November 27

Celebrations

• **I really like having Alex here full time! I appreciate Travis continuing to be approachable and allow teachers to have autonomy in their classrooms.
• **Cindy and Alexandria covered lunch duty when TAs were pulled to substitute. This only took 20 minutes out of their day and was so helpful!
• **Quarterly Planning Days have been a life saver! Time to process new learning and work side by side as a team allowed our grade level to get so much accomplished.
• Thank you to the YMCA for being flexible with the cafeteria space so we could have our meeting. Also, thank you to Melissa and Shannon for working with the YMCA with their learning spaces during the Early Release. 
• Kindergarten and Third grade collaborating with AIG department to utilize KIT enrichment with their students (celebrated 1st and 2nd last week). 
• Rachel leading the School Family assembly and the Specialists' leading an intentional follow up lesson to help us all grow in our understanding and use of Positive Intent!

** From the feedback responses. 

Creativity

Friends and Family Board:  We will be creating a staff Friends and Family Board in the workroom.  Add your friends/family photo to the google folder here. We currently have 15% of our staff's photo.  Encourage your students to send in a picture of their friends/family to be displayed in your room on a bulletin board, book within your Safe Place, etc.  The Friends and Family Board builds community and connection, and links the home family with the School Family.

Student and Staff Awesomeness -- Check out what our team is doing in their classrooms -- via Twitter - @underwoodgtm -- #weareunderwood Keep up the great work! 

Collaboration

Conscious Discipline tip:  Using visuals helps promote a sense of safety.  Have your class brainstorm all the events happening between now and the holidays occurring during the school day that vary from the daily schedule. (holiday performances, grade level events, etc).  Then collaboratively they illustrate and write a description for each event....turning it into a book that is read daily.  As events occur, that page of the book is taken out.  This helps prepare students for the events, teaches the passage of time and the predictability will help students stay in a higher brain state.  Q3/Q4 elective placements can be found here.  Please email Ashley with any feedback.  If you envision needing any materials for upcoming electives, please submit your requests on the Instructional Funds form as soon as possible since magnet money has to be spent by Winter Break. NCTIES 2018 is getting geared up for another exciting conference year.  This year's conference theme is "What Box".  We hope NCTIES 2018 will help you leave the box behind. If you are interested in attending this conference that integrates technology with your daily work complete the following interest form by December 1st. The conference is March 1st and March 2nd (February 28th is a pre-conference) more information is available at http://www.ncties.org/.  Learning, Technology and the Future. : December 1, 2017 6pm EST-10pm EST Online Virtual 30 minute sessions...lots to choose from each half hour. Attend a few sessions or one every half hour. Listen and learn or engage in interactive chat during each presentation. Earn CEUs. Relevant to WCPSS and Underwood despite being based in New Zealand and Australia. See Tanya with questions or for more information. "Free, online conference. Share with and learn from other educators across Australia and New Zealand. Hear from inspiring speakers. Get tips and tools to help students get future ready, boost collaboration and productivity in the classroom." - Click on Link for more information.

Media Center --  Be sure to see Tanya or Andrea about reserving space in the media center. We have a ton of groups working in there this year (yea!!) and we want to make sure that the media center space is accessible, but also the calendar is as accurate as possible to avoid frustration. More info available at https://ugtmmediacenter.blogspot.com/. 

Accommodations for testing (IEP, 504, LEP) - Classroom teachers will need to review accommodations for students if - Testing accommodations --- submit settings form to secure a staff member that can administer the assessment in the appropriate setting per their plan

Critical Thinking 

Science Kits -- Now that Q1 is over, please send science kit refills needs for the unit you just finished to Tanya so we can get those ordered and ready for you to restock your kits before they get put away too deeply.

Magnet Materials -- Magnet money is available to enrich the Magnet content you teach. Use the Instruction Funds Form (Link ) to submit your request.

Feedback -- If you have more feedback (things that have worked or things that could be better throughout the school year) you would like for us to consider, please feel free to email, discuss or fill out this form. https://goo.gl/forms/XNwhdAo6gU8lOfck1

Feedback responses -- See Link to feedback to see responses to the staff's questions and feedback. This will continued to be updated monthly. 

