TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
Weekly Memo: 5.2.16 (T-MINUS 20 DAYS)
WE LOVE OUR TEACHERS/STAFF @ LTN354!
This week we will make known our sincere appreciation for the women and men who bring out, inspire, and actively look for the AWESOME in our students!!! Words fail to capture the sizable difference teachers/educators make in the lives of children, world-wide. Far too often, we get caught up in all of the challenges our school environments experience and forget to celebrate the remarkable opportunities we create with children, daily. Let's try a different approach this week!
This week, I challenge you to travel back to a time when the smallest, insignificant, learning moment with a child was enough to fill up your satisfaction tank for an entire week. Do you remember the name of the first student you taught to read? I do! His name is Kenneth Tucker. He was diagnosed with a specific learning disability in Reading. Yet, despite that indictment on his future opportunities, at the age of seven, he finally mastered diphthongs, digraphs, blends, and r-controlled vowels. I clearly recall the look on his face when he began outperforming the other students in my self-contained special education classroom. He walked taller, and spoke with more confidence. Even the rougher students in the class had to respect his classroom swagger. I also recall the tears of joy that flowed from his mother's eyes when her son was recognized by our locally run public TV spotlight as a "Super Student." That moment will stay with me forever.
I know it can difficult to remain in that warm and fuzzy realm of satisfaction when the work of urban educators increases in complexity each year. I often refer to teaching as a marathon: Just as quickly as you conquer one leg of the journey, you are forced to endure the next portion, often times without any breaks! For this, and so much more, I say thank you!
This week, I encourage you to pay attention to the small difference you make each day, for each of your students. They love you dearly, even when their behavior suggests otherwise. Thank you for taking such good care of the students who were given to you this year. They are blessed to have you in their corner.
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK! We could not have done this work with YOU!!
Weekly Highlights:
Walkthroughs and Formatives- Please remember to upload evidence of standard 6 if you are being observed for a walkthrough (10-15 minutes) and standards 5, 6, 10 for your second formative.
Monday: May 2nd
EOY testing continues (STAR MATH, IDI, HF)
HF WORDS/IDI Meeting with all K-2 teachers and 3rd grade teachers of ELA @ 3:00 pm in the Media Center.
Tuesday-Thursday: Field Day 2016
Thursday, May 5th
UVA- SRA Event- As shared at our last faculty meeting, we will participate in a day-long event with members of the AZ district team.
- Please be aware that emails will be sent out on Tuesday regarding your selection in the teacher focus groups on Thursday. There were still a few outstanding questions have not been addressed by the district team. We intend to have all schedules finalized by Tuesday afternoon.
Friday: May 6th
STAFF Luncheon provided by the PTA. Please eat and enjoy!!!
Student placement cards are due by COB 3:30 PM