The Middle Update 10/27/17

There is a lot of great, cool things happening in our school each week.  This week we had students math scavenger hunting, debating about the most influential historical figures/events, game design, learning vital human growth & development content, and visiting with Chief Fisher to discuss bullying and internet safety.  These are just a sample of the many engaging activities in which our students participate.

John Hattie reminds us that students don’t choose to come to school – it’s an obligation that society places on them. However, we have a valuable opportunity to effect lasting change with them. To do that, we have to develop as “a collective capacity of teachers, to show success – not just in achievement but also in making learning a valued outcome, retaining student interest in learning and making students respect themselves and others “ (Hattie, 2009). 

Hattie's Mindframe FocusMindframe #8: I inform all about the language of learning.

     To encourage true partnership with parents, it is vital that we share the language of learning with them and share our expectations of their children. It can be difficult for parents to understand the culture of schools as today’s classrooms are likely to be very different from their own experiences as students. Sharing what we do and the language we use to do it will allow parents to have a dialogue about learning with their children as well as giving them a greater insight into what learning looks like and how it happens. 

Article of the Week
The short article this week provides some strategies for being successful with students that can be challenging to manage or motivate.  This article provides a solid preview of Mrs. Hendrickson's upcoming presentation when we meet as a staff on November 6th.

"25 Sure-fire strategies for handling difficult students"

Facility Advisory Committee Update

The committee continues to examine our and other facilities in preparation to make a recommendation to the Board of Education.  Over the next several staff meetings we will be spending some time talking about both the physical and academic needs from the perspective of the teaching staff.  The committee is set and many people continue to be a part of the process.  As always you are invited to attend.  The next meeting is November 1st at 7 p.m. at the Arlington Early Learning Center.  As a part of the meeting, Mr. Hausser will be giving a tour of the building and learning about how that space is utilized. 

Community Voice Article in this Week's Poynette Press
Lisa Hazard is the author of this week's Community Voice entry in the paper.  She does a great job of describing the realities of 21st century learning and how it relates to our kids.  Give it a read HERE.

Student of the Month Breakfast this Week
Our next Student of the Month Breakfast is this Thursday.  Thank you to Mr. Williams, Ms. Laufenberg, Mr. O'Connor, and Mr. Gavin for representing the staff this week.  Congratulations to this month's award recipients:

                     Luke Lindquist     Makenna Parr     Avery O'Dea     Codi Woodward   
                       Lizzi Endres     Nicholas Milewski     Jimmy Heath     Olivia Ripp

Duty Next Week
Morning- Frehner
Bus- O'Connor

Images from the Week

   

The Middle Update 10/21/17

Another great week in the books, and I hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend as I type this out.  We have two weeks remaining in the 1st quarter!  Time flies...when you think about how fast the time goes, it reminds us how important it is to make the most out of each minute of the school day....it is all about the kids!

Hattie's Mindframe Focus

Mindframe #7: I believe that it is my role to build positive relationships in classrooms/staffrooms.

     If, as Hattie states, “learning thrives on error” (2012: 165), it is vital that the learning environment is warm, empathic and, above all, safe for the learners to make these errors and admit their lack of knowledge. The teacher’s role is to discover what students don’t know and help them learn it. To do this, he or she must develop positive relationships to build the learners’ trust.
     To some extent, students have been conditioned by the traditional classroom environment. Many have learned to put any answer to a question rather than leave it blank and admit that they don’t know. While having trust in their teacher is the first step to braving uncertainty, they must also know that they will not face ridicule from their peers. Therefore, the teacher must ensure that positive relationships exist between peers.
     As teachers are also learners of their own craft, it follows that this culture of the supportive, safe learning environment should also extend to the staffroom.


Article of the Week
The article this week is applicable to all of us as technology becomes an constant, necessary part of our classrooms.  The article provides some tips for how to limit the distractions that our students face each time they use any device.

