The Middle Update 2/24/19

Resource of the Week
A short video this week goes into the science behind why great relationships are so critical for students to maximize the learning.  An important video at an important time of the year.

Staff Meeting Recap
During our staff meeting we spent some time learning about some new ways to engage students.  Pictured below, you'll see students in Mrs. Weckerly's class using Quizizz...something that Molly and Mackenzie shared at our staff meeting.

Also, thanks to Mr. Odden for allowing me to record his closure activity from Monday.  As we reflected in the meeting, those 2-3 minutes are so critical to strengthen the student's understanding of lesson goal for the day.

Art Excellence! (contribution from Mrs. Crawford)
Please congratulate the following middle school students. Because of their excellence in the visual arts, their artwork has been chosen to represent Poynette Middle School at the 2019 South West Region WAEA Youth Art Month Exhibition.

Valerie Heth     Jocelynn Nehls     Ryli Theis     Ilse Benzing     Ashlyn Lien

Hold Drill
We will be holding a drill this week.  The drill will be for the 1-8 building.  The purpose would be to practice keeping the students in the room, but continuing with academic activities.  The drill will be fairly short and more information will be shared through email prior to the drill.  We will need to coordinate with the elementary school.

Parent-Teacher Conferences
Spring PT Conferences are approaching rapidly.  This spring will be different than in the past because instead of two nights of conferences, we'll have only one.  Please look ahead and reach out to parents with an invitation to participate in a conference for any student that is in need (NE's or BE's or for any other student that you may have some concerns that you want to connect with parents).  Also for this night, we are inviting all parents in to either check in with teachers or hear a presentation from me about how to really understand student progress at PMS.

Also, we'd like to start a student talent tradition for Spring Conferences.  Please be thinking about ways to display student talent on this night.  If we could have students come in, present or display projects, or show parents cool things they have created or written, that would be a start.  We'll continue to discuss ways in which we can make the most of this evening.

Minutes Added to Calendar (starting Monday)
We will be adding 5 minutes to our school day starting on Monday, 2/25/19.  Please review (slight edits from last week) the updated PMS Master Schedule and become familiar with it.  It is very important for the function of the building to dismiss students at the time listed on the Master Schedule.

To make up days, we will, instead of PD Days on March 22nd and April 22nd, have normal school days.  Also, the last student day will be on June 6th (release at 12:30).  In other news, the End of Quarter 3 will be on Friday, April 5th.

Upcoming Calendar Items
-3rd Quarter Progress Grades should be updated by end of day Monday (2/25)
-Homeroom next week is on Thursday (2/28)
-Winter Assembly next week is on Friday (3/1) at 2:15 in 1-8 Gym
-Next Student of the Month Breakfast will be on Thursday (3/21)
-April 3rd - 2:50 pm - Forward Exam Teacher Prep Training - location (Mrs. Rogness' Room)
-Forward Testing will begin Week of April 15th - All Teachers with a Homeroom will proctor

Images from the Week

 

The Middle Update 2/17/19

What a month we've just experienced.  In conversations with many, I believe we all are striving for some consistency in our schedule and establishing routine and flow.  Let's hope the weather cooperates here for the rest of the winter season and we can get back that routine and structure that is so helpful for us and the kids we serve.  If the groundhog legend is true, good news lies ahead...an early spring.

Resource of the Week
Our resource this week highlights the opportunity that each of us has each day at school.  We have the potential to have a major impact in the lives of our students.  The empathy, care, compassion, curiosity, and effort we give of ourselves for our students is there each day.  This is not only a great opportunity for us, but also a responsibility that we have in our roles.  The article this week speaks to the unique opportunity that we have working in our profession.

"Understanding a Teacher's Long-Term Impact" by Youki Terada

"People overwhelmingly said that great teachers make their students feel safe and loved, believe in their students, model patience, and help their students reach their full potential—all qualities that remain largely unmeasured."

