Thursday, October 8, 2026

October 9, 2026

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Supportive, Encouraging, Positive

  • Shout out to Jackson who stepped in to support me with a 4K student.  He was positive and encouraging to our little one and made my struggle easier because I had a positive colleague to support me.  PLUS, he also helped support our 4th/5th graders during the admin hold on Thurs.  Thank you for all the teamwork!
  • I just want you all to know that I am continually impressed by the depth of the conversations in the collab. meetings each week.  I love to see the learning we are doing with and from each other.  We are also keeping students' learning at the forefront of the planning and modifications are made with a strong rationale and clear steps. 
  • Shout out to Christina for giving Ella the support and guidance to get the copy machines "fixed" for us today.  She used the tried-and-true method of shutting it off and turning it back on again as the solution.  (Ella may have other versions of this story, but this is the one I am going with!)


What's Happening at Dodgeland?

  • Monday, October 12
    • Happy Birthday Teresa!
    • Mentor/Mentee Meeting in the IMC 3:15-4pm (for Teachers in year 1-2-3 and their mentors)
    • 5K Collab Mtg @ 11am (SEL)
    • AM Duties
      • Big Playground: O'Toole, Fortmann, Arnes
      • 3K/4K playground: Braunschweig, Houk
      • Breakfast: Schellpfeffer
    • Lunch Duties
      • 12:00: Schulz
      • 12:30: Vetter
      • 1:00: BCaine
    • PM Duties
      • Big Playground: Huso, Jenkins
      • Circle Drive: Rollins
    • Lunch Detention Duty this week: Schuett, Miller, Neis
    • Social Media Posts due this week: Miller, Vetter
    • Special Board Meeting @ 6:30pm
  • Tuesday, October 13
    • 5th gr Rdg Collab mtg @ 8:35am
    • Jenny in a mtg from 9-11am
    • 2nd gr Math Collab mtg @ 12:00pm
    • Jenny in a webinar at 3pm on Attendance.  Anyone is welcome to join me! :-)
  • Wednesday, October 14
    • 4th gr Rdg Collab mtg @ 11:35am
    • Workout Wednesday
    • Elem. Staff mtg from 3:15-4pm
  • Thursday, October 15
    • 1st gr. SEL Collab mtg @ 9:35am
    • 3rd gr Math Collab mtg @ 2:05pm
    • 2nd gr Field trip to Milwaukee Museum (8:15-2:45pm)
    • Effectiveness Project forms are due in Frontline
  • Friday, October 16
    • Jenny in mtg from 9:15-10:30
    • 4K Pyramid Model Collab mtg @ 1:15pm

Nitty-Gritty

  • Juneau library
    • The Juneau public library is looking for people that would be interested in serving on a strategic planning committee. The commitment is approximately an hour or so each month for meetings and drafting a written plan in the spring of 2027. If you are interested, please let Todd know.
  • Integrity Tickets
    • As students are bringing their tickets into the office, we have the privilege of praising them again. We started to ask each student (when we can) how they earned the ticket. Our goal is to reinforce the behaviors that show integrity. When you hand out the tickets, please be explicit with why you are giving them the ticket. The more they hear about the behaviors that show integrity, they more they will replicate it with or without a ticket.  Thank you for implementing this program with consistency and with students' well being and future in mind!
  • Amazon Purchases Update
    • There is a slightly new process in place for Amazon purchases. Still make sure to add a Purchase req number and your name to the Deliver to spot. (I know it says optional, but it is very helpful to us when it comes in and to pay the invoices.). The new part is that I will be able to approve the orders when you submit, so please make sure that the Purchase reqs get to me so that I can get them all in the right spot. Thank you!
  • Inside Dodgeland Video Series
    • Please consider being a part of the video series for our community that we will post online.  The videos will be short and will ask you questions about your role at Dodgeland, why you enjoy your work and the district and your hopes for the Dodgeland School District and its students.  Please contact me or Brad if you are willing and interested in being recorded for this series.  We would like to have 1 staff member for each month for the rest of the school year.
  • Volunteers and Visitors
    • With field trips coming up, please share with your chaperones/volunteers that they should stop in the office with their ID to sign in and get a badge.  If they have not completed a volunteer form online, please have them do this as soon as possible so that the background check can be done before the trip. Once they have used the Visitor Aware system (the iPad in front of Patti/Ella's computer screens) they will not need their ID each time. (If they had completed one previously, still have them do the volunteer online form so that they are in the system for checking in.) If you have questions, please let Ella, Brad or myself know.
  • PTC Update
    • At this month's PTC meeting, the group is moving forward to become a nonprofit, recognized PTO group. They updated the group on the Parent-Teacher Conference suppers.  One night they are providing soups/salads and the other is a Taco night.  Please help me express our gratitude for this incredibly generous and thoughtful gesture.  Second, the group is planning a Fun Run fundraiser to be held on Friday, May 7 during the school day.  More details come later, but wanted you to have this on your calendar.  Please do not plan a field trip for that day.
  • Citizenship Grades
    • Please make sure that citizenship grades have been added to Homeroom teachers' gradebooks for September.  For new teachers, please talk to your mentor if you need assistance with grading for each of the learning targets in our citizenship rubric. Click HERE to see the most recent grading rubric for citizenship that we have been using for our students.
  • Project Energy Assembly
    • Please mark your calendars for the Project Energy assembly that is sponsored by Juneau Utilities presented on Thursday, October 29.  Grades 4K-2 will attend the assembly at 8:30 in the Elem. gym and grades 3-5 will attend the assembly at 9:55am in the same place.  PE classes that are scheduled during these times will be in alternate locations.  Watch for more information regarding this later this month.

