December 2nd, 2019

Monday Notes 12.02.19

"High Point Elementary cultivates knowledgeable, compassionate, and inquiring learners who impact a diverse global community."

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Soccer Goals

Sandy Springs Park and Recreation have purchased two VERY EXPENSIVE soccer goals for our students. Please make sure you are reminding students to stay off the nets. If they hang on them, they will not last as long. Thank you for your help in monitoring these goals and keeping them looking brand new! 

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Paraprofessional Meeting for PKES

All paraprofessionals and classified staff members, please plan on meeting in room #123 to review our school's beliefs as well as information pertaining to PKES. The meeting will be from 3:00-3:30. Thank you! 

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Attendance

Homeroom teachers, please make sure you are monitoring students' absences/tardies and notifying parents of your concern prior to contacting Hutchins. Teachers should contact Hutchins after a child has more than 5 absences or 15 tardies. 
The number of absences accumulated by grade level is below for your information. 

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STEAM Day
STEAM day was another huge success! Students were engaged, laughing, creating, exploring, discovering, and learning more about science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Thank you to Sheri Hess, Alyssa Davis, and Buffy Miller for being able to pull off such an amazing event! We also want to thank all the teachers and staff for their hard work and support in this powerful day! 

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IB Learner Profile Attribute for DECEMBER

OPEN-MINDED

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Principal's Corner for November

Please click on the link below if you are interested in the Principal's Corner for November that was sent to all parents. Thanks!!!

https://mailchi.mp/d0b5da7e324d/principals-corner-november-2019

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Kona Ice
This is just a friendly reminder of the criteria for our Star IB students and when the attendance cycles will be.

The following criteria is needed for a student to be considered a STAR IB student at High Point:

• No absences, tardies, or early pick-ups during the attendance cycle
• Students must consistently exhibit the IB learner profile traits and be a role model for the class

Seven students (one from each grade level) will be randomly chosen from the slate of selected STAR IB students who fit the initial criteria. Each of the seven students will receive a STAR IB T-shirt, Kona Ice cup, High Point IB pencil, and a STAR IB blue bracelet! All other STAR IB students will receive a blue IB bracelet!

The attendance cycles are below:
January 9th ( attendance dates from November 7th – January 9th )
February 28th (attendance dates from January 10th-February 28th)

May 8th (attendance dates from March 2nd-May 8th)

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Save the Date!

Our amazing PTO will be sponsoring our Holiday Staff Party on December 12th from 3:00-5:00 at Southern Bistro. The sign-up is located by the mailboxes. Thank you for signing up by December 9th so we can have a headcount for food and drinks. 

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

Monday, December 2nd 

Tuesday, December 3rd 

Ridgeview's Band/Orchestra to visit 4th/5th Grade

Grade Level PLCs during Specials

Wednesday, December 4th 

Grade Level PLCs during Specials

8:00 am - Spelling Bee for 4th and 5th Grade

College Spirit Wear Day!

Thursday, December 5th

Book Fair Begins
3:00-3:30 - Paraprofessional Meeting
2:50 - PBIS Meeting

Grade Level PLCs 

Friday, December 6th

7:15 am - SGC Meeting in Room #123

*************************BIRTHDAYS**************************

 

Happy birthday to Latissa Southerland on the 4th, Stephanie Cole on the 6th, and Colette Schrock on the 7th.  We hope you all have a wonderful birthday! 

November 18th, 2019

Monday Notes 11.18.19

"High Point Elementary cultivates knowledgeable, compassionate, and inquiring learners who impact a diverse global community."

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Thank you!

Thank you to the "Dream Team" who hosted last Friday's Staff Luncheon. It was amazing!!! 

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Congratulations GOR

Congratulations to our Girls on the Run for completing their 5K yesterday!!!! We are so proud of our students and thankful for all the staff members who supported them before and during the race! 

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Learning Walks

Members from the Central Learning Community will be here Monday to conduct Learning Walks. We do not want to interrupt instruction at all so please make sure everything is business as usual. Feedback will not be given, however, if you would like feedback, please contact someone on admin. Thank you!!!

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STEAM Day Reminders

• All homeroom teachers and support staff should have a white lab coat to wear. If you do not have one, stop by Hess' office and grab one.
• Go through your bins and see what's missing, what do you need more of, or what's not right and let Hess know by tomorrow.This will give PTO a few days to get you everything that you need for STEAM day. 
• Perishable items will be delivered to you the morning of STEAM day 
• Return your STEAM day bins to room 123 before you leave for Thanksgiving break on Friday. 
• Support staff, return your lab coats to room 123 at the end of the day Friday. 
• Homeroom teachers KEEP your lab coats in your classrooms. 
Any questions or concerns, see Hess.

