The Middle Update 4/25/20

Resources of the Week
The first resource this week is a compilation of resources and protocols for our district's deployment of our Remote Learning Plan.  Thanks to Katie and Anna for organizing this information with helpful links and explanations.

SDOP Remote Learning Resources

The second resource shines a light on some of the lessons the educational world is learning during the remote learning experience.  The article shares perspectives from educators across the country that mirror many of the conversations that have taken place among out staff.  If we look at this total experience as an opportunity to learn how we can take the lessons learned and apply them to the normal school routines to set up conditions for success for all students.

"Why Are Some Kids Thriving During Remote Learning" - Nora Fleming

Remote Learning Performance Feedback
Having consistent collaboration about this experience for us and our students has allowed us to make adjustments and modifications to enhance the experience.  Through our conversations, it appears that many of our students are being successful, some have been inconsistent, and for others it has been very challenging.  We have done a nice job of providing the opportunity for support for those that need it, and it has paid off in many cases.

The Puma Pride progress scores that we started to share should help with giving everyone a clear idea of how each student is performing in their classes.  These scores should be posted at least weekly in the "Follows Classroom Expectations" standard.

Another important note to consider...as the virus remains present, we will most likely have students who have family members that get sick with the virus.  Mr. Johnson shared one example about one of his students and offered the following advice after talking with Izzy S's mother:
"She says Izzy's dad went to the ER last night, has been sick for two weeks. He's getting tested for Covid. I'm sure more students will be experiencing this stress in the next few weeks. It got me thinking, Emails to parents should probably use empathy now more than ever as the virus creeps into our community."

Any communication we have with students and parents must have a tone of empathy with the main message of offering support for students and their families.

Packing...Renovation
I wanted to extend a sincere thank you to all of you for making the time to come in and pack up your rooms, preparing for the move.  A silver lining to this whole situation is being able to have Findorff get into our building earlier to get a head start on the renovations that will take place.  A couple of important reminders about this process below:
-When packing rooms, all items should be in boxes or containers that can be easily moved and labeled.  No items should be moved to existing elementary classrooms.  We need to give the elementary teachers time and space to pack up their own classrooms prior to their move.
-We must follow the "Safer at Home" orders while in the school building, maintaining social distancing and not gathering as a group.
-Please email me when you have been in your room and any item that you may need till late August is out and accessible.

So far, we are on pace to be in good shape, however, there is a lot of work and coordination to be done yet, and I appreciate each of you stepping up to do your part.

Staffing Updates
We are nearing the completion of adding the final pieces of our 5th grade team.  I want to be the first to welcome Allison Larson and Shelby Wheeler to our team.  After a rigorous interview process, and a very talented candidate pool, both Allison and Shelby stood out.  We are very excited to have them join our team!  We are also in agreement with a new school Social Worker, who will service the whole district.

Appreciation
I just want to extend my sincere appreciation to all of you.  During this unique time period, our whole district has a team that has risen to the challenge and done a great job of making the most out of the educational experience for our kids.  Thank you for what you do!

The Middle Update 4/18/20

The announcement from Governor Evers on Thursday afternoon provided some clarity for us as to how the end of the school year will play out.  Like Dr. Shappell noted in his Thursday evening message, there are many questions out there in regards to our plans for moving/renovation planning.  We are in the process of working through the planning of the logistics to make this happen.  We understand that we will have to balance the necessity to provide strong, meaningful learning experiences for our students right up through May 29th, and preparing for Findorff to come in and start the process of updating our building.  We will be working to organize how to get things packed up and moved sooner than if school had been in session like normal.

Resource of the Week
We have gotten off to a great start with our Remote Learning Plan, we have learned a lot, and we are sure to learn more as we go.  I want to thank each of you for your efforts and dedication to our kids!  I feel we have done a great job of reaching out and connecting with kids during this time when normal interaction is different, but also has never been more important.  The first resource I'm sharing houses a plethora of thoughts on how to do Remote Learning best.  The second provides a deep dive into the nuts of bolts of teaching empathy to our students....imagine a school culture where all students had a strong handle on empathy.  We'll continue to do our part to help students gain this all-encompassing skill.

A New Reality: Getting Remote Learning Right - Resources provided by Ed Leadership magazine

"Nine Competencies for Teaching Empathy" - by Michele Borba

Puma Pride Scores during Remote Learning
On Thursday, when reviewing student progress, we used a modified version of our "Follows Classroom Expectations" Standard.  The rubric is pretty general, but should give us common language to communicate about how our students are performing during this remote learning experience.  Sharing this information will give both students and parents more feedback about how well each student is doing in this environment.

Now that we know that our learning will be virtual till the end of the school year, we need to think about how we will examine the effectiveness of this experience for our students.  Moving forward, I'll ask that you assess students, at least once per week, using this rubric with the following understandings:

- We will not retroactively score students, we will start assigning scores this coming week (4/20).  I will send communication to both students and parents, sharing the rubric and explaining the rationale for its use at the beginning of the week.

- For our Students w/Disabilities, we will consult with Case Manager before we assign a weekly score.  Some students may have modified expectations, and we should all be on the same page with how they did each week.  This can be discussed during/after Thursday grade level meeting times.

I have consulted with the many different teachers last week about our plan, but am still looking for feedback about this plan as we move into next week.  If you have questions or suggestions, please email me and we can discuss further.  Thank you!

