Thursday, September 30, 2021

Family News

Please keep Amanda Hatcher in your thoughts and prayers.  She is having surgery tomorrow and will be out all of next week recovering.

Please continue to pray for Lynsey Phillips who is now out of the ICU but still in the hospital.

Sunday, September 26, 2021

Important Deadlines & Links

Student Roster Activity

We are still far from completing our roster activity, as many students do not have 5 names.  Please use the link previously supplied in the blog to help complete this activity.  We will look at where we are at the end of the week.

Student Recognitions for September

Please use the link below to submit your student recognitions for September (PACE:  Initiative & Paine Pride Award).  Students will be recognized at the October Assembly.


Team Member of the Month

Please use the link below to vote for Team Member of the Month for demonstrating INITIATIVE.   Voting will close Thursday afternoon and Team Member(s) of the Month will be announced Friday morning.

Saturday, September 25, 2021

Weekly News

B Week



“How do you build peaks? You create a positive moment with elements of elevation, insight, pride, and/or connection.   
Defining moments can be consciously created. You can be the architect of moments that matter.”   ― Chip Heath, The Power of Moments: Why Certain Moments Have Extraordinary Impact



Mandatory TCS Training

Reminder:  Our mandatory training is due by 9/25.  This information has to be reported to the state.  Please make sure you have completed this training.

PST (Problem Solving Team) Meetings

We will have PST Meetings via Zoom on Monday and Tuesday.  Please make sure you have progress monitoring up to date and data/work samples readily available.  Please look for communication on your scheduled time.

Progress Report Timeline

  • Tuesday - All grades must be entered by Tuesday.  (Reminder:  An average of 1 grade should be entered per subject per week.)
  • Wednesday - The office will print progress reports on Wednesday.
  • Thursday - Progress reports will be sent home with students.

Make-Up Pictures

Makeup pictures will be on Thursday, 9/30.  Instructions will be included in morning announcements.


Wednesday Collaboration

Grade levels will meet to plan lesson, with a focus on including EPIC MOMENT(S) in Semester 1.  Remember:  These EPIC moments are part of our schoolwide indicator on student engagement. 



Student Assemblies for September Recognitions

Our assemblies for September student recognitions will held Wednesday on the PE Field.  Please refer to the schedule below for your grade's assembly time.

Kindergarten - 8:30-9:00
1st Grade - 9:30-10:00
2nd Grade - 10:30-11:00
4th Grade - 11:30-12:00
3rd Grade -  12:30-1:00
5th Grade - 1:30-2:00
 

Fall Festival Planning Meeting

We are so excited to announce that we will be having our Fall Festival this year (date TBD).  Our school leadership team will be meeting on Thursday afternoon at 2:15 to begin making plans.  We are inviting all faculty that would like to serve on the Fall Festival Planning Team to join us on Thursday.  We will narrow down a date and come up with a preliminary plan, as well as look for volunteers to head up various sections.



Custodian Appreciation Day - Friday

Custodian Appreciation Day is Friday, October 1st.  Thank you to our custodians for taking care of us and our building.  We know it has been challenging this year.  We appreciate all you do!


Family News

Calling all prayer warriors to please pray for Lysney Phillips, 2nd Grade Teacher.  She is in ICU at Grandview battling double pneumonia.  We are praying for her to regain her strength and for oxygen levels to be regulated.  Thank you to her second-grade colleagues for taking on her students (as their own) until she returns.  Love our Paine Family!


Paine Precepts

M:  Why fit in when you were born to stand out? - Dr. Suess
T:    Working hard is important, but there is something that matters even more: Believing in yourself.      - Harry Potter
W:   Put all excuses aside and remember you are capable. - Zig Zigler, Author and speaker
Th:  Believe you can and you're halfway there. - Theodore Roosevelt
F:    We hope you believe in yourself as much as we believe in you!

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Family News

Congratulations to Anna and Austin Seeley.  They are expecting a baby boy in April.  

Also, congratulations to Angie Seeley (grandmother to be).



Family News

Please keep the Weyerman family in your thoughts and prayers.  Cynthia's husband, Brian had a heart attack yesterday and is having surgery today.

