The Middle Update 3/29/21

I hope that you get a chance to truly relax and enjoy the spring weather this next week.  We all need to be extremely proud of what we have accomplished so far this year.  We have accomplished so much, and are on track to continue to get better and better for our students.  I appreciate your dedication, diligence, and "above the line" mindset heading into the last stretch of the 20-21 school year.

Resource of the Week

Creating an environment that is free from bullying or harassment is an important responsibility for each of us.  Students who have been the target of other students rely on us for help.  There is usually a fear of retaliation or other factors that keep students from reaching out to adults.  We have strived to create an environment with teacher/student relationships that make it easy for students to reach out to a trusted adult.  It is each of our duty to respond if/when we notice a student being unkind to another...if we notice it at a classroom level, there most likely is more happening at times or places that adults don't see.  The resources this week provide guidance for us to be effective at helping ALL of our kids be safer from unkind actions that can be hurtful.

"Resources to Fight Bullying & Harassment at Schools" - edutopia.org

Action Steps for Teachers - This site provides on the spot action steps for teachers to take if they witness bullying or unkind actions taking place

In a recent conversation with a parent, this perspective on the "unstructured time" is important for all of us to consider and have an extra eye out...as the parent explained, "a lot of bullying happens in the unstructured times such as recess, lunch, between classes, before and after school, etc.. I understand that monitoring the unstructured time is tricky but those who are doing the bullying are well aware that unstructured time is “open season.”

Bullying Prevention is an important part of our Homeroom time each morning.  It is critical that everyone teaches the assigned Second Step lessons, and if there is time, lead discussions about bullying at school and our school's culture.  This SITE provides solid guidance about leading these conversations.

If you ever have a concern about a student or situation, and you need some help or would like to talk through your approach, please alert our Student Services Team, and reach out to Mrs. Morton, myself, or your colleagues.  It is critical for us to help any student who may be experiencing this struggle under the radar.

Professional Development Day on April 5th

On April 5th, we'll have 2 meetings.  We'll meet at 8:00am as a Middle/High School staff to extend the conversation surrounding Culturally Proficient Pedagogy.  We'll then meet at 2:00 for Forward Exam Proctor Training and overall Forward Exam preparation.  

Teachers and teams will have a significant amount of time to wrap up their grades for report cards, and plan for upcoming units and for changes to our "Return to Learn" plan.  If you would like to meet with me during this time, please send me an email or a google calendar invite.  Infinite Campus and other materials should be ready to go by the start of Monday.

"Return to Learn Plan"

As we've been discussing over the past couple of weeks, we will be looking to continuously improve what we do as the COVID situation improves.  CDC guidelines, vaccinations and lower community spread indicators have allowed us to explore some options that will help us get closer to a sense of "normal" before the end of the school year.  A brief summary of our plan for each grade level is below:

5th grade- lunch recess times and activities will adjust, but groups will remain the same

6th grade - Mr. Kallungi's cohort will be consolidated and there will be 3 groups, and students will get time with their core academic teachers each day.  Elective schedules will be slightly adjusted.  Recess times and team study times will be adjusted slightly.  More support for students will be available.

7th grade - Mr. Johnson's cohort will be consolidated and there will be 4 groups.  Students will get an increased opportunity to work with their core teachers.  Recess times and team study times will be adjusted slightly.  More support for students will be available.

8th grade - Ms. Moe's cohort will be consolidated and there will be 4 groups.  The schedule will be modified so that students will get time with their core academic teachers each day.  Recess times and team study times will be adjusted slightly.  More support for students will be available.

Specific schedule, recess/lunch/team study times, updated groups will be shared with individual teams and all para-professionals sometime this week.  We'll continue to monitor conditions surrounding COVID and our community and make adjustments if conditions warrant.

Forward Testing Plan

Forward Testing will start on Monday, April 19th.  We'll test all ELA sessions on Monday (4/19) and all Math sessions on Tuesday (4/20).  Virtual students will be invited to take the assessment on Wednesday (4/21).  8th grade students will take the Science and Social Studies sessions starting on Thursday (4/22).  5th, 6th, and 7th grade students will take the Forward Exam after Homeroom on each day, and 8th grade students will take the Forward Exam after their elective classes and breakfast.  Each team should modify their academic schedules on these days to shorten the core classes to accommodate the testing sessions.  

Testing groups will be shared on Monday (4/5), along with more details of the plan.  We'll have a Forward Exam Proctor Training session on Monday afternoon at 2:00....a meeting link will be sent out later this week.

