Champions

Given that Wren High School won its first state championship ever in high school football and Clemson won its 5th ACC championship in a row, our blog this week focuses on champions. As a noun, we know the meaning of the the word champion as a person or team who has defeated all opponents in a competition. If you look at report card ratings and test scores, our faculty and staff at PVES is made up of champions! However, I would ask you to think about the use of champion as a verb; to act in defense or support of something or someone. Our faculty and staff champion the cause of our students. We love and support every student, not just those in our own classrooms, as we engage in the tiresome and rewarding work of being n educator. We toil through the PLC process and ensure learning for all students. We embrace challenges, both large and small, because we are called to do so. At PVES, our culture thrives based on our collective desire to champion student growth and success.

 

Our Charlie Brown-themed Literacy Night was a huge success. A special thank you to Kelle Martin and Lindsay Nix for making this night possible. A huge thank you to all the teachers and staff who worked hard to make this a special evening for our students and their families. We must always remember to champion our school community and take full advantage of every opportunity to engage them. 

Several teachers went to Clemson with Ms. Lee on Friday afternoon as part of a Christmas program in which underprivileged students experience some Christmas cheer. We don't just talk about serving the "whole child" at PVES. We act upon that belief. We champion that belief. 

December:
We know December is a very busy month. Please make sure you have read over our December "In the Know" Newsletter and that you have shared this via SeeSaw. Let us continue to communicate well with parents during these next two weeks!

OLWEUS:
The next two Mondays, please ensure that your class participates in meaningful class meetings as part of OLWEUS. Of course, you can always refer to our shared folder for ideas. Feel free to add ideas as well to the folder. If you have not done so already, please take one of the next two Mondays to introduce our Powdersville Postal Pride mail system.

Lunch Buddies:
On Tuesday, December 10th, we will have a highway patrolman who will be in our cafeteria visiting with students as part of the SC Highway Patrol's "lunch buddies" program. Please help our patrolman feel welcome and at home. You may want to mention this to your students as well.

3rd Grade Christmas Performances:

Our third graders are excited about their upcoming performances. There are a few important things to note for the rehearsals and performances. Students will be traveling for rehearsal to the high school during an adjusted related arts schedule on their performance day. Please plan to be at the high school at 5:45 P.M. that evening to assist with students on stage. Once the show begins, feel free to join the audience. At the conclusion of the performance, please report to the stage to help with reuniting parents and students for dismissal. 

December 16th- 100 Hallway Performance Day100 Hall related 8:10-9:30 (Barnett, Childress, Plowden, Skelton, Thompson)Garrett, Horn, Melton, Schumpert will need to go to related arts at 10:15 instead of 9:30200 hallway related keeps the same times (Carey, Ezell, Henderson, McGaha, Williams) 11:00-11:45 

December 17th- 200 Hallway Performance Day 200 Hall related 8:10-9:30  (Carey, Ezell, Henderson, McGaha, Williams)
Garrett, Horn, Melton, Schumpert will need to go to related arts at 10:15 instead of 9:30100 hallway (Barnett, Childress, Plowden, Skelton, Thompson) will go to related at 11:00-11:45 (Barnett will need to take lunch boxes to related in order to go straight to lunch.)
Please let us know if you have any questions. 

December 20th:

December 20th is the final day before Christmas Break. Students will be dismissed at 11:00 A.M. Our Chorus will perform for us at 8:15 A.M. followed by class parties at 9:30 A.M. Remember, no parents can attend the performance and no parents should come down to rooms early for class parties. After dismissal, we will have our own Christmas celebration in our MP Room. This should begin at 12:00 P.M. Please sign up to bring an item by clicking here. Additionally, bring a coffee mug for our "mug swap". We will provide dessert and chicken tenders in addition to what everyone else brings. We also have some fun and games prepared for you to enjoy (and some prizes) like last year! Please let us know if you have any questions. Our plan is to finish up and send everyone on their way early!

Moore's Musings:

• Don't forget about our upcoming Strings and Chorus performances. Our students love to see their teachers in the audience. This is a great way to show your support for Mr. Velasco and Mrs. Fitch as well! 
• Please participate in the 12 Days of Blue Jeans. Thanks for all you do!
• Refer to the presentation from our last Live PD regarding Title IX, Supervision, etc.