"Digital Tools and Distraction in School" by Mary Beth Hertz

SLO/PPG Update
During BW Meeting times over the course of the past two weeks, I have met with and reviewed SLO's alongside teachers.  I will continue to do so until all of the SLO are set and approved.  Please let me know if you are ready and we have not discussed the SLO/PPG yet.  I have enjoyed this process and look forward to following the growth of students in the areas focused upon.

Community Advisory Committee Update (contents credited to Mr. Hausser)
The second meeting occurred last Wednesday night.  There was a contingent of committee members and staff members who visited Windsor Elementary School.  They were able to tour and discuss the vision of our project.  The committee meets again on Wednesday, November 1 at the Arlington School at 7 p.m.  Mr. Hausser will be giving the committee a tour of the school and they will continue to discuss the process of looking at our facilities.

School Board Meeting
October's School Board Meeting is on Monday night at 7:00 in the HS IMC.  Check HERE for this month's Board Report from the Middle School.

Safety Review
Lockdown- there is a threat and serious compromise of our students and staff safety.  Lights are to be off, students and staff hiding in the rooms.  We want it to look like no one is in the room or building.
Administrative Hold- there may be an issue in the area or community.  No one is to leave the building or enter.  Classes, passing periods and the like can continue as normal.
Hold- Medical or student issue that needs to be addressed.  The hallways should be cleared and no students should leave or enter classrooms.  Class activities may continue, but passing times should be ignored until the all clear is given.

Ready to Dance??
The Parent's Club is sponsoring a dance for both Elementary (6:00-7:30) and our Middle School students (7:30-9:00) this coming Friday (10/27) night.  Any staff member is invited to attend, and there will be free pizza and a drink waiting for any staff member that decides to join the students in having a great time.

Duty Next Week
Bus - Lendobeja
Morning - Anderson

Images from the Week

The Middle Update 10/13/17

This little "Puma in Training" has gotten off to a great start in her first 6 weeks of life.

We've had another action packed week with 7th graders honing their golf skills at the range, students working to become more and more like scientists at the Mackenzie Center, 8th graders presenting about their planned trips around the world, teachers working hand in hand with parents to support their kids, and 6th graders involved in a discussion that would rival those in many high school classes...a great week at Poynette Middle School.



Hattie's Mindframe Focus

Mindframe #6: I enjoy the challenge and never retreat to "doing my best".

     “Do your best” is something we often say to children (and ourselves) to motivate and encourage. However, this attitude is dangerously limiting—we should be striving to get children to do better than their best, to exceed their potential. Teachers need to adopt this attitude in their daily practice and strive to continually set and exceed their own performance goals. 
     Doing better than your best involves embracing challenge as a crucial part of every day life. The art of teaching lies in posing appropriate levels of challenge to different learners, and teaching students how to cope with challenge both in the classroom and beyond. To effectively cope with challenge, students need to see a clear purpose in it and have meaningful feedback about their performance in relation to success criteria and their next steps. When students don’t learn effectively, teachers must embrace the challenge themselves and ask themselves what they need to do differently to have a greater impact on that student’s learning. 

Congratulations to Mr. Hazard
Mr. Hazard has been selected, along with Mr. Ferkovich, to present at the 2017 Wisconsin State Music Conference on Friday, October 27th.  Scott and Joel will be presenting on the following topic: Practical and Meaningful Grading Practices for the Busy Music Teacher.  We are proud that Mr. Hazard will be representing PMS.

Article of the Week
"Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?"
The ARTICLE this week discusses how recent changes in technology have impacted a whole generation of kids.  In my opinion, the results from their generational study are quite astonishing and eye opening.

Sub-Calling

Lois Abel (608-770-0285) will be calling subs starting the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 11, through Oct. 27th.  As a reminder, please make evening calls prior to 10:00 PM and morning calls between 5:30-6:00 AM.  Gary Laib will be back on call beginning Oct. 29th.

