January 26th, 2015

            High Point News

Week of: January 26th, 2015

********NEWS*************************

Congratulations to our Finalists
Congratulations to the following people as well as all of our teachers and staff members! What an amazing group of professionals we have in our building!! 

Congratulations to the following 4 finalists for Teacher of the Year:
*Due to a tie, we have 4 finalists instead of 3 this year. 

• Tashika Truesdale
• Lauren McClelland
• Vera Woods
• Kristen Trenbeath

Congratulations to the following 3 finalists for Professional Employee of the Year:

• Jose Espinoza
• Jenna Chapman 
• Marie Morris

Observations and interviews for the TOTY and PEOTY will be held on Thursday, the 29th. We will be in touch with the finalist to let them know the schedule. 

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Building Open

Sheri Hess will be opening the building this Saturday, the 31st from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm if anyone is interested. 

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Instructional Rounds by CLC Leaders

This is a friendly reminder that our Central Learning Community leaders will be coming to our school this Tuesday, January 27^th to complete a new “School Quality Review.” 

The team will be coming in the morning from 8:00 until about 11:00 to observe in classrooms, talk with students, and talk with staff members. They are asking to NOT have a set schedule or to be given specific classrooms to observe.

After the “Instructional Round,” there will be a debriefing session with me. I will share the results with you after all the information is compiled.

A few things to note:

•      Please make sure your bulletin boards are standards-based and current (no more holiday themes posted or “back to school” displays)
• ·    Make sure classrooms are organized
• ·    Showcase all of your engaging, meaningful, and relevant activities     (Teaching and Learning)
• ·    This is a great opportunity for our students to utilize the technology available at our school
• ·   Make sure lesson plans are posted on the G-drive so that they can pull them as needed.
• ·   Please let your students know since there will be a team and they might be a little disruptive to your class.
• 
  

 We are excited about this opportunity to show off our wonderful school!!!! 

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TKES Sign-Offs

Please don't forget to sign-off on your TKES Formative Evaluation #1 and your Mid-Year Conference no later than Thursday, January 29th!!! The county will be pulling these reports on the 30th so we will be making sure everyone has signed off by the Thursday!!!
Thank you!!
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PBIS This Week

Ideas for “Always Work Hard”

Do you have a student that has difficulties “working hard” and does not seem to be motivated by anything? 

 Have them complete reinforcement  inventories.  This data will allow you to determine what will motivate the child the most, and in turn, they may have better success completing assignments and staying on task.

To access these reinforcement inventories, go to the G-drive and click on the PBIS folder. The inventories are in there for your use!!! 

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Instructional Strategy

Check out this short video and see if you take one new instructional strategy away

to add to your teacher toolbox:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uOncGZWxDc

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What I've Been Thinking About…

In a recent Educational Leadership article, called "Learning Targets on Parade," Susan Brookhart and Connie Moss talked about the importance of learning targets. Ideally, a learning target will help students know what they are supposed to be learning, why it's important, and what their work will look like when they are finished. The article gave examples of some good learning targets such as, " I can define metaphor and recognize examples in literature."

Brookhart and Moss say that components of effective learning targets will:

-    Describe exactly what students will learn by the end of the day’s lesson.

-    Use language students can understand.

-    Be stated from the point of view of a student who has yet to master the knowledge or skill being taught.

-    Contain a performance of understanding that translates the description into action – what students will do, make, say, or write during the lesson.

-    Include student look-fors or criteria for success in terms that describe mastery of the learning target, not a score or grade.

Most of you are working on giving your students learning targets in math. Are we giving students learning targets in reading, social studies, science, or writing as well?
It is vital that students know what new content they are learning and how they will be able to show their understanding of that content to their teacher!!

****VISUALS OF BEST PRACTICE *******

During Ms. Todd’s 1^st grade Writer’s Workshop, students will conference with Ms. Todd. She gives them very specific feedback on what she liked (start off with a compliment), what they did well, and things to try next time. The feedback is very specific and only highlights one small part of the writing.

