Continue to be thankful...

For some people, the next four weeks are some of the best weeks they have each year.  They are filled with laughter, joy, fun, etc.  These coming weeks are also weeks filled with stress, deadlines, COLD WEATHER...all the things that can bring stress.

What can you do to combat this? You can say THANK YOU! You can genuinely thank people for what they do for you and for the people you care about.  And you can also have conversations with others if you feel you need feedback/praise from them for what you are doing well.  This quick TED Talk focuses on how important these Thank Yous can be.  I hope everyone read their Thank You card.  They were all written by me and I meant each and every word.  Each of you bring an unique and wonderful gift to our school and we're a better place because of what each of you brings.

Hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Break and I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!                        - Angela

Week of Monday, November 26- Friday, November 30

Monday, November 26

• New Time: 7:45 AM Start Time and 3:10 PM End Time
• Hill, Salisbury and Lanham at NCDPI How Technology Departments Support School Safety Mtg. 9 am-2:30 PM
• New Arts Rotation Begins (K-8)
• FEO Mtg in Cafe at 8 AM and 6:30 PM
• 5th Grade Planning 10 AM- 11 AM
• Planning for Middle Grades Math (Ezell and Clough) 2-3 PM
• Planning for Middle Grades ELA/Humanities (Motsinger, Fiore, and Connors) 2-3 PM

Tuesday, November 27

• End of 1st Trimester
• SWYK 3rd Grade - Tuesday, November 27 from 7:45 - 8:15 in Cafe
• Admin Mtg 9-10
• Fall Middle School Student Development Day for 7th and 8th grades 9:00 AM- 2:00 PM
• 5th Grade PLC (PD Focus- Facilitated by Hill) at 10 am
• please bring your goal sheet for PDPs from October PLCs
• Builder's Club Mtg 11:30-12:00
• 3rd Grade Planning 12-1
• 4th Grade PLC (PD Focus- Facilitated by Hill) at 12 pm
• please bring your goal sheet for PDPs from October PLCs
• No AIT Meeting!
• Planning for Middle Grades Science (Ezell and Hughes) at 2-3 PM

Wednesday, November 28

• 2nd Trimester Begins
• SWYK 4th Grade -  Wednesday, November 28 from 7:45- 8:15 in Cafe
• PLC (PD Focus- Facilitated by Hill) 
• please bring your goal sheet for PDPs from October PLCs
• 8-9: Kindergarten
• 9-10: 2nd Grade
• 10-11: 1st Grade
• 12-1: 3rd Grade
• 1-2: Arts PLC *if you do not have goal sheets that's okay
• 2-3: Middle Schools
• BT Meeting/ Parent Conference Meeting at 3:30-4:00 in Cane's Studio (all new homeroom teachers/arts staff and BT will need to attend)

Thursday, November 29

• SWYK 5th Grade - Thursday, November 29 from 7:45-8:15 in Cafe
• Kindergarten Planning 8-9 AM
• Second Grade Planning 9-10 AM
• 4th Grade Planning 12-1 PM
• No AIT Mtg!

Friday, November 30

• 2nd Grade ELA Unit 3: Nonfiction Post Assessment
• Hill Out
• Kindergarten Planning 8-9 AM
• 1st Grade Planning 10-11 AM
• MTSS Team Monthly Meeting 1-3 PM
• Give 5: Please complete the sheet for any students by Noon!

Don't forget...

Grades Are Due Monday, December 3rd at 8 AM!!!

Count Your Blessings

Can you believe that we have completed 1/3 of the 2018-2019 school year?  😲Some days it feels like we have been in school for 100 days and then there are moments like right now that I feel that it has flown by. Maybe I have that feeling because I know we have only one fun filled PD day and then we're off for almost a week of fun and relaxation. 

I have FIVE QUICK things to share with you before the break...

1. If you have not completed and submitted needed artifacts for the October Missions you can do so up until November 22, 2018.

2. Tomorrow is a Mandatory Workday.  We will begin at 8 AM with TLaC Training in the Cafe and then begin A+ Training with some of wonderful A+ Fellows at 9 AM. Lunch break will be 11:30-12:30 and we will conclude by 3 PM.  Please dress comfortably so jeans are fine. 

3.

4. There will be a small token of appreciation and thankfulness in your box tomorrow.  Please check it after lunch or on your way out tomorrow.

5. Enjoy these few minutes of laughter to kick off this holiday season (video below).  Hope you don't have any 🐘 at your meal this Thursday!

Enjoy your Sunday and see you tomorrow at 8 AM!                                                   - Angela

Week of Monday, November 19- Friday, November 23

Monday, November 19

• Mandatory Teacher Workday
• 8:00-8:10   Enrollment Conversation with Joe
• 8:10-9:00    TLaC
• 9-3              A+ Training
• Lunch Break 11:30-12:30
• TCEA Board Mtg at 5:15 PM in Scriven's Studio

Tuesday, November 20

• Optional Teacher Workday

Wednesday, November 21

• School Closed for Students and Staff

Thursday, November 22: Thanksgiving

• School Closed for Students and Staff

Friday, November 23:

• Dickens Festival- please see Mr. Kline if you want to volunteer and help out

**** To make up lost time to storms, the students' days will be extended beginning Monday, November 26th.  It will not affect your hours.  We will still open the doors at 7:30 but will begin announcements and stop carpool at 7:45.  We will begin dismissal at 3:10 and at 3:20 each dismissal area will shrink to only essential staff to complete dismissal.  Please be flexible as we adjust to this new time and if you have any questions, please see me.******

🦎👏Chameleon Claps🦎👏

From Ms. Motsinger:

Shout out to Ms. Covington: Any time I have a question, or she senses I am off, she is quick to positively respond. She's a valuable asset!!!

