The Middle Update 9/26/21

All Students Can Learn at High Levels

Students Do Well if They Can

What WE Do Makes the Difference for the Kids in School 

We continue to navigate another unique school year in so many ways.  Thank you for your dedication, patience, and consistent approach.  There have already been many students that may have struggled early, but staff worked with the student on a solution and have improved...there are some whom we've discovered new struggles that we'll work with them to solve, and there have been some who continue to work with at finding the solutions to help them be at their best consistently.

The COVID/quarantine realities have hit my house over the last two weeks, so my wife and I will be scrambling to cover the little one at home over the course of this week...many thanks to all of you for stepping in to help out when needed.  A reminder that both Miranda and I are "go-to's" when we are both in the building, and if one of us is out of the building the other one remains the "go-to" regardless of the matter.  We communicate often and operate as a team.

Resource of the Week

As we are learning more and more each day, it is sometimes hard to remember that this is the first real middle school experience for our 5th-7th graders.  They continue to get comfortable with new routines, and adjusting to life back at school.  Our resource this week provides a reminder for all of us about what our students have been through, and some simple strategies that we can use to help them and their mental health.

"Helping Students Cope With a Difficult Year" - Carolyn Curtis

Staff Meeting Wednesday (9/29) - 7:15am

We'll have our first during the school year staff meeting on Wednesday (9/29) morning at 7:15.  Let's plan to meet in the cafeteria.  We'll be focusing on school culture, sharing best practices, and the work of a PLC.

PLC Updates

Thank you all for your dedication and participation in our PLC groups to start the year.  We'll be taking a closer look at the work we've been doing so far, and the work that we'll be working towards getting.  Miranda and I will be looking at your PLC notes on Wednesday mornings and following up with groups or group leaders.  If you have a teacher or two that have emerged as leaders of your PLC, please let us know. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences (10/14, 2:00-8:00)

We'll be hosting our fall parent teacher conferences on Thursday, October 14 from 2:00-8:00.  We'll have an Early Release on this day for our students.  We'll follow this SCHEDULE on this date.  Please review the schedule keeping a special eye on what your day would look like.  If you notice a conflict for you, please let me know as soon as possible.

I'll have more information to share in a couple days regarding the format of our fall PT conferences (virtual or F2F, etc).

Substitute Teachers and Calling

I want to thank so many of you for stepping in and helping out when we've been short handed...your efforts are truly appreciated, and as a reminder, please stop down to see Patti for a time sheet in those instances.  I can't tell you how much it's appreciated when a teacher is willing to help us out, even though we all know it's not ideal.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Moving forward, if you end up calling Gary or Becky (see below) for a sub, if you could please also notify me either by email or via text (608 692 2088), so that I can begin the process of preparing for coverage if necessary.  A little extra time makes a big difference for me.  

As a reminder, our Sub Caller is Gary Laib and his phone number is 608.635.4879.  Please refer to his previous email from this week for the times you should call.  As a reminder from October 5th-October 23rd, please call Becky McFadden at 608.444.2305. 

Employee Handbooks

As per usual, I'll be posting regular sections from the Employee Handbook to keep those guidelines in the forefront of our thought processes throughout the year.

Confidentiality

Employees are responsible for protecting the confidentiality of all information concerning employees, students, clients, donors and organizations with which the District does business.

Student education records are treated as confidential under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and Wisconsin state statutes, and District policy.  Policy 8330

When there is separation of employment, individuals must return all paper and/or electronic documents (including storage devices) containing any confidential or proprietary information.

Professional Appearance

Employees are expected to dress in a professional manner appropriate to their working conditions and type of work performed. Certain departments, such as Food Service and Buildings and Grounds require special attire for work.

Employees should consult their supervisor regarding dress code requirements specific to departments. For most instructional and secretarial staff, business casual is most appropriate. Casual dress is appropriate for certain field trips, shop experiences, lab experiments or times when clothing could become soiled. Piercings and/or tattoos cannot be distracting or contain inappropriate material. Administration may require removal of piercings or covering of tattoos.

Beach or “gel” style footwear (flip flops, shower shoes, Croc® style) are prohibited.

All employees are District representatives at co-curricular activities and conferences and should appear as such.

Copyright

The District expects all employees to model legal and ethical behavior. Therefore, all copyright, video, web publishing and internet laws and guidelines must be followed by all District employees. For additional information regarding Copyright, see Appendix C.

Co-curricular Duties

Learning in our schools goes beyond the classroom. Employees are encouraged to attend co-curricular events. Teaching staff may receive assignments of supervision at school co-curricular activities.

Food Service Purchases

All staff are welcome to purchase a meal or a la carte items during scheduled meal hours. Meal hours vary by building and level. Purchases are made utilizing a District supplied identification number. ID numbers correspond to a personal lunch account. The account is a debit system; therefore, funds must be in the account prior to making a purchase. Cash is not accepted in the lunch line. All food service items must be paid for at time of service. Food service employees are eligible for one (1) meal per day at no cost on days when they work

General Rules of Conduct

Employees represent the District at all times and in all places. Employees are expected to model positive, effective behavior and to adhere to the highest standards of their professions.

Below are general guidelines for employee conduct. Many of these guidelines appear elsewhere in this Handbook.

These guidelines are by no means exhaustive or complete, but simply list examples of conduct that may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. The District reserves the right to determine the appropriate discipline based on the circumstances of the individual incident.

Violations of policy include, but are not limited to:

1. Falsification or unauthorized altering, deletion or omissions of records

2. Unauthorized disclosure of confidential or privileged information

3. Unauthorized use and/or possession of intoxicating beverages, narcotics or drugs on District premises

4. Reporting to work under the influence of alcohol, narcotics or drugs. Misuse of prescription drugs.

5. Failure or refusal to report child abuse

6. Unauthorized use or misuse of electronic resources

7. Time theft: being late, leaving early, being absent from work without permission/prior notification, fraudulent requests for time off, fraudulent completion of time/duty cards, sleeping while on duty, etc.

8. Stealing or damage/destruction of property belonging to the District, other employees, or students/community members

9. Gambling on District premises

10. Violating or ignoring safety and sanitary standards and expectations

11. Failing to obtain or maintain a current license, certification or other qualification required by law or the District.

