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Feb 6, 2014

Friday Focus - February, 7, 2014


Great Things I Noticed This Week:
*With our unexpected loss of a Dodgeland family member there has been a tremendous amount of support/nurturing for one another, along with kind words from parents/community members.  I have heard a number of stories about the kindness our high school students are showing during this time that you would be proud of.
*At a sporting event this week I had a conversation with a parent this week that started with: "I'm so surprised by the state ranking system on those report cards." When I asked her what she meant, she went on and on about how impressed she has been with our school (their family has been here a couple of years), because of how much her children have learned with us, our high standards and said, "It's like you know my kids so well that you know how to place them with the best teacher each year." I of course had to tell her that all of our teachers are the best!  Another parent (new to our school this year) overheard this conversation and added that she is also amazed by how much her children are learning at Dodgeland compared to their previous school.
*I have enjoyed working with our ELL students 1:1 for ACCESS testing and seeing students get excited over their increase in MAP scores in the lab this past month, but I'm SUPER excited to get back into classrooms where the real action is next week!

Events Next Week:
Monday - Elementary Professional Learning Meeting. The agenda is HERE. Please plan to bring/share how you are currently utilizing mid-year data and using it for conversations with students to give them ownership of this data. Specials teachers-I know you don't have MAP/Benchmark data, but please think of what data you do have for these conversations.
Tuesday - Grade Level PLC meetings (mid year data) Please bring benchmark data and MAP reports
Thursday - Summer School Class proposals due
Friday - No School - Happy Valentines Day!

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:
*For today's assembly I'll be bringing around certificates ahead of time for teachers to bring.  Since I'll be duct taped to the wall, I'll need you all to help with passing out certificates. Don't worry, I'll keep one hand out for the microphone to do all the announcing. PLEASE talk to your students before the assembly about being quiet. I know it can get long, but we will be broadcasting this LIVE ONLINE and the microphone will pick up their noise, which means it may be hard to hear any of the announcing on the broadcast.
*I will email out the schedule for MAP make-up/completions with the hopes that all will be done to have reports for our grade level meetings on Tuesday.
*When students are in the computer lab, please do NOT have them shut off computers, just log off. Especially do NOT have them shut off the computers by pushing the power button. We are starting to have some computer issues that we believe are from the "hard shut down" of pushing the button. Thanks for reminding your students about this.
*Please welcome Nicole Justmann (former Dodgeland graduate) to our team as a special education aide.  In addition, Barb Zank will be here as a long-term sub for Tammy Bussewitz.

Blogs, Tweets & Pins...Oh My!
*“Take care of yourself.  Take care of each other.  Take care of the kids.”
John Gunnell, Principal of Baraboo Middle School (@gunnellAP)
*A great blog post on how we can impact the connections our students build with one another: Share this with all schools please
*My favorite new visual for the SAMR model of integrating technology...using Starbucks coffee as the example!!!







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