The Middle Update 1/29/21

Resource of the Week

"Using formative assessments designed to check for understanding and provide students with feedback and support is one of the most effective ways to improve and enhance student learning."

Our resource this week comes from Jay McTighe, who is a pretty smart guy and has written many books and presents on a number of education-related topics across the country.  He shares some formative assessment ideas that are effective.   Take a look at the eight strategies...many of these happen routinely in our classrooms, but there may be a few to steal...I particularly love #4 because of the critical thinking involved the recognize a mistake and think through what the correct process should have been.

"8 Quick Checks for Understanding" - Jay McTighe

Helping Students Make Sense of Facts/News Sources/Bias...

The new Social Studies and ELA standards certainly include parts of helping students sort out information, recognize bias, research sources, etc.  In our country today, understanding sources and author's intent is such a critical skill for our students to acquire.  Below are a couple of resources for how we can help students become critical consumers of content.

Media Bias Chart

The following is from the Marshall Memo, January 26, 2021

1. Beyond Fact-Checking: Media Literacy Skills to Combat “Truth Decay”

In this Rand Corporation report, Alice Huguet, Garrett Baker, Laura Hamilton, and John Pane bemoan what they call truth decay – “the diminishing role that facts, data, and analysis play in our political and civic discourse.” Here’s their analysis of what’s gone wrong and their synthesis of recommended standards for teaching media literacy skills in schools:

• Problem #1: Increasing disagreement about facts and interpretations of facts and data

  Teaching standards:

-   Recognizing the limitations of one’s own knowledge and understanding of the facts;

-   Filling gaps in knowledge by using experts, libraries, and search engines;

-   Understanding how today’s information sources and tools can skew facts and perspectives – for example, search engine algorithms, specialized discussion groups, choice of social media connections.

• Problem #2: Declining trust in formerly respected sources of facts and information

  Teaching standards:

-   Evaluating the expertise of purveyors of information (academic credentials, role, firsthand knowledge) and their motivations (political, financial);

-   Evaluating whether information meets established scientific, journalistic, and peer review standards;

-   Analyzing information for bias, deception, or manipulation;

-   Considering the social, political, and historical contexts of information and how those influence meaning.

• Problem #3: An increasingly blurred line between opinions and facts

  Teaching standards:

-   Seeing the way technology (e.g., audio and video “deep fakes”) can sow doubt about formerly trustworthy sources;

-   Analyzing whether evidence can be independently confirmed and identifying gaps in support or reasoning;

-   Comparing multiple viewpoints and spotting discrepancies;

-   Recognizing how one’s emotions can be triggered, influencing attitudes and eliciting certain behaviors.

• Problem #4: The tendency for one’s own opinions and experiences to override facts

  Teaching standards:

-   Monitoring the intended and unintended consequences of what one shares online;

-   Recognizing how one’s own cultural perspectives influence one’s interpretations of information, especially on controversial topics;

-   Remaining open to updating one’s own views when presented with new facts and evidence;

-   Taking action rooted in evidence: constructing new knowledge, creating and sharing media, and engaging in informed conversations and decisions on key issues.

“Responsible engagement with the information ecosystem is not simply about consuming information,” conclude Huguet, Baker, Hamilton, and Pane. “It is also about creating, sharing, and selectively emphasizing content.”  

“Media Literacy Standards to Counter Truth Decay” by Alice Huguet, Garrett Baker, Laura Hamilton, and John Pane, Rand Corporation, January 2021; Huguet can be reached at Alice_Huguet@rand.org. 

Staff Goals

In our grade level meetings this week, we discussed an activity we had done in the past...our "Adopt-a-Student" activity.  I asked teachers to think of a student that was in need of a boost in their academic performance, and take them under their wing for the week...setting a goal in regards to performance of the student.  This type of goal setting can happen for any staff member working with students....The "adopt-a-student" idea centers around thinking of this student as special to you...maybe how you'd view a nephew, niece, or child of your own....and take an extra interest in seeing them through to success...I'm looking forward to hearing the results.  Thank you in advance for your work with these kiddos!

Pig Races

We are ready!  The timeline and details are set, and with the start of February next Monday comes the start of Pig Mania at PMS.  Check out this document for the details of the competitions that will take place including the timelines.  I can't wait to see the creativity of our students and staff come out with this activity.

Pig Race Details

Pig Name Entry Form

Contribute to Educational Research??

A teacher who is working on her Master's degree is seeking some teacher participants in her research about educator's confidence in teaching about social justice.  If you would like to contribute, you can fill out the survey at the link below.  The survey takes about 8 minutes, and is for teachers that teach grades 6-12.

https://uwsuperior.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9KPU5rQcMKXsnLD

The Middle Update 1/24/21

ALL students can learn

ALL students will learn because of what WE do

These two phrases are the most important beliefs/mindsets of the people in successful schools.  Those two phrases are perhaps easy to agree on, but challenges us at times when faced with the difficulties of doing everything we can for our most "at-risk" students.  The article this week goes in depth about the applications of these two beliefs in schools, and also sets the stage for the learning that many of us will embark in the "Leaders of Learning" book study.