TechKnow Tip

Have you tried out Swank?! It is one of our district’s approved platforms for playing movies, documentaries, and instructional videos in the classroom! Personal streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+ are strictly licensed for private, home use only, making it a copyright violation to show them on school grounds. Swank provides the public performance licensing required by law to legally show films for educational and extracurricular activities. You can access Swank through ClassLink today to search our curated film library and safely assign or stream content for your students. Feel free to request a specific video which gets approved by your building principal. Remember to include a detailed purpose for viewing it in the classroom.




Friday Funny

A staff member sent me this picture today and it made me laugh so much.  It was like the perfect illustration for how this week seems to have gone.  And today was the Thursdayest Thursday I have ever had!  (If this is your first year at Dodgeland, please ask someone about our trend of Thursdays at the elementary school! :-))

The metaphor of this picture is that it is just like an average week at school.  It starts out fine and then proceeds to the end of the week where it just ends in chaos and/or confusion. At this point is when you think, "Whatever!" throw up your hands and know that next week you can start fresh!  (There may have been more colorful language to describe it, but you get the gist!)


 


Thursday, October 1, 2026

October 2, 2026

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Supportive, Encouraging, Positive

  • As I walked through the halls with the SRO officer from Lomira today, I couldn't help but be continually impressed by the staff members that supported our students through a necessary but unfortunate drill that we must do. This event has the potential to be very scary for students, but with all situations, they look to their teachers to know that they are okay and will follow your lead!  Thank you for all you did to support them and prepare them for this drill. We got positive feedback from the officers that visited our school today and this is all because of the staff implementation of the safety procedures.
  • Shout out to Betsy who is a steady presence in our classrooms and for her willingness to step in and support students and colleagues. Our youngest learners look to you to help them, and your patience with them is off the charts as well!  :-)
  • Shout out to Brenda who has been working so hard to assist staff with beginning of the year assessments, working with Tammy to plan for interventions and analyzing data, and work with the private school in town as well.  Your positive outlook helps all of us see the possibilities!

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

  • Saturday, October 3
    • FFA Fall Fest 10am-2pm
  • Monday, October 5
    • Fundraiser order forms due - Bring to Ella please
    • AM Duties:
      • Breakfast - Lucht
      • Big Playground - Haan, Greer, Barefield
      • 3K/4K Playground - Wagner, Ryan
    • Lunch Duties:
      • 12:00 - Donovan
      • 12:30 - Oestreich
      • 1:00 - Bingen
    • PM Duties:
      • Big Playground - Klink, Neis
      • Circle Drive - Chambers
    • 5K Collab mtg @ 11:00 (Digital Lit/Tech)
    • Medical Emergency Response Team Drill @1:30pm
    • PTC meeting @ 7:30pm Link is HERE
    • Lunch Detention Duty this week: Stampfl, Jenkins, TCaine
    • Social Media Posts due this week: Greer, O'Toole
  • Tuesday, October 6
    • 5th gr Collab Mtg @ 9:35am (Math)
    • Jenny in Mtg from 9-11am
    • 2nd gr Collab Mtg @ 12:00 (SEL)
  • Wednesday, October 7
    • Jenny in Mtg from 8:30-10:30
    • 4th gr Collab Mtg @ 11:35 (Math)
  • Thursday, October 8
    • Coach Maggie from Playworks visits (11am-3pm)
    • 4th gr. Walking Field trip from 9:30-11:30am
    • 1st Gr Collab Mtg @ 9:35 (Digital Lit/Tech)
    • 3rd Gr Collab Mtg @ 2:05 (SEL)
    • 5th Gr. Band Sign up night (4:30-5:30pm)
  • Friday, October 9
    • 4K Collab Mtg @1:15 (Rdg)
    • Home Varsity Football game @ 7pm

Nitty-Gritty

  • New Face at the Elementary
    • This week a new staff member has joined our team. Brittany Haas is working in Ms. Vertz's room from 7:45-2pm daily. The kids call her Miss Brittany (yes, now there are 2 of them in our elementary!). She may look familiar (or her last name sounds familiar!) as she is also a mom of two of our students. Please help me welcome Brittany to our team.
  • Staff movement
    • In addition to Brittany joining our team, there were a few shifts in locations for some staff as well.  Mrs. Uttech has returned to Room 117 with Shanalyn/team and Miss Carmen has moved to Room 133 with Melissa Caine-Arnes.  This means that they may be in classrooms or around different parts of the building.  Thank you both for your flexibility as we make adjustments for the system and most importantly for our students!
  • Playworks Visit
    • Coach Maggie's first half day visit is on Thursday this week.  While she is here, she will be working with Jr. Coaches on trainings, observing and modeling games at our lunch recesses, and stopping in classrooms to observe a playworks activity that the teacher leads and model one for you as well.  Eventually she will be in all of our homerooms, but this visit she will be visiting 2nd and 5th grades. The schedule is below. Please do not stress about this.  The goal of using these games is to emphasize SEL skills and build in play so that you can tackle even more curriculum because they are regulated and ready to learn in the green zone.  If you have specific questions for Coach Maggie, please ask!  She is here to support our work and wants to help!
      • 1:00-1:20 Miller
      • 1:20-1:40 Oestreich (in PE and classroom)
      • 1:40-2:00 Vetter
      • 2:00-2:20 Bingen
      • 2:20-2:40 Fortmann
      • 2:40-3:00 Knibbs
  • Water Bottle Donations?
    • Nurse Katie is looking for clean, gently used water bottles that you may have and be willing to donate to school. If you have any they can be brought to the office!  Thank you in advance!
  • Winter Clothing Drive
    • In the October Newsletter, I asked parents/community members if they had any gently used winter clothing or boots, to please donate them to the school.  If anyone brings anything in, please bring to the office. If you have any students that you find are in need of supplies as we get closer to winter, please let us know in the office so we can put things aside for them.
    • If you didn't get to read the newsletter, it is on our Dodgeland Website!

