NWEA MAP Testing BEGINS!

MAP Testing will begin next Monday, September 24th!

Kindergarten and First Grade Teachers.....You can stop reading this NOW!

BECAUSE.....testing will no longer impact library use!!!!

Well....only a little....during the testing blocks I will not do "lessons" during book choice!

But the good news is that we are really only testing for 2 weeks!
The kids will have the chance to check out books and you are most welcome to read to them!

For Grades 2-5

Here is the working schedule for testing!

• We are scheduling Math first because many people will need these scores for their PDP goal.
• We have scheduled 2 blocks for 5th Grade Math because historically they have needed this.
• The assumption is that you will bring the students that you teach for MATH during your MATH block.  

Now I NEED some things from YOU !

1. Someone from each grade level needs to contact me with the name of the classroom and the number of students who will be coming for the test.
• Jana should be the person letting me know about 2nd grade!!!!
• 4th grade should note that only one class can test each day....(then the students who need makeups can fill in the remaining computers...)
• I will assume that YOU are keeping track of students who need to complete tests!

1. I would like to demo how to terminate a test and have each of you keep a copy of the directions to do this....so that you learn how to do this.

BUT....
Scheduling this round of testing almost seems like a vacation with our new doors and both labs being big enough for testing!

Book Boxes Procedures

Grades 3-4-5 are welcome to begin bringing classes to check out books for the classroom book boxes.

These are the important things to remember about book box books

• BBB(book box books) are checked out to the BOOK BOX Patron for your room

example:  235BB

(this is new....and will ease the confusion of checking them out under the teacher name)

• BBBs should never go home unless the student comes and checks the book out to their own account.
•  Important Book Box Books will be considered OVERDUE after 2 months.
  • If everyone returns books after 2 months....they can get back in general circulation and let everyone have a chance to use them.
  
   Please Please Please
  • be sure to check in with Lisa EACH time you sign up for a book box choice time!
  • Please DO NOT mix regular library and book box choice times-this causes a great deal of confusion for the students and also takes too much time for the 30 minute time.
  
  

Let me know if you have questions about this!

2012-13 Book Choice Schedule

Whew!!!

Putting this schedule together is always like a big puzzle....but it is done!

BOOK CHOICE STARTS NEXT WEEK!

here are some things that I think about when building the schedule.

• We try to keep the number of classes equally distributed across the week.  If you have ever seen Lisa when she is buried under a pile of books that have been returned in the morning you understand.  25-30 kids times 3 books times 5 classes....you can do the math!

• When you see Kinder Computer or 5th Grade English on the schedule...those are times that I am not available as I am with the kids and no classroom teacher.  You may use the library during these times, but you just don't get to see MY smiling face...I suppose some of you might just think that would be an advantage....LOL!

• If you miss your library day because it is a day without school-We will try to fit you in for a short "BOOK CHOICE ONLY" time.  There are weeks that are so short that we CANNOT provide this....but we will always let you know!

• I try to at least greet you for your book choice when you arrive...."how very responsive classroom of me, don't you think?"  Then depending on the activity or message I have for the kiddos I will spend 10 minutes or so with them.  I will TRY to let you know what that is...and sometimes if I am reading a story in English...you should feel free to leave or work at a table.

•  I REALLY appreciate your assistance with the students as they pick out their books.  I would also love to see the Amity Assistants become more involved in recommending books and helping kids if that fits into their schedule.

• The schedule is posted on Google Docs, on my website and there is a printed copy on the desk by the LMC door.    PLEASE PLEASE let us know when you need to adapt your schedule!  Email....a note....or of course stop in!

New Log In Procedure for This year!

Change is GOOD.....Right?
Really you are gonna like this...I PROMISE!

After lots of discussion (complaining!!!) with the tech department, we came up with a solution to the very long logging in issues students faced last year in the computer lab.


This year.....things are gonna be different!!!




When you come to the lab...the computers will most often be logged in to the guest account!