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RTI and SST Notes and PM through December

Teachers, please continue to upload your Progress Monitoring to EASY for your weekly SST meetings.  ALL notes for those of you who can not attend should be sent to Brian and Sheri (They will be holding the meetings through the end of December).  Please send them in time for them to be included in the minutes for the meeting you are unable to attend!  Thank you!

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Kindergarten IB

Kindergarten uses word sorts to engage and assess Wants and Needs!! Look closely at the sort,  one student stated “a computer is a need, because we NEED to do iReady!”

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IB Learner Profile Attribute for November

REFLECTIVE

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Save the Date!

Our amazing PTO will be sponsoring our Holiday Staff Party on December 12th from 3:00-5:00 at Southern Bistro. A sign up will be posted shortly! We hope everyone can make it!

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Holiday Break

Please make sure you close all blinds, remove all items from the refrigerator, take all food from cabinets, and turn off all computers. We want to make sure you come back to a clean building on the 2nd of December. 

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

Monday, November 18th

1st Grade In-House Field Trip

Tuesday, November 19th

Write Score for 3rd Grade

Wednesday, November 20th 

Write Score for Make-Ups
Grade Level PLCs during Specials
2:45 pm - Leadership Team Meeting 

Thursday, November 21st

Kindergarten Field Trip
1st Grade Field Trip
Grade Level PLCs 

Friday, November 22nd

STEAM Day!!!
Thanksgiving Break!

*************************BIRTHDAYS**************************

 

Happy birthday to Kenyatta Clarke on the 25th and Meganne Ellis on the 28th! We hope you both have a wonderful birthday over the break! 

November 11, 2019

Monday Notes 11.11.19

"High Point Elementary cultivates knowledgeable, compassionate, and inquiring learners who impact a diverse global community."

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Staff Luncheon Friday

Thank you to Team "Dream Team" who will host this Friday's Staff Luncheon is Room #123. The theme is "Thankful" and is reminiscent of Thanksgiving. 
The team will be serving turkey pumpkin chili, cheesy chicken casserole, chicken stuffing casserole, Quiche (some vegetarian), with salad, soup, and desserts!!  

Thank you to the Dream Team: Madej, Bearden, Salhi, M.Ellis, Stahura, Cornibe, Giddens, Collins, Watts, Cole, Parker

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STEAM Day Bin Pick Up

Homeroom teachers, please pick up your bins for STEAM Day this Thursday in room 123. Pick up times are between 2:35-4 p.m. 

Once you pick up your bin, please go through it and see what's missing, what do you need more of, or what's not right and let me know by Tuesday, the 19th. This will give PTO a few days to get you everything that you need for STEAM day. 
**Perishable items will be delivered to you the morning of STEAM day so they wont be in your bins. 

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PBIS News

Remember to pass out Buddy Bucks! 

PBIS Focus for November: Classroom 
Review rules, routines, and procedures 
Ms. Midkiff will be on the the WPAW News doing a lesson soon! 🙂 

Shout out to everyone!!! The number of referrals last month was a lot less than last year! Our PBIS focus is working! 

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High Point Gardens

We only need 3 more teachers to sign up for the Georgia Organics training in order for them to donate their resources and time to install gardens at High Point! This requirement is put in place to make sure the garden is sustainable. It can't just be owned and maintained by one person!!!  

If you would like to be a part of the fabulous 12 so we can get a school garden, please email Sally Barnes barnessh@fultonschools.org.

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IB Learner Profile Attribute for November:
REFLECTIVE

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Girl Scout Troop Project

4th Grade Girl Scout Troop #16409 is collecting new underwear and socks for students in need at High Point and Ridgeview!  If you can contribute, please place donations in Ms. Eigel’s box or classroom.   Please, feel free to forward to parents if they would like to contribute.  We are collecting donations until November 19th.   Thank you!

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Flu Vaccine Clinic at HPES

HPES Flu Vaccine Clinic is tomorrow!!! Teachers will receive an email which students should be sent down to Room #123 during your scheduled time: 

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IB Visuals of Best Practice

Ms. Ellis breaks down her Central Idea with students!

Second grade uses multiple strategies to increase student engagement: timelines, posting student questions, students' writing wondering, and outside exploration of natural materials to compare life today with long ago!

Classroom IB boards that showcase Central Idea, Lines of Inquiry, Learner profile attributes, Key Concepts and Approaches to Learning Skills unique to the current unit AND student work, wondering and interactions are IB best practices!! Thanks for providing this for your students!

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

Monday, November 11th

9:30 am - Prospective Parent Tour
Write Score for 5th Grade
Veteran's Day!!

