November 13, 2026

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Supportive, Encouraging, Positive

• The Veteran's Assembly was very well done again this year. Our 5th grade readers were so poised to stand up in front of all of those people and read their poems.  Shout out to the 5th grade team for getting them ready for this tradition at our school!

• Shout out to Kimi and Jen who stepped in to help out in the office this week while Ella was out sick.  I truly appreciate the support so that I could participate in a couple of important things that day. Thank you sooooo much!

• Shout out to Christina for her leadership and support to our grade level teams for tech support and even more so, supporting our teachers and students lessons and projects.  Thank you so much for your organization and the positive discussions each week!

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Saturday, November 14
• Happy Birthday Betsy!

• Monday, November 16
• AM Duties:
• Breakfast: Miller
• Big Playground: Stampfl, Oestreich, Vetter
• 3K/4K Playground: Schuett, Vertz
• Lunch Duties:
• 12:00 - Wagner
• 12:30 - Juech
• 1:00 - Knibbs
• PM Duties:
• Big Playground: Ryan, TCaine
• Circle Drive: Huelsman
• 5K Collab meeting (Math) @ 11:00
• Grades 4-5 - Access Testing from 1:30-3pm
• Detention Duties this week: Haan, Greer, Schellpfeffer
• Social Media posts due this week: Braunschweig, Juech, Knibbs

• Tuesday, November 17
• 5th gr. Collab mtg (Tech/Dig. Lit) @ 8:35am
• Jenny in meeting from 9-11am
• 2nd gr Collab Mtg (Rdg) @ 12:00pm
• Grade 3 Access Testing from 1-2:30pm

• Wednesday, November 18
• Workout Wednesday
• Mickey Mouse's B-day!  Wear your favorite cartoon!
• Jenny in mtg from 8:30-10:30
• 4th gr Collab mtg (Tech/Dig. Lit) @ 11:35am
• Grade 2 Access Testing (10:30-11:30am)
• Grade 1 Access Testing (12:30-2pm)

• Thursday, November 19
• 1st gr Collab Mtg (Math) @ 9:35am
• 3rd gr Collab Mtg (Rdg) @ 2:05pm
• Newsletter and Calendar events due to Ella

• Friday, November 20
• 4K Collab mtg (SEL) @ 1:15pm
• Jenny has to leave at 3:30pm

Nitty-Gritty

• Task Force Creation
• See Mr. Greco's message below:
• I am seeking 5 to 7 professional, certified, educators to collaborate with me on a plan to review our alt comp plan, review pay/benefit information, possibly review other school district plans, with the goal of emerging with a revised compensation plan/schedule that would embody the values and beliefs we desire when recruiting and retaining top quality teachers. Our final version would then be recommended to the School Board for adoption moving forward. Anyone interested can reach out to me directly for details. This task force would meet probably monthly for an hour or so after school. 

• Newsletter Information
• If you have anything you'd like added to the monthly newsletter or December Calendar, please submit to Ella by Thurs, 11/19. Our goal is to get it sent out on November 24 before Thanksgiving.

• Juneau Community Fest
• Juneau will be hosting their community festival on July 24th, 2027 next summer. If you have a group that would be interested in participating or having a booth at the event, please contact Jackson Heller at 815-375-0527.

• AimsWeb Assessment
• Looking ahead:  The AimswebPlus window opens for the screening measures required for Act 20 on December 1.  The plan is to begin the assessments on Dec 1 and hoping that all of the assessments are complete before winter break.  Grades 2-3 will complete the ORF and Vocab assessments and Grades 5K-1 will complete the Early Literacy assessments.  Please connect with Tammy if you have any questions regarding this.

• Reading Corps Update
• I'm almost afraid to type this to you, but I did get a message from the program manager stating that a tutor has been found that plans to start on January 11.  Fingers crossed that this will work out!  In the meantime, if anyone knows of anyone that might be interested in working as a tutor for Reading Corps, please let me know and I will send them the information!  Thank you!

TechKnow Tip

Looking to get into your iPad faster than typing your password? You can set up Touch ID with these directions. Since your iPad no longer has a home button, you will be setting up Touch ID with the Top Button (power / sleep/wake button).

