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Prairie Dog Dispatch
Weekly Staff Bulletin
Friday May 17th:
- Mrs. Shaw led our 4th and 5th graders in a musical performance at the Ferris Theater!
- We celebrated our wonderful SLP Mrs. Dunavan!
- Mrs. R Brown's kinders use songs and movement to learn their heart words!
- We moved to doubles pickball in PE with Mr. Cloninger!
- 5th graders with Mrs. Campbell are working on metal artwork!
- Mrs. Dunne's second graders work together on different math activities and centers!
- Mrs. Shaw practiced with all students for our spring concerts next week - see information below!
- 1st graders with Mrs. Lorimer talk about how to create a welcoming community for everyone!
Principal Update
In recognition of my commitment to ongoing growth and improvement, I am continuing a practice that will involve all principals annually asking their building staff for input on their leadership attributes. The purpose is to provide each principal an opportunity to understand the perceptions of staff as they reflect on areas of strength and how best to improve. I am requesting that you complete a survey on my leadership attributes. The results of the survey are for my personal use as a leader and your answers are kept confidential. Thank you in advance for your time helping me grow!
Principal Leadership Survey (2023-24)
May:
- TPEP Due (May 31)
- Class Placement (due May 24)
- SBAC Testing (May 6-24)
- Schoolwide Discipline Plan Review (May 23)
June:
- Move-up Conversations (June 3)
- EOY Writing Samples (by last day of school)
- EOY Check Out (June 6 Staff Meeting)
Highlighted Updates & Ongoing Reminders
Monday's collaboration next week is employee directed at 7:45 am. Remember that classroom placements are due by Friday May 24th. Kate, Tad, and Leah will be reviewing for final balancing/challenges at that point with lists shared with teams by Friday May 31st.
Office staff support: please reply back when a request is made for a student over the intercom and please notify the office of any temporary changes to your schedule so we can find you/students when needed!
REMEMBER TO CLEAN YOUR OWN DISHES IN THE STAFF LOUNGE. Please also clean out the drain in the sink if your dish cleaning leaves food scraps.
Final Prairie Dog Dash total = $27,618. WHOA! Pizza parties for classes who earned them will be in the afternoon on May 30th.
Starting in fall 2024, MobyMax will no longer be purchased as a district-wide tool. HWT will also no longer be approved for use as we adopt Really Great Handwriting. See the May 10th Newsletter for more details on both.
Bringing in a guest speaker? You must submit for approval by Kate. Use the form linked here.
See April 12th's newsletter for upcoming literacy trainings this spring and during Summer Institute. Linked here.
Know a student who is moving? Please let the office know ASAP!
- New supervision schedule continues! Please check the schedule weekly.
- Please remember to include all health plans, safety drills, and updated information in your sub folders/plans.
Second Semester Grading & Reporting
The elementary report card will soon be active in TeacherEase (if not already). Grades are to be entered in the Report Card Tool by June 7 so that, on or after June 10, report cards can be printed and sent home with students on June 13 (rather than the district date of June 14th - the last day of school). Here are the 23-24 SPS Elementary SBGR Important Dates.png
A few reminders about grading and reporting:
- The resources for grading are all in one place on SharePoint: General Grading-Reporting Resources
- K-5 Sample Report Cards
- To support the completion of report cards, a How to Finalize and Print Report Cards.pdf and a Generating TeacherEase Report Cards.mp4 have been created to help lead teachers through finalizing, generating and printing second semester report cards for sending home.
- It is also important to print and file a copy of students’ report cards for each semester and place it into their cumulative folders.
- If you are missing a student from your roster in TeacherEase please submit a Help desk ticket ASAP (well before June 7th) so that it can be corrected.
Counselor Support and Growth
55 Hours Tracking - Due May 24th
The spreadsheet is due to HR by May 24th (next Friday). After, I will email them the names of any staff who miss the June 3rd and/or June 10th Monday collaborations.
