The Week Ahead

We want to continue to support you in any way we can. Please consider “checking in” to let us know how you are feeling about the week ahead!

Supporting MLL Student Success on ACCESS

On Wednesday, November 20, representatives from the CMS MLL Department will be joining our planning sessions to share resources and tools to support MLL student success on the upcoming ACCESS Assessment. One of the key areas of our School Performance Grade is MLL Growth and this session is designed to support our teachers and staff in increasing student success on this assessment—and developing their English abilities. All planning will be held in the Large Conference Room on Wednesday.

Bus Dismissal Room Updates

In an effort to be equitable with wait times for the afternoon buses, we will be changing bus room colors for this quarter. Also, please be mindful of staff hours and remain on campus until the required time, even if you have an earlier bus. Make sure you are walking students all the way to the bus and remain with the bus until your group is on the bus. 

Please review the map linked below and make sure you know your new bus room color and support students with this change. With the exception of the 3rd /4th hallway (thank you to Mrs. McMaster and Mrs. Bevis for volunteering for the late buses), the colors just shifted one room down.

Bus Room Assignment

This will begin Monday afternoon (11.18.2024). Let me know if you have any questions!

Social Committee Updates

Upcoming Performance Area Learning Walk

On Monday December 2nd, Mint Hill will be hosting a Performance Area-B Math Learning Walk in 2nd and 4th Grade. On this day 4^th  grade will need to follow a modified schedule as the learning walk will take place during their regularly scheduled Enrichment time. The leadership team is asking that on this day- 4^th and 5^th grade switch Enrichment times to allow for Mrs. Kee, Mrs. Holman-Jeremie and Mrs. Reill additional time for their math lessons as their will be approximately 20 math teacher leaders observing the amazing things they are currently implementing. 

• Modified Enrichment Times for December 2nd:

  • 5^th  Grade: (9:35-10:25) 

  • 4^th  Grade (10:30-11:20)

Underground Spirit Week!

RCA Committee invites you all to participate in Mint Hill Elementary's first ever Underground Spirit Week! 

What is an Underground Spirit Week, you may ask? It's a spirit week where only teachers/staff know about it and participate. Don't tell the students!!

The Underground Spirit Week is scheduled for November 18 - November 22nd. See the graphic below for details and let us know if you have any questions!

Fall Reading Challenge!

Copies of the fall reading challenge were distributed to team leads last week. Please hand them out to your students this Wednesday following our workdays. 

The challenge works like a Bingo board – make a line of four items in a row and return it to the library for a prize. Students can return them in the mornings during open checkout until Dec. 4^th, so they can use the boards throughout the Thanksgiving holiday to encourage reading, too. 

• Prize structure for students:

  • Four boxes completed in a row: one prize

  • Blackout board (all boxes completed): two prizes!

  • Teachers/staff who submit a blackout board can choose a $5 gift card as a reward!

MHES Student Council

With much excitement we are so excited to announce the launch of our 2024-2025 Student Council election! Over the next few weeks students in 4^th  and 5th grade will have an opportunity to run for President and Secretary of our Student Council and all 3rd-5th grade classes will elect a classroom representative. The President and Secretary nominees will each have to submit an application and video submission to be allowed to campaign. Part of the application is a teacher signature, agreeing that the student is someone who would be a good role model of all SWIM expectations. If you are approached by a student and you are unsure that this is the right role for them, you can simply say, "let me think about it." 

(This information is just FYI for K-2, enrichment, and support teachers.) 

Next Steps for 3-5 Teachers: 

If you want to read the 5 page Constitution, Guidelines and Application, you can find them linked here.

Here are a few quick facts about our election process

-Mr. Maione will pass out President/Secretary applications beginning tomorrow for teachers to pass out only to interested candidates (more can be downloaded at the link above)

  -Applications for President (5th grade) and Secretary, (4th grade) along with a 1-2 minute video (emailed or sent via parentsquare) will be due to Mr. Maione by 7:45am on Thursday, November 14th to be considered for candidacy. (If all components are not submitted they will not qualify to run.)  

-Approval for candidacy letters will be given out November 15th and students can "campaigning" and hang posters beginning Monday November 18th. 

- On Friday, November 22 all 3rd-5th grade classes will receive a QR code; where each student will get to vote for their choice of candidate. Winners will be announced that afternoon. The runner up for President will become the Vice President.

-On Monday Nov 25 or Tues Nov 26: each 3rd-5thGrade Teacher will be asked to hold a classroom election (mini campaigning if they choose) and elect 1- classroom representative (students can vote via slips of paper and tallied for majority) Class representatives will need a completed application; other components to elevate the experience are at the teacher's discretion.  (Only the application of your classroom representative will be submitted to Mrs. Marolf) 

Class Representative Application - Mr. Maione will be distributing as well; this one is slightly different than the "presidency/secretary" 
Three school elected board members, and nineteen classroom elected representatives will build our 2024-2025 Student Council. Meetings will be held one Wednesday a month at 6:45am-7:30am. Students will be given a welcome letter with a list of dates once finalized. 

FAC Notes & Updates

The FAC notes from the September/October 2024 meeting can be reviewed by using this link: September/October 2024 FAC.

Our next FAC meeting is December 11.  Please submit all concerns in writing to me or and FAC representative by December 10. You can also use this anonymous form.

Here are the notes from the first Performance Area Advisory Council (PAAC): Nov. 6 PAAC Meeting Notes

Mid-Year Device Inventory

Beginning November 4^th , Ms. Hollensteiner will be conducting a Mid-Year Inventory check on all student devices. Please sign up for a time using the calendar link and she will come to your classroom to do the rest! Each slot is 30 minutes. If possible, please have all devices in the same general area so the process can go as quickly and smoothly as possible.