12. Promoting, encouraging, engaging in, or facilitating, any illegal strike slowdown, sickout, work stoppage, curtailment of work schedules, or refusal to perform customary and assigned duties

13. Refusal to follow a directive/carry out assigned duties

14. Insubordination

15. Physical assault

16. Use of obscenities and/or abusive language on District premises or at District events

17. Threatening, harassing, abusive or bullying behavior

18. Failing to fully cooperate in any District investigation

19. Failure to maintain professional or ethical standards

20. Failure to follow chain of authority

21. Failure to protect/Misuse of/Failure to follow proper procedure when dealing with District funds

22. Dishonesty

These rules do not trump or restrict legal rights and activities of employees.

The Middle Update 9/17/21

All Students Can Learn at High Levels

Students Do Well if They Can

What WE Do Makes the Difference for the Kids in School

Our first 5 day week of the school year was filled with great learning experiences.  It is fun to be a part of a mindset that centers around the belief that we are the difference for the kids, and we have an opportunity to impact our students in a positive way.  This impact happens both academically and teaching them crucial lessons centering around respect and empathy for others.  Thank you for continuing to bring this type of mindset to school every day...you can feel it in our culture.

Resource of the Week

Providing choice for our students has shown to improve engagement and learning in many different ways.  There are many examples in our own school with many different teachers....one example is in PE where efforts, led by Mr. Kartos, provided students choice in the activity they chose to accomplish the goal led to drastically improved student participation and engagement.  I'm sure there are many more to share, and I would love to share examples from each of you in future blog posts.  The post this week provides some more insight into what this could look like in both the elementary and secondary schools. 

"The Importance of Student Choice Across All Grade Levels" - Stephen Merrill, Sarah Gonser

COVID and Quarantines

I appreciate all of the efforts being made to help our students that are in quarantine situations keep up with the class as much as possible.  We sent out our the process that we will follow earlier this week, but will share again HERE.  

We continue to track every absence, symptom, test result, and are following the recommended CDC quarantine guidelines.  We have seen an uptick in COVID activity, but we also have seen students that have been sick that is not COVID.  Contact tracing is pretty involved and there are a lot of factors to consider in making the quarantine decisions, but we stick to the protocol that has been recommended.  Please contact me, Miranda, and Mr. Fischer if you have any questions about the process.  

I appreciate your communication with the office in situations where a student mentions they aren't feeling well, so that we can do our best to ensure that students that aren't in school who shouldn't be based on how they are feeling.  We have had to send students home in these situations.  Please continue to space out your desks/student spaces while they are learning, and work to keep students separated as much as possible.

A big shout-out goes to Debbie, Ryan, Cassie, and Randy in the lunchroom for their work to be diligent about our lunch time spacing procedures.  Also to Dean, Lisa, and Ebony for facilitating a safe, engaging outside experience for the kids.

Grades (Mid-Term is almost here!)

As we approach the end of the third week since school started, we notice that the middle of the quarter is almost here.  Please have standard grades posted in the assessed standards by the end of next week (9/24).  As always, please review student evidence, and determine the rubric level that has been demonstrated by the student.

Also a reminder of our Puma Pride grade posting guidelines.  If you have not, please review and update grades accordingly.  Please let me know if you have any grading/posting questions.

Employee Handbook Reminders

As per usual, I'll be posting regular sections from the Employee Handbook to keep those guidelines in the forefront of our thought processes throughout the year.

Work Day

Employee workdays will be established by the District Administrator according to building and district needs.

Calendar

The school calendar shall be determined by the Board. The determination of the structure of the days (instructional, work days, etc.) shall be at the discretion of Administration.

Professional Development/Training Programs (In-service)

As a learning and teaching institution, the District expects all employees to model continuous learning to develop professional skills and personal growth. The District provides periodic In-service and training opportunities that are required for staff depending on assignment and role. Leave will not be approved on professional development or in-service days. Extenuating circumstance (i.e. emergent, bereavement, etc.) may be approved by administration with appropriate documentation.

Meetings

Each supervisor will determine the times and frequencies of staff meetings. Efforts will be made to share the schedule in a timely manner. Employees must attend all meetings as called by administration or supervisors. In general, absences will be excused for emergencies only and must be granted by the administrator/supervisor calling the meeting.

The District Administrator may, from time to time, call all-staff meetings when need is determined.

Injuries to Employees

Employees who are injured at work must complete a First Report of Injury form within twenty-four (24) hours of the injury whenever feasible. This form is located in the Business Office and must be completed with a Business Office official.

All incidents must be reported immediately to building administration or immediate supervisor.

Injuries to Students

All student injuries should be reported to the building principal/direct supervisor immediately.

Attention should be given to all injuries, however minor. An accident report must be filled out for all injuries and submitted to the building principal within twenty –four (24) hours or the next scheduled District workday. The building administrator will submit the completed form to the business office as soon as possible. Forms are located in the front office.

Images from the Week

The Middle Update 9/10/21

All Students Can Learn at High Levels

Students Do Well if They Can

What WE Do Makes the Difference for the Kids in School

Two weeks in the books and the routines needed to maximize learning are starting to take shapes in classrooms around the building.  After a year off of normally routine procedures, there has been and there continues to be a little learning curve of getting back into the smooth operation of things like passing time, nutrition break, lunch time, etc...  We'll continue to analyze reality of our procedures, ask for feedback, and work to maximize the efficiency of these important parts of the school day.

Procedures

Passes - During the 19-20 school year, we introduced the plastic clipboard for students to use as a pass to leave the classroom.  Last year, we didn't use passes at all because students were in the same classroom and easier to keep tabs on.  As the 21-22 school year has gotten started, we have a mix of clipboard passes, yellow passes, or no passes being used.

We must know where each student is located at all times, so we need a system...There are some significant concerns about the sanitation of the plastic clipboard pass system as they enter and exit restrooms/stalls, etc.  Please talk through this situation as a grade level or specials team, and be ready to share your thoughts on the best system for our school.  I'll follow up on this topic in individual meetings over the next two weeks.   Until then, please ensure you have a system for knowing where all of your students are.

