September 8, 2017

Challenges are really just opportunities...

We will not be having a Pep Rally to 'rally' support for our upcoming fundraiser - Challenge Day. The rally wasn't a good fit. However, that means we have a responsibility to do all we can at the classroom and school level to promote this fundraiser!

We need to ensure that our families understand that Challenge Day is one of the two fundraisers we have at Renaissance each year; know what we are raising money for; and how they can donate and support this event. The kids need to understand what they will be doing.

There is no powerpoint. Below is the information that is important for each of us to communicate - often and with clarity - to our families and our students. We need to get our community excited!

So...do some thinking and we can discuss this as a staff on Wednesday. I will be sending along the schedule electronically and putting a hard copy in your mailbox. I will share more details as they come my way. I really suggest you take the schedule the committee has created, and make your own day plan!

Also, now that we have the schedule, Pam, Doug and Josh can create a schedule to support giving you all a break during the day.

Thanks for supporting our school in this way - and thanks for being willing to own a portion of it this year so that we can ensure a quality experience.

Oh...and the Human Foosball was eliminated because the committee could not figure out a way to give all kids adequate time to play. So that 'rotation' is now a field day! Kathy Carter had a great suggestion of calling it 'Retro Games"! I like it!

I am certain that when we put our heads together, and share our ideas, we will come up with a plan that will be a blast for kids, and 'save the day'!

Here is the information you will need:

Teacher talk for students re: Challenge Day

Objectives for Teacher talks with students re: Challenge Day

• To get kids excited about Challenge Day Activities on September 29th
• To provide age-appropriate information on the fundraising drive including how they might ask for funds in support of the school and how those funds will be used
• To prepare students for field events (spoon race, three-legged race, baton race) so that they can be successful on Challenge Day
• To provide some background knowledge about martial arts and yoga in preparation of Challenge day activities
• To provide information about the service component of Challenge Day and how they can participate

Background

About Challenge Day

Challenge Day has three objectives:

1. Raise funds for the school through the Fundraising Drive
2. Allow students to participate in fun, physical challenges
3. Provide families and students an opportunity to give back through community service

Fundraising Drive September 11th-October 16th

~Supporting our School Community~

This year, funds raised from Challenge Day will support school needs including essential instructional support materials and resources, technology, scholarships, OLE enhancements, materials for the music and arts programs.

Donations to the school may be made online or in-person. Look for more information and a link to make donations soon!

Community Service: September 6th-September 29th

~Supporting our larger community~

The Challenge Day Community Service project includes gathering items for three different charities in support of our community:

1. Crisis Center (each Crew makes a basket)
2. Gabriel House (whole school donation drive)
3. Douglas County Canine Rescue (whole school donation drive)

Fun, Physical Challenge: September 29th!

~Celebrating our Successes and Challenging ourselves~

Challenge Day is a celebration and culmination of our fundraising drive. Students will participate in a fun day of physical challenges. This year students will participate in retro-style field day activities, yoga, and martial arts!

Calendar

Week of September 11 - 15th:
Pitch Challenge Day to your Crew and begin communication with your families
Monday:
Kim's 4th grade Crew on Voyage
Karen's 6th grade Crew on Voyage
* Paper work for Challenge Day will be distributed to teachers to send home with students so that student's can register and fundraising get under way!

Tuesday:
* MTSS 7:30 a.m.
* REA meeting 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday:
* Professional Development 1:30 library:
Learning Expeditions: Designing Products and Projects


Week of September 18 - 22nd:

Monday:
Teresa's 2/3 Crew on Voyage

Tuesday:
Tyler's Crew on Voyage
* MTSS meeting 7:30 a.m.

Wednesday:
* The Beat
* Professional Development in library:
Learning Expeditions: Incorporating Field Work, Experts and Service Learning

Thursday:
* Math Professional Development before (7:30 am) and after school (4:15ish)
Session #2  Tracy Zager's webinar video
(the first session was a BIG hit with those who were able to participate)

Friday:
* All Day Professional Development - No Students
AM Focus: Learning Expeditions: Producing High Quality Student Work
PM Focus: Leveled Writing Conversations/Student Writing 

Have a great weekend!

Deborah

August 25, 2017

Field Work at its Finest

Who knew it would be such a community building opportunity!

Calendar:

Week of August 28th - September 1st:
Last week to complete i-Ready assessments (window closes on Friday)

Monday, 28th:
* Kenny's 6th Grade Crew out on Voyage
* Catherine's 5th Grade Crew Out on Voyage

Tuesday, 29th:
* 1st Grade Voyage
* MTSS meeting 7:30 a.m.

Wednesday, 30th:
* Professional Development: 1:30 in Flex room -
Designing Learning Expeditions
Information about Challenge Day

Thursday, 1st:
* First Grade Day of Rest

Friday, 2nd:
* Mr. Kenny's Crew Day of Rest
* Ms. Catherine's Crew Day of Rest

Week of September 4th - 8th:

Monday, 4th:
Labor Day - No School

Tuesday, 5th:
* Ms. Jenny's 4th Grade Voyage
* MTSS 7:30 a.m.