PTA Stipend:  Just a reminder to spend your $100 PTA Stipend for instructional materials by December.  Provide a copy of your receipt attached to the reimbursement form found in the PTA Treasurer's mailbox. 

Communication 

Gates leading to the playground (K side and Glenwood Ave) will both now remain locked at all times.  We will notify parents and the community that that area is not to be used after school or on the weekend. If an emergency arises, the code is 0572.

Magnet Spotlight -  At anytime if you have work samples, displays or items that would be a great addition to the Magnet Display Cases (in front of the Media Center), please leave them on Ashley's table.  Be sure to label it with the elective course name.  

Staff Holiday Party
We are excited to invite our staff school family to a Holiday get together Friday, December 15th from 5-7 pm at Oak and Dagger at Seaboard station!  We will be sending out an Evite soon so that we can gather exact numbers.  Come join us for a time of joy, good friends and good food (beverages will be on your own but there will be a bar area in our semi private area).  We hope that many can attend this time to come together and celebrate the company of each other!

New, Free Conscious Discipline Webinars!  This week's free webinar is "Part 1:  Using Healthy Conflict to Teach."  Visit here for the details.

Link to Amazon during your holiday shopping and help Underwood!  Visit smile.amazon.com and then search and link to the charity:  Underwood Gt Magnet Elementary School Foundation.  Then .5% of eligible purchases will go back to our school!

Calendar:

November 27th - Book Fair 

November 28th - Moonlight Reading  
November 29th - Instructional Leadership Team meeting at Spring Forest Road 
December 5th - Business Meeting
December 15th-Staff Holiday Party 
December 21st - Early Release 
December 22nd - January 1st - Winter Break 

*Staff attended events listed here

November 20

Celebrations 

• Our fantastic Instructional Assistants that have been flexible in covering classrooms due to shortage in substitutes and teacher absences. Thank you for your continued flexible and focus on the students. 
• Cindy, Karen and Holly for continuing to keep the front office organized, supportive and calm. 
• Andrea Trowell, Elizabeth Mankin and Megan DeLong (k and 3rd grade parent) in setting up the Book Fair (which looks amazing). 
• Fifth grade in collaborating with fourth grade to utilize Afternoon Scholars to support level 2 students with the goal of grade level proficient. 
• First and Second grade teams collaborating with AIG to support the KITS programs. 
• Second grade team welcoming their families to the Thanksgiving feasts. 
• First grade team for continue to utilize Stem Challenges on Friday. 

Critical Thinking 

Moonlight Reading -- Would you like to be a guest reader during Moonlight reading? Readers would be 6pm, 6:25 and 6:55.  2-3 readers per time slot if possible. If interested add your name to the list -- Sign up sheet. 

Magnet Materials -- Magnet money is available to enrich the Magnet content you teach. Use the Instruction Funds Form (Link ) to submit your request.

Feedback -- If you have more feedback (things that have worked or things that could be better throughout the school year) you would like for us to consider, please feel free to email, discuss or fill out this form. https://goo.gl/forms/XNwhdAo6gU8lOfck1

Feedback responses -- See Link to feedback to see responses to the staff's questions and feedback. This will continued to be updated monthly. 

PTA Stipend:  Just a reminder to spend your $100 PTA Stipend for instructional materials by December.  Provide a copy of your receipt attached to the reimbursement form found in the PTA Treasurer's mailbox. 

Communication 

Gates leading to the playground (K side and Glenwood Ave) will both now remain locked at all times.  We will notify parents and the community that that area is not to be used after school or on the weekend. If an emergency arises, the code is 0572.

Early Release-  We will be meeting from 2:00-4:00 on Tuesday.  Agenda can be found here.

Magnet Spotlight -When tours enter your classroom, if you (or a student!) are able to take 30 seconds or so to explain what is going on to parents they are better able to process what they are seeing. These short pop-in visit help prospective parents "see" our dynamic program in action to gain a better understanding of the Gifted and Talented program.