Behavior Specialist Information

See Something/Say Something
Please remember that campus security requires all of us to be vigilant of our surroundings and to pay attention to anything that may seem out of place both in and outside of our building. If you notice something that seems out of place, please notify the office (not an emergency) or use the Emergency Page procedures (emergency, or requires admin to report immediately) to get support.


TechKnow Tip

Padlet is a virtual pinboard that allows users to post comments, questions, and resources in one place. This virtual pinboard allows for mind mapping, collaborative group projects, discussions, photo gallery, and an interactive repository for resources to share with your students. There are even new response additions including drawing, talk to me (recorded audio of an AI voice instead of your own voice), and poll.  Here are 20 Ways for Students to Use Padlet in the Classroom. To get started, you can login to Padlet here with your Google account.

ML Information

Playground Talk vs. Reading Talk 
Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills vs. Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (BICS vs. CALP)
Did You Know? A 2nd grader might speak fluent, effortless English during recess (BICS) but struggle to explain character motivations in the regular education classroom. Recess fluency doesn't mean language support is no longer needed!
Take it to the Next Level: Read Colorín Colorado's breakdown of Social vs. Academic Language in Elementary.


Friday Funny

I'm just saying this seems like a legitimate excuse note, right?  :-). OH WAIT!  We probably don't have enough subs in Frontline to cover this...






Friday, September 25, 2026

September 25, 2026


This was me on Thursday evening...Thus the late weekly blog.  Thank you for your patience with this week's blog. 

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Supportive, Encouraging, Positive

  • Shout out to Tammy who has been working diligently on getting AIMSweb to cooperate and set up for us to use.  Thank you for supporting us and staying positive throughout.  I'll admit, I have lost a lot of my positivity for AimsWeb over the years! :-)
  • Shout out to Sue O'Toole for sharing her expertise at Collab meetings and always ready to provide resources to teachers to help them with instructional planning and teaching. We are all so lucky to get to learn from you, but especially feel supported by all your hard work and encouragement for us to help our students become strong mathematicians!
  • Shout out to Taylor Huso who stepped in this week to help the team translate important information to the family so they could be an active part of the meeting and also leave feeling good about the plan that we have in place for her son.  Thank you so much!

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

  • Monday, September 28
    • Jenny is out until 11am
    • Library Lessons start this week!
    • AM Duties:
      • Breakfast: Mook
      • 3K/4K Playground: Donovan, Schulz
      • Blacktop/Playground: CaineB, Bingen, Tietz
    • Lunch Duties:
      • 12:00 - Braunschweig
      • 12:30 - Huso
      • 1:00 - Fortmann
    • PM Duties:
      • Blacktop/Playground - Juech, Knibbs
      • Circle Drive (in front)- Grebel
    • Lunch Detention Duties Start this week (You will be notified if there are any assigned to you that week.  Remember, only 1 day will be assigned to you, not the entire week.)
      • Lucht, O'Toole, Klink
    • 5K Collab Mtg on Rdg @ 11am
    • School Board meeting at 6:30pm
  • Tuesday, September 29
    • Social Media Posts due to Jenny: Braunschweig, Jenkins, Neis
    • Picture Retake Day
    • 5th Gr Collab Mtg on SEL @ 8:30am
    • Jenny in meeting from 9-11am
    • 2nd Gr Collab Mtg on Dig Lit/Tech @ 12:00
    • Jenny in a webinar at 2pm
  • Wednesday, September 30
    • 4th gr Collab Mtg on SEL @ 11:35am
  • Thursday, October 1
    • Support Duties Change for October:
      • Breakfast: Samantha, Brittany
      • AM - Meet Bus at Stop Sign: Eneida
      • AM - Meet Bus #11 to help kids off: Betsy, Melissa U
      • PM - Parent P/U by Bike Rack: Melissa
      • PM - Parent P/U Circle Dr. Front - Carmen
    • LockDown Drill @ 9:15am
    • 1st Gr Collab mtg on Rdg - 9:35am
    • 3rd Gr Collab mtg on Dig Lit/Tech @ 2:05pm
  • Friday, October 2
    • No School for Students - PD for staff - Den is open from 6:30am-5:30pm
    • PD Schedule will be out soon!
  • Saturday, October 3
    • FFA Fall Fest from 10am-2pm at Dodgeland

Nitty-Gritty

  • ST Math Fluency
    • Did you catch Sue's message about the math fact fluency practice on ST Math?  Just making sure no one missed it! Her message says that it is under All Learning Objectives, choose the grade level and go ALL the way to the bottom under OPTIONAL.  If you need help, please reach out to Sue or a colleague!
  • Admin Hold
    • Reminder:  Any time an admin. hold is called, please lock your classroom/office doors from the inside. When it is called off, doors can be unlocked again. By making this a habit, it will help us for some of the situations that necessitate admin holds.
  • Newsletter
    • The October newsletter will be coming out on Monday. If you have any information that you want in it, please get it to Ella ASAP.
  • Amazon Purchases
    • When you order from Amazon, please use your Dodgeland Business account to check out.  If you don't have one, please see Molli to get the email invitation.  When you check out, please make sure to write the purchase req number on the line and also put your name the sender's space to be sure it gets to you!