Attendance - Like passes, last year was different in terms of attendance.  For this year, we'll ask that you take attendance as part of your beginning of class routine.  We monitor attendance as a team each morning and will mark out students that are excused, so it's a matter of tracking if students are where they are supposed to be.  We are starting to see a little more of students enjoying the freedom of going from class to class and taking a bit too much time, so we'd like to have data that shows us if any students need support in this area.  If a student is noticeably late to your class, please mark them "Tardy".  If a student comes with an excused pass, you can remove the tardy.

Students Sent to Office - If a situation comes up where a teacher determines the best course of action is having a student take a break in the office, we ask that an adult calls down to the office to notify us a student is on the way, and what the student needs (a 5 minute reset...finish an assessment, etc.).  If a student shows up without your knowledge, we'll call up to ensure communication takes place.

Morning Homeroom - Please work with your students to build the habit of bringing materials for their first class of the day to Homeroom.  We can eliminate a locker stop that sometimes can result in the likelihood of unsupervised transit.

End of Day Homeroom - This has been a topic of much conversation over the course of the first two weeks.  We are finding the shorter time in the schedule is making it difficult to host a meaningful check-out time with each student.  Also, it's been difficult to get the students to report directly to Homeroom without stopping at their locker after their last class.  We have a couple primary goals for this important part of our schedule:

    -Have a system where students drop off and plug in their Chromebook (this is essential to our system)

    -Have a connection point with a trusted adult before each student leaves for the day (big goal)

    -Have a system set up for any student that has a "check in/check out" plan

As of Friday afternoon, we are still searching for a clear, efficient, and executable plan.  We'll continue conversations in BW meetings, but also if teams could work through possible solutions that will accomplish our goals for each student in each Homeroom group for this time of the day.

PLC Meetings

We had our first round of PLC meetings last Wednesday morning.  I enjoyed both the conversations in those I attended and also reviewing the meeting notes from each group that met.  This will be an important system to facilitate the data review/professional conversations that will enhance student learning by continuing to work on answers to the 4 questions to guide the work of exceptional schools:

1.  What do we want our students to learn?

2.  How do we know if they learned it?

3.  What do we do if students don't learn it?

4.  What do we do if students learn it quickly?

We'll meet as a teaching staff on the last Wednesday of every month from 7:15 to 7:50.  We'll meet in the Professional Development room.  Our first meeting will be on Wednesday, September 29th.

Employee Handbooks

As per usual, I'll be posting regular sections from the Employee Handbook to keep those guidelines in the forefront of our thought processes throughout the year.

General Practices

Attendance

Employees are expected to make every effort to be present for work and adhere to their assigned schedule. Teachers are expected to report to work at least 15 minutes before student arrival time; subject to building administration needs. Employees who are unable to report to work shall follow their department/building procedures for reporting and recording absences.

On days when school is cancelled due to inclement weather, most staff do not report. Custodial and Secretarial staff should make reasonable efforts to attend. If, however, they cannot, these groups may utilize up to three (3) days of leave and/or Leave Without Pay (with written authorization) or a vacation day (if eligible). Nine and 12-month hourly employees (paraprofessionals, secretaries, food service, administrative assistants, and custodians) may utilize up to three (3) days of leave during district weather cancellations with the approval of his/her supervisor. One day being defined as regularly scheduled duty hours. Accommodations must be made through immediate supervisor and, in the event of Leave Without Pay, the District Administrator. Teachers may be required to administer their classes remotely (Teacher Virtually) on cancelled days.

For times when school is delayed, staff is to report according to the delay. Teaching staff must report in a reasonable time to be prepared for student arrivals and the school day, usually at least 15 minutes before student arrival to class.  Support staff working in the buildings must arrive 15 minutes prior to student arrival. Food service staff must arrive as close to their scheduled start time as possible.

Although the District performs better when all employees are in attendance, the District recognizes the occasional need to be away from work for illness, illness of a family member, funerals, or urgent personal matters. For this reason, the District provides paid time away from work (leave). Please note: leave time is not intended to be used as vacation. In general, leave falls into three broad categories: medical (illness/appointments, etc.), bereavement (attending a wake, funeral, celebration of life, etc.), or personal (Times when the employee has no control over the schedule; i.e. weddings, college graduation, etc.). Personal leave is meant for extraordinary circumstances. The District reserves the right to request verification for any time used.

Leave is allocated at the beginning of each fiscal/school year and is to be used as a protection from loss of income.  All leave must be requested and approved by a supervisor. All attempts should be made to make appointments outside of regularly assigned hours. Details about leave are located in Appendix A (Teachers) and B (Support Staff).

Good attendance is an essential element of employment. Poor attendance can lead to disciplinary action:

Any employee who is absent without notice and/or approval for three (3) consecutive work days is deemed to have resigned without proper notice (job abandonment).

Employees who fail to provide adequate notice of tardiness and incur instances of unexcused tardiness as a result may be subject to discipline. Any employee who incurs excessive tardiness may be disciplined up to and including termination.

Employees who fail to provide adequate notice of absences and incur unexcused absences as a result, may be subject to discipline up to and including termination.

The Middle Update 9/5/2021

What a week!  After this week, I feel like I was able to connect with students in such a more meaningful authentic manner....I really enjoyed being back in the rhythm of school with having the main focus on learning.  Make no mistake...COVID 19 is around us and will most likely impact our instruction at points throughout the year...but I'm optimistic, learning experiences like we experienced in week 1 will be the norm for our kids.

The week just proved how awesome of a staff that we have.  Nearly all of the students I talked with are having a great experience, and the focus on getting to know all of our students, what makes them tick, and how they learn sets the tone for a strong culture and effective learning experiences.  Thank each one of you for your role in shaping this culture in our school.  I'm already excited for next week!!

Friday WIN Time

We had a little confusion among the students about Friday WIN time...so I wanted to clarify in this post.  This time is truly a time for students to take a breath and have an opportunity to catch up if needed, and for teachers to work with specific students that may need a little extra time with outside of class or regular WIN time.  The expectation is that this is a quiet work time in classrooms, and if students are caught up, they should be reading a good book.  The groups are centered around Homeroom or Class Groups, but have some variation depending on teacher availability.  You can see the groups HERE.  

Teachers can request to have students report to them by using this DOCUMENT.  This document should be updated by Friday morning each week, and Homeroom teachers should communicate with students about where they should report that Friday WIN time. 