Mark Your Calendar (MYC):

• PVES Strings Concert in MP Room - 12/9 at 6:30 P.M.
• 3rd and 5th Grade Vision and Hearing Screenings - 12/10 (Nurse sent out schedule)
• PVES Chorus Concert at PVHS - 12/10 at 6:30 P.M.
• Highway Patrol Lunch Buddies Program - 12/10
• Elise Denney Shower - 12/11 at 3:15 P.M.
• Spirit Night at Pizza House in Powdersville - 12/12
• Guiding Coalition Meeting in Thomas's Room - 12/13 at 7:20 A.M.
• Visit from Cedar Grove Teachers and Admin - 12/16
• PVES Ambassadors Meet - 12/16 at 2:45 P.M. 
• No Good News Club - 12/17
• 3rd Grade Christmas Performances at PVHS - 12/16 & 12/17
• SIC Meeting in media center - 12/19 at 7:20 A.M.
• Robotics Club in STEM Lab - 12/19 at 2:45 P.M.
• PTSO Skate Night (Tacky Christmas) 12/19 from 6-8 P.M.
• Last Day of School - 12/20 - dismissal at 11:00 A.M. for students 

Video of the Week: Embrace It!

Thanksgiving

With seven more school days until Thanksgiving Break, it is important to pause for a few moments and remember all for which we are so thankful. A little Thanksgiving Day fun fact for you: Did you know that the first celebration of Thanksgiving in 1621 lasted three days? My reflection, therefore, is that we should not take for granted anything in our lives; big or small. Ironically, our theme this year has been to "embrace the challenge" of a new school year. In my opinion, it is impossible to truly embrace those many challenges, unless you do so with a positive attitude and a sense of gratitude and thankfulness. Mrs. Tollison and I remain so appreciative of our incredible faculty and staff, precious students, and supportive school community. During these next few days, pause to consider for what or for whom you are thankful.  Speak this out-loud; ensure that what is on your heart is spoken. Live Thanksgiving in all that you do and say. And walk out of school next Tuesday with a full heart and the ability to enjoy the time off with friends and family.

Let's take a look back at last week...

 PVES hosted Lindsay Reyes and ASD1 5th grade teachers on Monday. The opportunity to see Lindsay in action, both in teaching reading mini-lessons and conferring, was invaluable. I am thankful for a district that provides such opportunities for teachers.

I am thankful for veterans who served our country. We enjoy many freedoms and none of them are free. PVES celebrated Veteran's Day on Monday in several ways; each with its own meaning and importance.

Thanks to Mrs. Redmon for presenting to us at Wednesday's faculty meeting. I am thankful for her knowledge and willingness to always be available to support our teachers and students. And thanks to everyone for your support in preparing for our Literacy Night. Wednesday was a display of #pvespride in its truest form. When we work together toward a common goal, the magic happens.

The Art Show was a huge success on Thursday evening. We sold more framed artwork than ever and enjoyed seeing so many teachers and staff there to support our students. I am thankful for Mrs. Nix sharing her many talents with us.

Math? On the windows? At PVES, why not? I am thankful for many creative teachers who take the time to make learning hands-on and fun for our students!

OLWEUS Continues:

After viewing the ROAR Report Monday morning, all classes should hold OLWEUS class meetings. At this point in the year, your meetings can address nearly any topic needed to serve the needs in your classroom. You can always refer to our shared folder for lesson ideas. Be creative, allow students to collaborate, and hit crucial areas head on so that can you refer to this time and this learning throughout the week. Additionally, don't forget our expectation is that all students are quiet and focused on announcements each morning. Thanks for your help with this.

Cafeteria/Lunch Reminders:
We continue to host a lot of parents for lunch in the cafeteria. Please encourage parents to use the parent tables for lunch. Students can invite one (1) friends to eat at the parent table with them. We have seen cases in which multiple students are eating lunch at the parent table and space is already at a premium. Please relay this to parents as needed. Please remind your students about our expectations during lunch. When the music plays, they should eat and not talk. Finally, please ensure that your students clean up their area before they line up and assign students to wipe down tables when you line up your class.