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

IE Block Lesson Plans

IE Block Lesson Plans - Template

Please click on the link and make a copy with your name (see example below).  

2021-2022 IE Block - Last Names of Team Teachers

Click to share with same people when you make the copy.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hwLGJ-FpEJs8I1eoBK3JUM4LHVvMGiwLk_0Ox6zJZCM/edit?usp=sharing

Saturday, September 18, 2021

Weekly News

A Week


Important - Specials/PE

Please make sure you visit the restroom as a class before going to specials/PE.  The students walk as a group from one to the other with specialist teachers supervising it the hallway.  If a student leaves the room to go to the bathroom during this transition, he/she is separated from the class.  We realize emergencies happen, but we have too many students having to leave specials or PE to go to the restroom.  Thank you for taking care of this.

Learning Targets

Please remember that learning targets (I can statements) should be written on the board in the classroom for all subject areas taught.  These should be discussed with the students at the beginning of the lesson, during the lesson for understanding checks, and to close the lesson.

TCS Mandatory Training

Please remember to complete the TCS Mandatory Training in Schoology by 9/25.  

TCS Roster Activity

This year more than ever we need to really “know” our students.  We have completed this activity for several years, but we want to reiterate the purpose.  Research shows if you KNOW the children in your care, you can help them feel more comfortable and positive about school. 


What do we mean by “know”? If you saw the student outside of school could you:

  1. Identify them by name

  2. Ask them about their hobby, pet, sibling, sport, etc.… by name

  3. Recall a specific event, memory, positive trait, or something special about that student. 


The purpose of the activity is to ensure that each student is known in this way by at least 5 staff members.  After every staff member has reviewed the list, the students who do not have five staff member names listed, are assigned a mentor teacher or staff member mentor.  We believe when students have at least one adult in the building they can depend on, confide in, and trust, they are less likely to have violent tendencies and more likely to have regular attendance.   


We find that many of the students without five signatures are new to our school. We will identify that area and work with counselors and other groups to host additional activities to help them establish friendships, feel more connected, and take away some of the anxiety associated with being in an unfamiliar environment. 


 Please have this completed by October 15, 2021.

 Directions: 

Click on each tab at the bottom to show the lists of students for each grade.

  • Scroll through each list and type your name beside each student with whom you know well enough to recognize away from school and know some non-academic information about the student. (John loves his dog name Beau- he is a labradoodle; John also loves to skateboard).   

  • If all five spaces beside a name are filled out, you do not need to put your name, even if you know them well.  Remember, our goal is to see if all students are known by a minimum of five adults in the building. 

(FYI – Save time by copying and pasting your name as you scroll through)



Wednesday - Picture Day

Fall pictures will be taken on Wednesday in the gym during designated PE time.  All PE classes will meet in the gyms on that day.



Wednesday Collaboration

We will continue our data meetings during collaboration on Wednesday.  Please be sure to bring your laptops.

Thursday Afternoon

Teachers should utilize this time to meet with their grade level on lesson plans, catch up on mandatory training or district training, work on Educator Effectiveness, work on the Roster Activity, etc. 

The school leadership team will meet in Dr. Lothspeich's office after school.


Classroom Walkthrough Form

As a district we always gather data as we conduct classroom walkthroughs.  The form below is the one our Admin Team at Paine will be utilizing this year to gather our data.  We will share this data with you periodically to provide overall information about instruction in our school.  


PST Referral Link

The PST Referral link previously included in the blog will remain active until 3:00 pm on Monday.


Family News

Congratulations to Mica and Matt Nichols on the birth of their beautiful daughter, Charlie Grace!  She was born on Friday, September 17th at 6:09 pm.  She weighs 8 lbs 3 oz and is 21.5 inches long.  We are so excited for them!


Paine Precepts

  • “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” – Maya Angelou, poet and author
  • “Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character.” – Albert Einstein
  • “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” – Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father, Third US President
  • "It's okay to not know.  It's not okay to not try." - Unknown
  • "There's a difference in not knowing and not knowing yet." - Sheila Tobias


Saturday, September 11, 2021

Weekly News

This week is B Week


Personal Reflection

I know by Friday afternoon we are all so tired.  I see it in everyone's faces.  What a blessing that is to me; we are all tired because we have poured our heart and soul into our kids every day!  My prayer each morning on the way to school is that we make a positive difference and experience joy while doing it!  It is a blessing to work with people who do this every single day!  Please remember this on the days when we are growing weary from the hard work we do!    You are making a difference!