If they are NOT...please have your students log in as a guest!

Log In Name:  guest account   (all lower case.....a space between the words)
There is NO PASSWORD....just leave that blank and continue to LOG IN!

When you leave the lab....DO NOT log the computers out!

WHY?

Most often kids do not need to access their accounts....they just need to use the computers for access to the internet!

There is no need to take the time to sync to their accounts!!!

This will be a real time saver for most computer activities!!!


If they DO need access to their accounts...there is a share point on the dock to the K-5 sever.
That is not active at this point....but I am promised that it will work within the week!

If you are coming to the lab to do something that you want your kids to save.....
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE...schedule this with me so that I can teach your kids the process!

The front lab is fully functional at this point and the back lab will be ready in a couple of days!!!!

The sign up schedule is the same as last year....

See you soon!

Collection of Responsive Classroom Books Ready For You!

The wonderful Lisa has pulled a fairly large number of the books we know you like to use to build community in your classrooms during these first few weeks of school!




Please remember that these books need to be shared with lots of classrooms.  Please return them promptly when you have read them to your class!

Sally is looking into purchasing some copies of these titles for the Teacher Book Sets....that would be great!

If you have other titles that you regularly use for building community, we would love to know them.

For those of you who teach in English...those books are also set aside for you.

I am happy to take requests for read a loud titles for an activity when Book Choice starts next week!

I expect to send the schedule for book choice by tomorrow morning....I am still needing info from a couple of people.

I am sharing this rough draft to give you an idea of how it looks so far....
 promise not to be mad if something has to change before tomorrow!!!

If for some reason the time I have you down for NO LONGER works for you....let me know as soon as possible!

Hope your first day was wonderful!

Media Center Coffee Club!

The "Coffee Club" in the PSI Media Center is open for business!

EVERYONE is WELCOME!

I make coffee in the big pot early in the morning.....sometimes I even make a second pot if 48 cups doesn't last through the morning!

Sign Up to participate!

This year I am asking people who join in to contribute money instead of coffee!

We will collect the money up front....NOW...and ask for more when that is spent!

I will buy coffee, sugar and creamer with the funds!

Like any good club....you have OPTIONS!!!

Level 1:  Caffeine Addict.....you know who you are!!!  You are waiting at the door every morning with cup in hand....or you stop in each day at least once or twice!

If this is YOU....please contribute $10 to the coffee fund

Level 2: Regular Coffee Drinker....you come almost every day...but lots of times you bring your own from home....You are disappointed when the pot is empty...but it doesn't RUIN your day!

If this is YOU....please contribute $5 to the coffee fund

 Level 3: Occasional Coffee Drinker....you rarely need a cup of coffee, but there are those days that you need a little pick me up!  You like when there is coffee at morning staff meetings.

If this is YOU.....please contribute $2 to the coffee fund....and this will be for the WHOLE year!

I will put an envelope with a check off sheet next to the coffee pot by my office door!
It would be great if we could get a chunk of money going in the next few days!!!
Would you believe we went through THREE POUNDS of coffee and a HALF GALLON of creamer last week alone!!!

Coffee Club members need to provide their own cups.....I have a few....but they always disappear into some strange "cup graveyard".....

 

Well......maybe not 24 HOURS...even if it seems like it some days!!!

Let me know if you have any questions....see ya at the coffee pot!!!

Welcome Back 2012-13

Here is the first PSI Media Medley for 2012-13!

I hope that everyone will register to follow this blog by email so you will recieve new posts automatically!

It's time to let me know your choice for Library Book Choice!

Please use the following link to let me know 3 times that will work for your book choice time this year.
Submission Form for Library Book Choice

The following times ARE NOT available

8:15-8:45 MTWTHF (Grade 3-4-5 Math Jumpstart)

2:30-2:55 MTTHF (Grade 1-2 Jumpstart)

2:00-2:45 Wednesday (Fifth Grade English Media)

12:20-1:10 Thursday (Fifth Grade English Media)

1:10-2:00 Thursday (Fifth Grade English Media)

I would like to build the schedule as soon as possible....and the early "bookworm" gets the worm!  So that means I give first priority to the first people who submit their requests.