Wednesday, 6th:
* The Beat
* Professional Development: 1:30 Flex Room
Formulating Guiding Questions & Selecting Case Studies

Thursday, 7th:
* Deborah out of the building for admin. meeting

Friday, 8th:
* Ms. Jenny's Crew Day of Rest

The community gets involved on Wednesdays to read to kindergarten students 

And teachers make good mothers!

Celebrating our buddying writers!

I found Billie in the conference room early one morning...
Maybe she was a little excited to go on her voyage?

Our white buses proved to be the challenge for Lisa and Cody on the 6th grade Voyage! A bus broke down on the way to their destination and they had a flat tire on the way back!

Here the kids are safely away from the highway as the State Patrol monitor the situation AND step in to be expert speakers!
They kids learned first hand about what a historic event the eclipse was for the state of Wyoming - the largest crowd Wyoming has ever experienced!  

Welcoming Mr. Ken Kessel to our Crew!

Mr. Ken has accepted the position of building engineer here at Renaissance. Yeah!!! Please be sure to invite him in to formally be introduced to your Crews. We are all so appreciative of his support and expertise! 
If you email Ken: kenneth.kessel@dcsdk12.org

  

Sound System

Are you using yours? 

Please do.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Deborah

August 11, 2017

Great Beginnings

     "The variable that distinguishes truly great schools from merely good schools, is of course, the people working within those schools."

Too funny...

A dapper young man -
quite the picture of sophistication
on the first day of fourth grade!
Is that Tyler's hat?

I worked hard bartering with the building engineers of the Renaissance Secondary School to get this 'mountain' moved onto our playground. It's ours for good!
I knew the kids would love it.
However...I think we have a bit of problem solving to do.

n

Thank you Sara!
It was wonderful to have treats served on the first day!

You got this Janelle!

Lots of 'love notes' tucked in lunch boxes!

Leadership Team

These are the members of our team this year:

Kathy Carter, Jill Fisch, Jenny Henry, Lisa Johnson, Amanda Deegan, Karen McMurray, Deborah Lemmer.

* Please visit with any of these folks about your needs, ideas, vision for our school success and improvement. 

School Accountability Committee

Mr. 'G' has kindly consented to be the teacher representative on our SAC  this year! Thanks Ed!

My plans for the next few weeks....

Look for me to be in and out of classrooms and joining your Morning Meetings. I'm working on learning names of new students and making those important connections. I'm trying to do some of that in the lunch room too, where I can chat with kids without causing a disruption to your classroom!
I'll also be connecting with you to set up a day during your plan time where we can connect on how things are going, your plans for the semester, and what you've been learning about your kids. Maybe we can even talk about your personal goal for this year...

'Tweak' to our Professional Development Plans

Wednesday, August 16th is devoted to norming and scoring our All School Writing assessments. This will be done in grade level teams. We will begin our work together and then split off.

Wednesday, August 23rd was going to be our first professional development session devoted to strengthening our understandings and practices of Learning Expeditions. Lisa is leading the charge on this and she will be in the field that week on her Fall Voyage. So....

you will now have this Wednesday for personal/team planning time.  We will combine two of the upcoming sessions to be able to cover all the facets of a Learning Expedition.

Generosity

Several years ago Jenny Henry was recognized as 'World Class Educator' in our school district. Some funds for innovating her classroom came with that recognition. Late last spring, Jenny worked with district personnel to see about getting her cool stuff relocated to Renaissance from her prior building. 

Rather than installing it in her classroom, she wanted us to use it all over the building. You'll see some of her cool glass and tack boards around the building. You'll see the SMART projector in the library. Amanda, Teresa and Martha are using her 'flip tables'. Amanda's room also has her Panto chairs!  Thank you Jenny - it's like Christmas around here!

Share Table

Leave what you can't eat,

Take if you're still hungry.

Calendar

August 14 - 18th:

3rd Grade Voyage to Camp Elim - Aug. 15-17th, Day of Rest on 18th.

Wednesday, 16th:

The Beat: Our first one!

PD: Norming and Scoring School-wide Writing Assessments

Thursday, 17th:

* Staff lunch provided by REMAX and partnering local businesses

August 21st - 25th:

Lisa's Voyage - leaves Sunday, August 20th - 24th, Day of rest on 25th.

Billie's Voyage - leaves Monday, August 21st - 24th, Day of rest on 25th.

Monday, 21st:

First Day of School for Renaissance Secondary School

Solar Eclipse 10:30 - 1:30

Tuesday:

* 7:30 MTSS meeting

Wednesday:

Professional Development: Personal/ Team planning

* Note: It is appreciated if staff will park along the fence that is furthest from the building in the front parking lot. (The fence on the far west side.)

Have a restful weekend!

Try to remember - it is still summer!

Warmly,

Deborah

Can you believe just a week ago....