Sept 6

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Welcome Back to the 2016-17 School Year!!

 

Coming up at Arno…

 

8/29

New Teacher Orientation at Riley 1:00 p.m.

8/30

 Elementary Staff report to Bennie for Math Training 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

9/1

New Family Open House 12:00 p.m.

9/6

All staff report to APCA 8:00 a.m.

9/7

WELCOME BACK, Cougars!  School begins at 8:30 a.m.

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Staff Changes for 2016-2017

We are excited to introduce new staff members to the Arno family this year- Cristina DiCarlo (Kindergarten), Nickie Stanely (Kindergarten), Erin Higgins (Fourth grade), and Kristin Tillery (In for Brown).  These wonderful teachers come to us with multiple years of experience and bring with them the skills necessary to provide Arno students with an excellent education.  Please read their biographies below for more on our new additions.

It is also with regret that we say goodbye to Tracy Walkup, fourth grade.  Tracy and her family followed their heart back to home in Tennessee  where she plans on getting another teaching position.  The entire Arno family wishes her well and hopes that she enjoys her new adventures.

One final change is the addition of a 5th special this school year.  Carrie Solak (former fourth grade) will be taking on a new role housed in our computer lab as Media Tech class.  This class will explore digital citizenship, collaboration, creativity and and critical thinking with technology as the spring board.  Book checkout will still occur, but will now be within the Media Literature special taught by Colleen Byrne and will be housed in the media center.

Meet the New Folks…

Hello! My name is Cristina DiCarlo and I will be joining the Arno staff as one of the new Kindergarten teachers. I graduated from the University of Michigan- Dearborn with a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education as well as earning my ZS Endorsement. While working toward my degree, I was a lead preschool teacher at the University of Michigan-Dearborn Early Childhood Education Center. I completed my student teaching at Bennie Elementary School and then continued to substitute teach within the Allen Park Public School district. Prior to coming to Arno Elementary, I taught 2nd grade at St. Frances Cabrini Elementary School for two years. I’m truly grateful to be a part of such an amazing community and I cannot wait to meet with you all. I look forward to an exciting school year and new adventure!

 

Hello!  My name is Erin Higgins.  I am very excited to join the Arno Staff as a fourth grade teacher.  My teaching experiences range from Kindergarten through 5th grade.  I graduated from Eastern Michigan University, with a B.A. in Elementary Education in 2006.  In 2010, I received an Early Childhood Endorsement from the University of Michigan – Dearborn.  I was a substitute teacher, a Title 1 teacher, and even a Library and Media Teacher before becoming a classroom teacher.  I have spent the last 3 years teaching 4th and 5th grade.

I can’t wait to work with the Arno staff, students and parents.  I am looking forward to a wonderful and exciting year at Arno Elementary!

Look for Nickie and Kristin in our next post…

 

MORNING LINEUP

In an effort to keep our students safe, the elementary buildings in our district have instituted a new line-up policy.   Starting on September 8th, students will line up INSIDE on a daily basis this year regardless of weather.  This is an initiative based on feedback from the Safety Committee and our district families, and will hopefully alleviate the conflicts that have been escalating as students and parents wait outside for the bell to ring each day.

On the first day ONLY, students and their families will line up in the “normal” spots OUTSIDE– as they have for several years in the past.  Beginning on the second day of school (September 8), STUDENTS ONLY may enter any door at 8:20 a.m. and will line up sitting outside their classrooms, as we have done on rainy or cold days in the past.  Optional- you can place a bin for books to be left out on a desk in your hall.  Please reinforce the expectation for students that when they arrive, this should not vary form any other instance in which we have had to line up indoors.  The main doors will be open for breakfast daily at 8:05 a.m. and safeties will be on duty at all other doors and in the hallways beginning at 8:20 a.m. to greet students and supervise.

In addition, we will be assigning 1 parapro to be a monitor during those 10 minutes daily.

Prior to the first day, I will be asking for your help in determining the space your students will need for sitting in the hall in case we have to make any adjustments, and practice with your students so they know what to do.  Safeties will be on duty to assist in the halls and at the doors.  Thank you for your support and cooperation with this initiative.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Arno Staff 2016-2017

Kindergarten Jeanine Haskin
Kindergarten Nikki Stanley
Kindergarten Cristina DiCarlo
First Grade Julie Martinchick
First Grade Barb Pushman
First Grade Dawn Watson
Second Grade Nicole Amonette
Second Grade Jennifer Brown
Second Grade Megan Schultz
Third Grade Beth Wesley
Third Grade Renee Guyot
Third Grade Rachel Warneck
Fourth Grade Sarah Kalis
Fourth Grade Erin Higgins
Fourth Grade Lisa Smalley
Fourth Grade Brian Trionfi
Fifth Grade Todd Creutz
Fifth Grade Melissa Hool
Fifth Grade Sharon Uhring
Cross Categorical Classroom Katie Jensen
Title 1 Arno/Bennie Cathy Gorski
Media Lit Arno/Bennie Colleen Bryne
Media Tech Arno/Bennie Carrie Solak
Art Arno/Bennie Elisabeth Cunningham
Art Arno/Lindemann Rachel Trapani
Physical Education Arno/Bennie Jenny Dalton
Vocal Music Tracy Hoffman
Instrumental/Vocal  Music Jeff Skebo
Speech Stella Boyer
Social Work Arno/Bennie Sandy Bennett
Resource Room Michelle Sbonek
Reading Specialist Barb Chuby

 

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Room Configuration

In order to address the need for student collaboration as part of best practice/turn and talk- please make sure you have students set up in table groups as opposed to rows.  This will continually give you the ability to facilitate collaboration within your room.

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Interventions

I noticed that on many of your schedules, you have built in intervention- Fabulous!!  Please also remember to look for those opportunities during the day- there can potentially be time to do a quick assessment, work with a child one-on-one, or even a small group if that can be the focus.  I understand the need to check papers and things while at your desk, but please consider the kinds of assessments or interventions you could do that would not require you to have a stack of papers to check- all while the class is working on other assignments.  Moving to more fluid formative assessments can reduce those stacks of papers you need to go through, and providing timely feedback and mini-interventions can go a long way towards success- a win for everyone!  

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NEW FAMILY OPEN HOUSE

Next Thursday, September 1, is our New Family Open House at 12:00 p.m.  At this time, our new Arno families will be coming to check out our wonderful school.  If you are around and are able to help guide our new families on a short tour, I would really appreciate it.  In the past, families have loved spending a little time with our great staff and learning all about Arno!  Please let me know if you think you’ll be able to help out so I can plan accordingly!

 

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Teacher Professional Development Dates

This year, the district calendar reflects 8 half-days of teacher PD that is required by the state.  Those PD dates feature no school in the afternoon, 11:40 dismissal.  The dates for this school year are as follows:

10/12        10/31        11/8        12/7        1/18        2/1        3/8        3/22

 

 

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21 Things for Chromebooks Basics

Video worth checking out…

http://mistreamnet.org/videos/3714

New Process for Breakfast and Lunch Program (Highlight at Meet the Teacher)

Parents can setup a free account online at https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/ . They will need their child’s student id number to setup the account and can get the id number from parent connection,  the school office or the FS office. To view their child’s meal account information and/or make payments, they can go online at https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/ (link is on our website).  There is a small transaction fee charged to make online payments.  The lunch program will continue to accept cash or check as we always have.

Parent Information:

Parent website: www.mypaymentsplus.com

Parent support line for questions: 1-877-237-0946

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