ML Information

Quarter 2: Elementary Scaffolds & Classroom Strategies

Our focus is on practical, high-impact strategies to help our young Multilingual Learners access grade-level content while building confident vocabulary skills.

Week 10: Realia & Visuals in Elementary

Did You Know? World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) highlights the power of "Sensory Scaffolds." Bringing actual objects (realia), photos, or physical gestures into a lesson helps young MLs anchor new vocabulary instantly—bypassing translation delays and building direct conceptual understanding.

Take it to the Next Level: Explore Edutopia’s 6 Essential Scaffolding Strategies for ELLs for easy ways to integrate visual and tactile tools into your daily routines.

Friday Funny

We might have some of these grandparents in our circle drive too!  :-). In fact, one of our moms was very excited about her PRIMO parking spot in the circle drive for 3K pick up today.  She told Ella, "My daughter won't find me since I'm not at the end of the line!" The pure joy that mom had today was contagious!  I think if I was sitting in front of the school in the car line, I'd end up napping. It just looks so peaceful when I see them out the window.  

November 6, 2026

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Supportive, Encouraging, Positive

• Thank you to Jenny G and Olivia B for asking reflective and clarifying questions following a situation they were involved in. When we do this, we help one another to feel more comfortable and clear on procedures.  Thank you both for your professionalism and detailed reflection!

• Shout out to Meaghan who kept their class learning and on task while Taylor needed to be gone.  I had the privilege of watching her work from afar and know she is going to have a long teaching career ahead of her!  Way to go Meaghan!

• True support is build through everyday connections, and I've noticed so many of you stepping up across the school to offer time, a listening ear, and continuous support to colleagues and students alike. Thank you for making our school a place where everyone feels valued.

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Monday, November 9
• AM Duties:
• Breakfast: Schellpfeffer
• Big Playground: O'Toole, Fortmann, Arnes
• 3K/4K Playground: Braunschweig, Houk
• Lunch Duties:
• 12:00: Schuett
• 12:30: Miller
• 1:00: Neis
• PM Duties:
• Big Playground: Huso, Jenkins
• Circle Drive: Rollins
• Hearing Screening in the DO for all 5K students
• Coach Maggie is visiting from Playworks from 11:15-3:15pm
• Her schedule is:

• 11-11:30 - Junior Coach meeting

  11:30-12:45 - recess support

  1:00-1:20 - Haan

  1:20-1:40 - Lucht

  1:40-2:00 - Stampfl

  2:00-2:20 - Caine

  2:20-2:40 - Klink

  2:40-3:00 - Neis

• 5K Collab. mtg (SEL) @ 11:30am
• Fundraiser Pick-up from 3:00-6:00 pm in the commons
• If anyone is interested in helping with this, please let me know!
• Mentor/Mentee Meeting after school (Meet individually)
• Detention Duties this week: Schulz, Vetter, B. Caine

• Tuesday, November 10
• Social Media Posts due to Jenny: Wagner, Chambers
• 5th Gr Collab Mtg (Rdg) @ 8:35am
• Jenny in meeting from 9-11am
• 2nd Gr Collab Mtg (Math) @ 12:00pm

• Wednesday, November 11
• Veteran's Day - Dress professionally (Red, White and Blue Day) for the assembly
• Assembly starts at 9:30am (Recess schedule will be modified)
• 4th gr Collab Mtg (Rdg) @ 11:35am
• Staff Meeting @ 3:15-4pm in IMC

• Thursday, November 12
• 1st Gr. Collab Mtg (SEL) @ 9:35am
• 3rd Gr. Collab Mtg (Math) @ 2:05pm

• Friday, November 13
• Happy Birthday Todd!
• Teachers from Ripon will be observing 4K classrooms
• 4K Collab mtg (Rdg) @ 1:15pm

• Saturday, November 14
• Happy Birthday Betsy!

Nitty-Gritty

• Personnel Changes!
• Please help me welcome a new para to our team.  Her name is Danielle Baumann and she goes by Miss Dani for the kids.  She will be working on Erica's team in the 3K/4K classrooms. She has previously worked at John Hustis Elementary in the 3K program and we are excited to have her join our team!
• In addition, Betsy will be moving to Shanalyn's team starting on Monday, Nov 9.  She already knows a lot of the kids in the room, but now she will be in some of your classrooms as well.

