October 24, 2013 - Schindler's List

Teacher and Staff,
Hope you are having a SUPER week!  As a reminder, the Schindler's List is designed for you so please check out the Colt Express for community based news!  The Colt Express goes out to our entire school community on a weekly basis and will have content you may find beneficial.  If you have GOOD NEWS you would like share with the entire CCCS community, please send it to me!  Here are a few things to share: 

Professional Development Survey
Just a reminder that Marcia graciously made copies of our diocesan professional development survey and placed it in your boxes!  Please complete the survey and return it to Marcia by November 1. I have also forwarded you a copy via email if you would prefer to complete it electronically.  :) Your opinion counts! 

EasyCBM Benchmark Testing Window
The testing window for EasyCBM is now set to the first two weeks of December.  Teachers will therefore need to ensure testing occurs between December 2-13 and have all scores entered no later than December 15. The vision would then be to send home by December 20th (before Christmas break) a mid-year report  (revise the form Rebecca made to fit your grade level) . Thanks!  

USDA Program
Just a quick heads up, we now have about 40 students in our school benefit from the USDA free and reduced food program.  This program is run here at our school by Dawn Ambuul and not by D11.  This is a very beneficial program for not only these students but also for our school.  We are not only reimbursed for free and reduced lunches but are also reimbursed 36 cents per lunch for a "verifiable lunch".  This keeps what we charge all students for lunches at a lower price. 

This participation also entitles us to numerous grant opportunities.  So with this benefit comes with a lot of restrictions and guidelines that we all need to be aware of.  We will, therefore, be trained at our next full school PLC on November 4th on the program requirements. Also, if you notice that students are not eating proper lunches, please respectfully suggest to parents that they apply. It is a wonderful opportunity for our low income, large families and the income level of the family is kept very confidential.

Accreditation Team Sign Up
As sent in a prior email, we have a finished our AdvancEd Teams list. Please access this list to see where you are serving!  There have been a few changes to simply keep the teams more balanced. Thanks again!  :)

AdvancEd STAFF Survey
Thanks so much to the teachers who directed parents to the computer lab to complete the parent survey!  Unfortunately, we have only had 6 that participated.  So we have included in this week's Colt Express a link to the survey.  PLEASE encourage your parents to complete their survey. Also, we have a staff survey - please click on the following link to complete our survey:  AdvancEd Staff Survey

Attendance Marking
As a reminder, attendance must be taken DAILY in all 1st period classes by 8:30 AM.  Attendance records are considered legal documents so these must be correct every day!  Thank you for your help with this! 

Sign Up for Student Surveys in Lab
As a reminder, Mike Smith sent out directions concerning our student survey and your need to sign up for a time to take your class.  As he noted, he is more than willing to help during your tech time but he will need you to be there while they take the survey.  Please remind students that this is VERY important and that they need to take it very seriously as the information will be used by the team who determines our accreditation status.  

HSA Grants
HSA $75 teacher grants have been approved for this year.  Dawn now has your balances for each of your accounts for the year!  Please see her when you need to place an order for classroom supplies or to be reimbursed for items you have purchased.  As a reminder, we will not go beyond what is in your account so please consider supplies you will need at the end of the year.  Also, HSA is now working on approval of individual classroom HSA grants.  They only have limited funds however for these grants so some may not be approved. PLEASE give these to me before HSA as they require my approval before a grant will be issued. Thanks!  

Blogs
Just a reminder that I need you to send me links to your blogs AND you will need to send links to your families as well for them to access.  It will be a link like cccsfifthgrade.blogspot.com . Mike is putting a link on our website but please send out the link to all of your families as well so they can follow you if they like. Please see TO DO list below of the ones I have already!  

Times You Are Available to Meet
I have had MANY complaints that parents do not know when they can meet with teachers.  They understand that most of you are not ok with drop-in conferences but they need to have understanding of when they can ask questions or voice concerns. I am including is this week's Colt that elementary teachers are available from 7:15-7:35 AM to meet and middle school is available from 2:45-3:15 PM as well as during each of your planning periods. I will ask that they contact you to schedule appointments but it would be VERY beneficial for you to communicate this yourselves as well.  Please help parents feel comfortable with talking with you!  

Want to adopt a priest for your class? 
PLEASE SIGN UP!  We need to cover all the priest our school has been assigned!  This consists of cards, invites to special events, etc.! Please see Dawn for a list of available priests!

