GLM+11-16-11


 * SK Grade Level Meeting Minutes **
 * November 16, 2011 **

Overall the conferences went well and the parents were the most prepared this year having read the report card ahead of time.
 * Conferences: **
 * Green Sheet – ** We found the green sheets not always easy to incorporate into the conversation and sometimes ran out of time. Some of us talked about the goals with most of the parents and then filled the sheet out afterwards. We felt that since the goals were already stated in the report card, it was redundant then to go over them and pick two for each student. It was especially awkward to talk to parents of students that didn’t need it. We think it should be for struggling students or students that need a plan in place and the goals would then be the next steps taken. Bonnie actually forgot to use it with her first two conferences and had to call them about it after conferences.

We thought the new updated program was much easier to use when writing report cards so thank you for that. We did find reading the report cards online very difficult. We also found it even more difficult to correct them online so we had to print our own copies in order to make changes. We felt that reading them online changed the whole tone of how we read them and errors were missed and suggestions for rewording sentences were not made as readily.
 * Report Cards ** :

Judy is going to email Nancy about the set-up time being 8:30. Please get your items to Judy’s room by 8:00 so Nancy can pick up the cart and take it to Mellowes Hall. We will meet there at 9:00. Sue needs to check the power point because Judy could only account for 18 of her 19 students. Judy also said she had an extra one in her class without a name. Judy will go down a little early to make sure the power point is ready to go. Thanks Judy! We will sing first, eat, and then read the power point //I’m Thankful// pages. Pierson/Karrels class will go first, followed by McMinn, then Jeffers/Hardwick.
 * SK Feast: **

We came up with the following additions to our SK curriculum since 2008: Science Notebooks Guided Reading Literacy and Math Centers Switched from D’Nealian to Zaner-Bloser Blogs Sue will email them to Judy Block. Thanks Sue!
 * Major Changes in PP: **

On Wednesday, November 30th please bring your curriculum maps and your computers. We will spend time filling out that map for Sherry that is due that afternoon. We will then search science sites to enhance our science curriculum and update our assessment. We will complete our science map. We will then look at our report cards for T1, T2, and T3 and make sure all the skills that we want are listed. We found several skills missing from T1 and Bonnie called Sherry with the changes the Friday were off writing them. Sue also found two other skills that were left off and had to add those back in. When we meet at our next curriculum writing we will start to work on Social Studies.
 * Curriculum Writing: **

Each class will need to make 8 signs to hand out at assembly on December 5th. Do we want to invite PK and JK? If not, then Judy and I will share our mittens so Sue’s class can hand some out.
 * Mitten Tree Assembly: **
 * Signs – PK/JK – Jeffers/Hardwick **
 * 1st/2nd - McMinn **
 * 3rd/4th – Pierson/Karrels **

Bonnie spoke with Karey Schroeder (Director of Development) at COA and she will meet Judy Clegg at 8:10 in the MS lobby. Judy will take her down to the theater and help her get set up. SK will sit on the carpet in front of the stage. Bonnie will introduce her and she will speak for about 5 minutes and then show a 3 minute video about their organization. We will then show our power point which will last about 5 to 10 minutes. We have to come up with a plan by Friday. Then the SKers will take the stage and sing their mitten song. Afterwards, we will have select students from each class hand out the signs to all the teachers advertising our service project and the collection dates. Bonnie will make the changes to the Mitten note that will go home in this week’s FF. She will print them off for LS and put them in their mailboxes. She will also make changes to the label that goes with each mitten and email it to everyone. The collection dates will be from December 6th -20th. At 11:15, we will meet in the Ells conference room to share our results with Karey from COA. Bonnie emailed Sherry to reserve Ells for that date. This means we have to count everything before lunch. Afterwards we will head downstairs with our sleeping bags for the movie. Judy will reserve a TV for the playroom.

Bev can meet us in the Tower Room on Monday, December 5th anytime between 1 and 2 to read //The Mitten// and then demonstrate her knitting skills. Do we want to do this?

We would like to go bowling on Friday, January 6th with the winners from the raffle. Bonnie will make the changes to the note and get them to Judy and Sue to put in FF’s this week.
 * Christmas and Holiday Shop Raffle: **

We are going to do the decorated clipboards and winter themed pencils again. Bonnie will place the order for the clipboards with the School Store ASAP and then order pencils from Oriental. Judy and Sue are going to make picture frames for the parents as gifts. Bonnie is thinking of doing the same or staying with making bookmarks.
 * December Gift Ideas: **

We are really concerned about our budget and what we are being charged for printing on the DDC. We feel the charges are way too high. We are each going to keep track of how many copies we make on the DDC and compare it to what we are being charged. None of us use it that much.
 * Budget: **

We will vote by December 9th and schedule it the following week. We will talk on November 30th and pick a date the second week of January.
 * Economics Unit: **

We are going to get him a $50.00 gift card to AMC. Anna is going to pick it up this weekend. Please give her $10.00. Bonnie will pick up a gift bag and a card. We will fill it with sweet treats and the gift card and give it to him next Tuesday after school.
 * Raul’s B’Day: **

All of SK will practice on Friday, December 9th from 8:30 to 9:15 in the Ells Conference room. Preprimary will practice on Thursday, December 16th from 8:30 to 9:30 in the theater.
 * Holiday Sing Practices ** :

Judy handed out an article titled “Word Walk” and talked about how she is using it in her room. She also shared some of the highlights from the conference and explained how each Grade Level LA Department head will pilot the program in their classrooms this year using the Daily 5 and Café. Then if SK through 4th decides to go with it, SK will spend time over the summer learning how to use it with Judy’s help. Judy also gave Sue and Bonnie a copy of //The Daily 5 Workshop// book that she had Carolyn buy for us. She also has a video that she is going to pass around for us to watch. Thanks Judy, it sounds interesting.
 * LA Conference: **