Hear Ye, Hear Ye
- We finished up the data meetings this week and I want to share with you all how much I value these conversations and even more the actions and plans you put in place after looking at the data for your class. Our kids benefit when you not only analyze data, but make adjustments based on what that data says. Way to Go everyone!
- Shout out to Patti who has been navigating an increase in "patients" in the office for the last couple of weeks as well as helping me fill in gaps for sick staff. The germs that are spreading through the building are NO JOKE! Thank you also to everyone that is stepping in to help out, going short staffed while I move people around, and being flexible with schedule changes. It is very much appreciated!
- Shout out to Ella who has been working very hard at getting to know one of our new students and sharing with her team to help us all get to know him better to help him transition to school. Her patience and kind words seem unending. (At least with the kids at school...With Lexi and I, we definitely can see the end of her patience!:-)). Thank you for all you are doing for him!
- I want to take a moment to publicly thank Eneida for stepping into the 3K and EC role while Amber has been enjoying her maternity leave with her little one. Amber will return on Tuesday and I'm certain that the 4K students will be glad to see her back in their classroom, but I can not express my gratitude for taking on this challenge the last couple of months. I appreciate the work you have put in and the many experiences that you have given our students. Thank you!
What's Happening at Dodgeland?
- Monday, February 9
- Morning Duties:
- Blacktop/Playground - Stampfl, Tietz, Neis
- 4K/5K Bus Duty - Ellefson, Houk (one meet buses please)
- Breakfast - Mook, Westphal
- Lunch:
- 12:00 - Stampfl
- 12:30 - Vertz
- 1:00 - Tietz
- Afternoon Duties:
- Blacktop/Playground - CaineT, OPEN
- Circle Drive - Huelsman
- Support your favorite football team - Wear you team gear!
- Tuesday, February 10
- Lunch Detention - Wagner, Westphal, Neis
- Social Media Posts due to Jenny: Braunschweig, Cook
- Welcome Back Amber!
- Wednesday, February 11
- 100th Day of School!
- Jenny in meeting from 9-11am
- Parent/Teacher Conferences 4-7:30pm
- Thursday, February 12
- Jenny in virtual meeting from 8-9am
- 101st Day of School!
- Pop-Up PD on Translation tools in IMC 3:20-3:45
- Friday, February 13
- Wear Red, Pink, or Hearts for Valentine's Day
- Sunday, February 15
- FFA Pancake breakfast - 8am-12pm
Nitty-Gritty
- Author Visit
- Please mark your calendars: On April 17, an author named Diane Nienas will be visiting our school. She has written a series of books with her son as inspiration. Her message is very much about kindness, empathy and celebrating what makes us each unique. Here is the link to her website. I have spoken to her about the presentation and it will fit with the messages we send to our students every day! She will be reading a book aloud to each 3K/4K classroom separately and then doing a larger group presentation in the IMC for grades K-2, 3-5. More information to come next month, but wanted you to have this on your radar!
- Read Across America
- Heads Up! Read Across America week is coming up March 2-6. Our family reading/math night will be on Monday, March 2. Watch for information from the committee coming out soon.
- Social Media Posts Requests
- You all do a magnificent job of sharing pictures and posts for social media to tell our community what is going on in our classrooms. I want to emphasize how important is to continue to tell "our story" frequently. Especially during the next few months before the referendum vote, we want to make sure that we are telling and showing the amazing work we do each day. Even if you aren't on the social media list for that week, please share any posts with me that would be great to share on FaceBook. (If you are already posting to Class Dojo, share it with me for Facebook too!) Just be sure that their is a blurb attached to explain the activity and/or learning and at least a couple of pictures to showcase the work. Thank you in advance for your assistance.
- Art Show Update!
- Thank you to Brenda and Chris V who have volunteered to help with setting up for the Art Show in May. We can always use more help. You know the saying, "Many hands make light work!"
ML Information
Level Up Your Classroom: The Power of "Modeling the Mic"
As teachers, we know that how we say something is often just as important as what we’re saying. We are constantly encouraging our students to "speak like scientists" or "write like historians." But before they can produce that high-level academic language, they need to hear it—constantly and naturally.
Modeling academic language isn’t about being "fancy"; it’s about providing a verbal roadmap for critical thinking. When we intentionally use precise vocabulary in our daily speech, we bridge the gap between casual conversation and the formal language required for academic success.
Learn more about helping your ML learners with Elevating Classroom Discourse!
The Quick-Start Guide: Modeling Academic Language
To help students speak like experts, they need to hear you speak like one first. Use these quick "swaps" to turn everyday classroom talk into high-level academic modeling.
The Power Swaps
3 Ways to Make it Stick
Narrate Your Brain: Say your thoughts out loud. "I’m predicting X because of Y."
Bridge the Gap: Use the "Fancy Word" + the "Simple Word" together. "Let’s contrast—or find the differences between—these two."
The Echo: After you use a target word, ask a student to use it in their response.
Level Up Your Classroom: The Power of "Modeling the Mic"
As teachers, we know that how we say something is often just as important as what we’re saying. We are constantly encouraging our students to "speak like scientists" or "write like historians." But before they can produce that high-level academic language, they need to hear it—constantly and naturally.
Modeling academic language isn’t about being "fancy"; it’s about providing a verbal roadmap for critical thinking. When we intentionally use precise vocabulary in our daily speech, we bridge the gap between casual conversation and the formal language required for academic success.
Why It Works
Think of academic language as a "hidden curriculum." Students from diverse backgrounds may not hear these specific structures at home. When you use them, you:
Lower the barrier: You demystify "big words" by putting them in context.
Provide a scaffold: You give them the sentence starters they need for their own writing.
Normalize rigor: It shows that complex thinking is part of our everyday classroom culture.
From "Teacher Talk" to "Academic Talk"
Small shifts in your phrasing can make a massive impact. Here are a few ways to swap everyday directions for modeled academic language:
3 Quick Tips to Get Started
Narrate Your Thinking: Don't just do the work—talk through it. "I am predicting that the story will end this way because of the foreshadowing in chapter two."
Use "Think-Alouds": When you hit a tough word in a text, model how you figure it out. "This word 'precarious' seems to describe a dangerous situation. Let's look at the context clues."
Display a "Word Wall" for Yourself: Keep a small sticky note on your podium or laptop with 3–5 "Target Terms" you want to use that week.
By consistently "Modeling the Mic," you’re not just teaching a lesson—you’re giving your students the tools to express their own brilliance.
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.
PD Spotlight
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