Parent-Teacher Conferences
Spring PT Conferences are approaching rapidly.  This spring will be different than in the past because instead of two nights of conferences, we'll have only one.  Please look ahead and reach out to parents with an invitation to participate in a conference for any student that is in need (NE's or BE's or for any other student that you may have some concerns that you want to connect with parents).  Also for this night, we are inviting all parents in to either check in with teachers or hear a presentation from me about how to really understand student progress at PMS.

Also, we'd like to start a student talent tradition for Spring Conferences.  Please be thinking about ways to display student talent on this night.  If we could have students come in, present or display projects, or show parents cool things they have created or written, that would be a start.  We'll continue to discuss ways in which we can make the most of this evening.

Minutes Added to Calendar (starting 2/25/19)
We will be adding 5 minutes to our school day starting on Monday, 2/25/19.  Please review the updated PMS Master Schedule and become familiar with it.  It is very important for the function of the building to dismiss students at the time listed on the Master Schedule.

To make up days, we will, instead of PD Days on March 22nd and April 22nd, have normal school days.  Also, the last student day will be on June 6th (release at 12:30).  In other news, the End of Quarter 3 will be on Friday, April 5th.

Staff Meeting This Week
We will have a Staff Meeting this Wednesday (2/20) at 2:50 in Mrs. Rogness' room.  We will hear from some teachers about recent learning experiences, analyze some data, and hear some thoughts from our students.  Also, there will be cookies.

Equity Book Study Update (from Mr. Hausser's blog)

We have 25 staff members and 5 administrators who are participating in the Book study which is awesome.  Those of you who have signed up will be invited to our Google Classroom this week and the books should be here by Monday we are hoping.  We may need to adjust the timeline for assignments depending on when the books arrive.

Winter Assembly (3/1)

Some of our students in our Leadership Group have been hard at work planning an event that will help grow our culture of connections and positivity.  If anyone has an idea or two that staff members could come together and give our students something to cheer about, let me know...it's hard to top the "Baby Shark do do do do do do" performance, but I think it's possible.

Next week, we will run our Homeroom groups on Thursday, and dismiss straight to 3rd block from lunch on Friday to accommodate the testing schedule.

February Safety Drill

We will be having a safety drill coming up this week or next.  Please review all of the potential situations and procedures that could be called.  It could be any of the holds, lock-down, fire drill or an evacuation.  I'll keep you posted as the plans become clearer.

Images of the Week

The Middle Update 2/10/19

I hope your weekend was outstanding.  I am looking forward to my return to school after a couple of days learning a lot at the State Principal's Convention.  Dr. Hoernke and I also got the chance to present to about 90 other principals about the great things we are up to in our school this past Friday morning.  I hope we can get a full week of school in this week!!

Resource of the Week
I got the chance to hear Dr. Ross Greene speak on Thursday morning.  He is the author of the book "Lost at School".  His message was right in line with the work that we have been doing on things like "Trauma Informed Care" and "Collective Teacher Efficacy".  His book and message brought some clarity as to what we can do in schools with the information gleaned from the topics that we studied.  The article this week provides a glimpse into the message I heard last week.

"What if Everything You Knew About Disciplining Kids Was Wrong" - Katherine Reynolds Lewis

Puma Pride Standards Reminder
This is a reminder to assess your students in the "Follows Classroom Expectations" standard at least once a week.  This is the minimum requirements and I encourage everyone to look for ways to leverage our Puma Pride standards to provide students and parents more feedback on their performance in class.  When used effectively, our Puma Pride standards are built in ways in which we can communicate our expectations for each student.

Calendar Update
We have been working on a tentative plan to make up the minutes lost from snow days.  The following plan is not finalized, but may be close...We will be adding some time to the MS/HS day, and we will be now going to school on June 5th for the full day.  We will have an early release day on June 6th.  Please be careful about planning any plane rides the last week of school.  Unfortunately, we may not be done with adding days.  Also, March 22 was originally a PD day, but this is now going to be a student day.  If we need additional days, then the April PD will become a school day and then we will add to the end of the year.  It has been a tough year already and we are not through February and March.  When the plan is finalized it will be communicated in detail with staff.