Staff Holiday Party
We are excited to invite our staff school family to a Holiday get together Friday, December 15th from 5-7 pm at Oak and Dagger at Seaboard station!  We will be sending out an Evite soon so that we can gather exact numbers.  Come join us for a time of joy, good friends and good food (beverages will be on your own but there will be a bar area in our semi private area).  We hope that many can attend this time to come together and celebrate the company of each other!

New, Free Conscious Discipline Webinars!  This week's free webinar is "Parent cliffnotes for Conscious Discipline."  It might be a great one to share with the parents in your class.  Visit here for the details.

Underwood staff shirts- Ashley has cleaned out the Magnet closet and several "old school"  Underwood staff shirts were found.  If you would like one, they are yours! The bag is in the IRT/Magnet office.

Collaboration 

NCTIES 2018 is getting geared up for another exciting conference year.  This year's conference theme is "What Box".  We hope NCTIES 2018 will help you leave the box behind. If you are interested in attending this conference that integrates technology with your daily work complete the following interest form by December 1st. The conference is March 1st and March 2nd (February 28th is a pre-conference) more information is available at http://www.ncties.org/.

Media Center --  Be sure to see Tanya or Andrea about reserving space in the media center. We have a ton of groups working in there this year (yea!!) and we want to make sure that the media center space is accessible, but also the calendar is as accurate as possible to avoid frustration. More info available at https://ugtmmediacenter.blogspot.com/. 

Accommodations for testing (IEP, 504, LEP) - Classroom teachers will need to review accommodations for students if - Testing accommodations --- submit settings form to secure a staff member that can administer the assessment in the appropriate setting per their plan

Creativity 

Friends and Family Board:  We will be creating a staff Friends and Family Board in the workroom.  Add your friends/family photo to the google folder here. We currently have 15% of our staff's photo.  Encourage your students to send in a picture of their friends/family to be displayed in your room on a bulletin board, book within your Safe Place, etc.  The Friends and Family Board builds community and connection, and links the home family with the School Family.

Student and Staff Awesomeness -- Check out what our team is doing in their classrooms -- via Twitter - @underwoodgtm -- #weareunderwood Keep up the great work! 

Calendar:

November 21st - Early Release, School Family Assembly 9:30

November 22nd - 24th - Vacation Day and Holidays 

November 27th - Book Fair 

November 28th - Moonlight Reading  
November 29th - Instructional Leadership Team meeting at Spring Forest Road 
December 5th - Business Meeting
December 15th-Staff Holiday Party 
December 21st - Early Release 
December 22nd - January 1st - Winter Break 

*Staff attended events listed here

November 13th

Celebrations 

• Jill brought over materials from Washington Elementary to supplement our Robotics elective curriculum so more student can participate!  
• Heather and Alexandria's continued leadership leading our SIP team!
• Karen matted, laminated and cut our Q2 elective signs.
• Mr. Marrow and Mrs. Merritt for continued to keep our learning spaces clean, we hope to have our hired part-time custodian working upstairs soon. Paperwork has been turned in we are waiting for HR approval.  
• Sunshine Club for providing coffee and donuts for our business meeting!
• Alexandria leading our curriculum unpacking work through PTA sponsored half-day planning days. 
• Congratulations to our Teacher of the Year: Mrs. Rachel Frasier!
• Congratulations to our Teacher Assistant of the Year: Mr. Lance Lehning!

Critical Thinking 

Moonlight Reading -- Would you like to be a guest reader during Moonlight reading? Readers would be 6pm, 6:25 and 6:55.  2-3 readers per time slot if possible. If interested add your name to the list -- Sign up sheet. 

Magnet Materials -- Magnet money is available to enrich the Magnet content you teach.  Use the Instruction Funds Form (Link ) to submit your request.

Feedback -- If you have more feedback (things that have worked or things that could be better throughout the school year) you would like for us to consider, please feel free to email, discuss or fill out this form. https://goo.gl/forms/XNwhdAo6gU8lOfck1

PTA Stipend:  Just a reminder to spend your $100 PTA Stipend for instructional materials by December.  Provide a copy of your receipt attached to the reimbursement form found in the PTA Treasurer's mailbox. 

