Staff+Notes+12-4


 * Staff Notes **
 * December 4, 2009 **
 * Thank you for a great staff meeting.** I really appreciate how professional and focused everyone is at our meetings. Thank you to Shannon, Dustin and Diana for great presentations.

** Waukee students ** will be visiting Van Meter on the afternoon of December 15. We will visit classrooms. ** PA System ** - There is a defective card in the control system. It is affecting the whole system, but mainly the horseshoe area. The new card has been ordered and it should be installed next week. We can hopefully begin announcements again. ** Field Trips ** - Please get me information on the cost of field trips for second semester. Info is for VMEPC. ** Walls – ** Please do not staple things to the walls in the hallway. It gradually breaks down the wallboard. ** Newsletter ** – Please get me information for the January/February newsletter. I will be putting a What’s Happening form in your box. Don’t hesitate to say many positive things about your program. Begin with phrases like “We are doing exciting things in _grade” or “ Great things happening in grade include” ** CAB Science ** - Is anyone using the extra Gizmo licenses? Let me know. ** Website ** - Thank you to Diana Mandernach for a great presentation on her website. There are some excellent resources. Please check them out. I hope to schedule more time for Diana in January. ** ITBS ** - Beginning right away in January, we should start preparing students for the ITBS. I have passed out test-taking resources in the past and still have copies. Please let me know if you would like another  copy. Thank you to Eldonna, who does a wonderful test-prep unit for students. ** Public Service ** - Thanks to sixth grade for doing a great school clean-up during November. All our grades really are doing a good job this year. I rarely see debris in the hallway and more often see people stopping to pick it up. ** Christmas Parties ** - We will have Christmas parties the afternoon of December 22. The students are already pretty excited about Christmas and so It is important that we keep students in as normal a schedule as possible right up to the end. Once students have their Christmas party, it is very difficult to go back and get them into their regular educational program. It is also difficult for some classrooms to be working and other classrooms to be partying on the 21st. So, I think we all need to be consistent. I realize that it is an early out and that some classes have specials in the pm. As long as your party is after lunch on the 22nd, teachers can somewhat flex the time.
 * Elementary Staff Meeting ** will be December 16, at 3:30 in the Elementary Library. I will bring treats.