Compliment and name the strategy that the child used. Show the writer where he/she used the strategy then pick one teaching point and put it in the form of a strategy.

*****WRITERS' GALLERY**********

The writers' gallery/pledge is hosted by Ms. Crow's class this week.

The writers' gallery/pledge will be hosted by Ms. Ellis's class next week. 

******CALENDAR OF EVENTS*******

Monday, January 26th 
ACCESS Testing Begins
Writer's Workshop with Hess
8:30 - Prospective Parent Coffee

Tuesday, January 27th  

Instructional Rounds by CLC Leaders
2:50 - Faculty Meeting in CAFETERIA


Wednesday, January 28th 
Kindergarten Collegial Planning

Thursday, January 29th

5th Grade Collegial Planning
Firehouse Subs for Lunch - Order by Wednesday
TOTY and PEOTY Finalist Observations/Interviews
2:50 - PLCs
Pitchford to FCS Faith Summit

Friday, January 30th  
7:30 - SGC Meeting
1st Grade Collegial Planning
Parent Involvement Day
Send your tickets down and change your Student of the Week!

Saturday, January 31st   
9:00 am - 2:00 pm - Building Open

******BIRTHDAYS! ****************

Happy birthday to Jenna Chapman on the 29th and Kerstin Long and Rebecca Quist on the 1st of February!!! We hope you each have a wonderful birthday!!!

January 19, 2015

           High Point News

Week of: January 19th, 2015

********NEWS*************************

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Martin Luther King Jr Holiday

Yesterday, we celebrated and remembered Martin Luther King Jr. Please take a moment to remind your students of the importance of this man and also the importance of history; for when we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. 

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School Visit

Our school visit was a huge success!!!! We were greeted by our 5th grade Peer Mentors and then proceeded to walk around the entire building, popping into classrooms, and looking through the classroom windows to see engaged students and in-depth learning happening! Thank you to everyone for making sure our building was clean, inviting, and student-centered. Both Councilmen were extremely impressed as well as our Area Superintendent! 

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Assessment Guidelines

Here are options for differentiating unit pre and post-tests in math.  We ask that you stay within these boundaries and do not give different or easier questions to certain students.  If you are not sure about a modification, please check in with your collaborating support teacher or Kerstin Long.  Only students who have evidenced a need for differentiation should receive these supports.

• Graphic organizers embedded in the assessment to help students organize their work into logical steps.  If you use a particular graphic organizer for problem solving, this can be included with word problems.
• Word banks for writing responses and describing strategies.
• Sentence frames/close sentences to support explaining a strategy.
• Simplify wording without changing the essence of the question.  Please do this in cooperation with your collaborating specialist.

Please note: Accommodations specified in IEPs and 504 Plans are assumed to be in place for students who have these supports.  Special Education and TAG accommodations should be provided in addition to differentiation.  Please be sure to mark on students’ report cards that modifications due to EIP, ESOL, SPED have been provided.

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PBIS This Week
We have filled our "P" for our PAWS tickets!!!!! As a reward, we will be participating in "Five Minutes of Fun" on the 23rd by doing all of the following:

• Giving students 5 minutes of extra recess!
• Having a 5 minute Dance Party at the end of the day starting at 2:15!
• Giving each student in your class 5 PAWS tickets for them to give out to friends when they show PAWS up behavior! 
• Having 5 minutes less of homework next week (you choose the day)

Please take a moment to talk to your class about this "Group of 5" reward!!! We will also let students know on the morning announcements. 

Also, don't forget to:

*Spend ~2 minutes each day for the next couple of weeks reviewing PAWS UP behavior in the classroom, cafeteria, bathroom, hallways, playground, etc. A good time to review could be during your class meeting or as you’re lining up specials/lunch/recess, etc.

