Special Annoucements
The building will be open on Monday, September 1 from 12:00 to 6:00 PM. Please let Stephen know when you arrive and when you are leaving.
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School News
September 3 Staff Meeting Agenda
Please click on the Agendas-Staff Meetings link above to the left for Tuesday's agenda. (8/31/14; 8:43 p.m.)
EngageNY Consumable Materials
Please help yourself to consumables for math which are stored in the file room off of the office. This includes paper plates, ribbon, storage bags, etc. (8/31/14)
New Posters
Classroom posters are lined up on the workroom table. Please help yourselves to any you need; the safety poster is new so grab one of those. (8/29/14; 10:00 a.m.)
Family Access Brochures
Family Access brochures are being placed in your boxes for distribution to our families. Please see the back of the brochure for student name and passwords. You may pass these out at back-to-school night or send them home. Parents need to log onto Family Access and fill out two forms: the Disclosure form and the Internet Access form. They can also report demographic changes and absences using Family Access. Please treat these brochures as private information. (8/28/14; 1:20 p.m.)
Classroom Volunteer Available
Tressa Schofield is available to volunteer in the mornings. If you are interested, you can call her at 253-777-5165 (8/28/14; 1:15 p.m.)
Specialist/Lunch/Recess/Bell Schedule Is Ready
The schedule is now posted in the Schedules tab above. What you see in that tab is not a PDF file, it is a graphic file, which means printing the schedule from within the newsletter is not recommended. If you want to print a copy, use the schedule that was shared through Google Drive. (8/27/14, 5:06 PM)Primary Wing Printer
The Dell printer in Room 24 has been replaced. To have access to the new printer, you will need to put in a TSR to have it added to your printer list. The bar code is 55374 and the IP address is 10.20.3.070 and the name is NS 4100N. (8/26/14)
North Star Way Assembly/Stations
I would like to continue with the tradition of setting school-wide behavior expectations with students at the beginning of the school year. My understanding is that students went through stations around the building, learning the rules for when they are in specific a area or participating in an activity.I need your help with understanding how this behavior plan was put together. If you have any of the documentation that went along with each of the stations and a master plan of what all the stations were, where they were, etc. please email me or call Leslie to set up a time to chat with me on the phone or in person. I think it was a great idea when I heard it. I would like to have this happen again on the first day of school but I need more details in order to ensure that we could actually be prepared by then. (8/22/14, 12:11)
Specialist Schedule
We are working on the specialist schedule and do not have a draft to publish just yet. I am requesting more specialist allocation to make and am waiting for word on if it has been approved. When the schedule is ready I will let you know here on the Husky Highlights. (8/22/14, 11:56)
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How information is added to the blog newsletter
When new information is added to the newsletter it will be placed at the top of the string of informational items. This is done so that you can tell quickly if there is anything new that you haven't already read. I am going to start adding the day and time it was added also. (8/21/14, 11:19)Pear Deck - App for Interactive Lessons
Blended learning (integrating the use of technology into the instructional experience of the classroom) is headed our way with the passage of a technology levy. Here is an app that might get you thinking and even, perhaps, getting your feet wet.
Pear Deck makes it easy to plan and build interactive lessons directly
from your Google Drive that promote active learning in the classroom. As
students interact with the lesson, real-time data provides instructors
the feedback they need to adapt teaching on-the-fly. https://peardeck.com/ (8/21/14, 11:26)
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First Work Day
The first day of work for certificated staff members will be
This is the second year the district has negotiated the use of TRI for a staff meeting and classroom preparation. Per the contract, the purpose of this day is to prepare for the opening of school and must include 7.5 hours of activities including a 30 minute lunch. The agenda is developed by the building administrator and will include team building, building vision/goals, procedures, discipline, mandatory trainings, etc. Certificated staff will have 3 hours for self-directed classroom preparation.
September 2 from 7:30 - 3:00.
I would like classified staff to attend also for the number of hours they typically work. Time spent attending this day will be in place of classified attendance at the September 12 Waiver Day. Classified staff should come at the beginning of the day. I will put items relevant to all staff at the beginning of the agenda.
We will have breakfast treats to begin the day. Please plan to bring your lunch. There won't be enough time for leaving the building to get lunch.
We will have breakfast treats to begin the day. Please plan to bring your lunch. There won't be enough time for leaving the building to get lunch.
Back to School BBQ
We will be welcoming students and parents to school with a Back to School BBQ. All staff members are asked to do their best to be here on...
September 2 from 3:00 to 5:00, right after the meeting and room prep time that same day.
TRI can be counted for this time. Please understand that I am asking for your attendance at greeting families in lieu of not asking for staff to attend a retreat like a number of other principals are doing. If you can't be here please let me know beforehand so the office staff isn't caught off guard by an empty room and surprised parents.
September 2 from 3:00 to 5:00, right after the meeting and room prep time that same day.
TRI can be counted for this time. Please understand that I am asking for your attendance at greeting families in lieu of not asking for staff to attend a retreat like a number of other principals are doing. If you can't be here please let me know beforehand so the office staff isn't caught off guard by an empty room and surprised parents.
Access to the building and classrooms
You can get your room and cabinet key from Leslie or Stephanie in the office. Beginning Wednesday, August 20, your district badge will let you into the building. Building hours are from 6:00 - 4:15, Monday - Friday. Please do not attempt to access the building outside of these hours as the building alarm will go off without an access code.
Class Lists
We are working on class lists now. I will be reviewing a few issues that have come up along with transfer requests. If you have any questions about your lists, please address them with me ASAP.
Staff Changes
We have new staff members at North Star. Please welcome the following new teachers
Kindergarten - Katie Spencer, Justine Espiritu, Tracy Rowan
1st Grade - Lisa Mulcrone, Taran Johnson
3rd Grade - Susan Herman
4th Grade - Beth Kahn
SpED Resource Room - Stephanie Victorian
Art - Jillian Nintze
Band - Stan Westbrook
Band - Stan Westbrook
Principal - Stephen Rushing