4th Quarter Grading Communication
A copy of the communication that was sent to parents this week about how students will be assessed for the remainder of this school year can be found HERE.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Relocating/Construction Prep Steps
With the recent news, we will be looking to organize all the moving that needs to take place before construction begins.  Findorff will be getting in and starting sooner now that we know "normal" school won't be back in session this year.  We will start by getting student belongings out of the building, then we'll focus on the moving of classrooms and renoation prep.  Much more communication about this will follow this week.

Something Fun for Students??
I have seen a couple examples of videos that teachers put together for their students, offering encouragement and letting them know they miss them.  I am interested to hear any creative ideas anyone may have about putting something together for our students.  Send me an email if you have an idea or are willing to help lead an endeavor like this.

The Middle Update 4/13/20

We are heading into week 3 of the 4th quarter, and it appears like we'll have a little more certainty about what the rest of the school year looks like sometime soon.  Once we know for sure when/if we are coming back to school for normal school days, we'll have much more information to share.  For now, we'll continue down our Remote Learning Journey learning a lot along the way.  

Resources of the Week

We've gotten off to a great start with our plans and tools, and the collective knowledge you all have shared with each other has been fun to be a part of, and this week's article provides more tools for you to consider or explore in our current situation.  

"Formative Assessment in Distance Learning" - Andrew Miller

Teaching from home, taking care of kids, watching the news, being away from person to person interaction...I can feel the stress level rise just as I type those words...self care is as important today as it is every other day...The following article provides some insight into the importance of taking care of yourself.

"Prioritizing Self-Care While Working from Home" - John McCarthy

Schedule

We'll continue to carry out the plans that we have laid out for grading/reporting, and our meeting times.  Remember, our goals for this Remote Learning Experience are:

-Stay Healthy

-Maintain/Strengthen Connections with Kids

-Move Student Learning Forward

Images from the Week

Pictures come from a Live workout that many Middle Schoolers participated in last week put on by Mr. Kartos and Mrs. Serstad.

The Middle Update 4/3/2020

Our first full week of Remote Learning is almost in the books.  As we move past the "newness" factor, and have some time to reflect and analyze how it's going, we can begin the conversations about how to improve to make the most of the learning experience for each student.  We know that we have a diverse population of students when they attend school normally, but think about how much the diversity increases when they have to rely on their Home network so much more in the situation that we find ourselves in now.  Some students may be thriving and looking for more of a challenge and some may find the emails from Google Classroom piling up as a completely overwhelming situation and they don't know where to begin...As we move forward, we'll continue to reach out to kids, offer our support and encouragement, all the while keeping in mind that our connection with each student is the most important during this time.  Being aware of Mental Health during this time is as important as ever, even though it may be more difficult when we can't physically be around the students.  If there is a student that you worry or are concerned about, please reach out and share so we can all work to help in the manner that may fit that particular situation.

I am impressed and appreciative of each of you.  Thank you for your dedication and commitment to making the most out of this situation for our students during this unprecedented time in our world.

Calendar Update
As we look ahead, there will still be No School on Friday, April 10th.  We originally had a PD Day scheduled for Monday, April 13th, however, this day will now be a normal day of Remote Learning.

Remote Learning Updates (credit to Mr. Hausser for some content here)

We covered some of these nuts and bolts in our Staff Meeting on Wednesday, but wanted to verify and confirm some important pieces that we all need to know very well.

With the recent announcements by our Governor, it appears that the earliest we will be able to come back to school would be April 24th at 8:00am (at the time of this writing).  However, this is a very fluid situation and the date could and probably will change at any time.  Below are a few items of note:

Student Records and Grades - It's important that we give students some flexibility in terms of assessments.  If you ask them to record themselves or submit a picture, there should also be an option for them to write about it, or demonstrate in some other manner that they attained the goal of the assessment.  Please treat everything in Google Classroom as a student record, so please do not delete anything unless it is absolutely necessary.  Please continue to post individual assessment grades into Infinite Campus, however, you do not need to post overall grades in IC.  We'll continue to document student engagement/attendance using our shared spreadsheets and meeting notes.

Loom is a great tool, but please change this one setting 
One of our savvy educators also had this tip to share which will also protect us from anyone downloading videos that we push out.  Here is what she stated:

"One tip to share might be that videos recorded in Loom should be edited to turn off the ability to download the video.  I don't think our viewers are likely downloading them to their own devices, but it might be a possibility and that ensures that our platform is indeed private."

Under 'Edit Your Video' - click 'Settings' - and then turn off 'Viewer can download'

See how HERE - thanks to Ms. Niemeyer

Professionalism Online Reminder (We are learning lessons from other districts in this area...)

Please remember that online you are still staff members and are still "at work" when working remotely and must adhere to pertinent handbook rules.  In other districts, educators have video conferenced/created content with their students while wearing bathrobes, beer shirts, etc.  Please keep in mind that even though you are at home you are still working when in contact with students.

Also, some staff members in other districts have set- up virtual "happy hours" after or even during the school day with each other.  They have partaken in adult beverages while using the school district's equipment, network, and platform.  I know that our staff is smart and professional and these are personnel issues that no one wants to deal with, but at the same time, it has happened in other districts.

