December 12, 2025

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• I am sorry I missed the winter concerts this week, but I did hear that our students did a great job and that the turn out of families was great!  Congratulations Carrie and everyone that helped organize this event!

• A couple of third grade students were showing me their practice with math facts and number sense. The ST Math problem one of them had really had her thinking and as she was explaining to me what to do, she realized she made a mistake.  The best part, Ms. Juech, picked up and said, "Finish it out and then you can keep trying."  This normalizes making mistakes (which we all make!) and she didn't seem to get flustered at all.  I can tell this is not the first time that Ms. Juech has supported a  student learning from a mistake. Way to go Jahra!  (Did I mention she did this with no voice as well??  :-))

• Our 4K team gave their students an exciting adventure this week searching the school for the runaway gingerbread man.  The stories that they were telling others about how hard they were looking, and what he left behind for them, etc was adorable.  Thank you for the extra work you put in to give them this experience.

• Shout out to all that decorated their doors for the contest.  It looks very festive and inviting around here! I know this is extra work, but it is noticed, appreciated and our students do enjoy it immensely. Thank you for the organization and hard work to build community and have fun together at the same time!

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Saturday, December 13
• Happy Birthday Taylor Swift!  :-)

• Monday, December 15
• Merry Monday
• 2nd Grade Field trip to Milwaukee Museum
• Morning Duty:
• Blacktop/Playground: Neis, Westphal, Stampfl
• 3K/4K playground: Mook, Ellefson
• Breakfast: Houk, Tietz
• Lunch Duty:
• 12:00 - Schuett
• 12:30 - Miller
• 1:00 - Klink
• Afternoon Duty:
• Blacktop/Playground: CaineT, Betsy
• Circle Drive: Duhr/Huelsman
• Lunch Detentions this week: Donovan, Huso, Bingen
• Happy Holidays from the Huelsman's - Stop in the lounge today to get a treat/snack after 9am. We are all so proud to be your colleagues. Hope this provides some energy to get you all through the week! :-). (2nd grade team going on the field trip, I will save you some.  You might be the bravest of us all!)
• Jenny in mtg from 12-1pm
• School Board Meeting @ 6:30pm

• Tuesday, December 16
• Happy Birthday Rick Anthes!
• Feeling Frosty? - Wear as much white as you can!
• Jenny in meeting from 9-10:30am
• Social Media posts due to Jenny: Donovan, Stampfl, Schuett
• Staff Holiday get together at the Harvest Place after school

• Wednesday, December 17
• Holiday Character Day - Dress as a character from a holiday book, movie, etc.
• Jenny in meeting from 8:30-10:30am & 1:30-2:30pm

• Thursday, December 18
• Polar Express Day - Wear your comfiest PJ's to school
• 5th gr. Field Trip to Clearview from 1:20-3pm

• Friday, December 19
• Festive Friday - Wear your most festive attire and accessories
• Citizenship grades due to PowerSchool for December
• Santa and Mrs. Claus are visiting in the morning around 7:55am to each classroom.

• Saturday, December 20 - Monday, January 4
• Enjoy your Winter Break with the people and activities that fill you with joy and happiness!

Nitty-Gritty

• Sub Plan Organization
• When you leave sub plans in the drive, please title the plan with the date of your absence. We are getting feedback from many subs that they are struggling to find the right plans when they arrive. By organizing the plans this way, it allows the sub to have more time to read them thoroughly, think through what they are doing, and ultimately have an even more successful day in your absence. Thank you in advance for helping out!

• Week before Break Behaviors
• The holiday season is an exciting and joyful time for many in our school community—students, families, and staff alike! We also recognize that this season can bring additional stress for some. Concerns like financial worries, feelings of loneliness or grief, or past trauma can surface, leading to more frequent emotional dysregulation or atypical behaviors from some students as winter break approaches.

• To provide the best support during this time, please prioritize consistency in your routines and expectations next week. Please share any student concerns with the PPS team and families as soon as possible. Your clear communication is key to providing timely support.

                    Following Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs)

• During our November PD days, many specific student concerns were addressed, and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) were developed. These plans contain a specific sequence of responses designed to support the student and de-escalate the situation effectively.

  • Please ensure you follow these plans precisely. Adhering to the established sequence allows us to accurately assess the plan's effectiveness and make necessary, data-driven adjustments.

  Supporting Colleagues During Crises

  We know that managing dysregulation is stressful and exhausting work. Our shared goal in these moments is to keep the child (and peers/staff) safe, de-escalate the situation quickly, and move to a more private location.

  If you encounter an adult actively engaging with or supervising a student in the hallway during a behavioral situation:

  • Do not intervene directly with the student. Your well-intentioned interaction has the potential to inadvertently interfere with the established plan, escalate the behavior, or prolong the dysregulation.

  • The best way to support your colleague is to ask, "Do you need any help?"

  • To maintain focus on the de-escalation process, you may need to mindfully adjust your route or use an alternative exit to avoid the immediate area.

  Fostering a Supportive Team Environment

  We are all striving to do what is best for our students and each other. We are a team with a shared goal.

