The Defer Staff is working on two, school-wide goals. Read below to stay informed about both!!
One School, One Book
March is National Reading Month and Defer is taking reading to our families! During the months of March and April the entire Defer community is reading the same book - The Lemonade Wars. The Defer PTO purchased a copy of this book for every family, and the Defer staff has organized six weeks of reading activities including:
Kick-off assembly in which Chapter 1 of The Lemonade Wars was read to the entire school followed by a glass of lemonade and a class discussion of the characters and setting
Three chapters assigned for home reading per week (This week is Chapters 4, 5, and 6)
Trivia Tuesday – All students compete is answering a trivia question based on the previous week’s chapters. Winners from each class receive a lemon head candy
Guest readers every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in the Defer library for those students unable to read at home that week or those who would like to hear the chapter again
Covering our One School, One Book bulletin board with pictures of families enjoying reading The Lemonade Wars at home
So read – improve your child’s chances at school. It will entertain and delight them, and it will also develop vocabulary, improve their ability to read, and – perhaps most important – foster a lifelong love of books and reading.
Batter-Up Baseball
The Defer students are hitting homeruns in our new school-wide Batter-Up Baseball program. Our goal is for all of our students to master their basic math facts. What does master mean? It means that they can recite the math fact answer as readily as they can say their names. Can your 2nd grader tell you the answer to 5 + 7 automatically? Does your 4th grader know that 6 x 7 is 42 and can recite that readily? That’s our goal.
So here’s how it works:
The Batter-Up Baseball bulletin board lays out a baseball field with all the Defer staff playing in the field.
Each week in school students spend time on the computer using a fact mastery program called Xtra Math. Each Friday their progress is reviewed and if they achieve their goal, a baseball with their name is placed on the bulletin board.
Students can add tally marks to their baseballs each Friday as they continue to reach their goal.
Our kick-off last week was marked by a special guest. Chris Getz, a former GP South student and professional baseball player for the Kansas City Royals sent a video clip to the Defer students. In the video he introduces himself and tells about his career in baseball. He shares how important knowing your math facts is to baseball and calculating statistics and he applauds them for their hard work to master them. His message is Go For it DEFER – Math is important!
Friday, March 22, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Welcome back and welcome to 2013! I hope all the Defer families had a wonderful
holiday filled with family, friends, and fun! We are excited to pick-up where we left off in our school year. I’d like to thank all the families that attended our December Student-Parent-Teacher conferences. It provided the opportunity to review student achievement and growth and to set goals as we continue the school year. We look forward to this continued progress as school and home combine efforts to help students grow as learners and thinkers. Your support in this process is essential.
Here are 3 great school New Year Resolutions for families:
*Spend time reviewing your child’s homework
*Be sure reading is going on every night in your home
*Practice basic math facts until they become as automatic as reciting your
own name
holiday filled with family, friends, and fun! We are excited to pick-up where we left off in our school year. I’d like to thank all the families that attended our December Student-Parent-Teacher conferences. It provided the opportunity to review student achievement and growth and to set goals as we continue the school year. We look forward to this continued progress as school and home combine efforts to help students grow as learners and thinkers. Your support in this process is essential.
Here are 3 great school New Year Resolutions for families:
*Spend time reviewing your child’s homework
*Be sure reading is going on every night in your home
*Practice basic math facts until they become as automatic as reciting your
own name
Monday, November 19, 2012
Flu season is here...
The flu season has really started out with a bang! We have been experiencing several
children going home during the day due to flu type and stomach symptoms. When
your child is out ill for flu, fever, etc., always follow the 24 hour rule. Students should be free of any illness, including vomiting and diarrhea, for 24 hours before returning to school.
This will help to stop the spread of viruses to other students and our staff. Please remember to call the office if your child has a contagious disease, (i.e. strep throat) so we can send notices home to parents to watch for those particular symptoms. Students go outside for recess, so please make sure they are well enough to participate before returning to school.
If you have any questions,please do not hesitate to call the school office, 432-4000.
children going home during the day due to flu type and stomach symptoms. When
your child is out ill for flu, fever, etc., always follow the 24 hour rule. Students should be free of any illness, including vomiting and diarrhea, for 24 hours before returning to school.
This will help to stop the spread of viruses to other students and our staff. Please remember to call the office if your child has a contagious disease, (i.e. strep throat) so we can send notices home to parents to watch for those particular symptoms. Students go outside for recess, so please make sure they are well enough to participate before returning to school.
