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Aug 31, 2018

Ready or not....here we go!!!

Great things I Noticed this Week:

  • Such an incredible 4 days of learning and teamwork together. Thank you all for your commitment to our professional learning, your teamwork and fun in Playworks (I had NO idea we would play that hard!), and your collaboration to solving the mystery on Thursday. I have never been SO excited about a school year to start and it is because of all of YOU!!!
  • Veteran teachers helping out new teachers-where to find things, little tips for first day procedures, which door to take their class out. I forget about those little details, so I'm so grateful that many of you are helping your colleagues with those kinds of tips!
  • Such positivity at Open House--from everyone!!  I heard parents leaving making comments about how nice their child's teacher was, how excited their child is about the year and even watched a kiddo cry on her way out the door--because she wanted to stay at school that night!!
  • I also heard from a few returning families how glad they are to be back home at Dodgeland. They each shared about poor academic or social experiences in schools they had moved to and couldn't wait to be back here. I also heard from a few new families who are excited to be here because they have heard so many great things about Dodgeland!

Events Next Week:
Tuesday - wear Dodgeland shirts and comfy shoes
-3:15 1st year Dodgeland teachers meeting in the D.O. Conference room
Wednesday -Bus Expectation Stations (schedule below)
 -Elementary staff meeting 3:10 in IMC - please bring a device
Friday - Elementary shirt orders due (to receive in time for Homecoming)
-Elementary Assembly in multi-purpose room 2:30-2:55 (please be packed up before and bring backpacks so we can practice dancing at the end of the week)

First Day Reminders:
*You all get to wear your Dodgeland shirts and comfy tennies so you can join in the Playworks fun in the gym with your students!
*All classroom teachers greet students by classroom doors. All specials outside on blacktop to help kids get in class lines.

Expectation Stations:

Time
Lunch
Playworks
in gym
Recess
Gathering Area
iPads in IMC
8:45-:9:00



K
1
9:00-9:15
3


1
2
9:20-9:35
4
3

2

9:40-9:55
5
4

3

10:00-10:15
K
5
4


10:20-10:35
1
K
5
4

10:40-10:55
2
1
K
5
3
11:00-11:15

2
1

4
12:30-12:45


2

12:50-1:05


3

5






Please join in the Playworks fun when your grade level is in the gym!!!
1:15-1:55 K-2 Recess
2:00-2:45 3-5 Recess

The recess times were increased, because the recess crew will be teaching 4 core games before we let kids play. Please take your class out to their line on the blacktop and then we will tell you where to go. Each grade level will rotate through one of the core game stations. 

2nd Day Reminder:
Bus Expectation Station-please walk your class out before the following time (so I can start on time with each):
1:30-1:45 1st grade
1:45-2:00 3rd grade
2:00-2:15 2nd grade
2:15-2:30 5K
2:30-2:45 4th grade
2:45-3:00 5th grade

"Nuts & Bolts" Notes:
*All of the sign-ups waiting for you in the Google Team Drive:
Committees sign up (2 please)

*Math boards are in the mailroom to pick up for your class

*Marie will send out the daily staff notes that will have the link to the daily student announcements. Sharing the student announcements/lunch in classrooms is up to when you share that. Fun tip: have a class reporter that announces it for the class. 

*I want students arriving to school on Tuesday to feel welcomed and excited from the moment they step on our property so I have a plan to "Chalk the Walk." If you would like to help "Chalk the Walk" I will have chalk in the mailroom that can be used to draw cute pictures/welcome messages on the front sidewalk and blacktop closest to where students get off the bus.  I plan to wait until Monday for this in case it rains. And of course, this plan is foiled if it rains on Monday afternoon!!!
*You'll be receiving the student handbooks to send home the first week. Please take some time to go through these with students first --maybe have them highlight or underline key parts, like the behavior matrix, times for attendance, the school calendar (last page). Here is the student handbook loaded in google drive (but remember you don't have to print that!), but right now it's a mess---my microsoft word updated so I have to reformat the whole document before I can print it!

*Did I forget anything?  Please let me know! 

It's almost go time! Always remember...it doesn't matter if you have been in your classroom for 5, 10, 15 or 20 years. When students enter your door on Tuesday, it will be their first. The awe of what you have on your walls will last minutes. The feeling they have when they look into your eyes and you make them feel safe, cared for, and excited about this year is what they will always remember. So, go get it! Change lives! Make it awesome!



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