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

Leaders of Learning Book Study

We have a great turnout for those interested in learning together with the book, "Leaders of Learning".  The books were ordered early last week and are arriving at different times.  I'll be distributing the copies as soon as we get them in to those participating.  The questions have been posted for the Intro. and Chapters 1 and 2 in Google Classroom.  Our first meeting is set for Thursday, February 4th.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

IMC during Last Block of the Day

As the year has gone on the IMC has experienced a gradual increase of traffic during the last block of the day.  Each day, there is one group of 5th graders that meets as a class in the IMC w/Ebony.  It is so nice to have a big space to allow for many collaborative groups to meet and have adults working with students, however, I'm asking that cohorts only send a student or two out to work in the IMC at the end of the day if it's necessary...this is an ideal space for students who are working with an adult for support during class.  An increased number of people in the space is much harder to maintain our cohort separations and to maintain an atmosphere that is optimal for learning.  Our smaller numbers of students in cohort groups should ensure there is plenty of space to work in the classrooms.

Forward Exam

Students in the state of Wisconsin will be taking the Forward Exam this spring.  The testing window will be a little bit different, there will not be a TDA Writing Prompt, and the test will not be as long as usual.  We'll be working through the details and our testing plan in the next month or so.  More details can be found at this LINK.

Pig Races

We had to order some new pigs to fill out our fleet of racers.  You can expect to get your pig later this week and have direction about the competitions that will take place during our Pig Racing Week.

The Middle Update 1/15/21

Resource of the Week

In our time together on Monday morning, we'll take a look at our building SLO from last year...we are extending the goal into this year, and take a closer look at the recent School Climate Survey Results.  This week's resource is an affirmation in many ways, and could also spark some other ideas for how to deeply connect with our awesome Middle School kids.

"7 Creative Ways to Reach Middle School Students" - Stacy Tornio

"Kids of all ages know when an adult is being sincere. Teachers agree that you if you show your students you really and truly care, then they trust you. Then you can reach them in whole new ways. Janine N. writes, “Love, listen, validate their feelings, and stretch them to grow and believe in themselves and appreciate others.”

PD Day on Monday (1/18)

On Monday, we'll get an opportunity to learn, plan, and grow.  Please take time in your morning to watch Dr. Shappell's mid-year update video.  We'll meet as a Middle School Staff at 8:30 am.  The rest of the day should be spent working on department goals that have been communicated with you, finishing up 2nd quarter grades and report card comments, and planning lessons for the coming weeks.

End of Quarter 2 Grades

Today is the end of the 2nd quarter.  We'll print report cards next Thursday and start mailing them home, so please have your grades and comments complete prior to Thursday morning.  The best and most appreciated report card comments are personal and specific.

Appreciations

We had a decent response to the call seeking for staff to share their 1st semester appreciations.  If you have not done so yet, please click on the link below and share an appreciation for a fellow staff member and student that you appreciate!  We'll be using this information in our work together on Monday morning.

APPRECIATION FORM

Intruder/ Violence Drill Coming Up- Please take a look at this information!

The week of January 18- 22nd we are going to have one of our school safety drills.  It is required by the DOJ and we need to complete it two times every school year.  We will be conducting on Thursday, January 21st at 8:30 a.m.  But prior to that, we will be discussing the process at our staff meeting on Monday, January 18th so we can uniformly do it well.  Here is the slide show that has important information we will be discussing.  The slideshow provides guidance for how teachers should frame the discussion around this situation.

Dangerous Intruder Drill Information

HEPA Filters Reminder

Just a reminder to please shut off your HEPA filter system each night before you leave.  We have many in the building and if they are on overnight the life of the filter is reduced significantly.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Pig Races

I'm hoping you were able to understand all you needed to about the details of the pig race from our special guest this past Tuesday, but if that wasn't the case, more detailed information about the race and competitions surrounding the races will be shared soon.

Thanks to Mrs. Schmelzer...Welcome Ms. Stark

I want to thank Mrs. Schmelzer for the contributions she made during her time in our building this year and wish her well in her future endeavors.  We may be seeing her around substituting in various roles during the 2nd semester.  Thank you Ashley!

On Monday, we'll welcome another staff member, Ms. Lexie Stark.  She'll be joining our team as a long-term substitute to facilitate a couple classes, and help support our efforts to grow the skills of our readers.

The Middle Update 1/10/21

Resource of the Week

The resource this week gives a much more in-depth look at one of the key words of the PUMA Way...Mindset.  When we talk about Mindset, we are trying to instill in the students the idea that mistakes are a key part of learning.  The article this week goes more in depth on this phenomenon and the takeaways suggest that we are "dead-on" in having Mindset be a key focus area for our kids.

