December 17, 2021

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• A 5K student shared with me how proud she was of herself and how she has had so many good days in a row without getting into trouble or making sad choices.  I love how she put together her choices each day with the feeling of pride and success.

• 2nd graders helping each other (and me) create the poinsettia project after learning about Mexico's Christmas traditions.  They did a nice job of teaching their peer how to finish the project successfully.  All of them got it down and they looked great!

• I had the opportunity to attend a few IEP/parent meetings this week and last that had teachers that shared specific information to parents in a way that was easy for parents to understand, made them feel a part of the education plan for their child,   I am constantly impressed by how you all really get to know your students' strengths and needs.  

• 1st graders are growing and growing as readers.  I love hearing about them moving levels.  Although I know it is extra work for the classroom teachers, it is exciting work that is definitely worth the time it takes to reshuffle guided reading groups!

• Finally, thank you all for your collegiality and help with covering out of your normal, everyday duties this week.  I truly appreciate you all!

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Monday, December 20
• Ho-Ho-Ho Down Day (Wear Flannel/Cowboy attire)
• Bus Duty for the week (Stanton, Hughes, Wedel)
• GG lessons for the week:  Review skills/topics from the school year so far
• Jenny leaving for Dr appt at 1:45pm
• School Board Meeting @ 6:30pm
• MS Winter Concert @ 7pm

• Tuesday, December 21
• Ugly Sweater Day or Red/Green Day
• Student of the Month nominations due
• Expectations planning meeting 3:10pm-3:45pm
• Social Media posts due to Josh (Donovan, BCaine, Huso, O'Toole)
• HS Winter Concert @ 7pm

• Wednesday, December 22
• Long Winter Nap Day (wear jammies/comfy clothes)
• Staff Meeting at 3:10pm in the IMC Learning Commons

• Thursday, December 23
• Wear Festive Holiday Apparel
• December Citizenship grades due
• All EP documents due including the Rapid Cycle planning document

• Friday, December 24
• No School - Have a wonderful and relaxing break

Nitty-Gritty

• Powerschool Information
• I have had a few questions from teachers about how to see contact information for both parents.  Please refer to Mr. Modaff's email on Dec. 15 on how to access the contact information for your students for all parents/emergency contacts in Powerschool. It is located in PowerTeacherPro in the student tab under demographics.  Please ask for help if you can not find it.
• As we are nearing the end of the semester, there are a couple of details I want to remind you about for your grade book.  First, make sure when you create an assignment in the gradebook, that you are choosing only learning targets (for the subjects that have them in the gradebook) and that the Auto-Calculate score box is checked.  See below for a screenshot for more information.
• 
  
  
  
  
• Finally, watch for an email from Brad regarding other reminders and how-to directions for preparing for report card time at the end of Semester 1.  The first semester ends on January 14th and grades are due on January 17th.  HERE is a google doc of details about end of the semester grading.

• EP Documents
• Please make sure to submit all EP documents before you leave for winter break.  If you need any help, please let me know.  Remember, the rapid cycle feedback planning form does not have a due date assigned to it, but it still needs to be completed before you leave for break.  Thank you in advance for this important work.

• End of the Semester Idea
• I am wondering what anyone thinks about having a celebration of sorts for our elementary students on the last day of the semester, January 14th.  I'd like to have each grade together for a special activity with me (which would also give you some extra time to work on grades as well.). Thoughts?

• Spring into Success Summit
• Some of you may have received an email from Cesa 6 about their upcoming Spring into Success Summit that takes place in February.  Unfortunately, Dodgeland is not participating in the summit this year.  Cesa 6 has shared with us that the sessions will not be recorded and they apologize for the confusion the emails caused this month.

• Attendance Reminder
• Please make sure that you have your attendance submitted each day by 8:30 so that we can be sure that we have it completed before the auto-calls start around 9:30am.  I realize that mornings can be very hectic, especially with a special right away in the morning.  However, it is very important that we have accurate attendance data each day.