Book Study Professional Development Opportunity
The administrators are going to be facilitating a book study over the next couple of months.  The book will be focused on building equity in our schools.  Here is the write- up about the book study.  This professional development will entail reading the book, participating in 2-night sessions and posting on Google Classroom.  Please let me know if you are interested so we can order the books.  Participants will be provided with the book once they have committed to the opportunity.  This will be worth 90 points.

Budget Time
It's that time of year again...Details will be going out soon for you to submit your budget requests for the next school year.  Please be thinking and making lists of what you will need for your classes next year.

Staff Meeting Next Week
We will be having a Middle School Staff Meeting next Wednesday (2/20) at 2:50 in Mrs. Rogness' class.

Forward Testing Schedule
We are finalizing our Forward Exam Schedule.  At this time, it looks like we will start our testing the week of April 15th.  We also have preliminary plans to have all grades test at the same time, and utilize a form of our Late Start Schedule for the remainder of each all school testing day.  If you have thoughts on our testing plan, please communicate those with me when you can.  Details will be shared soon, and we will also be having a Forward Testing Preparation Meeting coming up as well.  We plan to utilize small groups organized around our Homeroom groups for testing this year.

Images of the Week

The Middle Update 2/1/19

After a crazy week of weather, we already find ourselves in February...the shortest month of the year. With all the time out of the classroom...a sort of 2nd Holiday Break, a sharp focus on maintaining our strong, focused effort of providing quality instruction and feedback to our students to maximize their experience in our school.  Every minute in every classroom of every day is so important.

Resource of the Week
Equity in education is a topic that we must pay attention to in our school.  When looking at what it takes to close achievement gaps, it is imperative that we dive deep into this topic so that we understand how to realize our own biases and analyze our system for situations that may not provide all students with the access they need to be as successful as they can be.

In our school one may think that we do not have much diversity, but when you take a closer look, we have great diversity among our student population, including socioeconomic status, religious beliefs, race, political affiliations, disabilities, and family backgrounds.  The diversity that we have should be celebrated and utilized to prepare our students for the 21st century work environment. Our short article this week provides a glimpse into this topic.

"Increasing Equity for All Students" - Sarah Yost (Edutopia)

"If we aren’t intentional about creating systems in which all students can be successful, too many classrooms and schools will continue to show achievement gaps. This is why raising awareness is so critical for closing such gaps. It starts with every individual educator thinking about their own expectations for and reactions to students and how these are communicated in subtle and not-so-subtle ways throughout the school day."

Weather Schedule Changes
With the weather a couple of activities in our schedule have been affected...see below.

-We will still review report cards in Homeroom on Friday (2/1) and hand out an ice cream treat for "5 ME's" in the Puma Pride standards.
-The Student of the Month Breakfast will be on the morning of Tuesday, February 5.
-Our February Staff Meeting will be on Wednesday (2/20) at 2:50 in Mrs. Rogness' Room
-Our Winter Assembly will take place on the afternoon of Friday, February 22.

We will looking into how the number of weather days that we have used will impact our schedule.  I think it's a good time to remind folks that you should not buy plane tickets for June 5th at this time...we may have days added at the end of the school year.

Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences
On this year's calendar, we only have 1 night of conferences scheduled in the spring.  PT Conference night is on Thursday, March 7th from 3:30 - 8:00 pm.  As part of our Title Plan for this year, we planned to utilize more opportunities to inform parents about the intricacies of our school.  On this night, I plan to host a couple of Parent Sessions that will provide tips for parents to truly understand how their Middle School student is progressing in school.  We also will have some scheduled conferences as needed.

Another element to this evening will be an invitation for all parents to come into our building to see examples of work their students have been doing in school.  As you plan ahead, please think about examples of great student work that can be on display.  Also, we would like students around the school demonstrating their work in different areas...that could mean performing, showing off a cool project, or others.  For now, be thinking about how students in your class can showcase their work, and we'll refine the ideas as we get closer to that date.

