October 4, 2019

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• Staff giving high fives and hugs to our students as they leave for the day.  This helps our students want to keep coming back every day!
• Staff working together to plan WIN groups based on student need so students have what they need each week.
• Communication about concerns and celebrations in a professional and problem solving way.
• Staff working together to create and follow plans for students that are struggling in school.

What's Happening at Dodgeland

HOMECOMING WEEK! (Dress up day schedule)

• Monday (10/7) - 
• Mentors/Mentees Meeting at 3:15 in the IMC
• Read180 starts in grades 4-5
• Tuesday (10/8) - Jenny will be gone until 10:15 am.
• Wednesday (10/9) - 
• Grade Level Meeting for 3rd grade
• Staff meeting at 3:10 in the IMC
• Thursday (10/10) - 4th grade walking field trip to Juneau Utilities
• Friday (10/11) - 
• Homecoming assembly @1pm
• Early Release at 2:20
• Parade Line-up starts at 3:30 to start at 4pm

Nitty-Gritty

• Homecoming Friday:  Next Friday the Pep assembly is starting at 1pm.  If 3-5 teachers can meet us in the commons at 12:55 to escort students to the gym, we can alleviate extra transitions.  The assembly is scheduled to finish around 2:00-2:10.  This year, students will be sitting on the floor in front of the bleachers in front of the MS/HS students.  Students in K-2 will need to be dismissed from recess early as well in order to get to the  HS gym on time for the assembly. More clarifications will come next week as well.

• As you complete your WIN groups, please record them on the WIN document. Along the side indicate the plan for the week.  Which days will be reading, which days are Math?  Who is in a SEL group?  What is the focus of that SEL group?  Are any students getting EL support during WIN?

• Student of the Month - So I may have overlooked this earlier this week!  Click here to fill in the Student of the Month for your class.  I plan to announce this on Wednesday, October 9. 

• XPD's - Have you registered for XPD's for this year?  If you need to change or want to add any courses, just log in with the password you created when you first registered.  It will give you the option to remove courses you have already registered for, or the check boxes to add courses.  If there is a limit to the number of participants, it is listed next to the course.  The site is:  www.regpacks.com/XPD

• Attendance Initiative - If your class fills in each box of the October attendance chart, please take a picture of the class with the sheet and send it to me to use for an attendance collage.  If you have any questions or concerns or need help with the classroom prize, please let me know!

• Thinking ahead:  Fundraiser pick-up is on October 30 after school.  If there are 2-3 people that would be willing to help for 45min-1hr after school, I would very much appreciate the help.  The company sorts it well, we just have to find the numbered box for each family as they come in. 

PD Spotlight

This week for the PD Spotlight, I decided to share this video.  The video is about 8 min. long.  If you do not have enough time to watch the whole thing, watch from 5:40 to 6:50.  The purpose of this video is to share ideas of how to help parents reinforce and teach SEL skills within their homes.  Many of our students will mimic things they see or experience in their homes.  I found some of the pieces of this video to be helpful as I interact with parents as well.  During Parent/Teacher Conferences later this month, you may choose to share about our SEL instruction this year.  The 5 ideas presented here may give you ideas to talk with parents about.  

As we continue our work this year on learning about our own SEL skills, and how to help our students gain and improve their skills, I am reminded that this learning is not just a 30 min. weekly lesson in GG.  This is how we interact with each other, with all students, and the overall culture of our building.  Without this carry over, students will struggle to consistently use healthy and positive SEL skills when under stress.  I believe that over time, our students will not only thrive in the culture we are creating together at Dodgeland, but also be ready to learn.  Their achievements in school will continue to improve as well.

Friday Funny

https://www.gocomics.com/offthemark