The verification process is designed to:

• Check the condition of each device,

• Make sure they're where they're supposed to be

• Find out about needed repairs

https://forms.gle/TpwXD3VuHV3B6P3G8

PD Opportunity: Council Scholar Award Program

The Margaret Gragg Bissell Council Scholar Award Program recognizes the commitment of K-12 educators to international education in the greater Charlotte region. This program grants deserving educators a $3,500 award to support their participation in various international education opportunities abroad. These global experiences may include attending professional development conferences, teacher tours, and language immersion programs.

Click here to download the 2024-2025 Council Scholar Application

We take pride in celebrating the invaluable contributions of educators and nurturing their personal and professional growth in international education.

Council Scholars return from their international experiences with fresh perspectives and valuable insights on global education. They apply these newfound perspectives to enhance the classroom experience for their students, creating a more enriched and culturally diverse learning environment.

2024-2025 Council Scholars will receive: 

• Recognition at our 2025 World Citizen Award Dinner

• Invitations to special WACC programs and dinner receptions

• Lifetime WACC membership

• The opportunity to coordinate seminars and roundtable discussions with past scholars

• A grant of up to $3500 for: 

  • Formal study abroad program or self-guided professional development itinerary with a teacher-centered and/or student-centered focus

  • International conference attendance

  • International seminars or workshops abroad

  • Professional development programs in another country

  • Teaching abroad (e.g., teaching English abroad, providing training for teachers in the developing world, etc.)

  • Language immersion classes or workshops in another country

Learn More from Recent Grant Recipients

• Hannah Goforth (Albemarle Elementary School) - Link

• Amanda Watkins (Mint Hill Elementary School) - Link

• Kinga Zay (Providence Day School) - Link

• Carina Brossy (Arborbrook Christian Academy) - Link

• Meredith Sumrell (Carmel Middle) - Link

Application Deadline: Friday, January 10, 2025

Submit Electronically to [email protected]

Click here for “Frequently Asked Questions” about the program.

PD Opportunity: PACE Winter Institute

Join us for the Personalized Academic Command of English (P.A.C.E.) Winter Institute hosted by the Learning and Language Acquisition department. This in-person professional learning opportunity, grounded in the P.A.C.E. Principles, will equip educators to successfully support equitable access for Multilingual Learners to core curriculum. Participants will engage in hands-on instructional strategies, effective ways to support the whole child, and long range planning to employ best practices for Multilingual Learner instruction. 

The P.A.C.E. Winter Institute will be held at E.E. Waddell High School on Saturday, November 23rd, 8:30 - 3:30. To register, please reference our P.A.C.E. Winter Institute flyer and Course Catalog (bit.ly/PACEWinter24)

All current 10-month and 11-month certified CMS staff members are eligible to receive a stipend for their participation and completion of course requirements, as well as course credit through MyTalent.

Session topics include: 

• Accelerating English Language Growth with A.I.

• Engaging Families in Literacy Development:

• Equitable Scheduling and Grading Practices: The New CMS ML High School Grade Placement Guidebook

• Giving New Meaning to Long-Term MLs

• Supporting Newcomer Multilingual Learners

• Utilizing Data & Effective Feedback to Support Multilingual Learners’ Growth with Authentic Linguistic Formative Assessment (ALFA)

Grant Opportunity: Meck County Farm Bureau

Mecklenburg County FARM BUREAU 2025 “Friend of a Farmer” Grant Program

Three Grant Options

1. Raised Garden and a Monthly Book Subscription

   —Grant recipients will receive one 4’x8’ raised garden bed with soil installed in late January, and a year's subscription to the NC Farm Bureau ATIC monthly book program, The Book Planter, valued at $60.00 (one copy from The Book Planter will be sent to you each month).

2. Monthly Book Subscription

   —Grant recipients will receive a year's subscription to the NC Farm Bureau ATIC monthly book program, The Book Planter, valued at $60.00 (one copy from The Book Planter will be sent to you each month).

3. Friend of a Farmer Open Resource Grant & Monthly Book Subscription

   —Grant recipients will receive a check up to $150 that can be spent on classroom resources that support NC Agriculture education. Recipients will be required to email ([email protected] ) copies of receipts, along with an explanation of monies spent. It will also include a year's subscription to the NC Farm Bureau ATIC monthly book program, The Book Planter, valued at $60.00 (one copy from The Book Planter will be sent to you each month).

WHO SHOULD APPLY

• Schools that serve elementary age (Pre-K thru 5) youth in Mecklenburg County

• Must have administrative support and a site to garden in 2025 (if applying for the raised bed grant).

• Must serve a minimum of 10 youth

• Must submit documentation of grant implementation. Pictures of your projects in action (garden beds in use, reading book of the month in class, other agricultural project) should be emailed ([email protected] ) to be included in a slideshow during the annual meeting.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

• The goal of this grant is for your students to have a better understanding of the role that farmers play in their daily lives. Learning where their food and clothing comes from and what resources are used to grow or make them, will better equip your students to appreciate and be a “Friend of a Farmer”.

• If chosen as a grant recipient, you are strongly encouraged to attend the Mecklenburg County Farm Bureau annual meeting in October 2025 where you will be recognized.

• Grant recipients will be invited to a Teacher Appreciation Dinner that will be held in April 2025. If selected for the grant you will be notified of the date, time and location.

• Deadline to apply is November 15, 2024.

Recipients of the grant will be notified by January 2025.

Grant period is January 1 – December 31. If you have any questions please email us at [email protected].

Click Here to apply

Updates & Information