Here is a working draft of our schedule of events for the coming year:

SLE 2010-2011

School Events

Date Event

August 2010
3,4 PD at SLE
4 60% Day; PD at SLE
10 Open House/PTO/MCT2 Recognitions
13 STAR Reacher & Math, CPAA, AIMSweb due
31 Wildcat Day

September 2010
6 Holiday
8 Progress Reports
14 PTO
30 Wildcat Day

October 2010 
1 6th Grade Assembly
5 Math & Sci 9 weeks tests
6 Reading & SS 9 weeks tests
7 Language 9 Weeks
4--8 AIMSweb, CPAA, STAR Reader & Math
12 PTO
15 Fall Break - No School
18 100% PD
25--29 SLE Book Fair
29 Wildcat Day
30 Halloween Carnival 2 p.m. -6 p.m.
19-22 Red Ribbon Activities; http://www.nfp.org/default.asp?PageNum=546

November 2010
9 PTO
10 Progress Reports
19 Assembly - 5th Grade
22--26 Holidays
29 Return to school

December 2010
14 PTO; Assembly K, 1st, & 2nd Grades; Wildcat Day
15 Math & Sci 9 weeks tests
16 Reading & SS 9 weeks tests
17 Language 9 Weeks ; 60% day
20--31 Holidays

January 2011
3 100% PD
4 Students return
4--7 AIMSweb, CPAA, STAR Reader & Math
11 PTO
17 Holiday
31 Wildcat Day

February 2011
2 Progress Reports
8 PTO
18 100% PD
21 Holiday/Make Up Day #1
25 Wildcat Day; Black History Program (am and pm)
28 Dr. Seuss Week Begins

March 2011
7--10 AIMSweb, CPAA, STAR Reader & Math
8 Math & Sci 9 weeks tests; PTO
9 Reading & SS 9 weeks tests
10 Language 9 Weeks ; 60% day
11 100% PD/Make Up Day #2
14--18 Spring Break
25 3rd Grade Assembly Program
31 Wildcat Day

April 2011
12 PTO
20 Progress Reports
21 4th Grade Assembly Program
22 Holiday/Make Up Day #3
25 Holiday/Make Up Day #4
27 Full Day Schedule - State Testing for High Schools
29 Wildcat Day

May 2011
3 5th Grade Science Test/ 4th Grade Writing Test
10--12 MCT2 Testing
10 MCT2 Reading Test; PTO
11 MCT2 Writing; Full Day Schedule
12 MCT2 Math
16--19 AIMSweb, CPAA, STAR Reader & Math
13 MCT2 Make up
16--19 AIMSweb, CPAA, STAR Reader & Math
20 Math & Sci 9 weeks tests
23 Reading & SS 9 weeks tests
24 Language 9 Weeks ; 60% day
25 100% PD/Make Up Day #5
26 Possible 100% PD Make Up Day

R U Hip?

I need your suggestions for inspirational, upbeat songs to use for slide presentations for this year. I have MP3s of stuff like Rod Stewart's "Forever Young" and Cyrus' "The Climb". What are some other tunes? Any you know of on the top 40 list from the past five years?

SLE Goals, Objectives, Strategies

Hello Parents, Teachers, Students, and Community,

I want to share with you some exciting plans we have for our school. Please read the following goals, objectives, and strategies. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me. - JH

South Leake Elementary

Goals, Objectives, Strategies

2010-2011

District Goal 1:
All schools will be successful or above by 2014.

SLE Goal 1:
Increase the school’s QDI on the MCT2 to the level of Successful (166) by 2014.

Objectives
• Increase the school’s QDI by 20% yearly until 2014 or until we reach the Successful category
• Increase the number of students scoring proficient and/or above on the MCT2 to 50% by 2014

Strategies
• The staff will analyze the 2010 MCT2 results to identify students scoring Minimal, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced. Due date: July 30, 2010
• Conduct staff development to strategize lesson plans, curriculum mapping, RtI, differentiation of instruction, and classroom management. Due by August 20
• The teachers will assess students using AIMSWeb, STAR Reader and STAR Math, CPAA, Skills Tutor, and the district Progress Monitoring. Due August 20
• The teachers will set goals for each nine weeks and each semester for the percentage of students making progress and the percent of progress to be made by each student. Due August 23
• The teachers will identify the students to target for additional instruction to be moved from basic to proficient and advanced. Due August 23
• The principal will meet with teachers weekly to monitor progress being made.
• The principal will give timely feedback to teachers while administering the district’s evaluation plan. Begin August 9, ongoing
• The school will implement the use of the instructional leader to help teachers and the principal implement plans, monitor, and adjust on an ongoing basis. Begin August 2, ongoing

District Goal 2
Increase and maintain graduation rates to 80% or above in all schools by 2014.

