Celebrations
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Staff Connection: Kelli Harris (Drama Specialist)
Ms. Kellie Harris has been teaching in Wake County since 1999. She graduated Cum
Laude from Meredith College with a
Bachelor's Degree in Theatre Arts and certification to teach Theatre Arts, K-12.
She minored in Math. Ms. Kellie has been
involved in Theatre Arts since the second
grade where she played the number zero
in her class play. It was then that she learned
the most valuable lesson in Drama - It doesn't
matter what part you get, it matters how well
you play your part. She continued exploring Theatre Arts in middle school where
she played her first leading role in The Dancers. In
high school, Ms. Kellie played many roles on stage and also started working backstage at
theatrical productions and dance concerts. She participated in the Junior Miss competition
as a high school senior, performing a monologue from the movie, The Grapes of Wrath,
as her talent. College brought many on stage and off stage opportunities and Ms. Kellie
took advantage of them all. She worked in costuming, scenery, lighting, props, sound,
acting, singing, dancing, directing, and, her favorite, stage management. She also loves
to read, write, make picture collages and calendars, do yoga and go to the movies. In
2014, Ms. Kellie married the love of her life, Tim, at the Outer Banks of North Carolina
and happily gained a bonus daughter, Rhonda. On July 15th, 2015, Ms. Kellie and her
husband had a beautiful baby girl named Stella Jean. She believes that being a mother
is the hardest, happiest thing ever - next to teaching, of course.
Each year we keep an ongoing document of awards received on behalf ofUnderwood, Underwood students or Underwood staff. Please notify Ashleyif you have anything to share!Shoutouts to the CDAT team efforts that have already happened this year to support behavior:
- 2 day staff training with Amy Speidel (August)
- 3 Safe Places established in Travis, Mallory and Amy’s office
- Creation of new Staff Safe Place/Lounge upstairs
- PRIDE Expectations reviewed: grade level assemblies (Q1), admin lead class meetings (Q2)
- New communication form between admin and teacher when student sent to the office
- Mentor Program established for students with staff mentor (October)
- Tiered behavior resource shared with staff (11/28)
- Quarterly data reviews: Case Managers review students reaching threshold (1+ major or 6+ minors within a quarter) ad share with grade level teams
- November 29th-Collaborative behavior session open to all staff to problem solve
- December 10th Trauma PD Opportunity: Alexandria, Ashley, Mallory, Megan
- Monthly TA meeting with a focus on new learning-Conscious Discipline
- Monthly CDAT meetings focused on the Power Webinars and deeper implementation
- Quotes/resources related to Conscious Discipline on the blog and daily message
- Quarterly School Family Assemblies to provide consistency in our commitment, language and connection to CD school-wide
- Revised Specialist cover letter to communicate about behavior with parents
- Coming soon! Helping Hands Program starting in January focused on 17 African-American boys to provide academic and social support through a mentorship model
- Mark your calendars: Staff outing February 13th-Resilience video at 6:30pm at Enloe HS (with dinner and drinks to follow to debrief!)
- Be on the lookout for Student Council members to produce a 5 part mini series for the morning news to reiterate the 5 steps to the Safe Place.
- It's coming along....our new sensory room to help children de-escalate and utlize other modalities for self-regulation
- Parent Education lunch and learn on bullying in February…..identifying warning signs and ways to help!
- Spring Early Releases will focus on a 3 part trauma webinar by Dr. Becky Bailey to support our highest needs students
- Parents leading Science Olympiad and the parents that just ended the 5 Points Fitness!!
Staff Connection: Kelli Harris (Drama Specialist)
Wish Well
- Jenny Snyder with returning to work from maternity leave
- Debra Gracey as she works through her knee injury
Communication:
Afternoon bus duty: Starting November 26th, look at the link on the google doc or listen for the all call.
(The bus program on the tv will NO LONGER be used)
Check the shared Underwood google team drive, folder-Daily absences and info for the preferred sub list.
Giving Tree - Underwood's Holiday Giving Tree is up! If you would like to assist a family with their holiday
gift needs, please come by Ms. Schnitzer's office and take a tag from the tree. We are asking parents and
staff to purchase gifts of a maximum of $30 per tag. Please wrap each gift and put the tag on the gift you
are giving, so we can keep track of your purchases. Please sign up to give gifts on a sign-up sheet in the
counselor's office.
Gifts are due by Monday, December 10th. All gifts can be brought to Ms. Schnitzer's office. Thank you
everyone in advance for your participation and for helping Underwood families!
Minor referrals should be communicated to parents about incidents that occur that you write up.
Building a relationship and opening communication with families is powerful. Major referral communication
to parents will be done by administration. Specialists will print the minor referral, along with the
updated cover letter with their contact information, and pass it along to the homeroom teacher.
This will allow the homeroom teacher to be aware of the incident and ensure the referral gets
home in a folder/bookbag.
Communication Challenge (2nd Quarter)- Update- This Wednesday please tally your grade levels
communication. This challenge is meant to increase communication (hopefully more positive with
parents). We are aware that many of you are already communicating on a daily basis with many
families. Link to the form. The categories for communication are: phone call; emails,texts,notes,
memberhub/newsletter, conferences. 1 point for a Memberhub newsletter - 2 points for an
individual family email - 3 points for face to face conference or phone call.
