Smilebox Creation

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Riddle Wins an Award!

I am very pleased to announce that I found out on Friday that Riddle Elementary is going to receive the prestigious TBEC Award. The TBEC award is only given to the top 4% of public schools in the state of Texas each year. I am thrilled to see our school on top! To read more, check out:
http://tbec.org/honor-roll

Picking Teachers

A parent found this article and passed it on to me. I love hearing all sides of an argument and, as with most articles that I read that present two sides, it is easy to see both. Enjoy!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31947478/ns/today-parenting_and_family/

Library Open!

Thursday, August 13th from 9-12, our library is open for books to be checked out! We'd love to see you and your family. Most public library collections are picked over in the summer, but not at Riddle. Come on over and check out as many books as you want!


Also, August 13 is Kindergarten Popsicles on the Playground, hosted by our wonderful PTA from 9-10 AM. Come meet the teachers and enjoy meeting new friends while your child becomes a little more comfortable and acclimated on the playground. This is a great opportunity for all incoming Kinder students and their families. I hope you can join us!

Our teachers are hard at work in their classrooms preparing for your child's arrival at Riddle. Please don't forget about Meet the Teacher Night on Friday, 8/21 from 5:30-6:30 PM with Kinder Orientation from 6:30-7:30 PM. You can bring your school supplies and meet your teacher. Class lists will be posted outside the library windows and outside the cafe by 5:15 that evening. The doors open for you to visit the booths in the cafe and add money to your child's lunch account at 5:00 PM, and the doors leading to the classrooms will open at 5:30 PM. There is much excitement in the air that evening. We can't wait to see you!

As many of you know, our super Assistant Principal, Jina Eksaengsri (or, Mrs. X), will be having her baby any day now. We will miss her greatly during the first weeks of school!

We are busy preparing for your arrival. Remember to collect Box Tops and Campbell's Soup labels. We will see you very soon!!!

Summer Mailer

Every summer we distribute a mailer to you so that you feel comfortable with arrival and dismissal procedures. Please know that we have student safety in mind when we set up all of our procedures. You should receive your mailer in early August. A copy can also be found on our Riddle website starting August 4th.
http://www.friscoisd.org/schools/elementary/riddle/

We are busy preparing for a great school year! See you soon!

Planning for the 09-10 School Year

I got hooked on blogging this summer when I blogged my way through twelve days at Harvard's Graduate School of Education's Principals' Center from June 28-July 8. An amazing organization called Raise Your Hand Texas funded this opportunity for me and 100 other principals around the state of Texas. So, while my summer was short, it was packed full of learning and growing (just as we expect of our students and staff).

I am officially back at work and busy preparing for a great 09-10 school year. Tuesday, July 28th our PTA hosted Popsicles on the Playground for our incoming Kinder students and their families. The weather was extremely cooperative as the temperature stayed below 100 degrees for us. After enjoying popsicles, meeting teachers, and connecting with new as well as returning parents, we headed to the library, which was open from 9-12 to allow students to check out books. Mrs. Kinsella deserves a huge thanks for opening the library. We love to know that our students are reading over the summer. The library is also open August 4th from 9-12. I hope you'll join us!

Our teachers are already hard at work in their classrooms. Kinder and 1st grade are going to be in Pod 1, 2nd and 3rd grade in Pod 2, and 4th and 5th grade in Pod 3. Our grade level teams have been meeting throughout the summer to plan the year's curriculum--there's a lot to pack into the 176 days that we have students. Keep checking back here for updates!

Quote of the Day:
"To love what you do and feel that it matters, how could anything be more fun?" - Katharine Graham

Books I am Reading:
-Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
-Talk About Teaching by Charoltte Danielson