December 4th

Celebrations

• **Having the school join together for a gathering is nice
• Thank you  Brenda Herb for providing light to our staff bathroom down at the k/1 hallway, it is greatly appreciated by the staff
• Shannon McKenna has been supporting our ELL students in fifth grade 2 times a day!  
• Alissa and Amanda are working with Girls on the Run!
• Sara Goldberg met her students to see the movie Wonder!
• Heather Peaden, Glendia Bryson-Jacobs, Lauren Mann, Ceil O'Loughlin, Mallory Mbalia, Star Davis, Rhonda Miller, Charolotte Nagy, Jen Williams, Travis Shilling, Sherry Pollock, Cheryl Wright, Kellie Harris shared their favorite stories at the book fair!  
• Staff that attended the book fair!!!

** From the feedback responses. 

Collaboration

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.

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 

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. 

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. 

Digital Portfolio - WCPSS has created a two day workshop to support the inititave of Digital Portfolios. Underwood will be sending four classroom teachers (as is all Wake County Schools) to be trained in implementing student digital portfolios. There will be two sessions starting in January to provide the supports to implement digital portfolio starting in the 2018-19 school year. If you are interested please email Travis by this Friday.  

Communication 

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!  

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!

A few updates!!

• IOWA testing is next week (December 6th and 7th) from 11:30-12:15.  Please move quietly through the hallways at this time (especially upstairs). 
• During the week of December 11th, central office staff members will be doing walk-throughs at Underwood (specifically literacy and MTSS).  We wanted all of you to be aware that you may have individuals pop in your classrooms.  
• Early Release -  December 21st-  An agenda will be coming, but please be prepared to bring an artifact that you are using in your classroom from the work you have been doing with unpacking the standards.  Staff will have an opportunity to share their process and use of the artifact.  

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:

December 5th - Business Meeting
December 15th-Staff Holiday Party 
December 18th- Instructional Leadership Team meeting 
December 21st - Early Release 
December 22nd - January 1st - Winter Break 

*Staff attended events listed here