Behavior Specialist Information

Student Specific Supports

We have several students that have supports or modifications from the general procedures to be proactive in preventing issues. Those supports can be found HERE. If you feel a student needs a support, please talk with Mrs. Chambers so we can formally put a plan in place. 


Office Door

Many of our students working on regulation, are using the office as a location to calm, and are very good escape artists. When entering or leaving the office, please be aware of what is happening in the office and avoid holding the door open/be quick in and out. TIA!


Incentive plan coming

We will be starting a whole school incentive plan. More to come on 10/2 :).


Elastipass - 4th and 5th grade

We have set up Elastipass again this year for 4th and 5th grade. Students MUST fill out a pass if they need to leave class for any reason. IPads are to be left outside of the bathroom doors when they are using a bathroom pass. 


Student work/iPads

Thank you for sending work along to the office/bringing it/sending it down when a student needs some time in the office to work. We will put the finished work/materials back in your mailbox if the student is unable to bring them back to you after their time is finished.



Recess Information

4th and 5th grade 4 square update

After doing some problem solving with Coach Maggie, we have decided to allow spiking in 4 Square on the two courts closest to the grass. The third court closest to the Gaga pit will still be under hand only to allow those students that don’t want to play competitively a space for that. 


Kickball

Junior coaches or adults should be the pitcher for kickball. 


2nd and 3rd grade transition and lunch

To try to alleviate some congestion at recess transition, we are going to try 2nd and 3rd grade transitioning down the 4th and 5th grade hall to recess (except Kari’s class, they will use the same door they are used to using). They have been reminded that 4th and 5th are learning and the voice expectation is 0. 


2nd and 3rd will also be sitting closest to the library/DO in the Commons for lunch. 


Lockdown snack/recess

Due to the Lockdown Drill, we need to move recess on 10/1. Here is the plan:


2nd/3rd - 10:45-11:00

4th/5th - 11:00-11:15

5k/1 - 1:30/1:45

4k - 8:40-8:55

3k - once drill is over


Snack milk will be delivered around 8:30. PLEASE get your milk count in ASAP so that hopefully you can get snack in before the drill. (4K, grab your milk from the hall and have snack when you are released to Admin Hold).


Junior Coaches

Junior coaching should be in full swing. Please continue to support them and help them with inviting kids to play. When the whistle blows, they should be helping with calming the lines and can walk the classes to lunch and then return to class. In the event of an evacuation, they should be joining a class they are junior coaching for.


ML Information

Quarter 1 Focus: The PreK-5 WIDA Framework & Mindset

💡 Understanding Equity in the Primary Classroom

Did You Know?

In a WIDA-aligned classroom, equity is about access, not uniformity. Traditional instruction often defaults to giving Multilingual Learners (MLs) simplified texts or lower-grade worksheets. True equity means holding high expectations and keeping MLs anchored in grade-level science and social studies concepts by changing how the content is accessed, not what content is taught.


🛠️ Classroom Strategies by Grade Band

🎒 PreK-3 to Kindergarten: Experiential & Multisensory Equity

Young MLs are developing foundational language alongside conceptual knowledge. Equity at this stage means leveraging their natural curiosity through hands-on exploration.

  • Visual & Physical Scaffolds: Use real objects (realia), physical gestures (Total Physical Response), and interactive word walls with photos.

  • In Practice (Science): When teaching a unit on Weather, do not skip the concept of "precipitation" for MLs. Instead, have students touch water, ice, and mist. Pair the word "precipitation" with a dramatic rain gesture and a visual chart showing rain, snow, and hail.

  • Asset-Based Approach: Allow children to demonstrate understanding by pointing, acting out concepts, or using their home language.

🏫 1st Grade to 3rd Grade: Structured Language & Collaboration

As students transition to more formal reading and writing, equity means providing the linguistic bridges they need to express complex thoughts.

  • Linguistic Scaffolds: Utilize interactive sentence frames and sentence starters that provide the grammar structure while leaving room for the student's ideas.

  • In Practice (Social Studies): When studying Community Helpers, instead of giving an ML a simple coloring page, give them the same grade-level map and text as their peers. Provide a sentence frame like: "The fire station is next to the park. The firefighter helps the community by putting out fires."

  • Graphic Organizers: Use Venn diagrams, T-charts, and sequencing chains heavily paired with icons to help students organize their thoughts before speaking or writing.

📐 4th Grade to 5th Grade: Deconstructing Academic Discourse

Upper elementary MLs face an explosion of abstract academic language. Equity here means explicitly teaching the "hidden rules" of academic text and discussion.

  • Multimodal Scaffolds: Provide graphic graphic organizers, annotated texts with embedded glossaries, and multimedia anchors (like short video clips) before reading.

  • In Practice (Science): When learning about Ecosystems, do not give MLs a simplified article about animals. Give them the grade-level text, but highlight key tier-2 and tier-3 vocabulary. Provide a visual diagram mapping out the producer, consumer, and decomposer pathways, and use strategic partner structures (like Think-Pair-Share) so they can practice the language with a peer before writing.

  • Functional Language: Teach students how to agree, disagree, or add on to a peer's comment using academic language prompts during group work.


