Friday Focus - December 18, 2015

*Thank you to everyone for the fun in the Christmas photo booth!  I will be uploading them all to a google drive folder to share with you in case you'd like to use them and will be printing them for the staff lounge. I'm so thankful to work with a group of professionals that can also take time to breathe and have a few laughs!
Please feel free to borrow the background/props for your class if you'd like!

Events Next Week:
Monday - Guest Author presentations in the IMC (see schedule that was emailed)
*Packer Monday
Tuesday - after school Bucket Fillers are going caroling at Clearview
Wednesday - Festive Holiday Attire

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes
*I know that you're all counting down the days, but please remember to try to keep things as normal as you can (I know that's hard to do). Also keep in mind the parent perceptions...if students come home saying all they did was watch movies and have parties then parents will be more likely to take students out of school on these days in the future. We can still learn a lot while tying in the theme of the year.

There's many of you on the Naughty List right now! To get back on the Nice list before Christmas, please do the following:

*Please sign up HERE for me to read to your class/talk about reading resolutions the first week back from vacation. 

*In addition to me reading/talking to classes about reading I'd also like to put together a bulletin board again to show students that all of the staff are readers too! (See an example below).  Before break I ask that EVERYONE (certified and support staff) email Marie a picture of yourself with a holding a book in front of you to hide your face. Please pick either your favorite book or your favorite genre. If you need to have Marie take your picture, just come on down to the office with your iPad and book so she can.  Marie will be printing the pictures for me (and keeping track of who still needs to do their homework to stay on Santa's Nice list). 

Blogs, Tweets & Pins...Oh My!
*Mentor Texts for Nonfiction Text Structures
*An old favorite of mine that I love to read when thinking about Reading Resolutions: I Resolve to Read by Donalyn Miller

Monday Musings - December 14, 2015

I know what you’re thinking.  “One final full week” or "8 more days." 

You know what?  The kids, and their families, are thinking the same thing.  We are given only so many days with the kids so why not make these next seven school days the best they can be?  

It takes the same amount of energy to be awesome with the kids as it does to be less than awesome.  How is that possible?  If you are awesome, and you all are awesome, the kids will be awesome, too.  If you are less than awesome, the time you spend because the kids are less than awesome is the same.  Make sense?  I sure hope so.  

Be awesome today, and next week, and the days to come.

and...

Happy Muffin Monday! :)

Friday Focus - December 11, 2015

Great Things I Noticed this Week:
On Wednesday evening the IMC was filled with a mix of 30 staff members, parents, students and community members for the Beliefs, Vision and Mission Statements Committee. It was amazing to see the wide variety of stakeholders invested in the Dodgeland School District. Each person was asked to share a word/phrase that they think of about Dodgeland and their responses are my celebration to share with you this week, because their impressions of Dodgeland are a result of the continued dedicated focus that you have on making this the best school for students:

• Nurturing
• Care about students
• Supportive staff
• Progressive
• Preparing for the future
• Accomplished
• Sense of community
• Innovative
• Forward thinking
• Growing in every way

Events Next Week and Beyond:

Monday - Mid-quarter already! Please send progress reports home.

Tuesday - after school Bucket Fillers activity for 3-5th graders (I'll email a list out so you know who is staying)

Wednesday - Workout Wednesday

Grade Level PLC mtgs 

Friday - Polar Pajama Day :)

I might be out of the building for CESA 6 Learning and Assessment mtg

Monday 12/21 - Author John Brooks will present to all grade levels. I'll have the schedule to you next week, but for now you can see his info HERE.

Tuesday 12/22 - Bucket Fillers christmas caroling at Clearview after school

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:

*Grade Level PLC mtgs are what you need to work on/discuss for writing (I know some of you want to look at student writing/progression together for norming and some want to just plan ahead).

*Please sign up HERE for me to read to your class/talk about reading resolutions the first week back from vacation. 

*In addition to me reading/talking to classes about reading I'd also like to put together a bulletin board again to show students that all of the staff are readers too! (See an example below).  Before break I ask that EVERYONE (certified and support staff) email Marie a picture of yourself with a holding a book in front of you to hide your face. Please pick either your favorite book or your favorite genre. If you need to have Marie take your picture, just come on down to the office with your iPad and book so she can.  Marie will be printing the pictures for me (and keeping track of who still needs to do their homework to stay on Santa's Nice list). 

Blogs, Tweets & Pins...Oh My!

*Embrace What You Don't Know

Monday Musings - the 12 Days of Christmas

It may only be December 7th, but this month is going to FLY by, just like a sled down a snowy hill (even though we don't have snow)!  I know I tell you over and over to keep things as normal as possible with your students and that end of the year countdowns just add to the chaos, but I can't help but do a countdown with the 12 days of Christmas theme to get in the spirit. So, starting tomorrow is the 12 Days until Christmas break. All that I will tell you ahead of time is what dress-up days there are for you. so you can plan ahead (and put it on your calendar so you don't forget!)

I'll send out an email each day for the rest of the countdown details.  

Friday Focus - December 4, 2015

Great Things I Noticed this Week:

• I know we told you all not to stress about conferring during writers workshop this first year, but I realized over the past couple of weeks that I saw several of you conferencing with individuals during writing and heard amazing conversations...
• One teacher shared specific praise of what the student included in his writing and then asked questions to hep pull out more details to add to his writing. 
• Another teacher was conferring with individuals to help them narrow in on their topic choices for informative writing. 
• Students writing "like scientists" as part of their informational writing unit. 
• Students playing a quick game of charades to practice vocabulary words in the 3 short remaining minutes they had between math and specials. What a great use of time!

Events Next Week:

Monday - Parent Technology Night 6:00-7:00pm (Officer Borchardt is presenting on student safety online). Please promote with your students...parents get their name in a drawing for an iPad mini each time they come!

Wednesday - Staff Meeting in IMC at 3:10

Friday - Staff Social Lunch (Special Ed/Speech/Cleary)

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:

*For Wednesday's staff meeting, please plan to bring a celebration focused on writing (I know for specials teachers you may have to bring a different type of student celebration) to share. This may be a specific mini lesson that went well or even bringing a piece of student writing to share. 

*The 12 Days of Christmas are coming...more details to come soon. :)

*With the extra play time in the morning for bus duty and winter weather, there have been some questions about protocol for for students. I trust you to make a decision when you're out there and tell the students, when you're on duty. Here are the guidelines we go by for regular recess:

• If there is snow on the woodchips or grass then all snow gear is required to be there.
• If the Grass is wet or muddy, it’s off limits.
• If there's salt, snow or slush then students should have boots to play in it. 
• If the slides are wet from rain (seriously, I thought rain should be over with by December, but I'm not so sure now!)...students shouldn't go down or they'll be all wet!

Blogs, Tweets & Pins...Oh My!

*Why We Read: Reflections After Completing the Goodreads Book Challenge 2015 You all know I love reading goals and logging books on Goodreads, but I love how this blog post makes connections to leading our readers in the classroom.  

Find more on close reading activities HERE