"The Mistake Imperative - Why We Must Get Over Our Fear of Student Error" - Youki Terada 

PD Day - January 18th

We are about one week away from our next Professional Development Day.  I believe Dr. Shappell is planning to send out a video message which we'll set aside time for at 8:00.  We'll meet virtually at 8:30am as a Middle School Staff to analyze our School Climate Survey Data, and discuss implications for our practices moving forward.  After our morning meeting, there will be opportunities for collaboration with department-mates to accomplish specified goals, and also time for teachers to work on report card grades/comments, and work on lesson plans throughout the rest of the day.

Updated District Calendar

After the School Board voted to extend Winter Break by 2 days, there were a couple of other adjustments made to the district calendar...most notably, changing March 12th from a PD Day to a normal day of school for us.  Please take a look to verify your planning reflects accurate information.

Preparing for the Pig Races!!

It's almost Pig Racing time!  As we prepare for this annual event, please return your pig from last year to the office.  We will conduct a thorough examination of each pig and ensure there are updated batteries before we re-distribute them.  We'll roll out the details for the pig racing competitions within the next couple of weeks.  Until then, it's probably a good idea to start brain-storming some names, costumes, and strategies for the pig race.  We will not have all of the students in the gym for the pig races this year, but we'll find a way to still have some fun with it.

End of Quarter #2

We are about to start the last week of Quarter #2.  Grades will be due by the beginning of the day on Thursday, January 21st.  We will print report cards on Thursday morning and get them in the mail as soon as possible afterwards.

Teachers will have time to work on finalizing grades and writing students comments on the report card on the afternoon of our PD Day on the 18th.

1st Semester Appreciations

It's always a good time to show appreciation.  As we near the end of the 1st semester, I'd like to take a moment to formally share your appreciation.  Please complete the linked Google Form below to write the name of a staff member who you appreciate and provide a brief description of what made that staff member stand out for you.  Also, please do the same for a student that you have worked with so far this school year.

APPRECIATION LINK

Protective Plexi-glass Partitions

We have more protective plexi-glass partitions available for your classroom if you would like them.  If so, please contact Robin in the office, and we'll have Randy deliver and set one up for you.

Policy Check-In

It's January and probably a good time to start putting reminders out there about district policies that could impact our day-to-day decision-making.  I'll plan to put in a few policies from time to time to serve as reminders for all of us.  There are a lot of policies, and it's important that we all follow these policies, as the school board has put them in place to guide the operations of the school.

The policy this week centers around the use of the Internet and Social Media.  A couple parts that are worth making sure everyone knows well are listed below, followed by a link to the whole policy:

-Staff members shall provide instruction for their students regarding the appropriate technology use and online safety and security as specified above, and staff members will monitor students’ online activities while at school.

 

Monitoring may include, but is not necessarily limited to, visual observations of online activities during class sessions; or use of specific monitoring tools to review browser history and network, server, and computer logs.

-Staff members shall not access social media for personal use on the District’s network, and shall access social media for educational use only after submitting a plan for that educational use and securing the Principal’s approval of that plan in advance.

Social Media Use

 

An employee’s personal or private use of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, blogs, etc., may have unintended consequences. While the Board respects its employees' First Amendment Rights, those rights do not include permission to post inflammatory comments that could compromise the District's mission, undermine staff relationships, or cause a substantial disruption to the school environment. This warning includes staff members’ online conduct that occurs off school property including from the employee’s private computer. Postings to social media should be done in a manner sensitive to the staff member’s professional responsibilities.

 

In addition, Federal and State confidentiality laws forbid schools and their employees from using or disclosing student education records without parental consent. See Policy 8330. Education records include a wide variety of information; posting personally identifiable information about students is not permitted. Staff members who violate State and Federal confidentiality laws or privacy laws related to the disclosure of confidential employee information may be disciplined.

FULL POLICY LANGUAGE

The Middle Update 1/4/2021

The start of 2021...we've all heard the many conversations and takes about the year 2020, and how challenging of a year it was...and for many people it was a difficult year.  I believe that even in difficult times, there are lessons to take away and silver linings that we can learn from.  The past 9 months have been like that...difficult at times, stressful at times, but also there are many parts to be excited about...I have seen so much growth from a teaching and learning perspective...teachers pushing out of their comfort zones and never looking back...certain changes to our in-school learning environment that have led to positive data in terms of our school climate...an overall flexibility and "we'll do our best to make it the best we can" mentality that has led to some awesome experiences.

To me, the start of this school year has gone by rather quickly...and I fully expect the second half of the school year to move quickly as well.  I truly hope you have had the opportunity to unplug over the holiday break, to do things that you truly enjoy, and that the break has led you to a place where you feel re-energized and ready to get back to being that positive, consistent rock for our kids.

We have all gained a deeper understanding of how to operate a school during a pandemic, and even though we've seen advances in vaccinations, it'll still be some time before we see a relaxation in our mitigation procedures here at school.  In fact, our safety procedures remain as important today as they were on the first day of school.  