The total hours you are paid for is 55. That includes:
- 35 hours of PLID time (August days, October, February)
- 6 hours of conferences outside contract time (3 for August, 3 for January)
- 5.5 hours of building PD time outside contract hours (1 hr family event, .5 training in September, 2 hr in Nov/Dec, 2 hr in March)
- 8.5 hours of Monday collab time (7:45 - 8:00)
Here is the link to the spreadsheet that has been shared in this newsletter every week for you to track. The first tab shows all hours (totaling 46.5) other than Monday collab times. You can see if you are missing any and should reach out to me if you haven't already. Make-ups are due May 23rd! The second tab is collab Mondays (totaling 8.5 but still missing .75 for next three Mondays), check that you are marked present for all you were here for. Notify me by May 23rd if there looks to be an error.
Missed Monday collaborations this semester? You will receive an email later in June with make-up instructions. My understanding is it will be the same as the first semester make-up.
Bloom Fridays are back!
EOY Writing Sample
- The sample should be scored using the same rubric that your grade level has been working with this year, and the rubric should be stapled to the sample (with your final score).
- Please organize the writing samples into piles for your class based on next year's teachers, then bring to the office.
- We will house them until the fall. The amazing Gigi Lemmon made folders for us to put them in!
Writing Portfolios are still an expectation, so next year we will be discussing what this looks like year round. See your grade level leadership team representative with questions!
Really Great Handwriting - Trainings
TRAINING:
For teachers who would like to learn more about using Really Great Handwriting, we are offering the following PERT-eligible training opportunities. Please communicate to your K-2 teachers.
- June 4, 3:30 - 5:00 PM (Virtual) - Register here!
- Summer Institute, August 14, 2:00 – 3:30 PM (In person) - Complete Summer Institute literacy-track interest survey here!
- Additional training opportunities will be provided in the fall of the 24-25 school year.
SPS Night with Spokane Velocity
Spokane Velocity Host Spokane Public Schools Night on May 25, Discounted Tickets Available
Spokane Public Schools staff and families can purchase discounted tickets to the May 25 Spokane Velocity game at ONE Spokane Stadium! Come see Spokane's newest professional sports franchise at the brand new, voter-supported downtown stadium! Find tickets here.
Important Dates to Remember
- Monday May 20th: State testing grades 3-5, employee-directed collab @ 7:45 am, Prairie Dog Monday, ILT meeting 3:10 pm
- Tuesday May 21st: State testing grades 3-5, MTSS Tier 2 @ 3:10 pm, Spring Concert K-2nd grade @ 6 pm
- Wednesday May 22nd: State testing grades 3-5, Spring Concert 3rd - 5th grade @ 6 pm
- Thursday May 23rd: State testing grades 3-5, staff meeting @ 7:40 am
- Friday May 24th: State testing grades 3-5, 5th grade visit to Chase @ 9 am, K-2 Second Chance Ranch Visit
- Monday May 27th: No School
- Tuesday May 28th: Silverwood Tickets Distributed, 2nd Grade CYT Field Trip, State Testing Make-ups
- Wednesday May 29th: Kate out AM @ Leadership, 1st Grade CYT Field Trip, State Testing Make-ups
- Thursday May 30th: Kindergarten Mobius Field Trip, Prairie Dog Dash Pizza Parties
- Friday May 31st: State Testing make-ups, Friday Fridge Dump, Top Dog Awards, ASB Spirit Day (Animal Day - dress in animal print, colors, accessories), Special K-2 Assembly at 10:45 AM
You can find the calendar for the 2023-24 school year here. This may help with planning for this year!
Thank you to Summer Beers for running the Prairie Dog Dash for the last 6 years. We are so grateful for all you have done for this fantastic event!
Moran Prairie Elementary School
Email: katehe@spokaneschools.org
Website: https://www.spokaneschools.org/moranprairie
Location: 4224 E 57th Ave, Spokane, WA 99223, USA
Phone: 509.354.3700