Daisy Daily for Week of October 30, 2017

Daisy Staff,

Thanks to all who supported "Dress Down for Breast Cancer Awareness" last Friday.  Our Daisy folks sure do look good in PINK!!!  Many thanks to Heather Gersz who has organized this event for the past several years : )

Can't you just feel the excitement building for October 31?

Please remember that we want to be sensitive to the wishes of our students' families (and staff), so if you have anyone who would prefer not to participate in the parade on Tuesday at 2 pm in the front circle, please let me know.  We will have an optional movement/art activity set up.  Also, some may prefer to watch the parade or walk with their class, without a costume.  Others may want to be festive, but may not have access to a costume.  Many teachers are addressing this by having a few festive items on hand, including things that students can make themselves, like spider headbands.  Please let me know if you have any concerns or need help with anything.

Please refer to the letter that went out to families and staff re: Fall Fun 2017, along with recommendations regarding the parade.  I will re-send that letter to all parties before Monday. 

A few notes about this week:

• In Grade-Level Meetings, we will have a final discussion re: SLO's and goals, so please have them ready for approval in EdReflect (formerly known as Bloomboard).
• As always, please check our DAISY STAFF CALENDAR for the events of this week and the weeks ahead:

DAISY STAFF CALENDAR

• Please keep in mind this week, we have:
• Leadership Meeting on Tuesday at 8 am.
• Halloween Parade at 2 pm on Tuesday (in front circle). Preschoolers will join the parade in the afternoon, but morning Preschool classes will also parade through the inside of the school in the morning at 10:15 am.  Families will be invited to sign in and view the parade from the "Pit" area.
• "Coffee & Chat" Breakfast Meeting for EL Families on Wednesday, at 7:45 am.
• Staff Meeting on Wednesday after school from 3:15-4:15 pm.
• Data Team on Thursday at 8 am in Room 1.
• Our Second-Grade Walking Field Trip to the Firehouse has been rescheduled to this Thursday from 8:45 -11:30 am.

As always, please let me know your concerns and let's work together to make it a great week!!!

Ruth

Many thanks to all who participated in the Parent Forum re: Sexual Assault and Abuse Prevention,

making it such a success!

Many, many thanks to Michele Hammond for her leadership on the SAAP Curriculum work and for all of our staff members who contributed to the writing of lessons for the successful implementation of this addendum to our District Health Curriculum.

Daisy Daily for the Week of October 23, 2017

Our Annual Walk to School Day was a huge success last week. Record numbers of students, families and staff members participated.  Thanks to all!!!

Daisy Staff,

As always, we've got a busy week ahead.

Here are a few highlights:

• Wed., Oct. 25:  School-Based PLC, 3:15-4:15 pm
• Thurs., Oct. 26: Parent Forum re: Sexual Abuse Awareness Prevention (SAAP) Curriculum at 7 pm at Daisy, for parents district-wide, PreK through Grade 12.  (This panel will be facilitated by Esther Bobowick.  Thanks so much to our staff members participating: Michele Hammond, Marilyn Brown and Seana Nygard, who will give a positive message to parents about the importance of this curriculum, along with Superintendent Pat Ciccone and Director of Student Services Madeline Illinger.)
• Fri., Oct. 27: PMT Training at Daisy, Room 7.

As always, please click on our Daisy Staff Calendar link below for all the events of the weeks and months ahead:

DAISY STAFF CALENDAR

RESTORATIVE PRACTICES TRAINING UPDATE:

We have numerous staff members signed up for the two training dates in January, which is wonderful!

I encourage those who have not committed yet to consider the October 30-31 and February 1-2 dates so that we can ensure coverage with subs for all.  For those who haven't signed up yet, please touch base with me so that we can discuss your plans.

Thanks and let's make it a fabulous week!

Ruth

Thanks to all who helped us recognized Down Syndrome Awareness last Friday, October 20th.
Thanks so much to Jackie, Jenna and Mel for organizing this important effort!  

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We'll be going PINK again this Friday, October 27, as our Daisy Staff recognizes Breast Cancer Awareness and the importance of early detection!
Dress Down Donations this Friday will benefit the 
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Thanks to Heather Gersz for organizing this!
Here's a pic from last year........💕💕💕

Daisy Daily for Week of October 16, 2017

The Early Childhood Forum, hosted by WECC/WELL will take place at Daisy on November 6.

Please consider joining us!