Upcoming Community Advisory Committee Mtg.
The next meeting is this Wednesday (10/18) starting at 7:00 pm.  The committee will be taking a bus trip down to DeForest to tour the brand new construction of one of their elementary schools.  The purpose of this trip is to see first hand what newly constructed modern learning spaces look like.  All are welcome to attend.

DPI is looking for some help!
Teacher Can Help​ ​DPI ​Build​ ​Strategic​ ​Assessment​ ​Systems!
Wisconsin educators are invited to join our work in building assessment and data literacy. We are currently looking for educators who are data savvy to join the Classroom Data Tool User Advisory Group. The classroom data tool will store and track classroom level, student-centered data and will help teachers plan for instruction. The user group will meet remotely on a monthly basis and will advise and advocate user-friendly, time saving, and value-added features for the classroom data tool application.
Please read the Classroom Data Management Tool Advisory Group Description for more information
about the role of the user group within this project. The next user group meeting is on Monday, October 16th from 3:15pm-4:15pm. Contact lauren.zellmer@dpi.wi.gov if you are interested in participating.

PSD on Social Media

 


Duty Next Week
Bus - Laufenberg

Data
Attendance Rates through 6 weeks of school:
17-18 - 96.83%
16-17 - 96.52%
15-16 - 96.36%

Halloween Dance 10/27
The PAD Parent's Club will be sponsoring their annual Halloween Dance for our students. The Elementary Dance will be from 6:00 to 7:30, and the Middle School Dance will run from 7:30 to 9:00. The group asked if any teachers would be willing to attend and help chaperone while joining in on the fun. If you are interested, there will be free pizza, hot dog, and drink waiting for you. 

Images from the Week

    

The Middle Update 10/8/17

Another great week that featured visiting veterans, kindness rocks, 8th grade golfers, Socratic discussions, our first newspaper club meeting, and countless numbers of brain cells growing and maturing in our students.  We continue to maintain our laser-like focus on maintaining/growing a positive, hard-working culture that is centered on using the precious minutes of class time to move the needle on the skills and knowledge for our students.

Staff Meeting this Past Week
Thanks to all for your contributions at our staff meeting this past Wednesday, especially to Mrs. Anderson and Ms. Hecht for the wise advice regarding the importance of being aware of the words we use with students.  It is evident that our "adopt-a-student" activities have brought awareness and connections for our most vulnerable population.  Your efforts are paying off and are truly appreciated.  Also, we will be working to finalize SLO's plans in the coming weeks.

Parent-Teacher Conferences
We have a great opportunity to grow the connections between home and school this week as PT conferences kick off on Thursday (10/12) from 4:30 - 8:00, and then again next week (10/19) from 4:00 to 7:30.  Each student will have a folder that should be picked up in the front office.  Teams and teachers can coordinate with Robin to get materials in those folders.  The office will be including the following: grade report, STAR reports, and a handout that Mr. O'Connor is putting together about a reminder about the grade level blogs and Infinite Campus student/parent access information.

Article of the Week
The ARTICLE this week is a blog post written by Debbie Silver titled "The Worst Teaching Mistake I Ever Made".  As you read the article this week, think about the use of pre-assessment in your classroom, and how you facilitate activities in your classroom to meet kids where they are...both for students that take a bit to grasp concepts and those that grasp concepts quickly.

Nuts & Bolts
-The 7th graders will be on a golf trip/Mackenzie Center field trip this Tuesday
-The 1st meeting for the Community Advisory Committee, the group taking a closer look at the future of our facilities, was successful this past Wednesday night.
-Be sure to place your order for some amazing Mexican food for PT Conference night, that is generously donated by the Parent's Club
-All teachers should double check their red "Go-Kit" to make sure all materials are updated.  Also, be sure students are aware of the procedures in the event of a safety situation (hold, lock-down, tornado drill, etc.