From Ms. Brown:

Thank you to Ms. Akers for popping / bagging all the popcorn for the movie night. 

Thank you Mr. Kline for helping 1st & 3rd grade team organize the movie night. We exceeded our goal and raised $700 to fund our field trip! 

Thank you Mrs. Hill for being outside my door at the right time and stepping in to help with a student and tell me I’m where I need to be. 

Thank you K-4 for an awesome pot luck lunch!

From Mr. Kline

To the Arts team (and Mr. Thomas)for Tuesday’s and Thursday’s successful Middle School Arts Night!  🏾🥁

From Ms. Covington:

Huge Chameleon Claps to K-2 teachers have taken and implemented feedback into their lesson plans

Weir for going above and beyond with getting things together for the foster children that I support.

In observance of the brave...

In honor or our veterans and those still serving our country, please enjoy this video.  I know that many of you have served our country and/or have a family members that have served or are serving. Please know that your service is appreciated and your sacrifices will never be forgotten.

Below is one of my most favorite veterans...my grandfather.  He passed away 18 years ago but I will never forget his stories of Vietnam and his band of brothers he served with. He was so strong yet allowed us grand kids to get away with so much! He fought for the freedoms I am blessed with today and for that...I thank Grandpa Troop Tiger (his nickname).
KOREAN WAR..(segregated barracks ) VIETNAM WAR.
2 PURPLE HEARTS...OVER 27 YEARS OF SERVICE. 

Don't forget....
Here are the challenges for October 15- November 16:

Arts: Plan and execute an Arts Integration Lesson in Math and share out to staff in an email or social media post. Must include pictures and a piece for student work and if using on social media use the hashtag #tceaarts

Mission Completed: Earns a Mission Accomplished Stamp on your Mission File and a Jeans Pass.

Academic: Complete and document at least one of the strategies shared by Ms. Covington. Please follow the directions in the memo to share.

Mission Completed: Earns a Mission Accomplished Stamp on your Mission File and a visit from the Hoot! Hoot! Cart

Culture: Using the padlet write your own personal mission statement regarding the culture in your room/studio/space and post outside of your room. Take a picture of it and email to Mrs. Hill by 11/16. 

Mission Completed: Earns a Mission Accomplished Stamp on your Mission File and a room service

Personal: Think of someone at TCEA that deserves gratitude from you and send a Chameleon Clap to Mrs. Hill for the Sunday Blog.

Mission Completed: Earns a Mission Accomplished Stamp on your Mission File and a Coffee/Tea Delivery to your room/office.

Quick Picks:

•           Handy teacher helpers projected onto your screen:  https://classroomscreen.com/  
•            Need music to play for students while they work? Check out Vitamin Strings Quartet
•           Access tons of student interactives, learning tools, professional development materials and several other resources to use in class: http://www.readwritethink.org/

Week of Monday, November 12- Friday, November 16

Monday, November 12

• No School- Veterans Day
• Lesson Plans due at 8 AM

Tuesday, November 13

• Mr. Thomas at Test Coordinator Mtg in AM
• Admin Mtg 9-10
• MTSS PLC (facilitated by Ms. Samuelson)
• 5th Grade 10-11
• 4th Grade 12-1
• Builder's Club at 11:30-12
• 3rd Grade Planning 12-1
• Arts Integration Team Planning 1-2
• Cane- Pond
• Acosta- Strimel
• Marshall-Lanham Hill
• Planning for Middle Grades Science (Ezell and Hughes) 2-3
• Trimester 1 Middle School Electives Performance 6-7:30 PM
• Visual Arts, Music, STEAM
• Hill administrator on duty

Wednesday, November 14

• Vision Screening 1st & 3rd
• MTSS PLC (K-2: Pond Facilitator; 3-5: Samuelson; Middle School: Falls)
• K: 8-9
• 2nd: 9-10
• 1st: 10-11
• 3rd: 12-1
• Middle Grades: 2-3
• Hill leaves at 3:30 PM

Thursday, November 15

• 1st Grade Math Cluster 2 Post Assessment
• 3rd Grade Math Cluster 3 Post Assessment
• 7th Grade Math Cluster 2 Rational Numbers Post Assessment
• 8th Grade Math Cluster 2 Functional Reasoning Post Assessment
• Kinder Math Cluster 2 Post Assessment
• Hill at Principal Consortium @ Triangle Math & Science 8-3
• Kindergarten Planning 8-9
• 2nd grade planning 9-10
• Make- up fall pictures - carlton hubbard 10-10:30
• 4th grade planning 12-1
• Arts Integration Team Mtg 1-2
• DeNoble- Riffle
• Weir- Thomas
• Miller-Covington