Tuesday and Wednesday Info:
Mr. Moore and Mrs. Tollison will be out of the building on Tuesday at a district-mandated professional development session. Tammy Lee will be at school to serve any needs, but please remember that she will be quite busy covering for us. Mrs. Tollison will be in Columbia on Wednesday and Mr. Moore will be at Daniel High School Wednesday for a portion of the day. Again, Tammy will be present to assist as needed. Mrs. Tollison and Mr. Moore are also in the midst of completing formal observations for evaluation. Thanks for being patient as we work through a very busy schedule.

Friday Emergency Drills:
We are required to complete district-mandated emergency drills on Friday, November 22nd . We want  to knock this out early so please see our schedule below with linked information:

1.) Earthquake Drill - Immediately following announcements. We will make an announcement with information and the drill will begin when the bell rings. We use the "drop, cover and hold on" technique for earthquakes.
2.) Severe Weather/Tornado Drill - This will take place immediately after the earthquake drill. Students should come out to the hallway and drop and cover (see picture provided in link). Again, we will announce when we should start.
3.) Fire Drill - Our monthly fire drill will take place at some point on Friday; weather permitting. Follow our normal procedures.

Please ensure that all student stake these drills seriously.

Moore's Musings:
In regard to our collaborative planning time, continue to stay the course. I would again remind us all that having deep data conversations is not easy. Using the data to identify students who need intervention and developing a plan of action to serve those students is even more difficult. When you discuss  CFAs based on essential standards and determine that some students didn't master the content or already have it mastered, you should develop this plan of action as part of our data discussions. However, we should not review too much in class just for the sake of students being "test prepped" so much that they perform well on the CFA and our data "looks good". Let the data say what it may and then have rich discussion that helps you walk out of your PLC with a true plan of action for success.

Mark Your Calendar (MYC):

• Last day for Book Fair - 11/18
• PVES Ambassadors Meet - 11/18 After School in STEM Lab
• RTI Team Meet - 11/18 After School in Keel's Room 
• Guiding Coalition to PLC PD at CTC - 11/19
• Robotics Club - 11/21 After School in STEM Lab
• Conferring Book Study - 11/21 After School in Media Center 
• Skate Night (Wear House Colors) - 11/21 6-8 P.M. (Any teacher attending can wear blue jeans and leave early on 11/22, 11/25, 11/26)
• SIC Meeting - 11/22 at 7:20 A.M. in media center
• Earthquake, Severe Weather and Fire Drills - 11/22
• 5th Grade Immigration Day - 11/26 morning in cafeteria 
• Thanksgiving Break (No School) - 11/27-11/29

Video of the Week: 25 Reasons to Be Thankful 

Remember Your Purpose

The P in PRIDE stands for Be Purposeful. According to disctionary.com, purposeful is an adjective that means having a purpose; determined; resolute. Of all the descriptors that make up our P.R.I.D.E. acronym, I am convinced our success is most closely tied to our purpose. And in these busy days ahead, bracketed by Fall Break and Christmas Break, we must remain ever-focused and diligent to our purpose: our students. When we meet as collaborative teams and have challenging conversations that make us better educators, we acknowledge our purpose. When we spend those extra moments caring for and establishing a relationship with a student who has long since zapped our energy, we embrace our purpose. And when we celebrate those occasions of growth and build upon those teachable moments, we are confident in our purpose. The next level, our best at PVES, is yet to come. Together, each person clinging to the purpose for which you were intended, we are destined to make a difference.

Our school participated in a One School, One Book using the book Wishtree by Katherine Applegate. All classes read the book which is about acceptance of others. In the book, the community placed their wishes on a tree and called it the Wishtree. Our students made wishes for the school year and placed the wishes on the trees in the front of the building. If you have not taken the time to read some of these wishes, may I suggest you walk outside and do so. And be reminded of your purpose. 

