Tuesday MM

I am a joint principals breakfast this morning.

I am back and excited to share that Randy Fulton was named the 2009-10 WSFCS Principal of the year. He is the leader at Mineral Springs Middle School and has been there for 10 years.

A note about the Math Conference from Velvet M. Simington, Mathematics Program Manager.

You are aware that the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCCTM) State Conference will be held on October 29-30 at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. The fall math conference ("Zooming in on the Essentials") this year will have many featured sessions by NCDPI to help roll-out the new curriculum and support documents. It is desirable that every school have representation at this year's conference to be informed of all of the changes.
Here are some of the sessions to expect from NCDPI staff regarding the new curriculum and the direction for our state on many important math issues:
K-5 & 6-12 Essential Standards (Background, Learning Trajectory, and the Essential Standards Document)
K-2, 3-5, 6-8, & 9-12 How to Use the Standards to Teach - (Resources and Expectations Revised)
Bloom's Taxonomy and its Impact on the New Curriculum (Verb Power)
Improving Mathematics Instruction through Writing (Writing in the Math Content Area)
Formative Assessment
Preparing for the Next Generation of Assessments (What to Expect)
Due to the importance of the upcoming state math conference, I will reimburse the $55 registration fee for 1 teacher (who is a member of NCCTM in order to reimburse at the $55 rate) per elementary school to attend the conference. We are not offering math staff development on the October 29 RC day due to the math conference since this is an excellent staff development opportunity that will focus on the Essential Standards and strategies designed to increase student achievement and engagement. The workshops being offered at the conference will further support our Partners for Mathematics Learning Initiative as we prepare for the roll out of the Essential Standards in Mathematics. Additionally, there is no need for a substitute on either of these two days should your selected teacher choose to attend both full days rather than just on the Oct. 29th RC day since the $55 pre-registration fee (current NCCTM member rate) covers the full, two-day conference. Sessions begin at 8:30 am and end at 4:15 pm each day on October 29 and 30th.

The link that follows will allow access to the NCCTM website where additional information can be found concerning the math conference on October 29-30, 2009 at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. https://secure.ncctm.org/index.cfm
Your selected participant should pre-register on-line at the NCCTM website using the above link and pay the $55 pre-registration fee on-line. He/she will then print the receipt and keep that to submit to me - along with other needed paper work for reimbursement of the pre-registration fee after the conference and confirmation of conference attendance.
Although I can only reimburse one participant per elementary school, you may be planning to send other teachers or they may plan to pay for themselves to attend the conference on the RC day or both days. The registration costs are below:
Pre-registration fee for current member $55.00 (Must pre-register by Oct. 23 on-line at the NCCTM website, Oct. 16 by mail)
Pre-registration fee for current nonmember $95.00 (Must pre-register by Oct. 23 on-line at the NCCTM website, Oct. 16 by mail)
Onsite registration fee for current member $75.00
Onsite registration fee for nonmember $115.00

FYI: NCCTM membership is only $20 per year, so it's actually cheaper for a participant to pay the membership fee on-line and then pre-register on-line at the current member rate than for him/her to pre-register at the nonmember rate. (Remember that no reimbursement is available from my office for the membership fee.)
Please email me the name of your school's selected participant by Friday, October 16 or let me know by that time that you will not use your slot. Once I know the name of your selected participant, I will contact him/her.
Thank you for your continued support.

Velvet M. Simington
Mathematics Program Manager
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
Phone: 336-748-3360
Extension: 34237

We can send many folk to this fine opportunity with our title one Staff development funds. But the deadline to commit is the same - October 16th.

Here is a note from Olga Kangelaris, our Brunson Elementary - United Way ECM;

Thank you so much to those who have already turned in the United Way Pledge forms. Please put your signed, completed forms in my box or submit your pledge on-line by accessing the United Way website from the WSFCS website. Please access the website even if you would not like to make a contribution this year and make that choice.

I will begin drawing for some of the prizes on Wednesday, October 14th. The United Way Campaign runs until Friday, October 30th.

Again, thank you so much for your generosity and thinking of others in this great time of need.

Here is some info from Colleen Lopina regarding the rummage sale;

Dear PTA Board and Rummage Sale Volunteers,
I wanted to send out a report on the success of the rummage sale on
Saturday. We made a total of $745.55 and also sold $35 worth of Brunson
T-shirts. The amount of donations we had and the hours of volunteer help
were wonderful! At the end of the sale there were still a lot of items left
and we have made a plan for the distribution of these items.

*This Thursday the toys, puzzles, stuffed animals etc. will be displayed on
the stage for the Brunson teachers to come and take as much as they would
like for free to distribute to their students.

*The coats will be given to the home school coordinator, Mrs. Burchette, to
distribute to students in need of a coat.

*Next Tuesday at the International Night a classroom across from the media
center will be set up for a bag sale. We will move the rummage sale items
down there and people can purchase a paper grocery bag for $2 and fill it
with as many items as they can fit in. Hopefully this will move a lot of the
leftover clothes and shoes.

*Some clothes from what is left will go to the Brunson clothing closet and
the rest will be given to local charities such as the Green Street United
Methodist Church free clothing closet.

PBS team meeting at 3:15 today!

Chess Club after-school in the Cafe.

Very important SIT meeting on Wednesday in Tanya's room. Please come prepared to work on the revisions with our new data points.

Keep up the positive work you do with our children. They are growing and need your dedication to the craft of teaching, for them to excel in learning.