January 29th

Celebrations!

• We were able to complete (and survive) a full week of school! 
• Star, Rachel and Karen will be hosting a team of teachers from Fuquay-Varina ES to learn more about Conscious Discipline this week!
• Jen Williams is going to be an Online Facilitator for NC State's MOOC (Massive Online Open Course) Foundations in Reading for people seeking continuing education credits!
• Mallory recently was a Panelist at the NETA conference for the breakfast for PBS on the importance of early childhood education and Moderator for Learning with PBS Kids "Exploring Arts and Creativity with Pinkalicious and Peterrific" Virtual PD!
• 4th and 5th grade completed the NC Check-Ins that were online! Way to go Alexandria for taking the lead on this process! 

Communication 

Elective Updates:

• If you haven't completed your elective sign or uploaded your elective letter for Q3, please do so asap.
• Q3 electives will start as scheduled on Monday, January 29th.  Check your rosters daily for the first week.  All elective changes can be submitted here  

Eschools:  Please be sure to complete your evaluations in Eschools, so they are feeding into your transcript to renew your license!  

PD Opportunity:  Are you interested in revisiting Discovery Education or exploring for the first time? Sign up is easy and first class is Wednesday Feb. 7th at central office - it will be fun connecting with other educators in our county!   See this link for more information-  Presentation

Collaboration

Technology Request -- If you have a technology problem that you would like to be looked at complete the Tech Help request and if on-site staff is unable to fix then they would be submitted to district help desk.  If you are need of a equipment  be sure to complete Funds Request form . This would be for cords, bulbs, ink, batteries, etc.

EDCAMP Wake -- Our Carroll Magnet Middle School community is proud to host the biannual EdCamp Wake the morning of Saturday, March 24. I hope you will be able to attend this fantastic event which always provides ample learning, sharing and collaboration opportunities. Everything is free and the here is the link. We hope to see you in a few months! 

Critical Thinking 

Spotlight on Students - The Spotlight on Students is a recognition ceremony for 5th graders at Underwood who have either overcome a challenge, or made significant personal and/or academic growth, and also show positive character traits.  Please see the attached form for a list of criteria that can be used when choosing students. 

If there is a 5th grader that fits this description, please email Amy the name and 3-5 sentences about that student and why they are being recognized.  All nominations are due by 3pm onThursday, February 8th.

Behaviors - be sure that you are documenting both minors and majors behaviors after they occur. This information is used to make decisions, used to see if there are patterns and are used to report incidents to admin as well as central office (student due process)

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. 

Creativity

Lego Club-We will be having an after school K-2 LEGO Engineering club starting on Wednesday, February 21st from 3:45-5:15pm (running 8 Wednesday afternoons).  If you are willing to let the club meet in your classroom, let Ashley know.  Also, if you would like to nominate a K-2 student to participate (we have one scholarship spot; all names will be entered into a random drawing; parents need to be able to pick up at 5:15pm), let Ashley know.  In the spring, we will have a Grades 2-5 LEGO Engingeering club opportunity.

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

PDP Midyear -- All certified staff members need to meet with their unassigned evaluator to complete their mid year reviews prior to January 26th. See Mallory or Travis if you have questions or to set up your meeting.  Travis's Sign-up link and Mallory's Sign up link

Calendar:

January 29th-Q3 electives begin

January 30th-Q3 elective letters uploaded

January 31st-Blessings team meeting, 12:00pm

February 6th-Report Cards go home

February 6th-Business Meeting 7:45am
February 6th - ILT Day 3 Meeting 

February 9th-Early Release and School Family Assembly; 9:30am

February 10th-Winter Carnival; 11-3pm

February 15th-CD Cohort; 7:45am

February 22nd-Spotlight on Students Breakfast; 8am

February 27th-Interims go home

*Staff attended events listed here

January 22nd

Communication 

Broadway Beat Theater Production is Tuesday night (the 23rd) at 7pm.  Hope to see you there!

Elective Updates:

• Q2 elective report cards should be completed by Thursday, January 25th.
• Elective slips will be printed and given to homeroom teachers on January 25th.
• Q3 elective signs should be completed by Friday, January 26th.  Access here.  Ashley will print/mat/laminate for you.
• Q3 electives will start as scheduled on Monday, January 29th.  Check your rosters daily for the first week.  All elective changes can be submitted here.
• Q3 elective letters uploaded to the website by Tuesday, January 30th.

Volunteer Registration - (please add to your memberhub announcements - it will also go out in our parent email. 