Student Achievement Data Update


Taking a closer look at our Puma Pride data, you'll notice that the number of 6th grade students that scored all ME's on the report card went from 63.1 % to 80.2%.  You'll also notice a similar improvement in our 8th grade students...going from 54.8% to 73%.  Overall, we saw an increase in 10% of our students that achieved the 5 ME mark (Model Puma) for Puma Pride!  This is exciting!

In review of our Winter Math and Reading STAR data, you'll see that we saw the biggest percentage improvement in students at or above benchmark in both Math and Reading...In Reading we saw 7.7% increase, and in Math we saw a 6.6% increase.  These are very exciting trends, and trends that will continue with our sustained hard work and focus.

Hoops 4 Heart Date is Set

Our annual Hoops 4 Heart basketball game is now set for Tuesday, March 19th.  

Images from the Week

The Middle Update 1/25/19

Cold, cold, cold...no matter what the weather throws at us, we know high level teaching and learning will be a constant in every classroom in our school.

Resource of the Week
Here at our school, we are striving to have a school where EVERY student feels welcome and supported by everyone, staff members and fellow students.  In the article you'll notice that our school fits the criteria for higher levels of reported bullying (being that we are a middle school and are almost all white).  The USA Today article recaps the survey and offers solutions.  The 2nd website goes deeper into this topic, and offers this important statement:

"When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time."

"One-Third of Middle- and High Schoolers Were Bullied Last Year, Study Shows" - USA Today

StopBullying.gov

We are all in this together.  Thank you for your attention and redirection in these instances.  Together we set the tone for the accepted behavior in our school.

Homeroom Updates
In Homeroom on Friday, we will be conducting our Lesson Plans that include reviewing Report Cards with students.  We will also be having our All ME treat in the cafeteria after school.

Student of the Month Breakfast Update
Due to the weather, we had to postpone our SOM Breakfast from this past week.  It will now be this coming Thursday (1/31) morning....pending the weather

First 5, Last 5
The first five minutes of class sets the tone for the learning that will take place in the classroom, and the last five minutes helps to strengthen the connections made with the learning goals of the lesson.  The first and last 5 minutes of each class also impact on the learning culture of the entire school. 

Next Year's Budget Requests
We are approaching budget season once again.  It is time to start thinking about next year, and what materials you may need to take the learning to the next level.  Budget materials will be distributed by the business office in mid-February, and will be due to my office by mid-March.  Now is the time to start discussions about materials/resources that can help us further achieve our goals for next school year.

Images of the Week

The Middle Update 1/20/19

I know I write about how quick the time goes all the time, but it really seems crazy that we are already halfway through the 18-19 school year.  We have accomplished so much in many of our classrooms, and we have so much to do yet.  We will continue to focus on how Poynette Middle School can be a great place for every student, every day.

Article of the Week
The article this week is full of resources for all different situations.  The focus is creating/facilitating a culture of success in middle school.  Give it a read and check out some of the videos to spur thoughts and conversations of how we can continue to grow our practices.

"4 Strategies to Create a Culture of Success in Middle School" - Gretchen Viestra


Puma Pride Guidelines for 2nd Semester
After much discussion, feedback seeking, and pilots, our Leadership Group has agreed upon guidelines for all teachers to use in their classes during the 2nd semester.  Teachers should report out at least an overall score in the Puma Pride standard "Follows Classroom Expectations" starting after the 1st week of the semester.  The grade should be updated weekly.  Posting once per week in one standard is the minimum guideline.  Like some teachers shared in our staff meeting, using the Puma Pride standards to give students daily feedback, and posting for parents to see has been very effective at helping them see and understand how to be the best student they can be in class.  Please see me with any questions.  Thank you to all those that have been creative and explored different ways to be dynamic in our classrooms.

Congratulations!
Two of our 7th grade students received honors in the annual Patriot's Pen Essay competition that is put on by our local VFW.  Please congratulate Shayna Cox and Matthew Lannoye for their top 10 finishes in the area.  Shayna's essay was voted the best and will move on to state competition.  Exciting news!