• Safety Drills
• This week we had some crazy and unusual weather for December.  While we often have drills monthly, as teachers, you always have the opportunity to add in to your instruction time to discuss safety procedures.  This includes tornado drills even during a time when we don't typically do them.  If you have any questions, please see the maps in your room to see what areas of the school are closest to your room for you to go during a tornado drill.

• Email from Dr. Thompson
• On Thursday, 12/16/21, Dr. Thompson sent an important email regarding a national TikTok Challenge.  Please make sure that you have read this letter.  Rest assured that if we believed there was a credible threat to students and/or staff safety, school would not be in session.  We believe communication combined with proactive measures will allow us to concentrate on learning in a safe environment, tomorrow and every day.

• Christmas Lights
• I love how the Christmas lights look in your classrooms.  However, please make sure that they are off and/or unplugged when you leave for the day.  If they are left on, there is a potential for starting a fire, which would be tragic for us all.  Please check any lights in your classrooms when you leave each day.

• Y Care Job Opening
• Does anyone know of someone looking for a part time job?  The Y is looking for someone to take over the after school care from 3-5:45 each day.  The current lead teacher has put in her two week's notice because she has moved further away and can't make the drive each day.  If you know of anyone, or you yourself would like to make some extra money, please see me or contact Trisha Zandler at tzandler@theydc.org

PD Spotlight

Click HERE to read a short article talking about the benefits of taking breaks and using time off from work to relax, rejuvenate and relieve stress.  During the holidays, there is often added stress with gift buying, or scheduling or cooking, etc., but please make sure to take time for yourself doing something for yourselves.  You all work so incredibly hard each and every day at Dodgeland.  I fervently hope you all have a wonderful and relaxing break.  You definitely deserve it!

Friday Funny

I am pretty sure this is what most of you have written down in your plans!  :-)

December 10, 2021

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• Parents of a student sharing how proud they were of their son and the growing confidence he has this year.  Watching students grow each year is so exciting!

• First grade students making such thoughtful predictions and strong language during discussions surrounding Mystery Doug's weekly segment.  So awesome to hear their thinking.

• Students were SO excited for their concert all week.  It was so wonderful to watch them perform live this year.  I missed it so last year!

• Speaking of the winter concert...The cute factor was on overload!  The kids nailed each song that they sang and you could tell they were learning a lot more than just the words to the songs. I could tell they were learning about rhythm and instruments, and so much more!

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Monday, December 13
• Bus Duty - Schwoerer, Piekarski, Johnson
• Mentor Meeting Year 1 teachers only - 3:15 in the IMC
• Newsletter articles Due to Jenny - 5th grade, anyone else?
• Milwaukee Bucks Day
• GG Lessons for the week: Respecting/Accepting differences for gr 2-5, following directions for K-1

• Tuesday, December 14
• Social Media Posts due - Stampfl, Bingen, Schwoerer, Piekarski
• Jenny in a meeting from 1-2pm

• Wednesday, December 15
• Workout Wednesday
• Academic Grade Level meeting 5K - 11:35am-12:20pm in room 108
• Jenny in a meeting from 9:45-10:45am
• Jr Coach Lunch Reward 3rd gr @ 12:30, 5th gr @ 1:00 in room 120

• Thursday, December 16
• SEL Grade Level meeting 3rd gr - 12:05-12:50pm in room 133

• Friday, December 17
• Books are Fun orders due

Nitty-Gritty

• Supervision after Noon recesses
• It appears that many of our 1st-3rd grade students are struggling when coming in from recess and then safely and quietly getting to the commons for lunch.  Please help remind students of the expectations of how to transition from recess, lockers to lunch in a safe manner.

• Vacant classrooms
• Earlier this week, a safety inspection was done across the school building.  One area that we received feedback on was in regards to empty classrooms. If your classroom is vacant for any reason, please make sure that your door is shut and the lights are off. This will send a message that the room is unavailable to others to enter without an adult.

