February 27

Shout-Outs & Celebrations

(Consider sharing your shout-out!)

• Shout out to Eman Ziada-Brandt, Meghan Sollars, Lynn Christiansen, Katie Ware, Kristin Brownell, Mary Whitehouse, and Leigh Ann Foxx for creating and participating in the 3rd Grade Mystery Video!  The students were so engaged and loved finding new information about the case each day.  You put the FUN into learning! (Katie D)
• Way to go planners and participants of the K-3 MOY Data Reflection meetings! Great conversations, commitments, and celebrations were had.
• MTSS team, way to initiate problem solving with a new framework to empower us to focus on things over which we have control. Tier I is #1!
• Ann, thank you for your work orchestrating coverage for the craziness that was last week (and for cleaning up the flood Friday afternoon in the bathroom).

General Updates

~ In March, we will conduct a severe weather drill as part of the statewide awareness campaign. Please consult your classroom maps for relocation areas in the event of severe weather. If you have questions, please see Katie.

~There is a new section in the blog for PBIS (see below). Be sure to check it each week to find PBIS reminders, a new learning piece, a connection/relationship activity and an update on the PBIS club. Please see a PBIS committee member if you have any questions.

~(Repeat) Staff Children @ Wiley: The next application period is the Early Transfer/Calendar Application.  Parents can apply online between February 22-28.  The Early Transfer Application is the time for your employees to ask for a transfer for their children to be assigned to the school/campus where they are employed.

~(Repeat) Single Subject Acceleration - Parent information sessions are upon us, starting February 13.  Please make sure to let parents know that the nomination window for parents to nominate their child to be tested is April 6-26.  I recommend they go to a session to learn more about it. Also, please share this flyer with parents on your next newsletter or using member hub. It will also be going home in Monday folders.

IRT/Literacy Updates

• Inerim Reports: It's that time of year again! They can go home on Monday, March 6th. For future dates, gradebook tips and FAQs, click HERE.

• March Vertical Team Meetings: We will meet on Friday, March 31st during the times below. Topic of conversation will be follow-up from February planning day meetings, particularly around writing & reading.

4/5 - 10:45-11:45
2/3 - 12:40-1:40
K/1 - 2:00-3:00

• Late Night @ the Book Fair w/ Author Share: Event has been postponed due to scheduling with PTA.  

Magnet Updates

• NEW MAGNET FAMILIES MIX AND MINGLE WELCOME BREAKFAST-
• We will be having a welcome breakfast for new magnet families on Tuesday at 9:15am in the Media Center. They will be offered a quick tour after the breakfast. Please make sure that hallway displays are tidy and intact.
• UN Global Goals (Repeat)- Please as part of your next planning meeting, let me know which global goal you focused on for Q1, Q2 and possibly the one that you might use for Q3 and what you did or taught while raising awareness of that goal.  My next bulletin board will hopefully reflect how we as a school are addressing the Global Goals.  Just send me one email per team.  THANK YOU!  Shout out to the 1st Grade team, 4th Grade team, 5th Grade Team, and Elective Teacher team for sending this information to me already!
• MONTHLY GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES: FOR March and April you have the choice of doing one of these 2 opportunities for both March and April-
• The Day the Crayons Quit Project -- Due March 31

1. To begin, you will read "The Day The Crayons Quit" or watch the video.
2. Then you will brainstorm with your students about what other classrooms items might wish to quit -- and why.
3. Next, choose a way to represent these stories with the other participating classrooms. Perhaps you might wish to make a imovie or a google slideshow. Your students might wish to illustrate their own stories and create a book using the app Book Creator. Your class might wish to write a reader's theatre and create a podcast. There is no "you need to do it this way" for your class to showcase their stories. Come up with the plan and tool that works best for your class.....and run with it.
4. Please have your stories posted -- or shared to Jennifer - by March 31, 2017.
5. Check out the link for more information.

• Picture It 2017 -- March-April

Celebrating our 5th year with Picture It, students around the world will be collaborating to create one unique piece of artwork in the form of a quilt. Registration opens late February 2017 more information will be posted soon. Click here for more information and/or to sign up.

Media & Technology

• OVERDUE BOOKS:  It was decided at the last MTAC Committee meeting that any students with books that were due in the first quarter will no longer be allowed to check out books until their account is cleared.  If you know of any students with hardships, please let Lynn know.
• MTAC Committee Meeting will be at 8:15 AM on Monday, March 20.  We would love for someone from grades 1, 2, 3, & 5 to join us.
• (REPEAT) Book Fair! March 6-10.  Sign up here to bring your class for preview day on 3/7.