Supply Lists Need to be Updated on Monday Too!

Each year in the last issue of the PAD, we include the School Supply List for the following year.  We have our last copy of the PAD coming up and so I need all of the teams to please take a look at the supply lists and update the lists as needed.  You can see what is on the lists below.

21-22 School Supply List

I hope you are enjoying your Spring Break!  Please take some time for yourself during this time.

The Middle Update 3/19/21

ALL Kids Can Learn at High Levels

ALL Kids Will Learn at High Levels Because of What WE Do

Resource of the Week

If you have watched the news this week, you probably noticed the reporting of an increase in the number of racially motivated attacks on Asian Americans.  The conversation around racial inequities and injustices have been coming more into the mainstream as of late.  As we look in the mirror at many of our practices, both system-wide and in the classroom, we may notice some things that we do that perpetuate beliefs and stereotypes that allow racism to persist.  Katie and Anna have started to lead professional development sessions around these topics, and we certainly have some work to do in terms of identifying our own biases, analyzing our practices, and getting comfortable with the conversation and planning for how to effectively work on this with our students....it's a process that takes time.  Our article this week contributes to gaining an understanding of this important issue.

"All Students Need Anti-Racism Education" - Christina Torres

CDC Updates Guidance for Social Distancing For Schools

After analysis of a plethora of research on how the coronavirus spreads, the CDC has updated its guidance regarding social distance in schools.  The new 3 foot recommendation with masks can be a game changer for us.  Please review the article for more details at this LINK.  We have built in systems and routines and have a certain level of comfort with "the way things are now", but when you take a step back to imagine the possibilities that exist to better serve our students utilizing this new guidance, there are some exciting possibilities to consider.  We'll always strive to improve what we do, and be better, as long as those efforts are focused in on our goals for each one of our students.

End of Quarter 3

The end of the 3rd quarter is next Friday (3/26).  Grades will be due by the end of the day on Tuesday (4/6) when we return from Spring Break.

School Supply List for Next Year

The next issue of the PAD newsletter will be heading out to our families very soon.  One part of the newsletter includes the School Supply List for next year.  As we work on budgets for next year, it might also be a good idea to take a look at the supply list, and start putting together this information for our parents.  You can find a copy of the list below.

PMS School Supply List

Budget Reminder

A reminder to please have your budget requests turned in to me by the end of day on Wednesday (3/24).  Please let me know if you'd like to discuss any request you may be considering.

Forward Exam Testing Schedule

Unfortunately, we've had to adjust the Forward Exam Testing Dates due to a scheduling conflict.  We'll be pushing back the testing one week, and will test from April 19th to the 23rd.  Please see this Document for the new details.  I apologize in advance for any change in already-made plans that have to be made, but appreciate everyone's flexibility.

The Middle Update 3/14/21

 ALL kids can learn at high levels

ALL PMS kids will learn at high levels because of what WE do

Resource of the Week

From the DPI website, "American Indian Studies in Wisconsin (often referred as Wisconsin Act 31) refers to the requirement that all public school districts and pre-service education program provide instruction on the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of Wisconsin’s eleven federally-recognized American Indian nations and tribal communities."  The article this week is intended for the Elementary School classroom, but after giving it a read anyone will see the relevance to all of us.  The authors provide a perspective that is relatable and makes so much sense.  Learning to understand the implicit bias that we all have, and how using certain resources and materials may be perpetuating long-standing stereotypes and beliefs is a process that we will all be undertaking to help improve our practices along our journey to becoming an equitable learning environment for all.

"Authentic Voices: Advice for Incorporating American Indians and Alaska Natives in the Elementary School Curriculum" - Francis V. Rains & Karen Gayton Swisher

PD Day Recap

It felt like a great day, with much accomplished on Friday.  Thanks for your participation on Friday morning, and I believe our Culture Playbook is off to a great start, identifying the words/actions that are present or absent from high performing schools.  The brain is a fascinating thing...Take a look at the start of our playbook below:

I'll be sharing a compiled rough draft with you, and we'll work to put a polished version together.  Our beliefs drive our actions, and all daily actions make up our culture.

The Weeks Ahead...

As we look ahead, it's hard to believe that we have only 11 weeks of school remaining.  We'll look to continue improving what we do and working to make the most out of each day we have with our kids.  Like I mentioned in our meeting, as the High School makes some adjustments, we too, may have to adjust some things in our schedule...all with the goal of helping kids learn better.