PSD on Social Media
See images below from this past week.  Please seek opportunities to take photos of students engaged in high level learning activities and send them my way.  Our community needs to know about the high quality learning experiences our staff creates for our students.

Duty this Week
Bus - Kallungi

Images from the week

Las Vegas Incident

Ms. Hellmich shared a great resource for all staff as it relates to tragedies.  Here is a link to the document that has some ideas on how to talk with students or answer their questions.

NASP Resource

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Contribution

Dear School Administrator,

(If you have already passed along this survey to your staff, please disregard. Thank you for doing so – all feedback gathered will be highly beneficial.)

Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin’s Community Education and Outreach team is working with the orthopedics department to develop educator resources that focus on supporting students who are returning to the classroom after a concussion. In an effort to best serve Wisconsin educators, we have developed a short survey designed to help us clarify their needs.  Please help us gather results by forwarding this survey link to educators in your school.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/chwconcussionsurvey

Thank You,

Judy Wendorf

Program Research and Development Supervisor

Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Community Services

www.HealthyKidsLearnMore.com

The Middle Update 9/30/17

I am currently reading "Collective Efficacy: How Educator's Beliefs Impact Student Learning".  I was drawn to this book after studying the Pygmalion Effect and Hattie's Mindframes this past summer.  As a part of our goal to build our culture of literacy and reading, I thought this blog would be a good forum to share some of what I am learning along the way.  Some quotes that have stood out to me so far from this book...
"It is not so much a teacher's perception of their students' abilities that creates a culture of high expectations, but their conviction regarding their own collective abilities to impact student achievement in a positive way" (p. 34).
I think this quote fits right in with the work and mindset we bring to school with us every day.  Our focus and mission of making each minute of class time and interaction focused at improving student skills and knowledge remains a sacred principle we all share.

Mid-Term Grades Posted
It seems as if we just started, and we are already at the halfway point of the 1st quarter.  Please make sure student grades are posted in the standards that have been assessed so far.  I will be sending out a IC message to parents on Monday morning.  These grades should be updated regularly through the rest of the quarter.  Please see me with any questions about this process.

Hattie's Mindframe Focus


Mindframe #5: I engage in dialogue not monologue.

     Hattie’s research indicates that teachers talk 70-80% of the time in class, and that in much of the remaining 20-30% of the time, students are often engaged in individual written work. Moreover, although teachers ask an average of 200 questions a day, students already know the answer to 97% of them! While such surface-level discussion is crucial for assessing understanding, it does not allow us to clarify misunderstandings.
     Dialogue allows us to listen to students about what they did or didn’t do and the reasons why. It allows us to follow the thread of their reasoning in order to identify next steps for the learner. In addition, engaging in true dialogue opens up space for deep level learning, giving students the opportunity to fully use their knowledge and relate it to other aspects of their learning.
     Hattie states that there is no magic formula for the optimal levels of teacher talk versus student talk that can enhance either surface or deep learning. It is not enough to reduce teacher talking time and increase that of the students—the quality and purpose of the interaction is the important aspect. It requires the teacher to actively listen to the learner, and adjust to the nature of the discussion, the learning task and context. Meaningful discussions about learning will engender development of the language and vocabulary of learning as well as of the subject being taught. 

Fire Drill Review
Our first fire drill of the year was very smooth.  We are always looking for feedback about our safety procedures.  Please let me know if you have any concerns, questions, or suggestions about the process.

MS Staff Meeting on Wednesday
We will be having a Middle School Staff Meeting on Wednesday (10/4) starting at 2:50 in Mrs. Rogness' room.  Our goals for our staff meetings throughout the year will remain constant.

-Focus on the continued growth of a positive school culture embedded with excellence,
-Bring awareness to best practices in our school and spreading these practices to all classes

Reminder about school van use (from the district office)

Please remind your staff that when checking out a van they must top it off after use AND they must write the purpose on the receipt, i.e, Forensics, Track, Conservation Club, etc.  This is how the business office knows what budget to code the fuel to once the receipts are received.  

