Sunday, April 28, 2019




April/May




This Week
Monday
* Libby Summative Reflections
* Administer iReady diagnostic

Tuesday
* Steinher/Graham to Castlewood Canyon
* Administer iReady diagnostic

Wednesday
* Hoff/Anderson to Castlewood Canyon
* SD: Placement

Thursday
* Jenny admin meeting

Friday
* 3rd Grade Science Day at Cimarron

Reminders
* K-4 teachers, please administer iReady Reading diagnostic Monday or Tuesday. Only 5th graders on a READ Plan need to complete this and they do not need to do Math. Please administer Math by Friday. Please look at your results and be ready to update plans by May 8th. We will also write new READ plans for anyone who falls below the cut score:

* Please acknowledge your Summative Evaluation by April 30th.

* Please make sure all DRA/F & P data is entered in IC in two places.

* All licensed staff must upload all transcripts into Workday. You must upload all college and university transcripts for your highest degree earned and any credits after that degree. This task must be completed by May 1st.

Strategic Plan
Douglas County School District staff members are encouraged to attend an upcoming meeting to learn more about how staff input is being incorporated into the creation of DCSD’s new strategic plan. Attendees will learn about the strategic plan themes that have been generated from staff and community feedback, so far, and have the opportunity to provide input into the Strategic Plan Framework.


Parker
Monday, May 6 | 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Legend High School
22219 Hilltop Road, Parker

Staff Development Schedule for the Remainder of the Year
* May 1: Placement
* May 8: Write new READ goals and new plans if needed
* May 15: Placement & EPRs
* May 22: Staff meeting @ 7:30 - End of Year Celebration - All staff are welcome to attend

Please welcome our new building engineer Josh Jaeger. His first day will be Thursday, May 2nd. 

Happy Birthday
Stacie Martino - May 2nd
Kim Cohn - May 2nd
Mel Berry - May 5th

Go For the Gold
* Thank you Karen Petty for an entertaining talent show!
* Thank you Karen Warner, Kerry Dazzio, Shelbi Westra and Kathryn Kramer for helping set up for the talent show!
* Thank you Fat Friday team for the delicious taco bar!
* Thank you Mel, Megan and Justin for administering CMAS make-ups!
* Thank you Leadership team for your time and input!

Golden Nuggets
Morning Announcements: Hagerty
Lounge Duty: Dazzio/Warner

Sunday, April 21, 2019


Congratulations to Carly Roberts on the birth of her baby girl Frankie Todd Roberts!

April






This Week
Monday
* Jenny Summative Reflections
* 10:45 - 12:15 CMAS 5th Grade Science (4th & 5th will switch lunch times)
* 1:30 - 3:15 CMAS 5th Grade Science

Tuesday
* 7:30 Leadership Team Meeting in the Gold Mine Room
* Libby Summative Reflections
* 1:00 Jenny admin meeting

Wednesday
SD: CITE 6 & Placement

Thursday
* Jenny Summative Reflections

Friday
* 9:00 - 10:00 Talent Show for Red & Gold
* 10:10 - 11:10 Talent Show for Black & White
* Fat Friday - Cinco de Mayo taco bar!

Reminders
* In staff development this week, we will enter CITE 6 data. Please come with your data ready to input. We will also look at placement. Please take a look at your placement grid as we made a few changes.

* K - 4th grade teachers, please administer the iReady Reading diagnostic April 29th or 30th, and Math by May 3rd. 5th grade teachers only need to administer Reading for students on READ plans. 5th graders do not need to take the Math assessment. 

* Summative reflections begin this week. Please take a look at your EOY board prior to our conversation. It will be updated by the Friday before your meeting. 

Talent Show
The talent show is this Friday, April 26th. Half day and full day kindergarteners are welcome. All performers will need to be at both dress rehearsals. There will be two shows:

9:00 - 10:00 - Kdg A, Kdg B, 5A, 5B, 4A, 4B, 3A, 3B, 3E, 2A, 2B, 1A, 1B
10:15 - 11:15  - FD K 1 & 2, 5C, 5D, 4C, 4D, 3C, 3D, 2C, 2D, 1C, 1D

3rd - 5th grade teachers, specials teachers will supervise your classes during the show during your planning time. Kindergarten will have normal specials in the morning. PM specials' times will stay the same.