Finally, please remember that you are only to use our approved delivery systems and previously established curricular supports.  We will not allow: Zoom. GoTo Meeting, Open YouTube, Facebook Live, Twitter/Snap/TicTok, etc. for use with our students.  Currently, our virtual platforms are: Google Classroom, Google Meet: with restrictions (students cannot start a meet, record content, meet ends when teacher ends it, etc.) SeeSaw, and Loom (we'll need to review rights for that one).   If it is something that you have used in the classroom already, like Scholastic News, Sumdog, Lucy Books, etc. those are already approved even if they are not on the list that we have started to create.  We just want to make sure that we vet everything as a district before we sign-up for all the free offers that are out there.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

Staff Meeting Wrap-Up

Thank you for the participation in our virtual meeting this past Wednesday.  It is really important to maintain/grow our connections with each other.  Hopefully the partner and small group discussion were opportunities to connect and was positive.  I have learned that I prefer our face to face time together very much over trying to facilitate an online conversation with over 30 people...very difficult to do more than disseminate information.  Nevertheless I'll be asking for some feedback and hope to learn as much as I can from the experience.

Overall Health and Wellness

During our BW Meeting times in the next couple of weeks, I'll be looking for your input on the Remote Learning experience so far, and how each of you are handling our current reality.  Please make sure you are making time to maintain your Health...exercise, family time, etc. are all crucial for everyone during this time.

Homeroom Groups

Our Homeroom groups have an goal of ensuring connections.  Those connections may be even more important during this time period.  Some teachers have set up virtual meetings with their groups just to check in and hear how they are doing, and get some feedback on our learning situation.  It has worked out well so far with these groups, and I'd like each teacher to try to set up a time once a week with your group to check in, see their faces and have them get the chance to see each other as well.

The Middle Update - Spring Break Edition

We are living through a time in our history that won't soon be forgotten!  As things continue to evolve, I'll keep you as up to date as possible in terms of things that affect school!  I am always here for you if you need someone or something.  Please follow the guidelines and stay healthy.

Resource of the Week
The resource this week comes from a weekly summary of educational research that I get called the Marshall Memo.  The research highlights how to improve the retention of information of our students, and strategies to solidify this retention.  You can read a brief summary and takeaways of the research below.

"Use It or Lose It: The Value of Retrieval Practice in the Classroom" - retrieved from the Marshall Memo 3/24/2020

In this article in Education Update, Pooja Agarwal (Berklee College of Music) says that at the beginning of her classes, students have their heads down, writing furiously. Why? “Typically, educators focus on getting information into our students’ heads,” says Agarwal. “But in my classroom, and in line with my research as a cognitive scientist, I focus on getting information out of my students’ heads… Too often we teach, students learn, they take a test, and we move on.” Frequent retrieval of learned information is a highly effective way to improve retention and foster higher-level thinking. She suggests these quick, low-prep, low-stakes ways to apply the concept:

            • Start classes with retrieval. Instead of saying, “Here’s what we did last week” at the beginning of a class, ask, “What did we do last week?” and have students jot down what they remember, followed by a quick discussion. The prompt could also be on the board.

            • Try retrieve-pair-share. Instead of the time-honored think-pair-share routine (the thinking part is usually given short shrift), have students silently retrieve what they know about the question just posed and write it down, then talk with a partner, then engage in whole-class discussion. “This works particularly well for English language learners and students who are less comfortable speaking up in class,” says Agarwal.

            • Swap note-taking for retrieve-taking. Teach students a more-effective way to take notes: after reading a textbook passage, listening to a lecture, or watching an instructional video without note-taking, students close the book or pause the video or lecture and write down the key points. Retrieving what was just heard consolidates and strengthens the learning – and reveals what students thought they would remember and didn’t.

“Powerful Learning Is All About Retrieval” by Pooja Agarwal in Education Update, March 2020 (Vol. 62, #3, pp. 1,4), https://bit.ly/2WK61po; Agarwal is at pagarwal@berklee.edu. 

Remote Learning Update - 3/27/2020
We start back up with our Remote Learning Plan on Monday morning!  It looks like we will be in this mode for a while.  A couple of updates and reminders:
-Please plan for about a 1/2 hours worth of work each day for your students in your class.  Please have things ready to go for your students each morning of the week. 
-Last week during our staff meeting, we discussed Infinite Campus, attendance and grades.  We'll continue to use the Spreadsheets shared to track attendance concerns, and I made a Master List for students of concern in order to track our contacts.  If we are struggling to connect with students or their families, we need to provide further effort to connect in order to ensure we are engaging with EVERY one of our students.  Mrs. Morton is one to connect with for students that you are struggling to connect with, and should be invited to your weekly team meetings, along with myself.
-For Infinite Campus assessments, you should go ahead and post assessment results, however, you do not need to track an overall grade at this time.  You do not need to track attendance in IC either at this time.
-During the remote learning period each day, we must be responsive to our students, providing them feedback, answering their questions, and setting up virtual meetings if necessary to work with them to make the most out of this experience.  Remember, this is a huge opportunity for our families to get a front seat view at the impressive work that you all do each day.

3rd Quarter Grades
As a reminder, grades and comments should be posted by the end of the day on Tuesday, 3/31.  We'll work to print them off and mail them out starting next week Wednesday.  Please let me know if you have any questions about this process.

BW Meetings and Dept. Meetings
We will continue our BW and Department Meetings throughout the rest of the school year.  I'll keep the BW Meeting times as they are on my calendar, if you'd like to reschedule, or set up a different time, just let me know.  We will meet virtually, and you can use the Google Meet link that is posted on the Calendar invite itself.  Let me know if you have any questions about this.

Room Cleanings
Starting this past Monday, Troy and his staff have started to deep clean classrooms.  When a room has been deep cleaned, a note with the date it was cleaned has been stuck to the door.  We are working hard to ensure that each surface at school is disinfected and remains that way for as long as possible.  If you need to access your room, you must inform me and Troy, so that the room can be cleaned again, and the date on the sticky note updated.  Since the Governor issued the "Safer at Home" order, access to the building should only be if it is absolutely necessary.