Additionally, as gas prices are low we will be using unleaded instead of E-85.  A revised laminated instruction sheet will be posted in all of the vehicles this week but we appreciate you sharing this information with all of your staff/coaches. 

Student Loan Forgiveness
The following is not an endorsement and the district will not/cannot assist with this service.  It is for informational purposes only.

Dear Staff Members,

AESA (www.aesa.us) and CESA 5 have partnered with ISLoan Solutions, a student loan advisory company, to help improve your student loan situation and achieve overall financial well-being.

They educate you and provide options, for loan forgiveness and refinancing, that may help lower, or even eliminate, your payment. Individuals are saving an average of 87% on their monthly student loan payments and are projected to receive an average of $60,430 in tax-free loan forgiveness.

Visit: https://cesa5.myisls.com/register

Enter code: CSA5 to learn more

Some of you may be able to lower your payment through Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF is not Teacher Loan Forgiveness*). For those of you who won’t benefit from PSLF, refinancing may work for you. After registering and answering a few simple questions, if PSLF does not make sense, you will be directed to their refinancing option.  Do not refinance your loans until you find out if PSLF makes sense for you FIRST.  Doing so will make you ineligible for future student loan forgiveness.

If PSLF makes sense, you will be able to:

• Immediately lower your monthly student loan payment
• Reduce your student loan obligation
• Significantly lower your cost to earn additional degrees
• Receive a personalized 10-year loan forgiveness plan outlining your projected tax free savings

*PSLF is available to all full-time employees regardless of position.  In 2007, Congress established PSLF to help full-time employees reduce their student loan burden and incentivize them to stay in public service.

This is a voluntary benefit. After consulting with ISLoan Solutions and verifying your student loan situation, you will receive information regarding loan forgiveness programs that may be of benefit to you along with a customized loan forgiveness plan outlining your forgiveness potential. You may choose to pursue the PSLF program on your own, or hire ISLoan Solutions to implement and manage the program for you.

Questions, or trouble logging in? Call 1.513.645.5400, email or visit their website at isloansolutions.com for more information and success stories.

Duty Next Week

Bus - Hendrickson

Images from the Week

The Middle Update 9/24/17

Another great week in the books, with the best one yet just around the corner.  I am proud to be a Poynette Puma, and appreciative of the opportunity to work with such a great staff and amazing students.  Your efforts each minute make the difference for the students at Poynette Middle School.

Article of the Week
"Start the Year with Collaboration"

More and more educational research points to student to student discourse as a major component of making learning stick for students.  The article this week discusses strategies for making this an effective part of any classroom routine.  The sound of students engaged in thoughtful dialogue about the intended lesson is the music that makes the school setting magical.

Hattie's Mindframe Focus

Mindframe #4: I see assessment as feedback about my impact

Feedback has a high-impact influence on learning (Hattie, 2009)as teachers give students valuable information about how well they are performing in their learning journeys and what their next steps should be. However, it is important that this process is reciprocal and that teachers use information about their students’ learning as feedback on the impact of their teaching. 

Hattie notes that from the age of 8, children are good at predicting the scores they will get in tests. They then perform to their own expectations. So, for any assessment situation, whether formative or summative, we should be asking ourselves what the results can tell us about the impact of our teaching, and most importantly, what we are going to do next? 

Grades Posted in IC for mid-quarter
After 3 weeks into the 1st quarter, it is time to turn our attention to posting mid-quarter grades for the standards that students have been working in so far.  Please have student progress grades posted by next Monday (10/2) morning.  As a reminder, posted grades should reflect what the recent evidence suggests student knowledge/performance in relation to the rubric, is at this point in time.  Posted grades should be updated from here on out as the quarter progresses.  If you have any questions about this process, please send me a note to meet to discuss further.

Google Read and Write
Mr. Fischer shared a document that highlights the Google Read and Write tool.  This is a tool that will be accessible for all students.  It is a powerful tool that can be used in either google docs or websites.  More on this tool to come.