We celebrated our student writers with our Writing "Wall of Fame" breakfast. These are always fun events and enable us to celebrate growth in the area of writing. The young man in the picture above, sitting alongside his mentor, reminds me that our purpose as educators is much more than grades or test scores. We are a community of learners; bound to make a difference in the lives of 660 very special young people. 

Our first nine weeks Pride Practice ceremonies were a huge success. Again, we celebrated students who embody the character traits that will make them successful adults who contribute to our society. As each teacher reads her heartfelt message, it becomes crystal clear what her purpose is as an educator. Special times indeed. 

The newly formed Robotics Team at Powdersville Elementary is excited about using VEX IQ Robotics to build and program robots.  They will travel to Columbia in the spring to compete against other schools.  To prepare for middle and high school robotics classes, Powdersville Elementary plans to have all fifth grade STEM students participate in VEX robotics beginning next year. We should always be reminded that our students need direction as to their purpose and that it certainly stretches farther and wider than "just" standards. 

Veteran's Day/OLWEUS:
Just a reminder that we celebrate Veteran's Day on Monday, November 11th. With Lindsay Reyes and many visitors in our building, we are scaling down our celebration, but we still want to ensure our students are exposed to this special day. Remember that we will mention Veteran's Day briefly on our morning announcements. After announcements, please open your classroom doors. We have a member of the PVHS band who will be performing TAPS for each hallway. Then, we would like each home room to spend the first 10-15 minutes in recognition of Veteran's Day. I will be sharing a read aloud later today that you are free to use. After your Veteran's Day recognition/discussions, you are free to engage in OLWEUS class meetings (3rd and 4th only). Mrs. McGaha has been kind enough to set up the "missing man" table in our cafeteria. Thanks to everyone for allowing us to spend a few moments in solemn recognition and gratefulness for those who have and are currently serving our country. 

Lindsay Reyes PD:
As mentioned above, we will host Lindsay Reyes and 5th grade teachers from across the district on Monday. We will have groups meeting in the media center and Strings room throughout the day as well as visiting several 5th grade classrooms. Please make every effort to be at school as there will be no subs available. Obviously, 5th grade home room will have a sub so be on the lookout for how you can step in and serve those subs or assist in any way possible. We appreciate your flexibility and willingness to allow us to pull of such an event. The schedule for the day is linked here. 

Art Show and Book Fair This Week:
We have a busy week as our Fall Book Fair continues until Monday, November 18th. We are excited about hosting our Art Show on Thursday evening from 5-7 PM. If you are interested in wearing blue jeans on Friday this week, simply show up and support Mrs. Nix on Thursday evening. Obviously, we want all teachers to get the word out via SeeSaw about these events and support Mrs. Fowler and Mrs. Nix. Mrs. Fowler uses money from the Book Fair to update titles in the media center. Mrs. Nix uses money from the Art Show to help fund our wonderful I Heart the Arts day in the Spring. 

Faculty Meeting Wednesday:
We will have a faculty meeting on Wednesday after school in the media center. We will have some general announcements before working together to prepare for our upcoming Literacy Night on Thursday, December 5th. Please bring any questions or concerns you have for the group. 

Hospitality:
Last, but certainly not least, we want to officially notify everyone that we are ready for faculty and staff to join hospitality. The cost is $30.00 and while not "required", it is certainly reasonable to expect that our faculty joins. Our hospitality team works to support teachers in a variety of ways including, but not limited to: recognition of staff (i.e. Custodian Appreciation Day), hosting showers for soon-to-be mothers or for those getting married, and providing cards/gift cards for those experiencing death in the family. This year, we have a portion of our hospitality team that is planning several social events for our faculty and staff. These ROAR (Reach Others, Achieving Relationships) events are designed to foster a sense of friendship and belonging among our faculty and staff. You can pay via cash or check (made payable to PVES). Thanks! 


Moore's Musings:
The theme of our blog is obviously remembering our purpose and embracing that purpose in a profession that is both hectic and demanding. My advice for anyone experiencing the stress that impacts us all this time of year is to simply slow down. Carefully think through your next steps. Consider your words and actions. Don't be passive or afraid to be wrong. Rather, collaborate with others and be confident knowing you are working hard and doing your best. Communicate well and often. Make that positive phone call home that you have been putting off or attempt that new strategy or idea that you think will make a difference. Willingly accept feedback, praise your colleagues and build upon our culture in such a way that there is no doubt what purpose you serve. 