Culturally Relevant Practices

The past year has sparked many conversations around diversity and equity.  Becoming a truly equitable learning environment for all is a process.  It's a process that we'll begin to uncover and grow in the months and years ahead.  Anna and Katie have offered a PD session coming up here soon, and I have linked an article with video that also does a great job of outlining the important work that must be done for all kids. 

A major part of being an anti-racist educator is making sure that all of your students feel represented. Some White educators may feel overwhelmed, and maybe even nervous, when trying to create a space where students  feel that they’re being seen and heard, because you want to make sure you ‘get it right’. You may think, “What if this is the wrong book?” or “I don’t want to say anything wrong or inappropriate, so maybe it’s best I don’t say anything at all.”

But discomfort is good, and it’s part of the growth that needs to happen on your journey to becoming an anti-racist educator. BIPOC students don’t have time for White educators to get comfortable, and it’s on White educators to take those first steps.

In this video, we talk to educators Gail Bertram and Marguerite Penick-Parks about the things you can do immediately to begin creating anti-racist learning environments, from the books you read to your students, to the physical spaces in which learning takes place. 

https://pbswisconsineducation.org/akateacher/anti-racist-education/?fbclid=IwAR0wVy-fiyO8rXx1WRr65pOlKPZfGTBfP878cOR6S852RRo7TEAYZo4HQro  

The Middle Update 3/7/2021

ALL kids can learn at high levels

ALL kids will learn at high levels because of what WE do

Resource of the Week

The article this week aligns with the work of our book study groups.  Now is a great time of year for a self-reflection on the two statements cultural statements above.  Our beliefs drive our actions, our actions drive outcomes, and those small daily actions culminate in the perceived culture.  The article by Mike Mattos provides the fundamental beliefs that we need to embrace to reach the next levels of overall school success that we will continuously work towards.

"A Pivotal, Powerful Assumption:  All Students Can Learn At High Levels" - Mike Mattos

"The normal curve is not sacred. It describes the outcome of a random process. Since education is a purposeful activity in which we seek to have the students learn what we teach, the achievement distribution should be very different from the normal curve if our instruction is effective. In fact, our educational efforts may be said to be unsuccessful to the extent that student achievement is normally distributed." (1971)

"Our experience verifies that the possibilities are unlimited once a dedicated school staff goes in search of research and best practices to advance their shared vision of learning for all. However, until they embrace the possibility that all children can learn, the obstacles and barriers they will find are virtually endless and will seem insurmountable."

PD Day on Friday (3/12)

We will be holding an on-campus PD Day this Friday.  The hours you need to be here are from 8 a.m. to Noon.  We will have a virtual staff meeting at 8:00 am.  Each person/department will have a specific goal to work towards during this time...Most of those conversations about this day have been had, however, I will send out specific collaboration goals early this week.

Elective Switch for 5th, 6th, and 7th Grades Starts Monday!

Students will be switching their elective classes starting on Monday (3/8).  5th graders will be taking Coding with Mr. Johnson.  6th graders will be taking Spanish with Ms. Bjork, and 7th graders will be taking Art with Mrs. Crawford.  

Budgets for Next Year

It is time to start planning for next year.  This will be a topic of conversation in my rounds of BW meetings starting this week.  Below you'll find the information that you need to complete the budget process.  I'll ask that each teacher submit paper requisitions for things they would like ordered for next year.  Any funds that you would like encumbered, you don't need to submit a requisition, just enter the details and amounts in the "Description of Requests" section next to the appropriate code on the Budget Summary page.  I should get one Academic Budget Summary page per department, along with requisitions for things that you would like ordered.  I'll be getting in touch with you to review requests after I review the requests from everyone.  See details about the process in the document below.  The deadline is March 24th.  Please see me below with any questions.

21-22 Budget Process

Leaders of Learning Book Study Update

Our book study group met for the second time this past Thursday, and we took a deeper dive into the importance of staff collaboration and what that looks like in successful schools.  We'll continue to refine our collaboration plan for next year, utilizing group agreements and goals for each time we collaborate and focusing on improving instructional practices to maximize student achievement in all of our classes.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Our formal spring opportunity to collaborate with parents is almost here.  PT Conferences will run this Thursday (3/11) evening from 4:30 - 7:30.  Conferences will be virtual and all parents are welcome to schedule a conference with a teacher, and many specific appointments have been made.  Please let me know if you have any questions about the process we have planned.