PBIS Updates

• Thank you for completing the mid-year survey. This information will help guide the PBIS committee.
• PBIS club: Thank you to the PBIS club and Judy for our wonderful Black History morning announcements. They have been informative. Starting next Friday, during the morning announcements, there will be "The Wiley News" given by the PBIS club. The club plans to announce things such as news about Wiley, community events, and World events. Please have your students listen quietly to these announcements on Fridays.
• PBIS reminders
• Please continue to be at your duty location when the bell rings. The duties are posted in the Playbook.
• Continue to pass out Globetrotters. Extra Globetrotters, Wiley Winner forms, and certificates can be found in the lounge.
• Wiley Winners:Snowflakes will be replaced by flower buds in March and April. Copies will be put in your mailboxes next week. You may tape the winners on the tree or place them in Laura O'Brien's mailbox.
• PBIS new learning: Click here for an article about classroom discipline https://www.edutopia.org/blog/30-techniques-quiet-noisy-class-todd-finley

Important Dates

Happy Birthday - Ann Coventry (2/26), Louise Eaglesfield (3/1)

This Week:

Monday, 2/27:

Tuesday, 2/28:  Magnet Mix & Mingle w/ new K magnet families @ 9:15 in media center

Wednesday, 3/1:  Intervention Meeting

Thursday, 3/2:  Staff Meeting in Karen Rose’s classroom

Friday, 3/3:

Upcoming Dates:

Pieces of Gold! - March 8 @ Memorial Auditorium

K’s Letterland Parade - March 10 @ 9:30am

Spring Pictures - March 20

Talent Show - March 23 - evening performance and “dress rehearsal” during the day for grade levels

Vertical Team Meetings - March 31, throughout the day

February 17

Shout-Outs & Celebrations

(Consider sharing your shout-out!)

• Thank you to Laura, Carolyn, Leslie, Catherine, Abby, Andrea, Kristin, and Eman for donating to the Bus Driver Breakfast! You are so generous!
• Mr. Hewitt, Ms. Williams, and Dr. Whitehouse collaborated to support a student with behavior struggles. Their collaboration resulted in clear data collection, behavior instruction, and improvement in daily behavior for this student.
• From Jenny and the K team:  Kelly Saludo- hats off for stepping up and helping any way you possibly can. (It should be noted that is typical, but this week more than ever, it is so appreciated.)

General Updates

~ From Jenn Marks, mom of Penny & Oscar …

Sunday, March 19

A Mini-Yoga Retreat for School Teachers

1:00pm - 4:00pm

Join us for a wonderful healing retreat for school teachers and educators at the Ashram. Teachers are faced with more challenges than ever. At the Ashram we are happy to share the proven and scientific tools of yoga to help teachers increase health, equanimity, quietude of mind and to give them tools to bring into the classroom. Topics covered include: meditation and mindfulness, yoga poses and breathing for stress relief and health, tools for deep relaxation, and how to share these safely with their students. $25

~ From WCPSS Information Systems:

We are pleased to announce the creation of the WakeID Portal.  This portal will enable WCPSS employees and students to access multiple applications with one username and password.  While we have already been using the one username and password system to access multiple WCPSS electronic resources, the WakeID Portal will allow users to have one place where all the links to the applications are located.  This new portal will also provide access to manage student passwords and provide access to student data such as approved for Digital Technology Use status, Photo Release, etc.  

Our go-live date for the WakeID Portal is scheduled for March 1, 2017.  We will be sharing information about the WakeID Portal and the processes employees will need to follow to claim their WakeID with all staff during the week of February 20.  We also are in the process of creating a web page with FAQs and quick guides to provide employees with more information about their WakeIDs and using the new WakeID Portal.

~Staff Children @ Wiley: The next application period is the Early Transfer/Calendar Application.  Parents can apply online between February 22-28.  The Early Transfer Application is the time for your employees to ask for a transfer for their children to be assigned to the school/campus where they are employed.

~ (Repeat) Intervention Central -  When you have time, check out this article from Intervention Central regarding tips to calm an agitated student. These are great reminders!

~(Repeat) Single Subject Acceleration - Parent information sessions are upon us, starting February 13.  Please make sure to let parents know that the nomination window for parents to nominate their child to be tested is April 6-26.  I recommend they go to a session to learn more about it. Also, please share this flyer with parents on your next newsletter or using member hub. It will also be going home in Monday folders.

IRT/Literacy Updates

• NEW! ACCESS testing update: Revisions and updates have been made to the schedule. Please check to see when your students will be testing. If you have any questions please email Mike Roche. Thank you!

• Late Night @ the Book Fair w/ Author Share: On March 9th, the PTA will be hosting a late night book fair event. The theme will be an “Author’s Tea.” Students will have an opportunity to present a published piece of their writing to a small audience AND families can shop at the Book Fair. Details will be sent home with students soon. **We would like for all students to have the opportunity to participate so, please ensure that each of your students has a published writing piece to share.