Student Creation
Mr. Lendobeja shared this student creation from Coding class that you'll be sure to enjoy.  Entertainment thanks go to 6th Grader, Johnny W!

LINK

PD Day Schedule for Monday 1/21

Below you will see the schedule for the details of our PD Day on Monday.

8:00 - Updates from Dr. Shappell, and Safety Planning/Cognitive Drills

10:45 - 2:30 - Planning Time/SLO/PPG Mid-Year Check-ins (see below)

2:30 - 3:30 - District Meeting (HS Commons) (see previous email from Linda Dallman)

For the planning time, please schedule a time to meet with me to review your SLO/PPG.  These meetings will be in my office.  You can sign up individually or as a department.  Please have your Mid-Year reflection completed prior to our meeting.  Otherwise, this time should be utilized to complete team Puma Pride grades, ensure grades are updated for 2nd quarter report cards with the "Comments" feature utilized to provide specific feedback about students, or to meet with departments/co-teachers to plan, review data for IE group adjustments, or work towards department goals (I have checked in with most about individual plans).  Please sign up for SLO/PPG meeting times on the Google Doc.

The Next Student of the Month Breakfast
The date for the next breakfast is Thursday, January 24 at 7:00 am.  Congratulations to the following students this month:

Ana Perez-Woelke     Isadora Borchardt     Emma Achenbach     Carsten Small

Lanae Gallegos     Chris Peterson     Rebecca Murphy     Alexander Olsen

Upcoming Dates of note...
January 21st - No School/ PD Day
January 23rd - Grades are Due (AM)
January 24th - Student of the Month Breakfast
January 25th - Report Cards Distributed in Homerooms - Ice Cream for all ME's (2:43)

Images from the Week

The Middle Update 1/11/19

Resource of the Week
The article this week provides insight into how we can avoid common pitfalls, and employ consequences more effectively with our kids.

"Getting Consistent with Consequences" -Mike Anderson

Homeroom Battles Coming Up!

A couple of students in our Leadership Group have been working on organizing some Homeroom battles for next week.  Next week, we will meet in Homeroom groups and conduct a Homeroom lesson on Thursday (1/17), and on Friday (1/18) we will report to 3rd block after Lunch, and the Homeroom battles will start around 2:00....more details will soon follow.

Staff Meeting This Month

We will be meeting as a Middle School staff on Wednesday (1/16) at 2:50 in Mrs. Rogness' Room.  We will hear from our Google Certified Trainers and from our Leadership Group on our plan for utilizing our Puma Pride standards in effective ways.  I look forward to our learning time together.

The Next Student of the Month Breakfast
The date for the next breakfast is Thursday, January 24 at 7:00 am.  Congratulations to the following students this month:

Ana Perez-Woelke     Isadora Borchardt     Emma Achenbach     Carsten Small

Lanae Gallegos     Chris Peterson     Rebecca Murphy     Alexander Olsen

Upcoming Dates of note...
January 16th - MS Staff Meeting - 2:50
January 18th - End of Quarter 2
January 21st - No School/ PD Day
January 23rd - Grades are Due (AM)
January 24th - Student of the Month Breakfast
January 25th - Report Cards Distributed in Homerooms - Ice Cream for all ME's (2:43)

February 1st - Winter Assembly - 2:15 (1-8 Gym)

Social Media Reminders for the New Year (Applies to personal and professional accounts)

There appears to be new litigation that is coming out almost daily about social media and what can be posted, tweeted, or retweeted.  An area that individuals, companies, and organizations have been sued for are trademark infringement along with the stealing of another person’s ideas from personal or school accounts.  People, organizations, and companies are also in trouble for even retweeting someone else’s post or tweet. The following is information about a recent court case. More than ever it is important to check sources and information versus just passing it along.  We do not want an individual or the district to be in a compromising position. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Most Current PAD Link

The District has sent out a new PAD for the upcoming months. Here is the link to the new copy.

It can be found on the district website as well.