Lockdown Drill Follow-up - Awesome job on the lockdown drill!  The three uniform officers said it was "one of the best that they had seen"! 

• In a case of emergency and you need to contact the command center (front office) - call my office # 856-7666 x 21071 or my intercom #1104. This is the place where we would be working with security or the police in a real code red. 

Communication 

Just a reminder that it is imperative to check your elective rosters daily for the first week.  Changes happen daily.  When a change occurs, new elective schedules will be placed in homeroom teacher's mailboxes.

Magnet Spotlight -With tours and recruiting in full swing, take a moment to view your hall display.  Is it visually appealing?  Does it showcase our theme?  All displays should be labeled with a quick summary of the activity and the standards addressed 

Elective work displayed
with a labeled sign
(sign has description AND standards)

"Authors in the Making elective students wrote descriptive paragraphs based
on the writing of Margaret Wise Brown's The Important Book."  (The cover of the book and standards are outlined below that are aligned to the project)

Digital Literacy Requirements- As you prepare your lessons for the week, please ensure you have met the requirements you signed off on at the beginning of the year.  Andrea or Tanya are willing to work with you in planning these lessons.  Find the information here https://goo.gl/jhC5Zs

State Superintendent Message about PD for k-5 Math --- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGYhL-1gOXs&feature=youtu.be  - The link to the NC Educators Perspective survey mentioned in the video is here. Thank you for everything you do for our students. Be sure to think about and thank our veterans as we head into this long weekend. - Mark Johnson

Staff Holiday Party
We are excited to invite our staff school family to a Holiday get together Friday, December 15th from 5-7 pm at Oak and Dagger at Seaboard station!  We will be sending out an Evite soon so that we can gather exact numbers.  Come join us for a time of joy, good friends and good food (beverages will be on your own but there will be a bar area in our semi private area).  We hope that many can attend this time to come together and celebrate the company of each other!

New, Free Conscious Discipline Webinars!  Each Monday for the next four weeks, CD is offering  free webinar.  This week's topic is "Guiding the most challenging children" with Master Instructor Jill Molli.  Visit here for the details.

Collaboration 

NCTIES 2018 is getting geared up for another exciting conference year.  This year's conference theme is "What Box".  We hope NCTIES 2018 will help you leave the box behind. If you are interested in attending this conference that integrates technology with your daily work complete the following interest form by December 1st. The conference is March 1st and March 2nd (February 28th is a pre-conference) more information is available at http://www.ncties.org/.

Media Center --  Be sure to see Tanya or Andrea about reserving space in the media center. We have a ton of groups working in there this year (yea!!) and we want to make sure that the media center space is assessable, but also the calendar is as accurate as possible to avoid frustration. More info available at https://ugtmmediacenter.blogspot.com/. 
Creativity 

Friends and Family Board:  We will be creating a staff Friends and Family Board in the workroom.  Add your friends/family photo to the google folder here. We currently have 15% of our staff's photo.  Encourage your students to send in a picture of their friends/family to be displayed in your room on a bulletin board, book within your Safe Place, etc.  The Friends and Family Board builds community and connection, and links the home family with the School Family.

Student and Staff Awesomeness -- Check out what our team is doing in their classrooms -- via Twitter - @underwoodgtm -- #weareunderwood Keep up the great work! 

Calendar:

November 14th - Leadership Team meeting 
November 16th-Conscious Discipline Staff Cohort 7:45am, Media Center
November 21st - Early Release, School Family Assembly 9:30

November 22nd - 24th - Vacation Day and Holidays 

November 27th - Book Fair 

November 28th - Moonlight Reading  
November 29th - Instructional Leadership Team meeting at Spring Forest Road 
December 5th - Business Meeting 
December 21st - Early Release 
December 22nd - January 1st - Winter Break 