Puma Pride Reporting

We revised our Puma Pride standards so that there are four of them now.  These standards can be really important feedback for students and parents, and we already use (and have the potential to use) the data from the results in many different ways.  To help have our students get consistent feedback they can count on, we have proposed a system of expectations for the reporting of student progress within the 4 Puma Pride standards.  Please take a moment to review a DRAFT of the expectations for the reporting of Puma Pride standards.  I have sought some feedback from teachers during August EE meetings, and will seek some more feedback before putting a plan in place by the end of the week.

Bi-Weekly Meeting Schedule Coming Soon

Invites for BW Meetings will be hitting the inbox of teachers soon...we'll use this time to check in, review Educator Effectiveness Plans, and give teachers a chance to get questions answered.  BW Meetings will take place in teacher classrooms and either myself of Miranda will be there.  Please let me know if you have a preference for your BW meeting time.

PLC Meetings Starting Up Soon

Now that we have 3 days under our belt and have started to collect some data our PLC meetings will be starting up soon.  Thanks to all for setting up your meeting schedule.  I'll be working to set up our staff meeting schedule for the year, along with larger department check-ins in the next week.

I'll ask each PLC group to check the document for meeting times, and update them with more specific times (for example...2nd and 4th Wednesday, or every Wednesday morning).  I'll schedule larger group meetings around those dates.  Also, I need two of the grade level teams to update their weekly meeting time and locations.

Employee Handbooks

As per usual, I'll be posting regular sections from the Employee Handbook to keep those guidelines in the forefront of our thought processes throughout the year.

Conflict of Interest and Ethical Standards (page 15)

It is imperative that our professional organization not create the perception of favoritism or special privilege. Employees are not permitted to gain monetarily by their position within the district. Employees are prohibited by Wis. Stat. §118.12 from receiving anything of value for their own benefit that results from selling, soliciting, or promoting the sale of any goods or services to any public school pupil while on school property or at school-sponsored events.  (Policy 3230, 4230)

Whenever possible, staff will not have instructional responsibility for their own children, guardians, or blood relatives.  Employees are expected to avoid situations in which their personal interests, activities and associations may conflict with the interest of the District.

Outside Employment (page 16)

Employment with the School District of Poynette must be considered pre-eminent. Outside employment must not interfere with the employee’s performance or work schedule. Employees may not perform any duties for an outside employer during regularly scheduled working hours or during additional hours required for professional responsibilities.

Personal Data Changes (page 16)

All changes in personal information, including changes of name, address, telephone numbers, education, marital status, dependent status, etc. should be updated with the Business Office in a timely manner.

Political Activities of Staff (page 16)

Because political activities may be disruptive, divisive and distracting to a positive learning environment, such activities are not appropriate within the school setting. The Board prohibits political activities on all District owned and used property, within all school buildings and at all school sponsored activities unless part of a Board approved teaching unit.

Information from Shelley Kaschinske about Muscular Dystrophy

A message from Shelley below...

I have attached a handout that I prepared for teachers in 2020 on DMD (Muscular Dystrophy). It would be helpful to forward to all of the teachers, and encore teachers, office staff, etc, that may work/interact with the student(s) at the Elementary and Middle schools.

I am happy to answer any questions staff have about these students. Generally, if there are behaviors, we assess/consider fatigue and build in and encourage more rest/sleep breaks and encourage wheelchair use to limit fatigue from walking within the school environment. 

Here is the Handout LINK

Images from the Week

The Middle Update 8/30/21

After a long summer of preparation, having all of you back in our buildings, getting ready to put months of planning into action, was awesome.  Seeing excited kids and their families in our building on Thursday night topped off a great week at school.  Thanks to each of you for your hard work preparing for what I believe will be our best year yet at Poynette Middle School.

There was a lot of information shared over the course of the three days at our staff meetings, so I wanted to re-share some important logistical information so that we all are on the same page starting on Day 1.

1st Day of School Logistics

Our doors will open each day at 7:50 am each day.  At that time, staff that is manning doorways can let students in the building  Buses will let kids off bus by bus, just like last year.  Each student will have a door they need to enter that is near their assigned Homeroom (see map linked below).  The maps were distributed with student schedules, but a reminder would also be helpful on the first day.  Students should also leave the building from their assigned door.

LINK TO MAP

Announcements will come on right at 8:00am, which will be short, and then Mrs. Moe and I will broadcast a brief live-stream video in which we'll welcome students, but also review some procedures and protocols for the year.  After that, teachers should proceed with the normal Homeroom plans for the rest of the time.

A Day, B Day?  How do I tell?

Wednesday will be an A day for students, so they should follow their A day schedule, including for WIN time.  During WIN time, teachers should build relationships with their students, and review expectations for this time period with them, and also get going improving skills with students if time allows.

-7th and 8th grade students will follow an AB schedule.

-6th grade students will also follow an AB schedule, however, we'll read it on the announcements as A1, B1, A2, B2, A3, B3, A4, and B4.  The numbers in each sequence determine whether a 6th grader has Spanish, Life Skills, or IMC class in their Specials rotation.

-5th grade students will follow an ABCDE rotation for their Specials classes, and 5th grade teachers will communicate with their 1st block group where they should go each day.

WIN Time on Friday

On Fridays, each student will have more of a flexible study time during the WIN time period.  Teachers can request to see specific students to work with during this time.  Teachers should use this document (Friday WIN Time Requests) to request students...please have your request(s) in before Friday morning, and teachers should share with students during Homeroom on Friday if they have been requested.  Below is a roster of where students should report on Friday during WIN time...it mainly correlates to their 1st block academic class, with a couple of exceptions.

21-22 PMS FRIDAY WIN Time Assignments

Lunch/Nutrition Break Procedures

The specific times and procedures can be found on this DOCUMENT.  One change from last year is that students need to report to the cafeteria to get their breakfast, and then will bring it back to the classroom to eat.  7th/8th grade students coming from Specials should report to the cafeteria to get their breakfast prior to reporting to their 1st academic block class of the day.  Please let me know if you have questions about this procedure.

****Teachers should take a breakfast and lunch count in the morning while doing attendance and record the numbers in Infinite Campus (I made a mistake in my message to staff about this in our meeting on Thursday, for which I apologize).