This is a friendly reminder that any adult that would like to volunteer in our school or attend any field trips as a chaperone, are required to be a registered volunteer with Wake County Public Schools.  Volunteer registration must be filled out each school year.  It does not roll over.  Volunteer registration must be completed in a WCPSS school.  Volunteers list the schools they would like to volunteer at on the form.  If you have students at multiple schools make sure you list each school.  Thank you so much for helping support our students.   

January 30th Business Meeting is cancelled.  We will meet February 6th at 7:45am.

Lunch Monitor Reminders:  You should be getting students up 2 minutes prior to the end of their lunch time. This allows time for the tables to be washed prior to the next group coming in.  Also, it is important to be circulating around all areas of the cafeteria.

Eschools:  Please be sure to complete your evaluations in Eschools, so they are feeding into your transcript to renew your license!  

Collaboration

CAM Docent Program will begin at the end of January.  Selected 5th grade students will go on five consecutive Tuesday afternoons for training after school, followed by presentation opportunities to the general public during First Friday Evening Events at CAM.  If you are able to come attend and help, please sign up here.  

Technology Request -- If you have a technology problem that you would like to be looked at complete the Tech Help request and if on-site staff is unable to fix then they would be submitted to district help desk.  If you are need of a equipment  be sure to complete Funds Request form . This would be for cords, bulbs, ink, batteries, etc.

Critical Thinking 

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. 

Creativity

Lego Club-We will be having an after school K-2 LEGO Engineering club starting on Wednesday, February 21st from 3:45-5:15pm (running 8 Wednesday afternoons).  If you are willing to let the club meet in your classroom, let Ashley know.  Also, if you would like to nominate a K-2 student to participate (we have one scholarship spot; all names will be entered into a random drawing; parents need to be able to pick up at 5:15pm), let Ashley know.  In the spring, we will have a Grades 2-5 LEGO Engingeering club opportunity.

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

PDP Midyear -- All certified staff members need to meet with their unassigned evaluator to complete their mid year reviews prior to January 26th. See Mallory or Travis if you have questions or to set up your meeting.  Travis's Sign-up link and Mallory's Sign up link

Calendar:

January 23rd-SIP meeting
January 25th-Q2 elective report cards due
January 26th-Q3 elective signs due/completed in folder
January 29th-Q3 electives begin
January 30th-Q3 elective letters uploaded
January 31st-Blessings team meeting, 12:00pm
February 6th-Report Cards go home
February 6th-Business Meeting 7:45am

*Staff attended events listed here

January 16th

Celebrations 

• Congratulations to Ashley Cooper who was selected to present in Orlando, Florida in July at the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) on Conscious Discipline!
• Travis and Amy are covering a class so Kim's coaching debriefing sessions can happen this week....so helpful!
• 
  

Communication 

Broadway Beat Theater Production is Thursday night at 7pm.  Hope to see you there!


Spelling Bee -- Congratulations to Kate Kirkland on being this year's spelling bee winner. Congratulations to Kash Higgins for finishing runner up. Both of them did a fantastic job. Thank you Jen Page for organizing, Charlotte Nagy for being the pronouncer, and to Shannon Tant and Mallory for being judges with me. 

Come to the CD Cohort on Thursday, January 18th at 7:45am in the Media Center. Our focus will be reflecting on how our relationship with our own emotions and how it affect the children in our lives.

Volunteer Registration - (please add to your memberhub announcements - it will also go out in our parent email. 

This is a friendly reminder that any adult that would like to volunteer in our school or attend any field trips as a chaperone, are required to be a registered volunteer with Wake County Public Schools.  Volunteer registration must be filled out each school year.  It does not roll over.  Volunteer registration must be completed in a WCPSS school.  Volunteers list the schools they would like to volunteer at on the form.  If you have students at multiple schools make sure you list each school.  Thank you so much for helping support our students.   

January 30th Business Meeting is cancelled.  We will meet February 6th at 7:45am.

Lunch Monitor Reminders:  You should be getting students up 2 minutes prior to the end of their lunch time. This allows time for the tables to be washed prior to the next group coming in.  Also, it is important to be circulating around all areas of the cafeteria.

Eschools:  Please be sure to complete your evaluations in Eschools, so they are feeding into your transcript to renew your license!  

Collaboration

CAM Docent Program will begin at the end of January.  Selected 5th grade students will go on five consecutive Tuesday afternoons for training after school, followed by presentation opportunities to the general public during First Friday Evening Events at CAM.  If you are able to come attend and help, please sign up here.  

Technology Request -- If you have a technology problem that you would like to be looked at complete the Tech Help request and if on-site staff is unable to fix then they would be submitted to district help desk.  If you are need of a equipment  be sure to complete Funds Request form . This would be for cords, bulbs, ink, batteries, etc.