If you have any questions,please do not hesitate to call the school office, 432-4000.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Tardiness Hinders Student and School Success
Having trouble making it to school on time every day? Then it’s time to come up with a new plan. Tardiness is sometimes a chronic problem for some students at Defer, and this creates problems for all students and teachers as well.
Did you know that some of the most important learning of the school day occurs between 8:20 and 10:00 am? Students are the most alert and attentive at this time of day, so important subject matter and concepts are taught at this time. When students arrive late to school, they miss out on some or all of these important subjects. They also create a distraction when they walk into the classroom after other students have already begun working. Teachers must stop what they are doing, and refocus the group.
Studies show that students who have perfect, or near-perfect attendance and are not tardy have much better grades and overall success in school than students who miss many days and are tardy.
An occasional tardy is not really a big problem, and sometimes cannot be avoided. However, consistent tardiness creates not only the problems discussed above, but also does not help to prepare students for future success in middle and high school, or for the job market.
What can be done about this? Defer is instituting a new plan to more effectively deal with chronically late students. Here’s how the new policy will work:
When a student has 3 tardies in quick succession (within a two week period), a letter will be sent home notifying the parents that their student has been tardy 3 times. This will let the parents know that they need to work together with their student to get to school on time each day. The students will miss their class recess on the day the 3rd tardy occurs.
If the student continues to struggle with tardiness, the principal will make a phone call home to talk to the parents about how tardiness is impacting the student, and to discuss ways to be on time and the student will again miss recess to help make up for missed instruction.
If tardiness continues to be an issue, the principal and teacher will have a conference with the parents to discuss the problem.
Remember that being on time means being in line and ready to walk into the classroom when the bell rings. Students who are at school, but not in their classrooms after the tardy bell, are marked tardy.
Defer is a great school with bright students and involved parents. By refocusing our efforts on being on time each day , we can be even better!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Welcome Back!
Recently, you may have heard that five of our GPPSS schools were
designated “Focus Schools” by the Michigan Department of Education.
These schools include: Defer, Ferry, Trombly, Parcells, and Pierce. This
does NOT mean that these schools are low performing schools. In fact,
our test results show that all of our schools are excellent schools and we
are very proud of the achievements of our students at each of them.
What the Focus School designation means is that the gap between the
highest 30% of performing students and the lowest 30% of performing
students on standardized tests at a particular school is among the top
ten percent of gaps statewide. This is not surprising to us because we
know that many of our top students perform at extremely high levels.
Likewise, we also know that our lowest 30% do much better than the
lowest 30% of students statewide, but actual performance is not figured
into the designation, only the gap itself.
We are constantly working to improve the performance of our lowest
performing students and this designation will bring additional limited
resources toward bridging the disparity. The Michigan Department of
Education will develop and provide a District Toolkit for Focus Schools.
MDE will provide technical assistance to these districts on the use of the
toolkits in the form of MDE-trained and paid-for District Improvement
Facilitators. While this will allow us to continue intervention efforts to
bring up student performance, it will not change our mission of providing
an exemplary education for all Grosse Pointe Public School System
students. As we work to close these achievement gaps, we will continue
to meet the needs of our high and average scoring students and
challenge them to keep moving forward in their individualized
educational plans.
The most important thing to remember here is that the overall
performance of Defer students has not been called into question. We are
very proud of our school and are confident that our teachers and staff
are among the best in the field.
On October 9th I will be presenting the Defer Annual PA-25 Report and
our School Improvement Goals at 6:30 pm in the Defer Library, just prior
to the PTO meeting at 7:00pm. Please join me for this presentation.
Dates to Remember
September
17 Constitution Day
18 Picture Day
20 Back to School Night @ 7:00 pm Defer Gym (Parents Only)
28 Fifth Grade to Camp Howell Day Camp
F4 After Dark (PTO) 6:00 pm
October
1—5 Walk to School Week
6 PTO Progressive Dinner
9 PTO Meeting @ 7:00pm Library
10 Market Day Pick-up between 2:00 and 4:00pm
11—31 MEAP Testing Grades 3, 4, 5
15 Picture Retake Day
31 AM SCHOOL ONLY — Halloween Parade, Assembly & Parties
PM Staff Development
designated “Focus Schools” by the Michigan Department of Education.
These schools include: Defer, Ferry, Trombly, Parcells, and Pierce. This
does NOT mean that these schools are low performing schools. In fact,
our test results show that all of our schools are excellent schools and we
are very proud of the achievements of our students at each of them.
What the Focus School designation means is that the gap between the
highest 30% of performing students and the lowest 30% of performing
students on standardized tests at a particular school is among the top
ten percent of gaps statewide. This is not surprising to us because we
know that many of our top students perform at extremely high levels.