A few notes about this week:

• Please review Lock-Down procedures with your students as we plan to schedule a Lock-Down drill this week.  (I'll send a separate e-mail with reminders re: protocol for these drills.)
• In Grade-Level Team Meetings, we'll discuss Math data from recent assessments in grades 2-3-4, as per our Assessment Calendar.
• Our High School has a busy week ahead as the visiting NEASC team will be onsite from Sunday through Wednesday of this week.
• Westbrook Board of Education meeting will take place this Tuesday, Oct. 17, in the WHS Library.
• There will be two additional China Informational Meetings this week: Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm in Room 5.
• We have Department-Based PLC on Wednesday from 3:15-4:15 pm.
• "Walk to School" is scheduled this Thursday.  Families will meet in the Ted Lane Parking Lot near the Firehouse to walk to Daisy.  Please come out to welcome our walkers along the sidewalk up to Daisy and/or at the front of the school from 8:00-8:25, if you're available.
• Dress Down Days for the next two Fridays will recognize:
• Oct. 20---Down Syndrome Awareness (organized by Jenna Brady/Mel Davis/Jackie Cerase)
• Oct. 27---Breast Cancer Awareness (organized by Heather Gerz)

Here's the link to our STAFF CALENDAR for all scheduled events in the weeks ahead:

DAISY STAFF CALENDAR

As always, please let me know what we need to add to our Staff Calendar for the good of all and let's make it a great week!!!

Ruth

Fire Prevention time at Daisy.

Thanks to our volunteers at Westbrook Fire Department 

for bringing all of this important safety information

to our students!

"Daisy Daily" for Week of October 9, 2017

"Sheriff Sweet"

Thanks so much to "Sheriff Sweet" for yet another very 

successful, spectacular Book Fair.  

Thanks to all who joined in the fun with "Wild West" spirit!!!

Daisy Friends,

I do hope that everyone enjoyed a wonderful, long Columbus Day Weekend with family and friends.

Thanks SO MUCH to all for helping to make our Parent/Teacher Conference Week last week so successful!  I do appreciate the time and work that goes into each conference.  Communicating with families is vital to our students' success and I know that each of you put in your all to reach out to all families.

Here are a few notes about the week ahead:

• In Grade-Level Meetings this week, we'll discuss goals regarding student learning, affectionately called "SLO's."
• Homework Room starts on Tuesday, after school from 3-4 pm.  This is for 3rd and 4th grade students, by teacher referral.  Cathy Dowler is the coordinator and it takes place in her classroom.
• Our Report Card Meeting will meet at 8 am on Wednesday, in the office.
• We're scheduled for a Staff Meeting on Wednesday, from 3:15-4:15 pm.
• Our Special Area Team Meeting will take place this Friday at 8 am in the office.
• Westbrook High School will host the NEASC visiting committee from Sunday, October 15, through Wednesday, October 18.

As always, please continue to check the link to our Daisy Staff Calendar and please let me know items that should be added for the good of all:

DAISY STAFF CALENDAR

Let's make it a great week!!!

Ruth

"Daisy Daily" for Week of October 2, 2017

Pat Ciccone joins a circle of students during Open House.

This week features:

• "Wild West" Book Fair in our school library, Monday through Thursday.  Please show your school spirit by dressing up in a "wild west" theme on Monday, Oct. 2.
• Restorative Practices Training on Oct. 2 & 3 at WHS, from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm.
• Early Dismissal on Tuesday & Thursday (Oct. 3 & Oct. 5) at 1 pm for Parent/Teacher Conferences
• Family Night at the Book Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 4-8 pm.
• We won't hold Grade Level Meetings in my office this week due to schedule changes associated with early dismissal for P/T Conferences.
• Don't forget that Monday, Oct. 9, is a school holiday--Columbus Day.
• Homework Room will start on Oct. 10.  It will run Mondays through Thursdays, from 3-4 pm in Room 5.  Grade 3 and 4 Teachers: if you would like to recommend students to participate in Homework Room, please make these referrals to Cathy Dowler, Coordinator.
If you haven't signed up yet for RESTORATIVE PRACTICES TRAINING, please choose a date to attend from the future trainings, scheduled to take place in our district:

• October 30^th & 31^st
• January 16^th & 17^th
• January 18^th & 19^th
• February 1^st & 2^nd
These trainings are for ALL staff members, certified and non-certified, alike.  The instructions for signing up online for these trainings are below.  
Please remember that you must also fill out a Conference Request Form and submit that to the office as well.

To sign up online, access through this link (also previously sent)  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-2017-summer-2018-tickets-32300771477
• Click the green square that says “register” in the upper right-hand corner of screen
• Scroll down until you find the Session you seek (there are many so keep scrolling)
• The screen will tell you how many seats are still available under the title or it will say sold out
• Find the drop down that depicts a “0”
• Select the number of people you are registering; that should be 1 in most cases
• Once information is entered, click “complete registration” at the very bottom of the screen
• A ticket will be printed


As always, please click on our Daisy Staff Calendar for important events/dates/times at:

DAISY STAFF CALENDAR

What a wonderful celebration at our first "Good News" Assembly of the year on Friday, where we celebrated Summer Reading & Math Challenge efforts as well as a great start to the new school year!

Thanks so much to our Daisy PTO for sponsoring this amazing Laser Magic Show.

Let's dance through the week ahead!!!

Ruth