Friday, February 22, 2019

Great Things I Noticed this Week:

*Holy #RandomActsofKindness Week!! I saw many students and staff spreading acts of kindness...high fives, handshakes, compliments, post it notes on lockers, special notes on desks, students asking to help out with extra jobs to clean the school, and of course the shout outs on the bulletin board. What if it always felt this awesome?!

*Students getting together in partners for new growth mindset brain breaks that were learned at #SpringCESA6

*Students writing persuasive book reviews that had me hooked from their first sentences wanting to read the books they were recommending.

*Students using QR code flashcards during math (go to http://kitzkikz.com/flashcards/ to make your own).

Events Next Week: READ ACROSS AMERICA Week!!!!

The weather is calling for READING BLIZZARDS all next week!! Donalyn Miller teaches us in Reading in the Wild that lifelong readers don't just sit and read for long stretches of time, they keep a book with them for times throughout the day to steal reading minutes, so that is why we have reading blizzards...to build the habit of keeping a book with them at all times. I will announce this at the start of the week, please make sure your students always have a book with them and I will announce one each day. They won't know when, but you will (down below). I will announce the beginning of it and then you can end it. You get to bring a book for yourself to enjoy too!!

Monday - hat day

10:00 Reading Blizzard

-EP Training on the Documentation Log at 3:15 in IMC

Tuesday - Pajama Day (I will be out of the building with all of 5th grade and several other staff at a Kindness Retreat)

2:30 Reading Blizzard

Family Reading Night 6-7pm.  Please feel free to join us with your own children and enjoy the night!

Wednesday - Workout Wednesday and Crazy Socks Day

11:00 Reading Blizzard

Thursday - Vocabulary Parade Day/Wear a shirt you can read

Vocabulary Parade is at 8:15 

1:00 Reading Blizzard

Friday - Red, White and Blue Day

8:15 Reading Blizzard

10:25 Author/Illustrator presentation to grades 3-5 in IMC

12:30 Author/Illustrator presentation to grades K-2 in IMC

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:
*Please Please Please do NOT park in the first section of our parking lot. I know it's annoying to walk an extra 20 steps and if you're here later you'll have to walk even further because you have to park farther away, but please see why.  When we take up spots in this front section then parents cannot use it and it turns to CHAOS at the end of the day, which also makes it unsafe for our students. It is hard to see in this picture, but there are many parents lined up NOT in spaces here because there is nowhere for them to go.  Please don't make me turn into a parking nazi and hunt you down...I ain't got time for that! 

*Just a reminder that next week classroom teachers will be receiving individual student attendance calendars to start on March 1st. This should only take half a minute tops each day for students to either color in or number each day that they are in school. At the end of the month they can each write the total number of days they are there (bonus--make it a fraction at the end of the month to see how many days present out of how many days possible!)

Blogs, Tweets, & Pins....Oh My!!

*SLAM - this blog post ties in perfectly with this week's staff meeting

Friday Focus - February 15, 2019

Great Things I Noticed this Week:
*Everyone working hard to get kids back into the routine of learning after snow day #7, continuing to make every moment with our students precious time!
*Teachers starting out P/T conferences by sharing strengths of students, before getting into the concerns. I also heard several teachers share words of appreciation to parents for their support of their child...what a great way to make sure parents leave with a positive feeling.
*Despite a snow day for a short week, Thursday was a LONG day, but many of you made it fun. I heard many encouraging words from staff to one another to keep it a positive day. You all set the tone and you are what makes this place awesome!

Events Next Week:
Monday - Presidents Day Professional Development -remember the bus leaves Dodgeland by 7am. Happy learning to you all!!!
Tuesday - Mid-Qtr -time to send home progress reports if you didn't already share at conferences
Wednesday - Workout Wednesday
-Staff mtg for all certified/support staff at 3:15. See agenda below
Thursday - I will be out of the building with the admin team at a leadership training (I'm looking forward to reflecting on your feedback on the staff engagement survey!)