Likewise, we also know that our lowest 30% do much better than the
lowest 30% of students statewide, but actual performance is not figured
into the designation, only the gap itself.
We are constantly working to improve the performance of our lowest
performing students and this designation will bring additional limited
resources toward bridging the disparity. The Michigan Department of
Education will develop and provide a District Toolkit for Focus Schools.
MDE will provide technical assistance to these districts on the use of the
toolkits in the form of MDE-trained and paid-for District Improvement
Facilitators. While this will allow us to continue intervention efforts to
bring up student performance, it will not change our mission of providing
an exemplary education for all Grosse Pointe Public School System
students. As we work to close these achievement gaps, we will continue
to meet the needs of our high and average scoring students and
challenge them to keep moving forward in their individualized
educational plans.
The most important thing to remember here is that the overall
performance of Defer students has not been called into question. We are
very proud of our school and are confident that our teachers and staff
are among the best in the field.
On October 9th I will be presenting the Defer Annual PA-25 Report and
our School Improvement Goals at 6:30 pm in the Defer Library, just prior
to the PTO meeting at 7:00pm. Please join me for this presentation.
Dates to Remember
September
17 Constitution Day
18 Picture Day
20 Back to School Night @ 7:00 pm Defer Gym (Parents Only)
28 Fifth Grade to Camp Howell Day Camp
F4 After Dark (PTO) 6:00 pm
October
1—5 Walk to School Week
6 PTO Progressive Dinner
9 PTO Meeting @ 7:00pm Library
10 Market Day Pick-up between 2:00 and 4:00pm
11—31 MEAP Testing Grades 3, 4, 5
15 Picture Retake Day
31 AM SCHOOL ONLY — Halloween Parade, Assembly & Parties
PM Staff Development
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Teacher Appreciation
National Teacher Appreciation Week 2012 was May 7th to May 11th.
National Teacher Appreciation Day was May 8th. The history of National Education Week
and Day is not certain. The movement for such as observance is commonly thought to
have begun around the time of World War II and Eleanor Roosevelt made a major push
for the day in 1953. Congress declared a National Teacher Day in 1980 and in 1985 the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) established National Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week in May. It has been celebrated nationally ever since.
So what about teachers . . . .
Great teachers give us a sense not only of who they are, but more important, of who we are, and who we might become. They unlock our energies, our imaginations, and our minds. Effective teachers pose compelling questions, explain options, teach us to reason, suggest possible directions, and urge us on. Successful teachers are vital and full of passion. They love to teach as a painter loves to paint, as a writer loves to write, as singer loves to sing. They have a serious purpose and yet enjoy enormously what they do. They teach their subjects – math, reading,writing, science, physical education, music, or whatever - - as if it really mattered. They get excited about their subject no matter how many times they have taught it. They push themselves just as they push their students, and their classrooms become memorable learning experiences. Great teachers know they are always on stage and that who they are, how they act, and what they believe are as important as what they teach.
The Defer community recognized our staff this week with a beautiful luncheon served in
the library on Tuesday. It was the opportunity for teachers to put aside their sack lunch
from home, the stack of papers that need correcting, the emails to be answered, and to
relax and enjoy each others’ company. It was recognition of the hard work they do
every day, a chance to recharge, and it was greatly appreciated.
Take time to thank a teacher this week.
On a personal note, I have been in the teaching profession for many years and I carry a
set of memories and experiences from my profession that sustain me and make me
smile every day. Over the years students and parents have taken the time to write me
and those are some of my most precious possessions. I keep all of these notes, letters,
and poems in a box and pull them out often, always with a smile on my face. I often
think that if my house were burning down – it would be that box of precious notes that I
would grab on my way out.
Let a teacher know they made a difference.
National Teacher Appreciation Day was May 8th. The history of National Education Week
and Day is not certain. The movement for such as observance is commonly thought to
have begun around the time of World War II and Eleanor Roosevelt made a major push
for the day in 1953. Congress declared a National Teacher Day in 1980 and in 1985 the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) established National Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week in May. It has been celebrated nationally ever since.
So what about teachers . . . .
Great teachers give us a sense not only of who they are, but more important, of who we are, and who we might become. They unlock our energies, our imaginations, and our minds. Effective teachers pose compelling questions, explain options, teach us to reason, suggest possible directions, and urge us on. Successful teachers are vital and full of passion. They love to teach as a painter loves to paint, as a writer loves to write, as singer loves to sing. They have a serious purpose and yet enjoy enormously what they do. They teach their subjects – math, reading,writing, science, physical education, music, or whatever - - as if it really mattered. They get excited about their subject no matter how many times they have taught it. They push themselves just as they push their students, and their classrooms become memorable learning experiences. Great teachers know they are always on stage and that who they are, how they act, and what they believe are as important as what they teach.