Virtual Staff Meeting on Wednesday at 12:30
During this time we are away from each other, it's still vitally important that we stay connected.  The trust and quality of relationships that we have as adults are the cornerstone for school culture.  Continuing to grow those bonds will be the goal of our time together on Wednesday.  You'll start meeting with one other person, then that group will grow to 6, and then we'll meet as a whole group afterwards.  I will share details either later today or Monday.

Staffing Updates
As we look ahead to next year, there are a couple of updates that are exciting.  The district Social Worker position has been posted and the hiring process is hopefully wrapping up soon with a great candidate.  At their last meeting, the School Board approved the addition of a 5th Grade teacher, so the hiring process for that position is underway as well.
As we look ahead to next year, and the opportunity to have one building dedicated to our Middle Level learners, it's an opportunity to review all aspects of our school operations, and take a look at research-based systems to ensure ALL of our learners are successful.  I believe we have the ratio, capacity, and commitment to excel in this area.  There is certainly a lot of work to be done yet, however, we'll be in the midst of those conversations constantly from here till the first day of school next fall.

Images from the Week
my view from the home office...

The Middle Update 3/15/2020

What an unprecedented week and situation that we are living through.  Staying healthy and stopping the spread of disease is the most important thing at this time, however, I believe this experience will help us grow and open doors to learning opportunities to be considered for future instructional experiences.  All staff will be reporting on Monday and Tuesday of this week.  If a staff member chooses to not come in, leave days will need to be utilized, and remote learning responsibilities will need to be fulfilled.  Please contact me if this is the case for you.  

Monday and Tuesday's Plan

We will plan to meet spaciously at 8:00 a.m. on Monday morning in the IMC to review our plan for the coming weeks.

Monday (3/16/20) (standard 7:30-3:30 work day)

8:00 a.m.-  Remote Learning Planning Meeting - IMC

We will review remote learning expectations and explore some options for delivering lessons.  We will also provide learning opportunities for some apps through the Google Suite that can be used to provide remote instruction effectively.  The rest of the day will be spent collaborating and creating content for the days and weeks ahead.

Tuesday (3/17/20) (standard 7:30-3:30 work day)

Teachers will be in their rooms preparing student materials and creating content for our remote learning over the next few weeks.  Teachers should be available to check in with students or parents that may be picking up materials for the weeks ahead and help answer any questions in the afternoon.  We may also need some help to execute our system for devices to be handed out in the afternoon.

12- 6 p.m- Students and parents may be coming in to pick up learning materials.  We will have staff here to help with materials from 3:30 - 6:00.  

Wednesday 

8:00- 4 p.m.  Administration and paraprofessionals will be here to help with the pick-up and delivery of materials.

The Middle Update 3/6/20

Resource of the Week
We have spent some time this year discussing some of our data that shows that the gap between our Economically Disadvantaged Students and their peers is something we should take a closer look at.  The resource this week from the National Education Association sheds light on this issue and provides some strategies for us to do better for our students who are being raised in poverty.  The sections with the headers, "Growing Deficits: The Brain and Behavior", "Slippage: School Policy and Practice", and "Treatment and Prevention" are three sections that discuss the implications and recommendations for school practices that have proven to be most helpful for these students.

"Backgrounder: Students from Poverty" - NEA

Homeroom Pig Races!


Race Winners - Mrs. Anderson's Homeroom!

Best Dressed - Chewbacon - Mrs. Rogness' Homeroom


Best Name - Thicky-Thicky-Ham-Ham


3rd Quarter Grades
Just a reminder that grades for 3rd Quarter should be posted in each standard and should be updated at least weekly throughout the remainder of the quarter.

March Staff Meeting
We'll have the pleasure of learning from Dr. Matthew Arau for our March Staff Meeting.  The Resource of the Week even highlights the critical nature of bringing a consistent growth mindset approach in our interactions with students.  While we have spent time studying growth mindset, Dr. Arau presentation brings that learning up a notch.  We'll meet on Monday, March 16th, starting at 3:00 in the High School Band room.
Next Student of the Month Breakfast
Our next breakfast will be on Friday, March 20th.

Findorff Assembly
Findorff will be putting on an assembly to share with students what the construction areas will look like, and how they should navigate those areas on our campus.  The assembly will be on Thursday, March 12th starting at 2:15.

Hoops for a Cause
Our annual Students vs. Staff Basketball game is next Thursday already!  Our students have been working hard planning an event that will raise money for a cause that is important to our students! 

Middle School Track Meet Dates
It's already time to start planning to help out at our 2 Middle School Track Meets coming up this Spring.  Mark your calendars for the following dates:
     - Monday, April 27th - 4:00
     - Tuesday, May 12th - 4:00

StAfF sHoUtOuTs!!
When some staff members were asked the question, which of your colleagues has been impressive to you and why...who deserves a shout-out, I got the following responses.  Thanks to all for making our team great!!

Zack Gavin - he's been really helpful for feedback

Morgan/Ryan - being so flexible about using the gym for concerts - proactive about preparation for this

Ryan Kartos - planning, always looking for how we can make our units better.