  • Let’s commit to asking questions about situations, responses, or outcomes rather than making critical or judgmental remarks.

  • Positive, supportive dialogue is essential for a strong team. Criticism often lacks full context and can undermine morale. If you are feeling frustrated, stressed, confused, or upset, please reach out to me or another administrator. I would much rather have a conversation to clarify the situation and offer support than have you feel overwhelmed or defeated.

  Thank you all for the countless ways you support our elementary community. The strong relationships we build—with each other and with our students—are the true foundation for learning and growth.

• Indoor Bus duty/recess changes
• Please make sure that you know what the routines and procedures are for indoor recess and bus duties.  Teresa made a few tweaks to the process to help facilitate it successfully. If you have any questions, please let me know. (If you need to reread her updates, she email it on Fri, Dec 5 and it was also in the announcements this week.)

• Looking Ahead - Report Cards
• Final grades and report cards will be due to Patti by Monday, Jan. 26.  I know this is a month away yet, but wanted this to be on your radar as it will come up fast when we return from break. If you need support with this process, please let a team member, mentor or myself know.  Remember comments should be created within the PowerSchool framework. Brad had increased the allowed number of credits a couple years back, so there will be enough room for you.

• Mid-Year Assessments
• When we return from Winter Break, the mid-year window opens for our district assessments.  This includes i-Ready and AimsWeb.  (4K - you are not required to test in the winter for Act 20, but if you want me to check in on any kids, let me know.). Please plan ahead for students that have accommodation needs.

• Staff Wellness - Step Challenge
• After we return from winter break, Nurse Katie will be leading a Staff Wellness Step Challenge. ALL staff are welcome to participate. Detailed information will be provided to those who choose to sign up, but here are the basics you need to know:
• The challenge will run January 4 - 31
• Interested staff will be randomly assigned to teams of 3-5 people
• Interested participants will need to pay a $5 buy in
• Participants will log their steps in a shared spreadsheet
• The winning team each week will receive a prize (gift cards or cash)
• The winning teach each week will be redistributed with members of the 2 lowest step getting teams that week to increase the chance of having a different team win each week
• Weeks will run from Sunday at 12AM until the following Saturday at 11:59PM
• Here is the link to sign up. Sign up ends Monday, 12/15 at 4pm.

• MacOS Tahoe Update
• If you haven't already, please make sure to update your laptop to the latest software which is MacOS Tahoe 26.1.  This must be done by Wed, Jan. 7 or it will be pushed out and may affect your teaching or work.  The process will take between 30-45 min. to complete. The path to find it is:  Settings>General>Software Update>Update
• If you want to learn more about the features that are included with the update, the link is HERE.

ML Information

“All the best laid plans…”

ACCESS testing is going very well, and the students are really putting in their all. However, my plans have had to change a bit from what I sent out to everyone. I am discovering that the amount of time it takes a student to do the Speaking test is MUCH longer than expected. Sorry about this. I will send out new information for you all as soon as possible, and thank you again for your flexibility.

Tip of the Week: Value Home Language (click for my first AI Podcast!) Encourage students to use their home language to brainstorm ideas or discuss concepts with a bilingual peer. This helps them process information.

Don’t forget you can find even more resources here: Dodgeland Teacher Resources. You can also feel free to email me or schedule an appointment! 😀

TechKnow Tip

Check out this video of a new Gemini tool called Nano Banana and how it can translate text within images!

Here is the prompt that Mr. Rankin created and the one I demoed in the video:

• You are a hyper-realistic image localizer and restoration expert.
• Create a translated version of the uploaded image where the text appears in LANGUAGE HERE. The final result must look exactly as if the original photo or artwork was captured in a reality where that language was native to the scene.
• Strict Global Image Integrity requires pixel-perfect preservation. Do not alter, reimagine, or style-transfer any non-text elements. The lighting, shadows, colors, subjects, background details, and noise/grain of the original image must remain 100% identical to the source.
• Seamless integration is essential. The new text must not sit on top of the image. It must appear embedded within the environment, affected by the scene's specific lighting conditions, depth of field, and atmosphere.
• Engage in Dynamic Multi-Style Text Adaptation using complex typography mapping. Identify every distinct text element separately. If the image contains a mix of printed fonts, neon signs, scribbled notes, and engraved headers, handle each one individually.
• Use style mimicry for every text instance, replicating the exact font weight, kerning, and decorative elements like gradients, outlines, or 3D extrusion of the original.
• Apply organic imperfections. If text is handwritten, replicate the stroke speed, pressure variation, and ink flow of the original writer. If the text is weathered, such as being faded, peeling, scratched, or written on a textured surface like concrete or wood, apply those exact physical textures to the translation.
• Adhere to specific Output Specifications. Upscale the final output to the highest resolution possible. Ensure the quality of the upscaling process sharpens the text without smoothing out the natural grain or texture of the photograph.

Friday Funny

This is the message I got on my group text with my sisters.  My niece, CeCe, is in half day 4K this year.  I'll let you decide what you think happened in school this week.  :-)