Images from the Week

The Middle Update 1/4/19

We are off and running in 2019.  The next part of the school year is steady, with STAR testing coming up, the end of Quarter 2, mid-year SLO's, Forward Exam planning, it's a busy time.  Our focus on planning strong lessons that put students in positions to be highly engaged, thinking critically and solving problems remains as our top priority.

Article of the Week

Our article this week takes a closer look at the latest research showing the effectiveness of rewarding students in schools.  There are certain acknowledges and approaches that are more effective than others.  This provides some solid insight for your own classroom, as well as school-wide practices.

"5 Ways to Reward Students the Right Way" -pbisapps.org

End of Quarter/Semester Items

-As we near the end of the 2nd quarter, students that are struggling (NE or BE) range, should be working outside of their normal class time to get things in order.  The parent/guardian of any student that falls in this category should be in the loop and working with us to help their child work to improve their performance.

-Students with significant missing work issues should be working over their lunch or after school to meet the requirements.  If you have questions, I'd be happy to assist with any student that could be struggling in this area.

-Also looking ahead to the report cards, please utilize the comments section to give some feedback about the performance of each student in your class.

Mid-Year STAR Testing

Students will be taking the Winter STAR test on the following dates in their scheduled ELA and Math classes:

     Math - Tuesday (1/8)

     Reading - Friday (1/11)

Staff Meeting This Month

We will be meeting as a Middle School staff on Wednesday (1/16) at 2:50 in Mrs. Rogness' Room.  We will hear from our Leadership Group on our plan for utilizing our Puma Pride standards in more meaningful ways as well as a continued focus on High Impact Instructional Strategies and refining our culture of acceptance and high expectations for all.

The Next Student of the Month Breakfast
The date for the next breakfast is Thursday, January 24 at 7:00 am.  Teams should communicate their nominees to the office by early next week.

Upcoming Dates of note...
January 7th - MS Leadership Group Meeting - 2:50
January 9th - ELA Dept. Meeting - 2:50
January 16th - MS Staff Meeting - 2:50
January 18th - End of Quarter 2
January 21st - No School/ PD Day
January 23rd - Grades are Due (AM)
January 24th - Student of the Month Breakfast
January 25th - Report Cards Distributed in Homerooms

The Middle Update 12/21/18

The 2018 portion of our school year is very nearly in the books!  In the 2019 portion of the school year, we look forward to reaping the benefits of our continued efforts to put in place expectations, routines, and good habits for our students.  We will undoubtedly face challenges that we didn't foresee coming, and also we'll continue to work with some of the same students to help them understand how to follow expectations that have been put in place.  Our work is so important to the students that we serve...many of their habits will carry on and so will those all important caring conversations that each one of us has with them...we may not get to see the result of our work, but it all makes a difference.  You can feel it in the culture of our building through observations and conversations with kids.  I thank you for being a person at school that every one of our students can rely on. 

School resumes on Wednesday, January 2nd...until then, enjoy some time away and some time to enjoy your friends, family, or anyone else you choose to associate with over this holiday season.  It's very important for your work here, with our kids, to take that time for yourself.  I wish you nothing but the best over this holiday season.  I thought I'd share a clip about how cool it can be to have some empathy for others, and the impact it can have.

January Dates of note...
January 3rd - Math Dept. Meeting - 2:50
January 7th - MS Leadership Group Meeting - 2:50
January 9th - ELA Dept. Meeting - 2:50
January 16th - MS Staff Meeting - 2:50
January 18th - End of Quarter 2
January 21st - No School/ PD Day
January 23rd - Grades are Due (AM)
January 24th - Student of the Month Breakfast
January 25th - Report Cards Distributed in Homerooms

Images from the Week

The Middle Update 12/14/18

Article of the Week
Developing a strong intrinsic motivation in our students continues to be a strong goal that we have for all of our students.  Many of the strategies and plans on how to do this effectively have evolved over the years.  The article this week looks a little closer at the latest on this topic.