*Re-establish and review class rules since we are coming back from a long weekend

*Continue giving out tickets

*Set individual and class goals and incentives for the new year(students will have buy-in if they help to create them)

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TKES Walkthroughs
A friendly reminder that the third round of TKES walkthroughs has begun and will be completed over the next few weeks. If you have not had your formative assessment, you will have it prior to your walkthrough. 

For this round of walkthroughs, we will be assessing standards: #4 Differentiation, #3 Instructional Strategies, and #7 Positive Learning Environment. 

Conferences will be available if needed. Please email your observer to request a meeting. 

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Please help recruit Career Day speakers!!

High Point will host our second annual career day on Friday, February 13^th. We are seeking parent and community volunteers to share information about their careers with High Point students on this afternoon. Volunteers will speak with 2-3 classrooms for 20 minutes each.

Our goal is for every classroom to have speakers this year!!! To reach that goal, we need your help!!!!!! So far we only have 11 speakers signed up…

Please reach out to friends and family members as well as High Point parents to encourage them to sign up. We need a wide variety of speakers, and there is no job too boring for this event! I can help speakers figure out a way to make their career interesting and child friendly. We are also able to skype in speakers for any out of towners.

Please have speakers visit the following link to sign up:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1vp5Y-PhUIHRug_0OODWCiTIaxJvo8aVX-dFKxEwj6-0/viewform?usp=send_form

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What I've Been Thinking About…

In this article posted on Edutopia, Ms. Alber talks about how to scaffold information to students so that you can give them more challenging activities. It's a great quick read to that gives us strategies to implement in our classroom!

“6 Scaffolding Strategies to Use with Your Students” by Rebecca Alber in Edutopia, January 24, 2014.

http://bit.ly/1qlsFuj

***********Math Corner *************

Prepared number talks by Molly Hall:  

http://schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us/Page/37070 

K-5 Mathematics Wiki-Great Resources:

http://ccgpsmathematicsk-5.wikispaces.com/

Georgia Standards: 

https://www.georgiastandards.org/Pages/default.aspx 

Common Core Lessons, Tasks & Activities:

http://www.k-5mathteachingresources.com

Blog:

www.christinafreemanthemathcoach.blogspot.com

Virtual five and ten frames:

http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=74 &

http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=75

Electronic version of a Rekenrek Resource book:

http://maine.edc.org/file.php/1/AssessmentResources/ArithmeticRack132_L.html

Interactive number line- Select grade level, e-manipulatives and then number line.

www.eduplace.com/kids/mw

Hundreds chart that allows you to hide numbers behind opaque screens and highlight patterns.

www.crickweb.co.uk.ks2numeracy-tools.html

Ordinal Numbers

http://www.softschools.com/math/ordinal_numbers/games/

Free iphone/ipad app for rekenreks

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/number-rack-by-math-learning/id496057949?mt=8#

****VISUALS OF BEST PRACTICE *******

In Ms. Spears’ Kindergarten class, students will begin working on Opinion writing. Ms. Spears will post this visual rubric in her classroom to show the students what a 1 “scooper” is, what a 2 “scooper” is, and so on. The students and teacher can use this as a teaching tool as well as a visual reminder of what’s expected or can be achieved. Students need to see, in kid friendly terms(and visuals), what they need to do and what they can work towards. This is a perfect visual for the kindergarteners!

*****WRITERS' GALLERY**********

The writers' gallery/pledge is hosted by Ms. Quist's class this week.

The writers' gallery/pledge will be hosted by Ms. Crow's class next week. 

******CALENDAR OF EVENTS*******

Monday, January 19th 
No School - MLK Day

Tuesday, January 20th  

9:30 - Gail Dean Community Meeting in Media Center
2nd Grade Collegial Planning
2:50 - New Kids on the Block Meeting


Wednesday, January 21st 
8:00 - Title I Parent Meeting
3rd Grade Collegial Planning

Thursday, January 22nd

4th Grade Collegial
Tazikis for Lunch - Order by Wednesday
2:50 - PLCs

Friday, January 23rd 
2:15 - School-wide Dance Party
Send your tickets down and change your Student of the Week!