While students are eating lunch, we'll utilize the entire space of the cafeteria.  We have enough capacity to have 4 students per table, and there are x's on the benches/seats where students should sit.  We'll also have them sign in on a sheet at each table, to assist us in the event we need to contact trace during lunch.  We are planning to share this procedure in the morning live-stream message.

Face Covering Update/Mitigation Procedures

Dr. Shappell will share in an email each week the status of face coverings at school for the next week.  We'll be starting the first week requiring face coverings in the building.  Face coverings are optional outside.  We do have some students who have received either a medical or religious exemption.  I will be communicating with specific teachers about the students who have an exemption in place, so they are aware.  Please don't address students in the hallway.  If you have a specific concern or question, don't hesitate to reach out to either Miranda or me.

With that being said, we should be stressing the importance of social distance and having at least 3 feet of space in between each student should be the norm for the arrangement of seats where students will be spending most of their class time.  For group work, I would also stress social distance as much as possible, and putting any student who has a mask exemption working in a group at a larger table so they could be spread out a bit more.  For students with a mask exemption, I would also recommend their assigned space in the seating chart to be on the edge of any arrangement you have.  I'll also ask that you keep track of groups that are working together for a time period longer than 15 minutes for potential contact tracing purposes.  We have had an uptick in requests over the last couple of days.

If we do have a student that has to be quarantined, we'll work with the student to get the most out of their time at home.  If a student has to quarantine, each teacher will be notified by Patti through email.  The email will indicate when the student can return to school.  We'd like to get a process set up for each grade level's plan for working with this student.  We'll plan to meet as grade level core teams during prep time on Thursday (9/2) to hammer out a procedure.  

    -5th - 2:00-Larson's room, 

    -6th -1:00-Weckerly's room, 

    -7th - 8:30-Hendrickson's room,

    -8th - 10:00-Frehner's room.  

Quarantines may be shorter than last year with a negative test, and we need to do whatever we can to avoid having the student fall behind in this situation.

Staples in Walls

With many of our rooms recently repainted and redone, this is your annual reminder to place not put staples into the walls.  The office has a 3M product that you can use to hang things up in your classroom.

What It's All About!!

Seeing the kids come into school on Wednesday is why we all do what we do.  We all will undoubtedly encounter challenges this year, but the little moments of success will outnumber those challenges.  I am proud to lead this group of people who all share the common vision of ensuring success for each of our students.  Thank you for all you do to contribute to the culture we need for all students to thrive.

The Middle Update 8/23/21

The 21-22 school year officially kicked off for our students and families with our first annual "Locker Night".  There was an air of excitement and energy in the building as students and families arrived to check out our newly renovated facilities, get their schedule and start perfecting their ability to open up their lock.  It was a very enjoyable evening, and made me realize how ready I am to get the ball rolling on this coming school year.

I have also enjoyed my time meeting with each teacher to start the year, and seeing all of you work your magic creating a special learning environment inside of your classroom doors.  We have a good start so far, and after three days of learning and preparing, I'm confident we'll be in a great place. 

The topics below will attempt to communicate more of our detailed plan for our in-service time and also share some details about our "Return to Learn Addendum" that was passed last Monday, along with some information that will assist in your planning.

Opening Inservice

There have been some updates to district-wide In-service Schedule at this LINK.  There will be a "grab-n-go" breakfast available in the cafeteria on both Tuesday and Wednesday morning.  On Thursday morning, I'm happy to treat you all to a breakfast consisting of a variety of pastry options.  Please plan to be here for a typical work day (7:30-3:30 for example).

On Tuesday at the Middle School, we'll get started at 8:30 am in the cafeteria.  We'll get re-acquainted and re-calibrate our purpose.  Following our meeting, we'll all head up to the Elementary School and hear from Dr. Shappell and enjoy lunch from a few different food truck options.  We'll get back together in the cafeteria at 2:00 to review student achievement and culture data to help us guide the goal setting and planning that will take place over the next couple of days

On Wednesday morning, we'll meet as a staff at 8:00 am in the cafeteria and discuss our Professional Learning Community (PLC) plans for the year.  There will be different meetings for different groups throughout the rest of the day, however, each PLC group must meet to accomplish the goals laid out in the meeting Wednesday morning.

On Thursday morning, we'll meet as a staff at 9:00 am in the cafeteria.  We'll be working on the following topics: Social-Emotional Learning at PMS, our RTI structure, and covering a vast number of "nuts & bolts" topics.  Our nurse will lead our annual Medical training at 10:00 am.  We'll also have grade level meetings focused specifically on sharing information about taking an approach that will help set up each student for success.  These meetings will start at 12:30 in the Middle School IMC.  I'll ask that any teacher that will be working with students in a specific grade level to be present for these meetings.

We will then welcome students and their families into our building for our Open House on Thursday evening from 4:00-7:00.

COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies

Starting this week, all people in our buildings will be required to wear a mask/face covering due to the "Return to Learning Addendum" that was passed last Monday night.  This could change throughout the year depending on the COVID activity level in the community.  See see details in the full addendum link.  Also, here are some other specific details.

For instance:

• We are in the red (high risk) category and therefore masks will need to be worn in district buildings and vans at all times when there is a group of people.  If you are alone in a room, you can remove your mask.  Everyone without a medical exemption will need to wear a mask on the buses.  This is a Federal mandate just like on an airplane.
• We may have an uptick in religious accommodations and we will work with the families to discuss what that means.   Any accommodations that are granted, will be shared with the teachers as they occur.
• We have had families reach out and requested a medical exemption.  Those need written documentation from a healthcare provider and families are providing that to us.  Again teachers will be made aware of students who fall into either one of those situations.
• We will need to encourage and teach our students strong hygiene and hand-washing practices like we did last year.
• We will be cleaning and sanitizing high-touch areas throughout the day, and also all items once a day.  This is still important, but research has shown that the transmission is not likely through objects like we thought last fall.
• Please use the air purifiers in your rooms again this year.  They should have had maintenance over the summer and can be used again this year.
• The district will be following CDC/ DHS guidelines for quarantine and close contact tracing. The requirements are a  little bit different this year and so the likelihood of whole classes going home will be lower when we are wearing masks.
• We will only have one grade level eating at a time in the lunch room, and we'll set guidelines up so that students are spread out while they are eating.

