Mid-Year Exams

Please click the link above to access the memorandum related to our Mid-Year Examinations.

Employee Benefits Update

Please click the link above for the latest information regarding employee benefits.

Do The Right Thing Program

Teachers, Ms. Schwartz asks that you please send your students for the Do The Right Thing Program to the media center on Friday, November 30 at 8:20 a.m.

Schools will face more cuts

Source: Miami Herald

Even if voters fail to approve a constitutional amendment to lower their property tax bills, Florida school districts can expect their budgets to be slashed during next spring's legislative session.

The state already cut school district budgets this year because it didn't raise enough money through sales taxes. Sales tax revenue is expected again to fall short, leading to another round of painful cut.


*** Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device.

Marlins heading back to school

11/27/2007 4:20 PM ET
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

MIAMI -- Marlins employees will head back to school on Friday to take part in a Junior Achievement Day.

The event is taking place at Parkway Elementary School in Miami. In all, 26 team employees will be teaching 20 classes. From 8:30-9:30 a.m. ET, team president David Samson will be acting as "Principal for the Morning." Among his tasks will be reading the morning announcements on the in-house TV channel.

Then, accompanied by administrators, Samson will tour the school and visit the designated classes where Marlins employees will be teaching. This marks the second straight year the Marlins have thrown their backing behind Junior Achievement Day at the elementary school.

Junior Achievement is the largest and fastest growing economic education non-profit organization in the world that links the private sector with education. More than three million students in more than 1,000 communities nation-wide participated in Junior Achievement last year. And the organization is spread in more than 125 countries.

Founded in 1919, the Junior Achievement's Miami office opened in 1957. More than 500 South Florida teachers use Junior Achievement programs at no cost to schools.

Marlins employees will arrive at Parkway Elementary by 8 a.m. on Friday, and after a continental breakfast, they will be escorted to their classrooms at 9 a.m. for the first teaching block, which runs until 11 a.m. The second teaching block takes place after lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Their day wraps up at 2 p.m.

Junior Achievement Day

Colleagues,

We will be having our Second Annual Junior Achievement Day on Friday, November 30.

Once again, our corporate sponsor is the Florida Marlins. An employee from the Marlins will be in each classroom delivering curriculum and instruction in the area of business, finance and community awareness. This specialized instruction will take place during most of your content time, while special area classes and lunch will proceed at their normal times.

Please see me if you have any questions.

Interim Progress Reports

Just a reminder the interim reports will go home today. Ms. Kerr put the interim reports in your mailboxes this past Monday.

Interim Assessment Return

Please return all test materials (test booklets and pencils, excluding the answer sheets) alphabetically to me in the conference room on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 between the hours of 2:00 p.m.-3:20 p.m.

FCAT Challenge

Please note the Revised FCAT Challenge Schedule which will take place in the cafeteria this week.

Grade 3 - Tuesday, November 27 @ 1:00 p.m.

Grade 5 - Wednesday, November 28 @ 1:00 p.m.

Grade 4 - Thursday, November 29 @ 1:00 p.m

UTD Steward Election

The UTD Steward elections for our school will take place for all UTD members on Wednesday, November 28 at 2:15 p.m. in the media center. If you are a UTD member who is interested in seeking this position or otherwise have any questions, please see Ms. Samuels.

Math/Science Update 11-26

Please click the link above for this week mathematics/science update

Reading Reminders (Upper Primary)

Please click the link above for the latest Reading (Upper Primary) updates.

2007-2008 Critical Staff Areas

Please click the link above to review the identified Critical Staff shortage areas in the district and the incentives for working in one of those categories.

School Board Agenda

Please click the link above to review the School Board Meeting Agenda for Tuesday, November 20, 2007.

Math and Science Update

Please click the link above for this week's math and science reminders.