With that being said, we will now look to find ways to become even effective and efficient at meeting the needs of our students.  Our modified approach has led to some weakness' in meeting needs in ways that we have become accustomed, and we have gradually made strides in how to meet the various needs that many of our students have.

Resource of the Week

We will start out the year 2021 with a resource that comes from within.  Podcasting is growing in popularity as a learning tool.  I know that podcasts have become a part of how I learn and I know the same is true for many of you.  It also could be another way for our students to share what they know.  I started a podcast (short) that highlights things that we do in our Middle School...how it came to be, why we do it, why it's important, and how it's going.  I recorded a podcast which I hope you take a few minutes to give a listen.

Podcast 1 (Connections)

Back to School!!

We are back to school virtually on Wednesday, and in-person on Thursday.  We have had a number of families decide to have their students attend school in-person full time now, moving from the virtual learning model.  I believe we have communicated about specific students with the grade level teachers that need to know, however, please refer to the Homebase Groups document to see the most up-to-date placements for students.

Wednesday (1/6/2021)

We'll plan to follow the virtual learning plan that we use when in-person learning is taking place.  Please communicate with students about your grade specific plan during the morning homeroom meetings on Wednesday AM.

  

School Safety Drill

We will be conducting a "Lock-down Drill" next week.  During this drill, we will NOT do our typical, shut off the lights, lock the door, and gather out of sight activity this year, due to our continued efforts to keep a distance from each other.  We will, however, engage in a cognitive drill where we will talk through a scenario that would involve us needing to go into a lock-down situation.  

End of Quarter 2

The end of the 2nd quarter will be on Friday, January 15th.  We'll have a PD Day on January 18th, and on that day there will be time to wrap up grades and write Report Card comments.  2nd quarter grades will be due by the morning of Thursday (1/21), as we will start printing those report cards off during the day on Thursday.

Also, the start of the 3rd quarter will also signal the switch from Science to Social Studies or vice versa for our students.

Message to Families

The message below was sent to our families on Sunday evening, reminding them of our extended holiday break, and some reminders about the upcoming week of learning.

Greetings,

We hope the holiday break has been positive for you and your family.  As a reminder, the holiday break was extended to last through Tuesday (1/5), and we are planning to start back up on Wednesday (1/6) with our typical Wednesday virtual learning day.  On Wednesday morning, students should join their morning Homeroom meeting virtually, and then follow the plans laid out from their teachers (assignments/meetings) the rest of the day.

We will be back to our in-person learning plan on Thursday (1/7).  As we return to school, please continue to communicate with the office about any symptoms your student may be experiencing or any close contacts to any positive case of COVID.  Students should stay home and participate in school virtually if they have any symptom of being ill...always erring on the side of caution for these decisions.  We are really looking forward to getting back to an environment where the concern for the spread of the virus is no longer at the forefront of our worries, but until then we all must continue to follow the mitigation routines and procedures we have had in place in order to have our school open for learning.

If your family is contemplating a switch to your student's learning plan (moving from virtual to in-person, or vice versa), please communicate with the office as soon as possible.

We have a great deal of appreciation for all that our families have done to help make the most out of this atypical school year.  We look forward to all the potential positive developments that await in the year 2021.  As always, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

I can't wait to see all of you back in action on Thursday!!

The Middle Update 12/18/20

We were back in the school this past week, and it was sure nice to see the students live and have interactions with them that weren't only through a screen.  From my perspective, I am so appreciative and impressed by our staff's ability to be flexible and provide great learning experiences for our students no matter what the circumstances are.  What we have accomplished in the second part of 2020 has been nothing short of remarkable.  I feel very fortunate to work with each of you. 

Resource of the Week

The article this week provides strategies that we can use to get our students to think in ways that will help them throughout their lives.  As we are able to get to know our students on a deeper level and spend more time with them each day in our current format, we have more opportunities to have these types of conversations with them.

"3 Ways to Get Teens Thinking Metacognitively" - Sarah Gonser

Larger Assessments

Our larger-scale assessments, like STAR and the Forward Exam, are important tools to measure both individual student progress, as well as the progress of our instructional efforts as a whole.  I was really disappointed that we were not able to take the Forward Exam last spring.  I look forward to these opportunities for our students to show off the skills and knowledge they have attained in our building, and also for the opportunity for the public to see the results of the strong efforts made by our staff to put our kids in position to be successful.  

Many of our students took the STAR Reading and Math Test this past week.  I have not had the chance to comb through the data in great detail, but at first glance, the growth showed from this assessment was pretty impressive.  This type of data speaks to the passion that we have to provide high quality learning experiences for our students even in such a challenging environment.  The Forward Exam is on schedule to be administered this year, and I look forward to this opportunity for our students and our school.