• Academic Language: PLTS, thank you for taking the time to reflect upon how you are supporting the use of academic language in your classrooms. I loved hearing about what you implementing and the successes you are having. It was fun for me to see some of your “ah-ha!” moments as we talked about what other grade levels are doing as well.
• Some takeaways:
• Pictures (non-linguistic representations) on Anchor Charts are important throughout all grade levels.
• Vocabulary words have different definitions depending on the content area. Think “pitch” and “key” in a music lesson. We shouldn’t make assumptions that students know alternate definitions.
• Explicitly teaching testing/assessment vocabulary.
• As promised, you can find a link HERE to the Google folder with the WIDA “can do” descriptors as well an excerpt from the book regarding classroom strategies.

• Seesaw: Who would like to Seesaw with me??? I attended a mini-training that introduced me to the Seesaw app. If you would like to learn more, collaborate or simply lend me your students please let me know! Are you wondering what Seesaw is? Check it out HERE!

Magnet Updates

• UN Global Goals (Repeat)- Please as part of your next planning meeting, let me know which global goal you focused on for Q1, Q2 and possibly the one that you might use for Q3 and what you did or taught while raising awareness of that goal.  My next bulletin board will hopefully reflect how we as a school are addressing the Global Goals.  Just send me one email per team.  THANK YOU!

Media & Technology

• (Repeat) eWise Professional Development: LAST CHANCE! Are you trying to incorporate more voice & choice into your lessons?  Do you want students who not only can find information, but also evaluate it?  Did the video from the staff meeting inspire you to include more creativity into your daily structure?  If so, then eWISE is a perfect tool for adding all of these things into your classroom. Lynn is going to be talking about eWISE at several different sessions throughout the month of February if you are interested in learning more. Click here to access the registration page: eWISE PD Registration Form  If you want to book Lynn for your grade level planning time, then contact Lynn directly.
• MTAC Committee Meeting will be at 8 AM on Monday, February 20.
• Book Fair! March 6-10.  Sign up here to bring your class for preview day on 3/7.

Important Dates

Happy Birthday - Yuko (2/22)

This Week:

*ACCESS testing continues for our ESL students

Monday, 2/20: MOY Intervention Matrix Review Meeting (Intervention Team)

Make Up Day

Tuesday, 2/21:  MTSS Meeting

Wednesday, 2/22:  Vertical Team Meetings w/ K and 2nd?

Thursday, 2/23:  Vertical Team Meetings w/ 1st and 3rd?

Friday, 2/24:  PTA Cultural Arts Event - Storytelling w/ Donna Washington - K,2nd,3rd @ 9:30am and 1st, 4th, 5th @10:50am

Upcoming Dates:

Pieces of Gold! - March 8 @ Memorial Auditorium

Book Fair - March 7-10 - Author Share (students) & Dinner on Thursday, 3/9 - more information to come

K’s Letterland Parade - March 10 @ 9:30am

Spring Pictures - March 20

Talent Show - March 23

February 11

Shout-Outs & Celebrations

(Consider sharing your shout-out!)

• Shout out to Angi Wolfgang for her Unicorn Cave! She has found a great way to balance the need for regaining composure with the need to participate in class! (Katie W)
• Kathy Constantino. Wow. Thanks for making the re-imaging process about as painless and unobtrusive as it could possible be!  
• WE WON A $3000 Grant For WILEY! This process began with Chris and I writing a grant proposal back in December for our vision of a Wiley Global Learning Lab, our proposal was then chosen along with 3 other WCPSS schools for us to present in a 5 minute Shark Tank like presentation to the WakeEd board, in front of over 150 people all representing different local businesses and WCPSS global/STEM schools. Many of you have congratulated me on winning the grant, however it truly does take a village to do great things! Chris and I could not have done this without the help of many of you. Thank you to Leslie, Katie W., Lynn and Kristin who contributed to our vision, endless collaboration and editing. Thank you to Catherine and Katie D. for staying late (past 6pm) on the Friday Early Release (December, Winter Thanks Day) after you saw us both working diligently and providing us your feedback to help us meet the deadline of turning the grant in that evening. Thank you to EVERYONE who helped Chris and I prepare for the World Cafe Idea Crucible Presentation. The video we presented showed students in Matt’s and Katie D.’s class and was sung by Margaret’s 5th Grade class. We couldn’t have done this without your willingness to help us on such short notice, we had less than a week to put the video together once returning from Winter Break. There were some great ideas being presented by the other schools, but I can honestly say that our 2 students that helped us present Miana and Bassil stole the show with their poise and presentation skills! They out-presented all the middle school students that presented for the other 3 schools. They both worked hard to prepare and be ready to present in a room full of professionals. (I am pretty sure I was more nervous than they were, as evident in the video!) In all the feedback sheets that we got, one of the top things mentioned by those watching was how well prepared our students were. Here is the video that Ms. Taylor took of our presentation (minus the Q&A part) for those of you that wanted me to share! (Eman)
• This week, I’d like to send out a shout-out to the entire Wiley community (Leslie) …
• TAs - you’re called upon to cover, and you’re wonderful troopers about it … Kellie Saludo even masterfully covered on a field trip!
• Classroom Teachers … you’re rolling!!  Our data is encouraging, and the happy faces in your classrooms (especially on Global Day of Play!) show that you’re bringing the fun and joy to learning! Thank you!
• Mr. Reggie … those shiny windows look great! And, thanks for being the “rock” for many students in times of need
• Electives Teachers … you embraced a delay in our quarterly switch, and you’ve welcomed your 3rd quarter students with open arms. It has appeared smooth & seamless thanks to your expertise!
• Language Teachers … I never hear English in your classrooms! Way to balance the rigor of learning a foreign language with the releases of control that scaffold learning for your students.
• Special Education Team (including Missy, Mary, Louise!) … your diligence and organization ALWAYS keeps us meeting our deadlines and continues to gain district recognition! Organizing the schedules of seven hundred people for a meeting isn’t an easy task!
• Office Staff … good grief, what don’t these superstars do?  Did you know that Ann went out of her way to get a 3rd grader to his field trip when he arrived late? Carol is serving as personal bookkeeper for Science Olympiad, and Leila has helped us get our enrollment numbers down to 460 (even though she begs me not to send students to our overflow school due to their compelling stories).
• AIG, ESL, Kristin, Lynn … you’re like ninjas, scooting here & there to get it done!
• Thelma, Judy, Jackie … your coordinated efforts to handle so many “situations” this week have been incredible!! We sure have had some interesting ones!
• Katie Ware … the best wingman I could ask for!  She, quite literally, does it all.