Important...Must Complete!!
All employees must be sure that the following three items are complete:

-Employee Handbook Form signed and returned
-Online Health Assessment completed following biometric screening
-Bloodborne Pathogens video viewed and quiz passed

If you have not completed any of the above, please move these items to the top of your priority list.

IE Groups
IE groups will shift slightly in 7th and 8th grades starting on Monday.  Please review the updated IE Schedule and share with students prior to IE on Monday.

Fire Drill this Week
We will be having a fire drill sometime this week.  Please review the fire exit procedures with all of your students.

Watch DOGS

The elementary school has started a Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) program. The program invites dads into our school for a day to give students more positive male role models in their school experience. We had our first Watch DOG here last week, and we have many more on the schedule. Our first Watch DOG had a great day, and so did the students. If you see a male walking around our building with a white shirt on with the Watch DOG logo, that is what this is all about.

Duty Next Week
Bus - Hazard

The Middle Update 9/15/17

Two weeks in the books already.  I am thoroughly enjoying the hard-working mentality that our students have brought with them to this school year.  We will continue to foster and grow this mentality towards involvement and achievement for all of our kids.

Hattie's Mindframe Focus

Mindframe #3:  I want to talk more about learning than teaching.
Teachers are adept at talking about their professional skills, but focusing only on teaching can occlude discussions about learning. Having a particular honed teaching skill, such as setting up collaborative inquiry, will always be a benefit for many students. But, there will always be other students in the class who do not learn that way. To be effective, we need to vary teaching approaches to suit a range of learners.
With that in mind, Hattie suggests that we should focus not on the mechanics but on the impact of teaching. We should be asking ourselves “what theories of learning am I using?” and developing our ability to coach and model different ways of learning. This allows us to adapt accordingly when we recognize that a particular teaching method is not having the desired impact.  

Handbook Signature Form 

Each student must turn in a Handbook Acknowledgement Form signed by both students and parents that we keep on file in the office.  Each student should have gotten a copy of the Student Handbook in Homeroom this week.  Students should return the forms to their homeroom teachers.  Once you have received them all, please bring them to the office.

September Message to Parents
You can view the message by clicking HERE.  Click HERE to view the attachment.

School Board Meeting on Monday (9/18)

This month's meeting starts at 7:00 pm on 9/18 in the High School IMC if anyone is interested in attending.  Check out the BOARD REPORT from the Middle School.  If there is an area that you feel would be something that is added to the board report from the middle school, please let me know and I will include it.  We will be looking for opportunities to share great learning experiences in which our students participate with the board for future meetings.  

Opportunities
I sent an email earlier in August about looking for some assistance.  Since that email was sent a number of staff members expressed interest in helping with the events, and a leader for each of the projects has come forward (see below). If you are interested in contributing, contact the leader for more information.

Book Talks/School-wide Literacy Activities - Mrs. Rogness/Mrs. Maurer

Carelli Cup Events - Ms. Pittner

End of Quarter 2 Celebration/Community Building Activity - Mr. Williams

Hallway Bulletin Board Beautification - Mrs. Hendrickson

Article of the Week
A Classroom Full of Risk Takers by Leticia Guzman Ingram

Upcoming Dates
Monday, September 18 - School Board Meeting - 7:00 pm (HS IMC)
Wednesday, September 20 - ELA Dept. Mtg. - 2:50 pm (Rogness' room)
Wednesday, September 27- Science Dept. Mtg. - 2:50 pm (Weckerly's room)
Wednesday, October 4 - PMS Staff Meeting - 2:50 pm (Rogness' room)
Wednesday, October 4 - Community Facility Advisory Committee Mtg. - 7:00 pm (HS IMC)

Duty Next Week
Bus - Gavin

The Middle Update 9/8/17

All indications are that the start to the school year has been smooth.  I have really enjoyed seeing firsthand how all of your hard work and preparation has led to a smooth start to the school year.  The foundation that has been laid will allow us to efficiently and effectively push our students towards achievement that they not yet realized.  I really am proud and excited to be a part of this learning community.