Mark Your Calendar:

• Veteran's Day - November 11
• Lindsay Reyes PD for 5th Grade - November 11th 
• Book Fair Open - All Week
• Papa John's Dollars for Dough" - November 12th and 13th
• Fall Make-Up Pictures - AM on November 12th
• Conferring Book Study - 3:15 P.M. on November 12th 
• Progress Report Folders - November 13th
• Faculty Meeting - 3:10 P.M. on November 13th 
• Art Show - 5-7 P.M. on November 14th 
• United Way Contributions Due - November 15th (please consider giving - this goes toward or summer reading camp)

Video of the Week: Know Your Why 

(We have shown this before and it is an excellent illustration!)

Gratitude

Mr. Moore and I would like to express our gratitude for the way you celebrated with us on Boss's day. Each one of you means so much to us and our PVES family. We felt your love and appreciation. It was encouraging to sit down and read each of your cards. Thank you for what YOU do to make PVES the special place it is! We would not want to be anywhere else! 

Great things are happening at PVES...

The Pride Stride was a HUGE success! It took all hands on deck. We are grateful that we could enjoy the beautiful weather and a fun-filled day! Now it is time to collect that pledge money. 

We are grateful for how Kelle Martin continues to support our classroom teachers. We love how willing she is to provide PD, team teach, and model lessons for our teachers. Remember she is an excellent resource and be sure you reach out to her if you have questions or need help.

Guided math groups are a wonderful way to differentiate your instruction and meet the needs of your students. If you need help with your math block or want to observe some other teachers let Mrs. Tollison know. 

Fifth graders have started their research writing unit. They are learning about immigration and the teachers are working together to expose students to primary sources. This brilliant use of space and teamwork came from collaborative team time one Thursday. We are so grateful to our teachers who work hard to support PLC efforts on Thursdays so our students can reap the benefits. 

 Gold!!! Third graders celebrated the end of their first reading unit with a search for gold. They learned books are like gold and should be treasured. Their boxes included books for their next unit. Thank you for making reading fun at PVES.

Monday's PD day was very productive. Teachers had time to reflect on data conversations and use a data protocol. Then folks had time to work in their classrooms. Thank you for being hard-working professionals who embraced the day. 

A few of our teachers had the opportunity to attend a Robotics conference. They built and programmed a robot. Thank you, ladies, for willingness to learn and grow for our students.

Red Ribbon Week

The week of October 21st-25th we will celebrate Red Ribbon Week. Below you will find the schedule for our celebrations. Please be sure to share this information with parents via Seesaw. Remember we are still enjoying "Jean-tober."

Monday (10/21)-  I'm Red-y to Say No to Drugs- Wear Red to school
Tuesday (10/22)- I Have the Power to be Drug-Free - Wear a superhero t-shirt
Wednesday (10/23)- Wake up Drug-Free - Wear your pajamas to school
Thursday (10/24)- Team up Against Drugs - Wear your favorite team jersey
Friday (10/25)- Our Houses Say No to Drugs - Wear your house T-shirt or colors

OLWEUS

Homeroom teachers will hold OLWEUS class meetings on Monday, October 21st. The focus of this meeting is lesson #6. This lesson reviews Rules #1-4. As always, there are plenty of resources in our shared folder and we ask that teachers continue to share and add items in this folder. Let's make this a valuable time to positively impact our classroom and school climate.

Pride Stride Update

Thank you to everyone for all your help on Friday with our second annual Pride Stride. Now comes the important part, getting the promised pledge money collected. Teachers, please continue to encourage your parents and students to collect pledges and money. New pledges are welcomed! All pledges and money should be turned in by Friday, October 25th. As of Friday, we were $3,000 away (pledged amount) from reaching our school goal of $30,000. Several classes reached new class goals and will find your reward certificates in your boxes. Mr. Moore will be receiving plenty of pies in the face next week! 

