Grand Pals are the BEST Pals!

3-day weekends are the BEST, but we certainly make up for it with 5 days worth of activity in just 4 days!  Our district visitors were amazed at the work happening in our small groups.  Thank you to the teachers who hosted our visitors.  You represented our school exceptionally well!  The following feedback was shared in our post visit debrief:

• Intentional instruction, aligned to specific skills in decoding
• Opportunities provided to build oral language through explicit vocabulary instruction
• Corrective feedback provided to students to support mastery of skills
• Opportunities provided for fluency practice (fluency grids, roll & reads, head bands fluency sentences, etc.)
• Consistent routines present across small groups (Heggerty in the primary grades, Morphology Deck Drills in intermediate grades)
• Encoding practice with decoding practice
• Clear focus on maximizing instructional time!

Thank you for your hospitality today, welcoming all of our Grand Pals to West Side!  I know each Grand Pal enjoys the opportunity to experience just a small part of what makes West Side special - our wonderful staff, students, and community.  

Over the next two weeks, we will have a consistent 5-day school week without the interruptions of assessment or school-wide activities.  Making progress on Q1 standards should be a priority, using formative assessments to monitor mastery of skills/expectations.  Instructional goals for the next two weeks:

• Well-planned whole group lessons aligned to pacing (phonics/morphology, Reading/ELA, & Math)
• Data-driven small group instruction for re-teaching or extension, provided daily in reading and math
• Maintaining high expectations for students

We are here to support these instructional goals!  Reach out to Katy, Mary Claire, any of our admin if support is needed.

HERE'S YOUR REMINDER TO FIND A COLLEAGUE THAT BEE-LIEVED IN YOU, SUPPORTED YOU, ENCOURAGED YOU, CHEERED YOU ON!  Every flower that ever bloomed had a bee that believed in it!

STINGER STORIES

Read the latest edition of Stinger Stories, shared with parents yesterday, at the link below.

https://secure.smore.com/n/9kycm

CHICKEN SALAD CHICK ORDER FOR 9/15

If you would like to order Chicken Salad Chick for Monday, September 15th. Complete the following link and venmo Lindsay-Lamphere $13. https://forms.gle/jqzwzxGwGJJoU3Rw9

UPCOMING PLCs

• 9/9 - Back to Tuesdays!
• 9/16 - Conference Week Prep

SOAR BUS SAFETY, 9/9 & 9/10

The district transportation department will be on campus for the annual SOAR Bus Safety program.  Please see your scheduled time at the link HERE.  All classes should report to the car loop at the assigned time.

TD BEGINS, 9/8

Talent Develop Session 1 begins on Monday.  The schedule can be found HERE.  TD teachers will pick students up from your grade level hallway at the start of TD.

Q1 PROGRESS REPORTS, DUE 9/8

Quarter 1 Progress Reports should be sent to families on 9/8.  Please read the email sent by Lindsay for specific directions and criteria for who should receive a progress report.  Important reminders listed below.

1. Save the Q1 Notification form as a PDF.
2. E-mail the report to the parent on 9/8/25.
3. Complete the Progress Report Record to log the students that received notification for your homeroom each quarter

K-2 TEACHERS:  Sara will provide training on the SBRC revisions in ELA during PLCs on 9/30.  We apologize this timing falls after the progress report window.  Please reference the report card rubric on Schoology for guidance on who might be eligible for a progress report.  Reach out if you have any specific questions.

TECH TALK WITH KIM

Copier Toner Replenishment

• Update:  Sharp Copier Systems has changed the way they replenish our toner.  Instead of auto shipping toner when 25% is remaining, they now rely on the copier to ‘predict’ when it will run out.   In other words, “Ai”! 
• Twice already our toner has not arrived on time, so this serves as a warning to expect the unexpected and have a backup plan for important projects! 

A NOTE ABOUT TRASH

Please help Mrs. Julia and her team stay safe!  If any sharp objects or broken glass are disposed of in the classroom trashcan, please place a note on top of the trashcan to alert the custodians. This will help ensure they are aware of the hazard and can handle the trash safely.

REMINDERS FROM LAST WEEK ARE BELOW HERE!

FREE FLU SHOTS, SPONSORED BY POOLE'S PHARMACY, 9/10

Poole’s Pharmacy will once again be offering free flu shots to Marietta City Schools staff.  If you are interested, a Poole’s representative will be at West Side Elementary on Wednesday, September 10, from 11 am – 1 pm in the SMALL CONFERENCE ROOM.  Appointments are not necessary; just come on by. Insurance cards are not required, but please do fill out the consent form in the link below, prior to receiving the vaccine. 
https://forms.gle/BVmbDyPh1YH8NL5A8

STAFF ABSENCE REMINDERS!

There are THREE steps to follow, if you are going to out unexpectedly.

1. Text both Carla and Lindsay.
2. Fill out Employee Leave Yellow form (DIGITAL FORM HERE).
3. Complete absence in Kelly/Frontline.

UPCOMING DATES (Dates added since last week)

• 9/8 - Q1 Progress Reports Emailed Home
• 9/9-9/10 - SOAR Bus Safety Program (schedule above)
• 9/9 - PLCs
• 9/10 - FREE Flu Shots, sponsored by Poole's Pharmacy
• 9/10 - Leadership Meeting
• 9/11 - Pizza on the Playground 5:30 PM
• 9/12 - 1st Grade FT (Truist)
• 9/12 - 3rd Grade FT (in-house)
• 9/15-9/17 - 5th Grade Blue Ridge FT
• 9/15-9/16 - 4th Grade FT
• 9/16 - PLCs
• 9/17 - Faculty Meeting
• 9/18 - Dress Down Day
• 9/18 - MTSS Meeting
• 9/18 - Kinder & 2nd Grade 1/2-day Planning
• 9/19 - 3rd & 1st Grade 1/2-day Planning
• 9/19 - Kinder FT
• 9/22-9/26 - Fall Break, whoohoo!
• 9/29-10/1 - SOR Facilitator on campus (SOR Walks)
• 9/30 - PLCs
• 9/30 - 4th Grade FT (MHS Pathways)
• 10/1 - 5th grade 1/2-day planning
• 10/1 - Leadership Meeting
• 10/2 - P2P Series
• 10/2 - 5th Grade FT (MHS Pathways)
• 10/2 - 4th grade 1/2-day planning
• 10/6-10/9 - SOR Facilitator on Campus 
• 10/6 & 10/7 - 4th FT (Youth Museum)
• 10/8 - 5th Grade FT
• 10/8 - Vertical Teams
• 10/10 - MHS HOCO!
• 10/9 - Fall Picture Day