• Reading Corps update
• Unfortunately our Reading Corps tutor has had an unexpected family emergency and had to withdraw from the program.  The company has been in contact and has found a replacement that will be starting in January with us.  If you had a student that was going to be in reading corps, we will use the winter data to determine eligible students.

• Guest and Public Wifi at School
• DSDGuest - This network is available during school hours across the building. Attached are the directions for connecting your device. To connect your device, you will need to download and install an app on your device. You will have to log in to the app with your district Microsoft credentials at setup. 
  
  
  DSDPublic - This network is open and available during school hours in the school offices and conference rooms. Users must agree to the district's acceptable use policy before connecting. This network can be used for guest that arrive in our building who do not have credentials to access our network. 
  
  
  DSD-Public - This network is turned on outside of school hours and is available throughout the building. Users must agree to the district's acceptable use policy before connecting.  
  
  

Recess Information

Playworks Visit
Maggie will be here Monday for some more training.  She will be visiting classrooms to model a Playworks in the classroom activity and observing one that teachers have been using in the room as well.

11-11:30 - Junior Coach meeting

11:30-12:45 - recess support

1:00-1:20 - Haan

1:20-1:40 - Lucht

1:40-2:00 - Stampfl

2:00-2:20 - Caine

2:20-2:40 - Klink

2:40-3:00 - Neis

Behavior Specialist Information

Office Update

There has been a huge uptick in students coming to the office for a break and/or minor health concerns. While the office staff and I wish we could provide those types of supports, truly between the students that need to be there due to major behavior incidents, need to go home type illness, and the business the office needs to do, staff can not accommodate the other needs.

Other break options are:

*Calming corner/area within the classroom

*getting a drink

*Moving company

*Sensory path

*special education plans 

*call the office and see if someone is available to take a student for a break

If a student is needing many breaks a day, please set up a time to chat with Mrs. Chambers so we can figure out the root of the problem and come up with a long term solution.

Not feeling well options:

*Try WOW 

*give a snack (there will be a baggie of soda crackers in mailboxes)

*We have extra thermometers if you want one for your classroom for kids that just need proof… lol

Crisis Location

If we need to clear the classroom, please take your students to 102 and lock the door. Staff will do the best to get you back to your room asap.

ML Information

Understanding "Spiky" Language Profiles in Elementary MLs

Ever notice how an EL student can comfortably chat with peers at recess, yet freeze when asked to write a paragraph? That is because elementary language profiles are "spiky."

Language acquisition does not develop evenly across all areas. A student's skills in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing often develop at completely different rates based on their age, exposure, and background.

Did You Know?

A 4th-grade Multilingual Learner might score a Level 5 (Bridging) in Listening Comprehension, but a Level 2 (Emerging) in Formal Writing. A high listening or speaking score does not mean writing skills are automatically at the same level—and vice versa!

What "Spiky Profiles" Look Like Across Grade Bands

• PreK3 – Kindergarten:

• The Spike: High listening comprehension and non-verbal participation.

• The Support: Tap into their receptive skills using total physical response (TPR), picture schedules, and real classroom objects. Don't mistake a quiet child for one who isn't understanding.

• 1st Grade:

• The Spike: Rapid growth in social speaking and phonemic awareness, but lower reading comprehension.

• The Support: Pair oral sentence frames with decodable texts and visual cards. Leverage their spoken vocabulary to bridge into print recognition.

• Grades 2 – 3:

• The Spike: Strong reading decoding and conversational fluency, but emerging academic writing.

• The Support: Use graphic organizers and word banks. Students often read words aloud easily ("calling words") long before they can express complex ideas in structured writing.

• Grades 4 – 5:

• The Spike: High listening/speaking proficiency with complex academic concepts, but struggling with formal academic writing structures.

• The Support: Provide mentor texts and model academic writing step-by-step. Never assume fluent spoken English translates directly to written essay mastery without explicit scaffolding.

Take It to the Next Level

Check your student roster's individual domain scores (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing) in NextPath today! It’s a part of their Individual Language Plan (ILP).

Knowing where your student's spikes and dips are lets you target your scaffolding right where they need it most—without holding them back where they already shine.