Tyler Johnson - how he gets along with kids easily, seems like he doesn't get rattled by stuff from kids very quickly

Stephanie Weckerly - how helpful she is with math instruction

Dustin Williams - a lot of help in Homeroom - does cool things in Homeroom

Julie Rogness - Helpful with Mechanically Inclined, letting people use her ideas and help spread good practices

Krista Andringa - does a lot for a lot of the kids - she is very good at her job

Julie Rogness - really helpful to me...a ton of stuff, every question I have, she's been so good and resourceful

Kevin Frehner - took the lead on conference organization for 8th grade and has been really helpful

Krista Andringa - constantly positive to collaborate with Jennifer Hecht - eager to make things better for our kids - great to work with Bonnie Walther - eager to make things better for kids - great to work with

Amber Mrnak - doing great with Science, kids are enjoying it, and is working hard! Lindsey Doebert/Patti Hutchinson - making solid connections with kids and being really good at what they do

Images from the Week

The Middle Update 3/1/20

Resource of the Week
The resource this week was shared with me by Mr. Williams.  The article is a good reminder for all of us about just how different the world is now for our students than it was when most of us were growing up.  The latest rapid advances in technology have made the experience vastly different.  As schools, we have to adjust our thinking and instruction.  The article this week gives some thoughts to this topic.

"Your Students Are Not Like You.  Accept It.  Teach Differently" -historytech.wordpress.com

Pig Races Friday
All pigs and their names should now be on display up in the IMC.  This week, we'll have a vote for both students and staff to vote on the "Best Name" and the "Best Dressed" pigs.  We will then have an assembly next Friday (3/6) at 2:15 for the pig races, and other events that will showcase student talent (or staff talent if anyone has a talent or entertainment idea...just let me know).  More details on the assembly will follow in the week ahead.

Homeroom Lessons for this week should be taught on Thursday and Friday morning this week!!

Parent-Teacher Conferences
Our March Conference session is next week (3/5) from 4:30 to 8:00.  The time is now to invite parents in for conferences.  Like in the past, we will invite as many parents and students in as possible, while also opening the building for all parents to come in and meet with teachers as needed.  This is a great opportunity to show off student work in classrooms and around the building.

3rd Quarter Grades
Just a reminder that grades for 3rd Quarter should be posted in each standard and should be updated at least weekly throughout the remainder of the quarter.

Next Student of the Month Breakfast
Our next breakfast will be on Friday, March 20th.  If you haven't had the chance to present yet to honor a couple of students, please let me know, and we'll make sure you get the chance...there are only 2 remaining recognition breakfasts this year.  Thanks to the 7th grade team for sending in their nominees already!

Findorff Assembly
Findorff will be putting on an assembly to share with students what the construction areas will look like, and how they should navigate those areas on our campus.  The assembly will be on Thursday, March 12th starting at 2:15.

Hoops for a Cause
Mark for calendars for March 12th for our annual Students vs. Staff Basketball game that will raise money for a cause that is important to our students! 

The Middle Update 2/23/2020

What a great weekend we just had for weather!  I spent most of my weekend coaching Ben's last basketball tournaments of the winter season and it was a lot of fun.  The sunshine was very enjoyable and also brings out that Spring scent in the air...Even though we may be facing some snow this week, the fact that March is one week away is really crazy to think about...  We have 13 weeks left to make an impact on the lives of our students this school year.  I sincerely appreciate and respect the work that each of you do in our school each day.  It truly is a team effort to do what we do, and every role in our school is critical.  Thank you!

Resource of the Week
It's Kindness Month, and the article this week is full of links to 3-4 minute videos that highlight the impact of kindness on humans.  The article can be found at the link:  "5-Minute Film Festival: Videos on Kindness, Empathy, and Connection"  By Amy Erin Borovoy.

I'll share one video that we should show to our Homeroom groups to facilitate our Wednesday discussion.  It discusses the Science behind Kindness, how it impacts our brains, and ultimately our quality of life.  So, for our discussion, show the video, and lead a discussion about the takeaways from the video, and how it could impact their daily interactions, especially at school.

Pig Race Assembly Plans
OK...here is the plan for our Pig Races.  Please bring your pig down to the office sometime early this week.  We will put the pigs and their names on display in the school, and have a voting station for both students and staff to vote on the "Best Name" and the "Best Dressed" pigs.  We will then have an assembly next Friday (3/6) at 2:15 for the pig races, and other events that will showcase student talent (or staff talent if anyone has a talent or entertainment idea...just let me know).  More details on the assembly will follow in the week ahead.

Parent-Teacher Conferences
Our March Conference session is next week (3/5) from 4:30 to 8:00.  The time is now to invite parents in for conferences.  Like in the past, we will invite as many parents and students in as possible, while also opening the building for all parents to come in and meet with teachers as needed.  This is a great opportunity to show off student work in classrooms and around the building.

Staff Meeting this Week
We will be meeting as a staff on Wednesday (2/26) starting at 2:55 in Mrs. Rogness' room.  We will continue our learning together - sharing Homeroom success activities, learning about writing expectations, learning about each other, and taking a look ahead to the Forward Exam season...See you then.

Construction Update
We received a rendering from our Design Team this week that shows a rendition of what our IMC will look like next year.  Take a look...Even though the coming weeks ahead will be stressful with moving, you can get the idea of what the payoff will be for our our kids, staff, and community.

3rd Quarter Grades
Just a reminder that grades for 3rd Quarter should be posted in each standard and should be updated at least weekly throughout the remainder of the quarter.

Next Student of the Month Breakfast
Our next breakfast will be on Friday, March 20th.  If you haven't had the chance to present yet to honor a couple of students, please let me know, and we'll make sure you get the chance...there are only 2 remaining recognition breakfasts this year.

Findorff Assembly
Findorff will be putting on an assembly to share with students what the construction areas will look like, and how they should navigate those areas on our campus.  The assembly will be on Thursday, March 12th starting at 2:15.