Free Theme Park Admission

Universal Orlando® Resort, in partnership with the Florida Education Foundation, is offering Florida Public School Personnel (Pre-Kindergarten – 12th Grade) an incredible opportunity to experience TWO exciting theme parks -- Universal Studios Florida® and Universal’s Islands of Adventure®...FREE! It’s their way of saying “thanks” for all you do!

Click link above for more information.

PTA Update

THANKSGIVING CERTIFICATES

PTA is currently collecting names of 10 needy families that would appreciate a $50.00 gift certificate for Thanksgiving. Please email Ms. Kerr the name of student/parent and their contact numbers by 3:30 pm today.

SCIENCE BOARDS

Science Boards are on sale for only $6.00 please encourage our students to purchase boards to support Parkway Elementary PTA.

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

We currently have 39 members for PTA membership. Also please encourage students/parents to pay the PTA dues for only $6.00. Remember the classes with 100% membership the teacher will receive a $50.00 gift certificate. Ms. Kerr will put a reminder in the staff's mailboxes to pay PTA dues.

PTA T-SHIRTS

T-shirts will go on sale in January, more information is forthcoming.

UTD Calendar Survey

Please click the link above for information regarding the school calendar for next year.

Reading Update Intermediate

Please click the link above for this week's update.

Math and Science Update

Please click the link above to view this week's math and science updates.

Honor Roll Breakfast

Our first of three Honor Roll Breakfasts for this year will take place on Wednesday, November 14 at 9:00 a.m. in the cafeteria.
We hope for this event to grow as we progress through the school year.

Middle School Visits

It was nice having North Dade Middle visit our school a few weeks ago.

Grade 5 teachers should have received flyers for their students and their parents to inform them that Norland Middle will be at Parkway Elementary to present their academic programs on Thursday, November 15 at 6:30 p.m.

In addition, please prepare to bring your students to the cafeteria at 9:00 a.m. on the same day for JFK Middle's Presentation of their science magnet program.

Compensation Information

Please click the link above to receive pertinent information regarding your compensation for this year

Do the Right Thing

Please submit your "Do the Right Thing" nomination forms to Ms. Schwartz by Tuesday, November 13, 2007.

Child Assault Prevention

The Child Assault Prevention training for all classes will begin next Tuesday. Members from CAP (Child Assault Prevention) will be coming to your class to do an hour presentation sometime between Tuesday and Friday of next week. Ms. Schwartz will put the schedule with your specific training time in your mailboxes by tomorrow.

Please turn in your surveys for CAP from the faculty meeting to Ms. Schwartz by Friday and see her if you have any questions.

2007 FCAT available for practice

Source: Miami Herald

Students who are looking for extra Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test practice and parents who want to know more about the exam can see real copies of the 2007 test's questions and answers. The state Department of Education this week put online copies of the FCAT fifth- and sixth-grade reading and math exams and the eighth-grade science exam that students took last spring. The tests, as well as several given in previous years, are available online at http://fcat.fldoe.org/fcatrelease.asp

Faculty Meeting

Please click the link above for today's faculty meeting agenda.

Attendance News

Parkway Elementary, demonstrated improved student attendance from 96.26%, to 97.77% during the first nine week period of the 2007-2008 school year as compared to the same period in 2006-2007.

Additionally, the number of students absent 15 or more days remained stable at 0 from prior year.

Congratulations!!!!

Reading Update

Please click the link above to get this week's reading update.

Interim Assessment Fall

Interim Assessments begin in grades 3-5 today. Please click the link above if you you would like to review the memo that was previously e-mailed to all employees.

Math and Science Update

Please click the link above for this week's math/science reminders.

Florida Loan Forgiveness & Teacher Scholarship Programs

Please click the link above if you are interested in learning about two of Florida's loan forgiveness and tuition reimbursement programs.

Report Card Distribution

The revised dates for report card distribution to parents:

* Quarter 1 - 11/9/07
* Quarter 2 - 2/8/07
* Quarter 3 - 4/25/08
* Quarter 4 - 6/27/08