Friday Funny

This week's Question of the week was so odd, right? Is the Washer and Dryer Married, siblings or coworkers? (thanks to Amber for adding this last option). One of our students told me that the washer and dryer are definitely married because when they work together, they shake at the same time, so they have to be married!! I think the rationale is funnier than the question! Perhaps that's also why so many of you voted for married as well!???

October 30, 2026

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Supportive, Encouraging, Positive

• Shout out to Jackson for his specific plans for PE this week to assist all classrooms with getting lots of energy out at PE since it is such a busy week!  He put lots of effort into making it great including his "tombstones" with all of the RIP stones to things from my childhood!  :-)

• Shout out to Teresa, Ella and Tammy and all of the others that helped with the set up and take down of the meals on P/T conference nights.  It was so awesome to have such a HUGE spread for all of us from Elementary through High School.  I plan to thank them on Monday night, but if you have anything you won't to get to them, please let me know and I will get it to them!

• Shout out to Liz T. whose HS band added something super special to the Run for State for Cross Country.  So many of you and your students told me how much they loved having the band playing the school song!  Thank you Liz for making this happen!

• As the week went on, it seemed that there were more and more things being thrown in people's way.  Shout out for so many of you that showed flexibility, compassion and patience through uncomfortable and/or confusing situations. I know this can be frustrating, but working together as a team, approaching situations with curiousity instead of judgment and working towards solutions rather than blame makes these situations much more bearable and things we can learn from.

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Saturday, Oct. 31/Sunday, Nov. 1
• Daylight Savings time - Set your clocks back 1 hour

• Monday, Nov. 2
• AM Duties:
• 3K/4K playground: Wagner, Ryan
• Big Playground: Haan, Greer, Barefield
• Breakfast: Lucht
• Lunch Duties:
• 12:00 - Stampfl
• 12:30 - Jenkins (M, F), Schellpfeffer (T, Th), Huelsman (W)
• 1:00 - CaineT
• PM Duties:
• Big Playground: Klink, Neis
• Circle Drive: Chambers
• NOVEMBER Support Staff Duties start
• Breakfast: Blasia (breakfast line), Eneida (tables by IMC)
• 4K sidewalk (Meet buses): Brittany
• PM Circle Drive: Betsy
• Jenny in meeting from 1-3:30pm
• PTC Virtual meeting @ 7:30pm (Link is HERE)

• Tuesday, Nov. 3
• Jenny in mtg from 9:15-11am
• 5th gr Collab mtg from 8:35-9:20am
• 2nd gr Collab mtg from 12-12:30
• Social Media Posts Due this week: Donovan, Jenkins, Caine, Lucht
• Jenny in meeting from 1-3:30pm

• Wednesday, Nov 4
• Workout Wednesday
• 4th gr Collab mtg from 11:35am-12:15pm

• Thursday, Nov 5
• Jenny at Cesa until 1:15pm
• 1st gr. Collab mtg from 9:35-10:15am
• 3rd gr Collab mtg from 2:05-2:50pm

• Friday, Nov. 6
• 4K Collab mtg from 1:15-2:00pm
• 1st Seals on Wheels Visit
• Citizenship grades due in gradebook for HR teachers

Nitty-Gritty

• School District Boundary Appeal Board hearings
• Click HERE to read the information from DPI regarding the Hustisford Dissolution process.  There were public hearings last week and this upcoming week will hold virtual hearings.  I share this with you in case you were curious about what is happening in our neighboring district and with our students' families.

• Parent Teacher Conference Follow-ups
• If there are any families that had questions or you need me to help follow up with, please let me know.  Also, make sure to let Ella know how many conferences that you held total last week.  If there was a family that didn't attend that you have important information to get to them, please attempt to communicate with them through Dojo, email, text, phone, etc. If you need any help, please let me know.

• PTC meeting on Nov. 2
• If there are any requests for the PTC, please make a copy of this form (or print) and fill out for the group to consider. They meet the first Monday of each month that is a school day. They would like them submitted two weeks before the meeting, but can be flexible if need be.

