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