Hattie's Mindframe Focus

Mindframe #2: I believe that success and failure in student learning is about what I did or did not do ... I am a change agent

The traditional view of the teacher is as a “guide on the side” who sets up the learning activities and allows the children to get on with the learning. While this works for some students in some learning contexts, for most learners in most tasks, it will never be enough; at some point, we all need clear direction. Hattie believes that teachers should therefore see themselves as a change agent, rather than a facilitator of learning.

For teachers to promote effective change in their pupils’ learning, they must provide direct instruction and clear, meaningful feedback about where the learner is in relation to the learning intentions and success criteria and the next steps they need to take. It requires knowledge of the prior experiences of the learners and what they are bringing to the learning task. Above all, it requires the teacher to believe that ability is changeable and learning is about challenge.  

STAR Reading and Math

Students will be taking the fall STAR tests on the following dates in their respective Math and ELA classes.
Reading - Monday, September 11

Math - Friday, September 15

IE Schedule Starts Monday

On Monday during IE time, students will be reporting to their IE assignment locations.  Please review the updated IE Structure document for groups that are not intervention groups.

Grade Level Blogs

This is a reminder to please update the grade level blogs regarding expectations for the week ahead.  If you have any questions about this, please let me know.  Everyone should have access to post in the blog.  This has been a source of a great deal of positive feedback from parents.  Thank you for your efforts to enhance the communication from school to home.

Handbook Signature Form 

As we wrap up this first week, our Homeroom sessions focused on team building, expectations review and handbook policies has come to a close.  With that being said, we need a Handbook Acknowledgement Form signed by both students and parents on file in the office.  Each student will get a copy of the handbook, and Mrs. McNicol will be distributing the forms for you.  Students should return the forms to their homeroom teachers.  Once you have received them all, please bring them to the office.

Opportunities
I sent an email earlier in August about looking for some assistance.  Since that email was sent a number of staff members expressed interest in helping with the events, and a leader for each of the projects has come forward (see below). If you are interested in contributing, contact the leader for more information.

Book Talks/School-wide Literacy Activities - Mrs. Rogness/Mrs. Maurer

Carelli Cup Events - Ms. Pittner

End of Quarter 2 Celebration/Community Building Activity - Mr. Williams

Hallway Bulletin Board Beautification - Mrs. Hendrickson

Upcoming Dates
Wednesday, September 13 - Applied Academic Dept. Mtg (Lendobeja's room)
Wednesday, September 20 - ELA Dept. Mtg (Rogness' room)

Duty Next Week
Bus - Frehner

The Middle Update 9/1/17

We are ready.

"Focus on the Fundamentals" - Consistency, relationships, pedagogy

First Day
We'll continue our middle school tradition of having all teachers greet the students on the playground on the morning of the first day.  Students will start arriving to school at 7:20 am.  After the first bell, students will proceed to the gym for a brief "Kickoff to the School Year Assembly" before heading to their first class of the day.

New Bells
Our new sound system in the 1-8 building has allowed us the use of bells.  We will utilize bells for the entry into school signal (7:28), start of the school day (7:33), start of elementary day (8:35), end of Middle School day (2:45), and end of elementary day (3:35).

Hattie's Mindframe Focus

Mindframe #1: My fundamental task is to evaluate the effect of my teaching on students’ learning and achievement.