• Safety Meeting Follow Up
• Please make sure that you get your green/red card in your red bag for upcoming drills.  If you have any questions regarding the process, please let me know. The simplest way to explain it is: If you are missing people from your classlist with you at that moment that were marked present for the day, show the red sign so that the admin or admin asst in each zone can verify the location of each student in the most efficient manner.  If you are a support staff member and your evacuation site is in the same zone as the homeroom, please have students and self stand near your homebase to be accounted for.  If you are in different zones, then we will verify status of students through the red card system.
• Second, please make sure that doors are not propped open for any reason and that all people that are entering the building have been vetted by the staff answering the door. If you are not sure who they are, or what they need, please do not let them in to the building where our students are.  This is especially true of Door #29 or either recess door.
• Last, Admin. Holds require all staff to lock their door from the inside.  All keys that you have will lock the door in any room you are in regardless if the key goes to that room.

• Welcome to Liz Zimmerman, Reading Corps Tutor
• Ms. Liz is our new reading corps tutor and has her homebase in room 130 with Brenda Caine.  She will be working with students at the tables in the gathering areas and will mostly be working with students in grades 1-3.  Brenda is working with her on her schedule and she will be connecting with staff soon if she hasn't already about who she is working with and when. If you see her in the hallway, please introduce yourself and help welcome her to our staff.  She will soon have a badge, but we are working on this at the moment.

ML Information

Functions vs. Features in Primary Lessons, Did You Know?

In primary classrooms, academic language is split into two parts: Language Functions (what students do with language) and Language Features (the specific words, grammar, and sentence structures they use to do it). For example, in a 3rd-grade science lesson, the Function is comparing two habitats, while the Features are words like "both," "whereas," and "larger than."

Explicitly teaching both helps Multilingual Learners master content and academic language at the same time!

Grade-Band Snapshots

• PreK3–K: Focus on foundational functions like naming and describing.

• Features: Nouns (leaf, stem), sensory adjectives (soft, green), and basic carrier phrases ("I see a...").

• Grade 1: Focus on sequencing and ordering events.

• Features: Time-order words (first, next, last), past-tense verbs (grew, bloomed), and simple compound sentences ("First it was a seed, and then...").

• Grades 2–3: Focus on comparing and contrasting.

• Features: Comparative adjectives (taller, darker), connector words (both, unlike, whereas), and comparative frames ("A desert is ___, while a rainforest is ___.").

• Grades 4–5: Focus on explaining cause and effect.

• Features: Causal conjunctions (because, due to, as a result), complex sentence structures, and discipline vocabulary (ecosystem, adaptation).

Take It to the Next Level: Learn to write clear, discipline-specific language targets for your upcoming units with Colorín Colorado's Language Objectives Guide!

TechKnow Tip

Recording mini-lessons or instructional videos offers significant research backed benefits for student learning! Check out these key reasons:

• Self-Paced Learning: Videos allow students to learn at their own speed. They can pause, rewind to review confusing concepts (the "muddiest points"), or re-watch entire lessons, which helps manage cognitive load and is especially useful for students who were absent.

• Improved Attention: Research shows student engagement drops significantly after just 6-10 minutes. Breaking lessons into shorter video segments aligns better with students' natural attention limits, helping them stay focused and retain more information.

• Flexible Review: A library of recorded lessons provides students with a way to review material at any time, which is a powerful tool for retrieval practice and exam preparation, unlike live lectures that can't be replayed.

• Clearer Content: The process of recording encourages teachers to organize their thoughts, prioritize core content, and deliver more coherent explanations, ultimately improving the clarity of the lesson.

So how do you get started? Utilize screen record (and Freeform to write) on your iPad or QuickTime on your laptop.

How to screen record on your iPad written directions and video directions!

Click HERE to see how to use QuickTime on your laptop!

Click HERE to read the entire Edutopia article!

Friday Funny

Watching my favorite team win the World Series has been so exciting.  I also love sharing this with my family when going to Brewers games was/is a part of our summer vacations since I was a child long before Miller Park/American Family Field was even a thing.  So seeing the clips of the parade, and the SNL cameo and the trick or treating of players, it all is just fun entertainment for me too!  My sister took her 4th gr. son to the parade on Friday and texted us all through the celebrations.  A core memory for them all.  My cousin who has a barrel man tattoo and has is the biggest Brewer Fan I know was interviewed by a news station. (3:16-5:20) My nephew who was always more of a soccer fan, but couldn't resist the Schultz side of his family dragging him in to the Brewers Fans group drove up to see it live as well.  I know this will be the talk of Thanksgiving this year and I can't wait.  So here, I will share a short video of one person's 4 favorite moments of the parade.  They make me laugh and feel joy straight through my computer!

