MONROE CITY SCHOOLS

2010 - 2011 SCHOOL/TEACHER CALENDAR

August 4, 2010 / Wednesday / 6+1 Trait Writing Workshop – Clark Elementary
August 9, 2010 / Monday / Writing Workshop for teachers of writing, 3rd – 6th including Special Ed Teachers who work with those grades – CPU Library 9:00 – 11:00
August 11, 2010 / Wednesday / First day for Teachers (Staff Development Day)
August 12, 2010 / Thursday / Staff Development Day
August 13, 2010 / Friday / Staff Development Day
August 16, 2010 / Monday / First day for Students (1/2 day)
August 17, 2010 / Tuesday / First Full day for Students
August 23, 2010 / Monday / Faculty Meeting, CPU Library, 3:45
August 30, 2010 / Monday / Faculty Meeting, CPU Library, 3:45
September 2, 2010 / Thursday / Open House – Back to School – 5:30 – 7:00
September 6, 2010 / Monday / Labor Day Holiday – no school
September 7, 2010 / Tuesday / Grades due for 1st six weeks progress reports, 8:30 AM. Reports placed in teacher box.
Sept. 10 – Oct. 1, 2010 / Cookie Dough Sale
September 8, 2010 / Wednesday / Progress Reports issued
September 13, 2010 / Monday / Faculty Meeting, CPU Library, 3:45
September 24, 2010 / Friday / Parent Luncheon (grade specific, level not yet identified)
September 28, 2010 / Tuesday / End of the first six-weeks
September 29, 2010 / Wednesday / First day of the second six-weeks
October 1, 2010 / Friday / End of Cookie Dough Sale
October 4, 2010 / Monday / Grades due for 1st six weeks report cards. 8:30 AM
October 4, 2010 / Monday / Faculty Meeting, CPU Library, 3:45
October 6, 2010 / Wednesday / School Pictures; Free Dress (MCS Guidelines)
October 7, 2010 / Thursday / Elementary Parent Conferences/report cards distributed – 4:00 – 6:00 PM
October 8, 2010 / Friday / No students PK-6 All Day: ½ day staff development for teachers only
October 15, 2010 / Friday / Celebrate Excellence; Grade level 1st six weeks Award Assemblies in the morning, Good Citizenship activities in the afternoon
October 18 - 22 / Cookie Dough delivery week (exact date not available at this time)
October 22, 2010 / Friday / Parent Luncheon (grade specific, level not yet identified)
October 25, 2010 / Monday / Grades due for 2nd six weeks progress reports, 8:30 AM. Reports placed in teacher box.
October 27, 2010 / Wednesday / Progress Reports issued
October 29, 2010 / Friday / Fall Carnival
November 1, 2010 / Monday / Faculty Meeting, CPU Library, 3:45
November 4, 2010 / Thursday / Picture Money Envelope Due
November 10, 2010 / Wednesday / Fall Picture Retakes
November 9, 2010 / Tuesday / End of the second six weeks
November 10, 2010 / Wednesday / First day of the third six weeks
November 11, 2010 / Thursday / Veteran’s Day Holiday – no school
November 12, 2010 / Friday / Parent Luncheon (grade specific, level not yet identified)
November 15, 2010 / Monday / Grades due for 2nd six weeks report cards. 8:30 AM
November 17, 2010 / Wednesday / Second six weeks report cards mailed
November 18, 2010 / Thursday / Grandparent’s Luncheon
November 19, 2010 / Friday / Deadline for Teacher Allocation spent and folder submitted to Mrs. Cook before you leave for the day.
November 19, 2010 / Friday / Celebrate Excellence; Grade level 2nd six weeks Award Assemblies in the morning, Good Citizenship activities in the afternoon
November 22, 2010 / Monday / Thanksgiving Break begins
November 29, 2010 / Monday / Resume school
December 6, 2010 / Monday / Grades due for 3rd six weeks progress reports, 8:30 AM. Reports placed in teacher box
December 6, 2010 / Monday / Faculty Meeting, CPU Library, 3:45
December 8, 2010 / Wednesday / Progress Reports issued
December 10, 2010 / Friday / Parent Luncheon (grade specific, level not yet identified)
December 17, 2010 / Friday / Christmas Break begins (1/2 day students and teachers)Christmas parties are held on this day
January 3, 2011 / Monday / School resumes
January 3, 2011 / Monday / Faculty Meeting, CPU Library, 3:45
January 12, 2011 / Wednesday / End First Semester/third six-weeks
