Week of November 17

It's a busy week here at Lake Elementary School. Here's how my week looks:

Monday, November 17
I'll be meeting with Bobbi and Diana today around 1:00, but other than that, I hope to get caught up on some paperwork and into classrooms.

Mrs. Schager is out today observing her participating teacher for BTSA. Mrs. Kraemer is her sub in second grade.

Tuesday, November 18
Auditors will be here all day for their bi-annual visit. They will be using the staff building, so if you're a staff member who goes there for lunch, you'll have to find an alternate place to eat. Feel free to continue to use the copier, but they'll be set up at the big table in the big room.

Great American Smoke-out Presentations will be occurring in grades 5-8 throughout the morning.

Monthly School Board Meeting in the 7th grade classroom at 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 19
First of three minimum days for Parent-Teacher Conferences, dismissal each day is 12:50 p.m.

I will be gone in the morning at the monthly SELPA and Superintendent's meetings, this time in Orland. Parent-Teacher Conferences from 1:00 - 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, November 20
I'll be eating lunch with some well-behaved third graders as they have earned "lunch with the principal". I'm looking forward to that as lunch with students is one of my favorite parts of this job.

At 1:00 I'll be participating in a webinar getting more familiar with our new statewide assessment system, CAASPP = California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress.

Second day of Parent-Teacher Conferences starting at 1:00 p.m., minimum day.

Friday, November 21
Third and final minimum day for Parent-Teacher Conferences.

And I'm excited to announce that, for the first time in six years, Lake will be hosting a junior high dance. On Friday, November 14, Student Council members presented at a special board meeting for approval of this dance. The Fall Ball will invite 7th and 8th graders from Plaza, Capay, and Lake. Pictures and refreshments will be offered. DJ-ing this great event is our own Lake Graduate, Spencer Kidder. Have a great time!

On a personal note, our favorite cook, Bobbi, will be gone this week Wednesday-Friday. We're so excited for her and her son and the rest of the family as he gets married this weekend! So if you see Bobbi and that odd, glazed look in her eye, just know that it is nothing more than wedding preparation! Fortunately, our great assistant, Diana, will be on hand to keep things going in the kitchen.

Next week we take the week off for Thanksgiving Break. May you have a relaxing, fun-filled week off.

Week of November 10

It was an exciting week for some of our students as grades 2, 3, 4, and 5 traveled to the Orland Public Library for the first time in several years. Students had the opportunity to get to know the library and learn how to check out books. This will be a monthly trip for these grades...educational and fun, too!

On Tuesday, I spoke at the Board of Supervisors meeting in Willows, along with Board Member, Yolanda Martinez, and community business owner, Pat Heitkum, regarding the flashing speed limit radar signs. While we still have some kinks to iron out, it is the expectation that the signs will be up and running by Christmas Break. Looks like 2015 will be the year of the signs!

At the weekly teacher meeting on Wednesday, teachers received a complimentary book, Essential Questions: Opening Doors to Student Understanding, authors Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins. We will be involved in a book study together learning what an essential question is and how it is different than other kinds of questions we ask in classrooms. Excited about this book study group!

On Friday, the word of the month, FAIRNESS, was introduced at the monthly assembly. Student Council members led the assembly that recognized Students of the Month, Panther Pride, as well as Lake Panthers who are participating in local football and cheer/dance teams.

Whew, what a week. Here's what next week looks like through my lens.

Monday, November 10
Jeans for Troops: Staff members can donate $5 to wear jeans; students can donate $1 to wear hats/beanies all day. Proceeds to veterans and current military personnel.

4:00  Meeting with Dr. Karle - draft board agenda

Tuesday, November 11
No school in honor of Veteran's Day

Wednesday, November 12
3:00  Teacher meeting - 6th grade classroom

Thursday, November 13
8th grade class off-campus to participate in Ropes Course - Paradise
1:30  Kinder volunteer
2:00  Everyday Math webinar

Friday, November 14
End of Trimester 1
10:00  Meeting with Jeffrey Soon
1:00  Maddee and Makenna dentist appointment (maybe dad can take this one)

As we begin to take a look at FAIRNESS for the month of November, here's a quote to live by:

Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you.

H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Week of November 3

Wow, last week was a crazy, fun, busy week! It was Spirit Week and Red Ribbon Week all rolled into one. We started the week off saying no to drugs and bullying and living a healthy lifestyle by wearing red, plus, the entire school walked one mile....completed with a police escort on Road N. Thanks to Deputy McDonnell for providing us with an escort.