SLE Goal 2
Increase student and parent satisfaction in overall school performance

Objective
Enhance students and parents’ school experience at SLE

Strategies
• Conduct an Open House at the beginning of the school year. Due August
• Conduct regularly scheduled Parent Teacher Organization meetings. Begin in August, ongoing
• Invited parents to participate in the School Improvement Process. Begin in August, meet once each quarter
• Conduct regularly scheduled assembly programs. Begin in September
• Survey parents quarterly. August, October, January, May
• Maintain a high level of communications between home and school through the use of technology (Internet, email, blogs, web page, AlertNow, telephone, surveys) as well as parent conferences and newsletters. Begin in August, ongoing
• Conduct parent workshops on topics of parent/school relations. Once a quarter.

District Goal 3
Maintain fiscal stability to operate efficiently on a yearly basis.

SLE Goal 3
Maintain fiscal stability to operate efficiently on a yearly basis.

Objective
To be good stewards of the public money and facilities entrusted to faculty and staff

Strategies
• The principal will adhere to the school budget approved by the school board. Ongoing.
• The principal, teachers, and students will be conservative in utilizing school materials and property. Ongoing
• The principal and the teachers will review expenditures twice each semester. August, October, January, April
• The principal and teachers will conduct fundraisers to cover the costs associated with field trips and student club and class activities as needed. Ongoing.

Coordinator: Jimmy Henderson, Principal Date: June 14, 2010

SLE Schoolwide Plan 2010-2011 Draft

If you would like to see the current working draft of SLE's schoolwide plan, please click on this link:

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfdjbgwn_67hszvmsg3

If you have  any questions or comments, please contact the principal. Thanks, JH.

Can Schools Alone Save Struggling Communities?

Here is an interesting article about a struggling school in Detroit. Their situation sounds similar to ours. Do low performing schools cause low performing communitites, or is it the other way around? Read it and post your comments.

http://www.edutopia.org/struggling-communities-schools-save-carstens-elementary

What will the millage increase mean?

Some parents have called asking about what the proposed millage increase for schools will mean to them. Here is some information that may be helpful. I called the tax collector’s office, and Ms Kim Withers said the 1.9 millage increase will mean an additional $10 for the year on to property assessed at $50,000. County schools now receive $180 per property owner for the 36.10 mills that are currently levied on property valued at $50,000.


If you need more information, you’re welcome to contact me.

Summer Reading at Local Libraries

The Walnut Grove and Carthage Libraries have agreed to partner with SLE again this summer. Students can read books and take Accelerated Reader tests at either of these two great places. Mrs. Tate, SLE second grade teacher, has even placed a reading list at each library. Students from any grade can find recommended books to read using this list. The library and the school will recognize students and their work at the end of the summer.

In addition, the local libraries have summer reading programs planned. Please take advantage of these programs, and help your children continue to develop their reading skills. Below are schedules of the summer's events:

Walnut Grove Library - Make a Splash and Read
The 2010 program is open to students in preschool through the 6th grade. The library will have programs, prize drawing, stories, puppet shows, a magician, and most of all reading! Programs are every Friday in June at 2 p.m.

June 4 - MDOT Liter Program by Connie McMullan
June 11 - Vickie Gannan Extension Office
June 18 - Lisa Ramage: "Goldilocks and the Three Sharks" Puppet show
June 25 - Magician Dorian La Chance

Carthage-Leake County Library
Please notice that the Carthage Library has a different schedule from the Walnut Grove library. All programs will be fun an informative.

June 4 (Friday, 10 a.m.) - Lisa Ramage
June 11 (Friday, 10 a.m.) - Chuck Galey
June 15 (Tuesday, 10 a.m.) - Dorian La Chance
June 22 (Tuesday, 11 a.m.) - Terry Vanderventer

Teen Programs
June 10 (Thursday, 2 p.m.) - Britt Barnes Health Club
June 22 (Tuesday, 1:30 p.m.) - Dr. John Long : Fishing
June 25 (Friday, 1 p.m.) - Elise Barnes: Skin Care Merle Norman

La Kenya Richmond and Rose Weathers, SLE counselor, work to verify residency recently. Many parents have already come by, but we need everyone in our district to plan to enroll and/or have your residency verified as soon as possible. SLE and the other Leake County Schools will conduce a week-long opportunity for parents to do so June 7 - 11. Please call the school (601-253-2324) for times to learn what you will need to bring. - JH