Flexible Mindset

Over the course of the experience of this school year, I have come to notice and appreciate the attitude and mentality of the adults that work in our school.  I have noticed a "go with the flow" mindset, and have appreciated this very much as we have faced things that have come up that are unexpected, and in many cases inconvenient.  I appreciate working in an environment where we have high expectations, but also understand the importance of making the most of the different circumstances that we encounter.

Puma Pride

Sometime on Monday or Tuesday, please have your Homeroom students log into IC and take a look at their current 2nd quarter scores.  We'll (Mrs. Andringa) be distributing tickets to Homeroom teachers, and for every ME a student currently has, please give them a ticket and have them put their name on it.  We'll collect those tickets and have a drawing on Tuesday afternoon.  Any student drawn can come down to select an item ranging from a candy bar, pack of gum, or a $5 BP gift card.  If a student does not have an ME, potentially set up a plan to earn a ticket by meeting Puma Pride expectations for the day on Monday and Tuesday, or something like that.

Images from the Week

The Middle Update 12/11/2020

 We are back to the building on Monday.  We may have to re-establish the routines and procedures that we had in place prior to our virtual learning experience. This will be an important week and a half before the Holiday break!

Resource of the Week

Our resource this week takes a look at the lessons learned by schools during the past 9 months.  The importance of strong relationship building, innovative instructional strategies are things we have seen and know much about.  I thought the part about forming community partnerships is an area that we can explore further in our school.

"What Educators are Learning During the Pandemic" - Becki Cohn-Vargas

Return to In-Person Learning

We'll be back together in our building on Monday.  You all did a great job with our students while we were learning virtually!  There certainly are natural strengths to the all-virtual model and there are other strengths to being in-person...with the main strength being more engagement by more kids on the schoolwork while kids are in the building.  We'll continue doing the best that we can, learning along the way...and as we have almost made it to the year 2021 and the 2nd semester, the planning for next year begins...lots of things to takeaway from what we are doing now, and how it will impact how we can be even more amazing in the fall of 2021.

There was one mistake in the announcements from Friday morning...It will be an A day for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades - It will be a D day for 5th grade.

Message to Families on Friday

The following message was sent out to families on Friday...

Hello,

We are planning to return to our in-person learning model on Monday, December 14th.  We will return to the same procedures we had in place prior to our pivot to Virtual Learning in November.  As we look ahead to Monday, please take note of the following:

-A big part of our Mitigation Plan is for people who may be at higher risk of transmitting the virus to stay out of school.  Please do not send your child to school if any of the following are true:

     *He/she has symptoms of COVID-19

     *In the past fourteen (14) days, they have had a known close contact with someone who is confirmed as having COVID-19; or

     *There is anyone in the household currently waiting for a COVID-19 test result. 

-We will be spending time outside, so please make sure students are dressed to stay warm in cold weather.

-Our virtual learners will now go back to the meeting times with teachers that were in place prior to the pivot to all in-person learning.

     5th (coordinate w/your classroom teacher)      6th      7th      8th

We appreciate the flexibility you have shown during this school year and the support given to your student in making the most out of this learning experience.  Please contact us with any questions that you may have about the upcoming adjustment in our learning model.  

Continuous Improvement and Innovation

As we get comfortable and understand our learning model, we have more of an opportunity to address the areas that hamper our ability to educate all kids like we know how to do...for example, not being able to see and work with each kid one on one.  As we have learned this year, we have made many improvements along the way, and I've had a chance to talk with many of you who have ideas for how to fix those areas that have been frustrating up to this point.  Let's continue to share those things with each other, and continue our work to make the difference in the life of each one of our students.  Every day is another opportunity to impact the trajectory and life of a kid.

Thanks for all you do!!

The Middle Update 12/4/2020

 Resource of the Week

Our resource this week comes from within.  Each week, I get the chance to connect, observe, and talk with all of the teachers in the building, sharing the things they've learned and what strategies they have utilized to make the most out of the educating our kids virtually.  Being a part of those conversations, I have learned a lot, and there is a lot to learn from each other.  This week's resource comes from the strong staff that we have in this building.  Feel free to reach out to your colleagues to learn more.  Thanks to all who shared the following successful strategies to share with others.

"I have been using the waterfall technique for discussions. This allows for a universal response where all students answer the question at the same time. To do this students are asked a question and type their answer in the chat. They are asked not to submit their response until I say and then you see a 'waterfall' of responses come in at once. I have students read through the answers and give shout-outs to other students. Then I read through a few and share what I like and a couple ways they could make their answers stronger. I have done this after students discuss in breakout rooms to help make sure everyone has ideas. You can also have students raise their hand to gauge how much more time is needed as they respond." - Amber

"I have found that giving students time to work on their assignment with me and with one another on the google meet to work very well. This way they can get immediate feedback and help. This also helps with late/missing work as students finish their assignments during our class time most days." - Stephanie

