The Weekend Wrap

My apologies for not getting this out in time for a Friday Focus. I'm sure you can all understand how the week also got away from me with P/T Conferences, preparing for our professional learning day and then I had an all day grad class on Saturday.  


Great Things I Noticed This Week:

• A class stopping early on Friday to reflect on their week, adding to a class chart of what they were proud of learning/accomplishing this week. The teacher then took a picture of the chart to share with parents in Class Dojo. Just think about how that can change the conversations at home about what their children did at school!
• A teacher read-aloud for the mini-lesson: the teacher stopped several times to check for understanding/comprehension throughout, giving 30 seconds each time for a quick partner share so that all were engaged in responding. She stopped before getting to the end to make sure to keep the mini-lesson "mini" and left students hanging and waiting for more to find out what happens!
• A quick class building activity during a morning meeting of 4 corners: they went to the corner of their favorite book genre and then had 2 minutes in their corner to share why they like that genre and some of their favorite books.
• I honestly heard nothing but positive comments from parents that I passed as they were leaving from their Parent/Teacher conferences. The positivity in the building was amazing. I sat in a number of meetings in which the student's strengths were highlighted first and then areas to grow were shared in a manner of dedication to help the student grow. 
• Our work together on Friday was not easy...but you all rolled up your sleeves and got to it. A huge celebration is that WIN will be starting for all grade levels, with focus! Together we will help our students exceed their potential!

Events This Week:
Thursday/Friday - we will have some people here checking on our wifi. This means that you will likely have a couple of men (with visitors badges) in your room for about 5 minutes with devices to check.
Friday - I will be out of the building at a meeting for DACs
Next Monday (Oct 24) at 3:15 is an optional EP session to provide you with worktime and my assistance to help answer any questions that you may have as you complete your SLO's, Self-Reflection, PPG and Surveys.

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:
*Thank you for the great sharing of tech integration on Friday! Here's a google doc to see what everyone shared so you know who to go to for questions if you want to add their tech tool to your toolbox of tech integration: Tech SmackDown
*For those of you who are on your summative year for evaluations I will be scheduling meetings with each of you to discuss your SLO. I should have an email of further details out to you soon.
*If you would like to add a musical to your entertainment for this week, then I'd like to recommend going to see Godspell in Beaver Dam...with one of our own teachers on the stage. If you don't know who, you'll have to find out and then show him your support!
 (Yes, I know I just narrowed down the possibilities quite a bit.)

Blogs, Tweets & Pins...Oh My!!
*The 6 Week Check-In for Writers Workshop