PTA Bingo Night

******BIRTHDAYS! ****************

Happy birthday to Julie Ellis and Hollye Conway on the 25th. We hope you each have a wonderful birthday! 

January 12, 2015

           High Point News

Week of: January 12th, 2015

********NEWS*************************

Condolences
Our sincerest condolences to Anita Burch for the loss of her mother-in-law. Our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family. 

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School Visit

Our Area Superintendent, Dr. LaCava, our school board member, Gail Dean, and our Sandy Springs Councilman, Andy Bauman, will be visiting High Point this Friday around 9:00. We are very excited to be able to show off all of the wonderful things that are going on in our school. 
Please make sure that you take extra steps to make sure our classrooms and hallways are clean and standards-based.  
They will be visiting some of the classrooms on our school tour so please inform your students in case we visit your room. Thank you for showing the amazing things that happen in our school!!!

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Learning Tuesday Professional Learning Offerings

We are excited to present the following workshops for the January Learning Tuesday and look forward to our learning together!  Please select two (2) workshops to attend, one workshop for each session.  The presenters will ask you to sign in at each session.  Please let your presenter(s) know if you would like additional learning on their topic.  We will be sure to include them in the February LTs.

Please note there will be a 10 minute transition time between sessions. You do not have to sign up prior to the Learning Tuesday. 

Session 1 2:50-3:20 PM	Session 2 3:30-4:00 PM
All In Learning Support: How To Input Tests Presenter: Jennifer Taylor Location:  Media Center Recommended For: Grades 3-5	All In Learning Support: How To Look at Student Learning Presenter: Jennifer Taylor Location:  Media Center Recommended For: Grades 3-5
Early Numeracy: Succeeding In the Common Core Presenters: Megan Eigel, Rebecca Negrin Location: Room 220 Recommended For: Grades K-2, RTI Teachers	Early Numeracy: Succeeding In the Common Core Presenters: Megan Eigel, Rebecca Negrin Location: Room 220 Recommended For: Grades K-2, RTI Teachers
How To Get The Most Out of Your Math Coach: Conversations That Improve Student Learning Presenters: Staci Arnold, Stephanie Kehn-Gallagher Location: Room 123 Recommended For: Teachers of Math, All Grade Levels	How To Get The Most Out of Your Math Coach: Conversations That Improve Student Learning Presenters: Staci Arnold, Stephanie Kehn-Gallagher Location: Room 123 Recommended For: Teachers of Math, All Grade Levels
Unpack that Number Talks Book!  How To Plan and Implement Number Talks That Empower Your Students Presenter: Kerstin Long Location: Room 222 Recommended For: K-2, and Support Teachers	Unpack that Number Talks Book!  How To Plan and Implement Number Talks That Empower Your Students Presenter: Kerstin Long Location: Room 222 Recommended For: 3-5, and Support Teachers

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PBIS This Week
The following strategies are good tips/reminders for the second half of the school year to help manage our classrooms more efficiently and effectively. 

·                     Make your students feel responsible for their own learning environment.

Give your students agency over their learning environment, which gets them feeling responsible for their own learning. Create rules together as a class, encourage those with leadership personalities to direct the in-class discussion, and walk around instead of standing up front for the entire lesson so that you aren’t the funnel for conversation. Ask students to “check” themselves, as in “Check yourself to see if you are using your indoor voice,” which sends the message that you see the students as individuals who are capable of handling themselves.

·                     Praise efforts and achievements for their own sake, not for the sake of teacher approval.

Give constant feedback about good behaviors: “I notice that Danielle has her book out and is ready to go. Now her whole row is ready!” But keep the emphasis on the behavior, not always on the teacher’s approval. 

·                     Set logical rules and consequences.