January 13, 2011 / Thursday / First day of the fourth six-weeks
January 17, 2011 / Monday / Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday – no school
January 21, 2011 / Friday / Parent Luncheon (grade specific, level not yet identified)
January 24, 2010 / Monday / Grades due for 3rd six weeks report cards. 8:30 AM
January 27, 2011 / Thursday / Elementary Parent Conferences/report cards distributed – 4:00 – 6:00 PM
January 28, 2011 / Friday / No students PK-6 All Day: ½ day staff development for teachers only
February 3, 2011 / Thursday / Pre-K & K Semester and third six weeks Awards 9:00/1st & 2nd 10:00/ 3rd – 6th 1:30
February 4, 2011 / Friday / Celebrate Excellence - Good Citizenship activities in the afternoon;
February 7, 2011 / Monday / Grades due for 4th six weeks progress reports, 8:30 AM. Reports placed in teacher box
February 7, 2011 / Monday / Faculty Meeting, CPU Library, 3:45
February 9, 2011 / Wednesday / Progress Reports issued
February 18, 2011 / Friday / Parent Luncheon (grade specific, level not yet identified)
February 21, 2011 / Monday / President’s Day Holiday – no school
February 25, 2011 / Friday / Black History Program
February 25, 2011 / Friday / End of the fourth six-weeks
February 28, 2011 / Monday / First day of the fifth six-weeks
March 1, 2011 / Tuesday / Grades due for 4th six weeks report cards. 8:30 AM
March 4, 2011 / Friday / Fourth six weeks report cards mailed
March 7, 2011 / Monday / Faculty Meeting, CPU Library, 3:45
March 8, 2011 / Tuesday / Spring Pictures and Class Groups; Free Dress (MCS Guidelines)
March 11, 2011 / Friday / Celebrate Excellence; Grade level 4th six weeks Award Assemblies in the morning, Good Citizenship activities in the afternoon
March 21, 2011 / Monday / Grades due for 5th six weeks progress reports, 8:30 AM. Reports placed in teacher box
March 22, 2011 / Tuesday / Phase I LEAP Testing, Writing and Math Constructive Response
March 23, 2011 / Wednesday / Progress Reports issued
March 25, 2011 / Friday / Parent Luncheon (grade specific, level not yet identified)
March 28, 2011 / Monday / Spring Break begins
April 4, 2011 / Monday / ResumeSchool
April 4, 2011 / Monday / Picture Money Due
April 4, 2011 / Monday / Faculty Meeting, CPU Library, 3:45
April 11 - 15 2011 / Monday - Friday / State Testing (LEAP, GEE, iLEAP, LAA)
April 14, 2011 / Thursday / End of the fifth six-weeks
April 15, 2011 / Friday / First day of the sixth six-weeks
April 20, 2011 / Wednesday / Grades due for 5th six weeks report cards. 8:30 AM
April 21, 2011 / Friday / Parent Luncheon (grade specific, level not yet identified)
April 22, 2011 / Friday / Good Friday – no school
April 25, 2011 / Monday / Easter Break – no school
April 26, 2011 / Tuesday / Fifth six weeks report cards mailed
April 29, 2011 / Friday / Celebrate Excellence; Grade level 5th six weeks Award Assemblies in the morning, Good Citizenship activities in the afternoon
May 2, 2011 / Monday / Faculty Meeting, CPU Library, 3:45
May 13, 2011 / Friday / Spring Fling – Celebrate Positive Behavior
May 18, 2011 / Wednesday / Kindergarten grades due for final report card, 8:30 AM
May 19, 2011 / Thursday / Pre-K Awards Program 9:00
May 20, 2011 / Friday / 6th Grade grades due for final report card, 8:30 AM
May 20, 2011 / Friday / Kindergarten Awards Program 9:00
May 23, 2011 / Monday / 1st – 5th Grades, grades due for final report card, 8:30 AM
May 23, 2011 / Monday / 6th Grade Graduation, 8:30
May 24, 2011 / Tuesday / End of Year 1st & 2nd Awards Program 8:30 AM/3rd – 5th Awards 12:30 PM
May 26, 2011 / Thursday / Last Day for Students (1/2 day)
May 27, 2011 / Friday / Scheduling Meeting, All Classroom and Special Ed teachers, CPU Library 8:15 AM
May 27, 2011 / Friday / Last Day for Teachers
May 30, 2011 / Monday / Memorial Day Holiday – School Office Closed
May 31, 2011 / Tuesday / Final Report Cards Mailed

This calendar is accurate as of July 12, 2010. If any revisions are made, parents will be informed in writing. Check School Website often for updates.

