Finding the Joy of Reading - Action Needed
Thank you for making the commitment to provide DEAR reading time to our students. Please be sure to hand out the Caught You Reading Tickets. We will be wrapping up our Reading campaign with Read Across America week, March 4-7th.
PLC @ Work - Action Needed
We are currently working on making all our PLC @ Work resources available online for staff and parents to access. These resources make up our Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum.
This Tuesday's PLC time is dedicated to reviewing the CFAs. Two weeks ago, we set a goal to give a CFA to your students and use the Data Analysis Tool to document their scores. Then, during the Feb 27th PLC Time, we will collaborate with PLC teams to review classroom data. Please ensure that your Data Analysis tool is completely filled out.
Please note that the Data Analysis Tool can be copied and revised to meet your team's needs. At the bottom of this email is an example that we reviewed two weeks ago.
Character Strong/Purposeful People
This is our final week with the character trait of Honesty. Please be sure to complete your weekly lesson and find ways to weave Honesty into your classroom discussions.
Weekly Memo
In your weekly communications, please remind your families that we will have a regular school day on March 22. This is the makeup day from an earlier school closure.
School Safety: Fire Drill and Survey - Action Needed
We will have a non-scheduled fire drill this week. I'll swing into the primary grades to let them know the time on Wednesday. Please be sure to have your current roster in your emergency bag.
Please thoroughly complete the safety survey, which will be sent out this week.
MS Charger Assembly - Action Needed
This Thursday is our MS Charger Assembly at 8:15 AM. Please take attendance and walk over to the auditorium as quickly as possible. I want to start right at 8:15 so that students can be released to their nutrition break on time.
Monday - 02.26
MWHS Athletic Appeal Meeting, 8:15 AM
Office Stand-up Meeting, 9 AM
Student Support 10-11 AM
Office Meeting 1 PM
MS Leadership 3:30-5:30PM
BLT Meeting, 4 PM
Tuesday - 02.27
PLC at Work: CFA Analsis, 7:15 AM
OSSI Partner Meeting, 8:30 AM
Brett out @ 10:30 AM
MS HOSA Lunch
Wednesday - 02.28
MTSS Round Table, 7:45 AM
Admin Meeting, 9:30 AM
NAEP Makeup, 9:10 AM
Thursday - 02.29
MS Charger Assembly @ 8:15
District SEL Meeitng, 9:15 AM
Friday - 03.01
LID Day
Para PD from 8:30 to 1:30
UP and Coming Events:
Dr. Seuss' Read Across America Week, March 4-7
MWHS Winter Awards Evening, March 7th, 5:45 PM
100th Day of school, March 6
Pi Family Night Out, March 14
Regular Scheduled School Day, March 22
Middle School Spring Sports Start, March 25
Data Analysis Tool Example:
Finding the Joy of Reading - Action Needed
We are in our third week of DEAR reading. On Friday, I will do a DEAR reading drill, where all students and staff will be expected to drop everything and read for 15 minutes. This will be two separate "drills" announced over the PA system. During the drill, support staff will check in on each classroom.
Middle school's drill will be at 8:30 AM
Elementary's drill will be at 8:45 AM
Please help your students prepare for our DEAR drill by pausing for DEAR reading each day this week.
Be sure to send out the Book Club fliers and links for your virtual book fair with Scholastic's Book Club!
Read Across America
Our Joy of Reading campaign will wrap up with Read Across America. This is going to be a spirit week dedicated to reading. If you are interested in helping, please attend our planning meeting this afternoon at 3:45!
Instructional Rounds - Action Needed
It is great seeing the active teaching and learning in our building. As I continue with mid-year walk-throughs and observations, please post your lesson segments and learning targets clearly for students. How are you aligned to your 15-day challenge within your Unit Plan? I'll be monitoring this in my next set of observations. Thank you for being dedicated to your student learning!
Friday School Day
Please remind your students that this Friday is a typical school day. We will be following the M/W schedule.
MTSS Update
How are your students doing with interventions and small group instruction? Are you seeing the expected growth? Please make an MTSS referral if you have a student with concerns. All new referrals must be submitted by May 1st.
Monday - 02.19
Presidents' Day, No School
Tuesday - 02.20
Office Stand-up Meeting, 9 AM
SST Meeting, 10 AM
Office Meeting 1 PM
Read Across America, 3:45 PM
Coach Patsy on campus
Wednesday - 02.21
Admin Meeting, 9:30 AM
ECEAP Winter Conferences 1 PM-3 PM
Thursday - 02.22
WSU 8th Grade 7:30-11 AM
ECEAP Winter Conferences 1 PM-3 PM
6th Grade Outdoor Ed Camp Meeting, 3:45 PM
Friday - 02.23
Friday School - Following the M/W Schedule
K-2 ABC Field Trip-Bowling
Middle School Social
ECEAP Winter Conferences 1 PM-3 PM
UP and Coming Events:
Regular Scheduled School Day, March 22nd
Finding the Joy of Reading - Action Needed
A quick survey of staff highlights that we averaged 2.9 days of DEAR reading last week. Please make it a priority to find 15 minutes to Drop Everything and Read each day. We have all witnessed the change in students' reading habits. Our school-wide effort will make reading a priority and help develop the habit of reading. Please be sure to join in with your students in your reading this week.
Please email me your daily DEAR reading times. Members of our student support team and I look forward to joining classrooms during DEAR time.