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 

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. 

Creativity

Lego Club-We will be having an afterschool K-2 LEGO Engineering club starting on Wednesday, February 21st from 3:45-5:15pm (running 8 Wednesday afternoons).  If you are willing to let the club meet in your classroom, let Ashley know.  Also, if you would like to nominate a K-2 student to participate (we have one scholarship spot; all names will be entered into a random drawing; parents need to be able to pick up at 5:15pm), let Ashley know.  In the spring, we will have a Grades 2-5 LEGO Engingeering club opportunity.

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

PDP Midyear -- All certified staff members need to meet with their unassigned evaluator to complete their mid year reviews prior to January 26th. See Mallory or Travis if you have questions or to set up your meeting.  Travis's Sign-up link and Mallory's Sign up link

Calendar:

January 15th-MLK Holiday (No school)
January 16th-Reflections Breakfast 8am (media center)
January 18th-CD cohort 7:45 am
January 23rd-SIP meeting
January 25th-Q2 elective report cards due
January 29th-Q3 electives begin
January 31st-Blessings team meeting, 12:00pm
February 6th-Report Cards go home
February 6th-Business Meeting 7:45am

*Staff attended events listed here

January 9th

Celebrations 

• Congratulations to Clara Merritt on January 23, WCPSS and the Wake County School Board will be honoring you for your nomination for our Employee Excellence Award. They will be presenting this award at the Board meeting which will begin at 5:30 pm.
• Behavior data (August - January) - last year we had 374 referrals (112 majors and 262 minors) - this year 198 referrals (57 majors and 141 minors). 
• Staff and students for bearing with the lack of heat in our building on Tuesday and Wednesday. As was mentioned before, not the ideal learning environment, but we were able to make it work. 
• Melissa Goto - Nominated for WCPSS First Year Teacher of the Year 

Communication 

Volunteer Registration - (please add to your memberhub announcements - it will also go out in our parent email. 

This is a friendly reminder that any adult that would like to volunteer in our school or attend any field trips as a chaperone, are required to be a registered volunteer with Wake County Public Schools.  Volunteer registration must be filled out each school year.  It does not roll over.  Volunteer registration must be completed in a WCPSS school.  Volunteers list the schools they would like to volunteer at on the form.  If you have students at multiple schools make sure you list each school.  Thank you so much for helping support our students.  

All communication about your snow day hours (logging time, leave forms, etc) is due to Cindy by January 19th. Email will be sent out at the beginning of the week for more specifics, we are seeking out a couple of answers prior to sending out to staff. 

January 30th Business Meeting is cancelled.  We will meet February 6th at 7:45am.

Journalism Elective

Elective registration will be January 10th for 3rd grade and January 11th for 2nd grade.  Ashley will communicate times via email. 

Lunch Monitor Reminders:  You should be getting students up 2 minutes prior to the end of their lunch time. This allows time for the tables to be washed prior to the next group coming in.  Also, it is important to be circulating around all areas of the cafeteria.

Eschools:  Please be sure to complete your evaluations in Eschools, so they are feeding into your transcript to renew your license!  

Collaboration

CAM Docent Program will begin in January.  Selected 5th grade students will go on five consecutive Tuesday afternoons for training after school, followed by presentation opportunities to the general public during First Friday Evening Events at CAM.  If you are able to come attend and help, please sign up here.  

Technology Request -- If you have a technology problem that you would like to be looked at complete the Tech Help request and if on-site staff is unable to fix then they would be submitted to district help desk.  If you are need of a equipment  be sure to complete Funds Request form . This would be for cords, bulbs, ink, batteries, etc.

Critical Thinking 

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. 

Creativity

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

#NCsnowchat -- Some Underwood staff members participating in the #NCsnowchat on Thursday and Friday during our snow days. Click on the hashtag to see the conversation. 

PDP Midyear -- All certified staff members need to meet with their unassigned evaluator to complete their mid year reviews prior to January 26th. See Mallory or Travis if you have questions or to set up your meeting. 

Calendar:

January 9th-SIP meeting
January 10th-Magnet Open House, 10am/12:30pm/6:30pm
January 11th-Theater Production, 7pm
                    -Q2 electives end  (Electives down Jan. 15-26)
January 15th-MLK Holiday (No school)
January 16th-Reflections Breakfast 8am (media center)
January 18th-CD cohort 7:45 am
January 23rd-SIP meeting
January 25th-Q2 elective report cards due
January 29th-Q3 electives begin
February 6th-Business Meeting 7:45am

*Staff attended events listed here

January 2

Celebrations

• Alexandria, Travis, Christine for helping with elective registration!
• Sunshine Club for organizing the sweater contest, secret santa, and treats for the holiday. 
• If you didn't get a staff photo on Thursday, please come see me and we have one for you. 