🚀 Taking it to the Next Level: The Four Big Ideas

WIDA’s framework is anchored in four foundational pillars. Here is how the "Equity" Big Idea intersects with the other three to guide your Quarter 1 mindset:

  • Equity as a Catalyst: By ensuring access to rich content, you honor the Systemic Support big idea—recognizing that school leadership and resources must wrap around the ML.

  • Integration of Content and Language: You aren't teaching language in isolation. You are teaching the language of science and the language of social studies simultaneously.

TechKnow Tip

Don’t forget to share your creations!


We know you and your students are really great at taping up posters in the halls- why not expand that to our digital signage?!  Digital signage is found in the halls, on classroom boards, and even as screensavers. The goal of our digital signage is to inform students and staff of all the amazing things happening here at Dodgeland. Digital signage is great for organization announcements, upcoming fundraisers, and building dress-up days (like homecoming)!  


Here’s what we need from you and/or your students: any and all information about clubs, organizations, sports, celebrations, and upcoming events you’d like to advertise. Information shared should include a JPG digital poster (Canva is a great tool), pictures, and specific information such as dates, time, and visibility, can be shared to Sam Santana via email. Be sure to include what school areas you want it advertised and the time period in which you’d like it visible. The more information you include, the better! If you are creating your own or using Canva, please share as a PNG or JPG format and use dimensions 1024x576 px (landscape) or 835x1080 px (portrait).


Friday Funny

This is only funny because it is true!






Friday, September 18, 2026

September 18, 2026

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Supportive, Encouraging, Positive

  • Shout out to Olivia and Samantha who are supporting one another and showing collegiality that all of the students that walk in the classroom will benefit from.  They communicate with each other clearly, they work together on proactive plans, and still find ways to laugh and bring joy to each other's days!  :-)
  • I got to sit at all of the collab meetings this week and I heard so many wonderful encouraging words as we work through the work of teacher clarity, planning for student achievement growth and how to meet our students' needs.  Thank you for your work and being an active participant in each meeting!
  • Shout out to Melissa Uttech who has been temporarily in a different schedule to support the transition of students to a new room.  She was positive and was a great support for the new team to learn new students, but also as a familiar face for the students making a change. Thank you for all you did to make this work!
  • Shout out to Kari who is working so hard to build a relationship with one of her students.  It is starting to get through to him, but it is a slow process. I appreciate how she continues to create a classroom environment that is welcoming, but also focused on what is important for him and his learning.  Nice Job Kari!


What's Happening at Dodgeland?

  • Monday, Sept. 21
    • Homecoming Starts! Pajama Day
    • AM Duties
      • Breakfast - Miller
      • 4K/5K playground - Schuett, Vertz
      • Big playground - Stampfl, Oestreich, Vetter
    • Lunch Duties
      • 12:00 - Wagner
      • 12:30 - Juech
      • 1:00 - Knibbs
    • PM Duties
      • Big Playground - Ryan, TCaine
      • Circle Drive - Huelsman
    • Happy Birthday Patti! 
    • 5K Collab Mtg on Math @ 11:00-11:30am
    • Social Media Posts due this week on Class Intercom: Klink, Haan
  • Tuesday, Sept. 22
    • USA Day - Wear Red, White and Blue
    • HS Council selling beads/tattoos to classes that signed up
    • 5th gr Collab Mtg on Tech/Digital Citizenship @ 8:35-9:20am
    • Jenny in a meeting from 9-11am
    • 2nd gr Collab Mtg on Rdg @ 12:00-12:30pm (NEW TIME!)
  • Wednesday, Sept. 23
    • Happy Birthday Blasia and Gabrielle!
    • Sports Day: Wear a Jersey
    • HS Council selling beads/tattoos to classes that signed up
    • 4th gr Collab Mtg on Tech/DC @ 11:35am-12:20pm
    • Staff Meeting in the IMC from 3:15-4pm
  • Thursday, Sept. 24
    • Color Day - Dress in your grades color (or choose 1 or more of the colors)
    • HS Council selling beads/tattoos to classes that signed up
    • 1st gr Collab Mtg on Math from 9:35-10:20am
    • 3rd gr Collab Mtg on Rdg from 2:05-2:50pm
  • Friday, Sept. 25
    • Spirit Day - Wear your Dodgeland Purple Wear!
    • Pep Assembly starts at 1:30pm
    • School Dismissed at 2:30pm, Parade starts at 4pm, Game at 7pm, Bonfire/dance following the game