Thank you Wiley Team! You are loved & adored!

General Updates

~ When you have time, check out this article from Intervention Central regarding tips to calm an agitated student. These are great reminders!

~We are collecting items for bus and cab driver appreciation gift baskets. Please turn in collected items to Mrs. Ware by Thursday afternoon. Additionally, we are hosting a bus and cab driver breakfast in the Media Center on Friday, 2/18. Please sign up to contribute to the breakfast here.

~ Single Subject Acceleration - Parent information sessions are upon us, starting February 13.  Please make sure to let parents know that the nomination window for parents to nominate their child to be tested is April 6-26.  I recommend they go to a session to learn more about it. Also, please share this flyer with parents on your next newsletter or using member hub. It will also be going home in Monday folders.

IRT/Literacy Updates

• ACCESS TESTING: Next week begins ACCESS testing for Wiley ELL students. Mr. Roche has set up a schedule for the assessment and it can be found HERE. Teachers, please take note of when students are testing as they may be late returning from electives. If you have any questions, please email Mike Roche. Thank you!
• PLTs on the 15th: I am looking forward to spending time with your teams to discuss your SIOP successes! I’ll attend the even grade levels during the first part of your PLT and I’ll come to the odd grade levels during your second part. Thanks for your flexibility!!

Magnet Updates

• UN Global Goals - Please as part of your next planning meeting, let me know which global goal you focused on for Q1, Q2 and possibly the one that you might use for Q3 and what you did or taught while raising awareness of that goal.  My next bulletin board will hopefully reflect how we as a school are addressing the Global Goals.  Just send me one email per team.  THANK YOU!
• MONTHLY GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES:
• WORLD READ ALOUD DAY (is on February 16)
• Click  here for more information and to sign up. Don’t forget to tweet about it!

Media & Technology

• eWise Professional Development: Are you trying to incorporate more voice & choice into your lessons?  Do you want students who not only can find information, but also evaluate it?  Did the video from the staff meeting inspire you to include more creativity into your daily structure?  If so, then eWISE is a perfect tool for adding all of these things into your classroom. Lynn is going to be talking about eWISE at several different sessions throughout the month of February if you are interested in learning more. Click here to access the registration page: eWISE PD Registration Form  If you want to book Lynn for your grade level planning time, then contact Lynn directly.

Important Dates

Happy Birthday - Katie Ware (2/11), Abby Wierman (2/14), Eman Ziada Brandt (2/15)

This Week:

*ACCESS testing continues for our ESL students

Monday, 2/13:

Tuesday, 2/14: Valentines Day … don’t forget to support PBIS’s plan to get a personalized heart on each student’s desk!  

Wednesday, 2/15: Intervention Team Mtg

Thursday, 2/16: Global Read Aloud Day; SIP Quarterly Review

Friday, 2/17: BT mtg in Challie’s classroom; Cohort Learning reflection sheets due

Upcoming Dates:

• February 20th ~ MAKE-UP DAY

February 24th ~ PTA Cultural Arts Event - Storytelling w/ Donna Washington - K,2nd,3rd @ 9:30am and 1st, 4th, 5th @10:50am