Readvolution
By Monday afternoon, all students will have received their information for their tickets to the
Hurricanes game if they read 800 minutes. If you need any help or have any parent concerns,
please reach out to Alexandria.
Helping Hands
We are excited to have the Helping Hands program return to Underwood! The program will be
an afterschool program to mentor some of our males in grades 3-5. The letters went home to
families and the interest meeting will be on Monday Dec. 10th in the Media Center. The mentors
are students from NC State University.
Ugly Sweater Contest and Secret Gift Giver
The Ugly Holiday Sweater will be open to all staff members. The competition and voting
will begin at 8:30am. If you work early care or another morning duty, staff members have
already offered to "tag in" so that you are able to participate and/or get breakfast. The winner
will receive the awesome trophy and a $25 gift card.
Secret Santa
The week of Dec. 17th-21st be a Secret Santa and deliver gifts to someone at school. The
limit will be $15 and you decide how you would like to spend your money...a couple of
little gifts, one big one, you pick! On (or by if you don't work Fridays) Friday, Dec. 21st
reveal yourself to your person. Please use this form to sign up and sign up by Wednesday,
Together we are better! Feel free to share feedback/celebrations anytime here
Creativity
Underwood Gives Back
As our time moves closer to our next ER day, please be sure you have had an opportunity to tie
up any loose ends for your day of giving back! If you have any questions or need any support,
please speak to Heather Burton or Alexandria Judge-Lenkeit
If you were absent on our last ER day, please see Alexandria to identify a group that you can connect
with for this day. If you are only part time, you can do something prior to the day’s event to support
the cause.
Let’s learn more about YOU!! In the celebrations section of this blog, we have been featuring our
new staff members in an effort to learn more about them. Now it’s your turn! We would like to
showcase all staff members throughout the course of the year. (These will also be archived in the
Team Drive). If you are willing, send Ashley 2-3 paragraphs as well as emailing me a picture of you!
Things you might want to mention:
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Family, Hobbies, Role at Underwood, What you love about being an educator, Past experiences
Family, Hobbies, Role at Underwood, What you love about being an educator, Past experiences
Critical Thinking
Admin aspirations? - NC Fellows Program is taking applicants until January 15, 2019. There are
also two info sessions along with fellow Unicorns that have been a part of the program or considered
it at one time.
NKT/AMC
If you need help setting up interventions with for your students and remembering how to
progress monitoring, please see Alexandria. Here is the link to the students in red and yellow.
This also includes students that are above the benchmark by the end of their grade.
Science Professional Development- If interested, check out this link.
Collaboration
United Way! - Please be on the lookout for your United Way link. The campaign is underway! Any
little bit helps! If you contribute please let me know. Your name will be entered for one of 3 Target
gift cards. Thank you so much for all that you do to support the community we serve.
Media Center- Keep in mind that we have the following resources/spaces that are open for you to utilize for your
classes and electives:
- Media Center: When you sign up your elective/class for the Media Center space, you have access to 24 Chromebooks and 10 iPads during your scheduled time. Contact Andrea or Elizabeth to sign up. Click here to view the Media Center Schedule
- 12 Magnet Laptops: These are for use with electives only, with priority given to Robotics. Sign up using the 12 Magnet Laptop Google calendar *
- *See Andrea if you do not have access or need assistance with this
There are a number of afterschool clubs going on: Fitness Club on Monday’s, TEK on Wednesday’s,
Conscious Discipline Corner
Quote of the week: Our intention drives our attention. Let's be mindful of our language.
- Stop swinging your lunchbox --> Hold you lunchbox down by your side or in front of you.
- Get your hands off the walls --> Look at the artwork with only your eyes.
- Don't hit or kick them anyone else --> Keep your body to yourself so you are safe.
- Look how you made her feel --> See her face. It's saying I don't like that. I need more space.
Resource of the week: The holidays can bring stress and disruption to daily routines. These times
can result in an escalation of stress and misbehaviors in the classroom. Maintaining structure and
routines during this time helps create predictability. Predictability helps create and maintain a felt sense
of safety. Visual routine books and pre-holiday rituals built on a healthy family model help support
children in managing the stress of holiday breaks. Managing the stress of your children during the
Important Dates Document- Please double check this against the school calendar.
December 3rd - 7th - IOWA Tests (3rd grade)
December 4th - Business meeting (agenda here)
-Q2 Interims home
December 5th-PLT
December 5th - Zoe’s Family Kitchen spirit night
December 7th-TA meeting at 7:45am (agenda will be emailed by Mallory)
December 11th - SIP / Leadership meeting
December 12th-PLT
December 14th-Holiday Staff Party (4:30-6:30 at the Pointe)
December 18th - Holiday Performance (Music/Dance-7pm)
December 19th-Ugly Sweater/Holiday breakfast at 8:00am
December 20th-CDAT Meeting 7:45am
-Holiday Performance (Band/Strings-7pm)
December 21st - Early Release (Community Service Project)
-3:30 Reveal yourself to your Secret Santa (if participating)
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