Save the Date!

The

A Professional Learning Community

strategic instructional strategies designed to improve literacy skills. In addition, each teacher has determined professional goals that will deepen their own learning regarding how best to meet the academic needs of their targeted group.

GES’s SLO focuses upon those students who demonstrate a deficit in the area of literacy performance. More specifically, the areas that will be our

focus are as follows: 1) All students identified based upon

the targeted criteria and who do not meet criteria for Tier II or Tier III intervention) will:

make “typical” MAP growth for their grade level based on

national norms or their individual targeted growth.

2) All students, exhibiting a relative weakness in a specific strand of literacy (literature, foundational skills/vocabulary,

informational text), will meet their individual targeted MAP

growth in overall reading as well as improve in the identified

strand, as measured by winter and spring MAP scores. Know that your child’s growth is something we take very seriously and we’re committed to making these improvements to ensure that happens!

Principal’s Corner

Thankgiving

Break

GES Winter

Concert

January 22nd, 1:00-

3:00

GHS Auditoriaum

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4

Report Cards

Sent Home

December 5th

Dear GES families, Improvement of any kind doesn’t happen accidentally. It occurs

because there is a specific vision of what the improvement consists of and a plan to accomplish that vision. The vision must include the steps that must be taken and their related timeline, as well as what evidence must be collected to measure progress toward that vision. In addition, those individuals responsible for actualizing the vision must all be committed to its success and moving the plan forward together.

Improving student academic performance must be addressed in the same manner and GES is well on its way to having that vision defined. Each teacher has reviewed student performance data from fall 2014 MAP data as well as other types of assessments (i.e., PALS kindergarten/1st grade assessments, running records, etc.). Based on that

information, as well as on GES’s School Learning Objective, each

teacher recently completed a Student Learning Objective (SLO) to “target” specific small groups of students for the purpose of implementing

GES News

November 26th-28th

Enjoy this time with

family and friends!

THE COUTRY DALE NEWS NOVEMBER 2013

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Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

A huge thank you to GES’s PTA board

members, Stacy Fischer, Erin Schumaker, Lisa

Tagliapietra, and Janda Vavricka, as well as many

other very involved parents for their efforts in

organizing the 2014 GES Casino Night Auction! It

was a huge success which is a tremendous

undertaking months before the actual event.

The students and staff are also hugely

indebted to those parents who were so supportive

with their time and amazing generosity. Although

the totals aren’t completely finalized, this year’s

donations exceeded last years! We are so

fortunate at GES to have such overwhelming

support from our parents.

Finally, a tremendous thank you to GES

staff members who contribute their time providing

exciting experiences our students will be able to

be a part of!

GRAFTON ELEMENTARY

NEWS

2014

4

At the November 10 meeting, the Board of Education approved early release days

at the elementary level beginning in January 2015. These early release days will be

used for professional development and collaboration time for the elementary

teachers. The elementary early release days will be January 16, February 13, March

13 and May 8. Elementary students will be dismissed at 11:40 am on those

days. More information on the specifics of the early release days can be found in the

November 10 Board of Education Brief.

While there are details that are yet to be finalized, it is important to begin making

plans for your child(ren). For those parents who may be interested in child care options,

possible solutions are being looked into. In addition, the option of students riding other

bus routes to the homes of friends are also a possibility. Once more details are

finalized, a communication will be sent home along with a form to be returned to the

school office. The required form will communicate each family’s plan for the Early

Release day in January to ensure that GES staff members are aware of what each child’s

dismissal plan includes.

Early Release Plans Beginning in January

THE COUTRY DALE NEWS NOVEMBER 2013

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Upcoming

December Events

December 5th - Report cards come home. Parents are also able to access their

childrens’ report cards on Skyward December 4th.

December 15th – Wolfpack Assembly – Generosity is this month’s theme

December 22nd – January 4th – Winter break; classes resume January 5th

GRAFTON ELEMENTARY NEWS

NEWS

2014

4

.

Each month, GES students and staff join together to celebrate the efforts they’ve

made to contribute to a positive learning environment where everyone is

respected, responsible, ready to learn, and is safe.. When you walk throughout the

halls of GES, you also know that our students and staff have completed projects

that help them to focus on the many reasons why they are thankful. As a

community of learners, we are also completing a school-wide project that

emphasizes the importance of gratitude. Every student and staff member is writing

a word or phrase that expresses what they are grateful for and then tying them to a

garland that will be strung together. It will be on display in our cafetería as a

reminder of all that we have to be thankful for.

Gratitude Garlands

It’s Cold Outside!

If it is an outside recess day, all students must go outdoors.

All students are expected to go outside for recess whenever the wind chill is above 0 degrees. Please

be sure your child is dressed for the weather. This includes a warm coat, mittens or gloves, hat,

scarves, snow pants & boots when there is snow. To play in snow, boots, and snow pants are

required. Students who come to school without boots and snow pants will need to remain on the

blacktop on snowy days.

THE COUTRY DALE NEWS NOVEMBER 2013

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