Tuesday was was tie-dye day, a fashion statement that will NEVER go out of style. Wednesday was pink day and the first day of the football and volleyball tournament hosted at the school. Thursday was Panther blue day. Our football and volleyball teams played hard and it showed. Our football team won second while our volleyball team won first place. Way to go, Panthers!

Friday was Halloween and a minimum day. Hmm, I wonder if that was a coincidence. :) The traditional Halloween parade took place on the football field, followed by the annual staff picture, this year dressed up as the Dream Team. All this took place right before the rain began to fall. What a great morning!

And here we go into the first week of November. The following is what it looks through my lens.

We will have a rotating sub for kindergarten and first grade as the teachers pull students for Trimester 1 assessments.

Monday, November 3
Mr. Sonberg has a sub for jury duty
8:30 - Visiting classrooms with 7th grader sharing information about the new Power 30 option: the Garden Club
11:00 - Title III LEP Year 4 Planning Meeting in Willows
7:00 - Lake 4-H meeting in the cafeteria

Tuesday, November 4
Election Day
7:45 - IEP meeting - Learning Center
9:00 - Board of Supervisors meeting - Willows
1:30 - 2nd and 3rd graders to Orland Library
3:00 - IEP meeting - Learning Center

Wednesday, November 5
9:00 - 4th and 5th graders to Orland Library
3:00 - Teacher meeting - this is going to be a fun one - everyone gets a free gift!

Thursday, November 6
1:30 - Kinder volunteer

Friday, November 7
8:45 - Assembly

Week of October 27

Although it was only a 4-day week with students, last week sure seemed busy. Tuesday was busy with the Spelling Bee in Willows. Our students represented the Panthers very well, qualifying 6th grader, Carson, to the state bee next spring. Later that afternoon the October board meeting was held. Most of my Wednesday was a personal day, but I did make it back to school in time for the weekly teacher meeting. I love Wednesday teacher meetings. We start every meeting with a "Lake PD" in which teachers share effective strategies, ideas, and/or problems they have. It's an opportunity to learn from one another...it's always very productive time. On Thursday, Cheri and I left to travel to Sacramento to a 3-day CASBO (California Association of School Business Officials) workshop. Like Congress, I learned that education has two "houses": the instructional house and the business house. As a teacher and administrator for all of my educational career, I was unfamiliar with the "business side" of the house. It was enlightening and we both learned a lot. And quite honestly, Cheri and I had a great time walking around Old Sacramento during the evening when we weren't in workshops. 

While students had Friday off, our dedicated teaching staff traveled to the annual CUE Conference (computer using educators). Easily the best technology conference offered in the north state. I received a lot of texts on both Friday and Saturday regarding exciting things teachers were learning, along with the new strategies and websites they are going to try. A big thank you to the Lake School Board agreeing to calendar this day as a staff in-service day. The value of all the teachers attending a conference together is priceless. 

And here we go into Red Ribbon Week (try saying that three times really fast....it's hard!). Here's what the week's activities look through the lens of Mrs. Baker. 

Monday, October 27

It's Red Day. Be sure to wear red to support saying no to drugs and yes to a healthy lifestyle, including making good nutritional choices when eating. The entire school will take part in a mile walk starting at 10:00 a.m. Students and staff will assemble on the blacktop and then make their way north on Road N. 

The School Site Council meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled. The next meeting will be held Monday, January 26, 2015. 

Tuesday, October 28

It's Tie-dye Day. I guess tie-dye will never go out of style as this seems to be a spirit day every year. I will be off-campus traveling with Mrs. Taylor to Sacramento to attend a Formative Assessment workshop hosted by Renaissance Learning. 

Wednesday, October 29

Red Ribbon Week continues with Pink Day. The two-day volleyball and flag football tournament will begin today on campus. Good luck to our Lake Panthers. Reminder to staff: only students in grades 6-8 can purchase items at the concession stand. 

I will be off-campus most of the morning attending SELPA and Superintendent meetings in Willows. 

Teacher meeting at 3:00 p.m. in Mrs. Mason's room. Teachers: be prepared to share what you've implemented from CUE.

Thursday, October 30

Panther Blue Day. Final day of sports tournament. Let's go, Panthers!

Friday, October 31

Happy Halloween! Halloween parade will take place outside (weather permitting) at 8:45 a.m. Classroom parties. Remember this is a minimum day with dismissal at 12:50 p.m. 

For those of you emailing employment records to me, they are due today. Thanks

Have a great week!