October 23, 2026

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Supportive, Encouraging, Positive

• Shout out to Mandy and Bethany who are supporting Becky Schulz in her first few weeks of the school year. Becky said to me that they are "taking good care of me!"  Thank you both for supporting Becky with the many ways that you both are collaborating and supporting her and the classroom.

• Shout out to the 4th grade team that I had the pleasure of sitting in on their collab meeting this week. The professional dialogue, the planning they do together and how they are offering ideas/solutions and make each other feel valued when considering others' perspectives/ideas is so inspiring!  Great job Trisha, Steph, Lindsey, Olivia and Christina!

• Thank you to all of the staff that have helped out this week when we were short people, had unexpected situations arise and needed support for student situations. I truly appreciate the teamwork and willingness to help one another out.

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Monday, Oct. 26
• AM Duties:
• Breakfast: Mook
• Big Playground: CaineB, Fortmann, Tietz
• 3K/4K playground: Donovan, Schulz
• Lunch Duties:
• 12:00: Lucht
• 12:30: O'Toole
• 1:00: Klink
• PM Duties:
• Big Playground: Juech, Knibbs
• Circle Drive: Grebel
• Lunch Detentions for this week: Braunschweig, Huso, Bingen
• 5K Collab Mtg (Rdg) @ 11:00am
• School Board Meeting @ 6:30 in the Choir Room

• Tuesday, Oct 27
• Social Media Posts due this week: Oestreich, Stampfl, Fortmann
• 5th gr. Collab Mtg (SEL) @ 8:35am
• 2nd gr. Collab Mtg (Dig. Lit) @ 12:00pm
• Parent/Teacher Conferences from 4-7:30pm
• Book Fair Begins after school

• Wednesday, Oct 28
• 4th gr. Collab Mtg (SEL) @ 11:35am
• Network system Maintenance from 4-6pm

• Thursday, Oct 29
• Parent/Teacher Conferences from 4-7:30pm
• 3rd gr. Collab mtg (Dig.Lit.) @ 2:05pm
• 1st gr. Collab mtg - MOVED to Friday
• Project Energy Assembly in the Elem. gym
• 8:30-9am - Grades 4K-2
• 9:55-10:25am - Grades 3-5

• Friday, Oct 30
• No School - PD Day (Schedule coming soon)
• Book Fair is getting packed up
• 4K and 1st Gr collab mtgs will be held today.

Nitty-Gritty

• Project Energy Assembly
• On Thursday, the National Theatre for Children, will be at school to present Project Energy to our students.  This is partially sponsored by Juneau Utilities and representatives from Juneau Utilities will be on site on Thursday as well.  The performance will take place on the stage and students should sit on the floor from youngest to oldest.  Grades 4K-2 will attend the 8:30am performance and the 3rd-5th grade will attend the 9:55am performance.  If you want to preview anything for the assembly, please click HERE for a teacher tool kit of ideas to accompany this message. @Mr. Jackson - Let's connect about the morning classes that have PE on Thursday.

• Parent Teacher Conferences and ML needs
• Gabrielle sent out information earlier this week regarding some recommendations that you could use to help make the conferences smooth and successful for parents that need information translated.  In addition, she shared the directions to use the language line which is a way to get access to an interpreter by phone for the conference.
• Translate Written Summaries: Write a summary of what you plan to say during conferences ahead of time and translate it. Having a printout available for the parent to read in their requested Home Language can be extremely helpful.
• iPad Translation Tools: Use one of our translation tools available on the iPad during the meetings.  You can find more information about these tools at the bottom of the ML Resource Page.
• Language Line: This is a telephone service that gives you access to an interpreter. Click HERE to see the directions on how to use this service.

• Recess Injuries
• As much as we all try to make sure that students do not get hurt at school, sometimes accidents happen, especially at recess.  If an injury occurs, do your best to assess what the student needs. (I believe there is a first aid kit in the vestibule for minor things.) If there is a head injury that is beyond a small tap/bump, please send them to the office. We have a concussion protocol to follow and information to share with families.  We especially want head injuries to be assessed since sometimes concussion symptoms can come on later too. If you have questions about this, please let me know.