"Not something I did in particular, but...Earlier this week, I did a very informal poll with my homeroom and also asked students I saw in Google Meets for support about what worked best for them with Google Classroom and finding their assignments and what to do. The overwhelming majority said having everything on a Google DOC was what they preferred because it was one page that had everything on it in one place. Parents I talked to said they preferred that also because then they only received one email with what was posted vs. being inundated every time someone posted something. (For example: Math)" - Bonnie

"What’s worked for my class is meeting everyday and completing the Math, ELA and Science lessons together as a class. I have many low readers so even completing the readings together has been helpful. Additionally, my class loves working in groups so the breakout rooms has worked so well with my students." - Shelby

"I think the 3 biggest things that have worked well are utilizing breakout rooms. I have used breakout rooms to help with projects, group students based on how they are doing with the lesson, etc. The second thing that has worked well is starting mornings off with something fun; a song (It's Gonna Be A Lovely Day) or sharing about their day/weekend (plans and what happened). Lastly, I have recently been asking them how things are going by raising their hand (which we both love) or as a question/poll in google classroom/meet. This way I have immediate feedback on how they think things are going. Since I can't see their paper or body language really well on a screen this has helped me tailor instruction better. I can move on and come back to certain things with students or put them in breakout rooms, to help them understand the material." - Abby

"I've made sure to build in time for personal connections/relationships as much as possible.  Also, adjusting the pace or the scale of the work that is pushed out." - Julie

"Something that has worked REALLY well for me is talking to my colleagues. Having a quick conversation on the phone to check in on their day, celebrating joys of students together, and troubleshooting struggles has helped me during virtual learning. I never knew how much you can miss adult interactions." - Heather

"I have been doing 1-2 days a week of "LIVE" PE with my 6th and 5th graders.  We do a workout together, some challenging and some fun ones!  It has been a huge learning experience for me and has been fun!" - Jenny C.

"When kids struggle to turn in assignments in the google classroom, marking them missing in the infinite classroom has inspired a fair amount of students to turn work in."  - Ty

"I love using the features of Google Meet!  The class likes doing polls and using the question feature.  I also love the breakout rooms.  It is so nice to pop in and out of rooms to work with specific groups without the distractions that we have in the classroom.  I also love to be able to send kids into rooms and then work with the students that need more help.  (The hand raising feature is great too)." - Katy M

Another Week of Virtual Learning...

After a couple weeks of virtual learning, we learned yesterday that we will be engaging in at least another week of virtual learning.  I want to thank all of you for your efforts, doing a great job of teaching, and providing effective learning experiences for our students.  We have come a very long way in a short time period.  As we head into next week, please continue to report any students that report they are ill, or have been a close contact to a positive COVID case, or have tested positive themselves.  This information is a critical piece to what goes into the in-person learning decision-making process. 

Self Care

I'm sharing a graphic that shares activities that are good for one's mental health.  Take a look and continue to look to incorporate some of these activities into your daily routine.

The Middle Update 11/25/2020

This Thanksgiving season, I want to express my gratitude for all of you.  I hope you are able to truly take some time and enjoy your family and a few days off.  My family will be experiencing our first Thanksgiving in a place other than Price County...we'll be staying home and not with our extended families...it's certainly sad if you dwell on it, but we've found some new opportunities to be excited about.  However, you choose to do your Thanksgiving, please understand the guidelines and do your part to get us closer to the end of this period with all of us and our families safe and healthy.

Resource of the Week

Google Classroom has become a critical part of our instructional practices this school year.  Despite the common platform, there is a variety of ways in which a teacher could use to set up the Classroom.  In my position, I've been able to see all of the different ways our teachers have set it up.  There are a few layouts that stand out in terms of "ease of use" for students to navigate.  Now is just as good of a time as any to take a look at some effective ways to set up your Google Classroom to make it as "user-friendly" as possible.  Our post this week highlights what makes a solid "user-friendly" Classroom, and gives a few examples of how a couple teachers utilize this platform.  In our current reality, we've had the opportunity for our colleagues to experience how each Classroom is set up...it's a good time to ask each other for feedback...focusing on the "user-friendly" aspect of how your Google Classroom is set up.  Seeking feedback and actively looking to improve is a sign of strength and wisdom.

Credit to Mrs. Morrissey for the following post:

Revisit Your Google Classroom Practices

Now is a great time to review and consider possible changes to your Google Classroom as we transition to virtual learning for a longer period of time. Looking at your classroom from a student or caregiver’s perspective allows you to see areas where you might be able to make it more user-friendly. Here are some examples and tips to consider as you review your own Google Classroom: 

Tip #1: Create or re-share a video showing how to navigate in your Google Classroom

Creating a brief video or re-sharing it (if you already made one) is a great way to remind parents, caregivers, and students how to access their work in Google Classroom. While your students may know, they now might have other adults helping them while they are virtual.   

In your video, consider sharing these key pieces of information: 

• How to find and access classwork

• How topics are setup/organized 

• How to see missing work 

• How to see upcoming work

Tip #2: Reconsider how you are using topics: Clear and Organized Helps Students Stay That Way Too

The more you work in Google Classroom, you begin to think about how you can better organize your assignments and work. Using consistent topics is key to helping students stay organized! Here are some thoughts and examples from colleagues as to how they have their work organized.  