Book Choice will start the week of September 10th.
All Students will be able to check out 3 books beginning that week.
Students with books from last year still on their records will only be able to check out 1 book until this is resolved.
If you have any questions about this....leave me a comment.

Important Information about BOOK BOXES!
I would like to wait until the week of September 17th for students to come for BOOK BOX selection.
We started earlier last year, but now that the leveled book room has so many books for you to use, I hope that this will not cause a problem.
Waiting until after the first book check out will help the students understand the difference between the book box books and the books that go home.
I will send more information about book boxes later.

Construction Zone!

Oh it is really happening.....
The redo of the computer labs is well under way....

WOW! These guys work fast....and then they want to know stuff like:


 Hey Lady!!!
Where do you want the computers?
What color do you want to paint?


I do think it will be worth it....
and with the help of Corey and some consultation with some of the rest of you...

I think we have a great plan for the 2 labs.

If you are smart...and staying away from school to have a relaxing summer....
Here is a virtual peek into the construction zone.

The old "Small" lab now almost feels like the "BIG" Lab....

Here is the way I see the labs laid out...

This is the current large lab....

Notice that the layout here is to have "Pods" of computers rather than rows....this allows us to have kids doing more collaborative work.  The "instructional" area has moved too...Now it is back close to the door to the other lab.  There is still plenty of room for a class to sit to get instructions and the traffic flow in the door is better....

This is the "Small" Lab which now does not fell small at all!!!

There is actually a wonderful large seating area for instruction now.  This lab is laid out in the more traditional rows.  It feels so roomy after the tight quarters we have been used to!

And then here is the new doorway between the books and computers....I am sooo excited to think about being able to use the library during test times!  I bet you are too!

We do have a few books and book shelves to move to make it all work....oh well....what would the start of school be with out moving books...Just ask Lisa!!!!

Hopefully all will be ready by Day One.....these construction guys are amazing!

See You TOO soon!!!

Wanna Go to Camp? Tech Camp at PSI!

I can not wait  to spend my mornings sitting on the deck looking at the flowers....

Well...I will have to look at the WEEDS too-until I get enough energy to go out and attack them....

But enough about ME...tee hee!
What about you?

I hope you have a summer bucket list that includes a lot of memory making events....

Speaking of which....

How would you like to go to CAMP?

Tech Camp at PSI....?

What: Two different classes/session to explore and learn ways to integrate the iPads and audio/visual production into your teaching.

• Each session is 2 hours long....

• You may sign up for 1 session or both...

• The sessions will be offered twice!

• There is space for 10 campers in each session

• The counselor will be "interesting"!

Here are the Dates/Times!

Wednesday August 1st- 10 to Noon  

iPad Treasure Hunting

Thursday: August 2nd-10 to Noon

Lights Camera Action...

the basics of Movies and Sounds in the classroom

 

Monday August 6- 1 to 3

iPad Treasure Hunting

Tuesday August 7

Lights Camera Action...

the basics of Movies and Sounds in the classroom 

 

 

This is being funded by Professional Development....so you will be paid the hourly curriculum rate for the time you are at camp!

Wow!

A camp that PAYS YOU!!!!

 

Click on this link to enroll!

 

 

 

 

 

June 4-13 in the Media Center

Be sure to sign your class up for a 30 minute read a loud time with me!

The sign up is on the table by the computer schedule.

I am NOT available on June 4...that is the day the 5th grade students in Sra. Rodriguez's class will spend the day in the Computer Lab...that was my Carnival Auction Donation...should be a fun day!

All student library materials are due next week. 

We will give the library cards to the students who have all materials returned.

Please start returning the materials that you (the teacher) have checked out!

The computer lab is open right 'til the end.....tee hee!