• Office Guests
• Sometimes students need to be sent to the office due to their choices/behaviors.  If this is the case, please make sure to let Ella know in the office that they are coming and send them with work (or send a student with it later) so that when they are regulated, they can return to learning and be productive.  When students are in the office for extended time periods with nothing to do, it becomes much more difficult to continue with the business of the office itself.  Thank you in advance for your help with this!

• Lost/Missing iPads
• If a student has lost their ipad and has truly spent time looking for it, the tech department should be contacted. However, we have some students that are using the tech department and the lost mode signal as a way to avoid trying to locate the iPad or truly using their best effort to find it on their own. This adds more work, time from learning and disruptions to multiple people in the system. The first time the device needs to be put into lost mode, the sound will not go off, but we will be able to determine an approximate location for them to look.
• Please notify me if a student says they have lost an iPad in their home and have not returned it by day 2. I will reach out to parents regarding this as this may result in a replacement cost for the parents. Let me know if you have any questions regarding any of these things!

TechKnow Tip

As you prepare for Parent/Teacher conferences, keeping a student’s information confidential is required. Teachers should not show a live PowerSchool Gradebook with parents. It is recommended that parents log into their Parent Access Account to view their students’ progress and grades. If they do not have access to PowerSchool, another option is using PowerTeacher Gradebook Reports. PowerSchool Reports can assist you with conversations with your students’ Parents/Guardians. Helpful reports may include “Individual Student Report” and “Missing Assignment Report” (reference the attached image). These reports are available for all your classes, but ensure you are only sharing specific student data with specific parents/guardians. Specific directions can be found here.

ML Information

Understanding Language Modes: Expressive vs. Interpretive Communication

When supporting Multilingual Learners in our general education classrooms, understanding how students process and generate language is essential for designing accessible, high-leverage instruction.

Rather than looking at language skills in isolation, the WIDA 2020 Standards Framework focuses on how students interact with language through two primary modes: Interpretive and Expressive.

Did You Know?

WIDA 2020 groups traditional language domains into two main modes:

• Interpretive Mode: How students construct meaning from input — Listening, Reading, and Viewing images/visuals.

• Expressive Mode: How students communicate meaning through output — Speaking, Writing, and Drawing/Representing.

Take It to the Next Level: Visualizing the Modes

Recognizing these modes allows us to scaffold learning by pairing an interpretive activity (e.g., viewing a visual or listening to a model) with an expressive outlet (e.g., drawing or oral sentence frames).

What This Looks Like in Practice Across Grade Bands

Grade Band	Interpretive Communication (Input)	Expressive Communication (Output)
PreK3 – K	• Listening to read-alouds with physical gestures • Pointing to visual symbols or illustrations to show understanding	• Drawing pictures to explain a concept • Using 1–2 word oral responses combined with gestures during share time
Grade 1	• Matching read-aloud sentences to story illustrations • Listening to peer explanations during partner turn-and-talks	• Labeling diagrams with key academic vocabulary • Using sentence frames to speak in simple compound sentences
Grades 2 – 3	• Reading short informational texts paired with visual infographics • Identifying main ideas from audio recordings or teacher demonstrations	• Writing short structured paragraphs using graphic organizers • Explaining a process orally using labeled sketches or models
Grades 4 – 5	• Analyzing complex texts, data charts, and digital media • Listening critically to draw conclusions and synthesize information	• Writing multi-paragraph responses using domain-specific vocabulary • Presenting research findings using multimedia, charts, or slides

Friday Funny

Does anyone else live in a house like us? You know, that house, where the dogs (pets) actually run the house. The picture below is what it looks like when the dogs are in charge and can get the humans to do their bidding! In fact, these 2 (Oliver and Molly) have Lexi wrapped around their paw. Oliver (the larger golden doodle) will bark at Lexi until she gets up to get him something. As soon as she gets up, he very quickly will jump up and take her seat. Molly is sneakier about it, but just as effective! It is unbelievable, but we tell her that they only do this to her. No one else. Hmmmm, what does that tell you!?