Julie shares her organization setup: “I set mine up with a category for each week with an assignment posting each day. Since kids get multiple assignments from each subject, I make sure to put ELA in the title of each assignment, along with the date. I do have other categories for things that we use throughout the quarter, such as the metalog progress tracking and links categories. I have also tried using the feature where it lets you send assignments to certain students to send differentiated work to students.” 

Another way is to organize by units. Here, Stephanie shares how her Google Classroom is designed: “I organize my work in Google Classroom by Chapter for math. I also have the students work on IXL skills monthly so there is a topic where they access their monthly IXL skill assignment. I have a topic for math games that students can play if they finish work as well as a topic for math resources and links such as access to the class flipgrid, schedules, etc.” 

 

Tip #3: Be consistent: Routines Help Students Stay Organized

 

Reflect on how you are sharing information in Google Classroom with your students. Are you consistently sharing assignments/ work at the same time and same day of the week? For example, every Monday share the weekly slideshow and have students turn it in on Friday. Having consistency with assigning work and their deadlines help families or caregivers, as well as students, stay on top of what they need to accomplish.  

 

Here is an example of how Stephanie keeps assignments consistent for her students: “For my Google Classroom Assignments: “I organize them by day and date and have all of the directions outlined on a google document with links to the different work. “

  

 

 

Stephanie continues, “I have been including the textbook pages in my assignments and have students do their work in their math notebooks and then paste a picture of their work in the outlined box on the google doc. I feel that this organization works well for students and it is easy for me to see who is turning in and completing their daily work.” 

 

Tip #4: Consider the Workload: Remember That Students Have More than One Class

It is easy to forget that we are not the only teacher/course a student has. As you review your Google Classroom, think about the number of assignments students are getting and consider these questions: 

• Which of these assignments can be done during virtual class work time? 

• Which of these assignments are “homework”? 

• Could some of these assignments be done instead through discussions in breakout rooms or small group sessions? 

• Could some of these assignments be modified/changed to limit student workload? Less problems? A paragraph rather than a full paper? An exit slip reflection? 

• Could the number of assignments be decreased by creating a weekly document? 

Reflecting on these questions and making modifications based on these can help students find more success. 

It’s important to remember that your Google Classroom is primarily for your students and their caregivers. Thinking about it from their perspective helps to ensure that your students can complete their work and find success in your class.  

Want to get more ideas about Google Classroom setup? Here is a brief video tutorial: How To Organize Your Google Classroom: Easy Tutorial.  

Please let Anna or Katie know if you would like support with your Google Classroom. We are always happy to help! 

Safety Drill for December

In December, our Safety Drill will focus on our Lock-down procedures.  We would use a lock-down in the event a dangerous person enters our building.  Instead of physically having students huddle together with lights off and out-of-sight, we will execute a cognitive drill.  An outline of discussion points and how to lead this cognitive drill will be shared soon, along with the specific date after we return from our virtual learning experience.

Transitioning from Remote to In-Person Learning

At this time, we are scheduled for one more week of remote learning.  We plan to be back in-person on Monday, December 7th.  While we are in a remote-learning period, please keep in mind the following:

     -Students and their families should be reporting any illness or "close contact" to the office, just as if school is in session.  If, during meetings with students, you hear or notice any illness or hear of a positive test or quarantine order, please let Robin or myself know right away.

     -We continue efforts to provide extra support to some of our students that are in need.  At the end of this past week, we built in more opportunities for more students to receive extra support from adults at school.  We'll continue to look for ways we can support all of our kids.

     -While in the building, it's important to continue to adhere to the mitigation plan.  It's easy to become comfortable with each other, but that comfort and letting your guard down is precisely how the virus has spread in many situations, including the school setting.  Masks at all times, if you choose to eat with a colleague, please do so while sitting across the room from each other, and avoid riding in a vehicle together...if you must, both should be wearing a mask. 

Have a Great Thanksgiving Holiday!  I am very thankful for the opportunity to work with all of you!

The Middle Update 11/20/2020

I want to start this post by saying thank you again for the flexibility and positivity during this past week.  Making an adjustment in lesson plans in the middle of the week and transitioning to teaching all of the students online is not an easy task.  Through these uncertain times, your ability to adapt and persevere when things are uncertain and challenging has been a model for students.  Our kids have had the opportunity to see up front how adults react to stressful situations, and I'm happy they are learning from true professionals.  Thank you for your efforts and pulling off solid learning experiences for our students!

Resource of the Week

The article this week provides some insight from a fellow teacher about effective assessment strategies in a remote learning situation.  

"4 Assessment Strategies for Distance and Hybrid Learning" - Kyleen Gray

Virtual Learner Expectations

In our staff meeting time a few weeks ago, we discussed the importance of setting up Virtual Learner Expectations with your groups of students.  Mrs. Wagner shared the expectations that her class came up with.  Simple, straight-forward, student driven are indicators of expectations that work well.