Philosophy of CypressPointUniversityElementary School

We at CypressPointUniversityElementary School regard education as a process of helping all students to gain knowledge, attitudes, skills, and training necessary for functioning effectively in our competitive, democratic society and to apply these skills, knowledge, and understanding to life situations. We accept high levels of learning for all students as the fundamental purpose of our school and therefore are willing to examine all practices in light of their impact on learning. We further believe our responsibility is not limited to the intellectual progress of the student but encompasses the development of the “whole child.”

Today’s schools should develop the student’s ability to identify problems and to use imagination in seeking unique solutions, guide the learner in divergent ways of thinking, help him/her to adapt to changing situations, increase his/her capacity to evaluate, and develop his/her courage to be an individual. We endeavor to promote a climate which aids our students in building self-confidence and in assuming responsibilities for learning.

In order for our school to improve, we must have a shift in our fundamental purpose-

  • From a focus on Teaching – to a focus on Learning
  • From emphasis on what is taught – to a fixation on what students learned
  • From just coverage of content – to demonstration of proficiency
  • From just providing individual teachers with curriculum documents such as state standards and curriculum guides – to engaging collaborative teams in building shared knowledge regarding essential curriculum.

Four questions each grade level collaborative team should ask daily –

  • What is it we expect them to learn?
  • How will we know when they have learned it?
  • How will we respond when they don’t learn?
  • How will we respond when they already know it?

See further discussing on the above and CPU’s plan for improving student achievement in your PLC information folder located on this disk.

Teaching Philosophy and Objectives

  • The sole reason for the existence of the school is to make sure all students learn to their greatest potential.
  • Basic Objective: To produce a competent, productive citizen, and develop his/her special interests and capabilities to the greatest extent possible.
  • Teacher performance expectations: (1) emphasis placed on student learning; (2) exercise control, discipline, and/or direction; (3) be well prepared for each lesson and teach with enthusiasm; (4) perform duty responsibilities; (5) contribute to the total school program, and (6) make active learning a daily part of the lesson, (7) teach and re-teach daily procedures and rules to provide and maintain classroom environment conducive to learning.
  • The delivery of a well-planned lesson is just as important as the content. Effective instructional techniques such as question-answer, discussion, hands-on, and other student involvement techniques are essential to make a lesson effective.
  • Time spent working with children is never wasted. Small gains and advancements in student learning are very important. A student should learn a minimum of one skill, concept, or useful knowledge each day. Provide interventions as needed for the success of each child.
  • The teacher should have a stable, consistent attitude. Be positive in your comments as often as possible – not only to students, but also to fellow teachers and staff members. Follow the School Wide Positive Behavior Support Guide and CHAMPS manual with fidelity.
  • As professionals, we owe it to ourselves to discuss problems concerning our profession with or professional staff rather than the general public. Think very carefully before you criticize yourself, other teachers, or the system to the general public.
  • The teacher is directly responsible to the principal of the school. Any friction or misunderstanding that the teacher has relative to his or her school work should be taken up first with the principal. Only after consulting with the principal should the Elementary Supervisor be contacted for possible intervention. If after talking to the Elementary Supervisor, the teacher feels that his/her needs are still not being met, then the Superintendent should be consulted. Always in that order. There is a set chain of command in our district which all of us as employees of the district are required to follow no matter what our position level.

Polices and Procedures

Student learningfor all students is our top priority. Therefore, the following Policies and Procedures have been established to assist all in achieving our stated mission – Excellence in Teaching and Learning for ALL Students.