EPIC Moments at Paine

“In life, we can work so hard to get the kinks out that we forget to put the peaks in.”  ― Chip Heath, The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact

Here are a few pictures from some EPIC moments experienced by our Kindergarten students during their Fairy Tale Unit (and there are more to come)!


    

Aims Testing

Please make every effort to have Aims Testing complete by Monday afternoon (the portions teachers are responsible for administering).


Problem Solving Team Referrals

Please use the link below to submit your referrals for the September PST Meeting.  The link will remain live until 3:00 PM on Friday, September 17th.


Tuesday - Student Recognition Assemblies

Our Assemblies will Tuesday on the North PE Field (weather permitting).  We are so excited to be able to recognize our students for demonstrating the PACE character trait of wisdom and our Paine Pride students for the month.  We will call classes at their designated time on the intercom.  If the weather does not cooperate, we will reschedule for later in the week (please listen for this on announcements).

Kindergarten - 8:30-9:00
1st Grade - 9:30-10:00
2nd Grade - 10:30-11:00
4th Grade - 11:30-12:00
3rd Grade -  12:30-1:00
5th Grade - 1:30-2:00

Wednesday - Data Meetings

We will have our first data meetings on Wednesday during collaboration time.  Please bring your laptops so you can access your student's data.


Thursday Afternoon

Monthly District PD - LINCSPRING


Constitution Day

Constitution Day is Friday.  Please make sure your detailed lesson plans are included in the shared Google Folder.  We look forward to seeing the lessons you have prepared for this important day.  If you take pictures during these lessons, please send to Ellen Howard to document this important day.
Reminder:  Please make sure you have detailed evidence of Constitution Day lessons in your plans for state monitoring in January.


Family News

Congratulations to our Elizabeth Bennett Moffet and her husband, Cole! 


Paine Precepts

M:   You can steer yourself any direction you choose. - Dr. Suess
T:    Work hard and be kind.  That is all!  - Unknown
W:   Determination is the key to all success stories. - Unknown
T:    If you can't think of anything kind to say, you're not thinking hard enough. - Kid President
F:    In a world where you can be anything....be kind.

Thursday, September 9, 2021

Family News

Please keep Karen Ekonen and her family in your thoughts and prayers.  

Her precious grandmother passed away this afternoon.

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

Monthly Assemblies

 Monthly Student Recognition Assemblies

We will begin our monthly Student Recognition Assemblies in September.  If weather permits, these will be held on the North PE Field.  We have large gray tarps for each class to sit on.  Teachers may want to bring a folding chair.  These are scheduled for Tuesdays, but if the weather does not cooperate, they could be moved to another day.  Parents of students receiving an award may join either via Facebook Livestream or they may attend in person (since it will be held outside).  

Please see the schedule below for our assembly dates.  If your counselor or collaborative library lessons are scheduled for this time, they will be rescheduled.
Assembly Dates (Tuesdays)
September 14th
October 19th
November 16th
December 14th
January 25th
February 15th
March 15th
April 19th
May 10th

Assembly Times
Kindergarten - 8:30-9:00
1st Grade - 9:30-10:00
2nd Grade - 10:30-11:00
4th Grade - 11:30-12:00
3rd Grade -  12:30-1:00
5th Grade - 1:30-2:00

Note:  If unable to reschedule in the same week due to weather, the assembly may be held in the gym.  If that occurs, parents would only be able to attend via livestream.

Friday, September 3, 2021

Weekly News

Thank you for a GREAT Week for our students! Have a wonderful, long weekend!


A Week:  September 7-10


Keeping the PACE at Paine 

Thank you for ensuring our students are consistently adhering to our school behavior expectations.  This is crucial to ensure we have a safe and productive learning environment.  We will begin a Friday afternoon "Keeping the PACE at Paine" drawing for students.  The container for completed tickets will be housed in the Media Center.  We placed a supply of tickets in your boxes on Friday.  Please hand these out randomly to any student in our school you catch "Keeping the P.A.C.E at Paine".  Classroom teachers, please have your students place their tickets in the container when they go to the library sometime during the week.  Please do not permit them to leave any instruction in the classroom to place tickets in the container.





