anywhere and everywhere because she has been such a great asset!

Allison Thomas - Allison is a 1st grade teacher.  And a great one at that!  Allison truly cares about each and every one of her kiddos and she does a great job of celebrating them and recognizing them as well.  Allison has a great attitude about things and is really creative.  I love any time I get to sit and talk with Allison because you can see how she truly thinks through things and comes up with some great ideas!  Allison is someone I've loved getting to know and learn from this year.

Dorton Matthews - Dorton, what doesn't he do?  Dorton is such a huge help everywhere.  He steps up whenever and wherever needed.  I don't think I've ever heard Dorton complain about anything.  He loves kids and loves working with his hands.  I am so thankful we've got Dorton on our team, or else a lot of little things would fall through the cracks.  Dorton never gets the recognition he deserves, so he's definitely gonna get a little bit here! 

We can easily forget, but we are so blessed by the lives that we have.  We have struggles, and we have pain, but there's always someone going through something just as difficult.

I love the video below that truly shows the power of technology.  Enjoy this video