Opening and Closing of School

All Teachers will be in their classrooms by8:10 AM. Sign in time is no later than 8:05 AM. School starts at 8:20.All teachers must sign-out at the end of the day. Sign-out time is when preparations for the following day have been completed and all students in your classroom have been dismissed by the office to the bus loading area and car pick-up has been called.

At this time it is necessary to use both methods of signing out, Hand Clock and sign-in sheet. As soon as the procedure changes, I will let you know. If you have a problem with the hand clock, report to Kim Bethea immediately.

All students will go to their classrooms after eating breakfast. All Classroom teachers will have seat work for students to complete when they enter the classroom each morning. Departmentalized grades need to develop a system for sharing in the responsibility for assigning meaningful work for class on a rotating basis. Reading an AR book may work for some students, but not for most. You may use reading AR books in the morning ONLY IF YOU ARE GOING TO SERVE AS THE TEACHER ON DUTY IN THE ROOM EACH MORNING AND BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR STUDENTS BEHAVIOR, NOT THE ASSIGNED DUTY TEACHER.All teachers not serving as the morning homeroom duty teacher are required to assign written morning work that will be submitted by the students. This is mandatory for all teachers, first through sixth grade.

As with all classroom, hallway, cafeteria, playground, etc. rules and procedures, procedures for entering the classrooms should be taught on the first day of school. THIS SHOULD BE RE-TAUGHT DAILY. New students should be informed of proper procedures when they enter your classroom.Give rewards to students’ whom consistently follow morning procedures. Establish consequences for incorrect behavior reported by the morning duty teacher to the homeroom teacher. Report any habitual problems to the parent. Use CHAMPS as your guide.

Practicing the procedures daily, having work available, and consistency is the key to making before-school activities successful.

Student’s practice what they are taught and you model.

Dismissal at the End of the School Day

Teachers must have a list posted close to the classroom door of their homeroom students stating how each student is to leave the school in the afternoon - car pick-up - with the name(s) of who is going to pick-up the student, daycare - with name of the daycare provider (with a phone number), or bus - with the bus number).This must be posted close to the classroom door and visible for all to see. This is imperative for making sure our students get home correctly. They are our legal responsibility until they arrive home in the afternoon – not when they leave the campus. Make sure you have the parent complete the form stating how the child is to go home in the afternoon before allowing the parent to leave your room on the first day.This form will be given to you from the office. You will keep a copy and the office will have a copy. Make sure you tell the office immediately at anytime anything changes on this form.

Persons other than parents or legal guardians who pick up students from school must have parental authorization and provide proper identification to the school office before students will be allowed to go with them. Students should go home in their regular manner (bus, daycare, and pick-up) unless the teacher receives a note signed by the parent of recordor a phone call from the custodial parent stating that the students will go home in a different manner for a specified date(s).

Day Care and car pick-up children will be dismissed to their pick-up area (the covered area in the front of the building) by an announcement from the office. First – Sixth grade students will walk to the front at that time only, not before. Pre-K and Kindergarten will accompany their class with an aide to the front of the school to wait for pick-up. Classroom teachers will step to the door to supervise students walking down the hall. (Team Leaders will develop a schedule for their each grade level so everyone does not have to step to their door everyday nor stay until the last bus is called. The Principal will receive a copy of the developed plan by the end of the first week of school.)

Afternoon non-homeroom duty teachers should be at their post no later than 3:15 PM each day.

Bus riders will remain in their classrooms with their classroom teachers until their bus is called. When the students are called, they are toproceedin an orderly fashion to the bus loading area. Classroom Teachers will step to their door to monitor students walking down the hall. (See above paragraph.) Pre-K and Kindergarten Teachers will accompany their students to the auditorium to wait to be called to their bus. The same procedure will be followed as last year. In the second six weeks, or when it is agreed by the Kindergarten staff and Mrs. Cook, K students will stay in the classroom until they are called to their bus.

Teacher Responsibility for Student Behavior

Follow the procedures of the School Wide Positive Behavior Support Guide in all areas of the school and CHAMPS.

(SWPB guide is on this disk)

Students are never to be criticized publicly. It will be the policy of CypressPointUniversityElementary School that students, faculty, and staff will treat everyone with respect and dignity at all times. Teachers and staff should always treat students the way they would want their own child to be treated. It is your responsibility to be the adult and the professional educator in all situations.