Hoops for a Cause
Mark for calendars for March 12th for our annual Students vs. Staff Basketball game that will raise money for a cause that is important to our students! 

The Middle Update 2/15/20

I feel very fortunate to have been able to attend the Wisconsin Middle/High School Principal's Convention this past Thursday and Friday in WI Dells.  It was a great learning experience, filled with so many talented educators sharing their knowledge.  One major takeaway for me is the solid understanding that our profession allows us the opportunity each day to change the trajectory of a kid's life.  We are public servants, and on Friday afternoon, Colonel Arthur Athens, who has an impressive Navy leadership background, stated that he feels people should thank us for our service, much like they thank members of the military, because the work we do each day is so critical for our country.

Dr. Hoernke and I also got the opportunity to present again, sharing the work we do in Poynette.  We had a packed room again for the second consecutive year.

Resource of the Week
Kelvin Oliver is an educator committed to teaching about how schools can use restorative practices effectively.  In this short video, he highlights how and why kids view adults differently today than they did just a short time ago…and how our understanding of this can help us in schools.

Parent-Teacher Conferences
Our March Conference session is right around the corner.  The time is now to invite parents in for conferences.  Like in the past, we will invite as many parents and students in as possible, while also opening the building for all parents to come in and meet with teachers as needed.  This is a great opportunity to show off student work in classrooms and around the building.

Upcoming Staff Meetings
We will be meeting as a staff for a brief meeting on Tuesday (2/18).  Mrs. Morton will train teachers on how to use Xello and we'll touch base about upcoming activities (Catch-Up IE, Pig Assembly, Findorff Assembly) and also talk about Forward Exam groupings.

Construction Update
Dr. Shappell and I continue to work with our construction representatives to narrow down the scope of the project that will take shape in the Middle School this summer.  I have been sharing bits of information with different groups of teachers, and plan to share an update at our staff meeting next week.  It's an exciting time for our school!

Homeroom Discussion Topic this Week

For our Homeroom Circle Discussion next week, please lead a conversation around integrity and character.  Please share the definition of each, and then use the following questions to spark discussion among your group.  This discussion can happen on either Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday morning.

Integrity - the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness

Character - the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual

1.) What does it mean to be a person of high integrity and strong character?

2.)  Do you agree with the following statement:  A person's character can be measured by how well they follow expectations or rules when no one is looking.

3.)  How could our school/the world be different if everyone acted with high integrity and strong character at all times, even in situations where there is a strong desire to do something but know it's not right?

February Safety Drill
Our drill this month will be a Lockdown Drill.  We will conduct this drill on Tuesday (2/18) at 1:30.  We will communicate via email if there is a change in plans.  Please review with your students what the flexible options are for a Lockdown situation.

"Catch-Up IE" Scheduled
We've had three of these types of activities so far this school year, and we'll use "Catch-Up IE" as the official name for this type of activity.  Our next event will be on Wednesday, February 19th.  Students will report to 3rd Block after lunch and we'll have different activities happening throughout the building and provide support for students who need it as well.  As always, we need to leverage our relationships and Homeroom times to plan with our students to plan for how they can be successful.  We'll be sending out sign-ups and information early this week.
3rd Quarter Grades
Just a reminder that grades for 3rd Quarter should be posted in each standard and should be updated at least weekly throughout the remainder of the quarter.

Grading for Learning Workshop
We will be hosting around 40 educators from 4-5 different school districts on Thursday this week, and they seek to learn about our assessment practices.  All of our visitors will be from the High School level this time.  The training will be in the High School IMC.

The Middle Update 2/8/20

We are already 3 weeks into the 3rd Quarter and many parts of of our campus will be turning into a construction zone in no time...Many parts of our normal operations will be affected for some time, however, the results of the work are very exciting...improved learning environments for all 3 buildings!

Resource of the Week
A short note on the heart of School Culture...As you read, think about the interactions that take place in our school...always reflecting on how we are and how we can grow...

"What Makes a Good School Culture" - Leah Shafer

January Students of the Month
Congratulations to this month's recipients.  Jason Morton, Emma Lindquist, Vance Hathaway, Gage Morter, Teagan Thurston, Kaila Cross, Rylan Flesch, and Tianna Lien.  It was so awesome listening to the teacher representatives sharing the characteristics of these kids...a small representation of the great students we have in Poynette!!  Thanks to Mrs. Hendrickson, Ms. Moe, Mrs. Crawford, and Mr. Williams for presenting this month!

3rd Quarter Grades
As a reminder, overall 3rd quarter Standard and Puma Pride grades should be posted by end of day Tuesday.

Announcements
Everyone has access to view the announcements each week, as they are all shared in the MS Announcements folder.  Everyone has access to view the announcements in case you need something repeated or a student has a question about something that was read.

"Catch-Up IE" Scheduled
We've had three of these types of activities so far this school year, and we'll use "Catch-Up IE" as the official name for this type of activity.  Our next event will be on Wednesday, February 19th.  Students will report to 3rd Block after lunch and we'll have different activities happening throughout the building and provide support for students who need it as well.  As always, we need to leverage our relationships and Homeroom times to plan with our students how they can be successful.  We'll be sending out sign-ups and information early this week.

Moving...
With the construction coming soon, we've been deep into the talks of moving...it is going to be a big undertaking and we'll be sharing specific plans soon.  For now, we need everyone to start throwing away stuff that you haven't used in the last year or two...decluttering if you will.  We have the garbage bins in the downstairs hallway.  Please let me know if there is something that may have some value before throwing it away.