*Staff attended events listed here

November 6

Celebrations

• Welcome back Jamika!
• Big thanks to Star, Pat, Lauren, Melissa, Heather P, Cheryl, Jenny, Christine, Mallory, Alexandria for attending the Magnet Fair!  Your attendance helped provide parents with valuable information to learn more about our amazing school!
• Travis completed his 3rd Spartan Race this weekend!  12.5 miles!!!
• Christine, Alexandria and Amy for providing coverage so teachers can have time to debrief with Kim Hughes after their coaching session this week!
• Celebrating the elective teachers and students that presented at our Quarter 1 Elective Share!
• Prior to the first day of Quarter 2 electives, 14 teachers had their elective letters uploaded to the website and 18 teachers had created their elective signs!
• Ashley was selected as a helper for the week long Conscious Discipline Advanced Institute in Florida in February! And Rachel Frasier was selected to attend as a participant out of hundreds of applicants for one of the coveted 40 seats.
• Kellie, Rachel, Melissa, Lauren and Jamika are coming together to support the social-emotional needs of first grade students by pushing into the first grade specials block when they don't have an assigned class. #relationshipsmatter  #teamwork

Critical Thinking

CD Cohort feedback needed-Please complete the quick google survey found here to help us identify our focus for this year's CD Staff cohort!  

Feedback -- If you have more feedback (things that have worked or things that could be better throughout the school year) you would like for us to consider, please feel free to email, discuss or fill out this form. https://goo.gl/forms/XNwhdAo6gU8lOfck1

PTA Stipend:  Just a reminder to spend your $100 PTA Stipend for instructional materials by December.  Provide a copy of your receipt attached to the reimbursement form found in the PTA Treasurer's mailbox.  

Communication 

Digital Literacy Requirements- As you prepare your lessons for the week, please ensure you have met the requirements you signed off on at the beginning of the year.  Andrea or Tanya are willing to work with you in planning these lessons.  Find the information here https://goo.gl/jhC5Zs

Q2 Elective Needs: 

•  Due to the quick turn around of electives, please complete your elective sign found here by Friday, November 3rd.  Ashley will print/laminate/cut and put sign in your mailbox to be hung up by your door. Course descriptions can be found here if needed.
• Q2 elective letters can be added to the elective letter website.  If you need help, you can watch the screencast here. Be sure CC standards are included that will be covered in your elective that align to the grade level(s) of the students in your elective. 
• Elective curriculums can be taken out of the file cabinet.  Be sure to check the upstairs workroom for additional elective materials.  
• We DO have magnet money to spend for materials that align and enrich the elective content you teach.  Please submit all requests on the Instructional Funds Document (uni-news, forms tab on the left side). 

Collaboration

3:1-- Travis, Andrea, Tanya and Alexandria met on Monday, October 30th to learn about Wake County's plan to distribute devices from the 2013 Bond.  Once received we will be distributing 24 Chromebooks per grade level, 2 to the IDMod 1 and 2 classrooms, and 17 for the specialists.  We have also created a plan to add more iPads and/or Chromebooks in other areas.  If you would like to be a part of this team (MTAC) to help make these decisions, please email Andrea or Tanya.  

Health Room Form -- Please be sure to complete the Health Room Form  when sending a student up to the front office. It is helpful for us to keep data on number of occurrences, patterns, and other information to assist in problem solving. 

Accommodations for testing (IEP, 504, LEP) - Classroom teachers will need to review accommodations for students if - Testing accommodations --- submit settings form to secure a staff member that can administer the assessment in the appropriate setting per their plan.

Creativity 

Friends and Family Board:  We will be creating a staff Friends and Family Board in the workroom.  Add your friends/family photo to the google folder here. .  Encourage your students to send in a picture of their friends/family to be displayed in your room on a bulletin board, book within your Safe Place, etc.  The Friends and Family Board builds community and connection, and links the home family with the School Family.

           

Calendar:1

November 7th-Business Meeting, Report Cards go home 

November 10th - Holiday 
November 16th-Conscious Discipline Staff Cohort 7:45am, Media Center
November 21st - Early Release, School Family Assembly 9:30

November 22nd - 24th - Vacation Day and Holidays 

November 27th - Book Fair 

November 28th - Moonlight Reading  
December 5th - Business Meeting 
December 21st - Early Release 
December 22nd - January 1st - Winter Break 

*Staff attended events listed here