Tuesday, November 12th

Flu Clinic - Students and Staff

Wednesday, November 13th 

Write Score for 4th Grade
Grade Level PLCs during Specials

Thursday, November 14th

Grade Level PLCs 

Friday, November 15th

7:45 am - PTO Board Meeting
Write Score for 3rd Grade
Cafe Jam!!! Music During Lunch
Lunch for Staff Provided by Team "Dream Team"

*************************BIRTHDAYS**************************

 

Happy birthday to Nissa Sinoyiannis on the 16th and Kari Lewis on the 17th!! We hope you both have an amazing birthday! 

November 4th, 2019

Monday Notes 11.4.19

"High Point Elementary cultivates knowledgeable, compassionate, and inquiring learners who impact a diverse global community."

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Congratulations!

Congratulations to Benita Bearden and Colleen Zeller for representing High Point at the Fulton County Legacy Awards Event on Friday! We are so thankful for both of these individuals who go above and beyond for our school, our students, and each of us! We are so thankful they are at High Point and appreciating them representing our school so well! 

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November 5th Workday

The following people are scheduled for professional development on this Tuesday: 

TAG - Heards Ferry          8:00-11:30
METIs - Parklane           8:30-3:00
Prek Teachers - Atlanta History Center  8:00-4:00
Art - Carlos Museum        8:30-3:30
Music - Wolf Creek           8:30-3:30
PE - TBD -                      12:30-3:30
SPED - webinar               8:30-3:30 
ESOL - Lake Forest           8:00-3:00

All other teachers will follow the HPES schedule. Questions, please ask. Thanks!!!

7:30-9:00 - iReady Training for Homeroom Teachers K-5 (Learn more about how to respond to online flags, lessons passed, minutes data and how to pull lessons from iReady to use for small groups)
9:00-9:45 – K and 1st RACE Review - Long's Room
10:00-10:45 – 2nd RACE Review - Long's Room
11:00-11:45 – 3rd – 5th RACE Review - Long's Room
1:00-2:00 – Literably Training 1st-5th Cafeteria (BRING LAPTOPS)
2:00-3:00 - 5th Grade Exhibition Redelivery K-5 

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High Point Gardens

Looking for a hands-on learning opportunity??? 
High Point is partnering with Georgia Organics to install a raised garden bed.  Georgia Organics will provide a 2-3 hour teacher training session to install the raised bed and plan instruction for our students.  We are hoping to install the garden bed in the courtyard outside of the cafeteria for the spring 2020 planting season. The only catch??!! 

We have to have 12 teachers sign up for the training in order for them to donate their resources and time to install these gardens. This requirement is put in place to make sure the garden is sustainable. It can't just be owned and maintained by one person!!!  

If you would like to be a part of this fabulous 12 so we can get a school garden, please email Sally Barnes barnessh@fultonschools.org.

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IB Learner Profile Attribute for November: REFLECTIVE

For the month of November, we will be focusing on another IB Attribute of the Learner Profile: REFLECTIVE. Our amazing 5th graders will be sharing their interpretation of REFLECTIVE and what it means to them. We will also have our weekly readers sharing with the students how certain books exemplify the REFLECTIVE attribute. 

We appreciate all of 4th grade for helping us have a better understanding of CARING and RISK-TAKER and are excited to be able to dig deeper into what it means to be REFLECTIVE. Thank you for all your support!!! 

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Flu Vaccine Clinic at HPES

Please turn in all Flu Vaccine Forms to Ms. Dickie's box. The clinic is next week!! This is FREE for staff and students so we hope we can have many students and staff participate!!! 
Thank you!

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Growth Check for 3rd-5th

 Starting TODAY we will have our second iReady Reading Growth Monitoring check. This will be automatically pushed out on the iReady platform and all students will need to complete the assessment before they are allowed to continue working on their pathway. There is nothing you need to prepare, but please let students know to do their best. If you have any questions, please contact Brian. 

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Continuous Learning

One of the things we believe in at High Point Elementary is the importance of students being engaged in their own learning. 

Here are two one-minute videos showing how we can get students talking to each other more and engaged in the learning process. I hope you take the time to check them out! 

Respond, Reflect, Review:       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4UQvt1Rn9w

60-Second Strategy- Talk Detectives:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juR87aAg4vM

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

Monday, November 4th

Growth Check for 3rd-5th iReady

Tuesday, November 5th

See schedule above: Professional Development Day
Election Day

Wednesday, November 6th 

College Spirit Wear
Grade Level PLCs during Specials

Thursday, November 7th

7:30-8:30 - Leadership Team Meeting in Long's Room

2:55 - Staff Fellowship in Media Center
3:15 - School Focused PLCs

Friday, November 8th

5th Grade to Anne Frank Museum

*************************BIRTHDAYS**************************

 

Happy birthday to Ashlei Dixon TODAY and Rebecca Laudel on the 10th.We hope you both have an amazing birthday!