There are a range of variables that can affect learning including the curriculum, the materials and resources used, the previous learning experiences of the students and the efforts students put in to their work. Teachers often attribute students’ academic success or failure to these factors. However, while it is true that they have some impact, all are beyond the control of the teacher. The only thing a teacher can control is what he or she does every day in front of the class – and it is this which Hattie argues has the greatest impact on learning. If we focus on the impact we are having, the impact of the other factors increases as a result.  Knowing their impact requires a teacher to have high expectations of their learners, seeing ability as something that is changeable, not fixed. This in turn places responsibility on the teacher to be flexible and creative in order to meet the needs of all pupils and develop their ability. This requires considerable reflective thought and self-questioning on the part of the teacher. So, how can we find out if we are having an impact on our students? Hattie has a simple answer: feedback. Teachers need feedback on where they are going, where they currently are and what their next step should be. This comes from listening carefully to students, the errors they make, the questions they ask and the successes they have and responding appropriately. We need to evaluate not only what we are doing and what our students are doing, but also the effect of what we do on what the students do AND the effect of what the students do on what we then do! Or, as Hattie puts it, we need to see learning through the eyes of our students. 

Policy Update
This policy outlines steps school personnel should take to protect themselves due to the natural proximity we have with students on a day to day basis.  The policy addresses relationships, including appropriate social media use in the case of school staff and students.

3213 - STUDENT SUPERVISION AND WELFARE
Professional staff members because of their proximity to students are frequently confronted with situations which, if handled incorrectly, could result in liability to the District, personal liability to the professional staff member, and/or harm to the welfare of the student(s). It is the intent of the Board of Education to direct the preparation of guidelines that would minimize that possibility.

A professional staff member, or a person who works or volunteers with children, who is found to have had sexual contact with a student, including a student age sixteen (16) or older, shall be referred to the proper authorities and be subject to discipline up to and including discharge.

This policy should not be construed as affecting any obligations on the part of staff to report suspected child abuse under Wis. Stats. 48.981 and Policy 8462.

It is the responsibility of the District Administrator to prepare administrative guidelines to ensure the maintenance of the following standards:

	A.	Each professional staff member shall maintain a standard of care for supervision, control, and protection of students commensurate with assigned duties and responsibilities.
	B.	A professional staff member should not volunteer to assume responsibility for duties s/he cannot reasonably perform. Such assumption carries the same responsibilities as assigned duties.
	C.	A professional staff member shall provide proper instruction in the safety matters presented in assigned course guides.
	D.	Each professional staff member shall immediately report to the principal or immediate supervisor any accident or safety hazard s/he detects.
	E.	Each professional staff member shall immediately report to the principal or immediate supervisor any knowledge of threats of violence by students.
	F.	A professional staff member shall not send students on any personal errands.

	G.	A professional staff member shall not associate with students, at any time in a manner which gives the apearance of impropriety, including, but not limited to, the creation or participation in any situation or activity which could be considered abusive or sexually suggestive or involve illegal substances such as tobacco, alcohol, or drugs.
		This provision should not be construed as precluding a professional staff member from associating with students in private for legitimate or proper reasons or to interfere with familial relationships that may exist between staff and students.
	H.	If a student comes to a staff member to seek advice or to ask questions regarding a personal problem related to sexual behavior, substance abuse, mental or physical health, and/or family relationships, the staff member may help the student make contact with certified or licensed individuals in the District or community who specialize in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of the student's problem. Under no circumstances should a staff member attempt, unless properly licensed and authorized to do so, to counsel, assess, diagnose, or treat the student's problem or behavior.
	I.	A professional staff member shall not transport students in a private vehicle without the approval of the principal.
	J.	A student shall not be required to perform work or services that may be detrimental to his/her health.
	K.	Staff members are discouraged from engaging students in social media and online networking media, such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.
	L.	Staff members are expressly prohibited, without permission of the building principal, from posting any video or comment pertaining to any student on social networking media or similar forums, such as YouTube without permission of the building principal

Most information concerning a child in school is a confidential student record under Federal and State laws. Any staff member who shares confidential information with another person not authorized to receive the information may be subject to discipline or civil liability. This includes, but is not limited to, information concerning assessments, grades, behavior, family background, and alleged child abuse (see Policy 8330).