September 24, 2021

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• Staff members are sharing concerns and feedback with me.  I value your feedback and thoughts. I have the same goal as you; to make our school the best place for students to learn and staff to work.  I know it is hard work, and I see you all working so very hard.  Kelly Gallagher says, "You are most proud of the accomplishments you have worked the hardest for."   

• Staff members are checking in on their colleagues to see if they can help out by providing breaks, student assistance, and math support.

• 5K students were engaged in learning a new work place game and already knew the routines of the calendar collector job during Number Corner.

• 1st graders loved showing off their sketch book drawings in Art today.  It is Week 3 and they knew exactly what the beginning of class routine was.

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Monday, September 27
• Bus Duty for the week: TCaine, Vertz, Murphy

• Tuesday, September 28
• Social Media posts due to Josh: Lisiecki, any others?

• Wednesday, September 29
• Workout Wednesday
• Jenny in an online meeting all day. (Title 1 meeting for new coordinators)
• Academic grade level data meeting: 4th Grade 12:35-1:30pm in 4th grade room

• Thursday, September 30
• SEL Data meetings: 1st grade - 12:05-1pm in a 1st grade room

• Friday, October 1
• Kris, our Bridges Coach will be visiting for the day.

Nitty-Gritty

• EP News
• Last Monday, Jessica had a session on the Effectiveness Project and the forms that are due next month.  If you have any questions for me regarding those, please let me know.  Next week, Jessica will share a screencast regarding the Rapid Cycle Feedback form.  Once those forms are completed, I can begin the observations and feedback for you regarding the standard focus you chose.

• Students of the Month
• Please fill out the Students of the Month nomination by Tuesday at 3pm for your classroom HERE.

• Newsletter news
• The digital newsletter will be sent out next week.  If you have any other news that you would like highlighted in the newsletter for families, please send them to Marie or myself by Monday morning.

• Seals on Wheels
• We have been partnering with Seals on Wheels for a number of years.  This program offers free teeth cleaning and sealants for students in grades 4K-12.  Unfortunately, many of the families did not sign up online at registration this year.  I sent out the link on Class Dojo today, but if you have any family newsletters, etc. please share the link with families as well.
• https://sealasmile.wisconsin.gov/Consent/Home/About

• Homecoming Updates
• Roni has shared this document with us regarding the dress up days and the assembly.  The elementary homecoming planning committee will be providing information soon as well.  Homecoming is October 4-8.  We plan to return to our all school assembly and a parade this year.  If you are new to our district, please check with your mentor about some of our unique Dodgeland traditions and how our elementary students are involved.

PD Spotlight

The next SEL competency area I want to highlight is Social Awareness.  This area is the ability to empathize and take other people's perspectives.  This skill allows people to read facial expressions and body language to understand others feelings and sometimes this is enough to prevent conflicts between others as well.  This 4 min. video helps describe this area in more detail and why it is important for children and grown ups to have skills in this area.  I find myself misreading cues at times, but when I use skills in this area I can appreciate the perspective of others and it helps me to reflect on an issue in more detail.  I also then can appreciate the viewpoints that differ from my first thinking as well.  I find that when I work with students in conflict this is an area that students struggle with.  When they are calm enough to talk through an event, building skills in this area allows students to move on from the conflict in a much healthier way.  Do you notice the same in your classrooms?

Friday Funny

Some of these sentences were so easy to read, but others I had to read 3-4 times to get the pronunciations accurate.  Still, I found this to be funny.