A couple of other reminders...

-Please don't use pen for your class rosters quite yet...we have had a few new students join our school last week, and I anticipate some other potential changes.  For the most part, the rosters are in good shape, there may be a few minor adjustments as we approach the first day.

-We'll be using the Puma Pride website again this year in Homeroom.  Please have this saved somewhere for easy access.  You can review some of our system documents here in preparation for the school year also.

The Middle Update - June 30, 2021

Not a long post this week...I wanted to share a little information before August is officially here on Sunday...  We've had a quite a few staff members in working on curriculum, and it's been refreshing to be a part of their collaborative planning for the school year ahead!

Welcome New Staff Members!

We are excited to welcome the new members of our team.  

-Mrs. Miranda Moe will be joining our team as the Elementary/Middle School Associate Principal

     (there is no relation to Ms. Rachel Moe in case you were wondering...)

-Ms. Katie Kooistra will be joining our team as our new 7th/8th Grade Science Teacher

-Mr. Carib Romero Rivera will be joining our team as our new 7th/8th Grade Phy Ed. Teacher

-Ms. Lexie Stark will be joining us full time on our 6th grade team

-Ms. Niki Alford will be back in her role as an awesome Paraprofessional

We are very lucky to have such great people joining our team.  In blogs to come I'll be sharing more information about each one of our new team members, but starting today you can read a note from Mrs. Moe (credit for this idea and taking the steps to get the information from Miranda goes to Mr. Hausser).

Hello!

My name is Miranda Moe and I am so excited to be the Associate Principal at the elementary and middle schools.  I have been in education for the last 20 years as a classroom teacher, interventionist, mentor, instructional coach, and interim principal.  I have worked in Waunakee for the last 15 years and can’t wait to be part of the Poynette School District.  My husband Josh and I live in Dane and have three daughters, Gracyn who will be a freshman, Elayna who will be in 6th grade, and Rylan who will be in 4th grade.  We also have a chocolate lab named Porter.  I love to read, swim, garden and spend time with my family. I look forward to meeting all of you in the near future.  I do have a school email so feel free to reach out, mmoe@poynette.k12.wi.us.

Summer Update Message to Families

We sent a message home to Middle School families on Friday sharing some information about the upcoming school year.  Here is the VIDEO, and the list of FAQ's that was shared as well.

Updated Directory

We have had a few teachers moving to different roles heading into this school year.  We are working on updating the Staff Directory with pictures, however, this linked document can give you a good idea of the teaching roles that everyone on our team will be filling for this coming school year.  Please let me know if you notice an error...it's still in draft mode.

Floating Inservice Days

If you have not yet communicated with me, please let me know what days you are planning to come for your Floating Inservice Days.  I will be scheduling an individual meeting with each teacher on one of your days...we'll be meeting to discuss your Educator Effectiveness Plan for the year.

I hope you are still in the middle of enjoying your summer days!  I'm looking forward to being back together as a team making an impact on the lives of our kids!  

The Middle Update (Early July Edition)

In the midst of all of the planning that takes place over the summer, one key principle keeps rising to the top of my mind, and all of the logistical things we do day in and day out don't necessarily make as much of an impact if we all don't encompass the following understanding:

"Our beliefs shape our actions"

When you think about it beyond the surface level, there is so much truth to that statement, what we believe will drive what we say and do each minute of each day, especially in the days and months after the newness of a school year wears off.  In this post I wanted to share a couple of the fundamental beliefs that we have discussed as a staff, but also that are cornerstones of high performing schools.  I believe these are some beliefs we all need to know, talk about, reflect on, and embody to be the best place possible for our kids.

"All kids can learn at high levels"

"Kids will do well if they can"

"My number one priority, as a staff member, while I'm at school is to do anything I can to serve my students"

"I, as a staff member, make a positive difference in the life of each kid I interact with"

"Our school will be a steady, reliable important part of the life for EVERY kid"

Summer Updates

Listen HERE to a podcast with some recent news that will affect our day to day school day operations.

-I forgot to add a section in the podcast on construction.  We are well underway with the rooms that are being renovated...new carpet, paint, and ceilings in 5 classrooms, and new carpet in 5 additional rooms!

The Middle Update 6/17/21

I wanted to share a couple of brief updates to keep everyone in the loop about developments that typically take place over the summer....with this summer being no different.

-Construction is expected to start either today or tomorrow with demolition of the affected classrooms.  They should be done around early August.  Special thanks to our awesome custodial crew for all they do for our building!

-We wrapped up our Leaders of Learning book study last week, and we have a group of teachers ready to share their knowledge and put the takeaways into action as we head into next school year.  We'll be looking to improve the focus of teacher collaboration opportunities with more goal-oriented conversation surrounding specific teaching and learning practices that improve student learning.  I'm excited for the middle school leading the way in this area for our district. 

-Summer School is off and running and we have a pretty nice turnout for middle schoolers and have some special teachers doing great work with these kids!  The skills (especially reading and math) of many of our students are growing as a result of these efforts!  

-A tentative master schedule for next year can be found at this LINK.  I continue to work on getting everything rolling and up to date in Infinite Campus.  I am still waiting confirmation on the official start time for each school day next year....the draft will change as I learn of any changes to the start and end time.

-In the summer, we typically have a few positions that come available, and this summer is no different.  If you know of any potential great candidates that would be great additions to our team, please direct them to WECAN and give me a heads-up.  Positions are below:

    -Elem./MS Physical Education (replace Mrs. Serstad), 7th/8th Science (replace Mrs. Mrnak)

    -A couple of Long-Term Substitute jobs to begin the school year for 5th grade (Mrs. Wheeler) and MS Special Education (Mrs. Andringa)

    -A couple of Paraprofessional Positions (replace Mr. Hackbart and Mrs. Hutchinson)

    -We are looking to hire a new K-8 Associate Principal as well (Mrs. Morrissey's departure has led to a re-structuring of duties to support the work)

I sincerely hope your summer is off to a great start, and this time allows you to recharge, re-energize, and have us all ready to roll into next year.  I believe we are going to be set up to have the greatest year of student growth that we have ever seen at this school!