Week of October 20

Wow, what a week it has been. Attended a field trip with K, 1, 2 to Chico State to watch the Okee Dokee Brothers perform blue grass and folk music. It was a great performance! 

Tuesday was busy with two classroom observations. And while the observations themselves are confidential between staff and me, I do want to give a big shout out to the world that Lake students are so very fortunate; we have a staff that is beyond amazing!

Wednesday was a minimum day where teachers and I met in the afternoon to continue our quest to provide the best education possible. Results from the Parent Survey were discussed. 

I ate lunch outside with the 8th graders on Thursday. Spent some time in kindergarten helping out with handwriting, keyboarding, and math. 

Friday included an earthquake and evacuation drill.

The highlight of the week for me was watching our Facebook page likes go over 100. I challenged our followers to encourage others to like our page with a goal of 200 likes by 2015. Good things happen at Lake Elementary every day and I want the world to know about it!

My week also included a tweet on Twitter regarding the fourth grade's video of cheering on the Giants. The cheer worked as our very own San Francisco Giants are headed to the World Series. 

Students in grades K-5 traveled to the Pumpkin Patch. And for the first time in several years, 8th grade buddies traveled to the Pumkpin Patch with their kindergarten buddies. Pics from these trips have been posted on the Lake Elementary Facebook page. 

What a great week. Now here's what next week looks like. 

Monday, October 20

Health and Vision Screening for K, 2, 5, 8

9:00 Meeting with Jeffery Soon

Tuesday, October 21

9:00 Board of Supervisors Meeting - Willows

10:00 Spelling Bee - Willows

3:00 School Board Meeting

Wednesday, October 22

3:00 Teacher Meeting

Thursday, October 23

Cheri and I will be gone attending a conference in Sacramento

Sarah Schager's birthday

Friday, October 24

Staff In-service - no students

CUE Conference for teachers

It sounds like Ellen, Bobbi, and Christine may be on campus to do some work. For those of you not working, have a great day off. 

Week of October 13

Quick reminder, the word of the month is RESPECT. How can you and your students model respect throughout the school day?

Monday, October 13
Columbus Day - any special things happening in your class to recognize Columbus Day?

Students in grades K, 1, 2 will be traveling to CSU, Chico to attend a performance of Okee Dokee Brothers. I will be on the bus for this morning field trip.









Tuesday, October 14
Students in grades 3, 4, 5 will be traveling to the Pumpkin Patch for the annual field trip. My notes have the bus leaving around 9:30 a.m., but that might be the arrival time. No doubt Shannon and the teachers involved have this figured out.

10:15 - Observation in Mr. Rutledge's classroom
1:00 - Observation in Mrs. Wright's classroom
1:30 - Meeting with Dr. Karle to draft next week's board meeting agenda

Wednesday, October 15
Minimum Day
8:00 - 12:00 SELPA Boot Camp - Willows
1:15 - Teacher Meeting

Thursday, October 16
Great American Shakeout - We will be participating in an earthquake drill in support of raising awareness of how to effectively protect yourself during an earthquake. But because we have a lot going on this day. we'll save the drill until Friday morning. I will be forwarding details regarding the Great American Shakeout early next week...also remember to refer to your handbook as it describes what to do during an earthquake drill.

Students in grades K, 1, 2 will be traveling to the Pumpkin Patch for the annual field trip. My plans are to attend this field trip.

1:30 - Volunteer in Kinder

Friday, October 17
12:45 Football and Volleyball vs. Vina - GOOOOO Panthers!

Fall Break

A week off and still great things happening at the school. Shannon has organized the ball shed. Check out the tape outlines that provide guidance in returning things to their "home". We're hoping this is one way to keep the ball shed organized for all.

Our Lake Family made good by the Fall Break. Mr. Sonberg and Mrs. Wright ran into one another all the way in Maui! How cool is that? While not leaving the mainland, Mrs. J traveled to Texas to visit family. While most of us didn't travel to far outside of the state lines, I know it was a well-deserved week off.

I attended my first Glenn County Board of Supervisors meeting during the week. The intent was to raise awareness and support for our speed radar traffic signs. Our project will be on an upcoming board agenda...will continue to provide information to the board as to the importance of this project. My goal is to have the signs installed and working by January 1, 2015.

As a step towards traffic safety at the school, NO PARKING signs were added to the front fence (parallel to Road 9) over the break. Parking is no longer allowed in front of the school. The No Parking signs were suggested by CHP to provide better vision for vehicle traffic pulling onto Road 9 from County Road N. As always, drive safely and obey speed limit laws in and out of school zones.

See you next week!