Week of October 31st

I hope that you all enjoyed time with your families over the 4 day weekend and had the opportunity to relax.  It is hard to believe that we are already moving into November!
Last Wednesday-Friday I attended the AWSA (Association of Wisconsin School Administrators) Convention in LaCrosse.  I was thinking back to my first AWSA Convention and how I went there seeking so may ideas/solutions from what other schools were doing.  This year I found myself on the opposite end...I was telling about how our school has implemented great practices! From a formal networking session with elementary principals and informal networking 1:1 conversations I had, here were the issues that other principals were seeking input on:

• How to schedule an intervention block for RTI
• How to plan for intervention
• Progress monitoring tools for reading/math
• How to start a data wall?
• Research based reading intervention programs
• Research based math intervention programs
• How to move all staff into teaching with Daily 5/Cafe

Look at that list and how many of them we are doing well!  Seriously, the only thing we don't have is a research based math intervention program.  As I shared with principals what we are doing I felt like I was coming from the school of superstars!  In fact, during one conversation a principal said, "you must have really great staff."  My reply--"They are the best!" I think my favorite moment was in Todd Whitaker's session when he asked for a show of hands for "How many of you have several teachers that spend a lot of time at their desk?"  Almost every hand in the room went up (my hand was down).  He looked my way when he said, "now how many of you without your hands up are lying?"  Not me!!  I know I've said it before, but I just can't say it enough times, our kids are so lucky to have you!

Events this week:
Tuesday: Tech Tuesday (in Ms. Abegglen's room) afterschool
2:00 5th Grade Student WKCE Meeting in Media Center
2:25 3rd Grade Student WKCE Meeting in Media Center
Wednesday: WKCE Testing for 3-5th grades until approximately 10:15. Please be quiet in the hallways
Thursday: WKCE Testing for 3-5th grades until approximately 10:15. Please be quiet in the hallways
2:00 K-5 assembly in gym "Giving Back with Ronald McDonald" (I would recommend filling out planners before going to the assembly)
6:00 Rock River Reading Council Daily 5/Cafe focus at Prairie View
Friday: WKCE Testing for 3-5th grades until approximately 10:15. Please be quiet in the hallways
 12:00 Leadership Team Meeting in D.O. Conference Room

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes
*Next Monday, November 7th is the last day of 1st quarter. PowerSchool grades will be due by 7:30 Wednesday morning (11/9).
*Our first art show is next week, Tuesday, November 8th 4:00-6:00. We will be looking for anyone willing to help after school to set up in the commons.  
*One of the phenomenal speakers I heard at the AWSA Convention was Marcia Tate, who has written numerous books on brain based strategies to engage students.  She is also known as "The Dendrite Lady" because she has written a series of books on practices that "Don't Grow Dendrites." You can find my notes from her session at http://bit.ly/marciatatenotes  I am making it my goal to include more of her brain-based strategies in our future professional learning meetings.  You can also learn more from her here.  This youtube video is about an online class to take with her, but she includes some of her strategies within this video.