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:
*Wednesday staff meeting - This will be the first "dose" of several during our staff meeting time together on trauma invested practices to help fill your toolbox.  You do NOT need to bring a device...just a writing utensil and your upstairs brain. :)  You will need to sign in so we can keep track as part of our DOJ school safety grant.
*Look for Ms. Ganser's video next week about Random Acts of Kindness week.
*Do you have a student that you would like to nominate for Governor Ever's Star Student program?  If so, go to: https://dpi.wi.gov/star-student

Blogs, Tweets, & Pins...Oh My!!!
*In case you missed it in the email from Ted Neitze, his most recent podcast is on Teachers as Superheros, which I think you will all enjoy! You can find it HERE or use your podcast app.

You can read about student data folders HERE

Friday Focus - February 8, 2019 (early on a snow day for you!)

Great Things I Noticed this Week
*Well, only 1 snow day this week. That means 3 more days of learning than last week! ;)

*1st grade word detectives figuring out how to split words into two syllables. 

*2nd graders turned back to back with their math partners as they individually solved a problem. Then they tapped the shoulder of their partner to signal when they were done and waited until both were done to check answers with each other. This kept students quiet and focused independently until they were both read to talk about how they solved it. 

*Kindergartners applying their jolly phonics to independently read some big words all on their own!

Upcoming Events: *Hopefully a 5 day week!!*
Tuesday - $1 for JRFH Hat day
-Mrs. Huelsman and I will be out of the building for an Educlimber training
Workout Wednesday - I will announce students of the month at the start of the day
Thursday - P/T conferences 4-7:30 (I am still open 5:30-7:30 if you need me to join you for any of your conferences)
Friday - I will be out of the building for Pyramid Model training


"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:
*Thank you so much for such great dialogue about student ownership of learning in our staff meeting. I only wish I could have been a part of every discussion!  I recorded all of your ideas in this google doc: Notes In the google doc you will also see under the question for ways to engage students, I added this resource for iReady: iReady Data chats for after the second diagnostic
*As you get ready to celebrate Valentines with your class, please remember this should be a class event, not a full day. Every minute matters and the more you get out of the normal routine...the more your students will!!!
*Mark your calendars in advance--the Kilowatt Kitchen performance has been rescheduled for Monday, May 20th. Grades K/1/3 at 1:30, Grades 2/4/5 at 2:15.


Blogs, Tweets & Pins...Oh My!!!
*Four Ways to Support Colleagues Who are Supporting Students in Crisis
*Student Goal Setting in the Elementary

Friday Focus - February 1, 2019

Great Things I Noticed this Week:

It's hard to see great things when we couldn't ever come to school, but I did see many ClassDojo Story stream and Facebook pages encouraging learning over the snow days...reading challenges, math facts, interesting videos to watch and fun home stem activities. What a great way to continue connecting with your students!

Upcoming Events:

Today - 10:45ish State Send-Off for the Dance team

2:30 Dodgeland Pride assembly - classroom teachers bring your iPad because we will end with our class Kahoot challenge at the end for community building

ALL NEXT WEEK: Make a donation to AHA and wear jeans all week :)

Monday - 3:15 Mentors PLC

Wednesday - Workout Wednesday 

3:10 Elementary staff mtg

Thursday - I will be at CESA 6 in the morning

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:

With 4 unexpected snow days, I hope you all found the unplanned "white space" on your calendar to relax, read, enjoy Netflix, bake, or whatever makes you happy. I also can't help, but think about our students who prefer to be at school over home, because school is their safe and structured place. You know who these students are in your day...make sure to reach out and connect with them today! And remember Greg Wolcott's "Signficant 72"...we're coming off of 6 days of no school so it is best to spend time reconnecting and giving students time to reconnect a class!

Blogs, Tweets & Pins...Oh My!!
*Not a blog post, but a great, short clip from Superintendent Joe Sanfelippo challenging us to mindful of our adult interactions, because we are always modeling! https://vimeo.com/album/5643235