Valentine's Classroom Parties - Action Needed
Valentine's Day is a great day to remind our students how to be kind and caring to all. Please make sure all classroom activities are carefully planned out to include everyone. Additionally, all party snacks need to be prepackaged and store-purchased nut-free items. Some of our students will have religious restrictions, so please think about including healthy fruit snacks at your parties.
All classroom parties need to be scheduled for the last 30 minutes of the day. Please help keep learning a priority on this fun day.
Classroom Library Purchases - Action Needed
Please be sure to submit your $300 classroom library requisition today!
Virtual Book Fair - Action Needed
Please consider hosting a Virtual Book Fair with Scholastic's Book Club during this Joy of Reading Month. This is a great way to promote home libraries and DEAR reading.
Classroom Newsletters - Action Needed
In your weekly newsletters, please remind families that we do not have school on President's Day, but will have school on Friday.
Campus Work
Some excavation work is taking place on the high school side of the campus. Repairs are being made to the underground boiler line. This should not affect us...just giving an FYI.
PLC Time
During the PLC time this week, the K-5 team will start in Darci's room and the 6-8 team will start in Jo's room. Teams will review Formative Assessments and discuss a goal of teams sharing classroom data at the February 27th PLC.
MTSS Updates:
I hope you had a chance to take a peek at the FastBridge info that I attached to last week's memo. In spite of the fact that we have too many kids in the high risk and some risk categories, the growth reports show that we DO have kids making aggressive growth and closing the gap. This was especially true in places we were able to provide targeted interventions. That is a huge improvement over what we saw last year.
Winter groups are up and running! I hope I have organized things effectively enough to provide coverage when MTSS team members are out.
In a couple of weeks I will be checking in to share progress monitoring data to see if we need to make any adjustments to groups and/or interventions.
Please let me know when your Valentine parties are scheduled and how any other "funtivities" might impact our groups.
On a personal note, I want to give a heartfelt shout out to Amanda Nielson! Last year I was working on my National Board renewal and needed to borrow a group of littles for a teaching sequence. Amanda kindly let me work with a small group of kiddos on math vocabulary for a weeklong lesson sequence. THANK YOU, AMANDA, for helping me accomplish my renewal!
Monday - 02.12
Stand-up Meeting, 9 AM
Student Support Team Meeting, 10 AM
Office Meeting, 1 PM
BLT Meeting 4 PM
Tuesday - 02.13
PLC Time, 7:15
Wednesday - 02.14
Valentine's Day
Thursday - 02.15
MTSS Meeting, 10:15 AM
MWSD Board Meeting, 6 PM
Friday - 02.16
Student Access Day
UP and Coming Events:
Presidents' Day, Feb 19
Normal Friday, Feb 23
Regular Scheduled School Day, March 22nd
Today starts our school-wide campaign on Finding the Joy in Reading. Every day for the next month, all classrooms will set aside 15 minutes for both students and their teachers to "drop everything and read." DEAR Reading will help our students make reading a priority and a healthy routine.
A Community Newsletter will be going out early this week to highlight this campaign. Please join in this activity with your class.
Some of our students sometimes demonstrate behaviors that disrupt and interfere with learning. Our responses to disruptive behavior will either escalate or de-escalate behavior. Here are two good reads that provide great insight, strategies, and ideas for de-escalating students.
Tuesday PLC Rotation (7:15 - 8:00 AM)
This week is our Committee Work time. Please be sure to check with your team.
1st – Committee Work for 2023-24
2nd – PLCs at Work
3rd – Staff Meeting
4th – PLCs at Work
5th – PLCs at Work
LID - PLC at Work
Field Trip Request Process
Please help improve your field trip planning and communication by following the steps below:
Online Field Trip Request Form - Two Week
Submit Requisition - Two Week
Update Student List - One Week Out
Classroom Library Purchases
Please submit your $300 classroom library requisition by Monday, February 12th. These funds are part of the school improvement budget and are intended to support classroom reading.
Virtual Book Fair
Please consider hosting a Virtual Book Fair with Scholastic's Book Club during this Joy of Reading Month.
Character Strong
In the staff room, there are a few printed-out Playground games and activities printed to use these coming weeks with our K-5 grade students. These games all talk about the importance of honesty, so try and continue these conversations and discussions with one another! These games also highlight our previous traits our kids can connect with!
Middle school: Character Strong Lessons 22-25 in February
Elementary: Reviewing Character Strong Lessons on Monday morning
Monday - 02.05
Stand-up Meeting, 9 AM
Student Support Team Meeting, 10 AM
Office Meeting, 1 PM
MS Boys Basketball @ Valley, 3:45 PM
Arts in Schools Program Meeting, 5:30 PM
Tuesday - 02.06
PLC, Committee Work 7:15 AM
Coach Patsy on Campus
4th-grade helmet safety class
MS Boys Basketball @ Home, 4 PM
Wednesday - 02.07
MTSS Round-Table, 7:45 AM
District Leadership Team Meeting, 8:30 AM
Thursday - 02.08
MS Vaping Prevention Assembly, 8:10 AM
MDT Meeting, 9:30 AM
MS ABC Field Trip-Copper Bowl
MS Boys Basketball @ Home, 4 PM
Friday - 02.09
Student Access Day
WASA Cohort 2 District Leadership Workshop, 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
UP and Coming Events:
Classroom Library Requisition Due, Feb. 12th
Next Week Attendance Meetings
BLT, Feb 12
Presidents' Day, Feb 19
Normal Friday, Feb 23
Regular Scheduled School Day, March 22nd