"Motivating Children Without Rewards" by Vanessa LoBue, PhD

All School Literacy Activity on Friday (12/21)
We will be having an all-school literacy activity on this coming Friday from 9:00 - 9:30.  Some of our students have been hard at work planning this event.  There have been some emails shared about the logistics.  We will have a modified schedule on Friday to accommodate for this event and the early release time of 1:15 (see below).  Students will report to Nutrition Break, and then to their Reading Groups (which are Homeroom groups with maybe a slight modification).  Please review the plan with your students, make sure they have a book, and talk with them about their important role as a role model for the elementary students.  Please let me know if you have questions about this activity.

Early Release on Friday (12/21)
We will be following this SCHEDULE on Friday. 

Holiday Concert
Our Holiday Concert is this week on Tuesday, December 18th at 7:00pm in the 1-8 Gym.  Please note Mr. Hazard and Mrs. Graeve's earlier emails about rehearsal times.  We all look forward to another impressive performance from our Music Department.

Puma Postcards
I continually get positive feedback from parents about our Positive Puma Postcards.  These handwritten messages that reinforce great student work and effort are much appreciated by our students and their families.  Each postcard that is sent out is sure to be hung on a refrigerator.  I have plenty of postcards in my office if anyone would like some on hand.  I wanted to share a quote from a recent email;
"When I brought the mail in and told her she got a postcard from one of her teachers, her look was priceless. Her face lit up right away as she read it and then she stuck it on the refrigerator proudly. I know it meant a lot to her."

Mrs. McNicol is ready to help anyone get them out in the mail anytime.

Images from the Week

The Middle Update 12/8/18

Resource of the Week
The posting this week is from a teacher from another school that is using "Puma Pride" grades in some creative ways.  The school described in the article refers to their grades as CARE grades.  A short read to spark some ideas that we'll be discussing further as a staff on Wednesday.

"The Advantage of Separating Behaviors and Academics Through a Competency-Based Grading System" -Jonathan Vander Els

Staff Meeting this Wednesday
We will meet as a Middle School Staff this Wednesday (12/12).  We will come together as a team to share information and ideas as we all work to refine our practices.  We will meet in Mrs. Rogness' room again.

Mid-Quarter Grades
Student grades should be posted and kept up to date now through the end of the quarter.  We've had some teachers utilizing the Puma Pride grades in some creative and successful ways within their individual classes.  Please review the note that was mailed home to parents about mid-quarter grades below.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Poynette Middle School has been full of hard-working, busy students and teachers.  As we enter mid-December, we find ourselves right in the middle of the 2nd Quarter already.  Your child's Mid-Quarter grades have been posted in Infinite Campus.  Please log in to the Parent Portal to view your child's progress.

While reviewing your child's grades, you'll notice that some of our teachers have began to utilize the Puma Pride scores to provide more information to students and parents about their performance in school.  These scores give you an idea of how your child is doing in the following areas:

-Completes and Returns Work in a Timely Manner,

-Follows Classroom Expectations,

-Puts Forth Effort to Produce High Quality Work.  

Please don't hesitate to contact any of your child's teachers or myself with questions.  Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jerry Pritzl

Principal

Student of the Month Breakfast Wrap-Up
Our Student of the Month Breakfast this past Thursday was another hit.  Thanks to Ms. Miller and her crew for the preparation and our teacher's preparation for their thoughtful, impactful words about each student.  There were a lot of smiles and pride on display.  Our next recognition breakfast will be on Thursday, January 24, 2018.


Staffing Update
Starting on Monday (12/10), Mrs. Andringa will move into the 6th/8th grade Math teaching position and Mrs. Snyder will remain in the Special Education role in which she has been student teaching all year so far.  These changes will be effective until the end of the school year.  Ms. Fehling will be sliding into a district substitute role for the remainder of the semester.  I appreciate all of the hard work that has been put into preparation for this adjustment.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Holiday Concert
Our Holiday Concert is quickly approaching and the talents of our students will be on display on Tuesday, December 18th at 7:00pm in the 1-8 Gym.  Please note Mr. Hazard's earlier email about rehearsal times.  We all look forward to another impressive performance from our Music Department.