** From the feedback responses. 

Communication 

Lunch Monitor Reminders:  You should be getting students up 2 minutes prior to the end of their lunch time. This allows time for the tables to be washed prior to the next group coming in.  Also, it is important to be circulating around all areas of the cafeteria.

January 2 Business Meeting has been moved to January 30.

Elective registration will continue with 3rd and 2nd grade this week  Ashley will be in touch with scheduling details via email.

Eschools

Please be sure to complete your evaluations in Eschools, so they are feeding into your transcript to renew your license!  

Collaboration

MTAC -- Why MTAC? 

Underwood's newly formed Media Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC) will have our first meeting on Thursday, January 4 at 7:45 in the media center. Coffee will be served!

If you are interested in serving on our MTAC, let Andrea or Tanya know. We are hoping for the following representatives - admin, K-1, 2-3, 4-5, specialist, and parent. 

CAM Docent Program will begin in January.  Selected 5th grade students will go on five consecutive Tuesday afternoons for training after school, followed by presentation opportunities to the general public during First Friday Evening Events at CAM.  If you are able to come attend and help, please sign up here.  

Technology Request -- If you have a technology problem that you would like to be looked at complete the Tech Help request and if on-site staff is unable to fix then they would be submitted to district help desk.  If you are need of a equipment  be sure to complete Funds Request form . This would be for cords, bulbs, ink, batteries, etc.

Mid Year PDP - Mid year PDPs will need to be conducted by January 26th. The administrator that is not the person that did your first observation will be meeting with you to go over your mid-year review. Be sure to write a short paragraph (2-5 sentences) that gives details about where you are in meeting your goal and/or steps that you are going to take second semester to meet your goal. Mallory and I will send up a sign up sheet to the people that we are to meet with via email by January 3rd. 

Teacher Assistants - Teacher Assistant Training - Jan. 16 In collaboration with the Wake County Teacher Assistants Association, the Office of Professional Learning is hosting a session designed specifically for Teacher Assistants: Building Capacity as Teacher Assistant to Offer Instructional Support in the Classroom. The session will focus on behavioral intervention strategies and will be held on Jan.16 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in room 1400 B of the Crossroads II building. TAs should register in eSchools with SRN#183011903. Participants will receive a letter of recognition for attendance. Enrollment is limited to 70.

Critical Thinking 

Readvolution: Remember to remind and encourage students to keep reading and logging books in the Hurricanes Readvolution app found in the WakeID Portal over break. Our school has only logged 658 entries so far. That is way under 2 books per students since Readvolution began.

The 3-1 Student Device Integration - ES course is now live in Learning Central. Teachers and staff at your school will not be automatically enrolled. All teachers who are receiving Chromebooks as a part of the 3-1 device rollout are expected to complete the 3-1 Student Device Integration - ES course by the end of the 17-18 school year (6/30/18). I will forward the information to all teachers that this applies to as the computers should be coming in the spring. The district has identified the make and model. 

ECU Offers New Online Master of Arts Program - Apply by Feb. 1
East Carolina University is offering a one-year online Master of Arts in Education program for practicing teachers. A new cohort for elementary school teachers begins in Summer 2018. The cohort for middle school teachers begins in fall 2018. Middle school teachers in the program may choose from a concentration in English, Math, Social Studies or Science. Elementary teachers entering the summer cohort may choose from Teacher Leadership, Academically and Intellectually Gifted or Teaching English as a Second Language. The deadline to apply for either cohort is Feb. 1, 2018. GRE or MAT test waivers are possible if an applicant has been teaching for 10 or more years or if the applicant is an ECU graduate with a GPA of 3.3 or higher. Check out these Google docs for more information on the program or contact Carol Greene, greeneh@ecu.edu.

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. 

Creativity

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

Calendar:

January 9th-SIP meeting
January 10th-Magnet Open House, 10am/12:30pm/6:30pm
January 11th-Theater Production, 7pm
                    -Q2 electives end  (Electives down Jan. 15-26)
January 15th-MLK Holiday (No school)
January 16th-Reflections Breakfast 8am (media center)
January 18th-CD cohort 7:45 am
January 22nd-Workday
January 23rd-SIP meeting
January 25th-Q2 elective report cards due
January 29th-Q3 electives begin
January 30th-Business Meeting 7:45am

*Staff attended events listed here