The Defer community recognized our staff this week with a beautiful luncheon served in
the library on Tuesday. It was the opportunity for teachers to put aside their sack lunch
from home, the stack of papers that need correcting, the emails to be answered, and to
relax and enjoy each others’ company. It was recognition of the hard work they do
every day, a chance to recharge, and it was greatly appreciated.
Take time to thank a teacher this week.
On a personal note, I have been in the teaching profession for many years and I carry a
set of memories and experiences from my profession that sustain me and make me
smile every day. Over the years students and parents have taken the time to write me
and those are some of my most precious possessions. I keep all of these notes, letters,
and poems in a box and pull them out often, always with a smile on my face. I often
think that if my house were burning down – it would be that box of precious notes that I
would grab on my way out.
Let a teacher know they made a difference.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Welcome Spring!!
With all this nice weather it is a good time to review some guidelines so that Defer
students are a part of a healthy, safe, and orderly learning environment.
Clothing
• Even though we have had warm weather and we have had some beautiful days,
we all know that Michigan weather will prevail so please send your child to
school prepared for a day of sunshine and warmth or a mid April cold snap.
• Children should wear or keep a jacket at school. Students are allowed to go to
recess without a coat if the temperature reaches 60 ° or higher.
• Clothing should be clean and in good repair.
• Safe footwear must be worn at all times. Bedroom slippers are not allowed.
‘Flip-flops’ or sandals are permitted, but only if socks are worn with them. Our
playground has wood chips and a student in flip-flops is susceptible to foot injury
without socks.
• Shorts and skirts must be at least finger tip length.
• Tank tops are not allowed.
• Tops and bottoms must meet in the middle with no gaps.
Bike Safety
• Students riding their bikes to school need to lock them in the bike racks located
at the Nottingham end of the school.
• Elementary students ride bikes on the sidewalk, not on the street.
Walking Safety
• Any student crossing Kercheval Ave. must cross at the light in front of Defer with
the assistance of our Crossing Guard.
• Students are not to walk through the parking lot. This is very unsafe. Little
people are difficult to see among the cars.
• Students are not to ‘hop’ the fence at the back end of the Defer field.
• Students should be walking to and from school in pairs or in groups.
Automobile Safety
• Do not use the parking lot to drop off or pick up students. This is for the safety
of all of our students.
• Do not park on Kercheval unless it is in an area marked for parking.
• The east side of Nottingham is a drop off and pick up lane. It is not to be used
for parking. The west side of Nottingham is intended for parking.
• Cross Nottingham with the crossing guard. Do not cross Nottingham in the middle of the street.
students are a part of a healthy, safe, and orderly learning environment.
Clothing
• Even though we have had warm weather and we have had some beautiful days,
we all know that Michigan weather will prevail so please send your child to
school prepared for a day of sunshine and warmth or a mid April cold snap.
• Children should wear or keep a jacket at school. Students are allowed to go to
recess without a coat if the temperature reaches 60 ° or higher.
• Clothing should be clean and in good repair.
• Safe footwear must be worn at all times. Bedroom slippers are not allowed.
‘Flip-flops’ or sandals are permitted, but only if socks are worn with them. Our
playground has wood chips and a student in flip-flops is susceptible to foot injury
without socks.
• Shorts and skirts must be at least finger tip length.
• Tank tops are not allowed.
• Tops and bottoms must meet in the middle with no gaps.
Bike Safety
• Students riding their bikes to school need to lock them in the bike racks located
at the Nottingham end of the school.
• Elementary students ride bikes on the sidewalk, not on the street.
Walking Safety
• Any student crossing Kercheval Ave. must cross at the light in front of Defer with
the assistance of our Crossing Guard.
• Students are not to walk through the parking lot. This is very unsafe. Little
people are difficult to see among the cars.
• Students are not to ‘hop’ the fence at the back end of the Defer field.
• Students should be walking to and from school in pairs or in groups.
Automobile Safety
• Do not use the parking lot to drop off or pick up students. This is for the safety
of all of our students.
• Do not park on Kercheval unless it is in an area marked for parking.
• The east side of Nottingham is a drop off and pick up lane. It is not to be used
for parking. The west side of Nottingham is intended for parking.
• Cross Nottingham with the crossing guard. Do not cross Nottingham in the middle of the street.
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