Extra-Curricular Updates
A plethora of opportunities for our students to get connected and involved:

-Boy's basketball season is winding down and the girls will start after break. 
-Science Olympiad has gotten underway and Mr. Lendobeja and Ms. Pittner are teaming up to lead our crew this year,
-Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Rogness are preparing for the upcoming Forensics season, that gets underway after winter break,
-Mrs. Rogness has been leading our Literacy Club, and their attention has focused on helping students submit and refine entries for the Yahara River Competitions and various other competitions,
-Mr. Hazard is gearing up for another Archery Season that starts after winter break,
-Mrs. Morton continues to lead our No Name Volunteers each Thursday afternoon,
-Mrs. Crawford continues to work with our Art Club students every Tuesday afternoon,
-The Middle School play try-outs will be on the radar sometime after the winter break, with the play set to take place on Tuesday, April 16, 2018.

Participation in any of these activities is so important for our students.  Please encourage any student that you can to get involved.

Holiday Season

It's the most wonderful time of the year...I love the holiday season, just like many of us do, however, unfortunately for some of our students, this is a very difficult time. These next three weeks especially may be difficult because they are anxious for the Holidays and scared of what may happen over break.  We also have parents that hold "presents" or "no presents" over our students which can cause more problems than help.  We should try to be as proactive as possible when dealing with students or understanding of this.  Please let me know if you need any help.  The holiday season can be great and memorable for many, but miserable for many others.

Images from the Week

The Middle Update 12/2/18

On our fast track through the 18-19 school year, we find ourselves in December!  Only 3 weeks till Christmas break.  I thoroughly enjoy working alongside all of you and seeing the innovative ways you all look to improve your classroom practices to maximize the learning of our kids.  They are lucky to have you!

Article of the Week
A shorty this week, but the message is powerful.  Hattie found that Teacher Expectations for Students had the highest effect size in his analysis of educational research.  As I grow deeper in my own parenthood, I find that I want everyone that my children come into contact with to expect the very best out of them...behaviorally, academically, and athletically...I think I speak for the parents of our students too.  The article is a solid reminder of how to do that with each kid in each one of our classrooms.

"Why Teacher Expectations are Important for Student Achievement"


Mid-Term Grades
Please have student progress grades posted by the end of the day Monday, December 3rd.  I will be sending a message home indicating that the progress grades have been updated.  This is a great time to provide an update for how students are performing in the Puma Pride standards for your class so far in the 2nd quarter.

Holiday Splash
Many talents will be on display at the annual Holiday Splash, which will take place at Poynette High School on Monday, December 3rd at 6:00pm.  All are welcome to enjoy the festivity.


Student of the Month Breakfast This Week
We will welcome the families of this month's recipients at our monthly recognition breakfast this Thursday (12/6) at 7:00am.  Thanks to Mr. Kallungi, Mr. Williams, Ms. Pittner, and Mr. Gavin for presenting this month.  Congratulations to this month's recipients:

Morgan Gunderson     Piper Johnson     Zander Potter     Felicia Ritzke
Hazel Ruckle     Hannah Seas     Dylan Trudell     Sawyer Ullsvik

PuMaS Staff Meeting
Our next Middle School Staff Meeting will be on Wednesday, December 12th from 2:50 - 3:30 in Mrs. Rogness' room.  

Holiday Concert
Mark your calendars for the Middle School Holiday Concert.  Our students are set to display their talents on Tuesday, December 18th starting at 7:00 in the 1-8 gym.

Middle School Play Update
Tryouts for our Middle School Play will begin after break this year, with the performance set to take place at the end of March.  This is different than what we've done in past years.

Holiday Season

It's the most wonderful time of the year...I love the holiday season, just like many of us do, however, unfortunately for some of our students, this is a very difficult time. These next three weeks especially may be difficult because they are anxious for the Holidays and scared of what may happen over break.  We also have parents that hold "presents" or "no presents" over our students which can cause more problems than help.  We should try to be as proactive as possible when dealing with students or understanding of this.  Please let me know if you need any help.  The holiday season can be great and memorable for many, but miserable for many others.

Images from the Week