Virtue of the Week for NEXT week: Temperance

Announcement Schedule: 
On all days but Wednesdays we will now have announcements at 8:45 (a few minutes after second period begins) and on Wednesdays at 8:30 AM. As a reminder, please send TWO students to the office just a little before these times so they can practice- October 28-November 1 - 8B November 3-7 - 7A; November 11-15 - 7B

Here's What Happening Next Week:

Monday, October 28 - Everyday Uniform with Dinner Auction Shirt for K-8

Tuesday, October 29 - Everyday Uniform with Dinner Auction Shirt for K-5; 6-8 - PE Uniform with Dinner Auction Shirt; Mike McCoy, #1 Draft of the Green Bay Packers and Play Like A Champion Ministries HERE for  Middle Schoolers at 1:30 PM; Administrative Team Meeting - 1:35-2:05  

Wednesday, October 30- No School Mass today due to Holy Day on Friday - Everyday Uniform with Dinner Auction Shirt for K-8 

Thursday, October 31 - Preschool-8th Grade Wear Halloween Shirts/Colors with Uniform Bottoms; Halloween Parties for Preschool-5th Grade 1:45-2:45 PM - no costumes today due to our All Saints Day Dress Up tomorrow! :) 

Friday, November 1 - ALL SAINTS DAY - All students dress as FAVORITE SAINT or wear Mass Uniforms! 
8 AM - MASS - Parents are ENCOURAGED to join us for this Holy Day of Obligation!  
11:15-11:45 AM  - First Friday Adoration
NOON - Noon Dismissal - First Friday PLC  

Reminder of THINGS to DO:

• Send Kim AND Mike a link to your blog! :) According to my reading list, I have links already from the following teachers:

1. Dusbabek
2. Kowalsky
3. Nuvolini
4. Conlon
5. Gonzalez
6. Corbett
7. Wilson

• Check out what accreditation team you are on
• Complete the staff survey at the link above
• Complete the PD survey and return it to Marcia
• Turn in your RTI Tier 2 Classroom Intervention Logs to Kim

EVENTS COMING SOON: 

Tuesday, November 5 - Meet Me at the Pole 7:40 AM - come join our school as we gather around our flag pole to pray for our nation on election day! 
Wednesday, November 6 - School Picture RETAKE Day - students who wish to receive retakes or were absent on picture day should bring back the pictures they ordered (if applicable) and wear their Mass uniforms today!
Thursday, November 7 - HSA Board Meeting - 7:30 AM
Friday, November 8 - Spirit Day - students wear their uniform bottoms and a CCCS Colt shirt or a "Holy" spirit wear (Christian-type shirt)
Saturday, November 9 at 6PM - Our ANNUAL Dinner Auction - here at our CC Gym!  Bring your checkbook or credit card for all kinds of GREAT auction offerings!
Sunday, November 10 - Corpus Christi Catholic School Colors Sunday - all students who wear their Mass uniform to Mass at CC Parish earn a free dress down pass!  See Mr. Chromy for a pass while you are at Mass.  
Monday, November 11 - Veteran's Day Celebration - 1:45 PM - please invite your veteran family and friends to join us as our school honors those that have served so boldly! SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR OPENS Today!  More info to come! 
Monday, November 25-Friday, November 29 - THANKSGIVING BREAK!  :)
Sunday, December 1 - First Sunday of Advent
Monday, December 2 - Friday, December 20 - Advent Celebration in Gym EVERY Morning at 7:40 AM

PLCS Schdule and Themes for the Next Few Weeks:
- Preschool/Pre-K PLC - 6:30 AM - lead by Jen
- K/1/2 PLC - Mondays at 10:30 AM - lead by Kim
- Middle School PLC - Tuesdays at 12:00 - lead by Maureen
- 3/4/5 PLC - Thursdays at 11:10 AM - lead by Maureen

• Week of October 28th - even though it is the 5th week to make up for our lost PLC for next week with the theme - Effective Teaching Part #1 - we will be taking a "test" of effective vs ineffective teaching practices.  As we all have ineffective teaching practices that we use on a regular basis- our objective for the week is to have at least 2 practices we are willing to work on changing! 
• Week of November 3 - Effective Teaching, Part #2 - the objective of this PLC is to once again distinguish between effective and ineffective teaching practices - please bring your notes on how you are working toward highly effective teaching. Remember our goal is not to be perfect but to be MORE effective than you already are!  :) 

Diocesan Committees

Team members please mark your calendars for meetings at the diocesan office!
- ACI Team - November 5 - 2-4 PM

Have a BLESSED Week!