Pigs
It's almost time to unveil your pigs!  This week, we'll start to have our pigs displayed in the IMC.  Each Homeroom should have a name card, so the pigs can be displayed with their names, and we can have their names and outfits judged prior to our Assembly at the end of February.  I'll send the note out when it's time to put the pigs on display.

Pritzl out on Thursday/Friday
I will be attending the AWSA MS/HS Principal's Convention on Thursday and Friday this coming week.  A combination of Mr. Fischer, Mr. Gavin and Mr. Hausser will be our "go-to's" on these days.

The Middle Update 1/31/20

Resource of the Week
The resource this week provides information about how to manage students that are escalated and become upset.  This situation can happen to anyone, and it can be stressful, however, the more prepared we are, the more successful the outcome will be.  Thanks to Mrs. Walther for sharing!

"A De-escalation Exercise for Upset Students" by Daniel Vollrath

Forward Exam Information
We have scheduled our Forward Exam sessions!  We originally had planned a 4/7 start date, but had to adjust our plan to accommodate the installation of the APP needed on chrome books for testing.  We will start testing on Wednesday, April 15th.  You can see the exam schedule by clicking HERE.

20-21 Budget
As a reminder, budgets are due to me by February 20th.  Please coordinate with your department to meet this deadline.  As a reminder, you should submit requisition sheets on paper with one department summary sheet.  Please let me know if you have any questions about this process as I am happy to (and prefer to) assist prior to reviewing the requests.

Pig Races
The Pig Races are right around the corner and the names that have come in are quite impressive.  We will be having a competition for the best name, best dressed, and of course, the fastest pig.  The Pig Races will take place during an Assembly on Friday, February 28th starting at 2:15 pm.

Hoops 4 Heart (Date Change)

A group of our fine Leadership Students are deep into the work of planning for our annual Hoops 4 Heart Staff vs. Students Basketball game.  Mark your calendars now for the event, Thursday, March 12th.

Stock Market Game Success!!
One of our IE offerings is for students to learn about the stock market, and participate in a simulation.  A big congratulations goes out to Luke Lindquist and Luke Romack who took 2nd place in the Fall Wisconsin Stock Market Game. As a result, our school will be receiving a banner and they both get a certificate and a t-shirt from Economics Wisconsin. Outside of our teams, they competed against mostly high school students.

The Middle Update 1/24/20

Resource of the Week
On Monday, we took a look some data that sparked a conversation about one of the Achievement Gap marks that we measure.  I enjoyed the conversation that took place, and as we move forward we must learn more about the issue and use the research, talents, and innovation of the people in our building to help us be even more successful at meeting the needs of these students, along with all of our other kids too!  Today's resource is from the Bush Institute and provides three areas that contribute to the widening achievement gap with this student population.

"How School Can Best Support Children Living in Poverty" - Ann Wicks

From our Equity book study, we have aimed to improve chronic absenteeism by building stronger connections with students...that is a key part, however, there is more work to be done with this issue for some of our students.

20-21 Middle School Structure/Construction Plans
As the weeks continue to move by quickly, so is planning for next school year.  When you step back and take a look at the positive physical changes that will take place on this campus, it's exciting, but can seem overwhelming for some.  As we plan for the structure and remodeling that will take place, I will try to communicate as best I can about the progress.  At times, I'll be seeking input, other times I'll be sharing information.  If at any time, you would like to sit down and discuss next school year, please just let me know, and we'll set up a time.  There have been instances where we were planning something, and then something else came up and that plan changed....I anticipate this will continue to happen as we work to refine our plan heading into next school year.  It's an exciting time, but it also can be a stressful time.  It is my hope to be an effective communicator through this process, and I appreciate your patience and flexibility through this process.

Campus Construction
Like Dr. Shappell mentioned on Monday, construction will start on this campus starting March 20th.  The High School, Middle School Playground area and the parking lot will be affected.  We are also finding that we may need to get creative with some things during the last week of school.  Some of these things can be stressful and will require us to do the best we can, even though solutions may not be ideal.  The changes that will take place will be well worth it in the end, however, the process sometimes will require some flexibility.  Thank you in advance for innovative ideas and an open mind for solving some of the challenges that we will face soon.

We will be having an Assembly on Thursday, March 12th at 2:00 pm that is aimed at educating our students and staff on how to navigate the campus when some of it becomes a construction zone.  Our partners with Findorff will lead this assembly.

Forward Exam Information
Our annual Forward Exam testing window is quickly approaching and plans are underway to organize a testing session that will maximize student focus, effort, and achievement.  We will plan a similar format as last year.  We are still working with the Elementary to coordinate and finalize testing dates.  Students will not be using their assigned chromebooks for testing, as we will use newer devices for testing.

20-21 Budget
As a reminder, budgets are due to me by February 20th.  Please coordinate with your department to meet this deadline.  As a reminder, you should submit requisition sheets on paper with one department summary sheet.  Please let me know if you have any questions about this process as I am happy to (and prefer to) assist prior to reviewing the requests.

Pig Races
The Pig Races are right around the corner and the names that have come in are quite impressive.  We will be having a competition for the best name, best dressed, and of course, the fastest pig.  I'll be working to get some clothing materials on campus for groups to use.  Check out the entries for pig names so far here: NAMES.

Hoops 4 Heart

A group of our fine Leadership Students are deep into the work of planning for our annual Hoops 4 Heart Staff vs. Students Basketball game.  Mark your calendars now for the event, Thursday, March 19th.