Constitution Day Lessons - September 17th

Per the Alabama State Department of Education, Constitution Day is to be observed on September 17thThe date of the fulfillment of this requirement will be included as a part of the Alabama State Department of Education’s comprehensive monitoring program.  

  • Please make plans with your grade level for a lesson(s) to be included in your plans for 9/17/20. 
  • We must provide detailed documentation of your plans for Constitution Day in your lesson plans for that week as we will have compliance monitoring in January.

ALSDE has provided some resource links to help you in planning for that day:


https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution

https://www.civiced.org/lesson-plans/constitution-day-and-citizenship-day

https://www.k12.com/constitution-day.html


 

Educator Effectiveness

Educator Effectiveness will kick off this week!  This year it will be in LINCSPRING (instead of Schoology).  Reminder:  Our schoolwide indictor is Student Engagement.  By September 30th, please complete all sections of the Educator Effectiveness Learning Cycle (with the exception of "Grow"...which will be completed in March).  The instructions are included below.  If you have any technical issues/  questions, please reach out to Janet Benson or Rachel Brockman for assistance.  The due date is September 30th, and the following week our Admin team will be meeting with teachers who are on the evaluation cycle to discuss your indicator of choice.

Login

  1. Navigate to https://app.lincspring.com/
  2. Login with your TCS .com email address.  If you have forgotten your password, select “Did you forget your password?” for a reset email to be sent to you.

 

You do not need to complete the survey to work.  Just select the “X” to close.

 

  1. You are now on your Dashboard.  Select the Educator Effectiveness learning cycle that has been assigned to you.  (All EE learning cycles will be assigned by 9/1/2021).  If you do not see your learning cycle, email April Chamberlain.
    1. Educator Effectiveness Teachers
    2. Educator Effectiveness School Counselors
    3. Educator Effectiveness School Librarians

 


IE (Intervention/Enrichment) Block

No student should visit the library their IE Block.  During this time, all students should be working in the classroom on differentiated activities specifically to advance their individual learning, while teachers are working with their small groups.



Mandatory Trainings - Due by September 25th

TCS employees must complete the Annual Mandatory Safety Trainings required by the ALSDE. These trainings are located in Schoology. Employees will need to click on the TCS Logo labeled District Training and then click on in the green folder at the top of the page.  

 

Please complete these trainings by 9/25/21.  If you are unable to access, please contact Dr. Poovey.

 


Please Do Not Use Clinic Doors

Please remember:  Do NOT go through clinic doors in the am OR pm.  We are unable to clean and spray these areas until after everyone has left the building, and it is simply not safe to travel through these areas  Use the boulevards instead.


Wednesday Collaboration - Agenda

Constitution Day Lessons
Weekly Lesson Plans
Work on Educator Effectiveness (if time permits)
Work on Mandatory Training (if time permits)


Thursday Faculty Meeting - Agenda

PST (Problem Solving Team) Process Overview
Goal Setting in AimsWeb 
 

 

 Generation Genius

Thanks to a generous donation, every teacher in our school now has access to both the science and math components of Generation Genius.  This may be utilized to supplement instruction.  


Citizenship Grades in PowerSchool

FYI:  PowerSchool has the Citizenship grade built in to the courses. Teachers do not need to rename or create a course to provide this grade.  Our citizenship grades will be placed in the HOMEROOM course.

 

To put in the citizenship grade teachers will need to:

  • Select “grading” in PTP
  • Select “Traditional”
  • Locate the “Citizenship” column
  • And choose the letter of choice

This will only print on the report cards.

 

Paine Precepts

T:  Friendship is the only cement that will hold the world together. - Woodrow Wilson
W: A friend is one who overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden. - Unknown
T:  Friendship is held to be the severest test of character. - Charles Eastmon
F:  Friends are the sunshine of life. - John Hay

End of Year Parties

End of Year Classroom Parties will be on Wednesday, May 22nd.  Please be sure to invite room moms ONLY (if you need help), due to limited pa...