Friday, November 16

• 4th Grade ELA Unit 2 Post Assessment
• Kindergarten Planning 8-9
• 1st Grade Planning 10-11
• 1st trimester Potluck (sponsored by K, 1, 2, 3, 4) 11-12:30
• Hill leaves at 3:45 pm

Monday, November 19

• Mandatory Teacher Workday 8-3
• 8-9: TLaC Wrap Up in Theater
• 9-3: A+ Training
• Lunch is 11:30-12:30

Tuesday, November 20

• Optional Teacher Workday: Please add your name to the correct column on whether you will be working or not on Tuesday, November 20.  This list is just to know who'll be in the building and when on Tuesday so no one is locked in with alarm on (this has happened 😒)

🦎👏Chameleon Clap🦎👏

From Mrs. Hill and Ms. Akers to TCEA Staff: 100% lunch accuracy on 11/8/18. THANK YOU!

From Mrs. Hill to Ms. Covington:

Thank you for your leadership in getting Lesson Planner up and running at TCEA.

My Truth

 I have struggled with what to share this week because I can honestly say that these past 9 days have been some of the hardest I have had to walk through as a school administrator...and that is saying a lot.

I have experienced deaths of students and staff members (or their family members), threats of litigation, multiple staff resignations or promotions that caused a great person to leave our midst.  I have been threatened physically and have even been bitten, hit, kicked, and almost run over by an angry parent.

But these past days have been different...they have been harder...they have been a struggle.

And I know that most of you have or will have those days that make you question what you have always thought was true.

So, what do you do? You turn to YouTube for a reminder of what your TRUTH is.  I know I am a good leader (I promise I have worked for and with some that did not pass the good leader test).  I know I still need to grow and improve. That has not died in me.  So I turned to a proven leader who I do not always agree with but definitely has enough wins to prove he knows what he's talking about. And Falls please do not EVER mention to anyone I am sharing wise words for them coach!!

His main line: Do your job. And do your job well!

That is what a good leader does and expects from those he/she leads.  

That is my truth as a leader.  Is that your truth as an educator or support staff member at TCEA?

Week of Monday, November 5- Friday, November 9, 2018

Monday, November 5

• Kindergarten Math Cluster
• 4th Grade to library (9 and 1:15)
• 5th Grade Planning 10-11
• Hill at CSI/TCI Meeting 9 AM-1 PM
• Planning for Middle Grades ELA/Humanities (Motsinger, Fiore, and Connors) 2-3
• Planning for Middle Grades Math (Ezell and Clough) 2-3
• SIT Mtg at 3:30-4:30

Tuesday, November 6

• 2nd Grade Math Addition & Subtraction Post Assessment
• 7th Grade Math Cluster 3 Pre Assessment
• Election Day!
• Data & Intervention PLC with Covington
• 5th Grade: 10-11
• 4th Grade: 12-1
• MS Humanities: 2-3
• Instructional Leadership PLC 8:30-9:30
• 3rd Grade Planning 12-1
• Kindergarten AI Team Meeting 1-2
• Caudle-Akers
• Johnson- Strimel
• Williams-Pond
• Hill @ Appt 1-2
• Planning for Middle Grades Science (Ezell and Hughes) 2-3

Wednesday, November 7

• Hill cover Johnson for birthday
• Thomas covers Strimel for birthday
• Data & Intervention PLC with Covington
• Kindergarten 8-9
• 2nd Grade: 9-10
• 1st Grade: 10-11
• 3rd Grade: 12-1
• Middle Grades Science/Math: 2-3
• 1st Grade Math Cluster 3 Pre-Assessment

Thursday, November 8

• 3rd Grade Math Cluster 4 Pre-Assessment
• 5th Grade Math Cluster 2 Post Assessment
• Hill out for Birthday
• Kindergarten Planning- 8-9
• Second Grade Planning 9-10
• 4th Grade Planning 12-1
• 1st Grade AI Team Meeting 1-2
• Person- Falls
• Campagna- Samuelson
• Brown- Hill
• Department Chair Mtg 3:30-4:00

Friday, November 9

• 3rd Grade ELA Unit 2 Assessment
• Kindergarten Planning 8-9
• First Grade Planning 10-11
• Hill and Cane at Regional Beginning Teacher Support Collaborative Meeting 9:30-11:30
• Kindergarten Field Trip to Fascinate-U 12-2
• Submit Give 5 Names HERE before 3 PM Today

Don't forget our Day of Service on Saturday, November 11th.  Learn more here!

🦎👏Chameleon Claps🦎👏

From Ms. Akers:  Thank you Mr. Kline for allowing us to use the theater for the book fair and for always going the extra mile to make things happen that benefit our school!

From Mr. Thomas: Thank you to Mr. Falls, Mrs. Pond, Mrs. Covington, and Mrs. Clough for helping clean the cafe, monitor students, and clean the cafe again.

Ms. Aker, Mrs. Lanham, and Mrs. Hill for helping me with popping and bagging popcorn.