WANTED: SUMMER SCHOOL TEACHER (from Mr. Hausser)

We have had a great response from our staff for teaching during our 3- week summer session in June which is great.  However, we are still looking for one more summer reading teacher for down at the library.  The program runs for 6 weeks starting in July and ending in August.  The pay rate is $26 an hour for about 5 hours a day Monday- Thursday.  The teacher would be working with an individual or small group on reading skills.  Ms. Dayton is doing it again this summer and can share her experiences with it.  Otherwise please see Anna or me for more details.  The hours are 9:30- 2:30 so not bad.

Upcoming Events
January 31st - End of Quarter 2 Assembly - Various Events and Carelli Cup Competition
February 19th - MS Assembly - Pig Races - More information to come about this process.
March 12th - Findorff/Construction Assembly - We'll be preparing students for how to navigate our campus with so much construction going on.

The Middle Update 1/10/19

As I walked around our school this week, I was paying attention to the body language of our students.  Did they appear to be jovial?  What types of things were they saying?  Was the tone positive?...With the adjustments we made to our master schedule to include more time each day to focus on connection and making our school a positive place for our students to learn and thrive, I think their body language and what they say will be a key part to pay attention to as we assess the effectiveness of this plan.  I would have to say that I was happy with my observations...students smiling and talking with each other with little negativity...Two 7th grade girls said, "I really like school."  "I like coming here."  These are positive signs, and as we are beginning our 2020 journey, our focus should be maintaining this culture and mentality...when the social-emotional learning side is in good shape, learning will thrive.

Resource of the Week
Another article this week from Dr. Matthew Arau.  He will be joining us in mid-March (last blog post I said late February...sorry about that).  His message is about the power of attitude, body language, and our messaging.  While the target audience is music teachers, the message is directly relevant for us all.  Give it a read, and I've highlighted great takeaway quotes from the article below.

"Upbeat!  Creating a Positive Culture in Music Ensembles" by Dr. Matthew Arau

"When we use words that inspire connection, such as “we,” “let’s,” “us,” and “together,” our cells literally get excited – our immune system elevates and our brain fires at a higher level."

"This reminds me of the following words by leadership guru, John C. Maxwell: “It’s one thing to communicate to people because you believe you have something of value to say. It’s another to communicate with people because you believe they have value. People’s opinion of us has less to do with what they see in us than it does with what we can help them see in themselves.”

“Ever wonder why it’s hard to resist smiling in the presence of happy children? Kids smile as often as four hundred times a day, but only 30 percent of adults smile more than twenty times a day, and 14 percent don’t crack a smile five times a day.” He also talks about the health benefits of smiling. “The act itself of smiling lifts your mood, boosts your immune system, decreases stress, lowers blood pressure, and reduces your risk of heart attack. One smile alone can provide the same level of brain stimulation as up to two thousand chocolate bars! Smiling is also associated with living longer.” Gutman also suggests that when we smile we not only appear more likable and courteous, we are also perceived to be more competent."

End of Quarter 2 Details

The last day of Quarter 2 is on Friday, January 17th.  Grades will be due by the morning of Thursday, January 23rd, and we'll review report cards with students in Homeroom on Friday, January 24th.  We will then have our End of Quarter Assembly on the afternoon of Friday, January 31st.  Mrs. Andringa and I met to start planning some of the events for the Assembly, and we are always welcome to new ideas and perspectives and what could be activities/contests/events that could be entertaining for the kids.  Let either of us know if you have some thoughts on this.

January Professional Development Day

On Monday, January 20th, we'll get the opportunity for professional development.  A more detailed schedule will be released soon, but we'll plan to meet as a district in the morning and then we'll meet as a Middle School team.  In the afternoon, we have some work sessions planned from 1:00 - 3:00.  As we meet in BW meetings in the next two weeks, we'll talk about your specific plan during this time.

Assembly January 31st

We are planning to have another Carelli Cup Competition during our Assembly on January 31st.  We will have a Musical Chairs competition, and we'll need one representative from each Homeroom to participate.  Between now and then, each Homeroom should determine how they will choose their rep.  You can have a local musical chairs competition, vote, or any other way you can think of to decide your representative.  The 31st is a Friday, so we will plan to execute Homeroom lessons during the morning homeroom times of 1/30 and 1/31.  

Pig Races

We will be having our Pig Races during an Assembly on February 19th.  I plan to handout pigs during our staff meeting on 1/20.  Each Homeroom will have to name their pig and dress it up prior to the big day, and we'll have a competition for the best name and outfit.  More details on this to come.

Construction Updates

It's an exciting time as we are nearing the start of construction on this campus.  I plan to provide an update when we meet as a staff on 1/20, and I will try to answer any questions that anyone may have when we meet during BW time, or any other time we can if you have questions.  Starting on March 20th, work will be done on the High School.  Our parking lot will be affected, as will the flow to the High School for entrance into the building.  Renovation construction will start in this building over the summer, and the Middle School Building will be closed all summer, except for the office area.  There are many moving questions out there, and we will work to communicate those plans as that time draws closer.  We will definitely be inconvenienced for some things this spring, but the payoff will be well worth it in the fall.

Hoops 4 Heart

A group of our fine Leadership Students are deep into the work of planning for our annual Hoops 4 Heart Staff vs. Students Basketball game.  Mark your calendars now for the event, Thursday, March 19th.

Upcoming Events
January 31st - End of Quarter 2 Assembly - Various Events and Carelli Cup Competition
February 19th - MS Assembly - Pig Races - More information to come about this process.
March 12th - Findorff/Construction Assembly - We'll be preparing students for how to navigate our campus with so much construction going on.