12/10- Ms.Williams

12/11- Ms. Sears

12/16- Ms. Gross

12/27-Ms. Shrestha

12/28- Ms. Niverba

12/29- Ms. Schlorb

12/31- Ms. Paishon

"Should our students go outside for recess or stay inside?"

According to the wellness policy #1450:

• All elementary school students will have daily, supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which schools should encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity through the provision of both space and equipment. In the Administration #1450.1 Procedures Revised: 11/8/07; 9/28/09; 2/13/12; 12/23/15; 6/28/17; 11/19/19; 6/10/21 Page 3 of 6 event that the school must conduct indoor recess, teachers and staff will follow indoor recess practices that promote physical activity for all students.

• Weather-related Guidelines
• The Principal or their designee should make the decisions regarding indoor recess. The decision is made based on temperature, humidity, wind chill, air quality, and the condition of the playground.
• Children will not be outdoors with the temperature including the wind chill is below 32 degrees or when the heat index is higher than 95 degrees or the air quality is code red. CCPS may issue additional guidance for outdoor activities.

LEAVE

• When putting in leave in EAC please reminder to identify the time frame for coverage if you only need a few hours.
• Final call for emergency sub plans!

If you were here last year, you know the Hot Cocoa Bar was a huge hit! So, lets bring it back! It will be held on December 16, 17, and 18. If you would like to bring something sign up here:

From Administration

• Congratulations to Kristin Ashby for earning her National Board Certification! Way to go!
• Thank you to Carla for holding down the office on Wednesday even directing responses to our students and who needed and was available to respond.
• Thank you to all our SPED teachers for working hard and being so flexible.
• Shout out to our team that navigated a difficult IEP with an advocate this week and being able to truly show PAC has the best practices in place to support students even if they don't have an IEP.
• Thank you to Ms. Schlorb for giving TLC to staff members when they need it.
• Thank you to Ms. Paishon and Ms. Hammett for organizing our secret Santa.
• Thank you Ms. Harbold for revising our RED tool for the Sp. Ed Team
• Thank you Ms. Brashears and Ms. Thompson for revising their schedules to support students in the Appeal building.
• Ms. Matthews for providing opportunities for students to show off their progress and read to staff.
• Ms. Thompson, Ms. McDermitt, Ms. McDermott, Ms. Seltzer, Ms. Smith and Ms. Sison for all their hard work and data collection shared and maintaining a positive mindset for a second grade student's IEP meeting even when it became a bit contentious. They were amazing!

From Behavioral Health Team

• To Avis Weems for solving the Nancy Drew like mystery of the missing golf cart.
• To Nancy Murphy and Robin Read for bringing theater to youth of America.
• To Donna McLaughlin, Beth Lanier, Peggy Waldheim, Dana Shepherd, Melissa Freytag, Debra Baker, Kathleen Thompson and Lori Skikorski for answering the bat signal and volunteering to read student essays.
• To Caitlin and Nadia for meeting and collaborating about student behaviors.

From Beth Lanier

• Allison Treadway for sorting, labeling, and delivering all of the PAC Music shirts. Thank you so much for taking this on for the second year in row. Your help is truly appreciated!

From Kim Paishon

• Grace MacDonald- Thank you so much for helping me with the kindness tree. Your perfect writing made the ornaments amazing! And thank you for always being willing to jump in and help when needed!
• Lori O'Donnell- Thank you for always making sure the PLC fridge and microwave stays clean! Also, thank you for helping to put up some of the ornaments on the Kindness tree! It looks amazing!
• Victoria Embrey- Thank you for always helping me clean up after potloucks/birthday dessert day!
• Erin McPhillips- Thank you for coming in to check on me during your planning time after hearing a disruption in my class.
• Grace, Donna, and Dana- Thank you to all 3 of you for EVERYTHING! Especially getting my room back in order for the kids and I!
• Erin, Dorie, and Embrey- Thank you to the 3 of you for bringing in the desserts for the December birthdays! They were yummy!
• Also, thank you everyone who is participating in the Secret Santa, potluck, Hot Cocoa Bar, and Ornament/Kindness Tree!!!!

PAC received 3 out 5 stars this past school year. We showed improvements with Academic Achievement and School Quality and Student Success. Please take a few minutes to review our report card. However, we still have more work to do. 😀

The i-Ready research and CCPS data from last year show that 30 – 49 minutes and 2-3 lessons passed per week led to stretch growth being achieved.

Can you believe that the math SWA2 is coming up right after Christmas break? My how time flies! Students will be assessed January 8th - 15th. See the information below from Dawn Cain's Midweek Math Snack to ensure that your students are ready for testing.

If you are "perfectly on pace", you will likely be working in the Lessons indicated below on Monday, December 9th.

K = L10

1 = L10

2 = L12

3 = L15/16

4 = L15

5 = L16/17

• If you are just 1 lesson away from the target, that's fine, keep going, you're still in a good instructional spot.

• If you are 2 lessons off of the scheduled pacing, take a closer look at your pacing to see what can be done to get back on schedule so you don't get farther and farther away from targeted pacing.

• If you are 3+ lessons away, please reach out and let us support you by helping you to build a recovery plan.

  
  

Reminder: The systemwide benchmark assessment begins on Jan. 8. Check your Pacing Guide in Schoology to see which Lessons will be included.

Creating accessible course materials ensures that all students, including those with disabilities, have equal access to educational content. Just because students can access materials, it doesn't always mean they are usable. By considering accessibility from the start, teachers can foster an inclusive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed. Accessible materials not only benefit students with disabilities but also enhance the learning experience for everyone.

1. Use Headings and Styles: Utilize built-in heading styles (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2) to structure your document. This helps screen readers navigate the content easily.
2. Add Alt Text to Images: Provide descriptive alternative text for images, charts, and graphs so that screen readers can convey the information to visually impaired users.
3. Use Descriptive Links: Instead of "click here," use descriptive text for hyperlinks (e.g., "Read more about accessibility tips").
4. Ensure Sufficient Contrast: Make sure there is a high contrast between text and background colors to improve readability.
5. Use Lists: Use bullet points or numbered lists to organize information clearly.
6. Include Table Headers: When using tables, always include headers to help screen readers understand the table structure.
7. Use Simple Language: Write in clear, concise language to make the content easier to understand for everyone.
8. Check Document Structure: Use accessibility checkers available in word processing software to ensure your document meets accessibility standards.

1. Avoid Using Images of Text: Screen readers cannot read text within images. Use actual text instead.
2. Don't Rely on Color Alone: Avoid using color as the only means of conveying information (e.g., "items in red are important").
3. Avoid Complex Tables: Try to keep tables simple and avoid merging cells, which can confuse screen readers.
4. Don't Use Flashing Content: Avoid content that flashes or blinks, as it can be distracting and may cause seizures in some individuals.
5. Avoid Using All Caps: Screen readers may interpret all caps as acronyms, which can be confusing.
6. Don't Overuse Fonts and Styles: Stick to a few fonts and styles to maintain readability and avoid confusion.

By following these tips, you can create documents that are more accessible and inclusive for all students.

Need support or want to learn more?

Contact Sheila Gearhart

Technology Integration Specialist

gearharts@calvertnet.k12.md.us

Book an Appointment

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