February 20, 2026

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• Shout out to the 3K and 4K team that worked so hard to put together a successful screening event for our community. Our parents felt heard and we had a few kids crying when they LEFT because they wanted to stay at school!  Nice job everyone!

• 2nd graders were working hard on learning phonics and could write the many ways to spell the long vowel sounds.  These vowel teams are very difficult to learn and they are nailing it!

• Nice job to all of your hard work on the Act 20 modules and the digital citizenship work that was completed on Monday. As I was reading through the work, I was impressed by your detail and planning. 

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Monday, February 23
• Morning Duties:
• Blacktop/Playground: Miller, Bingen, Zastrow
• 3K/4K playground: Donovan, Vertz
• Breakfast: CaineB, Wagner
• Lunch Duties:
• 12:00 - Wagner
• 12:30 - Westphal
• 1:00 (alt lunch) - CaineT 
• Afternoon Duties:
• Blacktop/Playground: Huso, Lucht
• Circle Drive: Jenkins
• School Board mtg @ 6:30pm

• Tuesday, February 24
• Social Media posts due to Jenny: Wagner, Ellefson
• Happy Birthday Heather Stange!

• Wednesday, February 25
• Workout Wednesday
• Lunch Detentions Supervisors: Donovan, Huso, Bingen
• Jenny in Meeting from 9-11am
• Elem. Staff meeting in IMC @ 3:15-4pm

• Thursday, February 26
• Pop-Up PD on Translating like a Pro! in IMC from 3:20-3:45pm
• Referendum Info Opportunity in Commons @ 6pm

• Friday, February 27
• Citizenship grades due in the gradebook for February

Nitty-Gritty

• Read Across America
• This is only a week or so away.  (March 2-6)  The annual reading/math night for families will be held on Monday, March 2 from 6-7pm.  The committee has been working hard on the preparations for this exciting week. Feel free to come join the fun on Monday night.  Bring your children or grandchildren and enjoy a great time with reading and math!  
• Students will all get a plastic apron for the theme of the week. If you want your students to decorate it, please do!

• Trojan Press
• A huge thank you to all of the staff that are helping our Trojan Press members get pictures and information from you for the yearbook.  The last thing they will be adding to the book is Read Across America week.  Please continue to assist them with pictures, etc..They are working so hard and diligently to create something that they and all of us are proud of, and also will bring back great memories for them years from now!

• Personnel update
• Please help me thank Chrissy Manthey for her time, work and dedication this school year.  Friday, Feb. 20 will be her last day with us. I wish her all the best and maybe our paths will cross again someday.  
• Going forward, Sarah Patton will be joining us full-time in the elementary. She has been in our wing for awhile, but now she will be with us all day!  Welcome Sarah!

• Summer School
• I am looking for 2-3 teachers that would like to teach summer school this year for elementary classes. If you or someone you know is interested, please have them contact me as soon as they are able!  In addition, I am also looking for people willing to sub during the summer for anyone that may need a substitute. If this is of interest, please let me know.

• Dodgeland Den
• This summer the Dodgeland Den will be open before/after summer school from 6:30-7:30 and 12:30-5:30 and on non summer school days it will be open from 6:30am-5:30pm. It will be open for students entering grades 4K-6th grade and will have a daily cost for each student. It will open on June 3 and run until August 14.  If you are interested in working or subbing in the Den, please let me know.  The program will be organized and run by Sam Keberlein and Lexi Huelsman.  Reach out to them for specifics on the schedule, etc.

ML Information

Clear Path, Clear Success: Why Rubrics are a Game-Changer for MLs

For our Multilingual Learners (MLs), an assignment without a rubric can feel like trying to navigate a new city without a map. Providing a clear rubric at the start of a project doesn’t just set expectations—it lowers anxiety and provides a linguistic scaffold for success.

Why It Works

When MLs see a rubric on day one, they aren't guessing what "good work" looks like. It breaks down complex tasks into manageable chunks and highlights the specific vocabulary they need to focus on.

Quick Tips for Effective Rubrics

• Keep it Simple: Use student-friendly language. Instead of "Demonstrates mastery of syntax," try "My sentences are easy to read and follow a logical order."

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Attach a "Mentor Text" or a past student project. Seeing a "Level 4" example helps MLs visualize the end goal regardless of their current English proficiency.

• Use Visuals: For K-5 or newcomers, add icons (like a pencil for writing or a speech bubble for presenting) next to criteria to provide instant context.

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Rubric Quick-Check

Feature	Instead of...	Try...
Criteria	"Strong Organization"	"I used 'First,' 'Next,' and 'Last' to order my story."
Grading	Numbers only (1-4)	Numbers + Descriptive labels (e.g., "Getting Started," "Almost There," "Expert!")
Clarity	Giving it at the end	Reviewing it together before they start work.

Pro-Tip: Try a "Single-Point Rubric." List only the "Target" criteria in the center column, leaving blank space on the sides for strengths and areas for growth. It’s less overwhelming and focuses on the most important goals.

TechKnow Tip

PBS Learning Media is a free collection of curriculum-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more! You can find PBS Learning Media in ClassLink where you can sign in with Google. Once connected, you can add resources to your favorites to keep organized. Better yet, all the resources can be shared with students seamlessly through Google Classroom! Here is a quick look at a small portion of what you can find within PBS Learning Media. Jump right into the resource by clicking on each picture.

Friday Funny 

In the spirit of the winter Olympics, I came across this short video making light of the difference between events in the summer Olympics vs. the winter Olympics.  When it is pointed out like this, the winter Olympics sound crazy!