Staff Development Schedule for the Remainder of the Year
* April 24: Input CITE 6 data and Placement
* May 1: Placement
* May 8: Write New Read Goals and New Plans if Needed
* May 15: Placement & EPRs
* May 22: Staff Meeting @ 7:30 - End of the Year Celebration - All Staff are Welcome to Attend

Go For the Gold
* Thank you Karen Petty for our Earth Day sing-along!
* Thank you Megan Fleet & Justin Brakefield for going to Outdoor Ed!
* Thank you Mel and Megan for all of your help with CMAS make-ups!

Golden Nuggets
Morning Announcements: Broecker
Lounge Duty: Westra/Fleet






Sunday, April 14, 2019



Congratulations Jamie Marchese for winning the Light & Heart award for mentoring! Thank you Jenny Brown and Megan Wallace for your work with our Interact club!

APRIL



This Week
Monday
* 8:40 - 9:50 CMAS - 4th Grade Math
* 9:00 - 10:20 CMAS - 3rd Grade Math
* 10:45 - 12:15 CMAS - 5th Grade Math
* Outdoor Ed - Lautenbach & Leuschner

Tuesday
* 9:00 - 10:20 CMAS - 3rd Grade Math
* 10:45 - 12:15 CMAS - 5th Grade Math
* Outdoor Ed - Hagerty & Broecker

Wednesday
* 10:45 - 12:15 CMAS - 5th Grade Science
* 1:30 - 3:15 CMAS - 5th Grade Science (4th & 5th grades will switch lunch times today)
* SD: Placement
* 4:40 - 6:30 Feeder SAC Meeting

Thursday
* 10:45 - 12:15 CMAS - 5th Grade Science
* 2:00 Earth Day Assembly grades 1 - 5

Friday
No School!

Reminders
* Please have your class lists updated by Tuesday at 9:00. Please make sure students are color coordinated and DRA/F & P info is included. Continue to look at the parent information as it updated daily.

* Please enter the parking lot through the entrance, not the exit.

* Thank you for a great first week of CMAS. Please make sure your devices are charged each day.

* If you would like to contribute books for our new moms, the baskets will be behind Anita's desk through next week.

* The seating chart for our Earth Day assembly will be in your box next week.

* We look forward to our end of year reflections! Please take a look at your EOY board prior to our conversation. It will be updated by the Friday before your meeting.

Staff Development Schedule for the Remainder of the Year
* April 24: Input CITE 6 Data *Please Bring Your Data
* May 1: Placement
* May 8: Write New READ Plans *Please Bring Your Data
* May 15: Placement/EPRs
* May 22: Staff Meeting @ 7:30 - End of the Year Celebration - All Staff are Welcome to Attend

Go For the Gold
* Thank you Megan Fleet and Kristi Barta for covering a class and administering CMAS!
* Thank you Social Committee for the amazing baby shower!
* Thank you Cindy Bell for covering crosswalk and being flexible every day!
* Thank you Megan Fleet for your help with CMAS make-ups!

Thank you Social Committee for helping us celebrate our mamas!

Golden Nuggets
Morning Announcements: Lautenbach
Lounge Duty: Kramer/Poli

Sunday, April 7, 2019



Congratulations to Michelle Anderson on her son's wedding!
Congratulations to our Apple award representatives, Bree Roon and Christy Dismang!

April 2019







This Week
Monday
8:45-10:30 CMAS - 3rd Grade ELA
10:45-12:30 CMAS - 5th Grade ELA
1:15-3:00 CMAS - 4th Grade ELA

Tuesday
* 7:30 Lab Cohort in the Gold Mine room
8:45-10:30 CMAS - 3rd Grade ELA
10:45-12:30 CMAS - 5th Grade ELA
1:15-3:00 CMAS - 4th Grade ELA

Wednesday
Staff Development - Revise Year Long Plans
8:45-10:30 CMAS - 3rd Grade ELA
10:45-12:30 CMAS - 5th Grade ELA
1:15-3:00 CMAS - 4th Grade ELA

Thursday
8:45-10:30 CMAS - 3rd Grade Math
10:45-12:30 CMAS - 5th Grade Math
1:15-3:00 CMAS - 4th Grade Math
* Jenny admin meeting

Friday
8:45-10:30 CMAS - 3rd Grade Math
10:45-12:30 CMAS - 5th Grade ELA
1:15-3:00 CMAS - 4th Grade Math


Reminders
* Please sign up for your summative if you have not done so already.