Nitty-Gritty

  • Frontline Hours
    • When Kimi sets up the accounts in Frontline, the 30 min. lunch period is accounted for within all staff's hours.  This means that when you put in an absence, please write down the times that you are leaving the building until you return or the end of your day. This will help us to make sure that we know who has left the building.
  • Recess Duties
    • Whenever possible we ask for volunteers to help fill openings in duties if we are short staff and/or subs.  If there are no volunteers, we will be putting in place the duty assignment practice that we have used in previous years.  Ella (and later Patti) will keep track of who and when anyone is assigned to a recess so that it is equitable amongst our staff members. Thank you in advance for stepping in to keep things running smoothly.
  • b.e.s.t. Assessment 
    • I will be working on getting this assessment set up to work on during the PD day on October 2nd.  You will start to receive an email from b.e.s.t. to make an account.  Please do not delete this. You can create the account if you like, but please remember your password as I can not retrieve it. The actual screening window doesn't start until Oct. 30.
  • Life Tools early Intervention Program
    • Stephanie Buss is looking for a staff member that would like to co-facilitate the Life Tools early intervention program. The class is typically after school weekly (once/week) for 8 weeks. There is a stipend available.  Please contact Stephanie Buss if you are interested in this opportunity!
  • Savvas (MyView) - Google Classroom
    • Sam Santana shared with me that they did some updates in Savvas Realize for the MyView curriculum. In order to get your classes into Savvas, you must upload from Google Classroom. If you struggle with this process, please put in a help desk ticket.
  • Visitor Aware for volunteers
    • As we start to enter the Fall Field trip season, please remember that we have a new online Volunteer approval process.  The link is on our Dodgeland Website and must be completed online (no paper forms are accepted) and can be completed in the building if they need a device, etc.
  • AimsWeb update
    • AimsWeb+ is driving me and the interventionists crazy! It is slowly syncing students to the system, but for some reason it is not syncing classrooms from PowerSchool and not all of the students are in it yet either.  I know it is frustrating, but I wanted you to know about this.  Second, our students that attend through the tuition arrangement, must be assessed through AimsWeb with a customer ID for Hustisford. The interventionists will be assessing them since there are extra steps in place in order to get this to work. Thank you for your flexibility while this gets sorted out!
  • Accommodations for 504
    • If you have students that have 504 plans that require separate setting for tests, etc, please reach out to Teresa, Andy, Jen or myself (or an interventionist if they are available) for assistance with this.  Please plan ahead so that we can get this on our calendars to be sure we are available.
  • Question of the Week:  (I really don't understand the 3 people that put the milk in the bowl before the cereal.  Is that truly how you prepare your cereal?  :-)



ML Information

Early ELD Standards (PreK3 - Kindergarten)

Did You Know? 

Language development in 3- to 5-year-olds looks different than in older grades. WIDA provides specialized "Early ELD Standards" that integrate language directly into play, outdoor learning, and circle time.

Take it to the Next Level: 

Check out WIDA's Early Years Resources for early childhood language play.


TechKnow Tip

When creating a post in Class Intercom, you may need to block student faces out of pictures. Watch this short video tutorial showing how to add stickers within Class Intercom, saving you a bunch of time!




Friday Funny

Almost every week when I work on the blog, I have the Golden Girls on the TV while I work.  It's just background noise mostly, but tonight I finished the whole series for the 10th time.  The clip below is on the very short lived spin off, Golden Palace.  It's just funny in a classical sense and reminds me of what a gem Betty White was!  Enjoy!
















Thursday, September 10, 2026

September 11, 2026

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Supportive, Encouraging, Positive

  • Shout out to Sue and Nicole that gave each other 8 min. to connect and support one another!  Way to go!  (I know it seems like a lot of time in our busy days, but it does feel good, especially if you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
  • Shout out to Bethany who shared some awesome news about her 5K class from the fall testing!  Thank you for sharing such awesome news.  I can't wait to see what they accomplish this school year!
  • Today I got to hear Delaney recite positive affirmations after a somewhat difficult situation with one of her students. (It may have started as a funny conversation with colleagues, but it also helped me feel good too!) Her colleagues are supporting her and I appreciate the positivity.  Please know that you have a whole team that is here for you!
  • Shout out to Teresa, Rachael and Andrea T. who supported and/or checked in with staff members that had a very emotional couple of hours this morning. While the student was struggling, it is also very overwhelming for the adults in these situations as well.  Thank you for supporting one another through these situations.

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

  • Monday, September 14
    • Fall Fundraiser begins - Show video to your class today
    • 5K collab meeting on SEL/Behavior from 11-11:30
    • AM Duties for the week:
      • Big Playground - O'Toole, Bingen, Arnes
      • 3K/4K Playground - Braunschweig, Schulz
      • Breakfast - Schellpfeffer
    • Lunch Duties for the week:
      • 12:00 - Lucht, Donovan
      • 12:30 - Miller, Greer
      • 1:00 - Neis, Klink
    • PM Duties for the week:
      • Big Playground - Huso, Mook
      • Circle Drive - Rollins
    • Mentor/Mentee Meeting in IMC from 3:15-4pm
  • Tuesday, September 15
    • Jenny in meeting from 9-11am
    • 5th gr. Collab mtg from 8:35-9:20 - Reading
    • 2nd gr. Collab mtg from 12:30-1pm - Math
    • Hoodie day - Patti said she wasn't sure if the weather would cooperate for this though!  :-)
  • Wednesday, September 16
    • Jenny in meeting from 8:30-10:30am
    • 4th gr Collab mtg from 11:35-12:20 - Reading
  • Thursday, September 17
    • 1st gr. Collab mtg from 9:35-10:20 - SEL
    • 3rd gr. Collab mtg from 2:05-2:50 - Math
    • Tornado Drill - 2:30pm
    • Jenny in mtg from 10:30-11:30
  • Friday, September 18
    • Happy Birthday Kimi!
    • Field Day - Coach Maggie will be in the building for the day!
    • 4K Pyramid Model mtg from 1:15-2pm