The Middle Update 5/30/21

We are near the end of the 21-22 school year with one big week left with our students.  As we look at planning for the week ahead, it's always really important to understand the following:

-Every minute we have with students is an opportunity to grow their skills and knowledge…most will be without these opportunities for the next 3 months, we need to take advantage of these opportunities during the last week…with a strong finish!

-Consider the following (my thoughts): 

Bored Students = High Probability for students to look for ways to (undesirably for us) entertain themselves

Busy Students = Lower Probability for students to be disengaged at first…

Engaged Students = Very little chance to be engaged in undesirable behavior

Let's work to design and set up opportunities for our students to be highly engaged in great learning experiences during the last week!

Resource of the Week (Thank you Mrs. Morton)

Mrs. Morton attended a training this past Wednesday about how to best support our transgender students.  She shared her learning below.  Also included below, you'll see some staggering statistics and a short video that shares perspectives on this issue.

I attended a Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Students training yesterday and learned some new things.  

-First, if a student requests different names/pronouns and you don't honor that, you would be in violation of FERPA.  Accepting a student's request is also strongly tied with their mental health and feelings of security (see the chart attached).  A good way to think of this is to imagine going through your day being called the wrong pronouns over and over again, even after asking people to use the correct pronouns.  You would feel uncomfortable and disrespected.  

-Second, you cannot limit a transgender student to a certain bathroom, like a single use room.  They need to be allowed to use any bathroom/locker room they choose.  If other people are uncomfortable with that, accommodations can be made for them.  

-Finally, the most important thing to remember is that privacy is critical.  We need to ask students permission to share their transgender status/name changes/pronoun changes with others (parents, other staff, students, etc.).  Never assume that siblings or parents know.  There were many stories of students being harmed or placed in unsafe situations by having their status shared with others unintentionally.  Some situations to consider and plan for in advance to avoid "outing" a student include when you have substitute teachers using a roster generated by Infinite Campus, yearbooks using roster names, and standardized testing situations.  Right now, we are a small school and students know the biological gender of students requesting name changes, but we could get a new student who is presenting one way and hiding their biological gender.  We would need to make sure we are not revealing that to others, even accidentally.  One recommendation is having name tags with preferred pronouns ready for substitute teachers so they aren't using Infinite Campus generated lists.

Last Day of School

The last day of school for 8th graders is Thursday, June 3.  

On the last day of school (6/4) for 5-7th graders, students will be dismissed at 12:15.  Thanks to everyone for communicating your team's last day plans and schedules with me.

For staff, the 2nd part of the last school day is an Inservice Day.  Staff should expect to work normal Friday hours, and some options for your afternoon work are as follows:

-Complete grades/comments for 4th quarter, analyze student data preparing for next year, clean up/organize your classroom space (all personal items should be taken home for the summer), lend a hand to teachers that must have their classrooms cleared for renovation, etc.

There are plenty of things to do, so if you are not sure, just let me know and I can always use a hand.

A staff "check-out" form will be distributed mid-week, and I'll meet with teachers to check out during the afternoon as well.

We'll have a brief staff meeting at 12:40 on Friday afternoon in the cafeteria as well.  I'd like to treat the middle school staff with lunch.  Please sign up for what you would like on this Google Form.

Yearbooks

We will not have student yearbooks to distribute to students at the end of this school year.  This year's books will be distributed at the start of next school year.

Our Potential Influence on Some Issues

As educators who have the opportunity to talk with students each day, we have a certain level of influence that we all need to be cognizant of as we lead our students.  Our students are a captive audience because they are required to attend school, so we must be very careful not try to impose some of our own views or biases onto them.  In many cases, it can be difficult to navigate the conversations around political or medical views, especially when asked by students.  However, there are topics like "getting the vaccine" or "who you should vote for" that school staff must walk the line in the middle, not imposing a "you are right if you believe this" feeling among your students.  

It's always great to encourage the idea that there are multiple position on issues, and finding credible accurate sources to base your views on (without blindly believing things you hear) is the best course of action.  I appreciate the professionalism our staff carries with them surrounding these topics, and am always there to discuss for any situation like this.

The Middle Update 5/21/21

Poynette Middle School - Livin' the PUMA Way Every Day!

Resource of the Week

Critical Race Theory has been a topic of conversation lately in our community.  The resource this week aims to explain what Critical Race Theory is and why there is controversy surrounding it.

"What is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack?" - Stephen Sawchuk, edweek.org

PMS Staff Culture

At our staff meeting on Wednesday, I asked everyone to rate (on a scale of 1-10) how we are doing with our actions/interactions being above or below the line.  Below are the results of how staff rated our team:

Minimum - 3     Lower Quartile - 6     Median - 7     Upper Quartile - 8     Maximum - 9

Average - 7.11

As we move forward, we'll continue to check in on each other's perception of our progress as a group.  It's up to each one of us to really reflect and think about when we are reacting with our lower or upper brain.  It's not about saying everything is "good and happy" all the time....it's more about the mindset of our response to those situations that require some work to get aligned in the same direction.  

Mask Update (borrowed from Mr. Hausser's blog)

We communicated to our families this past week that masks will be optional for students at summer school.  The district is still recommending them and we will continue with other mitigation strategies, but this is a change from what we previously reported.  Also, we have seen an uptick in families asking for religious accommodations to the mask requirement.  We do have a process and that entails families filling out an application, participating in an interactive process, and meeting with the building principal to determine accommodations.  I will then communicate the accommodations with staff members who may be impacted by them.  Right now we have students that are doing situational masking and strategically placed seating.  We have 2 students right now who have accommodations.  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

Last Day of School

I wanted to share a few updates about the last day of school.  8th grade students will not be in the building on Friday, June 4th.  We will have an early release, and be releasing students at 12:15.  Teams will need to be thinking about Breakfast and Lunch times.  If each team could please let me know what time Breakfast and lunch would ideally fit into the schedule, or coordinate with me to ensure we have adequate spacing outside for lunch recess times, I would appreciate it.

Student Leadership Group for Next Year

We are looking for current 6th and 7th graders who are interested in applying to be a part of our Middle School Student Leadership Team next year.  Starting on Monday, we'll have details on the announcements and students can pick up an application in the office.  Applications will be due by next week Tuesday.