House Points and Celebrations

Monday, October 21st is our final day to count and include all of the first nine week's house points. A winner will be decided at the end of the day (10/21) at 4:30 pm. All items brought in for the Humane Society will be counted and points added for the winning house as well. On Tuesday, October 22nd Pride Rock will be painted for the overall first nine weeks winning house. The winning house will enjoy snowcones, music, and lunch outside on Wednesday, October 23rd. Teachers, we ask that you have students from the winning house go ahead get their lunches. Then, they can head to the courtyard during their regularly scheduled lunchtime on Wednesday. Teachers can pick them up on your way back from lunch. 

Pride Practice Ceremony

We will have our first Pride Practice Ceremony on Friday, November 1st. All ceremonies will take place in the morning and should not impact related arts or lunch.  Homeroom teachers are reminded to send Ms. Kendall the names of two students to be recognized for being purposeful and/or respectful. You will also need to complete the certificates in our Shared Folder. Please include a paragraph description of the student and why he/she has been selected for this recognition. This should be completed by Monday, October 28th. Ms. Lee and Mrs. Tollison will begin printing and laminating these for the ceremony. Remember this is a surprise and should not be shared with the students before the ceremony.

8:15-9:00 Fourth Grade

9:15-10:00 Third Grade

10:15-11:00 Fifth Grade

End of Nine Weeks Information

The end of the first nine weeks is Tuesday, October 22nd. All grades must be in by 4:00 pm on Thursday, October 24th. Verifications will be printed on Friday, October 25th. Please be sure to check these and sign off on them before you leave for the day. Report cards will be printed on Monday, October 28th and sent home on Wednesday, October 30th. (Fith grade will receive theirs on Thursday, October 31st due to the field trip.) Remember parents are asked to sign and return the white copy.

ALiCE Drill

Thank you for completing your ALiCE worksheet for your classroom. Remember our drill is scheduled for Friday, October 25th. Be sure to review the staff training presentation and have an intentional conversation and training with your students. Please let Mr. Moore or Mrs. Tollison know if you have any questions or need clarity before Friday, October 25th. Remember doors should remain locked at all times. 

Tollison's Tidings:

• SmartFind Express is our new system for absences. You must use this website to access this system. https://andersonsd1.eschoolsolutions.com/ Your User ID is the three or four digit employee ID number I emailed you to register. Once you registered, you created a six digit password (probably a date you can remember). 
• We do have a central place for Lost and Found. Please send items up to the box across from the office. This allows parents and students to look through items and not have to roam around to find items. If jackets are found on the playground or MP Room, you can send those with students to this central location. (See below for a picture.)

• Reminders about accommodations and report cards: 
• Students who receive oral administration of tests should have all test items on all tests (except reading tests) read aloud. This is not optional. Make sure the student is following along with you as you read. 
• Students who receive small group administration of tests should be pulled to the teacher table or other arrangements for small groups should be made ahead of time. 
• Make a note on the assessment that accommodations were given. 
• Make sure to include a comment on the report card that the grade was made with accommodations. 
• ESL students should not make below a 60 on their final grade for each content area. Let me know if you need help with this.
• No Live PD scheduled for this week.

Mark Your Calendar (MYC):

10/21- PVES Ambassador Meeting @ 2:35

10/21- Last day to collect items for the Humane Society

10/22- End of the 1st Nine Weeks 

10/22- Dental Hygenist on the Stage for teeth cleanings 

10/22- Conferring PD with Kelle Martin (for folks who signed up) @ 3:15

10/23- Rikki Brown @ PVES for Open Enrollment (Teacher's Workroom)

10/23- Last "Stop the Bleed" training (see Nurse Cynthia for details) 

10/24- No Sub Nurse for Thriving Thursday

10/24- Robotics Club @ 2:45

10/24- Grades due before you leave 

10/24- Skate Night- Halloween costumes (no masks or weapons) from 6:00-8:00

10/25- ALiCE drill

10/25- Pride Stride pledges and money due 

10/25- Verifications printed and due back before you leave 

Video of the Week: Say Thank You- Importance of Gratitude