Nitty-Gritty

  • Everyday Speech
    • If you did not get an invitation to the EveryDay Speech today, please let me know.  Everyday Speech is the SEL curriculum for grades 2-5. It also is bundled with the social communication lessons that might be helpful for SEL lessons or interventions.
  • Food for Conferences
    • If you haven't already, please complete the google form regarding food for dinner the night of conferences. The PTC would like to support us by providing dinner for all of us that evening.  The link is HERE if you need to respond yet.
  • i-Ready inform
    • I don't remember if I shared that the i-Ready diagnostic assessment has been revised for this school year.  It is now called i-Ready Inform. It is supposed to be a bit shorter, but I've heard different opinions on whether teachers/students are noticing that it is in fact shorter.  Either way, I wanted to make sure that you were aware of this change.
  • Fall Fundraiser
    • The packets were delivered to classrooms on Thursday. Please send these home on Monday, Sept. 14.  The kick off video is HERE. Please show this to your class on Monday at some time during the day. The orders are due on Monday, October 5. Fundraiser committee: Please see me to discuss this next week.  :-)
  • PTC Teacher Request Form
    • If you have a request from PTC to help financially for things for your classroom or students, click HERE to make a copy of the form to fill out and turn in to Pete or myself to get to the PTC for their agenda. 
  • School Pictures are in!
    • Ella is working on sorting the box of photo packages. She will put the pictures for students in your class when they are complete and will cross reference with the class lists to see who needs a picture taken on Retake day on September 29!  Watch your email for a list and also a sample message to send to your families to determine if anyone else wants to get their picture retaken.
  • Collab Meetings
    • For collab meetings, please bring a device, any beginning of the year data from your classroom that you have and be ready to discuss the following questions:
      • What do we want our students to learn?
      • How do we know they learned it?
      • What do we do when they don't learn it?
      • What do we do next when they have mastered the skill?
  • Go Bags and Sub Plans
    • Do you have these things complete and ready for any unexpected emergencies? Make sure your go bag has an updated class list.  Make sure you have some emergency plans within your sub folder on the shared drive. I will be checking for them starting on Sept. 18. They can be reused from previous years if they still fit, etc. but please check them over to be sure it is what you want.



ML Information

Quarter 1 Focus: The PreK-5 WIDA Framework & Mindset

PreK-5 Content Teachers Are Language Teachers

Did You Know? You don't need an ESL endorsement to teach language! When you teach how to measure in math or observe life cycles in science, you are teaching the specific language of those elementary subjects.

Take it to the Next Level: Explore the WIDA ELD Standards Framework, 2020 Edition to see K-5 subject-area language expectations.


The "Can Do" Mindset in Elementary

Did You Know? WIDA focuses on what young Multilingual Learners (MLs) can do. A kindergarten ML might not speak English yet, but they can draw a sequence, point to details, and act out stories!

Take it to the Next Level: Download the WIDA Can Do Descriptors for PreK-5 to assess student strengths.


Recess Information

Inclusive play

Please continue to encourage students including everyone, splitting teams fairly, and being good sports.


Junior Coaches 

Junior coaches will start Monday. Please give them grace and support them as they learn to facilitate positive game play.




Behavior Specialist Information

Zones of Regulation

Most classrooms have had a chance to learn Zones now. Staff, please use the Zones language as much as possible to help our students identify their feeling and an appropriate calming strategy. Here is the video link if anyone wants/needs to review it. The video will also be posted on DoJo for families.




TechKnow Tip

Remember to take a moment to look around your room before you leave for the day. Be sure to unplug string lights or lamps and turn off your ViewSonic board. For a touch ViewSonic board, long hold the power button until you receive a message regarding shutdown. For a display only ViewSonic board, use your remote control and aim it at the bottom right-hand corner of the TV. This is important for the longevity of the board and overall electricity usage.


Friday Funny

The reason I think this is funny is because there are some things that just get stuck in your long term memory and it never leaves.  I remember a song my Spanish teacher taught us about the capitals of the countries in South America. I'm not sure when I will ever use that information, but it's in my brain and it takes up room that I know I could really use for something else!  Enjoy Taylor's rendition of the State Song!  :-)








Friday, September 4, 2026

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Supportive - Shout out to Pete (Mr. Moe) who is checking in with so many of us and offering his support and help throughout our school. He is sharing information with me to help me with a project I will be working on, he is listening and offering ideas for teachers to try for situations and he is helping with materials that we need in the building.  Thank you Pete!

Encouraging - The first week of school is always exhausting for students and staff alike.  There is a new schedule to learn and we are all still learning one another and the system.  On top of that, we then throw in a day of rain that starts with indoor bus duty and it gets even more exhausting. But one thing that makes it so much better is when staff is offering words of encouragement to one another.  I have observed Den staff working together to get a good rhythm going, mentors checking on their mentees, many Playworks games occurring in classrooms to get to know kids and reflections on learning as a group. I'm so glad to be a part of your team!

Positive  - Shout out to Jahra and her students who practiced giving compliments to one another and shared with me many ways that they were showing kindness that day.  They are off to a great start of creating a positive learning culture in their classroom!


What's Happening at Dodgeland?

  • Monday, Sept. 7
    • Labor Day - No School
  • Tuesday, Sept. 8
    • Fall testing starts today
    • AM Duties for the week:
      • Big Playground - Stampfl, Greer, Barefield
      • 4K Playground - Wagner, Ryan
      • Breakfast - Lucht
    • Lunch Duties for the week:
      • 12:00 - Schulz, Schuett, Haan
      • 12:30 - Jenkins, Vetter
      • 1:00 - CaineT, CaineB
    • PM Duties for the week: 
      • Big Playground - Juech, Neis
      • Parking Lot - Chambers
    • Social Media Posts due this week using Class Intercom: Miller, Stampfl
    • Jenny's in a meeting from 9-11am
    • PTC Virtual Meeting @ 7:30pm 
  • Wednesday, Sept. 9
    • Happy Birthday Roxanne!
    • Workout Wednesday
    • Jenny in Virtual meeting from 8-9am
    • Staff meeting 3:15-4pm in the IMC
  • Thursday, Sept. 10
    • Administrative Hold drill @ 9:45am
  • Friday, Sept. 11
    • All staff have Emergency Sub plans completed in the Sub Folder on Google Drive
    • Home Varsity Football Game @ 7pm