Dress-Up Days this Week

Big shout-out to Nora V., Livi M., Cora L, and Chandra H. for organizing the middle school-wide dress up days.  See below for the details:

Monday 5/24 - Monochromatic Day (Wear All The Same Color Clothes) 

Tuesday 5/25 - Crazy Sock Day (Wear Some Crazy Socks) 

Thursday 5/27 - Wacky Clothes Day (Wear Missed Match Clothes) 

Friday 5/28 - School Spirit Day (Show School Spirit By Wearing Puma Gear) 

Staff and students are welcome to participate but this is not required!

Grade or Class Celebrations

As you are planning for the end of the year, please communicate with me about any celebration you may be having with your class.  I'd like to ensure that no outside spaces are double booked for any of these types of events.

The Middle Update 5/16/21

Poynette Middle School - Livin' the PUMA Way Every Day!

Resource of the Week

Throughout the year, we've taken different opportunities to look at stereotypes, biases, and how little things that we do can have a big impact on our students in various ways.  One example historically, has been fewer females in the Math and Science fields.  There has been some long-standing stereotypes about females in these career fields.  The article this week takes a look at a fascinating research study around this topic.

"How Hidden Classroom Dynamics Can Stymie Girls in STEM" - Youki Terada

As I read the research study, I can't help but think of one of the cornerstone phrases about our culture that we share often - "ALL students will learn at high levels because of what WE do".  Specific areas will improve if adults focus on doing what it takes to improve the specific area...improvement will happen regardless of the students of focus.

PMS Staff Meeting - This Wednesday (5/19) 2:30 - meet.google.com/ogr-uziw-crh

We'll meet virtually on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30.  We'll spend our time reviewing some recent data, share RTI updates, analyze our school culture, review suggested Puma Pride revisions, and discuss items that will impact next year's planning.

May Fire Drills

Thanks to those of you who have emailed me to confirm your class has practiced your fire drill.  We are looking for a discussion about fire drill procedures with your class, followed by a quick walk to the site.  Teachers can do the drill when it fits best in the schedule for your group.

Gender Identity, Names and Pronouns

We are committed to making PMS a safe space for EVERY student.  Part of this process if equipping our staff with the tools to feel confident handling situations that you may not have encountered yet.  Please review the helpful tips from Mrs. Morton below:

We have had more and more students requesting to use alternate names and pronouns.  Here are some things to ask or consider as you have these conversations:

• All the training sessions I've been to recommend that we honor these requests as much as we are able to support their identity development.  We are able to change names on everything except Infinite Campus (and systems based on IC).  The only way to change a name there is through an official name change in court.
• Do your parents know that you are making this request?  If not, how do you want me to handle communications with them?  - The number one thing you do not want to do is out someone to their family.  The rates of teens in the LGBTQ+ community getting kicked out of their homes or physically abused are much higher than other populations.  You don't want to create an unsafe situation in their home.
• How do you want to handle other students and their questions?
• Do you want me to notify your other teachers?
• Do you feel comfortable using the girls/boys bathroom?  If students want another option, I offer the individual bathroom in the health room at the office or the individual bathroom by the multi-purpose room.
• I always let students know that I am going to do my best, but I will make mistakes since my brain has spent years calling them something else.  I ask them to correct me when I mess up and to be patient with me as I retrain my brain.  I make it clear that a mistake is not because I won't honor their request, but because I'm old and change is hard.
• If you are not comfortable having these conversations, please send them to see me and I will let you know what was decided.

STAR Results

STAR testing for the spring has come to an end, and it's been interesting to review the results as they have come in.  There still are some students that need to take the STAR test, or I'd like to have ReTake the test.  We may be pulling some students to either test or retake sometime this week.  If you had a student retake the STAR, and their result has changed, please email me so I can update the spreadsheet.  Also, please review the data (previously shared sheet) and if your overall class Percentile average in either Reading or Math rose 5 or more points, please email me what type of treat your class would preferred (donuts in the am or a sweet treat in the pm).  

Puma Pride and the PUMA Way

We had an awesome group get together this past Thursday after school to pick apart our current Puma Pride rubric, and take a look at how we can improve upon it, and also infuse the components of the PUMA Way.  Please take a moment to review the current DRAFT of the rubric and be prepared to discuss and share some feedback at our staff meeting Wednesday afternoon.

 

We'll also be reviewing the roll-out of the PUMA Way as a way to define our culture and have a common language for those learning discussions with our students.  We'll take some time to assess and provide some feedback about the PUMA Way.

Monday Board Meeting and Mitigation Strategies Update (from Mr. Hausser's blog)

In lieu of many events that have taken place in the last week, masks have become a hot topic. There is a board meeting Monday night and I believe that our mitigation strategies may be a topic. At this time, the current plan has been for us to only keep the district mask mandate through summer school and hope that we open next year in the fall without one. At the same time, our board has followed the science and our policy will follow recommendations from groups like the CDC and DHS. The CDC has been coming out with new recommendations and those are all part of the items the board looks at. We anticipate that there will be community members that are coming to the board meeting to address the board on this very topic. At this time, we will continue to adhere to the board approved mitigation strategies.

Policy Reminder

My goal is to share a policy or two each week as a review for everyone.  Please let me know if you have any questions about the policies.

Conflict of Interest and Ethical Standards

It is imperative that our professional organization not create the perception of favoritism or special privilege. Employees are not permitted to gain monetarily by their position within the district. Employees are prohibited by Wis. Stat. §118.12 from receiving anything of value for their own benefit that results from selling, soliciting, or promoting the sale of any goods or services to any public school pupil while on school property or at school-sponsored events.  Policy 3230, 4230

Whenever possible, staff will not have instructional responsibility for their own children, guardians, or blood relatives.

Employees are expected to avoid situations in which their personal interests, activities and associations may conflict with the interest of the District.

Outside Employment

Employment with the School District of Poynette must be considered pre-eminent. Outside employment must not interfere with the employee’s performance or work schedule. Employees may not perform any duties for an outside employer during regularly scheduled working hours or during additional hours required for professional responsibilities.

Personal Data Changes

All changes in personal information, including changes of name, address, telephone numbers, education, marital status, dependent status, etc. should be updated with the Business Office in a timely manner.

Images from the Week