Friday Focus - May 25, 2018

The Final Countdown:
Today - Walkathon
Tuesday, May 29 - 4th Qtr grades due by 7:30 am
Seals on Wheels here for all students (3rd grade is gone this day on a field trip)
Wednesday, May 30 - final day to turn in student iPads (but iPads can be turned in earlier than this)
-recess carnival led by 7th graders
6:00pm Kindergarten Graduation

Thursday, May 31 - Report Cards distributed

Friday, June 1 - The. Last. Day.
9:00 Seniors Graduation walk through our hallways
10:30 final assembly, 11:00 Picnic

Sunday - Graduation is at 1:00pm in the HS gym. If you would like to come, all staff line up to shake hands with the seniors as they walk into the ceremony. Another great opportunity if you want to come and send them off to the next chapter in their lives. 

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:
*Yearbooks will dispersed to classroom teachers for students who ordered on Friday, May 25th so you can share them with students during our final week of school.

*Senior graduation walk details: They will be wearing caps/gowns for the full effect. I know that many of you had students from this class years ago and we are so fortunate to be under one roof to be able to see students grow even after they leave us in the elementary. This isn't a run, this is a walk so you have time to give high fives, handshakes and hugs. It is also such an incredible opportunity for our elementary students to see their future!
I will play an announcement with music to follow at 9:00. Please see the map below of the route they will take. 5K, 4th, and 5th will need to move down the hallways to be on the path. 

*MyLearningPlan End of Year reminders: Please make sure any unfinished items in your mylearningplan are complete: 

• Click "Acknowledge" on any forms that are waiting for you to review.
• If you do not submit your Alt. Comp form with the evidence of your pre-approved activities by June 15, the form will disappear for you to be able to do so.
• Self-Score your SLO and hit submit. If you're not on your summative year, we do not have to meet to discuss this, but we certainly can meet for a reflective conversation if you would like. Just let me know so we can schedule it.

Friday Focus - May 18, 2018

Upcoming Events:
Monday, May 21 - Spring concert (1/3/5)

Wednesday, May 23 - Staff Appreciation Celebration

Thursday, May 24 - Seals on Wheels will be here mainly for 3rd graders
2:15 Bike Safety Presentation in Elem Gym

Friday, May 25 - Walkathon

Tuesday, May 29 - 4th Qtr grades due by 7:30 am
Seals on Wheels here for all students (3rd grade is gone this day on a field trip)
Wednesday, May 30 - final day to turn in student iPads (but iPads can be turned in earlier than this)

Thursday, May 31 - Report Cards distributed
Friday, June 1 - *Hopefully a senior graduation walk through our hallways-working on scheduling the time*
10:30 final assembly, 11:00 Picnic

Grade Level Meetings for Class Placements (in D.O. Conf room):

	Meeting Day/Time
4K	Friday, May 25 8:15
5K	Thurs, May 24 1:30
1st	Wed, May 23 2:30
2nd	Thurs, May 24 2:00
3rd	Wed, May 23 12:25
4th	Mon, May 21 9:55
5th	Wed, May 23 8:00

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:
*Yearbooks will dispersed to classroom teachers for students who ordered on Friday, May 25th so you can share them with students during our final week of school.
*End of year checkout sheets will be in your mailboxes next week.

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Friday Focus - May 11, 2018

Changing the message about the final days of school will have an impact on student engagement and behavior. If you want to have a sign in your room, why not try this one? 

Great Things I Noticed this Week:

*A mom of children new to us this year shared that they are moving out of district, but her kids have grown so much here this year that she's going to do whatever she has to in order to keep driving them here each day. Stories like that happen, when we are committed to building relationships with students and focus on their academic and social/emotional needs!
*4K students practicing "eyes are watching, ears are listening, voices are quiet, body is calm" in a Second Step Social-Emotional lesson. Just think of what will happen in the future when all of our students develop that solid social-emotional foundation!
*3rd graders working together in reading research groups, coming up with their learning plan for the day as a group and then sharing resources with one another they thought would help each in their process.
*An art lesson that wasn't just about the art they were going to create, but also about growth mindset and continuing to work even when it was hard. Students got to see a video of an artist talking about his process, including the fact that he gets frustrated, but keeps on working hard through the challenges. Then students got to experience similar challenges (at a 3rd grade level) and were encouraged to keep working hard through it.
*5th graders showing incredible leadership on the playground by organizing activities for K-2 students each day (they are giving up lunch with their peers to do this)!