Keep the goal of learning in mind and make sure students know why the rules are what they are: “We walk instead of running in the hallway because we want to make sure that everyone is safe.” And fit the consequence to the crime: If a student makes a mess of the art supplies, the logical consequence is to clean it up. Arbitrary punishments like losing recess, or something else unrelated to the offense, teach students that you are trying to force a power struggle.

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TKES Walkthroughs
The third round of TKES walkthroughs will begin today and will be completed over the next few weeks. If you have not had your formative assessment, you will have it prior to your walkthrough. 

For this round of walkthroughs, we will be assessing standards: #4 Differentiation, #5 Assessment Strategies, and #7 Positive Learning Environment. 

Conferences will be available if needed. Please email your observer to request a meeting. 

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Please help recruit Career Day speakers!!

High Point will host our second annual career day on Friday, February 13^th. We are seeking parent and community volunteers to share information about their careers with High Point students on this afternoon. Volunteers will speak with 2-3 classrooms for 20 minutes each.

Our goal is for every classroom to have speakers this year!!! To reach that goal, we need your help!!!!!! So far we only have 11 speakers signed up…

Please reach out to friends and family members as well as High Point parents to encourage them to sign up. We need a wide variety of speakers, and there is no job too boring for this event! I can help speakers figure out a way to make their career interesting and child friendly. We are also able to skype in speakers for any out of towners.

Please have speakers visit the following link to sign up:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1vp5Y-PhUIHRug_0OODWCiTIaxJvo8aVX-dFKxEwj6-0/viewform?usp=send_form

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Qualitative Data
We will be coming around to classrooms for approximately 5 minutes to take some more qualitative data for our Strategic Plan. These information observations will begin today through the 22nd. 
This is not for evaluative purposes and data will not be connected with individual teachers' names. The following people will be helping collect this data: Pitchford, Alexander, Hess, Roberts, Long, and Salmons

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What I've Been Thinking About…

"Differentiated assessment is an ongoing process of evaluation where the teacher gathers information and data before, during, and after instruction to better facilitate the learning. This process ensures success for all students in the differentiated class with data provided from a variety of sources assisting in giving an overall view of student achievement. It is essential that when assessing students in the differentiated class, assessment is authentic meaning it offers students a variety of tasks demonstration real-life skills, tells the educator if the student has acquired the skills or concepts, is based on standard criteria to achieve validity, and guides students for roles in adult life (Chapman & King, 2012)."

The link below gives teachers many different suggestions for how they can assess what their students know differently in order to meet students' needs. It's a GREAT resource when talking about assessments! 

http://differentiatedstrategies.wikispaces.com/Differentiated+Strategies+for+Assessment

****VISUALS OF BEST PRACTICE *******

*****WRITERS' GALLERY**********

The writers' gallery/pledge is hosted by Ms. Bradshaw's class this week.

The writers' gallery/pledge will be hosted by Ms. Quist's class next week. 

******CALENDAR OF EVENTS*******

Monday, January 12th 
Writing Workshop with Hess during Specials
9:30 - Parent Tour
Muffin Monday
Pitchford to Meeting from 9:15-4:00
Alexander to AP Meeting

Tuesday, January 13th  

2:50 - Learning Tuesday Begins


Wednesday, January 14th 
First Grade Field Trip

Thursday, January 15th

Qdoba for Lunch - Order by Wednesday
2:50 - PLCs

Pitchford to Principals' Meeting

Friday, January 16th
9:00 - School Visit by LaCava, Dean, and Bauman
Send your tickets down and change your Student of the Week!

******BIRTHDAYS! ****************

A happy birthday to Andi Lay TODAY, and Vera Woods and Katie Snyder on the 13th, We hope you each have a wonderful birthday! 

January 5th, 2015

           High Point News

Week of: January 5th, 2015

********NEWS*************************

Wishing everyone a global-minded, Happy New Year!!