Nitty-Gritty

  • Question of the Week
    • Apparently Middle brownies have SLIGHTLY more "fans" than corner brownies, but the conversations that I have had regarding this have been pretty spirited!  The best part: we have parents and visitors that enter the building that ask to participate in the question as well.  It has been a pretty fun community building activity.  Make sure to stop in next week to find out the next question!
  • Fall Testing Information
    • The interventionists will be helping with the ORF and Early Literacy/Early Numeracy assessment in AIMSweb.  They will not be available to help with small groups for i-Ready, TestNav, etc unless needed for 504 plans. Special Education teachers - please reach out if you need assistance proctoring any of your students.
    • Students in grades 2-5 will use the TestNav app in order to take the Vocabulary assessment  and for math fluency for grades 2-5. If possible, please complete the assessment by Sept 11.  (However, at this time, our students have not been synced to the program yet, so this may not be possible.)
    • Tammy Schellpfeffer will also be coming to coordinate with some of you for taking students below the 25%ile to do additional testing with her. Please be flexible so that she can complete this testing as soon as possible so intervention can begin as soon as we can.
  • Class Intercom Email Invite
    • You should have received an email regarding class intercom on Thursday afternoon at some point.  This has a link inviting you to class intercom and is only good for 24 hours.  Please click on this link as soon as you get it so that you are signed up for the site to create Social Media posts for the district.
  • Reading Corps Update
    • I received notice this week that 2 tutors have been hired by Americorps for our elementary school. They will start their training next month and will start around Oct 19. Once we have the reading data and tutors in place, they will let you know who they will be working with.  In addition, they will be doing much of their lessons at a table in one of the gathering areas throughout the building.
  • Math Help Desk
    • Don't forget to use the Math Help Desk to connect with Sue regarding your math needs. Please use this quick google form for any copies, supplies, or help you need for Bridges or Number Corner. Sue will be distributing a qr code next week so you'll always have it on hand. This system has worked out pretty well in the past. Feel free to let her know of any suggestions for improvement you might have. She has included a spot for intervention if you need resources, ideas, or just a sound board for those striving and high flying mathematicians. 
  • Fall Sheriff's Testing at Dodgeland
    • FYI: The sheriff's department will be using the track at Dodgeland to for physical fitness testing between 9-11am on the following dates: 9/9, 9/10, 9/11, 9/15, 9/16, 9/18, 9/29. This will not affect our work, but you may hear from others wondering about what is happening at the school.


ML Information

Don't forget this reminder from Gabrielle about the requirement for translations for our families. If you need any assistance or have any questions, please reach out to Gabrielle Zastrow. She would be glad to help!

As we kick off the new year, here is a friendly reminder regarding our commitment to language access. To ensure all families can fully engage with our school community, federal law (Title VI and the EEOA) and district policy require that we translate all student- and parent-facing materials into the home language of our Multilingual Learners (MLs). In our district, this is predominantly Spanish.

Providing meaningful access includes, but is not limited to:

  • Letters home, newsletters, and hallway/building signage

  • Parent meetings, assemblies, concerts, and athletic events

Important formatting note: PDFs and Picture graphics attached to newsletters, Facebook posts, etc. often do not automatically translate. Please make sure to create and share separate, translated versions of any PDF documents.

If you need help translating materials or have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out!


TechKnow Tip

Document cameras transform static teaching materials (books, worksheets, or manipulatives) into interactive visual experiences by projecting real-time video of physical objects, textbooks, and student work onto a shared display. Teachers use them to model step-by-step problem-solving, annotate texts live, and demonstrate hands-on science experiments so every student in the room can easily follow along. To get started, check out a document camera from the IMC or the tech office. You utilize the program QuickTime -> File -> New Movie Recording to display the camera onto your classroom board. You can also download Flex-Hovercam from Self Service to use, however, it does currently have some issues that need to be resolved. We will let you know when the company fixes those bugs.


Behavior Specialist Information

Playworks!

While we do not have an official Playbook from Coach Maggie yet, here is the link to the Game Library from Playworks.  Please reach out if you need help to model/facilitate a game.



Recess Information


Indoor recess changes
  • Unfortunately, the MS gym is not going to be available for 5k/1 recess as initially thought for lunch recess. 4k-1st grade will be in their classrooms for indoor recess. The 5k/1st grade paraeductors will cover the classrooms for teachers that have lunch duty so they will still get a break. Additional staff will rotate to offer bathroom breaks as able.
  • To have enough supervision for indoor bus duty,  4k students will go to room 108 and 5k students will go to room 109 for a show. The third person on duty will hold the door/get kids from the bus.
Outdoor bus duty

To have enough activity and space to keep kids engaged and safe, morning “bus duty” recess options are:
  • Basketball
  • Gaga ball
  • Tag zone
  • Playground (unless it is too wet/slippery)
  • Stand in your line and hang out


Friday Funny

Thank you all again for letting me come in and read with your students and have a platform to talk about kindness and the goal I have for them this year. In addition, I really wanted to see our students again and meet all of our new students to our school. As I am meeting students, I am finding some of them remind me of their parents that I still remember when they were kids at Dodgeland. This week I said to one little 1st grader that her smile looks just like her mom's smile. (a former student of mine). Her response, "My mom doesn't smile!" I can definitely say that I was speechless at that point. :-)

I just love elementary kids!