• Extra Duty sheets
• As we discussed at the staff meeting on Tuesday, there may be extra duties that you have done that you didn't realize could be written on your extra duty sheets.  If you turned one in already, Laura has processed it.  Please grab another one from the shelf in the office and submit it to me so that it can be added to the Dec. 31 paycheck.  Below is a reminder of examples of extra duties at the elementary level.
• Extra Lunch Duty (covering for someone else)
• Extra Recess Duty (covering for someone else)
• Teaching during your prep
• Teaching other classes during part or all of your day (including taking on another class with your own)
• Each time you have students with you to teach/supervise, write it on the extra duty form.
• I would recommend that you have one handy all year long so that you can add it on the sheet as you go.  I appreciate the collegiality and the teamwork in covering for others when they can not be at school.  It is truly appreciated.

• Recess Reminders
• Mrs. Chambers is our school recess coach.  As such, she is working hard at putting procedures in place to help make this part of students' days an extension of their learning and a successful and fun place to be as well.  Please make sure that you are reading her communication and following the guidelines.  If even one person (myself included), strays from the routines, it creates confusion and conflict amongst students.  If you have questions, please reach out to Mrs. Chambers at any time.
• Now that we seem to have hit winter (sigh), there are questions related to whether recess will be indoors or outdoors.  The rule is:  If it is below 0 degrees, windchill included, recess will be indoors.  If it is 0 or above, windchill included, recess will be outdoors.  Each day, Mrs. Chambers will be checking weather conditions and will communicate if recess is indoors by 9am for morning recess and 11:15 for noon recesses. If you do not hear an announcement, you should assume it is outdoors.  If Mrs. Chambers is not here, I will make the determination.  If we are both gone, Ms. Hahn will make the determination.
• Finally, if it is raining, recess will be indoors.  If it is snowing (unless it is blizzard conditions), recess will more than likely be outdoors.  Again, there is a procedure set up for who will make that decision and it will be communicated in a timely way.

• WIN
• After winter break, we will have our next round of i-Ready/FastBridge testing.  Once we have that data, it will be important that we begin creating WIN groups for reading and math for each grade.  I understand that there are a lot of things on our plates right now, but I am afraid that if we are not looking carefully at our data and efficiently responding to what our students need, they will not grow as much as they otherwise might.  Please keep this in mind as you think about your next semester planning.

• Field Trips
• As we continue on for the next semester, I would like you to know that field trips can be reinstated for classes.  Please keep in mind what the COVID protocols are for the locations that you are considering taking your class to in your planning.  In addition, a field trip is an opportunity to provide learning in another place.  The trip should relate in some way to what you are doing in your yearly curriculum.  If your grade would like to plan a field trip, please fill out the field trip request form before finalizing any dates with locations.  If you have any questions, please see me.

• Expectations Reboot
• After the winter break, all of us spend a good amount of time reviewing the behavior expectations in the classroom, reminding them of the classroom procedures and practicing the "right" way to do things.  In one of the grade level SEL meetings, an idea (one I LOVE) was brought to the team about setting up some sort of Welcome Back Expectation rotation.  We could clearly cover the expectations we have for students' behavior in the hallways, in the lunchroom, at recess, etc.  Are there any people that would be willing to work on a plan of how we could systematically present this to our students when they return to us in January?  Click HERE to indicate willingness to help out.

• New Staff Member
• Most of you already know this and have even worked with her, but in case you haven't, there is a new paraprofessional on our team.  The opening was created to be proactive regarding some upcoming referrals and student move-ins that we are aware of in the special education department.  Please welcome Lexi Huelsman to our team.  As I told you in the staff meeting, she is much more excited to work with you than me!  She would prefer to be called "Ms. Lexi" to students to prevent any confusion with me.  I know that she is looking forward to joining you and wants to do a good job, working hard on work that matters!

