December 9, 2022

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• During the para educator meeting this week, lots of feedback was provided about recess and routines.  When we are consistent, the students benefit most.

• The 5K, 2nd and 4th grade students did such a great job at the concert tonight.  The 5K students were cuteness overload, the 2nd graders got us in the holiday spirit, and the 4th graders brought down the house with their excitement and joy in their performance.  Shout out to Ben for putting a wonderful concert together for us all to enjoy!

• The logistics team brought tons of ideas to the table this week and we have a plan to implement next week.  (See below for more details.). Thank you all for your feedback and your work to implement a smoother (hopefully) procedure for after school.

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Monday, December 12
• Apple Guests visiting Dodgeland
• Mad about Plaid Jeans Day
• Bus Duty: Chambers, Schweitzer, Johnson

• Tuesday, December 13
• Wear a college shirt 
• Social Media Posts due: Donovan, TCaine, Huso
• Jenny in meeting from 8:30-10am
• SEL Data meeting - 5th gr (12:35-1:25pm)

• Wednesday, December 14
• Workout Wednesday
• 2nd Gr Academic Data meeting 12:05-12:55pm
• Staff Meeting in the IMC 3:10-3:55pm

• Thursday, December 15
• Bucks Day (or any sport)
• 2nd Grade Field Trip to the Milwaukee Public Museum
• NED assembly at 2pm
• Mentor/Mentee Meeting in IMC @ 3:15pm

• Friday, December 16
• Dodgeland or Christmas Colors Day
• Dodgeland Den staff meeting 11:30-12:00 in Elem. conference room
• Jenny in mtg from 12:30-2pm
• Yo-Yo Sale before and after school only

Nitty-Gritty

• Cellphones at School
• More and more of our students bring their own cellphones to school each day.  Our student handbook discourages students from bringing them to school.  However, if a student does have it, our handbook prohibits students from using it during school hours.  They can use it before and after school hours.  However, they should not be used in the bus lines outside after school.  They can use them on the bus or while walking home/parent car.  To be good models, we should not be on our cellphones during the day while working and with students.  Checking the time is one thing, but answering phone calls, texting others, scrolling through your phone while with students will send a message that it is okay for them.  Please limit your personal cellphone use to your preps, lunch periods and before and after school.

• Friday Lunch (12/9)
• The woman from Grand Canyon University is returning on Friday to provide a pizza lunch, with a veggie tray and dessert in the elementary conference room starting around 11:30am.  Sorry for the late notice, but I was a bit wary after what happened last time.  This way it is a nice surprise, but you still have a lunch in case she isn't able to make it.

• Snow Video
• Please make sure you have signed up to have Mrs. Chambers come visit your classroom to talk about expectations with winter recess.  Click HERE to see and show the video to your classes.

• Updated Bus/After School pick up procedures
• The logistics committee met this week and determined new procedures to help with the behavior of students and in turn the stress of the supervisors as well.

• New Bus Procedures for after school
• Line up in recess lines by the classroom teacher just like when we line up to come inside in the morning.
• 4K and 5k will each have a cone to line up by.
• Jr Coaches will be on hand to assist with these two grades.
• Students will be dismissed by the classroom teacher's name to go to the buses starting with the 5th grade classes.
• Any older students needing to meet a younger sibling (not friend) will wait by the pillars holding up the playground sign until the younger siblings class is called.
• Students should stand in line, hands to themselves, iPads and phones put away.
• Any students that are struggling to follow expectations will be asked to stand against the wall or sit on the bench and will be the last ones to be dismissed.

• New Parent Pickup Procedures for after school
• Students will line up by grade level (cones will be out)
• Students will stand in line, hands to themselves, watching for their ride.
• They will walk to their vehicle once they're ride arrives.
• If their ride or parent is here when they walk out, they should go straight to their vehicle or parent.

TechKnow Tip

The holidays can be a stressful time of the year and we are knee deep in it! Take a moment to think about your digital wellness. Digital wellness is the pursuit of an intentional and healthy relationship with technology. Take a look at this graphic, “Boundaries for Digital Wellness”. Reflect on yourself as a technology user and think about starting a conversation with students about this too. Digital wellness is one facet of being a well-rounded digital citizenship, something all students and staff are aspiring to be.

PD Spotlight

This week has been something else!  I actually found myself going home twice this week and going to bed just to avoid thinking.  I didn't want to think about my day, or what I need to get done, or what I haven't got done or all the people I am disappointing.  So sleep became my tactic.  It didn't really help much though.  Just kicked the issue to the next day.  So when I watched this episode of the PinkCast, I thought he was speaking directly to me.  I needed something to use in the moment so that I can be much more helpful to you.  I am working on using this much more often to see if this does what I need it to do.  At the bottom of the video are some links that give more information that I have read as well.  They are short, but incredibly informative and helpful if you want to know the science behind this psychological sigh.

Friday Funny

File this picture under, "How you know that you are getting older?"  Yes, I may have needed the flashlight so I could read the menu.  Yes, I may have drawn lots of weird looks from others.  And, yes, I may have been laughed at by people at my own table.

Laugh it up, Lexi and Ella!  Your time is coming.  Remember you share half my DNA.  Everything you laugh about now, will be your reality in 20-30 years.   HA!  :-)