Keeping School Open During a Pandemic...

We have worked hard as a school district to understand what the leading health experts have recommended to open schools safely for students and staff, and have put in place those safety measures.  Part of those recommendations require the close monitoring of student/staff health and symptoms, and keeping people that have symptoms out of school.  Like we have seen this past week, we have acted cautiously when there has appeared to be an increase in the number of students/staff with multiple symptoms or in the event of a positive COVID case.  We are one of the first groups contacted if a student or staff member tests positive for COVID, and in those instances contact tracing and quarantine precautions are implemented quickly.  

Over the course of the first 12 weeks of school, the virus and its impact on schools has been studied extensively.  We continue to review not only our local situation, but also what is happening in our neighboring school districts, as well as school districts across the country.  Below are a couple of links to recent releases, research, or articles on the topic from non-biased sources.  A couple of opinion articles published this week in the New York Post and Washington Times are also interesting reads on the topic.

State of Michigan Order (11/15/20)

Brown University Study (11/16/20) 

NPR's analysis on Schools in Europe (11/13/20)

NPR on New York City's Latest Decision on Schools (11/18/20)

School Safety

Even during this unusual school year, we are still responsible for executing our safety drills.  One of the next safety drills that we will conduct will be our lock-down drill.  This year, we will not ask teachers to close the door, turn off the lights, and have students shelter in place.  In its place, we'll ask teachers to conduct a cognitive drill with your students.  We'll provide the talking points again, but the purpose would be to discuss what to do in a situation in which a dangerous person may enter the school.  More details including a guide to this discussion & day/time will be provided soon.

The Middle Update 11/13/2020

As we near the middle of November, I wanted to share a few of statistics taken from our Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted last year.  Did you know that...

In the middle school, students that identified as food insecure were less likely to feel like they belonged (45% insecure versus 73% secure), more likely to report bullying (53% insecure versus 28% secure), less likely to say they have a teacher to talk to (50% insecure versus 83% secure) and more likely to report mental health concerns (82% insecure versus 42% secure).  

What questions or wonders do you have after reading this data?

We plan to give out a school climate survey soon to gather data to see how changes that have been in place this year may compare to previous year's data...more planning and information to come on this topic, and how we'll use that information to inform future school planning.

Resource of the Week

The article this week has so many good nuggets about effective remote teaching strategies.  From highlighting the effective parts of the workshop model (mini-lesson, independent work/conferring, reflective closure) to being equitable in our practices to fostering independence in our learners, this article provides it all.  As we continue our efforts, we'll continue to analyze our practices and breakdown the specific strategies that we need to use to be most effective with our students.

"Using the Workshop Model to Foster Independence" - Paul Emerich France

Preparing for an Extended Remote Learning Situation

We have worked throughout the first 11 weeks of school to have a plan put in place where we can transition seamlessly from an in-person model to a remote learning experience.  After much collaboration and effort from all of you, I believe we are prepared.  In our staff meeting on Monday, we briefly discussed staff expectations for an extended learning situation.  This DOCUMENT details the staff expectations.  At this time, please be thinking about what your situation will look like, in terms of time spent in the building.  If this determination is made, I will send out a Google Form to collect information about each staff member's specific plan.

Our goals are as follows:

• Provide high quality instruction to all students in a remote/virtual format

• Provide some flexibility to teachers, students, and families in order to respond to the pandemic.

Appreciation

As Thanksgiving approaches, I'm interested in learning your ideas of ways that students can continue to express gratitude towards others.  I don't think we can do enough of these types of activities with our kids...if students can start to develop an appreciation of the little things that the people around them do, the better able they will be at demonstrating empathy.  Routinely expressing gratitude has also been proven to improve mental health and self-image. 

An idea that Ms. Hecht shared that we will execute is having our students send a Holiday Card to troops overseas.  You'll notice a stack of holiday cards in your mailbox.  There is one in there for every student in your Homeroom.  We will be sending the cards out through a group that sends cards to our service members that don't get a lot of mail...a simple act like this can be huge for them.  Please have your student fill out a card and express gratitude for someone who is actively working in service to our country.  The student should address the card..."Dear Soldier,"  We'll also have a manilla envelope for you to place the cards from your homeroom inside.  When all of the cards are complete, you can bring them down to the office, and we'll get them mailed to the appropriate place.  

What are some other ways we can show students the power of sharing appreciation with others?

Art/Spanish/Technology Classes

For the following electives (Art, Spanish, Technology) in 5th, 6th and 7th grades, we will run those classes by trimester.  At the trimester, which ends November 24th, the following electives will switch: 5th - Art, 6th - Coding, 7th - Spanish.  The 2nd trimester will end on March 5th.  Then, it'll be 5th - Coding, 6th - Spanish, and 7th - Art.

Images from the Week