Buon anno! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!    新年好 xīnnián hǎo  bonne année! Frohes Neues! あけましておめでとうございま

http://www.jibjab.com/view/ZUrm5bq8SwearsS2eCTj6Q?utm_campaign=URL+Copy&utm_content=celebration_group&utm_medium=Share&utm_source=JibJab&cmpid=jj_url

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PBIS This Week

• Congratulations to Clara Spears for winning our "Gift of Time" for the month of December! 

• New Buddy Brags will be placed in everyone's boxes today. Please take the time to write something nice to a colleague. 

• We will be kicking off 2nd semester with our PAWS Up Pep Rally on Friday, January 9th. 

• Pre-K - 2nd grade will be at 8:00-8:30 and 

3rd - 5th grade will be at 8:45-9:15.  
         Please support our PBIS initiatives by talking to your students about our school rules and          reminding them of your expectations for the 2015 school year!! 

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Grades and Class Verifications
Class verifications went out before the break. It is IMPERATIVE that these are correct for all your subject areas. Using these lists, we will analyze student surveys, have students take STAR tests, and look at your student growth percentiles. Rhodope will NOT be making any changes until the next open changes window so all changes need to be corrected now. 

All roster verifications are due TODAY. 

Grades should also be completed by 2:30 tomorrow in order for report cards to be checked and sent out on January 14th. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please see Jacinta Alexander. 

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Girls on the RUN Spring 2015

Girls on the Run will begin registration on January 14^th, 9am, online, for the spring program.  GOTR meets twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays 2:45-4:15 beginning February 9^th and end the week of April 27^thl. The GOTR program is for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade girls. Girls on the Run is a transformational physical activity based positive youth development program for girls.  We teach life skills through dynamic interactive lessons and running games. The program culminates with the girls being physically and emotionally prepared to complete a celebratory 5K running event. The goal of the program is to unleash confidence through accomplishment while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness. 

If you would like to serve as a Girls on the Run Coach, please contact Rebecca Negrin!!

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What I've Been Thinking About…

As we say goodbye to 2014, it's nice to take a look back and reflect on where we have been before we begin to look forward to where we are going. Since January 2014, we have:

• Endured a snow-storm like no other
• Supported students and families when apartments closed
• Met new people joining our High Point family
• Created many new positions to support our school's needs
• Welcomed new students with many needs
• Seen an increase in CRCT and ITBS test scores
• Focused on Georgia Math Frameworks and Number Talks
• Taken another look at rigor and relevance
• Embraced the possibility of becoming an International Baccalaureate school
• Discovered the importance of data
• Written a Strategic Plan
• Organized the evacuation of another school with 1200 students
• Pampered ourselves at the very end!!

We have so much to be thankful for and there is so much excitement for 2015. The only question left is "What will we search for in 2015?" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVwHCGAr_OE

****Our Math Corner******************

Some ideas from NCTM for your January math enjoyment are located on the T-drive in a folder called Math Problems 2015.  It covers grades K-5, beginning with the upper grades. It is a FABULOUS resource!!! Check it out!!!

*****WRITERS' GALLERY**********

The writers' gallery/pledge is hosted by Ms. Newman's class this week.

The writers' gallery/pledge will be hosted by Ms. Bradshaw's class next week. 

******CALENDAR OF EVENTS*******

Monday, January 5th 
Teacher Work Day
Grades Uploaded

Tuesday, January 6th  

CISS Testing Begins for TAG
1:30 - Leadership Team Meeting


Wednesday, January 7th 
College Spirit Day!
Pitchford to CLC Principals' Meeting

Thursday, January 8th

My Friend's Place for Lunch - Order by Wednesday
2:50 - PLCs

Pitchford to New Principals' Meeting

Friday, January 9th
Send your tickets down and change your Student of the Week!

******BIRTHDAYS! ****************

A belated happy birthday to Pam McClure who celebrated her birthday on the 4th! A happy birthday to Jacque Laird on the 7th! We hope you each had and have a wonderful birthday!