Friday Funny

Is it weird that I used to LOVE looking through my school's card catalog?  I loved the smell of the cards and the rows of drawers, and even the way that each card was individually typed, like with a typewriter!  I may be dating myself here since there may be some that never had the privilege of doing this... :-)

December 3, 2021

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• I watched an adult talking with a 5K student today about a choice she was making with peers.  She was calm, kind and very clear about how the choice she was making was affecting other children.  By the end of the conversation, the student was hugging the adult and had made a safer and kinder choice.  The SEL skills that we teach in the moment is so automatic for so many of the adults in our system.  It is so exciting and rewarding to watch.

• Staff welcomed back our students with joy and ready to make the most of our days before break. Students seemed ready to learn and genuinely glad to be back in the building.

• Kris shared that teachers' hard work with implementing Bridges math units and number corner is paying off.  She is very impressed by how things are going across the building.  Way to go!

• 4K students sharing their alphabet bags with their classmates for the letter "T."  One of the students told me he brought a golf tee.  "It sounds just like the letter."

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Monday, December 6
• Bus Duty (Klink, Lucht, Zastrow)
• GG Lessons for the week (Perspectives for gr 3-5, self-talk for grades 5K-2)

• Tuesday, December 7
• Social Media posts due to Josh (Schweitzer, Chambers, Koenings, Braunschweig)
• Pyramid Model Leadership Mtg 1pm in Room 110
• Staff meeting in the IMC @3:05pm

• Wednesday, December 8
• Workout Wednesday
• Jenny in a meeting from 9:30-11am.
• Grade Level Data meeting 1st grade @ 12:05pm in room 122
• Fundraiser Pick-up from 3:15-6pm

• Thursday, December 9
• Jenny in a meeting from 8-9am
• Elem. concert dress rehearsal (See Ben's email for more information)
• SEL Grade Level meeting 4th grade @ 12:35pm in Room 138
• Elementary Winter Concert @ 6:30 for grades 5K, 2 & 4

• Friday, December 10
• Elem. gym is being used for FFA fruit sale sorting due to construction.  Watch for email about location/plan for Elem. PE classes that day

Nitty-Gritty

• Fundraiser Pick-up
• If you are available on Wednesday afternoon, please stop down in the elementary gym to help families collect their fundraiser items.  Many of the families will arrive right after school and the faster we can help them find their items, the less stressful it will be for them.

• Sunshine Committee
• Watch your emails for updates from the Sunshine committee and added dress up days for the month of December.  Thank you to this committee for adding holiday cheer to our month!

• Staff Meeting
• If you are unable to attend on Tuesday, please let me know so that I can catch you up on what you missed.  (Since I needed to move the date, please know I truly understand if you already have things on your calendar that day and can't make it.)

PD Spotlight

This is the article that I needed this week.  I hadn't realized how very stressed I was feeling in my personal life until Wednesday afternoon when things turned out well.  At that moment, I wanted to sit down and cry.  Weird right?  But the relief was overwhelming!  All of us have moments, situations and stressors that we are dealing with each and everyday.  It is not necessary for all of us to know the specific details of what stress each other is dealing with to be kind and empathetic with one another.  This time of year causes additional stress for many people, including our children.  It is important to remember this as we prepare for the holiday season.  Click HERE to read a very short article about 9 stress management techniques that every teacher needs to know.  Technique number 4 and 7 really spoke to me.  I enjoy my work, I want to do a good job and I know at the end of the day that I gave everything I had to my work.  I love the sentiment that doing good work does not have to mean burn-out.  How can I be proud of the good hard work I complete without it leaving me so exhausted that I think I can't function?  What techniques speak to you?

Friday Funny

Below is a picture of my nephews.  They were born on the exact same day, 13 years apart, and are so sweet to watch together.  Spencer, who just turned 18, is unbelievably patient and loving with his 5 year old cousin.  Johnny thinks everything Spencer does is amazing.  However, Spencer uses that to his advantage and can convince him he has special magic powers.  He would use a secret knock by the back door in order to get it to open, so then Johnny wouldn't even try the handle unless Spencer used his magic powers.   It was hilarious to hear him tell his mom that he can not get in the door until Spencer gets there.  Of course, Spencer kept telling him he would get those same powers when he gets older. :-)