Upcoming Events: 
*Reminder- this is the week that I am gone at Pyramid Model training all week. I will do my best to keep up with emails, voicemails and everything else.
Tuesday - Student/Family picnic ticket orders due - please reminder your students
Wednesday - Workout Wednesday

Monday, May 21 - Spring concert (1/3/5)
Friday, May 25 - Walkathon

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:
*With part of our social/emotional and trauma informed care, we will need to gather information in a survey that should be emailed out to you within the next few days. I realize this is a busy time of year, but want to thank you in advance for taking some time to complete this survey.
*Budget question that came up -yes, I will be placing the order for math books again (so you didn't have to worry about that) and will also do so for the Lucy Reading anchor chart post-its.
*Class lists "Parties" - I will be emailing out later regarding scheduling meetings for the class list creation.

Blogs, Tweets & Pins...Oh My!!!
*And What Do We End With? 

Friday Focus - May 4, 2018

Great Things I Noticed this Week:
*First of all, thank you to everyone who helped make Grandparents Day last Friday another incredible event. This always pulls together so nicely (thank you Nicole and Stacey) and it takes many people to make everything work. I received so many wonderful compliments to our staff and students from our grandparents and special guests!
*Students deeply engaged in a STEM project, working collaboratively, problem-solving and on-task. The best part? I saw this in multiple classrooms!!! It's so much fun to see kids having so much fun in this type of learning!
*Building relationships and encouraging sportsmanship: I heard from students in the hallway that one of their teachers joined them in basketball at recess. You would have thought they just won the lottery from their excitement, but instead, it was just the gift of 10 minutes with a teacher!
Another teacher joined in 4 Square and then commended them for their sportsmanship and let them go ahead of the line to reinforce their Trojan Way behavior.
*A middle school student's day started out awful due to his home situation, but his day was turned around, by getting to visit a classroom to help out. Just getting hugs from little ones gave him the love he has been missing.  Sometimes you just have NO idea how much some of our students need to have opportunities in their day like helping out with little ones to feel enough success in their life to boost their self-confidence.

Upcoming Events:
Monday - Playworks assembly for 3rd and 4th graders to introduce the Junior Coaches Program. (3rd grade at 9:00, 4th grade at 9:40)

3:15 Optional EP work time in the IMC - no training, nothing new. Just dedicated time and space with me there in case you have any questions. I'll bring chocolate too!

Budget requests due today. : )

Tuesday - UW-Madison School of Education rural schools tour at Dodgleand. You may see many guests touring the building.

Wednesday - Brewer Attire Day

Friday - FFA Food for America program (formerly the petting zoo) 8:15-9:55 for K/2, 10-11:50 for 3/5, 12:45-2:35 for 1/4


"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:
*End of the year MAP Testing...don't stress, think of how much you'll get to celebrate! The MAP window IS open and ready for your class. 3-5th likely will still want to wait as you're recovering from Forward. MAP testing will need to be completed by Friday, May 25th.
*The Walkathon committee has been hard at work (with help from Marie too) with BIG news coming...our students are going to be SO pumped up to raise money for this event!!
*FYI- the May calendar had the wrong time for the assembly for the last day of school. The assembly will be at 10:30, with the picnic starting at 11:00.


Blogs, Tweets & Pins...Oh My!!!
*End Your School Year with What Matters Most "Beginnings set the tone, but endings don't just come together on accident. There's something special about a narrative that ends really well."
How do you plan to end your year?