* Please check workday.  Human Resources is asking that you upload ALL of your transcripts, including your work in Douglas County, degrees and endorsements.  This is needed for compensation discussion that is currently happening in our District.

* Please make sure your blog is updated for April.

CMAS 
* Please see the CMAS schedule above.
* Please remind your students to be quiet when walking in the halls.


Staff Development
* Below are practices that support students with dyslexic traits.



Link to dyslexia resource from the University of Michigan.

Staff Development Schedule for the Remainder of the Year
* April 10: Revise Year Long Plans
* April 17: Placement
* April 24: Input CITE 6 Data * Please Bring Your Data
* May 1: Placement
* May 8: Write New READ Goals Please Bring Your Data
* May 15: Placement/EPR
 * May 22 - Staff Meeting @ 7:30 - End of Year Celebration - All Staff Are Welcome to Attend


2020 State Science Standards 
2020 CO Science Standards show significant content shifts at the elementary level.  Click here for an overview.  Please email Jenny if you are interested in attending a PAID District summer training to learn more.  We are able to send one representative at each grade level. See more information below.

July 23 - 25 Summer Science Workshop  at Cresthill Middle School @ 8:00 am - 3:30 pm
    • July 23  - Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd
    • July 24 -  3rd, 4th, 5th


Staff Joining GRE in 2019-2020
We have already hired incredible staff for next year who are eager to join our team! Below are their names and contact information.  I encourage your to reach out to them and welcome them.  I know that they would all appreciate hearing from you!



We are in the process of hiring a kindergarten teacher.  That teacher may teach PM kindie or full day.  If we receive funding from the state for full day kindergarten, this teacher will teach full day.

Placement Process
Below if our placement process that was communicated to our parent via my weekly push out.  Please make sure that all parents send input to me via an email.  This allows us to track feedback throughout the summer.




Creating balanced classes that meet the needs of all students is a difficult endeavor.  This process involves hours of thoughtful dialogue between classroom teachers, administrators and other staff members. We know that creating a strong learning environment is essential to students’ success and we therefore take this responsibility seriously. Please be assured that we take each child into consideration. Please see our process below.

·   Teachers identify the social and academic needs of each student.  They refer to existing data and record pertinent information to assist them in their decision-making.

·     Teachers meet as grade level teams to form class lists that are balanced.  Balanced classrooms meet each student’s academic, social and emotional needs.  Teachers consider each child’s personality, academic strengths, needs and friendships. Learning specialists, the specials team and administration also collaborate with classroom teachers to provide feedback.

·     Each grade level team submits a draft of class lists.  I review final lists to ensure all parent input has been considered. Classroom teachers approve any changes I suggest given parent feedback to ensure classes remain balanced. 

·   Class lists are finalized in mid July to reflect the addition of students joining Gold Rush in the summer.

This process is consistent across grades K-4. Our 5th grade team collaborates with the teachers at Cimarron Middle School to ensure students’ success in 6th grade.

We strongly believe that this detailed and collaborative process creates learning environments that benefit all students. Please remember that our ultimate goal is to create classes that promote the success of each child.  Please also know that your child is placed in a classroom for specific reasons and that our process benefits all students.  Because of the input and thought given by teachers, parents and administrators, we are reluctant to make changes once this process is complete. It may be hard to believe, but moving one child can disrupt the balance of an entire classroom. 

We do value parent input and welcome any insight you wish to share about your child’s strengths, needs and learning style.  We will take into consideration all pertinent information that you share with me on or before Friday, April 26th.  While we welcome your input, we cannot honor specific teacher requests.  Please put your thoughts in writing and address them to me (Jenny Brown).  I will accept either a letter or email (jjbrown@dcsdk12.org).

I cannot express enough how important it is that your thoughts are in writing.  As you can imagine, I receive a great deal of parent input and verbal information is difficult to track.  I also prefer that you direct this communication to me, as I am ultimately responsible for reviewing final class lists in July when teachers may not be available.


Happy Birthday
Mandy Miller - April 8th
Pam Ditus - April 9th

Go For the Gold
* Thank you Karen Petty and Kerry Dazzio for presenting at the Board meeting!
* Thank you team leaders for your input and feedback for next year!
* Thank you Kerry Dazzio for your work with the district art show!

Golden Nuggets
Morning Announcements: Leuschner
Lounge Duty: Wright/Kaufman


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